Fall into pieces with West Elm

A few new designs from West Elm's fall catalog!

Apex Bookcase available in chocolate and white. I like the light feeling of this bookcase,
great for a smaller space



Fantastic take on the nesting table! Available in cinnabar and chocolate
Parallel Nesting Tables



These poufs might just make me cave into the trend, especially if placed in front of a fireplace!
Available in sheepskin, hemp, dhurrie and suede



Curved Upholstered Dining Chairs available in steel blue, cocoa and fir tree


Accent it!

Scalloped Wire Hurricanes



Graphic Woven Wall Art

(images from West Elm)

Good Morning, Pucker, Peel and Sip!!

Thank you CB2, you have made me smile! I am absolutely in love with these juice glasses (YES Amy, seriously!) they are so adorable. I can just see a designer, about to eat an apple when they notice the numbered sticker on the side. Taking a closer look, the creative juices start to flow hmmm, this would make a great juice glass label! These mini glasses are accented with vintage fruit labels with kitchy slogans like "bananas appealing" "sourpuss apple" and my favorite, "pucker approved"! What a way to start the day!

Even better the price tag, $19 for 6 and they come all boxed up which means this is an easy hostess gifts!

(images from CB2)

Scouting small kitchen settees

This week I am scouting for settees. We have a cozy nook in a kitchen next to a fireplace where we would love to place a comfy piece to read cookbooks or lounge on while enjoying a glass of wine. It needs to be smaller than 55" wide and deep enough that at least 1 adult and 1 child can fit on it comfortably. Any style will work as we will make it flow with the fabric choice and accent pillows!

I love this option from Overstock and the price is perfect but the high arms and 46"w is not ideal. Isn't it lovely though? I want to use it in a bedroom!

Pottery Barn Marcel Mini Sofa





Horchow Button Back Settee





Pinzon Torrington



Hudson Upholstered Settee - Ballard Designs

Which one is your favorite? Do you have a favorite settee?

Monday Morning Happy

Happy Monday everyone! How was your weekend? This weekend I was reminded how much fun it is to play dress up. My sister was home with her 2 little girls shopping for dresses and lets just say they had so much fun trying on all the "Big Girl" Party dresses. Watching them twirling around giggling in front of the mirror was pure happiness. Sometimes its just nice to take a time out and remember how much fun it was to be a little kid!



During this new week why not take a minute, whether it is while you are sitting in traffic or enjoying your morning coffee and remember a time when you were a giggling little girl or boy. A time when you fully enjoyed yourself without a care in the world! For me it is the memory of playing dress up with my moms costume jewelry and high heels, hours of pure joy!

Enjoy the week
jul

(image from Room Service Home)

I spy a beaded placemat!

Yes it's true I fall in love easily. For example I came across this photo and said to myself I have to find that placemat. In true CreateGirl style I wanted it at a reasonable price too!! After scouting the web I found this option from Pier1, a bit lighter in color but perfect for summer and only $8!

A lovely combination of textures!

Pier1 $8

(image from Home Ideas and Pier1)

Ballard Designs Delivers A Custom Outdoor

What a way to punch up summer and outdoor decor than with a few custom pillows from Ballard Designs! I was thrilled to see them offer custom pillows, that's right, pick your fabric than pick your fringe!! Ahhh, fantastic! I can't tell you how I have searched for throw pillows with trim. It's much more difficult than one would think. My only hope now, is that they expand this custom service to their huge line of indoor fabrics!! As I mentioned here a pillow with a bit of trim can make all the difference in a room!

Great Prices!!
16" pillows $49
20" pillows $59

just a few of the fabrics and trim colors to choose from

(images from Ballard Designs)

Monday Morning Happy!

It's amazing how the weekend can fly by so fast! I can't believe it is Monday already. Maybe it was all the fun I had shopping or spending a very lazy day catching up on magazines and chatting with friends at the beach. Regardless I am already hoping for the week to fly by so I can get back to the beach!


Enjoy the new week!
jul

(image by Demi Carstens at Boston.com)

Scouting White Tray Tables

I like this first tray table but wanted to see what else was out there for more white contemporary options. This is what I came up with!

horchow

cb2
jonathan adler

accent furniture direct
west elm

Do you have a white tray table you love? Please share!

Jace Interiors Project - Phase 1

Would you mind if I shared a project I am working on with you? This will just be a quick peek as I want to share the entire story with you when the room is complete. This is basically phase 1 - furniture, window treatments, custom pillows and area rug. I am just too excited and thought what better way to celebrate progress than with my blog friends?!

You might remember this is how we started

This is the before space and now......

this is the (almost complete) after space!


custom pillows with trim can make all the difference and don't necessarily have to be expensive


this rug pulls it all together!

Now on to phase 2 - lighting, wall decor and accents!

(images from Jace Interiors)

DWR Sale - The wheels of the bus are in my garden!!

No you don't have to go outside and take your tires off the car...though mine are about ready to be done. Just pop over to DWR for a new take on the wheels that make the bus go round. Design Within Reach is having a super sale on these eco friendly rubber tubs. By reconstructing discarded tires they create these fantastic planters/storage bins. They can be for outside planters (yea tires are durable...) in the summer and indoor storage in the winter!

$110 - now on sale $55 for the set of 3 (wow!)

$220 on sale $110 set of 3

My new love, Chicago Home + Garden

I am always looking for new magazines and thanks to the internet I just came across Chicago Home + Garden. It looks like a fantastic monthly magazine. Even better they have an extremely user friendly website which is a bloggers dream! Especially when it allows me to share gorgeous summer retreats like this one in Michigan. My good friend Julie is from MI and always talking about the relaxing summer cottages there. If they are anything like this beauty, I will be right over!

I adore this dentil molding and how the glossy white chairs brilliantly play off the blue paint! With a closer look I see.....

this FANTASTIC José Esteves chandelier which is made of vintage forks and spoons. So whimsical and perfect for a fun beach house!

A simple fresh entrance, I adore the pop of aqua paint on the bench. Very beachy!

This chair in the forefront of the screened in porch, could be my new obsession piece! I love the light weight look and gentle curve. Unfortunately there is no information on where it is from, so let the search begin.

What a place to relax for a week or two! With a closer look I see....

the perfect place for a dinner party! What an amazing area to take a break from swimming, cover up from the sun and enjoy a great buffet of food.

Hope you enjoyed this Michigan retreat!

(images from Chicago Home + Garden)

Quick Share some fish!

How adorable is this shower curtain! The fabulous Hable Construction partnered with Garnet Hill to bring us this very happy bathroom addition. Now this is a fun way to start the morning!

Monday Morning Happy

Hi All! Did you all have a nice weekend?


This picture seems like the perfect image to take along on a new week. To capture and take forward the weekend feeling of pure relaxation and carefree fun. I think I will print this photo out and just leave it by my desk for when it seems like there are to many things on the "to do list" and I need a little breather. Do you have a favorite photo somewhere in your work area which captures a little daydream scene? Please share with us if you do!
I hope you all have a great new week!
jul

(image via veranda)

Through Her Eyes Guest Post

This month I am part of the fantastic blog series, "Through her eyes", isn't that a very cool name?! It is a way of getting to know other bloggers through different questions. I have found many of my favorite blogs from reading this series. The first question Maria asked was for us to describe what is in our bag. You can ck out my answer here. Thanks Maria for including CreateGirl!!

How to Thursday - Quick changes for the Dining Room

This is a quick "How To Thursday" here are a few tips on making your dining room GLAM!

Doubling up on over sized mirrors like these make an even bigger impact than just one large one! If you don't have a ton of room find a few narrow options. Notice, there are no patterns on the fabric and the rug is subtle. This creates a bit of calm drawing your eye to the over sized pieces.

Find a WOW element like this glamorous chandelier!

Take a look at the furniture you have, are there interesting carvings or curves? What made you fall in love with the piece in the first place? I love how the focal point is the dark wood of this furniture. The intricate design of the chairs pop against the neutral backdrop. This is a great design lesson, let the furniture speak for itself.

(images from Horchow)

White it out with affordable finds!

This home feels like a breath of fresh air. Lately I have been wanting to put all my furniture out on the city sidewalk with a "for sale" sign and start over with a blank slate. I guess that comes from living in the same place for 8 years, yea... yikes!! At times, I just love the feeling of a neutral palette it's as if the mind gets a break and can appreciate all the small details. Ahh the thought makes me happy right now. Than again I know myself too well and tomorrow I will be loving bright, fun, busy prints all over again. For today I will just sit back with my tea and enjoy the view of this home in New Orleans!

This house was created with many affordable finds, exactly what this "CreateGirl" likes!
Pier1 wicker chairs painted white

$100 flea market coffee table, I love the lines on this piece!

Blinds from Lowe's $40ea!

The sweet desk another flea market find!

I adore this nook, what a perfect place to wake up and pull yourself together! Notice the lovely glass lamp with white shade, once again the neutral palette really works!

(images from Country Living, homeowners Donna Ballard Maselli)

Feeding the habit with inhabit!

What's new at inhabit? This is what's new and I am loving every stitch of it. Yes, we know I have a little recurring habit with typography and need to maybe tone it down a bit but when I saw these pillows my eyes widened like a girl in a typo heaven candy store!! Plus, add a few great quotes and this is $60 well spent! If I can't overindulge in my own house I wonder what new project I can add it one of these to?

"When was the last time you did something for the first time"? Fantastic!

These are such a fun addition to any room perfectly named "Laugh and Giggle"!

Great warm colors for fall. This years blue and orange are still very prominent in this collection

They also offer stretched wall art in similar patterns and even have a fantastic classic chair collection.

(images from inhabit)

A Rested Monday Morning Happy!

Welcome back! Did you have a nice long weekend? I have to say it's amazing how much can change in a week. Last Monday we were all depressed with the rain here in the New England and this Monday well it is just amazing! This was one of those perfect weekends. Mother nature sent us a few spectacular days and I filled my time with friends, family, "me time" and lots of BBQing! I loved every single second of it and have to admit I even lost track of days. Now that's when you know you are truly relaxed!!




Below are a few pictures I wanted to share of my city. As you all know I absolutely LOVE Boston, I am a true city girl. Every 4th of July the city puts on an amazing concert with the Boston Pops and a spectacular Fireworks show. I have not been up close and personal to the fireworks since I was a little girl and decided this year to join a group down by the river! It was absolutely the most perfect night for a concert, to see all the boats gathered on the river and to witness the bright firework lights bouncing off the skyscrapers, was a city girls visual heaven!! It was also to take a moment and be grateful once again for where I live!! You can see a few more pictures here.




How did you spend your weekend?
Enjoy this new week!
jul

(images from Jace Interiors)

Putting the flags UP!

Happy 4th of July! I am taking a few days off to soak up some sun, enjoy a couple BBQs with friends and relax! Enjoy your extra long weekend
jul

(image from Cottage Living)