Eclectic Living Room

I don't know if it is because my house is slowly moving towards more neutral colors (which usually bores me to tears), or because I have a dark wall that I want some colors to play on, but lately I am really drawn to a riot of colors. Call my quirky. Using Michelle Armas' Pamela print as a jumping-off point, I threw some items together for inspiration. This makes for a very eclectic living room but I am really crushing on the colors and how they play together.

Ivory / Tyler 56x20" Storage Ottoman Bison Brown / Thrive Taylor Chair / CB2 Saga Credenza / Parsons Bookcase / Moroccan Table / Crate & Barrel Vera Table Lamp / Moroccan Stool / Basic Pillow Cover 18 Inch | Ballard Designs / 20x20 Bright Yellow Cotton Velvet Pillow Cover- Square Decorative... / David Hicks La Fiorentina - 13x19 Designer Pillow Cover - Wine &...

On My Radar: July

I know we are technically in August, but here is what I have been crushing on in July. Heck, I'm still crushing on them!

Large Lacquered Rectangular Box / Industrial Task Table Lamps / CableBox / Pamela Large Prints / Nest™ 9 Plus - Space-Saving Food Preparation Set by Joseph Joseph / Pie™ Timer - 60-minute Kitchen Timer by Joseph Joseph

1.  Pink Lacquered boxes from the Container Store. I love lacquer boxes--I would love to get a set of these for my coffee table. I would use one of them for my Iphone and Nook charging cords, because I always find myself throwing those cords on my coffee table and I think they need a home. Maybe the other could be for the TV and cable remotes. 
2. Joseph Joseph kitchenware--I want everything in this line! My favorites are the bowl/measuring cup sets, the timer and the spatulas. Such fun pops of color for the kitchen. And check out the space saving/organization of that bowl set! 
3. Bluelounge cable box--another organizational nirvana item. Hide all the cords around the TV? Yes, please. 
4. Michelle Armas prints. I am seriously crushing on the explosion of colors on her artwork. Must. Have. 
5. West Elm's Industrial Task Table lamp--gold, industrial, light. Trifecta. 

What's on your radar this month? 

Color Shot: Emerald

I read it somewhere (multiple somewheres) that Pantone had announced the Color of the Year to be Emerald. While I've always liked the color, it's never been a crush of mine--I love green, but typically I see emerald green as too traditional for my tastes. But the more I see the color, the more I dig it. Here are some ways you can bring the color into your own home!

Room Board Clarke / Set of 2 Inverted Box Pleat 48inW Custom Panels | Ballard Designs / Moroccan Leather Pouf - Garnet Hill / Color Plus Greens Ovo Table Lamp / 18x18 Kelly Green Cotton Velvet Pillow Cover - Decorative Accent Throw... / Southold Indoor/Outdoor Rug | Ballard Designs / Emerald: 2013 Pantone Color of the Year - Get Color Chips and Swatches...

Has anyone used this color in their home? I'd love to see pics if you have! 

West Elm has got it Going On

Lately, West Elm has been revving my engine.   And don't even get me started on their rustic and mid-century styled furniture lines... I'm really sad we don't have one in Iowa. But maybe that is for the best--they might object to me moving in lock, stock and barrel. Here is a roundup of things from West Elm I am crushing on-- fabulous little pieces of yumminess.

Zigzag Floor Pouf / Martini Side Table Antique Brass / Large Rectangle Lacquer Trays / Curved Storage Basket / Slim Lacquer Jewelry Boxes / Industrial Task Table Lamps / Reclaimed Wood Shelf Silver Branch Brackets / Playa Throw | west elm

1. You can never have too many lacquer trays. I have one of these in white and it has saved my sanity (and my coffee table). 
2. Rustic wood. Silver branches. It just doesn't get any better than this. 
3. Like lacquer trays and pillows, you can never have too many baskets. This one has a nice curved shape--it would be great for storing all those pillows and blankets I collect. 
4. Yellow. Lacquer. Storage. Nuff said.
5. These stools come in many colors, but the gold sparks my interest the most. You can use them as a side table, as a seat, indoors, outdoors. This one does it all. 
6. This would be a good blanket for hauling outdoors on windy days--not too precious for outdoors use. 
7. This yellow light makes me happy, though heavens knows where I'd put it. 
8. I'm in love with these poufs. My tushy thinks they would be super-nice for game nights. 

What stores are you crushing on? 

Take it Outside: Accessorizing the Deck

Now that I have the main furniture pieces selected, I am already thinking of decorating the deck to make it an inviting summer room. Because that's what I do.

Pottery Barn Malena Outdoor Pillows - Cool / 9 Foot Auto Tilt Umbrella / Set of Three Hailey Metal Nesting Tables - Grandin Road / Square Devon Self-watering Planter - Grandin Road / Classic Pedestal Table - Grandin Road / Rubbermaid Basket Weave Deck Box/Trunk - Dark Brown : Target / Garden Seat with Rings | Ballard Designs / Globe Outdoor Sconce | west elm / Zig Zag Outdoor Pillow - Grandin Road

1. I need to replace the cheap lights by the back door and garage door-and as soon as I saw these lights at West Elm, I knew I had to have them. 
2. Every deck needs pillows. and this pillow from Pottery Barn fits my color scheme quite well. 
3. Some day, I would like a pergola on my deck. Until then, an umbrella is needed for shade. This one from Ballard Designs is quite pricey, but since it has an auto tilt function, it might be worth it to block the shade at any angle. 
4. Every deck needs plants. This one from Grandin Road is self-watering. The plants will thank my black thumb to stay away from them. 
5. I am absolutely gaga over this nesting table set from Grandin Road. They are the perfect color. 
6. Again, perfectly colored, these two garden seats from Ballard Designs are nicely priced and will be good for additional seating, drink and plant placement.  
7. I have a thing for pillows. Obviously. This pillow from Grandin Road also ties in with the color scheme and lets my love of stripes come out to play. Chevrons no less. 
8. Another favorite from Grandin Road-this table is easily portable and comes in a rainbow of colors. I could even see it moving indoors! 
9. Not pretty. But practical. With my selection of uber cushions on the new dining seats I am thinking cushion storage is a must. This is brown, though, and needs to be black. A little Rust-Oleum spray paint may fix that though. 

Meet Little Loo

Meet Little Loo. This is the "powder room" in my lower level. She recently got demo'ed a few weekends ago, so that I could test out the new flooring in the bathroom before committing to doing the entire Media Room with the floor. So Little Loo got nekkid.

Since Little Loo was not originally in the initial plans for the Media Room renovations, I am looking to do Little Loo on a budget. So I have done a lot of shopping around at the big box stores (Home Depot, Menards, Lowe's, etc.) and online, and I have selected what I think will be the final pieces in Little Loo.

Threshold Wastebasket Home Light Happao Rattan Weave / 3-Light Brushed Nickel Bath Light-25090 at The Home Depot / Wilton Etagere | Ballard Designs / American Classics Artisan 24 in. Vanity with Marble Vanity Top in... / Reclaimed Wood Shelf + Silver Branch Brackets | west elm / Pfister Jadia Single Control 4" Centerset Bathroom Faucet at Menards / American Classics Artisan 31 in. x 24 in. Wall Mirror in...

1. This bamboo-like etagere from Ballard Designs had me at "hello."  Ok, so realistically, this item blows the whole budget out of the water, but it is nice to dream.
2. I finally selected this Hampton Bay vanity fixture from Home Depot when I couldn't find another light I liked. 
3. I would love to have a round wood mirror, but until I find one I like that fits the space, this mirror from Home Depot is a nice companion to the bath vanity I selected.
4. I love these rustic shelves with silver branches from West Elm. West Elm can do no wrong.  A trio of these shelves will be nice until I can afford the etagere from Ballard Designs (item #1).
5. This vanity from Home Depot is contemporary and will work well with the floor I selected. 
6. One of my pet peeves is a faucet that is too close to the back of the tank. With long fingers, my hands are always hitting the back of the sink when I wash. This faucet from Menards has a waterfall flow so hopefully my knuckles will no longer touch the back of the sink. 
7. A little texture is a good thing. I have this Target wastebasket upstairs too and it adds a nice little touch of texture.

It will be nice when Little Loo is all dressed up. Honestly, she just might put the rest of my house to shame. 

Rustic Modern Media Room

I have been playing around with a color scheme and decoration for the Media Room. I definitely know I want to bring in more of the rustic modern style. Since it's a basement room, with only one window, I hesitate to bring in dark colors. So even though I am not a huge fan of one accent wall in rooms, I am toying around with  the idea of having one wall be dark gray while the other walls remain light. The trick will be bringing in enough shiny and reflective surfaces that it bounces what little light is down here around the room.

Pottery Barn Hayden Zig Zag Rug - Gray / Pottery Barn Irving Leather Armchair / Firenze Embroidered Panel | Ballard Designs / Console Tables / Crate & Barrel Vera Table Lamp / Martini Side Table Antique Brass / Suzanne Kasler Sunburst Mirror #3 | Ballard Designs / Robert Abbey Bruno Bronze 2-Arm Pharmacy Floor Lamp - #71503 / Antique Finish Iron Media Chest / Random Base Side Table - Marble | west elm / Leather Cube Ottoman | Ballard Designs

So that is where I am today. Of course, this is subject to change. Give it a day or two. I may be onto something completely different! 

the High/Low list

I think I will start a new weekly series-the High/Low list. I have expensive taste. I do not necessarily have the budget to match... particularly since I tend to change my mind every so often. So oftentimes, I'll see something I really want, and then do some shopping to find a similar style that will satisfy my decorating whims.

Crate & Barrel Hoyne Pendant Lamp / Young House Love Large Wire Globe Lantern 7 Colors! SHADES / Suzanne Kasler Set of 3 Sunburst | Ballard Designs / Jonathan Adler Capri Short Grey Glass Table Lamp - #J1782 |... / Requisite Gray Ovo Table Lamp - #X1363-X8993-X9869 | LampsPlus.com / Threshold™ Round Mirror - 3 Pieces : Target

First up on the agenda on the High list we have the Jonathan Adler gray table lamp, the Crate and Barrel  Hoyne Pendant and the Ballard Design Sunburst mirrors. on the Low list we have the Lamps Plus Gray Ovo table lamp, the Young House Love Wire Globe Lantern and the Target Threshold Round Mirror set.

I have already acquired the Target mirror set--for $30 it was quite the steal. I used one of the lamps in a small project I tackled today-stay tuned for that post!  I've been looking at the Lamps Plus Ovo lamps for awhile and have been tempted to purchase two of the gray lamps to go with the Pottery Barn lampshades I bought last month.

Pottery Barn Karlie Ikat Embroidered drum lamp shade

Something tells me they would love fabulous on the Gray Ovo lamps. But I am not 100% sure I am committed to keeping the shades. They were pricey - around $150 for the last two in stock. Which really, is quite appalling, and I am pretty sure I will never spend so much on lampshades again in my life.  But they were discontinued, and I didn't want to regret some day not buying them! 

Which brings us to the pendant. One of my favorite blogs is House*Tweaking. I would say Dana's style most closely matches the style I want in my house some day. In fact, I was am 100% in LOVE with Dana's "everything room." (It's the mudroom, dining room and laundry room in her home.)  In any case, it was there I saw the Hoyne Pendant and fell in love. In fact, I love everything about this room and it has me looking at my kitchen and dining room with a whole new set of ideas... but that's another post for another day. 

House*Tweaking.com 

I love how the lamp brings a slightly industrial edge to the room, but also allows the light to go everywhere, which is important in my house.  Since there are no lights in the living room, so the dining room light is often the central light source for both the dining room and living room.  The only problem (aside from its $350 price tag) is its size. It's huge! My dining room is small, and with ceilings that are only 8 feet, I worry the size of the Hoyne pendant would be far too large for over my dining table. In comes another player, the YHL Large Wire Globe lantern from Shades of Light. It is less intricate than the Hoyne pendant, but here is the key: it also comes in a small size-only 15.75" across in diameter! 

YHL Large Wire Globe Lantern

So there you have it, my first installment of the High/Low list and oh yeah, a lot of rambling. 

Color Shot: Yellow and Taupe

This week's mood board is brought to you by the letter "Y." Sesame Street puns aside, since I love to create these little bits of inspiration, I thought I would step outside of my own bliss zone and play around with some designs in color schemes you won't find in my house!

Olin Gold 8x10 Rug / Taraval 3-Seat Sofa / Blake Grey Wash Lounge Chair With Cushion / CB2 Element Coffee Table / Durham Nesting Tables | Ballard Designs / Pier One Bamboo Floor Lamp / Vera Table Lamp / Martini Side Table, / Tate Twin Sleeper with Storage Ottoman | Ballard Designs / Iron Oxide Giclee | Ballard Designs / Iris Silk Pillow Cover | west elm / Ballard 17"Sq Perfect Accent Pillow | European-Inspired Home...

Two designs for a Room

I have been trying to decide what direction I want to take my lower-level media room towards. On the one hand, I like charcoal grays and rustic furniture with a hint of raspberry. On the other hand, I like pops of color, and I have always been drawn to the colors of the ocean. Also, my favorite color combo is teal and green.

So below are two takes on these mood schemes, if you will. The first, the charcoal gray sofa with rustic accents and a little bit of glamour and berry shades thrown in. What I truly like about this first scheme is that should my mind ever change on the color, it would be easy to switch it up and take it in another direction (what? I would never!)

Durham Tall Bookcase | Furniture | Ballard Designs / Lounge 2-Piece Sectional Sofa / Tess Chair / Bluestone Coffee Table / Talara Wall Mirrors | European-Inspired Home Furnishings | Ballard... / Talara Wall Mirrors | European-Inspired Home Furnishings | Ballard... / Robert Abbey Bruno Bronze 2-Arm Pharmacy Floor Lamp - #71503 / Venetian Bamboo Leg Table / Talara Wall Mirrors | European-Inspired Home Furnishings | Ballard... / Chevron Stripe Indoor/Outdoor Rug | European-Inspired Home Furnishings... / Robert Abbey Bone Triple Gourd Ceramic Buffet Lamp - #V4144 |... / X-Bench | Ballard Designs


The second one below has the colors I really gravitate towards, but with the furniture carrying the largest dose of color, it would be more difficult to change it up in the future.



Celine Cheetah Rug | Ballard Designs / Lounge 2-Piece Sectional Sofa / Durham Cocktail Table / Parsons End Table / Pier One Bamboo Floor Lamp / Robert Abbey Triple Gourd Apple Glazed Table Lamp - #U2372 / Venetian Bamboo Leg Table | Side Tables & Pedestals / Graham Chaise | Ballard Designs / Earnest Horse Art | Ballard Designs / chalkboard at Target / X-
Bench | Ballard Designs / Ballard Basic Custom Pillow Cover 18in | Ballard Designs

What do you think? Any fans of one over the other?

Hallway Updates

Would you buy it if I told you I took a long walk and I fell off the edge of earth? (Let's presume for a moment here that the earth isn't really round...ok, and that I actually do an activity that can be considered physical exercise....)

So I have been remiss in updating this blog with all that has been going on lately. I took some time off work and just literally unplugged from it all.  Or at least, I unplugged as much as one can with Christmas, New Year's, my daughter's birthday and my birthday. I also made a little dent in my 2013 Top Ten list. Can you guess what it is?

I got the main doors in the hallway painted, and I taped off all the trim for painting when I had to pause the painting because we had family coming to visit for Peyton's 7 year birthday party.  Here is where we are today: 

As you can see, there is still some trim to be painted yet, but the main doors are done with a few spots of touch-up yet to do, and the new doorknobs are on (well, on most of the doors). They are perhaps, the best part.  I went with the Schlage Stainless Steel Dover Levers from Menards. I had one of the 20% off shopping bags and they were $16.99 each for the passage levers and $18.99 for the privacy knobs. With 20% off of my loot, it kept the total for 5 doors well below $100. Score! 

I chose the Dover knobs because they were stainless steel and they had the simple, modern look I wanted to bring into my home. They are a huge upgrade from the rusted gold knobs previously on the doors.  As I said, most of the knobs are on, but a few had to come back off for repair and re-paint.  When my dad attempted to fit these new knobs into the old holes, we discovered a very unpleasant surprise. These "guaranteed fit" door knobs would not fit in the current holes because it appears the builders of this house decided to cut some corners when installing the old knobs. They had used mobile home knobs. Apparently, hole sizes are different for mobile homes. 

After a little research, my dad was able to find a drill template and drilled the old holes into new holes that would accommodate my "guaranteed fit" beauties, but it took a little trial and error. It splintered the wood very badly on one of the doors, so we had to patch the wood around the knob and I had to re-prime and re-paint. And, since he had the patching goods out we patched over a few additional dents the doors had obtained over the year, so thus, there is more re-priming and re-painting to be done. 

There is also something to be said about this recent painting episode. I will never paint baseboards attached to the wall again. It was a horrible experience painting those baseboards.. I had to tape the carpet down using my trusty green Frog tape and then use a paint edger (ok, you got me, I don't know what it's actually called--it's a 12" long flat stainless steel blade of some sort to hold between your baseboard and the carpet so you don't actually paint on the carpet). Most. frustrating. experience. ever. What is most unappealing is that was only the hallway completed.... I have 3/4 of the house left to do. Cue sobbing. 

Hopefully, the end result will be worth it. I can honestly say it was a little disconcerting to have white doors after having dark wood doors for so long. And because no project ever starts without an end result in mind,  here is my vision for my entry hallway: 

Parsons Console / Moravian Star Ceiling Light SHADES / X-Bench | Ballard Designs / Standing Pug / Talara Wall Mirrors | European-Inspired Home Furnishings | Ballard... / Robert Abbey Peacock Triple Gourd Ceramic Buffet Lamp - #V4153 |... / Stainless Steel Passage Dover Lever at Menards


And for those of you who are actually reading this blog, let's play a little "Where's Waldo," shall we? OK  you got me, there's no Waldo, but there are two things in my mood board I have checked off from my "must obtain list." We already know the door levers are one of them (cue spoiler alert-the title of this post, maybe?!)... Bonus points if you know which other item has already made itself at home in my... well... home? 

Catalog Living

 

If there is one catalog I could move into, it would be Ballard Designs. I threw together a little mood board with some items I am currently crushing on in the catalog. And one floor lamp from Peir 1, just because I like to switch it up a little. 
 

 

Note: All items listed below are from Ballard Designs, with the exception of the Bamboo Floor Lamp, which is from Pier 1.

 

1. Crown Sunburst Mirror 

2. Tate Twin Sleeper with Storage Ottoman

3. Bamboo Floor Lamp

4. Firenze Embroidered Panel

5. Andrews Pedestal Dining Table

6. Oval Louis Side Chair with Pewter Nailheads

7. Belgard Cabinet

8. Celine Cheetah Rug

9. Olivia 30in Round Mirrored Side Table

 

 

Are there any catalogs you'd like to move into? Please tell me I'm not the only crazy one who could pack up and move into a catalog lock, stock, and barrel?! 

A Modern Living Room

I am slowly in the stages of bringing more of a modern design style into my home (very slowly). Over the years I have slowly moved from a more traditional style with glam elements to a more modern style, but I also love aged, rustic things. I guess my style could best be called Rustic Modern, though there is very little of it observable in my home.

In fact, I would say the most modern thing in my house right now is my recently painted chevron wall in the kitchen:

And, while I love it, there is not much else in my house that screams "this is Kelci!!!" So I've been slowly looking to bring peices into my home that bring more of the rustic modern style I like on a small budget. So far, there are only two peices in my house that fit this style: the leather sofa downstairs and the new coffee table:

 Yeah, very exciting, eh? I am by nature a very impulsive person. So I have found that it helps me to have a very clearly outlined plan for getting the look I want. So below, I've put together a moodboard for my living room.

1. Tali Curtains, West Elm
2. Starburst Mirrors, various, Ballard Designs
3. Olive Green Ovo Table Lamp, Lamps Plus
4. Parsons End Table, West Elm
5. Klyne Sofa, Crate and Barrel
6. Durham Nesting Tables, Ballard Designs
7. Robert Abbey Bruno Pharmacy Lamp, Lamps Plus
8. Sweater Rug, West Elm

Most of the peices are neutral, so, should I change my mind on a whim (I would never!) I can still take this style in any direction. But not country. Never country.

These three things followed me home...

I got a giftcard from work, and instead of spending it on smart, practical things, I went for a little quirky... we will call them my early Christmas presents (even though Peyton ran off with one of them....)

 

 

 

 

1. Smith and Hawken basket, Target

2. Standing Pug, Z Gallerie

3. Threshold Feather Large Platter, Target



 

 

Can you guess which one is my favorite? Can you guess which one Peyton ran off with?

 

On my Radar

I have this quote on my wall, and I read it every day to remind myself of what's truly important--that I have God in my life and a great family. I have a roof over my head and food on our table every day. There are many in the world who do not have these things, and I count myself truly blessed to have an abundance of riches in these things.

"We tend to forget tht happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have," Frederick Keonig.

That said, I love to shop, and I love to come home with new things and enjoy them in the moment. So here is this month's round-up of 5 things I really like, would love to have, but don't really need. And I'll remind myself that I have what I truly need each day. Without further ado, here are the things on my radar this month! 

1. Zooka Wireless Speaker for Ipad and Bluetooth devices, Amazon
2. Kendra Scott Darby Earrings
3.  Ricci Argentieri Bamboo Flatware, Bed, Bath & Beyond
4.  Washing Machine Hamper, CB2.com
5. Stadler Form Max Fan Heater

 

Color Shot: Raspberry

Lately I have been seeing rooms with one hot pink accent and there is something about the one element of pink that intrigues me.

from an episoded of Secrets of a Stylist

Source Unknown

 

Here are a few low-commitment ways you can bring the same shot of color into your home.

 

1. Lamps Plus, French Burgundy Ovo Table lamp

2. Erin and Evan, Etsy, Hot Pink Shower Curtain

3. Overstock, Vernon Panton Style  Pink Chair

4. Amazon, Skyline Furniture Wingback Chair

5. Rosenberry Rooms, Moroccan Pouf

 

I don't think I could commit to this bold of a color in my rooms... but there IS a little girl in the house and she happens to love pink....

 

 

Rustic Modern Bathroom Moodboard

I have finally figured out how to create honest-to-goodness moodboads on Polyvore, thanks to a tutorial I found on the House*Tweaking blog! I thought I would start off with something simple, inspired by the bathroom remodel on House*Tweaking--it had elements of yumminess that I thought belonged in my house, pronto!
 

Bathroom Inspiration on Polyvore

 

1. West Elm Reclaimed Wood Shelves

2. Ballard Designs Crown Sunburst Mirror

3. West Elm Stripe Shower Curtain-feather gray

4. Ikea Dalskar Bath Faucet

5. Ikea Godmorgon Odensvik Sink Cabinet

6. West Elm Zig Zag Bath Mat

 

 

I am thinking this moodboard will be perfect for my downstairs bathroom, which needs to be completely gutted (except the toliet. Funnily enough, it is the only salvagable thing in that room). Someday I'll actually get around to finishing the projects on my massive to-do list, but until then, I'll keep playing around with inspiration. Because really, you know it's going to change ten times from now until I actually tackle the project!