Re-Thinking the Mom Cave

It all started with this...

Remember this roadblock to my Mom Cave/home office makeover?  Should they stay or should they go was playing in my head.  While the moldings are pretty in some spaces, I'm kinda over them in here and the limitations they place on wall art.

My fear is that should I try to remove them, the damage to the wall could be extensive.  They've been in place for 26 years, caulked and repainted multiple times etc. I have been firmly in the camp of keeping my beloved purple walls (read about that HERE). I had decided to go creamy white below the chair rail, leaving those moldings in place. But repaint the entire room after repairing walls? So frustrating!  Everything else was moving along (slowly).  This could bring it all to a screeching halt.  But the white moldings on the purple walls was just too much going on for me now.  What's a girl to do?

Don't you love it when inspiration/distraction arrives in the mailbox?  Enter October's House Beautiful. 

Hellooooo, Lover!

And these images...

*Sigh.*

Masterful use of the color purple in a decidedly feminine space.  But look at the wall color.

And when you see all the lucious fabrics and throws out now in aubergine and lavendar -- even Target is in on the action with Sabrina Soto's new line!  Rooms with purple walls are not easy to accessorize.  I can't believe I'm actually saying this: Rooms with cool gray walls look lovely accessorized with purple.

So...

Amazing how many different shades of gray there are!!

Yes, I'll have to a little repair work anyway.  Wonder how I'll feel about those pesky white moldings with soft gray walls?  Or maybe I'll just do as Elizabeth at The Mustard Ceilings suggested and paint them the same color so they just blend in (you planted a wonderful seed there, Elizabeth!)?  Maybe the same shade of gray but in a semi-gloss?

And here's how my art for the Mom Cave is coming along--  I'm tempted to hang them and see if I can work around those DMs (darn moldings) after all.

Aren't they awesome?

Ok, so weigh in and let me know your thoughts!  Go gray and have fun with pops of my beloved purple?  Preserve the purple paint? Keep the moldings?  Kick 'em to the curb and deal with the wall repair?  Can't wait to hear what you think. :)

Happy Decorating!

I Can't Resist... Rustic Meets Refined Living Room

I'm back from a long weekend in Pensacola where we fished, boated, tubed (yikes), and took in the Blue Angels show from the water.  A wonderful, relaxing time!!  I loaded up on some shelter mags to read in the car on the way down and I came across this image in July's Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles magazine.



This is the living room of the 2010 Cashiers Designer Showhouse, designed by Suzanne Kasler.  You've heard of Suzanne, right?  ;-) She's a busy lady these days, turning up in the Ballards catalog with her own product line (one of several signature lines she has out there), writing design books, and maintaining her Atlanta-based interior design business.  I love (and fully ascribe to) her theory that rooms should be collected and not decorated.  Is she singing our song or what?  Head to her website to learn more and see what inspires her.

Now, to what I love about this room! The use of ivory and blues in contrast with the rustic stacked stone fireplace, stained wood floors and ceilings, and exposed beams.   Comfy sit-right-down furniture and a sleek contemporary coffee table,  layered rugs, that fab chandelier right balancing out the antlers over the french doors... shall I go on?  With views of Whitehead Mountain right out those glorious windows, you know you're in a mountain retreat.  But she marries simple sophistication in furnishings with rustic structures and finishes to create a match made in heaven.

And this is the tip of the iceberg in this fabulous home, open from August 21 - September 5th. See the complete article in Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles.   If you're in the Blue Ridge Mountains during that time, you will want to check it out.  I'm thinking road trip?

See the entire guide to the Cashiers Designer Showhouse HERE.

Photo by Erica George Dines.

June's Favorite Things...

Welcome to my new monthly feature where I share with you my very favorite things from that month.  I hope this gives you a little peek into who I am, what I love, and what fuels me creatively!  I hope to surprise you just a little along the way, too.  Be sure to comment so I know what YOU think, and what your favorite things are!

So here we go...

Sun Tea made from Yogi Tea Bags.  What? you say?  Sun tea... a Texas thing, I think... is super easy to make.  Put your tea bags and water in a glass container and sit it in the sun for a couple of hours.  Easy brewing without heating up the kitchen! Chill it in the fridge and enjoy.  I have to say, I much prefer this particular tea better cold.

This jewelry organization idea from Lynda at the blog :::FOCAL POINT:::... I'll be incorporating this into my own dressing area soon. Love to use what I already have in a new way.  Check out the entire closet mini-makeover she did HERE!  Be sure to poke around her blog, too; she's a fascinating and talented lady.

My giveaway win from {simple} starfish jewelry.  I have had sooooo many compliments on my new goodies!  The workmanship on these pieces is stellar-- the chain on the necklace is delicate and I love that.  The starfish earrings have those lovely little stops on the back and dangle beautifully.  Both pieces are from her Sun, Sand, and Sea collection. Christine has a wonderful selection of pieces that are perfect for yourself or a gift for some special gal.  Click HERE to view her lovely pieces.

This is what I won.

This is what I bought... because I could not resist. :)

The best part about this giveaway win was Christine's impeccable customer service.  I won during the very crazy busy month of May and she was endlessly patient with me as I waffled and wavered about what to choose.  I so appreciated her proactive communication and sweet spirit throughout the process!  She blogs HERE, too (one busy lady herself), so pop over and you can get a peek at her gorgeous little boys and her latest jewelry inspirations.

And there you have it -- my Faves for June!  What inspired you this month??

A Girl Can Dream Right? {Inspiration}

Well, gang,  I'm whooping it up in NYC right now, so I wanted to share some gorgeous homes from our weekend getaway LAST weekend to Lake Rabun, Georgia (I know, I get around, right?).  El Presidente and I spent some time boating and marvelling at how many properties on the lake are for sale right now.

So we did what every other aspiring lake house owner would do... took pictures!

{This one's not for sale... it's where we hang by invitation :)}

Then we went out and bought a lottery ticket!! 

Which one's your favorite?

Decor...It's Personal {and today it's Fancy}

You’ve probably heard it before, but then you open a glossy shelter magazine.  Crisp and creative home décor leaps off the page at you and the feelings of “why can’t my home look like this” creep in.  Clutter-free coffee tables and kitchen counters, gleaming appliances, fresh flowers on the mantle, and large-scale museum quality art pieces catch your wistful eye.  We all have that feeling sometimes, even when we love our homes. 

Today I'm featured over at Fancy Little Things, so head over there to read more (and show a little love in the comments if you don't mind:))!

Happy Decorating!