tuesday's turquoise

there are many sources of inspiration for my home designs as well as weddings and paper. beautiful jewelry, especially TURQUOISE, is always inspiring!

images via and via

girls night

it was my month for non-bunco (our original name when we started the group six years ago as we assumed we'd talk too much to ever make it around to actually playing) in july and i got to use my amazing new dessert plates that my in-laws gave me for Christmas! since my kitchen, dishes and table (like most of my life) are neutral, i love the splash of color and whimsy and how they update our wedding china, crystal and sterling. i also use this approach of simple with flair in my wardrobe and home.

and i always love a good southern monogram.  side note: did you know that according to etiquette, linens are monogrammed with the woman's initials? technically in olden days, the linens were already sewn and monogrammed before the girl was even of marrying age so they even had her MAIDEN monogram and came to the marriage as part of her trousseau. mine were done just a few years ago and have my married monogram. i spend quite a bit of time discussing proper monograms with brides, but more on that later!

tuesday's turquoise

wishing i were here...

as fitting as the little black dress

this art came for my living room last week and is framed in a heavy black frame ... and i just ordered a pair of these pillows.

it didn't even happen on purpose, but the black felt right in both cases... just like your favorite little black dress. and while feeling so comfortable in my newly completed living room (pictures coming soon), i caught up on my blog reading and magazines only to discover that apparently everyone is decorating with black these days. love it!

via simplified bee

 via domino magazine

 

 

via elle decor

 

via jamie herzlinger

via jeffrey allan marks

via mary mcdonald

is this tommy smythe's living room or his sister's?!? my memory is lacking here. 

sorry i'm missing so many references ... it's all thanks to my ipad!

 via woodson & rummerfield

our laundry "system"

everything, even laundry, is happier if you have a system ... and definitely easier.

one thing we do at our house is that we have a ton of baskets that are all the same size. the kids each have three in their closets (whites on top, darks in the middle and towels on the bottom). that way, the sorting is already complete when it's time to wash. our four year old is EXCELLENT at the system. (she is a natural mini-me in most of her organizing ways.)

we also have the same baskets in our laundry room above the washer and dryer, one in our kitchen for dirty dishtowels and napkins and a set in our mudroom, with random ones floating in the playroom, garage, etc. they are all the same and we bought them while we were still building. with the dimensions, we were able to have each space built for our needs exactly!

take time to pay attention to even the smallest details ...these are what make your home function for you to its best ability every day.

home sweet home ... of my friends

i love getting to visit the beautiful homes of my friends! it is amazing how each person's home suits them and their family so well. it is hard to choose which one i love the most. there are aspects of everyone's that i find endearing and special. and i hope to share those unique spaces with you all. so today, i am starting a new series called HOME SWEET HOME ... OF MY FRIENDS! 


the first home i am lucky to feature is my best friend ashley's ... who has fabulous taste and is also the amazing mom of four (including almost three-year-old triplets!) how, oh how, do you keep your home so pretty with all those sticky fingers? for more adventures with this fun crew, check out her blog here.


dining room
i love the incredible piece above the buffet (her grandparents found years ago), the matching art and amazing lamps.

master bedroom
this unique desk was a local antique store find and we hauled this chair home from the wisteria on a recent trip to dallas (along with way too many other things to mention!)

 

foyer
a pair of modern sconces flank the passage into the living room

 

hall
possibly my personal favorite area in the house. it all just works for me. love the mirror, chest, lamp. and check out the greek key at the bottom of the chest.

boys' bathroom
a quick preview of art in the boys' bathroom. the "other brother" as they say, has a matching one with his initials.
a side note: she is in the process of updating her babies rooms so i decided to wait and feature all the kids' rooms together once they are complete!

living room

can i get credit for this find? too much online shopping for lynlee led to fab fireplace screen for ashley!

i know the hall was my favorite area i said but i'm OBSESSED with this box! i talk about it all the time!!

HUGE and incredible lamp. this new addition makes the living room!

breakfast area
pretty chandelier above table filled with cute little people, lots of applesauce and sippy cups

backporch
pretty pillows

playroom
you can see the details of ashley's hardwork on her playroom update here

she even sewed these great floor pillows herself (thanks to our recent sewing classes!)

mudroom

organization is a must. when you have four kids, four and under, a mudroom makes it much easier to get out the door on those crazy mornings!

and for some reason, i really like these two sets of crocs. i even like the boys' closet because i think everything looks cuter (and more organized) in sets of two!

tuesday's turquoise

what a cozy place in a bathroom! now if only my husband would stop moving every single piece of furniture i put in our bathroom into my closet ... what doesn't he understand about the importance of beauty even with the occasional sacrifice of function?

via house & garden