I'M A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY

I hope you are all off enjoying this beautiful weekend we are having! My husband and I are off tonight to NYC this evening to see our talented friend Dylan Connor and the Epic Poets sing at The Living Room NYC. I can't wait to ask him about his very recent tour in Ireland!! In the mean time I have been whipping up a fresh little DIY project to share with you all. Although the style of our home is a little more colonial New England I am secretly in love with country. I think it's the Irish roots in me. It reminds me of my great Grandma's house back in Bluebell, Dublin, thatched roof and all :) If you're not sure what a thatched roof looks like here's an example: 

The thing I like most about country style is that it really brings the outdoor - in. Lots of plants and organic materials like wood. Speaking of wood and getting to that DIY project I promised you, I absolutely love, love, love barn style doors! My cousin has one on her powder room on the main level of her house and boy that door sure gets a lot of attention. There's something so unexpected about a barn door inside that grabs everyone's attention. 

After looking into it, I realized it's not all that difficult to put together this look yourself. It can seem a bit intimidating at first but just knowing what materials are needed (which can easily be found at your local hardware or big box store) I realized how much easier it would be to do this than I originally imagined.
All you need are 1. Re-salvaged barn-like doors. I really love the Habitat for Humanity Restore for used items like this. You can get doors there for as little as $10! 2. Door handles of your choosing. 3. 1/2" wide galvanized pipe you can find at your local hardware store. Even better if they thread both ends so it's easier to attached the elbows. 4. Floor flanges which will attach to the wall or trim. 5. 1" wide eye hooks which screw into the top of the doors and hook onto the galvanized pipe. 6. 1" long pipe which screw into the elbows and floor flanges. 7. Floor casters. These will screw into the bottom of the doors. 8. 1" long pipe.

I would be really interested to know if you would ever be brave enough to try a project like this yourself. Drop a comment in the box below and let me know! Enjoy the weekend! 

xoxo

Jen

ON ADIRONDACK CHAIRS AND ENJOYING LIFE

There is something about Adirondack chairs that is oh so very American. When I first moved to my suburban town in Connecticut in the summer of '98, I remember them being a staple in a lot of yards. The wide arm rests makes the perfect holders for a tasty summer beverage. There's just something about relaxing in the fresh outdoor breeze on one of these, to stop and smell the roses, or hydrangeas as it will be in my yard...eventually :)

The first Adirondack Chair was invented in 1903 by Thomas Lee in Westport, NY and was originally called the "Westport Plank Chair." Lee had a vacation home in Westport, a small town on the West side of Lake Champlain at the foot of the Adirondack Mountains, and needed a relaxing chair for his family to enjoy in the outdoors. The slanted seat and back were necessary innovations near a mountain range; they made it possible to sit at a comfortable angle when the chair lay on a steep hill, who knew?
Source: www.adirondackchairsonly.com

Whatever you are doing this Spring I hope you have time to stop, take a step back, and enjoy life a little bit. Even better if it's shared with someone else! Bring on the weekend :)

STYLISH DOG BEDS

It's the middle of the week and I am already looking forward to the weekend, it's been a looong few days! No matter how my days go I always know when I get home at the end of them my two little favorite creatures are there to greet me with open arms, or paws would be the more appropriate term in this case! Our two cavapoos Ludo and Sara are so cute. Unfortunately their gigantic crate takes up a large portion of our living room. It got me to thinking...you don't have to necessarily sacrifice style when it comes to your pets. There are so many dog bed options out there. I am a big fan of patterns especially when it comes to small surfaces like pillows and/or dog beds. I have been on the lookout for a new sleek pillow style dog bed for our pups so I can move their crate out and free up more space. Here are some of my faves.

 
And since I haven't been sharing a whole lot of real-life photos lately here are the two little nuggets that inspired today's topic.

 My little girl Sara

And my little boy Ludo

SPRING PAINT COLOR TRENDS

Happy Spring friends! The stream of beautiful weather we have been having here on the East coast has really given me Spring fever. This time of year gives me a great excuse to shop for new colorful wardrobe pieces. Speaking of colors I have been searching high and low for Spring/Summer 2012 paint trends. Those of you who read my blog regularly know I am a HUGE fan of all things Pottery Barn. The love doesn't stop with their furniture, accessories and linens. Benjamin Moore has a line of PB Paint Colors! One of my favorite colors is turquoise which is why I am naturally drawn to their amazing Woodlawn Blue (pictured below) and the colors that compliment it. If you are unsure of what colors look best in the rooms of your home you should check out Donna Frasca's Blog here on choosing colors for your home.

From left to right: Oat Straw, Woodlawn Blue, Cumulus Cloud, and Decorators White

People often ask me where I get inspiration for certain decorating projects or crafty things I sometimes put together and the answer is simple, everyday life. The color combination I chose above came from a recent shopping spree at the Clinton Shopping Outlets . I needed an outfit for work and the colors that are trending right now are very earthy with a pop of springtime color. Here is the outfit I put together...

Belt: Abercrombie, Shoes: Nine West, Pants and Shirt are both jcrew

Here are some rooms using the colors I am featuring so you get a better sense of what they look like in on large surfaces...

 Woodlawn Blue Walls

Cumulus Cloud Walls

Decorators White Walls


So you can see above these colors can be used together as you can see in photo one featuring the Oat Straw on the walls, the blue shutter accents, the decorators white couch and so on. Or, they can be used separately as you can see in pictures 2-4. Would you consider using any of these colors?

DESIGN BOUTIQUE & CAFE...Who would've thunk it?

I think I just may have found my home decorating Mecca! I opened the first few pages in the Spring issue of New England Home Magazine and there it was, jumping out at me. A two page spread with beautiful turquoise, yellows, and oranges showcasing this place I instantly fell in love with. The place is called The Drawing Room Design Boutique & Cafe in Cos Cob CT. 

It's the destination for tea enthusiasts, inspiration seekers and design fanatics. It encompasses two of my favorite things in life: Tea & Home Decorating! It has been voted the best afternoon tea in Fairfield County, the cafe is also a favorite spot for breakfast, lunch, and private events. 

The boutique, packed full of uber chic furniture and home accessories, is also a treasure trove of unique jewelry, unusual books and those hard to find gifts.

I now know what I will be doing in my spare time in one of the upcoming weekends! I suggest that you stop on by if you are even in the Cos Cob area. Let me know what you think!

GOOD KARMA...AND A SWEEPSTAKES

I've always been a big believer in Karma, that somehow everything has a place, a purpose. Fate is already mapped out for us and everything happens for some predetermined reason regardless of how we feel about it. If you're not convinced perhaps my new favorite show Touch on Fox might convince you otherwise. So you can imagine the surge of excitement that ran through my veins this morning as I was browsing through HGTV and found that The DIY Network is having a $50,000 "Dirtiest Landscape" Contest!!! *Breaks out in happy dance*. What are the odds after I had just got done blogging about...back yards! In sticking to my "you get back what you give out" mantra, I am sharing the link with you to this contest so that you too may have the chance of being graced with a beautiful back yard! DIY Network's Dirtiest Landscapes Sweepstakes. You can enter once per day until May 4th. They will also be giving away 6 weekly Sears $1,000 gift cards. What do you have to lose?

BACKYARD RETREAT

As I think back to the home we left behind in Ireland when I was younger I remember my bedroom where my friend Kim and I used to play video games and listen to music. I remember my brother's bedroom which was covered with Liverpool Football Club memorabilia from the wallpaper to the comforter and pillows. These are all really great memories. I also remember the back yard. 

The back yard was where I played with our dog Max. It was where I played on my swing set with my brother Alan when we were younger. It's where we barbequed with family friends when the unpredictable Irish weather would allow. It's where my cousin Gary and I would tape made-up commercials & skits that my family still laughs at today (thanks Mom). In the summers my friends and I would set up blankets on the lawn and play board games and at night we would pitch tents and camp out at night. 

So you see the back yard was a retreat in my childish eyes and still holds a very special place in my heart. When my husband and I were looking at houses last year I must admit the back yard was not what sold me on our final selection! It was overgrown, uneven, and needed a lot of work. My husband however saw potential written all over it (thanks honey)! We began work last fall which began with topsoil being dumped in by the truckload. After a lot of truckloads we realized it wasn't going to be even and we were going to have to level it out. When you live on rock ledge apparently that's not the easiest thing to do! We had to have machines come in with jack hammers attached to them to chip out all of the rock ledge sticking out. It took a lot longer than expected and when the ground began to freeze we had to cease operations until the Spring. With Spring right around the corner I can't help but get excited again about picking up where we left off! Next on the agenda is to add the final top soil, lay hay, and plant grass seed. If all goes well we should have an actual lawn by this summer!! Slowly but surely the fruits  of our labors will begin to pay off. Once the yard is straightened out we will begin to do some pretty landscaping and hopefully lay a patio down. Here are a few items on my list for when we finally get the yard leveled out:

These bluestone patios with round-edged walls would fit really nice in our yard since we live near the woods and the natural stone gives it a more organic look

Me, a book, 80 degree weather with a breeze, and this hammock sounds like a good time to me!

In case you don't know me by now hydrangeas are my favorite flowers.  This hydrangea-lined landscape is beautiful. It would make a nice place to have a picnic. If you don't remember why I love hydrangeas so much click here.

This is so sweet! It's like a raft floating right in the middle of the grass! The shade from the trees in the summer would be great for keeping cool.

We have some random areas on the outskirts that will need some TLC and I think plantings like these would look really great and finish everything off nicely.

Here is a picture of our yard at the end of last summer (go easy on us now)!  

I will be sure to post some more "during" photos when we plant the grass seed and then some "after" photos when everything is finished off but those probably won't be until next year :( Patience is a virtue! What are your favorite childhood backyard memories?

NAUTICAL INSPIRATIONS

With the new season comes change. Our clocks have been set forward and we're still catching up on our sleep. I talk about sleep a LOT on here because I can never get enough of it! That daylight savings gets me every time! Anyway, I can smell Spring in the air already and it's not for another couple of weeks. Whenever the seasons change I want a new everything. New wardrobe, new shirts for my adorable little pups Ludo and Sara and last but certainly not least, new home ideas! It's with that I bring you my nautical inspired theme. I LOVE nautical looks, whether it's an outfit or a room. The same rule applies for both, don't over-do it! You want the look to be subtle enough that when the person walks into a room for example, they don't feel like they boarded the QE2 :) Same with the outfit, you want the look to have nautical elements. You know you've gone too far when people start greeting you with "aye, aye!"

The above throw pillow is by Trina Turk, the rope mirror and glass lamp both by Pottery Barn, and the adorable little picture I found on Pinterest I really need to find out where it came from though because I love it!

 

This jaw-dropping floor is to die for!!! I found it on the National Wood Flooring Association website. I mean it's just ridiculously amazing. Two words, dream home!

I really am in love with this nautical children's room. So tastefully done. The subtle blue and white wide stripes and my favorite part, the oars...how cool??

If I ever have a little one of my own some day I think I'm going with a nautical themed room. Top o' the weekend to ya! Hope you all enjoy your St. Patrick's Day. I know I will.

MANY USES FOR SHUTTERS

I was just reading through the April issue of Country Living and they had an amazing DIY project featuring an Arizona blogger Laura Durrer of www.oliveandlove.com. She decided to turn the wall of her dining room into a floor-to-ceiling wall of re-purposed shutters. She was inspired by a display she had spotted in an Anthropologie store. I love that! I love taking something you see, adding your own personal touches, and making it your own!!! Here is a photo of her finished shutter wall...

As you can see, it's pretty spectacular!

On Pinterest I found this very clever use of shutters to store and organize letters, pictures, inspirations and anything you want to use it for. This idea was originally presented by the incredible Martha Stewart herself. Is there anything this woman can't do?

All you have to do with any of these shutter projects is sand them down to remove any old paint, and apply fresh paint. I personally love Benjamin Moore paint products. And finally I really like the clever use of shutters to create an interesting headboard. Here is an example I found on HGTV.com 

Would you be willing to have a go at any of these shutter DIY projects? One tip Laura Durrer gave Country Living was to try finding old shutters at your local thrift shops, Craigslist, and even Habitat for Humanity's ReStore and not to pay more than $5 a piece.

MINT IS WHAT'S TRENDING NOW

One BIG trend I have been noticing lately whether it is in fashion magazines, in clothing stores, nail color, or other beauty products is mint green. This is going to be a huge color trend this spring. Here a few inspiration boards I have put together incorporating different forms of mint green including those delicious French macaroons and Essie's Mint Candy Apple nail polish. I also incorporated different rooms with subtle mint green accenting which I thought looked surprisingly elegant as long as it's not over done. I especially love the mint green building, it takes me somewhere tropical which I could use a little of right now! Enjoy the weekend.

DAYDREAMER

This has been a busy week for me. A week of scrambling to hand proposals in on time. It's been a week of trying to get my homework done while making time for my family. It's been a week of late nights burning the midnight oil and snoozing the alarm clock in the morning 2 or 3 times before finally waking up to go to work. I can't help but feel like time is slipping away, drifting on by like the clouds do on a breezy summer day. I am so tired I find myself dreaming of when I will finally get to lay my head down for some rest. It doesn't take long for me to fall asleep at all. I hit the pillow and about 5 minutes later boom! I am off to sleep and dreaming. Speaking of dreaming, here are some cozy, comfy looking beds I have been dreaming about. I wouldn't mind cuddling up in any one of these.

JUST FRAME IT ALREADY!

One thing that has been on my “to do” list for a while now is getting some of my family photos up on the wall. It’s not that I don’t want to do it, because believe me, I do. It’s just I tend to overthink things. I like to plan out exactly where I am going to put everything and how it’s going to look. While it is good to have a plan it’s important to not let that hold you back from getting started. If you don’t have all the pieces at once that’s ok. Start with what you have and build from there. I have some frames from our wedding and plan on getting some more in the coming weeks. In the mean time, here are a few walls of inspiration I have been admiring.

Here Pottery Barn displays a nice layout. I particularly like the greyish-blue wall behind the black and wooden frames. I also really love the letter and numbers added to break up some of the frames and the lighting used to highlight them. This is the type of wall you could build upon over time!

I really love this hallway wall I found on Martha Stewart. It's great because it makes the hallway become a destination instead of a place that generally gets overlooked. Here you would simply draw a line horizontally down the hallway and place the frames above and below the line. I'm a big fan of symmetry so this one is particularly appealing to me.

Since small frames can sometimes get lost on a big wall a great alternative spot to hang them in the cozy inside of a book shelf. If we actually had bookshelves I would do this.

Using the frame risers from Pottery Barn you can create a multidimensional look and overlap some of your frames if you are running out of space. Very clever idea!

I'm a fan of making the office feel like home. I LOVE the framed inspirational message! I also am really digging the fretwork like ceramic lamp!! I'll have to look out for something like that. This is a nice example of mixing personal pictures with artwork.

I found this beautiful white framed wall on Pinterest. I need to work on my entryway area next and I am envisioning a small (possibly half circle) table with a lamp and pictures so this one jumped out right at me.