viva la summer!

Summer is almost over here in the Northwest, making it more and more difficult to be locked up inside working on the house. If all goes as planned, next weekend will be reserved for moving upstairs and finally getting settled. While I am excited that we will finally live upstairs, I would much rather spend my Labor Day weekend NOT doing labor and instead frolicking in the fields with my hubby.


Or how about a picturesque bike ride...


Or maybe we could escape to a quiet place in a canoe...

Although I am always up for a good ol' fashioned croquet game...

 
Photos via Jose Villa

wallpaper { fiasco }

I thought I might share with you some photos of our wallpaper fiasco. The first 2 layers came off super easy...

...but then there multiple layers under that which were impossible to remove and even more impossible to distinguish from each other. We pretty much boiled it down to the fact that we were now removing drywall paper due to the lack of primer used before gluing the wallpaper....

So, we decided to spackle the entire wall...

glorious new digs!

If you recall from this post, I was working hard trying to decide what colors to paint the walls. I tried exploring colors and even entertained the suggestion from my hubby to use a bright green or yellow in the bedroom, but kept finding myself drawn to neutral colors. I love the soft greys and taupes. Well....we did it. We finished painting. We chose Benjamin Moore's Horizon for the living room and office, Balboa Mist for the bedroom, and Cotswald for the hallway, all in an eggshell finish. The colors look gorgeous and were just what I was looking for. We love the way Horizon looks during different times of the day. In the mornings, it looks like a very soft grey. In the afternoons when the sun starts to set, it almost has a blueish tint to it. The color in the bedroom is a pale "greige" that has an almost velvety look to it. Cotswald is a darker taupe and provides just the amount of contrast for the hallway with the paint in the adjoining rooms. To add even more contrast, we are going to paint all the molding and doors a crisp white. We selected Benjamin Moore's Simply White in semi-gloss. I'll let you know how that goes and hopefully have photos for you very soon. Until then, I think I'll take a nap...


Photo via Anthropologie

color crush { chocolate & cream }

At the moment, I am obsessed with the juxtaposition of white expansive walls and furniture grounded by dark wood floors. Here is some gorgeous inspiration where chocolate meets cream:

hopes and dreams

This coffee table is calling my name...
 
Photo via Wisteria

The price tag is not!

keep calm & carry on.

I am in need of a little motivation...

Photo via Keep Calm Gallery

This yellow brick road just keeps going and going and going! It feels like forever and a day that we have been working on sanding and priming...and we still aren't done! So close though...tomorrow is very possible.

renovation update

Okay I promised I would continue to update you on our progress, so here are some photos to show all the work we have done so far:

The office after we put up new studs and drywall

 

Another angle of the office

 

The very large saw used to cut molding

 

The living room after carpet removal

how I wish I were...

 
Photo via Velvet and Linen

...cooking breakfast with my hubby here.

{ j'adore. }

Okay, so I still stand firm that I want to use neutrals as the base throughout the whole house, but I had a color epiphany this morning when I woke up. I ran into this post from coco+kelley a few months back, but at the time didn't have a home to paint so thought I would bookmark it until the right time... How gorgeous are these colors?

Photos via coco+kelley

She describes it perfectly: "Earthy, warm shades with a touch of grey" I am in love... I was already leaning towards a yellow and taupe for the bedroom, but just couldn't find the right shades. This is absolute perfection and I love the pop of the coral-pink. It helps enliven what might be a dull space. There is something so romantic and heavenly about this blend. I never knew a gray-brown could look so good, but the Iron color is fabulous. And Nomad reminds me of the gorgeous coloring of a Weimaraner. The Honey Yellow and Burnt Sienna take me back to my first Fall in Colorado where the color changes were unbelievable. I think this might be a go for the bedroom. It evokes just the mood I was looing for: warmth and relaxation, with a touch of romance. Here is another room with a similar palette that I just simply adore.

They even managed to add a touch of green in an unexpected place. How fantastic are these chairs? And I love the mismatching frames.

Photos via habitually chic

Fabulous!

wrapped in blues and grays.

The cold rain this morning put me in the mood to wrap myself in a cashmere throw and lay on the couch... if only we had our living room set up (and if only I had a cashmere throw). Okay I need some help... and immediately. I have to start painting the living room this weekend! I am leaning towards the soft gray from yesterday's post. I want the room to emit serenity since this is typically where we retreat after a long day. But I want to be careful because Seattle gets a little gray in the winter and I don't want to feel like miss debbie downer all the time. I have been thinking a lot about how I can use the soft gray I am in love with right now and warm it up a tad. I am still trying to find the right blend of colors. What do you think about the colors in this picture?
 


Still too cold? Or do the various shades of beige and brown warm up the blue? Too dull? Or do the various textures and patterns add character? I see the walls painted a glorious blue-gray like the color of the chair, with cream linen curtains hanging from walnut brown curtain rods. And I think our chocolate brown chair would fit nicely as well...
 
By far, the most comfortable piece of furniture I have ever come across.

I love the blue-gray paint for the walls, but just can't figure out how to bring the chocolate brown chair in without being too blazah. Any suggestions for complimentary colors to add to the mix? Maybe honey yellow? Or a pale mossy green like the paint from yesterday's post? Can you think of anything brighter that might add even more interest? Maybe I take the same colors as in the photo with the chair, but take them up a notch in brightness. I keep coming back to these two photos. I love the colors. I love the playfulness of the yellows and blues.

 
Photos via Shelter

Now the question is would the brown chair work with this?

au naturale

It is the beginning of week 2 and we are trucking right along. The office has been gutted and is ready for some new studs and dry wall. The living room is a quick cleaning away from being ready to paint. And the bedroom is about 75% de-stapled...we WILL finish it by Wednesday. We installed flashing, fixed the drying machine vent, set up motion detecting lights, and even hung up some nice lanterns in the front. All in all, things are coming together quite nicely. Now that some of the hard work is done, the burning question is, what palette? As I explained in my post early last week, I keep gravitating towards a more neutral palette. I picture soft grays and taupes, creamy whites, and subtle mossy greens.

 
Clockwise from top left: Benjamin Moore Horizon, Grant Beige, Linen White, Mesquite

Some of you might think that sounds boring, but I just don't see bright colors on the walls in this house. At least not yet. After all that wood paneling, heavy curtains and thick carpet, the house seems to be calling for a little touch of light and airy. I want people to walk in the front door, plop down on the couch and stay for awhile. I want the look to resemble a breath of fresh air. I want to use textiles and details introduce a punch of color...


 
Photos via Crate and Barrel, Shelter

Organic materials and soft lighting to provide warmth...
 
Photos via Things That Inspire, Shelter

And accents of gold and silver to add a little luxury...
 
Photos via Shelter

So this is where you all come in...I need input!

ignorance is bliss

When you start a new project, or in our case 5 simultaneous projects, you never think it will take nearly as long as it actually does. In fact, you immediately start thinking about what you will do next. I already started looking for color inspiration to repaint the outside, the hubby was doing some research on putting up a new fence, and the dogs were planning their takeover of the yard. Well for a week now, the hubby and I have been pounding away at floors, and walls, and more floors... let's just say it hasn't been pretty.
 
Behind the wood paneling lay wallpapered 'cardboard' and then the outside of the house. Not so good!
   
Two layers of linoleum under the carpet. The huz was not so happy... 

Now I really shouldn't be complaining because we are so lucky to have hardwood floors in such good condition under all this mess. We honestly didn't know what we would find. And the 'cardboard' walls were thankfully only in one of the rooms. A little sheet rock, some insulation, and new studs will fix 'er up real quick. It is more so the little things you didn't really think of. Although, how could you have known? This is all new territory for us. We didn't know that there would be two layers of linoleum under the floor. And we surely didn't know there would be 5 zillion staples holding it all down. You would think the extra strong glue would be enough. 

 
Doesn't look that bad? This is less than a square foot.

{ sunday treat }

I thought I might do something a little different this morning. I have this fantabulous recipe for energy treats to share with you all. In search for a healthy treat I can make at home, a colleague gave me the idea of making Carob bars. Carob is 'a tropical pod that contains a sweet, edible pulp and inedible seeds. After drying, the pulp is roasted and ground into a powder that resembles cocoa powder.' Because of its resemblence, Carob can be used in baking to replace cocoa powder or chocolate. In my opinion it tastes a lot like semi-sweet chocolate. It has a slight bitter taste, with hints of coffee. And with further ado, here is the recipe: 1 cup of honey (preferably organic and raw) 1 cup of natural peanut butter (preferably organic) 1 cup of carob power (Bob's Red Mill brand is available at most natural food stores) 2 - 3 cups of your favorite healthy mix-ins (suggestions below): :: nuts :: almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, etc. :: seeds :: flax, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, etc. :: dried fruit :: coconut, dates, raisins, apricots, ginger, etc. Heat honey and peanut butter in a large sauce pan over medium-low heat. stir until melted and fully combined. Remove from heat and stir in carob power until mixture resembles fudge. add your favorite mix-ins and stir well to combine. Press mixture into a 8" x 8" baking dish (or whatever similar size you have available). refrigerate until set. cut into squares and enjoy! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator to maintain freshness, but are best enjoyed at room temperature! Let me know what you think!

channeling my inner decorator.

Yesterday I posted some inspirational photos that I would love to emulate in our home, but the question is...how? How do I take our home as it stands now and translate it into something that is clean and classic, yet still remains warm and inviting? How do I achieve that comfy, yet chic look of the photos from my last post? How do I restore the original craftsman style details in a modern way? Oh the questions to answer! If you feel so inclined, I am open to all thoughts and comments. Okay so I am sure you are all wondering what our home really looks like so let's start with a tour of the living room...  
In the living room looking at the front door. 


The large windows let in tons of natural light.

 
Looking at the entrance to the kitchen and through to the backyard.

 
Can you believe that wood paneling used to be stylish?  

Although it is difficult to tell through these photos, the living room let's in a lovely amount of natural light. And the added bonus? There are gorgeous wood floors under the carpet that just need a little TLC. It was clear to us both what our first project would be: Rip up the carpet and tear down the wood paneling. Oh and while we are at it, can we please get rid of those heavy curtains! They are depressing...

a touch of light.

We are home owners now and with that comes new questions to ask and decisions to make. For the huz, these decisions include 'Which tools do I really need?' and 'Does owning a high end hose really make a difference?'. For me, these decisions are more like 'What do we want the overall look/feel of the home to be?' and 'What color should I paint the living room?' and 'What on earth am I going to do with this weird nook in the bedroom?' To answer the first question, my initial thought was to start searching for inspiration through magazines, blogs, etc. As I fumbled through hundreds of inspirational photos, it became evident very quickly that I was seeking a palette composed mostly of warm whites and natural materials, but accented with pops of fresh color and little details. Here are some of my favorites.  
 Photos via Apartment Therapy, Pottery Barn, Unknown, Martha Stewart, Unknown, apartment #34, Unknown, Crate and Barrel, Unknown, Things That Inspire