Creating a Cozy Guest Room

Expecting overnight guests? Here are some quick tips to create a cozy, welcoming room from the editors of Canadian Home and Country!

1. Do what the Europeans do: invest in a goose down comforter. Better still, try a flannel duvet cover with it!

2. Problems with drafty windows? Hang heavy lined velvet drapes to cut drafts—and your heating bill.

3. Flickering candlelight or light from a kerosene lantern imbues rooms with a sense of warmth.

4. Create instant virtual warmth by painting walls in warm tones, such as butter yellow.

5. Collect vintage wool blankets for layering under duvets.

6. Don't be afraid to mix and match styles within the same color palette. Pair delicate cotton floral linens (at least 400 thread count!) with bold red matelassé pillow shams, then layer them on a vintage wrought-iron bed.

7. Your olfactory senses can go a long way to creating comfort—the familiar scent of roses has a relaxing effect before bedtime.

8. Keep yellows on the warm side, and use reds with orange or brown undertones.

9. Creating coziness shouldn't stop with your decor; invest in extra-soft pyjamas to curl up in, and use an old stool to keep your jammies handy.

article by Canadian Home and Country

Image for the Day

Source: Coastal Living

What I wouldn't give to enjoy seafood and sunshine and a warm coastal breeze in this setting . . .

Mango Tree Frames

My special friend, Stephanie, is the talented artist behind Mango Tree Frames. These handmade frames are so fun and add a fantastic pop of color to any design scheme. Steph is having a sale on her usual frame prices so I had to spill the beans on these goodies to all of my fellow design-lovers.

Steph says: These are bigger, heavier frames that hang on your walls- not little thin cheapy ones. The frames have a Shabby chic look with much attention to detail. These bold, clean-lined frames add to any decor. A Mango Tree Frame will add charm to any wall! Custom design the perfect frame for your favorite picture. I hand-paint, distress, polka dot, saw the wood trim, sand it and whatever else you need to make your frame perfect for you! My distressing technique gives each frame uniqueness leaving no two the same.

These frames are usually
8x10- $65
11x14- $75
16x20-$85
Blog Sale Prices
8x10- $45
11x14- $55
16x20- $65
12x12 (with trim)- $45
(plus shipping if you live out of town)

They do not come with glass but it is so cheap and easy to go to Michaels or Hobby Lobby and have them secure your picture and put the glass in-- like around $5.
Email Stehanie... tsblackiston@comcast.net (or me if you want) to place an order! Hurry, they will go fast.

Wordless Wednesday

Image for the Day

Source: Potterybarn

Abby's Connecticut Cape

Meet my beautiful friend Abby and her little man, Ben. Abby and I met during college in an alternative medicine class. We teamed up for a midterm project and realized we were both dating guys named Edward who were in college in North Carolina. We have been close ever since-and are now both married to our Edwards (although hers is technically a Ned).


After college, Abby went home to Connecticut, married Ned, had her precious baby (seriously, look at this little guy!!!!!!), and purchased a darling Cape near the water in Milford, Connecticut. They undertook a serious renovation of their home before moving in, check out the before and afters on this now picture-perfect 1940s Cape.




KITCHEN BEFORE



. . . and AFTER! This cool green paint color is Soft Fern by Benjamin Moore

Living Room Before

. . . and AFTER!

Great arched doorways add tons of character

Guest Bedroom

No before photos here, but the daring dark navy walls give this room its name: "the blue room." :) Paint color is Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore.


I LOVE the white-washed wide plank wood floors in this room-and I'm the only one who is a fan of this look.




Dining Room Before

. . . and After!

Sunroom Before

. . . and AFTER!!

The Perfect coastal home in beautiful coastal Connecticut.

Thanks Abby, Ned, and Ben . . . we love you guys!!!

Image for the Day

Beautiful Bath. The tile work on the floor is amazing.

Photo courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

Charley

Imagine you are newly married . . . you have just moved 600 miles to a new state, it is just you and your darling husband . . . you don't know a soul . . . you want to add a third to your two-some, to solidify your new family unit. (By "you," I mean YOU, not necessarily your darling husband.) You are starting law school in two months time, so a baby is out of the question. Then, imagine, you "stumble" upon this little guy. A mere seven pounds of pure-bred basset hound brilliance.

Now what would you do? Suppose you pick up the little guy and he is trembling from head to toe, but soon lays his head on your shoulder, lets out a sigh of relief, and stops shaking.

Trust me, it is love at first sight.

He is yours.

It doesn't even matter when the breeder tells you that basset hounds are notoriously stubborn and very difficult to house break; in fact, when she asks you if you have a plan for house training you scoff and think-"nothing this cute could possibly poo in my house."

Fast forward about two hours and you realize that that you must have left that little basset angel back at the breeder and have accidentally brought home his evil, destructive twin. Not only does he poo all over your house, but he eats just about everything in sight! Just look at the guilt on this face- a picture is worth a thousand words.
After two weeks of puppy pandemonium, you pack up the little darling and head north to Michigan, to your father, the biggest dog lover and best dog trainer of them all. Did I mention he lives on 40 wooded acres (this is dog heaven, friends).

After a weekend at home, your father and mother are begging you to leave the little darling with them-they are smitten with his every puppy charm and the way that his long basset ears drag the floor has cast a spell on their hearts and they cannot imagine life without him. (Okay, this may not exactly be the way that things went down, but they did want him-sort of-and Charley really really wanted to stay and play on those forty Michigan acres, instead of heading back to his 700 sq. ft. apartment in Indiana). And so your heart is broken, but you love him so much you give him a better life of trees and trails.

And now, Charley (a.k.a. Chuck, Charlie Brown) lives the high life. But you still consider him yours (your father, who wakes daily at 6:30 a.m. to walk the little (read 60 pound) darling would beg to disagree.)

Charley takes his daily walks here, in a private wooded paradise.


And in the winter, he enjoys a personal winter wonderland
And he eats his dinner off Williams-Sonoma Hand-crafted pottery (well not every night)

And he goes boating on Lake Michigan in the summertime. Now how many basset hounds can say that?

Just look at those gorgeous mahogany ears, blowing in the breeze!

He has developed a fine appreciation of coastal style-here he is scouting out beach-front condosDon't worry-he still loves you. He appreciates his high-life very, very much.

Xoxox Love you Charley!!! (and you too, mom and dad!)

Things I love right now

Cattleya orchids. Rare and difficult to grow, but a spectacular display of God's beautiful creation!!!! I received one of these on my birthday and have found it difficult to pry my eyes away from it since.

This desk from Ballard Designs. A home office is in my near future.-stay tuned.

These message boards, also from Ballard Designs-I *love* chalkboard paint. I used a lot of it in our old house, which I am planning to blog about soon.

The Home Design Event at Target; particularly this wallpaper that I purchased and am currently debating on where to put-leaning toward our downstairs powder room.

The entire collection of jewelry at J.Crew. Mr. Marvelous gave me this for Christmas.

This fresh spring bedding from Pottery Barn.

Sleepovers with this dreamboat. Just look at those eyelashes!