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 !

Time for Another Giveaway !

Mary Emmerling's "Quick Decorating". The best part of this book is Carol Glasser's home !!! You know what to do . . .

"My" Top Ten Elements of Design # 5

One of the things that I personally love in a room is a mix of finishes . . . I try to make sure that at least one painted piece is included. I prefer this piece to be a bit worn. It can be a "New" piece, but I want it to look old.

These worn painted pieces just make a room feel like you can relax and put your feet up . . . and if it is the coffee table, you can! You don't have to be so careful, they just make living easy.

I also think your accessories look better on a painted background. They can add the punch of color that may be lacking as well.

I know that you have all heard that every room needs a touch of black . . . that just may be true!

In my own castle, I have at least one painted piece in every room , except my Living Room, however, my dining room and foyer are almost part of that room , only a wooden rail separates the spaces, and I have painted pieces in both the foyer and the dining room. So tell me, how do you feel about "Painted Pieces"?