Front Doors: Moroccan Inspirations

I have been considering adding elaborate tile to the bottom of my front door.  There is this step up where below the door the house exterior continues for a couple of inches.  So, my thought is tiling that portion on both the front door, side door, and I am thinking about doing the same thing off the back sunroom (eventually).  Here are some Moroccan inspirations I have been looking at with the combination of blue doors and tiled stoops.  I am loving them!

Image by Toby Allen Photography via Flickr

Image by Toby Allen Photography via Flickr

This is what I am thinking of for the stoop {well with all the tiles}...

Image by Toby Allen Photography via Flickr

So what do you think?  How would tile look below my doors?

Karma Living Via One Kings Lane

My love of the week.  Out of my budget but not out of my decorating imagination!  I would get one to drape at the end of the bed and one for the couch in the living room...if I may, if I might, have this wish I wish tonight.  They are like snowflakes, no one alike and each beautiful in their uniqueness.  Not only are they unique but they are two sided--double the pattern for double the fun!

Here are my favorites of the Karma Living Quilts from One Kings Lane...

All Images below via One Kings Lane...

A Backyard Oasis & My Love of Everything in It

Jaime of Prudent Baby was introduced to me via a post on the Inspired Room and I am glad I found it.  This backyard lounge area is beautiful!  Everything about it is my style and taste from the woven coffee table and bench from anthropologie to the pendant light to the metal black chairs and beyond to the tiny accents and personalized tids and bits.  Just brilliant all around.  Check out some of the highlights....


image via prudent baby


I love the pendant, still on sale HERE at West Elm (I am contemplating it, after seeing this image, for my dining nook) and the chairs which she got for a steal on Overstock but, alas, I can't find them right now :(...

image via prudent baby


Love this chair...still on sale at Anthropologie HERE...

image via prudent baby


Summer can last eternal with images like this...and flowers like the ones below...

image via prudent baby

Also, she got this great Beach container from The Company Store which I am eyeing now with much salivation...
image via the company store  

For the full tour of her space go Here....

Color Found in Subtle Shades of White

I have a hard time NOT adding color in my home.  I get ideas about a crisp white and linen palette...so soothing, calming, and a how it can be both comfortable and sophisticated when done right.  But, when it comes down to it I cannot help myself...I start neutral and add color upon color upon color!

But, also, I am always inspired by people's spaces that can beautify and add so much rich dimension to a home with whites and creams and neutrals.

Below are some of my favorite examples of that via a few blog-homes.

images via Dreamy Whites

images via Beach Cottage

images via Starfish Cottage

images via The Lettered Cottage

I try to take some inspiration from the coastal and crisp neutrals above, peppered occasionally with color that just jumps off the picture due to the white backdrop.  When I need to edit my living spaces back {which is often} I try to remember spaces like these...they are so lovely and calming and creative as well!

Thinking of fabrics & Kitchen Curtains...

My plan is, now that the interior house painting is complete, to make some curtains for the kitchen/dining area {which is all windows} to bring some color, pattern, and texture over to that nook of my little world.  I plan to buy fabric, get some non-sew tape for the edges, curtain rods, and curtain clips.  I am looking for a simple window height look that doesn't require any sewing {which, as of right now, I don't really do...lack of sewing machine being the largest reason for that}.

The area is flecked with turquoise, red, white, and a bit of yellow...so am looking to bring at least some of that in the curtains.  The accent wall brings in the turquoise and reds are in some of the textiles and appliances (the rug and kitchen aid mixer, coffee pot, and tea kettle).

I also have this rug {currently the new bed-of-choice for this guy} which is sort of the color inspiration for this area....

The rug is from Pier One and you can see a better image of the color and pattern here...

Textured Stripe Rug, Pier One

Here are some I have at the top of the list {c/o joann fabric online samples}:


















Annie Selke "Links" in Indigo

Waverly Outdoor Fabric in Muse Persimmon



















Waverly Carino-Buttercup


















   Home Essentials Print Fabric Dana/Red


Any thoughts?  Any suggestions?  I am looking for bright and clever without being too busy.  I think a lot of these (except the first one) might still be too busy to cover 3 walls of curtains.  Hmm.

What fabrics and textures inhabit your eating and dining spaces?


As a side note: I am also thinking about adding this print somewhere in the kitchen.  I have been eyeing it forever...

"blogs and tea" print by made by girl

Society 6 & Their 10,000 Skins {or nearly}

I could peruse the art and designs featured at Society 6 forever.  I especially love that so many of their art works can be converted by a quick click of your virtual order into a skin for your iphone or laptop or an iphone case!  How cool is that?

And the same images you can get in any number of permutations: from the cases and laptop skins to prints or canvas art and even on sweatshirts and t-shirts...it really is pretty cool.

Here are some of my current favorites...I really want to get a case from them.  I got a skin previous but when I traded out phones {or rather my husband traded it out} my skin was lost.  Soon, my friends, very soon I shall have a new lovely from them.  It is on the "to-buy" wish list for sure.  They are definitely one of my big go-spots for new prints or inspiration.  They are much like etsy in that they are a show space for new artists with unending creativity.




okshirahm sky mandala by Peter Patrick Barreda



In Groveland by Valentina Ramos


Sunny Leo by Robert Farkas 



Le Voyage by Ilaria Lazzaroni



Color Your Life by Bianca Green   : I think this is my current favorite.  I also really love the art print version of it ....

I mean who wouldn't want to color their life in this lovely palate?


I love that this great supply of wearable and useable art illustrates another way you can take beauty off your walls and into your life in new and interesting ways.

Anyone else have some favorites from the neverending society6 collection?

My Favorite Clippings from October Coastal Living

So, I discussed earlier this week some of the inspirations for my own home exterior face lift via the Coastal Living edition for October.  Well, the images are finally up on their website for some of my favorites and so I will share them with you as well as my home's redressing in progress.....

The turquoise doors and shutters are painted....the mailbox and art have been sprayed white and I am waiting on a new house number display to take down the old ones as well as a few other ideas up my sleeve including outdoor furniture of some sort!  I can't wait to share the DIY in process for the paint and spray paint projects and those will be coming shortly.

For now here are some of my favorite inspirations from Coastal Living in October!

Here they have a door very similar in color to my new door--except a little more green in the turquoise...and that great starfish wreath I wrote about in the earlier post!

image from Coastal Living

Here are some beachy and bohemian style accessories to wear in front of your well-appointed, light and bright home:

image from Coastal Living and earrings from shopbop.com


image from Coastal Living and Kaftan via theoutnet.com 

And here are some great sneak peeks into Coastal Living's Ultimate Beach House 2011 and it is gorgeous!  Here are some of my favorite views:

A simple, airy, and seafoam flecked front porch...

image from Coastal Living


I am in love with the paddle mirror!....

image via Coastal Living

I also love this bright kitchen with flip flops and a great seating bench nook (something I am hoping to DIY in something similar soon)...and I am drooling over the upholstery on those chairs...

image via Coastal Living

A great guest bedroom but I would love it as my master with that fabric headboard, valances with a wonderful moorish shape, footstools, and antlers, not to mention the rug...the colors are crisp and subtle enough as to not overwhelm but there is plenty of yumminess going on here...

image from Coastal Living

oh and ps: 
I am loving my new pillow from One Kings Lane!  My chair, or rather my husband's recliner, still needs some work in terms of it's dressing but this pillow is doing wonders for my love of it :).  I will talk more on the origins of my mohair love (last month) and the apartment therapy house tour that brought it on!

From me, my pillow, and my sniffly cold...a good night to you :)!

Movie & TV Inspired Art

I love the inventive way artists are incorporating the pop culture into artistic pieces like these great prints in homage to popular movies and television shows.  The Dexter one I got for my husband for his birthday a week ago--a bit dark but in a clever way {and he loves that kind of a combo}.

Ifop print inspired by  "Flight of the Concords"

Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back print by handz

80's movie inspired set of 4 prints by retrowhale

dexter by Olechka

Fight Club by Jerod Gibson

Hang Man {spiderman} by Liam Brazier

A Seashell Mirror & Some Inspirations

I have decided to take the bathroom mirror and make my own seashell mirror on the surround.  It is just a pane of glass on a piece of white wood right now and it was adhered crooked, which drives me crazy.  So, rather than replace the whole thing I figured I would take the usable beginnings and make myself a seashell mirror by glueing seashells and sea objects in neutral tones to the wood and mirror that exists.

Here is what it looks like now...

And here are some of my inspirations for the project...

White Seashell Mirror by beachgrasscottage

image from country living

image from phoebe howard & completely coastal

I especially love this new DIY mirror that Phoebe Howard has attempted.  I love a good DIY tutorial and it definitely has given my own mirror project new momentum.

image from Completely Coastal

See Phoebe's full tutorial HERE.

Besides the exterior house redo in motion this shell mirror project is next on my to-do list!
I am looking forward to this project but a bit intimidated as I know my own OCD for shape and symmetry and I know once glued it will always be glued :).

Any upcoming DIY's for anyone else?

Ode to Kelly Wearstler

I stumbled upon her fabric at Calico Corners searching for just the right fabric for my DIY headboard.  I was given the courage to even try a DIY headboard courtesy of the many blogging DIY-ers who spelled out the process so well.

I will be discussing the process at a later point but here is the finished product:

When I saw the fabric I was in love.  And every day when I go to sleep, wake up, or just stare fondly into my bedroom at the colors I am so happy I picked this pattern.  It has the colors of an oceanic seafoam and teal with a pattern that is fresh with a bohemian texture to it.  I am hoping to get the courage to try some DIY valances with the rest of the fabric I have to match...we will see!

I love this image, I found after I made my headboard, of a full room of Kelly Wearstler's using the same fabric in a different color.  I was pretty proud of my little idea when I saw her own version of it (obviously, much more intricately realized).

image from designzie.com

another image with her montage of great fabrics {if I could find a way to infuse my rooms in all of them I would}...

image from designzie.com

Here are some other great Kelly Wearstler creations and items for sale; she sells everything from fabrics to jewelry to decorative objects for the home.  I love it all!  Of course most of it {besides the fabric} I can just salivate at with wistful dreamy eyes :).

Wrap Facet Pendant 

Twisted Brass Bracelet

Metallic Drip Vase

Abstract Criss Cross Centerpiece

Hand Bottle Opener

Also you can follow her latest innovations in color, pattern, and texture at her blog "My Vibe Life" HERE.