when it comes to kitchen and bathrooms, the more tile the better....take it up the wall to the ceiling, use it as a wainscoting.....start thinking beyond using it as just a back splash or to cover a shower area....the results are awesome!
kara at steel magnolia interiors asked how the progress of my master bedroom is going...so here is a sneak peek/ all i am willing to share at this point b/c it is still a work in progress. i love my headboard- me and my hubbie made her! erin shared an article from house and home and it had an exact replica of the coveted madison by lulu dk in it....so i jumped on it and was shocked at how much i love the knock off...and its on a linen background vs. an acrylic and it cost $7 (yup, $7). lulu dk is loved in my house, my DR has moondance and my kitchen has catwalk, so this fab fits right in place! i painted my walls white (ben moore AF-25 paper mache)....and it definitely makes the room look fresh and clean...its a little institutional right now b/c of the lack of color. i searched tues. mornings for about 4 months and finally found the sheets i wanted (that gladly have an accent color)....they are peacock alley and are currently getting monogrammed (more on that later). soooooo, to make a long story short- i still need lamps, art, and the power of an accent (ha)...then i will have a full reveal of my bedroom!!
i LOVE the power of an accent....especially when it comes in the color of turquoise! eva looks awesome in that dior dress w/ that pop of turquoise in her necklace....here are some examples of how a single color can take a room from great to fabulous!
check out mary mcdonald's guest cottage...i hope she doesn't mind if a family of three moves in??love, love the kitchen wallpaper...the zigzag flooring in the bathroom...the rug in the master...the lacquer walls in the LR...
in a major roundabout way, i stumbled upon an amazing photographer- katherine slingluff. i was drooling over her work and just when i thought it couldn't get any better, i found these pictures of this fantastic new orleans home (it starts on pg 49).....but i am unable to show y'all the pics b/c i can't get them w/ my lame computer. so if you have any interest in amazing renovations that include stripping off sheetrock to reveal cypress paneled walls, barn doors, or finding your kitchen island in a dumpster...this house is so worth checking out....and what an amazing job katherine did photographing it!
i think i have told y'all this secret before- i really am not good at cleaning....like it's a huge struggle for me. my husband doesn't get how one person (now two, tay has inherited my gene) can be so messy. which explains why i was really excited yesterday when i found a guide to cleaning (how dorky does that sound) on the real simple website. it broke things down in time frames: ie. if you have 15 min. do this...so with my "positive outlook" i decided to give it a try....it worked....i think i dreaded cleaning b/c i was doing it wrong (who knew that you had to let the disinfectant sit in the sink for 15 min in order to get it clean??). also, my old school tactics (like i still used the powder comet) took so long. now with these helpful hints, i feel like it's something i can try and be better at. i even went as far as going to target to buy the "supplies" they suggested. and my cute neighbors were so nice and gave me an electrolux for christmas b/c they know how much i despised my current vacuum....(it makes vacuuming a daily activity). so, stay tuned and see if this "new shannon" hangs around...
back to reality....i kept saying that monday was going to be a sad day- reality would set in...no more eating yummy, high calorie food w/out caring, or drinking wonderful wines daily, shopping would come to a complete stop, and the grind of daily life would kick back in (unfortunately w/ tighter pants)....
