The Eat-in Area We Don't Eat In

Now that I've raved about our new coffee table, let's get back to the house tour. If you walk past the dining room on the left, you come up on our kitchen and eating area.  Here's the view into our kitchen...

By the way, I got those iron bar stools at HomeGoods (love that place!) before I moved to Dallas in 2007.  They were $20 each and had a gold flower in the middle of the back.  I painted the gold flower black and added some $10 cushions I found at World Market.  Five years later, I'm still a big fan (especially knowing what I paid for them!).

 But I digress... If you keep walking past the kitchen you'll see our server and empty eat-in area.

Pretty barren, huh?  This is one of the problem areas in our home.  Our old home only had room for a formal dining area, but now that we have extra space, we have nothing to fill it.  Extra space is generally not a problem, but it is for me because we're renting.  Since I know this won't be our forever home, I'm afraid to make a big purchase on a dining set and then have it work well in our next place.

We usually eat dinner on the couch anyway (horrible, I know) so I'm not sure if I should just wait or find a quick, but likeable fix on Craigslist.  Knowing me, I won't be able to continue to walk by an unfinished space and will inevitably buy something.  But at least if I do, I can always re-list on Craigslist if I want something else in our next home.  Anyway...All of that to say that this is why we have an empty space :)

And speaking of empty spaces, we also have one above the server.   But at least for this one I have a plan! 

I am currently on the hunt for a large, gold-framed chalkboard like this to fill the space.  Isn't this lovely?  I think it would work perfectly in our space (and our next home). 

So that's it.  That's our eat-in area we don't eat in.  Up next on the tour will be our kitchen.

New Coffee Table

After more than a year of debate, I've finally decided on and ordered us a new coffee table! As mentioned here, there were several styles I was considering.  However, in the end the tufted ottoman came out on top.  Not only was it versatile, so it can be used for years to come, but it also will be good for when we have kiddos down the road.  I can't tell you how many people I know who have had to either remove their coffee tables for the safety of their kids' noggins or have had to add those tacky corner protectors.  I did not want to invest in a new piece only to have to stow it away down the road.  So this seemed to be the perfect solution.  And thanks to my Joss & Main membership, it turned out to be the perfect price too.

I was all set to order a tufted ottoman from Ballard Designs.  I had already received a swatch sample of the fabric I selected and everything.  But a few days later, I got a notification from Joss & Main of a sale event called The Tufted Collection.  I'm a sucker for tufting so I had to look.  And lo and behold, I found my jewel!  Here she is in all of her glory.

She measures 35" x 35" x 16.5" so she'll fit perfectly in front of our chaise couch, and the dark color is a great contrast to our woven rug and linen colored sofa.  And because of her soft corners, she's already baby proof.  Best of all though, this linen beauty was a fraction of the price of the Ballard Designs one I had selected.  Her total came to $337.90 as opposed to the Ballard price of $525 + shipping and tax. Yesss!


I can't wait for it to come in!

Our Dining Room

When you first enter our home, you'll see this on the right.

And on the left will be our dining room.

The rug that was previously in our living room now resides under the table and I have to say, I really love the change.

Another view looking from the kitchen.

The wall leading to the kitchen is still bare but I plan to hang silver platters or silver lids going down the length of it.  I just need to make up my mind on which one I want and pick them up from my mom's.

Here's my inspiration via Pinterest...

The ceilings are taller in this home than in the one we had in Oklahoma so my drapes aren't hung as high as I'd like them to be, but I'm dealing with it for now.  And I think the hubs appreciates the fact that I didn't go out and spend hundreds of dollars on all new window treatments.  They'll make do for now.

So who wants to come over for dinner? :)

DIY Artwork for the Guest Bathroom

Our new guest bath was looking a little pitiful without any artwork on the wall.  I generally like a simple design in bathrooms, but the blank wall above the toilet was a little too bare for my taste.

I already had some frames I knew I wanted to use, but I didn't know what I wanted to put in them.  I did, however, know that I wanted to put artwork in them and not personal photos.  And I knew I didn't want to spend a lot of money.

Then I remembered one of the casualties we suffered in our move--a 18 x 24 frame with the glass cracked right down the middle.  The artwork that was left in the frame just so happened to be in the color palette of our guest bath.  And it was an abstract print, so cutting it up wouldn't be an issue.  I immediately thought I could turn this one piece into the multiple pieces I needed for my frames.  Hello, free artwork!  I laid my mats on top of the print to figure out what sections I wanted to frame and began cutting. 

In the end, I was left with free, unique artwork and a more complete bathroom!

Before

After

Hooray!  One more thing crossed off my long "To Do" list!

Now that you've gotten a peak into one of our rooms, I'll be showing you more.  I've been snapping pictures all day and plan to finally share some shots of our new home in upcoming posts.  Thanks for your patience so far!

Happy Valentine's Day

And happy birthday to my daddy!

I hope you all had a Valentine's as sweet as mine! :)

Love Will Be Enough For Us by Dave Barnes

Five Things Friday - Part 2

It appears I've been slacking on the Five Things Friday posts as of late.  Well maybe slacking is going a little nice on myself.  Has it really been since October since I last wrote one?!  Tisk. Tisk.  Let's see if I can get it together today.  Here's the better late than never part 2...

1. Death by Oreo Cupcakes.  I originally planned to make these before Jon was scheduled to be back home tomorrow.  But then I decided it would be a better idea to save them for next week.  That way if we have any leftovers, I can just bring them home with me to Alabama when I visit next weekend instead of us gorging on them here all by ourselves... Because I have a feeling I'm going to want to every. single. one of them.

2.  I can't wait to host my first dinner party at our new home.  And looking at images like this one from a fun wine party isn't helping.  Tulips and twin in wine vases...yes, please.

3.  Speaking of parties, look at this party decor idea for giving your candlesticks an update-wrap them in fabric!  You can make them match any theme you like simply by switching out the fabrics.

4. I love the idea of taking an old cabinet and hanging it sideways up on the wall for more storage.  You don't sacrifice any floor space, which is usually pretty limited in a bathroom anyway, and you have a new, unique piece for your space.

5. And last but not least I wanted to show you guys yet another reason why I think stripes are so amazing.  *swoon* 

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Image sources 1, 2, 3, 4-5 Unknown

504 Continued...

Hi friends! I'm proud to announce that I have been a productive girl today.  I got up, went for a run outside (another perk to living in Florida), got a shower, had lunch, painted my nails and have been working on some wedding signage for one of my May brides.

The bride I just mentioned is actually a really good friend of mine from college.  We met our freshman year in the dorm and now, almost 10 years later, I'm helping plan her wedding!  Her name is Laura, and she is one of the 504 girls mentioned here.  Mine and my friend Lauren's dorm room number was 504.  It was always the place we four girls would hang out (Bekah, the other 504 member lived just down the hall).  Somehow the reference to our room number stuck, and we've been the 504 Girls ever since.  We had many memories and laughs in that room, and I feel so lucky to still be making them with these ladies.

As mentioned in the tagged post, we had a 504 reunion in January.  Ever since our freshman year of college, we've taken a picture in a particular pose (complete with the stacked elbows) so we had to continue the traditional in January.  I'm sure it'll look quite humorous when we're old ladies striking this pose :)

Just for kicks, I'd thought I'd show a comparison of us my senior year of college and now.  We're in the wrong spots, but you get the idea.  My how time flies!

May 2006/January 2012

Shutter Possibilities

I recently scored four of these shutters for a total of $15 on Craigslist!  I was beyond ecstatic when I logged on and found the listing.  I'll be using them to escort cards for one of my upcoming weddings, but honestly the possibilities are endless with these guys. You can use them in so many different ways.

As a headboard...

As a memo board...


As decor/art work...

I think the last idea is my favorite.  I'd love to give them a nice dark stain, stack them and use them as one big piece to draw your eyes up toward the ceiling.  But we'll see... :)

Images via Completely Coastal, The Lettered Cottage, 3-5 Source unknown

House of Fifty Favorites-Winter/Spring

If you're not already subscribed to the online mag House of Fifty, you're really missing out. Their latest Winter/Spring issue had quite a few drool-worthy pages in it. From home decor, to organization to recipes you can find a little bit of everything. Here are some of my recent favorites from the mag-all designed by Artistic Designs for Living:, a design firm out of San

This photo seriously has be thinking about purchasing my own lucite chairs for the kitchen eating area.

This little bathroom is so simple, yet stunning.  I've loving the chest of drawers turned vanity.  

Images via House of Fifty

Wedding Bells

Lately, I've been spending a lot of time of time perusing pictures of wedding flowers. "Why?" you might ask. Well, no, I'm not getting married again.  However, I am helping two other couples do so.  I'm so honored and excited to announce that I have been hired to create and design the flowers and decor for two different weddings coming up in May.  These are my first weddings to do (aside from my own and my sister's), and I couldn't be happier.  One will be held right outside Atlanta, GA and the other will be in Santa Rosa, FL.  I am beyond thrilled to help these two lovely ladies achieve the special days they've always dreamed of. 

While doing some research for their events, I couldn't help but reminisce over my own wedding day.  It will be our two year anniversary April 24, and it really does seem just like yesterday. 

A Victorian home over 100-years-old was just the right setting for our reception.  And since it was just a walk across the boardwalk from the beach where our ceremony took place, it couldn't have been a more perfect location. 

As you may have guessed from the title of this site, I love hydrangeas and made sure they had a big presence on my day.  I didn't want the standard, mostly white bouquet so I made mine with antique hydrangeas and mini green hydrangeas.

Hydrangeas also made their way into the little details-the cake topper, the door wreath and the bridesmaids bouquets.

Roses and asiatic lilies were incorporated with the hydrangeas for the centerpieces.  I wanted a clean and classic look, and I couldn't have been happier with how my arrangements turned out.

Ahhh I can't wait for May!


Images by Leslie Roark Photography