Lay your weary head to rest...

I won't be cryin' no more (shout out to Kansas) because we just ordered a new bed. No more jockeying for space, no more elbowing each other in the face. We ordered a KING! bed during Macy's Labor Day Sale.

I've been dreaming of having an upholstered bed and this one is so luxurious looking. 

The rolled headboard. The nailhead trim. The shimmery fabric. It's luxe without being girly. 

Now I'm on a mission for the perfect bedding. Any suggestion for bedding shops or online stores that are outside the usual suspects? 

rat-ta-tat-tan...

Since finding these fabulous side tables at a garage sale, I've been obsessed with rattan. 

It's no longer reserved for 70s outdoor furniture, rattan is being used in all sorts of cool ways. I love how it can be juxtaposed with all different kinds of materials to add texture and interest to a room. Light-colored rattan looks great with heavy, dark wood. Intricately designed rattan can punch up a minimalist design. Unexpected items made out of rattan can also be real eye-catchers. Here are some of my favorite rattan items that I've pinned recently...

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And this number from Anthropologie is like a fairy tale bed. How cute would it look in a little girls room? Although I might be worried they would poke their eye out. 

Are you loving rattan as much as I am? 

favorite Friday find...

hitting up the local garage sales is one of my favorite things to do on a Friday morning. I work out, grab coffee then hit the sales. This morning I scored one of my favorite finds ever....

Two round wooden side tables for a whopping total of $20. No, not each. For. The. Pair. They have glass tops too. Very heavy ones. The glass alone would cost more than $20. 

I am so digging the swirl pattern on them. They are just so different. I don't have a place for them yet. I am debating splitting them up or keeping them as a pair. But they are so visually interesting, I know they'll be amazing wherever they go. 

Have you found any exciting garage sale or flea market finds recently? 

transitioning the family room...

Green has been my go-to accent color in my last three homes. It added the right pop of color without ever feeling outdated. 

From lamps to rugs...

seat covers to vases....

and oh so many pillows...

it was all about the green. 

But all good things must come to an end. As I mentioned in my recent kitchen chair makeover post, the green just isn't working with the open floor plan of our new house. Our countertops are a green, blue, brown marbly laminate. You may say to yourself (if you're in the habit of talking to yourself, like I am), "Well then, self, green should be a great accent color." Except, it's not the right shade of green and it ends up making both the accents and the counters stick out like sore thumbs. 

So I'm going neutral with hints of deep blue. It's calming and serene, just what I want in the room where we do all of our relaxing. It will also be a good complement to our gray couch, cream carpet, and brown wood and leather furniture. We'll soon be getting our walls painted a subtle warm gray, so that will complete the room just perfectly. 

In the meantime, I've been searching for inspiration photos to achieve just the right level of blue while still making it feel very neutral. 

I love the tealish-gray blue in this photo and the way the velvet makes it so warm. 

I love the way they mixed all the blues in this room without making it feel too busy. 

This is one conveys the level of calmness I'm looking for. 

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I like the pairing of blue and white in this room. It adds a nice crispness that I am really fond of when decorating.  

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Now begins the process of slowly phasing out the green and introducing in the blue. I have to say it's a little hard to say goodbye to some of my green decor. I feel so bad storing it away when it's a perfectly good piece. But it will find a new home in another room at some point, I just have to keep reminding myself of that. 

Stay tuned for more updates on the transition.  

friday finds: side tables....

it's Friday again and you know what that means – garage sales! it's a gorgeous fall day here, so before I started working I scoped out a few of the nearby sales. We have a serious shortage of places to put lamps and drinks, so I have been looking for side tables for various rooms in our house. And today I hit the jackpot.

I found this beauty at the first sale...

see that sticker? BOOM! $5!

It's a beautiful and heavy brass and marble table. Even though it's gorgeous, it's going to be hidden in our family room between a lounge chair and the wall. But never fear, I have big plans for it when my Hollywood Regency living room comes together. 

A couple of the sales were duds (I mean, I have never seen so many baby clothes/toys in my life!) but at the last one I found this puppy. 

and again $5! 

It will be perfect for the loft area which currently has no lamps, only overhead lighting. There is something extra cozy about soft lamp lighting versus blazing ceiling fan lights. Plus, the middle shelf will be a perfect place to keep magazines, remotes, etc. It's a little more country/traditional than my usual tastes, but again it won't be out in plain sight, and the height and double-shelf action makes it a functional gem. 

Once I get them in place I'll be sure to take pictures to show you how they are working in the space. I was just so excited by my finds, I had to share them with you. 

2 tables + $10 = FABULOUS FRIDAY FINDS! 

chairs. so many chairs to choose from...

I have a vision for our front room. It's a combination living room/dining room and I am envisioning the living room portion to have a moody, lounge-y vibe. Very Hollywood Regency in feel with some cool chairs, maybe a vintage love seat, an old bar armoire and glass coffee table.

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So right now I am obsessed with finding the perfect chairs. They have to look cool but also be comfortable. This is where I picture us hanging out with friends, having a drink, listening to music. I had always pictured barrel or club chairs in this room. My grandparents had the coolest set of gold velvet swivel barrel chairs in their front room when I was growing. They looked exactly like these:

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I would love to have those now – very Mad Men-esque.

I was at HomeGoods the other day and saw these. Obviously not this fabric but they were comfortable.

Some others I've liked in the barrel and club style are:

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However, on that same trip to Home Goods, I sat in this puppy and was instantly wowed. 

It may not look comfortable, but I can assure you, it is. It was like sitting on a cloud. The back came up far enough that you could lay your head back and have your neck supported. And it was wide. I could easily sit on it indian-style and still fit. The slipper chair is much easier to find and comes in all kinds of fun fabrics. 

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The fun of Hollywood Regency style is that anything goes as long as it has a beautiful fabric and classic detailing. My search continues...

Tell me, which do you prefer: barrel or slipper?

you complete me...

my parents just bought new chairs for their den, so they bequeathed their old leather chairs to us. yay! free furniture! 

My husband requested we put one in the family room. I thought the room was fine the way it was but, boy, I didn't know what I was missing. It looks great in the room. I was afraid there wouldn't be enough clearance to walk from the kitchen into the family room. 

There is definitely enough room and even though the couch and chair are overstuffed, it actually makes the room feel cozy – and complete. 

The husband loves it and it will be the perfect place to read a book by the fireplace come winter. 

Thanks mom and dad!