Merry Christmas !

I wanted to wish you all a "Merry Christmas". I hope each of you get what you want . . . time with love ones , good food and laughter. This is the card that we made of Tate. He is making this Christmas extra special.

This is what I got . . . A new concrete top, and sink for my old "vintage " vanity . lol I must truly be French. I never tear anything out, just re-make it. I painted the once stained wood.

I used the same color as the walls, just in a gloss. This is my "go to color", if in doubt . I always use this color from ICI Dulux paints in "Sisal." I have used it time and time again and find it goes with anything.

Notice that I used a grain scoop for my candle holder. I always try to use something old and loved the patina of this piece.

This is the before, taken a few years ago. I changed the accessories awhile back, but continued to be stuck with the 80's mauve sink and counter. I am loving the change. So tell me , did your house get any Christmas gifts this year?

Forsyth Fabric

Forsyth Fabric's 2010 Best Designs Entries are in . . . Here are my picks. Let the voting begin !

Because . . .

Show and Tell

1st the show : I wanted to show you guys my early Christmas Present . . . I have looked for a long , long , time, for a new Chandy for my dining room. I even had others looking for me . . . when I found one I liked, I did not want to pay what it cost . . . I found it very difficult to get both the design and price I wanted. I finally decided on this one from Ballards Design. I really like it for the space because it is big , but doesn't take away from the mural . How did I do?

Now for the "Tell" part of this post. I have a "Pet Peeve" about this subject and I have to ask so please do tell me . . . " Have you ever "sketched a design on a napkin?" I hear this all the time, I read it all the time. But for the life of me I can not get myself to believe it ! I have never gone to a design meeting without a pad of paper. I have never sat in on a meeting, that there was not a pad of available paper close at hand. So I have to ask . . . Have you ever ?

A Christmas Card . . .

Lace asked me to take a few photos of my favorite subject in hopes of making a great "Christmas" card . This was the winning shot ! Such pure, unfiltered JOY.

BUT this one was pretty cute too . . . it was not easy to pick the best shot.

And just so you don't think I only take photos of Tate . . . a friend asked me to take a few shots of her favorite guys. I would love to have taken this little angel home. . .

I found that older children are not as easy as the babies. This young man was like... "enough already". My tip , for getting a great shot . . . TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES !

Is this what I have to look forward to ? Christmas Card 2016 . . .

"My" Top Ten Design Elements #7

I want to remind everyone that this is "MY' personal list . . . I do not want to imply that this should be every one's taste and desire for their own space. For me , window treatments should always be SIMPLE . So # 7 on my list is " Simple Window Treatments".

That does not mean simple panels only ! I love these wooden shutters. I love the color ,the texture, that they make a huge impact on the space and I love that they are simple! This space is perfect in every way, for my personal taste.

Sometimes, wooden blinds are the way to go. This is a child's room, the blinds do not fight with the bed , they let the bed be the focal. They are up and out of the way , perfect for a active child at play.

Love the simple window treatments here, not taking away from the great window. Just a little something, but perfectly in the background.

But I also like a little personality. This is simply Perfect . So tell me , what do you like on your windows?

Christmas Time is Here . . .

I enjoy the simple things most of all . . .

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope you all have a wonderful day full of good food, laughter and family !

Painted Kitchen Cabinets

It is no secret that I love painted wood. I love painted floors, furniture and most of all painted cabinets !

This is one of my favorite kitchens, I love the cozy warm feeling of this space. I love the table and chairs , not the most often used, bar and stools. I love the fireplace and the open shelves and I love the painted cabinets.

Loving the worn floors in this space, but you could never pull this off unless you had painted cabinets . . .

This is my own humble kitchen. We did not have painted cabinets when we built our house. We had the very popular stained oak. I can't tell you how scared I was to paint these cabinets . . . but why ? I knew I loved them, mostly, it was that my honey was dead set against it ! Thankfully, he goes on hunting trips . . .

The " Before", need I say more?

"My" Top Ten Design Elements # 6

# 6 The "Interior" should relate to the "Exterior" when you design a space. This is my view from my Dining Room and Family Room . . . I live in the country, so a modern space would not feel right in my home, nor would a "Beachy Feel" My home calls for a "Country Feel".

I picked a green , grassy color for my living room walls, used stone from our land for the fireplace ect. But it is not a " Theme " room ! So often I find that when one feels that their home calls for "Country," it must be filled with roosters. I don't have a single rooster in my home.

The artist that did our mural used our land as inspiration. I don't think I will ever paint over it. It has the spirit of our lives just wrapped around us, like a warm hug.

The"Country Feel"continues from room to room. This is our guest room, the art came from my own garden. Make your home personal. Tell your guest who you are .

Our master bedroom, again the art has that "Country Feel", imagine this same space with a painting of the ocean. I love the ocean, but it would not suit this room , in this house, on this piece of land. . . I know some would say that part of the joy of decorating is that, if you want to live at the beach and you don't, you can just bring the beach to you, with your decor. I disagree, but that is my humble opinion. What are your thoughts . . . Does your decor relate to your own surrounding?

Design Lesson ~ Diagonal

Diagonal : Connecting two non-angles.

Whenever you want to make a space look larger, consider a diagonal design on the floor. This one simple trick will make all the difference.

When using two very different colors, it will add a lot of drama as well. A black and white combo will always be a classic.

You can do this with paint or a rug. Don't limit yourself to tile . . . Notice the window , a lot of thought went into this simple space.

There is a lot going on in this kitchen, they needed the diagonal floor, but knew to keep the color with a low contrast.

I love this bathroom, though I don't think the tub would be all that comfortable. However, I would give up comfort, for all that charm.

I have a diagonal floor in my small kitchen with a diagonal back splash. Where have you applied the trick of " Diagonal" in your castle?

And the Winner is . . .

Becky ! http://newlyandbecky.blogspot.com/ Send me a e-mail with your address, Congrats !