I Can't Resist... John Gidding on HGTV's Curb Appeal

During a handful of days of spent *recovering* from my daughter's graduation and my son's departure for Greece, I lounged in front of the telly, flipping back and forth between the French Open and HGTV.  Decadent, I know, but I was seriously incapable of doing much else I was so emotionally and physically drained!

I'd watched Curb Appeal a time or two before and I love the premise of the show.  The crew shows up on a block (often here in Atlanta somewhere) and has chosen one house in particular that gets a stunning landscaping and often architectural makeover to enhance the curb appeal.  AND, while that makeover is going on, a handful of other homes on the block get a mini makeover, too!  Mailbox redo, trees limbed up, porches repainted and staged-- things like that.  Simple things that get you thinking: hmm, what a difference those little changes make to the way a house looks from the street!


Anyway, during my *two day recovery* I must have watched four or five episodes of this show and realized that part of the appeal of the show is this:



The impossibly good-looking, talented, and personable host, John Gidding.  My daughter just laughs at me, but he is fun to watch!  Out of curiosity I jumped on hgtv.com to find out more and learned he has a Master's Degree in architecture from Harvard's Graduate School of Design.  Okay, so he's brilliant, too.  And accomplished.  He's worked on Brooklyn Bridge Park and pavilion for the 2008 Olympics in Bejing.  Knew I couldn't resist him for a reason!  Oh, and throw in that he was a fashion model along the way... just sayin'.

Find out more about the show including airtimes HERE.  You'll be inspired to get out and enhance your own curb appeal!

Image via hgtv.com.

Happy Viewing!!

I Can't Resist... Sarah's Summer House {and a Graduation Gift Idea}

HGTV is my guilty pleasure.  In a house full of men and boys, a few stolen moments to watch ANYTHING other than Sportscenter or Modern Marvels or some such is... bliss.  So imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon an episode of Sarah's Summer House over the weekend.



Are you hooked yet?  First of all, Sarah Richardson is incredibly fun to watch (and I love her Canadian accent!).  Add in that her tiny little lake cottage is a diamond in the rough being transformed into an energy efficient stylish and comfortable getaway for her growing family and you've got a winning combination.

The episode I caught was the reno of the two guest rooms.



Here's a peek at one of them.  I love that she salvaged much of the original pine for this renovation and it turns up in several different variations.  She takes you along on her shopping excursions (!) and lets you see the challenges of managing an out-of-town project.  Just plain fun.  So much so, that I had my kids show me how to program my DVR to record it.  Now THAT's truly something I can't resist!  Visit HGTV.com for episode recaps, photos, and airing times.Photos via HGTV.com.

Now I have been consumed lately with my daughter's high school graduation (!) and thought I'd share what I am giving all of her friends for graduation.



I love these Wire Wall Letters from PB Teen.  At 14 1/2 inches tall, they are the perfect size for a dorm room... and at $15 each (with FREE shipping!) they're the perfect fit for my budget, too.  Each of her friends is getting their first initial.  I'm envisioning photos, messages from friends and roommates, and other college years mementos filling these. :)

Happy Decorating and Happy Gift-Giving!

Color it Spring!

I love seeing fresh new colors for spring... makes me want to break out the rollers and drop cloths!  HGTV.com posted some eye-opening ideas for introducing spring color to your decor.  Here are my favorites...

WOW! Are you awake yet?  Love the pop of tomato red with the turquoise and apple green.

Hot pink, pink, and red... with lots of crisp white. Love, love!

Apple green and white offset the abundance of honeysuckle.

Blue and yellow... again with crisp white.

A softer green-- almost a celery.  Very fresh.

LOTS of vibrant yellow!!  Personally, I would have to stick with fewer accents, but I love the boldness.  Now I KNOW you're awake!!

All images from HGTV.com.

If you haven't already signed up for their e-blast, I highly recommend it.  Packed with great home improvement, decorating, and DIY information.

Which one is your favorite?  Which one is too much for you? Are you painting this spring?

Have a colorful day and Happy Decorating!

Mad for Metallics

My quest to lighten and brighten my family room has taken on new lustre.  Metallics have been around for awhile, but lately they are catching my eye more than ever. 

Here's my family room challenge: it's not a very large room with only your average 9 foot ceilings.  It gets nice morning light, but can be quite dim in the afternoon hours.  I have a large chocolate brown suede sofa that is terribly comfortable and cozy, but makes the space seem even darker during our short winter afternoons.  I have several wood pieces as well: coffee table, antique writing desk, media stand.

My solution?  More reflective accessories-- i.e. metallics!

I'm off to a great start with my new Ballards mirror.  It's large for the space, but it catches lots of light and with because it's virtually frameless it seems even more expansive.  I added some silver balls and my sweet little metallic deer.  Love my new mantlescape.

Loved it so much, I thought about incorporating even more metallics in the room.  I don't think I could go this far with a silver table.




Kirsten Grove via hgtv.com

 But I do like this look from One Kings Lane...

Truth be told, I'm not really in the market for a new table in the family room, but I was fascinated by all the options in metallics and how you can mix different metallics within the same room or even the same vignette.  It's the accessories that I need, right?

Like these mercury glass candlesticks from Pottery Barn. *Confession-- I have two on back order*  I got them on sale right after Christmas and will have fun finding a dark little corner for these to brighten.



photo by Erika Powell via hgtv.com



How about this simple idea?  Spray paint an ordinary wreath to have an extraordinary accessory.  This would be just as lovely in front of a powder room mirror as it is over this cooktop or on a front door.  Budget-friendly... I like it!

Even more budget-friendly?  Shop around your home.  When I did, I was amazed at what I found.  I have a sideboard full of silver-- in need of polishing admittedly -- but there for the taking.  Why wasn't I using all these pieces anyway?  I had, for some reason, relegated my silver to the dining room. I probably stored them away, tired of polishing on a semi-annual basis, only to have them sit in our little-used dining room unappreciated. 

My newly inspired self said, "Nonsense!"  and I got busy polishing. My grandmother not only displayed her silver pieces, but she used her silver every day.  I could hear her in my ear: "If you use it everyday, it will never need polishing."  And wouldn't these little-used pieces be the perfect accents for my dim little family room?  I didn't think so before, but I've been... enlightened.

I'll post some pictures in the next few days where my silver pieces have landed.  In the meantime, I drew further inspiration from Joan over at For the Love of a House.  I'm not sure how I found her blog, but her entry way and now her kitchen have drawn me in.  She also has some wonderful posts on her collection of hotel silver.  Click over there and see if you find yourself inspired to pull out your silver. :)

Happy Decorating!



Color it Winter!

Settling into our winter decorating mode got me thinking about color-- the muted, peaceful colors of winter.  Hgtv.com has highlighted some of color trends for this winter and I agree!  How fresh are these?

Charcoal and aubergine

Gold and celadon

Eggplant and gray

Gold

Icy Blue and white

Metallics

Neutrals

Olive

White

These are only some of the cool winter color schemes they feature at hgtv.com.  Check the rest of them out and then come back and let me know your favorite.

Inspired yet?

all photos via hgtv.com

More Fall Decorating Ideas

If you haven't checked out hgtv.com lately, you're missing out!  I subscribe to their e-newsletter, so when their fall decorating feature popped into my inbox, I clicked over immediately. I've looked through hundreds of fall decorating ideas in magazines and online this season, but this group really hit a home run with me.  Simplicity is the common denominator.  You don't have to spend a lot or have any real decorating know-how to achieve these looks.  So, if you haven't already done a little decorating for the season, here are some simple ideas from their photo gallery. No excuses now. :)

What I love about this:  using crotons to complement the traditional mums.  Their colors are brilliant and I love the broad leaf contrast to the tight blooms and leaves of the mums.

What I love about this: maple branches in a tall glass cylinder vase.  Does it get any easier?  If you don't have a maple in your own yard, see if a neighbor would mind if you cut a few branches of theirs.

What I love about this: add a throw pillow and a simple floral arrangement in warm colors to make any nook reflect the season.

What I love about this: simple white dinnerware with a pair of lanterns and several small pumpkins.  The mantle is gorgeous but much more involved.  Little white lights woven among berry garlands and pumpkins and gourds of varying sizes lend festivity to the room.

What I love about this: a few pumpkins and brightly colored maple branches and twigs in a rustic vase. Super simple for a porch or deck.

All photos from hgtv.com and H. Camille Smith

Big City Digs

I live in the Southern suburbs, but I love the Big City, too.  HGTV and their sister site FrontDoor.com are teaming up to giveaway an "Urban Oasis" in Manhatten!  Located near Wall Street in the Residences at the W, this sleek abode offers a one-bedroom escape to the big city.  Designer Vern Yip has polished the space within an inch of its life so nothing competes with the spectacular Hudson River views and it appears much larger than it really is.  Click HERE to enter once daily at each site between now and October 20th.

The foyer...Love the unexpected combination of the lucite hall table and the solid marble lions (c. 1860) from an upstate NY property.

The bedroom... white walls, bedding, and furniture keep it feeling open and airy. 

Horizontal tiles and sleek wall-mounted fixtures along with a simple color palette make the most of the space.

Reflective surfaces in the kitchen help it feel larger.  Since the kitchen shares space with the living room, the lucite bar seating makes the transition seamless.

Kitchen view to the family room

Living Room... the antique Peruvian rug strikes just the right balance-- warmth and a clean graphic design.

Imagine enjoying this view over a glass of wine!

View of the Hudson... Statue of Liberty in the Distance.

All photos via HGTV.com.

The Great Fall Fix Up

What renovation would you undertake if you suddenly had $75,000 to spend?  That long awaited kitchen re-do?  A new master bathroom?  Finish out your basement?  Add a screen porch?  Well, I would just be remiss if I didn't pass this along to you!  HGTV is having a Great Fall Fix Up Sweepstakes that runs through August 23, 2010.  All you have to do to enter is head over to HGTV.com and enter-- no photos, no plans necessary.  You can enter once a day until the end of the sweepstakes period.  Start dreaming!