Let's get outside!

Let's take a look at my favorite room in the house...outside :-)

I will not envy, I will not envy... 

I wish this was a how to post on how to build a fabulous fire pit for 50 people, but I am not that skilled yet. 

Instead, I am going to show you my projects on how to make a simple patio a space you love. 

You don't need to have the perfect pottery barn furniture to make your patio inviting.  I have a great old wooden set that was given to us from my wonderful mother-in-law.  With a little spray paint and a couple pillows it makes a perfect addition to any patio. 

My favorite accessory to any patio is flowers!!  I have the best husband who bought me some amazing hanging plants for Mother's day. 

I found this DIY project from Inspiration for Moms that I will be attempting in the very near future! 

I really miss our old garden that Brian made me 4 years ago...

but next year I think this would be such a fun idea for a garden at our new house, I better start drinking giving away some more wine ;)

My other 2 favorite additions to a perfect outdoor patio...umbrellas & lights (I keep my patio lights up year round, because I love love love them, even when they are simple like mine)!  I am kind of sad that we don't currently have an umbrella in our patio now that we have a cover, even though it stays much cooler.  It makes my table seem so bland :-( 

Stay tuned, I have some more amazing patio ideas coming tomorrow...

Colors that make my heart swoon :-)

Doesn't this BHG room make you smile just looking at it! I want to feel this way when I walk in my door everyday...

I have been addicted to warm, fall colors for my decor for the last 7 years, but recently I just felt like I needed a little more cheeriness and brightness filling our home.  I loved my deep burgundy and olive greens, but honestly it just made me want to curl up and take a nap...not like that's a bad thing :-)  But we needed some energy in our house!

It is amazing how a couple changes can completely transform your house!  A new rug, throw and a couple new pillows and I was already achieving a feeling of vibrancy I was looking for.

It will be a slow process, but in the meantime I will keep swooning over these gorgeous rooms...

living coastal

bhg

cottage living

Ok, I'll stop now, I'm sure you get the idea :-)

Large, overwhelming wall in need of some inspiration...

Since moving into a new home we basically have a blank canvas of wall space that is way too large for anything I own.  It is my new mission to find something that will look fabulous on this wall.  This is the main wall that you focus on when walking through the front door into the house.  I want whatever finds its home here to be something eye catching and unique.  Basically, something to set a statement for the whole room. 

Here are some ideas that I found while surfing the blogs, the possibilities are endless...

Maybe some shelves with pictures inspired by Thrifty Decor Chick?? 

                   Aren't these gorgeous wall plates as inspired by Decorista Daydreams eye catching?!

Then I saw this on  Lovely Undergrad and this is exactly what I had been thinking of!    

            Something large, unique and memorable that wouldn't be too overwhelming with the rest of the room.

           But of course I couldn't stop when I found the perfect inspiration piece, and I am so glad I didn't :)       

Just when you think something couldn't possibly be beat, you come across something as simple and   

        stunning as this!  Architect Lines this is pretty darn beautiful!  I could find fabulous, unique frames at   

      Goodwill and get to painting!!  So far this is my #1 due to cost effectiveness and simplicity...I'm sure if I 

       keep searching I will end up changing my vision, but for now I will sleep with white frames dancing 

        like sugar plumbs in my head...

Painting and Distressing Furniture

Yikes, my very first blog!  They say the first step is the hardest...

I have recently moved and in the process I am stepping out of my comfort zone to take some risks with my decor.

I have had this wonderful hutch that my parents loaned me that was just simply outdated and did not go with any of my visions for my home.  It had been sitting in storage for a year and after reviewing many blogs lately I thought I would take a chance with it.

Sorry that I didn't get the full effect.  I was so excited about the transformation that I didn't take the photo until I was 1/2 way done with my project :-)

I visioned this hutch blue and distressed. I think everyone was thinking I was crazy painting a perfectly good oak hutch. That was until it was complete!  What a difference, right?  Now if I can just decide what I should display in it...

Aren't the knobs fabulous!  I envisioned glass knobs, but I did not think of copper glass knobs until I saw them waiting for me at Lowes :-)

 

For complete details on how to I completed this project look here.  The best part about it was that it was easier than I envisioned, which is extemely rare. Usually when I am in the middle of a project I am wondering why on earth I even started it in the first place :-) 

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