I could shop here...

I recently stumbled across this glamorous clothing boutique designed by Kristen Hutchins and thought is was definitely share-worthy. 

Check out that back wall. I love the white & black doors and the wallpaper. The chandeliers is stunning. And that orange tufted couch shakes things up just a little and in an oh-so-perfect way.

Awesome display cases...

Metallic cowhide rub... so pretty!

If you'd like to see more of Kristen's work, you can pop on over to her site and visit her portfolio. There's a lot of other great stuff there.

So, I've arrived safe and sound in Vancouver and yesterday evening was so much fun! I got to meet several blogger friends at pre-tour and opening night gala. Today sounds like it's going to be another full day so I've gotta' run, but I do want to wish you a happy Friday and a lovely weekend.

-Sarah

Designer Feature: Jill Sorensen of Marmalade Interiors

Good day! I hope you're all well, and I hope you're ready to get your colour fix for the day! 


Jill Sorensen is an interior designer in Virginia who is so NOT afraid of colour. She uses it fearlessly.

Have a look at her beautiful home. She calls it colourful eclectic, and I couldn't think of a better way to describe it!

Yes, she just used a countless number of different colours in the same house. Yes, it looks awesome! I seriously don't know how she does it. I would be shaking in my boots!


Jill does client work, runs an online store, and writes a super stylish blog. You can visit her over at Marmalade Interiors. She has lots on the go so there is plenty to see and read about. 


Today I'm en route to Vancouver for IDS. Hope to check in from there tomorrow! Catch you later. 

-Sarah

all images via Marmalade Interiors

Packing for IDS

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm off to the Interior Design Show in Vancouver this weekend. I leave Thursday morning and I'm back Sunday afternoon. That means today is laundry and packing day!

I'm on a mission to get...

 image via pinterest


Here's a look at a few of the things that are going in the suitcase. 

In case you wondered, those shoes are not at all comfortable, but I'm only planning on wearing them for a few hours the one evening. That reminds me, I should wear them around the house today to get practiced up. I don't wear heels very often anymore, and the last time I wore these particular heels I fell... twice! Oh dear. I'm having second thoughts. 

Avery was so sweet with the umbrella. She was pretending to be Mary Poppins and was more than happy to pose for me.  


Oh, here are a few more shots of our family photo shoot. I picked them up from our photographer yesterday. She did a fantastic job! 

I promise to have something design-related for tomorrow. For now, I'm kicking into turbo laundry and packing mode. Enjoy your day, friends!


-Sarah

Antiquing in Leesburg, VA

Happy Wednesday!

So more about my trip to Leesburg, VA...first here is a map of all of the antique stores below. Luckily most of the shops are off King Street and Market Streets.

Before we could do any shopping we had to build up our strength. We ended up at this super cute cafe called Shoes Cup and Cork Club. I highly recommend it! Located in the former Arthur's Shoe Repair building on historic King Street, Shoes Cup and Cork Club loving restored the building with an eclectic mix of reminders of the shop's past and present.

And then we hit up the shops. I found two great pieces. An absolutely huge lamp for just $28! Seriously this pic doesn't do it justice. It is large, and totally reminds me of something you'd find at Restoration Hardware for $250. I think I'll put a charcoal shade on top...now I just have to find space for it in my house!

The second find was this super fun mirror for $39. This mirror will look great in my NEW office design! I already like the color green, but Ryan hates it...so I might spray it gold to go with my navy and gold theme...we'll see. Also, that hideous chandelier on the mirror is just a sticker so it's coming off faster than you can say "ewww."

There were also about 10 other beautiful gold mirrors and a pair of crystal sconces I wanted to bring home with me...but I literally have run out of room in my house for all of these great finds! Which gets me thinking again about opening up an Etsy store so I can share my finds with others :) Oh if I only had about 5 more hours in the day...

Check back tomorrow to see how Amy's family room paint came out...and the super bold colors we are considering for her dining room!

My Office Redux

In addition to sprucing up my guest room...I'm also thinking about redoing my office. We plan to rip up the carpet in my office and have my floors refinished so I thought now would be the perfect time to redecorate!

Here is my inspiration pic:

My plan is to have Angel add wainscoting 3/4 of the way up the wall, and then paint navy and white horizontal stripes up the rest. This will make the room feel so much brighter.

You know I have been jonesing to put gold/bronze/brass accessories in my house, and since this isn't Ryan's favorite idea...I figured my office was the perfect space to get this gold out of my system :) So I hoping all accessories will be

I love the idea of incorporating a rug like this one from Dwell as well as some throw pillows. I love how flexible this color scheme can be...I can change up the color from Nantucket red to bright yellow, to even turquoise and Kelly green. The options are endless.

I also got a great lamp and mirror at the Leesburg antique stores this weekend. The lamp is literally larger than life and reminds me of something from Restoration Hardware. All it needs is a huge, maybe charcoal lamp shade, and we are good to go. The mirror is super cute and swirly...and is currently green. Ryan hates it so it might get turned into a new color...stay tuned!

I'll post pics of my Leesburg finds tomorrow!

My Weekend Plans

I don't think I've mentioned my rather exciting weekend plans. These particular weekend plans have me feeling something like this...

Yep, I'm pretty pumped. So, what are my weekend plans? Well, I'm off to the beautiful city of Vancouver for the Interior Design Show (West), and I get to meet a whole bunch of blogger friends! That is certainly exciting in itself, but I'm also looking forward to the little break I'll get from the regular, day-to-day responsibilities of motherhood. To be able to board an airplane with only my purse in hand will seem rather strange but will be a nice break (anyone who has flown with little kids knows what I'm talking about).  

So, I get to take in the Design Show (which includes hearing from, meeting and interviewing some fabulous designers), visit family, meet bloggers, and perhaps have a little R&R. In case you're wondering why I left shopping out, it's because I've done my shopping prior, in an effort to try to avoid looking too much like a country bumkin!

I want to say a little more about meeting my blogger friends. I feel like I already know many of them, but it will be lovely to meet them in person. They've been so supportive and encouraging as I've ventured into the blogging world. Not everyone will be at the meet up (which is sad), but it will fun to meet those who will be there. It's fun to be part of a group that shares an interest in all things design-related. Our group is called the Canadian Design & Lifestyle Bloggers West. You can check out our blog here, and if you're a blogger in the western provinces whose interested in meeting other "local" bloggers, let me know!


I also get to stay at this awesome-looking hotel, The Loden.

Gosh. I feel spoiled right now. A big thank you, along with a hug and kiss, to my darling husband for letting me have this little getaway. And another big thank you to the grandparents for watching the little people while mommy's in Vancouver "Bancouber".

-Sarah

The Power of Paint

Hello, friends! Happy Monday to you. I hope your weekend was lovely. We have been having SUCH gorgeous weather lately, and this weekend was no exception. It was HOT! We also celebrated my husband's birthday which made the weekend extra special. Happy Birthday, darling!

image via pinterest

Sorry for the late post today. I didn't get a start on it yesterday, and we had errands to run this morning.

Anyway, I was recently thinking about the power of paint. It never ceases to amaze me what a little paint and some ingenuity can do! I've even seen a painted sofa! Apparently, the sofa owner was happy with the end result, although she said the fabric was a little stiff feeling (as you would expect).

I've previously shared how I like panelling, wainscoting, ceiling medallions, etc. in the home. All the architectural detail gives a room character and provide such a lovely backdrop for everything else. Unfortunately, it often costs a pretty penny to install all that gorgeous detail. So, if you can't afford the real thing, why not put the power of paint to the test! Here's a little inspiration I've gathered recently. 

Add pizzaz to a plain door with a graphic pattern in a bold colour...

Get the look of wainscoting with paint and a simple chair rail...

Faux ceiling medallion...

Faux Panelling with black and white paint...

A pretty girl's room with faux french panels...

This door is fabulous! I love the bold, dramatic look they've achieved with paint and just a little bit of trim. You could use white paint instead of the trim for a similar look.

  
image sources: 3,4 via pretty handy girl; 5 via plush palate; all others via pinterest


I also have to share this amazing DIY, hand-painted chinoiserie wall. Chinoiserie wallpaper is over-the-top expensive but oh-so-lovely. You can get the look with paint, careful planning, and lots of patience. Read the tutorial over at Mrs. Blandings.

And while we're talking about faux wallpaper, we must mention stencils - one of the more common or familiar ways to get the look of wallpaper. Hearing the word "stencil" may take you back to a place you just don't want to go, but thankfully, there are now some really great-looking stencils out there. You aren't limited to vine and floral patterns anymore! In case you don't believe me, have a look...

image sources: centsational girl; isabella & max rooms; pinterest; young house love

Stencils are one of those things that has gotten better with time, and we can all be happy about that!

Getting that high-end look with just a little paint is super smart in my books. Have you done anything witty and creative with paint in your home? I'd love to hear it.


-Sarah