Indoor Wreaths

My sweet parents brought us this beautiful sage wreath from Williams Sonoma this weekend. It's perfect hanging on our dining room mirror with a big red bow, and you can use the leaves in soups and stews! It's so nice to bring fresh greenery indoors this time of year.

Light Up Your Life!

If your goal is to make your home look and feel more sophisticated and elegant, there is no better way to achieve this than upgrading your light fixtures. Whether it's a lantern by the front door, a modern orb chandelier, like the one above, or a pair of beautiful lamps, lighting makes the room!

The new introductions from Currey & Company at Market motivated me to encourage clients to consider upgrading their lighting when it's appropriate. Designers can usually offer a better deal than retail stores so don't hesitate to ask one for help! A small change like this can transform a room!

*All photos from Currey & Company

How Cute!!

I love the Christmas photo on One Kings Lane and that they always have the sweet dog in the pictures, it definitely helps get me into the spirit. And how cute are these polka dot baking dishes from BIA Cordon Bleu? Sale ending tomorrow. These vanilla candles would make great gifts, too.
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Stripes for Fall

Finally it's JEANS season (almost) and I love these bootcuts for fall with some brightly colored flats. Do you have any fall fashion favorites??

One Stop Shopping by Ginger1719 featuring anthropologie tops

Eze Sur Mer Top
$48 - anthropologie.com
Anthropologie tops »

AG Colette Bootcut
$168 - anthropologie.com
Anthropologie jeans »

Pleated D'Orsay Flats
$130 - anthropologie.com
Leather flat shoes »

Wish Upon Posts
$24 - anthropologie.com
Anthropologie jewelry »

Holiday Flowers

I love to pot paper white bulbs and amaryllis this time of year so they'll be ready for Christmas. I purchase my bulbs from Gulley's, the local garden center. Good bulbs from a nursery are almost always healthier and last longer than the inexpensive bulb kits from Lowe's & Home Depot. I put the bulbs in a glass vase, like this one from Crate & Barrel, and surround them with a bag of river rocks. Just enough water to touch the bottom of the bulbs and a warm, sunny spot and they are off! They make great centerpieces for the holidays and lovely hostess gifts, too. I'll be back on Wednesday with a front porch make-over.

Front Porch Make-Over

Our front porch needed a little help (as you can see). So with my two helpers, Ed and Janie, we got it ready for the holidays. I know it's early but I love this time of year and a pretty front porch always makes guests feel welcome. I decided to make a magnolia wreath and followed this tutorial from Southern Living. I purchased a 15" wreath oasis from a local florist and soaked it in water. My helpers gathered tons of magnolia leaves and we poked them into the wreath in concentric circles. I'll add a big red bow closer to Christmas to make it more festive.



I also spray painted the planters with Rust-Oleum in black and planted some dwarf evergreens and pansies.



And look who made his grand entrance on Monday morning? Jo Jo! Again, I know it's early but what could be more fun than celebrating the holidays with a three year old? We couldn't wait to start!

A White Kitchen

I love a white kitchen, like this one! Isn't the polka dot skirt on the table a nice touch? And having two cozy wing chairs in the kitchen would be so inviting.

Cooking with Jessica

I'm a little obsessed with Jessica Seinfield's new cookbook, Double Delicious, Good Simple Food for Busy, Complicated Lives. Not that my life is that terribly complicated right now, but it is really nice to have some help coming up with dinner ideas. We tried the Sweet Cherry Tomato Pasta recipe over the weekend and everyone loved it. Her website and blog are packed with ideas and ways to help motivate even the laziest cook, like this Well Stocked Kitchen Guide. AND there's a Community section where people can share tips and ask questions. Love this suggestion:

“Check an egg's freshness by placing it in a bowl of water. If the egg lies flat on its side, it's fresh; if it floats, throw it out!”

Enjoy and let me know if you try any recipes!

Skirted Console Tables

The idea of a skirted console table first appealed to me when Domino published this photo below. I literally tore it out, found some fabric and had a skirt for our dining room hunter's bench made within the week. We fitted a piece of glass on top and added some trim and it really saved the piece and provided some hidden storage. Now I need a smaller version for a guest bedroom and I love the inspiration that these photos provide.



My version (not nearly as impressive but it did the trick):



Phoebe Howard:



Palmer Weiss:


And Happy Thanksgiving to all!! Every year I make this sweet potato casserole to take to the big feast. My husband torches the top to make the sugar and pecans extra crunchy. Here's a version of the recipe.

Holiday Centerpiece

Hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! I'm guest blogging today on Sandhillsdig.com about festive and natural holiday centerpiece ideas. See you Monday!!

Happy December!!

Have you decked your halls yet? It's such a fun time of year so why not get started? I found this beautiful, wire-edged ribbon at Gulley's Christmas Cottage a few weeks ago and it made the perfect bow. Here's a quick bow-tying lesson if you're like me and need some help. Make sure you start with a thick, wire-edged ribbon and if it's going to be exposed to rain, etc...make sure it's an outdoor ribbon, otherwise it could bleed.



I love this plaid bow from M&J Trimmings...too.

Festive Goodies

It's nice to have something homemade on hand during the holidays for friends, neighbors and the folks who help us on a daily basis (mailman, garbage collectors, etc...) Last year I gave homemade chocolate sauce, a family recipe that is always a hit in our house over peppermint ice cream. Not sure what I'm doing this year but Martha is full of ideas. And I love her packaging & presentation ideas. Here's a link to a 50% off coupon for MS crafts from Michaels.

More Design In A Day...

Autumn Hues are continuing to inspire me (despite the 105 degree weather we're having) and although I have been very neutral-minded in terms of rugs, I love the idea of a warm, patterned rug to spice things up. This rug from West Elm has a great pattern and would make a perfect runner.



I also like this flat weave wool rug from Garnet Hill, in coral:



And two more options on sale right now at overstock.com (a great resource) both 100% hand tufted wool:




And some great tips from Overstock on how to clean a wool rug (which, by the way, is the most resilient, long lasting durable fiber you can purchase):

Vacuum your wool rugs at least once a week. Get a professional cleaning done every one to two years. Blot spills as quickly as possible with a white cloth; then spot treat.


*Image above via House Beautiful

Easy Ways to Update

Happy September!



With the hint of fall in the air and the holidays just around the corner, I'm devoting a few posts to some easy ways to update your home. I posted about some "Design in a Day" ideas here a while back and here are some more fresh ideas:

*PAINT! Such an easy and inexpensive way to update...even just the foyer, as in this photo above. Painting a space in a warm, rich hue welcomes guests and enlivens a room. It's also fun to paint a powder room in a rich color, ceiling too, to make it feel like a jewel box. But color can be daunting, so ask a designer or friend for help if you're unsure.



*ACCESSORIES! We all know by now that changing out lamps (or at least lamp shades) and pillows on a sofa or chair can update instantly but try changing out some other accessories, too.


Try a warm-colored cashmere throw like these from WS Home, on sale right now, love the color Autumn Glaze. Or a stack of lacquered boxes, like these from Lille, great for storing things like stamps, stationary and photos. A new collection of picture frames and coffee table books are an easy update and flea markets and antique stores are a great place to look for silver frames and accessories.





*Foyer image above via House Beautiful, design by Lee Bierly and Christopher Drake
*Trellis print pillow by Peter Dunham and bowl of nectarines by marblefruit.com