twice the fun; or more...

i am digging the idea of more than one table. the same size & separated a bit, allowing for multiple uses at the same time, i.e. office & dining, dining & puzzle, office & crafting, etc...

and then of course, there is the possibility of pushing them together for dinner parties & such. 

{images via automatism & ikea livet hemma}

a wall of books.

i have been in a bit of a book mood lately. scored myself a nice list of reads from santa, aka, the parents. and so i thought i would share a home improvement project this lovely couple recently completed. 

while adding onto their tiny little cabin in the woods, chelsea & her mr. built their very own wall of books, or the library as they like to call it. 

{photos courtesy of chelsea rose}

for kirsten

one of my favorite people is completely addicted to/obsessed with old suitcases. said person is just settling into a new home with the one she loves. so in honor of miss k & her new home, i thought i would share a few cute & inspired ideas for vintage suitcases. 

hop over to apartment therapy for the full post & how to on the mini bar

growing your own holiday cheer

paper whites & clementines are two of my favorite parts of december. today i will be potting up a handful of paper white bulbs in odd pots & vases, and if i can bring myself to do it, will eventually part with a few this season. 

as you may know they are the easiest things to grow; happy in soil, sand or water in rocks. they take off so quickly after being planted, it's easy to become convinced that one has a green thumb. 

Dear Santa

If I could re-design my own life, I would definitely start riding a bicycle again. Only trouble is you need one to ride one. I left the best bicycle I have owned behind in a rash move. 

I have accepted the absence of riding, as I didn't really have a bike worth riding, until NOW. I have found the most beautiful bike in the world. And I want it; the same way a little girl wants a pony, or in my case, a playhouse (big surprise there). 

If Santa could bring you anything what would it be? How would it change your day to day? 

{image via public bicycles}

Scandinavian Style

scandinavian interiors so perfectly capture the essence of winter;  offering spaces that are light, bright & cozy all at the same time. they are a constant inspiration to me, particularly when cold weather comes a knockin'. solid frog is one of my new favorite blog haunts & where i came across this beauty.

home for the holidays

whether you are hosting or traveling this holiday season, your home deserves a little holiday magic. a display of cards, a strand of lights....

a few fresh trimmings, ornaments in vases & dishes,

or a few fresh treasures strung up on your door; don't be afraid to do it up a bit. make something, use what you have, what you find outdoors, or pop into a thrift store for a touch of homespun decor.

{images via livet hemma & design sponge}

amazing

stumbled upon this wonderful kitchen makeover today. it took months; concrete was removed, wall paper stripped, paneling removed, cabinets painted & appliances replaced.

renovations are often times a huge undertaking, but it's almost always worth it. just ask the gal who spends time in front of this sink.

{images via nothing but bonfires}

when does free become expensive?

sometimes the freebies & hand-me downs are just plain great; right from the start. providing proof that one person's junk is another person's treasure. and sometimes the free & neglected come with a price. when do you say enough is enough, I will only spend so much salvaging what was on the side of the road/in my garage for years/given to me? 

over $29 was spent resuscitating the lamp in the above photo. it was found on the side of the road, and it is now a staple in someone's living room. that someone could have so easily given up, said why should i bother? but she didn't. she persisted. she re-wired, and later found her beloved lamp on ebay for $95. plus shipping.

i am always a proponent of salvaging what comes your way. you usually save a few bucks in the long run and always gain something from the process. it's yours, in a way that something from target never could be. and sometimes, if you are lucky, it's even cheaper.

{via apartmenttherapy}

three boys. one room.

one crafty, busy mama came up with this cool room for her three boys. that's right, three boys. for the details and how-to, visit bumper crop.

looking good.

Change in weather is a great excuse to dig into your closet & make it work a bit better. While you are tucking your warm weather wear away, why not take a moment to sift through what you wear & what you don't? Here are some tips for organizing your closet...

1. Pull out & pack away those summer clothes, taking a moment to notice what you wore & what you didn't. if you can't remember the last time you wore it, it may be time to part ways. 
2. Start your donate/resell pile.
3. Lay out the remaining contents of your closet, sorting them into piles of function; sweaters, jackets, work shirts, dresses, casual wear, etc. 
4. I think it is extremely helpful to spend a moment considering each piece; was it useful last winter? why or why not? if you didn't wear something because you never felt inspired to put it on, it's time to say goodbye, but if you just didn't have the right pieces to make it work, for instance, leggings, a cardigan, or versatile pants, it may be time to do a little shopping.
5. Start putting your closet back together. i organize my closet by color & my drawers by function.
6. As you are putting things back, think about what would make getting dressed easier; maybe another shelf, some matching hangers, or a container for shoes?
7. And so it goes. get rid of unwanted items, either donate them, take them to a resale shop in your area, or host a clothing swap with friends.

{photo via body + soul}

ready to rock

Giving old furniture a face lift can be simple. I recently brought this lovely little rocker back to life. As you can see from the before shot, the wood & finish both looked a little tired. Enter  Murphy's Oil soap, fine steel wool, Howard Restor-a-finish, & a generous amount of Howard Feed-n-wax.

1. It all starts with a good wash down. I like using warm water & a dash of Murphy's oil soap.
2. A bit of sanding helps to smooth down any rough spots. 
3. Wash away any dust from sanding.
4. Using protective gloves, apply Howard Restor-a-Finish in the appropriate color with a piece of fine steel wool. 
5. Wipe away any excess product using a clean, dry rag.
6. Apply a liberal amount of Feed-n-Wax, letting the product soak in for 30-45 minutes. 
7. Repeat Step 5.  

 Before:

This project took a little over an hour. If you don't have the time or interest to do the whole bit, the feed-n-wax is a great product to just bring back a little bit of luster. You can pick up all the supplies used for this project at your local hardware store.

cupboards & pantries, oh my!

 
Drawers & doors are scary beasts that tend to inspire otherwise tidy people to amass hidden messes. Pantries, or kitchen cupboards, can be the most dangerous. The very purpose of them being there is to put things in them. Here are some tips via yours truly & real simple on transforming your pantry into a more functional place...

a clean house

Yesterday afternoon I found myself armed with a hefty to do list, on my way out the door, and absolutely no idea where my wallet was;  making said to-do list virtually impossible. The situation forced me to realize my home & the inner workings of my life desperately needed some attention. I put the cleaning garb on and just went to it. And funny enough, it actually felt good to just put my brain to rest and do. Cleaning and putting my life back into place allowed me to not only find my wallet, but also find a bit of clarity.

.......................................

The experience made me recall an article I read in Body & Soul magazine entitled 'The Meaning of Cleaning'. Like the author, I think most people tend to be a bit "fast & furious" in their approach to household chores. Here's a few tips on finding calm & getting it done. 

1. Make it meditative. Focus on the doing, not the getting done. The motion of simple, repetitive tasks can make you more attentive and calm – the back and forth of the vacuum cleaner or dust rag, the concentrated effort of spot cleaning, the methodical sorting of laundry – chores are meditative, as long as you’re not thinking about how much you hate them. Spring cleaning is spring break for your brain.

2. Find what you’ve been missing. We spend most of our lives ignoring what’s in front of us and looking instead for something more. The life we already have doesn’t seem like it’s worth our time or effort. The life right now is the only life we have, and when we don’t take care of it, we reinforce our feelings of inadequacy. Seeing things clearly is the foundation of wisdom and the path to genuine fulfillment. Plus, you’ll find your car keys faster.

3. Enfold your life in dignity. Carry out the garbage and it carries over into every part of your life. A cluttered closet reflects the distraction and disorder between your ears. The state of your bed is the state of your head. The daily rituals of housecleaning enfold your life in dignity, because they are nothing other than the way you care for yourself.

4. Don’t expect to like it. Just do it anyway. When we expect things to be more enjoyable or rewarding than they are, or when we devalue them as menial and insignificant, that keeps us at arm’s length from our own lives. Most of us think we have to follow our bliss somewhere else. But when you’re really present in every moment, even when you’re just scrubbing the bathtub, you scour away the scum of dissatisfaction that dulls your happiness.

5. Someone has to do it. This could be the biggest aha moment in your life. Someone has to clean the house, wash the dishes, and empty the closets, and the only person you have to work with is YOU. Running away from the things we would rather avoid is what makes our lives feel like an endless chase. Only you, with your own attention, can change your life. Attention is love. Pay attention to the dusty floors, the dirty windows and the cluttered closet. There are no cleaning secrets, and there is no hidden meaning. Your own attention is what transforms your life.

{find the image & article here & tips here}

a quick lift...

a bit rustic, but i think it's a charming, don't you? plus it offers a lovely way to show off your shoe collection. might be a little hard on the toes though, especially for a clumsy gal like yours truly...

{photo via designsponge's best of bedrooms}

a room with a view.

i spotted this gem over at the lonny decorate site, a newly launched online source that is sure to inspire the rooms of your home. 
 
so calm, but also somehow a feast for the eyes. i would love to spend my weekend perched on any one of the seats in this room.

got an odd drawer, or maybe even a few?

catherine created a bedside station using a single old drawer, a corded bulb, & a little ingenuity. she started by sanding & cleaning the drawer, then attached the corded bulb to the existing handle & secured her project to the wall.

here, a set of drawers have been used to create a unique shelving unit. the holes were patched, the drawers sanded, painted & lined, and then stacked.

 {images & ideas via design sponge & apartment therapy}

once for rope, now for watercolors.

objects that are made to be used, like this old industrial rope spool, deserve to be relevant even after their original purpose has long gone. if you stumble upon an old industrial treasure, whether it's a spool, an old warehouse cart, or even an old dentist lamp, take a chance. they are built to last and may fit in with other furnishings better than you would think.

{the little artist & her spool via design sponge}

organize.

New York City mom Lauri Freedman has some great tips for organizing the home. Keeping her household of five organized has inspired  her to  come up with solutions that even her youngest can manage. 

Freedman believes in keeping things simple. Storage solutions have to be easy for both kids & grown-ups to use.

It doesn't get more simple and straightforward than cubbies; "I'm a big believer in cubbies," she says. "They suggest an organizational process to kids. The key is that their stuff is easy for them to put away."  

Whether your little people are the reason you can't seem to get organized, or your brood is grown and gone, Lauri has some great tips. For photos and the whole scoop, visit realsimple.

color me stripes.

 

from walls to couches to pillows & blankets, and back again. love 'em.

{images by lonny, anthro, apartment therapy, and emma's design blog}

shop till you drop!

would love if you could pop by our little sale this weekend. some friends and i have amassed a collection of handpicked vintage furnishings and housewares. for details, please click here to visit the barn bazaar blog.

perfect for fall...

It's on its way. The evenings here in So. Oregon have a certain chill these days. It's inspired me to think about my own home & making things a bit cozier for the impending cooler temperatures. Nothing like a worn leather sofa, warm neutrals, and a cozy throw...

{photo via Simple Lovely}

storage solution with stick

literally. i love the idea of using simple, everyday objects in unexpected ways. a pot/storage rack made out of an old branch.

image via decor8

the middle

everything has a place & everything in its place. easier said than done, but oh so important. the occupants of our house seem to be quite consumed at the moment with finding a place for things. the collective effort is improving my own dramatic day-to-day tendencies; either everything in its place, or absolutely nothing in its place.

i am realizing that a truly organized and reasonably tidy house is the result of many small actions throughout the day. i myself am resolving to make the small actions happen.

photo: a cozy home in san rafael, argentina

storage solution with a twist

got a few wobbly, oddball chairs and an empty wall? i wish i did. this one proves that storage & space solutions don't always require a trip to target. 

image via apartment therapy. 

everyday objects

objects. ornaments. accessories. the little things that make it yours. everyone has a sofa and a kitchen table. a few hundred, or a few thousand people might even have the exact same sofa or kitchen table, but something makes it all yours.

in some ways the bits and pieces one collects along the way are just as important as basic furnishings. what little pieces make your home feel like home to you? which trinkets and tid bits remind you of who you are, where you have been, & who you love?

i have a few that have been with me for some time. ones that somehow survive each and every move. here's a peek at a few of my old friends...

a map

letters

a little bird

and a lantern

evolution

in order to evolve, you must stand still long enough for your heart to have a conversation with your brain. 

-erin dalli

true homes evolve, they don't just happen. this is something i have to constantly remind myself of in regards to my own home. every time i move i somehow think it is just a matter of unpacking boxes. i think i am catching on though. 

my little porch project is coming along. slow but sure. instead of rushing the process, anxiously awaiting the end result i see in my mind, i am doing my best to accept that it just takes time. today anyways.