Old ... is new Inspiration to Me!

This past weekend I had the WONDERFUL opportunity to read some magazines.  I love blogging, y'all know I do.  And the inspiration ... it makes my day to catch up with favorite bloggers and see what DIYing they are up to, what they cooked for dinner, or just getting to know them better.

But the Magazines.  There is something about the rag that holds me captive.  Some people save their copies for years.  I am a RIPPER!  I try not to destroy them, but I find favorite things and before I know what has happened ... RIP!  

I do keep a notebook of my favorites RIPS ...  I should put more on Pinterest.  But I am a toucher.  A feeler.  And want to do it over and over again!

Here are a few of my favorite images from this addition of Traditional Home.

What draws us in?  Do you know what really makes you smile?

Here's what really strikes me when I am looking for inspiration:

Window Details and Floors ... 

Neutral? Yes, but look at the subtle color in the chair fabric and the texture in the wooden table that brings in the warmth ... and can't you just FEEL the linen on that stool? ... 

And here, if it weren't for the happy punch of Color and Gloss this dining room would be BORING ... but no snooze here ... 

  I like so many styles, so it makes it very fun for me to really look at the images that I have ripped away and discover what draws me in.

What draws you in?

Making the World More Beautiful ... One Room at a Time.

xo,

kim

Little Surprises!

Things happening around the house ... and they have NOTHING to do with housework!!

Gone a couple of days and I  return to find all these goodies in my mudroom!!  Clients are going to be happy and this is as good as Christmas in my world!

Pillows and Roman Shades out of Duralee for a family room, boxes from Kravet!

Working on some antique Chairs ... I kind of dig this look!

Traditional Home - May 2012

But we are going to do a little more subtle Glam ... Kravet Couture ... don't ya know!

With a fun trim ... and still on the hunt for some tassels. Guess it's not going to be that subtle after all!!

Things are happening ... this is good!

What is happening in your beautiful world?

xo,

kim

This Photo

was all it took ...

Traditional Home

to get my butt in gear!  I have been working on a room with a very good client.  Which has made me REALLY want to fix my sunroom.  And then I saw this in the June issue of Traditional Home.  Now I KNOW I need to do something ... NOW!

Here's where the room started ...

This is Don's and my room. The kids run the house.  They get the living room, the family room, the basement, and everything in between.  We try our best to keep this ours.  The Sofa needs to be recovered or slipped.  The leather chair is fabulous and we will keep it.  The coffee table has actually been changed out for a table my mom gave me.  It is fine, but not us.  Think brass and glass ... we want something more comfy.

This photo was obviously taken at night ... but shows you my gorgeous (they are!) Lee Jofa roman shades.  We toyed with this 17th Century Bench as a coffee table ... it was a disaster.  Too long, couldn't hold anything ... we moved on.

This is how the domino effect happened last weekend ...

Don hated this chair ... the kids, Byron (the dog) and I didn't mind it at all ... but I got it. It was too big and overstuffed and kind of ugly!!

No one else wanted it either. I put it on Craigslist for $100.00 ... NO TAKERS!! Not One. Not even one of those scam people took notice.

We took it to the Sherborn Swap Shop.  Do you have a swap shop (it's at the dump!)? It is truly a wonderful thing.  I see this ottoman and think that it would be the perfect size to recover for our "new" coffee table. Oh, I wasn't really planning to swap ... however this is the beauty of the swap shop!

It was covered in animal hair, I don't judge, the chair we dropped off was covered in animal hair.  But this wasn't "our" animal.   

My plan was to vacuum and put a slip cover on and be done.  

That was not Don's plan.  He wanted it to be rid of any thing previous.  Men are kind of weird that way. 

So he started ripping, it was kind of a strange thing to watch ... I didn't ... I went away and came back to this.

This is seriously some perfectionism at work ... every staple came out.  Please don't say a word about the tool room ... it is a disaster!

So much for a vacuum and a quick fix.  Now all I have left is a plywood box.

And a great set of legs on casters!

The interesting this about this venture is that he loved doing it ... I think he may become a furniture builder in his next life!!

Stay tuned ... alot to do in our sunroom ... actually, now much more than when we started!

xo,

kim

Where Have I Been???

Does this happen to you?  When you discover something, or find something you've never seen many of ... like a car you might be considering, or a fashion style, or an accessory, or in this case ... A Chair!  When I find something like this ... all of a sudden, it is Everywhere!!  Making me wonder where I've been hiding out not to have noticed before.  Well, these chairs ... I don't need any chairs!  You know Don has threatened me (not really!) ... but he'd kill me if I brought home more chairs.  But I love these chairs ... and here they popped up in Traditional Home ... and these have the most wonderful cushions and skirts.  Where have I been?  Where did these come from all of a sudden?

Traditional Home

Well, if you love them like me ... and can actually purchase them ... here are a few resources ... all sorts of price tags!

I just saw them at the Design Center for $345.00 each.  Well, we can do better. Take a look at these resources.

 $189.00 for 2

These 3 ColorWays - $139.00 each

I love these and think you should buy some today ... and send me photos so I can be envious.  Envious in the most positive of ways!!

Happy Monday ... I need to get a lot done this week ... in life, and design!!

xo,

kim

Reindeer Food

Holiday Show House

I have no idea if this is what Irwin Feld was thinking when he put this fabulous Reindeer in the fireplace ... but it seems to me like a nod to the wonderful tradition of children (including mine) that leave a little food out for Santa's reindeer on Christmas Eve!  Love the faux fur bench and striped screen ... and did you notice the ORANGE pillow ... ahhhh!

A little fur behind the orange ... so fun and glam.  Feld looks pleased ... He should !!

Now ... a Big Shout Out to Joni at Cote de Texas!  Joni posted my kitchen on her blog this week ... Mine is not a "showcase" kitchen, it is real and lived in and done with love ... Thank you Joni!  If y'all don't follow her ... you should!  She has impeccable taste and has given us access to some of the most beautiful Texas homes.  She also co-hosts The Skirted Roundtable where she interviews fascinating Movers and Shakers in the Industry!

Have a wonderful week ... things are moving and shaking around here ... getting myself and everyone else Holiday Ready!


xo,


kim