Fun Antique Finds

Whilst browsing at a local antique shop during our Summer holiday, I gradually became more and more saddened that I was 2500 miles from home so getting these beauties home would be doubtful.
:-((((((

Anyways I still wanted to share these great finds!  And the prices were amazing!  Makes this all the more sad...  Boo hoo hoo hooooooooo

Peace!
Jill

Dream Kitchen

Ever since I watched the movie, like many others, I fell in the love with the kitchen from the movie, "It's Complicated."  I was surprised that although very cute and cozy was a very modest kitchen and something maybe in reach someday.  :-) 

Here is a small clip of the kitchen from the movie, oh how I love the marble countertops and the back window!

Here are some more pics of the house, in case anyone is interesed in buying!  :-)

Kitchens are such a huge part of the house, the heart of the house.  It's important to love your kitchen!  :-)  Here are some kitchens I love:

I pulled this off the internet when I was looking for pics of the movie set from It's Complicated, but wasn't sure what this kitchen was, if part of the house of something completely different and now can't even find it....  Well regardless I love it, so cozy and cute.  Although I love these countertops too, marble is just so gorgeous, I guess it depends on the look you are trying to achieve.  And I love how the chandelier transforms the room.  And who doesn't love love love the eating nook and gorgeous beam dividing the room!?!?  I think I like this even better than the one above from the movie. 

The latest issue of House Beautiful, Jul/Aug 2012, has some amazing kitchens!  Here are some pics I took from this issue. 

 Peace,
Jill

 

The Elephant Hunt

Since I've decided to put a huge elephant photo above my couch inspired by this room from Elle Decor South Africa, I've been on the hunt for the perfect photo...

Of course I now have this urge to go to the zoo and take my own photo so next week might be a zoo day with the girls!  Too bad they have this high fencing in front of them!  Maybe I can get a good shot from the overlooking deck. 

If that doesn't work out, so far in first place is this gorgeous photograph from maybesparrowsplace on Etsy.  Isn't it great!?

Runner Ups

Etsy Shop Love Infinitely

I also love some of these shots from Carol Stevenson Elephant Photography, but she want's your first born in exchange for a print!  Oh well, can still be inspired by them...

Peace,
Jill

Nate Berkus and House Beautiful One Day Makeover in a Brooklyn Brownstone

I guess it's natural to always wonder what it would be like to live in a different type of environment.  I've been lucky enough to have lived in many places.  I grew up living in a small area surrounded by gorgeous lakes, then lived in a mid sized city surrounded by gorgeous mountains, then in a beach town on the ocean, then in a small community again by the ocean.  The other day Brooklyn, NY was on TV and my daughter said, 'I want to live there Mommy.'  I was thinking a girl after my own heart, I always wondered what that would be like...

So I always love seeing the interiors of big city dwellings, and was excited to see the outcome of the one day make over with Nate Berkus and House Beautiful. 

This is what it looked like before, not bad but missing that coziness and wow factor (I totally know the feeling, Nate please rescue me!!! :-))

And here it is now, it's crazy what a few accent pieces and an amazing couch can do.  I think a lot or all of the pillows are from West Elm and the couch is by Milo Baughman, a brilliant designer from the '70s. The amazing vintage gold mirror above the fireplace is from ABC Carpet and Home in NYC.  Oh how I'd love to spend at least a month here.....  

Peace,

Jill

After much deliberation....

so after months of staring at a blank wall (well lots of blank walls), i've finally decided what I want to put above our living room couch.  i'm the type of person that can't just walk into a HomeGoods, pick out some cute art and wallah...  i like the idea of everything I display and hang to have some type of personal meaning or something that grabs my heart.  that makes decorating so much harder. 
whilst reading my new online digital subscription to Elle Decor South Africa, i was captivated by this room, mostly this large wall photograph.  It's perfect.

since i can remember, i have been more than infatuated with these beautiful beasts.  elephants make my heart happy.  wish we could get a pet elephant...  since we can't, a beautiful photograph above the couch would be a nice runner up and it will sustain through many design changes and years to come.  now the hunt begins...

here are some more inspiring images from the magazine.

is it nap time???? 

love the wall art display

love the shabby simplicity with the little pop of color in the fabric banner

peace,

jill

 

Neon Obsession

so i've been totally on the fence with this neon fashion trend.....  sometimes i think it's okay, then i don't and think, why waste your money and time on such a quickly passing trend?! (or is it??)  then i love it when i see this cute fashionable girl confidently rocking some neon rosey colored denim with a blue denim top, skinny black belt and amazing suede peep toe black wedges.....that was last night...  :-)

this morning i went to one of my favorite blogs, sf girl by the bay, and fell in total love with some images she posted from the latest jun-jul issue of elle decor south africa.  then I started thinking, my house would love this trend.  where can i get a neon rosey pink geranium today?!?!?! 

and by far my favorite!!!!  love love love this little cabinet with neon pink knobs....love

these are the gorgeous neon coral pink denim jeans from bloomingdale's that reminded me most of the girls denim I saw last night, dl1961 jeans - amanda skinny jeans in coral

 

or these joe jeans



have a rosey neon pink kinda week!!!

peace,
jill

Blog Surfing Inspiration

So when I popped into one of my favorite blogs the other day, SF Girl by Bay, I found this adorable living room and home tour of another blogger, Bonnie, of Going Home to Roost.  So I'd thought I'd also share more pics of her adorable converted barn home in Santa Ynez, CA, just north of me! 

I love the bright white and pops of color and plant life, that's what I'm attempting in my living room at the moment, see the cute new butterfly pillow I just made!  I'm just learning to sew so watch out!  lol!  I also love how she drapped the quilts and blankets over the couches like this.  Since we have a large white couch and two little girls, I've been tucking sheets into the seats and blankets over the backs.  i like how this still allows the couch to pop through.  I may have to try this...

Here are some more pics from Bonnie's home tour. 

Girls' Bedroom Space Ideas Continued

Thought I'd share my journey to making the girls' bedroom space perfect.  For me these things take a lot of time!  :-)  I am continually finding cool pieces in my journey for a cute 'big girl' room for my girls to love even if they have to share it. 
So here again from the post below is my inspiration room from One Claire Day:

Since I'm doing a shared space for toddler girls I need to think of bedding as well.  I still love the Land of Nod covers but I'm also loving this one I found on Baby Space.  I love this look where the spread just covers the top of the bed and cute linens peek out from underneath.  I'm so ordering a size smaller to do something like this.  And I love the curtains!  This room is just great and since Lila just loves red, she'd love this...

Carolyn and Lily's colourful abode in Toronto, Canada, was featured on Design*Sponge. Photo by Virginia Macdonald.

These sheets might be cute underneath from Urban Outfitters:

Then there is this bedding from Garnet Hill that Lila loves. I'm not crazy about it but it might be cute to do a beachy themed room...

Oh it's just so confusing... 

Over the weekend I was lazily lounging on the couch, which never happens anymore so it was blissful!, and breezing through the Pottery Barn Kids catalog that came in the mail.  I came across the most adorable 1930's inspired cabinet, the Avery cabinet, that totally reminded me of the cabinet in my inspiration pic.  I thought the price was very reasonable for something from Pottery Barn.  I looked it up online and of course it said, 'No Longer Available.'  It had been clearanced out and sold out.  I called the hotline and they told me they showed maybe 1 left in Dallas.  Of course I called, they told me it was a floor model and had some scratches and only had the white one...perfect, the more the merrier, but the best part was they were knocking it down 50% off sale price because it was a floor model and they wanted to get rid of it.  Now the trick is if they will ship to me...I'm still trying to work that out!  What a steal though..who knows, we'll see, my guess is they won't ship...

So now I'm just torn.  I'll keep you updated..  :-)

Peace,

Jill