I’m helping Allen (neighbor/friend/outstanding real estate agent) with a few projects around his house, first and foremost the revamping of his kitchen. Allen sent this picture my way with a note asking me to check out the tile. I like that tile. I like the whole thing. Well, for good reason: this kitchen belongs to Tommy Smythe, you know, Tommy Smythe from Sarah’s House. He’s brilliant. Of course, we like this kitchen.

Many times I’ve stared at this kitchen as a source of inspiration. There’s so much to notice, so many details. I have such an appreciation for this particular work. As Charles Eames said, “The details are not the details. They make the design.”

Let’s take note of the details–I mean, design.Black and White

This kitchen is beautifully balanced, don’t you think? I like the dark lower cabinets and white upper cabinets.  The dark-painted window frames/muntins and door create interest make the space less stark. And, it’s nice to see windows with different patterns.  Rather than going busy and distracting, the herringbone pattern draws the appropriate amount of attention to the floor, which is a really nice compliment to the dark cabinets.

Styling

I can’t think of anything that would look better there than that antique, mildly rustic table. It brings a bit of warmth and comfort to the mix.

Cabinets

Cabinets that climb to the ceiling tend to make a room feel bigger. Notice the glass doors: they aren’t everywhere, just used on the wall near a door. Glass doors create a sense of visual space. Using glass doors by the door establishes continuity and creates a sense of airiness in along that wall. So, if you’re thinking of using glass cabinets, use them wisely: place them well and fill them with lovely things. My rule is to go all white or all color. I have very little middle ground in my life.

Okay, let’s notice a few more details:

• the wine rack–the one that isn’t above the refrigerator–because your eye follows it from floor to ceiling (or ceiling to floor) it creates a sense of height, which is really nice
• the built-in workspace/desk with a small bench that keeps the space open
• the pulls on the cabinet drawers
• the taxidermy above the pantry door
• the light fixture you might or might not have chosen but manages to pull it all together and to the center as good light fixtures should

And, finally, the stainless sink and counter space is a nice break from marble.

All credit is due: Tommy Smythe (Design) // Michael Graydon (Photos)

Isn’t this a classy and comfortable kitchen? What’s your favorite detail?

This is true. It’s true of writing. It’s true of building houses. It’s true of rearranging your furniture and hanging things on the wall. It’s true of my day job in marketing. Do a lot of work. It’s only by going through a volume of work that you close that gap. Here’s to repainting the room, rewriting the sentence, rethinking the wallpaper. Do a lot of work and your taste will catch up with your work.

Color meets pattern–that’s the beauty of wallpaper. It’s an instant addition of personality, depth, and color. And, it’s a hard decision.  We all know it took me a year to choose a pattern, and still, I could be swayed. But, here’s the best advice I’ll ever give you: live with it.

Buy samples, tape them to your wall and live with them. Leave them taped to the wall for weeks. If you think you’re starting to like the pattern, if it “feels right” with the rest of your house, if you walk into the soon-to-be wallpaper-clad room, see the sample and think you belong here, then you are almost ready to commit.

But not yet.

I think you should buy another sample of the same pattern and hang them up side by side so you can feel a little more of the paper’s impact. There’s a huge difference in a sample and a wall. Whatever you do, do not veer from your true style and color palette. Don’t go bolder than you are, you’ll just hate it. Don’t go simple if you’re not simple. You’ll just walk into the room and think, this is so plain.

Or, you could ditch this advice, be utterly brave, and go with it.

Or, you could do one wall, an accent wall, in paper. Take a look at these beauties!

Emily McCall

Apartment Therapy

CasaSugar

From the Right Bank

Decorica

Walls

Mary’s Dwellings

HGTV

Inside-Out Design

Back to my house, my wallpaper, my life–this is my bathroom, the bathroom I’ve had every intention of dressing in wallpaper. But then I started thinking, I want some wainscoting, beadboard, or something to break up the pattern and serve as a back splash for the sink.

So, in came the “back splash” in that mimics the treatment in the hallway (without the chalkboard). An in-process photo for you:

Now that the wainscoting is up, the walls are ready for wallpaper. Last weekend I unrolled the paper and, get this, the paper didn’t match up. (Unlike wallpaper that you buy by the roll, Dwell Studios prints and cuts the wallpaper for each wall, you enter the measurements for each wall and they make the paper.)

So, I took this picture and emailed Dwell Studio and wrote: I am nauseous. Please tell me you can help me. I pretty much acted like I was dying of this error. The next day Robby (from Dwell Studios) left the warmest voicemail, full of sympathy and readiness to find a solution. Apparently Robby knows he’s charming as he emailed saying, “I left you what I hope sounds like a charming, supportive voicemail….. We can figure this out together, and I look forward to being a part of the solution!” Should Robby ever move on from Dwell, I think he should consider a career as a therapist. (Hat’s off to Dwell Studios for possibly the best customer service ever.)

I am confident that Robby will help me sort this out. But do you know what I’m thinking now…

Maybe I should just paper the accent wall? Don’t you just love those walls of pattern and color?

Footboards. Overrated: Yes or No? The answer, I think, hinges on three things:

1. personal preference

2. the size of your bedroom

3. the layout or floor plan of said bedroom.

 I once loved footboards. I once wore Electric Youth perfume and big bows in my hair. I still like footboards. I don’t like Electric Youth anymore. I know you’re relieved. 

Lately, I like layers and the way benches help the room and bed meet. I am drawn less to being confined by the partnership of a headboard and its footboard. I’ve outgrown all things that confine. Don’t fence me in, I say. I’ll make my own boundaries. Here are more images that inspire me.  (The inset picture is from House Beautiful.)

House Beautiful

{inside} the loop

Decorpad

Elle Decor

Decorpad

Design*Sponge

Lonny

Pinterest

Pinterest

As I search the Web over for the perfect bench, trunk, or ______  to layer at the foot of my bed, I look for something that passes my litmus test: can it work in more than one place. I have a rule when I buy furniture or anything that requires much money for my home–it has to work in more than one place. You might have noticed that I don’t like to commit to one particular thing. I want options. I like pieces that work in a variety of ways. The things that are not versatile are the things I find myself dragging to Goodwill a year later.

Here are a few things I’ve found that might make a great bench at the end of my bed, or coffee table, or…. I’m sure I’ll come up with something. All are available online–

Industrial Bench from UrbanWoodGoods (with or without vintage wire locker basket)

Wes Bennett’s Etsy Shop wesbenn

Factory20

West Elm

Harmony Bench from ABC Home (with or without casters)

Wood Plank Storage Bench from Ballard Designs

Kilm Bench from Overstock

From Kathy Kuo Home

Restoration Hardware

Amelia Storage Bench from Ballard Designs (fabric options available)

Urban Outfitters

What do you think? How do you feel about the bench? If you’re looking for a something to compliment your bed, I hope these links help.

Thanks for reading!

Where have you been?

That’s what I was just asking myself. I wish that I could tell you that I’ve been traveling through Italy village by village, town by town. That would be an envy-stirring explanation for the radio silence. Not so much. I have been traveling through the a maze of days that can only be described as “normal” life. You know the stuff weeks are made of–the day job, work travel, holiday travel, birthday parties, engagement dinners, dog sitting, and my staunch commitment to watching Parenthood each and every Tuesday night. It’s true. And, I will be equally committed to The Voice once it returns after the Superbowl. If you, too, love Parenthood the way my sister and I do you might also like the quirky home of Adam and Kristina Braverman. Casa Sugar posted photos from the set. You can see them here. It’s a great photo collection which includes paint colors used on set.

But, here comes the good news—I’ve missed this blog and I’ve missed you all. And, I’ve really missed renovation which is why I’m on the hunt for something else to renovate. Wish me luck. In the meantime, my aim is to post weekly and catch you all up on the projects I’ve finished at my house and post all the before/after pictures you can stand. For today,  I am back with a quick run down of what’s kept me at bay. There is no rhyme or reason to this list. It’s just the truth of the latter part of 2011. Here’s what I’ve been doing:

1. Hanging Curtains

The thing about windows is that they like treatments. So, I put up some curtains and then I took down some curtains. I moved them all around. What can I say? There’s an art to editing. Nothing in this room is as it was in this picture. But while I was away, I did install this curtains. For five seconds they were in the room below. Now they hang in Ashley’s room. Sister’s room trumps guest room.

2. Browsing for Furniture

I thought about buying this settee. I was outside of my natural mind. Does this look like me to you? Exactly. It’s lovely just not my kind of lovely. But if it’s your kind of lovely you can find it Sprintz furniture.

Ashley and I went to look at furniture again. I believe she came along as an act of intervention because she typically leaves all these sorts of things to me. I make our house pretty, she keeps it running—that’s what sisters are for. When I came home with the picture of the settee (above) she went all what-are-you-thinking on me. We went back and came to the conclusion that we really like this couch (below). We sat on it for about thirty minutes while Pete, a kind and awesome salesman told us about his grandchildren and his labs. We didn’t buy any furniture. But when we do, we’ll buy it from Pete. He’s a kind soul.

2. Enjoying the Children In My Life (All of whom belong to other people that allow me to spoil them rotten)

My friend Lucy came over. She and her sister were playing “cat” just before she arrived. Is this hysterical or what?

Look at these beautiful girls. This is one of my favorite pictures of the year. Nichole from Loom and our friend sweet Claire, whose mother is faithful to share her write-a-new-blog-post encouragement with me nearly every time we talk.

A note from Emma, a sweet four-year-old in my class at church–she rolled this up and gave it to me tied with a string for Christmas.

3. Looking for the Right Wallpaper

While I was in Chicago I went to Urban Source, which is hands-down the most helpful store for those for those of us who want to see it, feel it, smell it before we buy it. They stock tons of designers’ oversized samples so you can get a better feel for the pattern runs and color.

4. Baking

I made cakes for my sister’s birthday. Here’s the strawberry recipe from Julie’s fabulous blog. I found the “chocolate madness” on Julia’s blog, which is also a great read. You will enjoy both of these blogs. Julia, if you read this my marshmallow cream layer either melted or couldn’t handle the weight of the cake, but it was ridiculous nonetheless.

5. Dreaming about Tile.

I bought tile for my fireplace. Because if it won’t burn wood then it should certainly be pretty.

6. Dogsitting

We dog-sat our neighbor, Owen. It seems all creatures of our God and King are comfortable in this house—Owen and those pesky mice that sneaked in. Two of them which Ashley successfully trapped. Look, I am catching you up on everything. I’ll spare you the mouse trap pics.

Look how happy he was when I took him to Home Depot. His eyes look utterly spooky but doesn’t he look happy? He knows Home Depot is a safe place. Even dogs know the power of Home Depot: more saving, more doing.

7. Christmas Decorating and Un-decorating

We put up a tree. We took it down. We loved it in between. It was live and huge and the house smelled like houses should in December. My sister, Ashley, found an ornament she made in kindergarten. She’s thirty years old. You do the math on how old those Life Savers are.

I did some serious Christmas shopping at Nashville’s new Paper Source. All paper products aside, my favorite thing in the store are the stools pulled up to project tables in the back of the store. Aren’t they cool?

8. Watching Friday Night Lights

We watched all five seasons on Netflix over the course of Fall. (I still believe in Netflix.) We couldn’t stop watching. Here’s the thing, I don’t care for football or Texas. I prefer basketball and states that you can drive through in less than a day. But, my friend Adam insisted that we watch Friday Night Lights and now I have such a soft spot for Texas and high school football. For real. I heart Texas. These days I constantly ask myself, What would Tammi Taylor do right now? And, I miss Coach Taylor and Riggins.

9. Volunteering

I volunteered at Passion Conference with one of my dearest college friends and made some new friends while I was there. We spent four days with 42,000 college students and I loved every minute of it. I was totally inspired and refreshed by this generation of students. They gave generously—it was news worthy.

While I was in Atlanta I stopped by IKEA. Low and behold the rug I’ve been tracking for months was in stock. It’s been out of stock for-ev-er. And there it was in all it’s yellow and gray glory–the rug I’ve been waiting for. But I didn’t buy it. Do you ever do that? Wait for something and then think… I don’t care anymore.

Random and true. Everything I’ve posted today is random and true. See you next week.

aj

P.S. I’m glad we’re back.

I used a bit of Schoolhouse Electric Lighting in my house. Their craftmanship is exceptional, everything is made in-house (and to your liking) at their Portland headquarters. Last week I received a new Schoolhouse catalog in the mail and am so impressed with their new home line. Here’s a bit of what I saw. I’m totally inspired by their products and styling. Swoon.

It’s all lovely and true to the standards of School House. They’ve partnered with Egg Press, a Portland letterpress studio,  to create designs for a line of textiles that includes lamp shades, pillows, bedding and more.

Meanwhile, Portland’s favorite tailor Adam Arnold created a line of aprons,  slipcovers, and all-around beautiful hand-crafted pieces like this chair and couch.

Lovely work, School House!

I fell for this look a long time ago. Thank you very much, Pottery Barn. The gallery approach to displaying art and photography appeals to me. It’s less committal. Frames are easily changed. You can add to it, take away from it, or create an altogether new look on a whim without putting a million nail holes in the wall. Not that I would ever put a million nail holes in the wall or “eyeball” it and need to move a curtain rod something like four times… never happens in my house.

Rather than have so many picture ledges, I’m into one ledge running the length of a wall. I’m thinking of installing a picture rail upstairs. Here are a few images that have inspired me to do it!

Pinterest

Sactuary

Flicker

Here are a few images with two photo ledges. I like that it still feels simple but perhaps that has everything to do with the white walls.

Procrastination Mama

Visualize

To all who blog and all who don’t, this contest is for you!

The fine people at Barn Light Electric would love for you to win, oh say, a thousand dollars worth of lighting! I’m so not kidding. I would not joke about lighting. Find the scoop below along with a link to enter the contest.

I’m a loyal fan of Barn Light lighting It’s scattered throughout my house. My favorite is the Mig, which lights my hallway daily! Of course, I have a few more favorites—these are the ones that got away. Maybe next time…

The Mig (in blue)

As you know, indigo is all the rage. Blue is back in the most serious of ways.

Ivanhoe Sinclair Pendant in Yellow

The Champion Pendant

And, last but not least we have the Fargo Pendant in Red

Do you want to win or what? I’m just showing you my favorites here. There are hundreds of lights, most of which are customizable. You pick the color, you pick the finish, you choose: will it be cord or stem mount? Flush or pendant? So many choices with Barn Light.

About winning… you need the scoop, the contest scoop and you can find that here!

As for the prizes—as in, more than one—they are good. Win (a) $1,000 Grand Prize or (b) $500 2nd Place Prize. The two winners will each receive a Barn Light Electric Gift Certificate to purchase new lighting for their homes or to finish off that lingering renovation project.

Enter this contest! Somebody’s going to win–might as well be you. (Or, me…)