Photo wall

I really like this idea of hanging a bunch of photos along an entire wall, and changing them as the mood strikes. I am a huge photo nerd, whether it's a snapshot of the dog covered in mud or a stunning sunset photo, so this is right up my alley. And I like the idea of changing things up, as I take more photos and inspiration hits. I just wish I had a giant wall to do this on besides my dining room wall (the photos would curl from the heat of cooking).



(Via Design Sponge)

Letters as art

I've been decorating my pad during the last several weeks, and I was trying to think of other ideas for art that I can display on my walls. I'm not partial to quotes or sayings on walls, but I do like single words or even just letters. The above image really captured my attention, with the letters in different fonts, colors, and sizes, and randomly arranged too. I think this would make a fabulous presentation as an almost mosaic-like work of art.

Now I just have to start collecting letters....

(Image from Livingetc.com)

Capiz Shell Floral Pendant Lamp from Target

I think this pendant lamp from Target is absolutely gorgeous. And I don't think it'd be bad to mix and match modern with traditional in my home—I do it all the time and I don't care. I definitely want to get a chandelier someday for our dining room if we buy this house, so I'm keeping my options open. So very lovely!

Framed handmade paper

I saved the beautiful handmade paper that wrapped the shower gift from Georgia last summer, always intending to do something with it. Last weekend I decided to go ahead and frame it as a little work of art, since it's truly gorgeous and deserves to be preserved. I think it turned out nicely, although I'd like to get a nicer frame someday when I have a little more money to spend. It looks great in my house, and it reminds me of Georgia and our summer of wedded bliss last year.

Painted floors

Now that the dining room floor is 99% done (happy dance), Pete and I are talking paint colors. I mentioned that I thought a robin's egg-type blue floor would be pretty and very cottagey, which is exactly the style of house we live in (it's the Skywater Cottage from the 1928 Sears Catalog).

So when I brought paint chips home yesterday and had them fanned out on our floor, he seemed startled by the colors. He said, "Wow, those are blue. I thought you meant aqua or green." Huh? Robin's egg blue is pretty much just that—a very vivid, pretty blue.



I've mentioned this to a few people, and not many give me the kind of reaction I'm hoping for. It ranges from "Huh, really?" to "Okaaay...". Maybe I'm making a big mistake, but when I googled "blue painted floor," I got lots of pretty and fairly numerous results.






I would love a pretty white floor, but it would get dirty and dingy pretty fast in my house. At least the blue would "age" well.



And I like the idea of patterns painted on the floor, too, but Pete doesn't seem so crazy about it. Maybe if I show him these pix?









Sometimes I think it's because I'm an artist and people just don't "get me." But other times I think I've got really weird or bad taste. Maybe it's a mix of the two. But the blue color I'm thinking of is so happy and lively and bright, that I'd hate to use anything else in that room and darken its cheerful and sunny aura.

Simple Human trash can

Is it weird to be in love with your garbage can? I saved up coupons and money, and I finally got a nice steel trash can for our kitchen. It matches our appliances and looks trés chic! I suffered through beat-up, stained plastic garbage cans for the last four years and thought it was time to upgrade. I wish we could have gotten a larger one, although this is the same size as our last can. Dang, those metal cans are expensive! The biggest and fanciest models went up to $170!

Anyhow, I love it so much that I find myself looking for excuses to throw stuff away.

My Eclectic Cottage—The Kitchen, Part One

No, this isn't my house, but it would be awesome if it were!

You probably noticed that I don't talk much about interior design in my own home, even though I'm a devoted reader of design blogs, but there's a very good reason for that. I live in a rental home that is falling apart, and is pretty much a big storage unit, with stuff in boxes, and most rooms unassembled. We are house hunting, and we plan to stay (hopefully!) in our current neighborhood, whether it's in this house or not. But until then, we're in a holding pattern as far as personalizing our space is concerned. It's difficult to live this way, so I tend to use reverie to focus on photography, fashion, shoes, pets, and my goofy (but lovable) husband Pete.

But I wanted to start sharing a glimpse into my inner interior designer with my readers, because I'm always bursting at the seams with ideas, must haves, and inspirations, which can be very frustrating. I have a style which my sister has dubbed "Eclectic Cottage", meaning I adhere to many principles of most cottage decor (simple and efficient spaces, cozy furniture and accessories, lots of color, texture, and pattern, some retro furnishings, etc.), yet I put my own spin on things. I like to include a touch of different styles in my surroundings, from Victorian to modern, and I love mixing and matching colors and textures, too.

Don't be misled by the term "cottage". If you think this means overly cute with lots of doilies and country decor, it doesn't. Cottage interior design can range from English countryside to urban sleek. Cottages aren't required to be painted bright colors or to have an overabundance of knick knacks. Some of the best cottages I've seen are rather modern, simple dwellings that make efficient use of space and light, and the frills are kept to a minimum. But the whimsical and quaint cottage is the other end of the spectrum, and its aesthetic is no less valid. And many people choose to outfit their homes with a blend of styles to suit their tastes, which is exactly what I prefer. I tend to buy what catches my eye and what makes me happy, and if this falls into a particular style or category, so be it.

Anyhow, I will begin featuring posts about my favorite things for each room, some of which I already own (and are in storage) and others which I just dream about at the moment. And I thought I'd start with the kitchen, because it really is the center of the home, and because we already have so much for this room just waiting to be used in our future home. The centerpiece of our kitchen is our beloved Magic Chef 1000 stove, affectionately nicknamed "Millicent" by the man who sold her to us. She's currently resting in our living room on a platform dolly, waiting for the day she will be installed. Here's a picture of her in her former home, still looking lovely after 83 years (she's a 1935 model):



Millicent is a formidable presence in our home, but in a good way. I think when people see her, they think of warmth, family, history, good food, and that which is to come. She certainly has a lot of history, having spent most of her life in a gorgeous mansion in Alton, Illinois, faithfully serving the families that lived there. And while Millicent is indeed a lovely stove, the beauty of the mansion she came from makes her pale in comparison. I had forgotten to take my camera when I toured the home, but I can tell you it was full of floor to ceiling windows (and we're talking 20 ft. plus ceilings), gorgeous moldings, chandeliers, winding staircases, marble tubs...I can go on and on. Needless to say, I cannot WAIT to begin decorating my future kitchen, but until then, I must continue to collect little treasures (and cool appliances) like Millicent for that future time.

Besides Millicent, here are some more things I have either purchased or would like to purchase for my kitchen. And many of these were bridal shower gifts, so we were fortunate to get a good dose of great things this way. Most of this stuff is from Target, Anthropologie (I adore Anthro's home goods!), Crate and Barrel, etc.










One way I am organizing the decor of my kitchen is via my china, "Chirp", by Lenox. There are so many more pieces of this line that I need to add to my collection that it isn't funny. But I do have a few place settings, so that's a start. Anyhow, I absolutely love the bold colors, hand-drawn quality of the design, and of course, the birds! The teal, brown, black, yellow, red, and other colors in this gorgeous (and fun) china, as well as the styling, inspires my decor. It's contemporary yet traditional, with lots of detailing on a very simple china design. It's a mix I love, and which very accurately describes my taste and style.



Next: kitchen basics (plates, mugs, bowls, decor)

(Cottage photo courtesy of Cottage Living)

Thanksgiving Tree

I love the concept of this Thanksgiving Tree from Room Service Home. You can fill out the little tags with such things as what you are thankful for, blessings, pictures, and quotes, and hang each one on a branch of the tree. By the time Thanksgiving rolls around, the tree will be full of happy thoughts and images. I think this is a great idea, especially since people tend to lose focus on what the holidays are all about. And during such stressful times as these, it's nice to look at the positive aspects of our lives, don't you think?