Inspiration using Radiant Orchid - Color of the Year

Hello everyone!

I just recently learned that the color of the year for 2014 is "Radiant Orchid".

I really like it too because it's a romantic color.

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The first thing I thought about was that I could use my orchids to bring in that color to my home.

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I like how this color works well with white furniture and upholstery.

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There are lots of pretty accessories out there that would be easy to incorporate in various rooms too.

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A simple throw adds a nice pop of color on this white sofa.  It compliments grey very well also.

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Glass containers are always a good choice for vibrant flowers too.

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And baskets......

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Do you like this new color of the year?

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kelly ~

Styling my Secretary

Hello everyone!

I have had this secretary for many years.  It is antique and came from a family member on my husbands side of the family.  A couple of years ago, I painted it grey.  Don't worry it was never made of high quality wood or anything.  It was just old!   Anyway, I've enjoyed changing it up from time to time, just like I do my mantel.  It is a focal point in my sitting room, so I'm careful to keep it "styled".  

I decided to introduce a touch of blue to it.

So, I brought up my blue and white plates from the basement.  They have made appearances before in my kitchen and foyer.  Nothing unusual with that!    

I hung them from some simple white ribbon on each door.  I used to have white plates hung here.  

I also added some of my blue and white grain sacks to the desk part.  I thought it would make a great place to display them.

I added a lined wire basket underneath too.

I still have my old metal ceiling tin propped up above it too.  

So there she is!  All prettied up with some old books, crowns, white flowers and vintage grain sacks.  

Do you have a favorite piece that you like to "style"?

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kelly ~

Linking to:  Wow-Us-Wednesday

My Favorite Design Elements

Hello everyone!

Now that the Christmas decorations have been packed away and the clouds in the sky have parted, I took inventory of the things in my family room that give it the look that I like.  They overlap into other rooms in my house as well.

Even though I change things up a good bit, these things stay constant.

For example, I love a grouping of greenery somewhere.  Here I placed several small potted plants in a galvanized tray on my coffee table.

I love topiaries and weathered wood as displayed on my mantel.

I have an affinity for white dishes.  They don't have to be old and expensive either.  I just like the look.

(Sorry for the glare in this photo.)

I love a painted floor clock.  It also doesn't have to be an original Mora clock either.  

With having a mostly grey and white color palette, I find there is a need for texture somewhere.  This wicker trunk fits the bill perfectly.

I've kept accessories very simple and neutral as well.  This moss ball brings another layer of texture too.  

I like the contrast between this glitzy chandelier

and this coffee table with chippy paint.

I also like a few glass items since they add a touch of airiness to the room.

And finally, I always have a spot for throws to cover up with at night.  

These get used quite a bit!

So, there you have it.  An inventory of items I'm drawn to and have collected for this space.

Do you have a certain look that you're drawn to as well?

Thanks for stopping by.

~ Kelly ~

"Shadow Dance" - Not to be Missed Video!

Hello everyone!

For this weekend, I thought I'd leave you with this amazing video that my step father sent me.  It was the prettiest thing I'd EVER seen! It's a love story captured by human artistry unlike anything I've ever seen before. I will warn you though, you should  keep your kleenex handy.  You might need it.  

Hope you enjoy it.  

Make sure your sound is ON too.

SHADOW DANCE

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

~ Kelly ~

Slipcover Magic

Hello everyone!

The sun has been shining brightly outside this week and with that comes the realization that my slipcovers were dirty.  Time for a bath!

I wanted to share with you how I cover my furniture with the ready made slipcovers.  Some people aren't sure how to do it properly and I've been doing it for so many years, I could do it in my sleep now.  LOL!  

This is the reason I prefer slipcovers over plain upholstered furniture.  After seeing what gets on them, there is no way I would have a clean house with out using them!  It doesn't matter that they're white either.  All slipcovers will get dirty and show some wear after using them. I have used dark slipcovers before, but they tend to fade over time, so using white is the best option believe it or not!

So here we go!

My chair started out looking like this.

  

This chair is in excellent condition and isn't even dated, but I prefer to slipcover it anyway.  Now, I can't say that about some other pieces of my furniture.  LOL!  

After washing my slipcover in hot water and Tide detergent, I throw it in the dryer. After it's dried, pull it out and drape it over the chair.

It looks like a big hot mess at this point, doesn't it?

The first thing I do is find the front and back of the slipcover and then center it.  Then line up the front and back so it just touches the floor.  Then line up the arms. No tucking in at this point yet.

Now, you can start tucking in the excess fabric into the creases of the chair.  Smooth out wrinkles as you go.

Now, secure the back to be snug on the chair.  Most slipcovers either have ties or buckles like this one.

And voila!  You're done!  It looks clean, it smells clean.  There is no more dog hair either.  That is the magic of slipcovers!

So when people ask me how I keep my covers so clean, I just say it is the same way you keep your clothes clean or your car.  You just wash them!  It's like having a new piece of furniture too each time I do it.

I may never go back to regular upholstered furniture again.

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kelly ~

The Joys of Homeownership

Hello everyone!

Are you safe inside your warm house protected from this Artic blast that is sweeping the country?  I know I am!  About an hour ago I heard some noise on my back deck.  I looked outside to see what it was and saw a big chunk of ice on the deck.  I have no idea where it came from.  But it's STILL there!  That's how cold it is here.  We southerners are not used to this cold weather either.

 May I just interrupt this post to let you know something important too?  If your pipes burst from the cold, DO NOT CALL 911!  The Fire Dept. will simply come out and turn your water off and tell you to contact a plumber.  They should not be used as a clean up service to your problem.  Turn off your own water!  Call a plumber and whoever else you need to clean everything up.  Call your insurance company for damage reimbursements.  My husband is a fireman and is working today.  He is running calls back to back  for this sole purpose. Fire Dept. services get abused for so many reasons.  They are not your plumber and not your taxi!  There, I feel much better now.

    Last night as I lied in bed, I heard popping noises in the window.  I guess it was the cold air compressing against the glass. Also, when we walk outside on the deck, the wood creaks.  It's all so strange.  Usually, if we have cold temps like this there is snow to go along with it.  Not here!  

Yesterday, we had something done in our back yard despite the cold temperatures.

Can you guess what he's doing?

What about now?  Could it be the beginning stages of a swimming pool?  Or perhaps some new feature added to our landscaping? 

I wish!  

No, it's actually a new field line for our septic tank.  Isn't that exciting????

They came out just after lunch time and dug in our back yard to expand our existing field line that wasn't draining properly.  We found out that our lovely builder skimped in this department!  So, now we had no choice  but to fix the problem.  I'm sure our neighbors are much happier with us now too!  LOL.

So, this is my new view outside.

I can't wait for it to be warm enough to re-seed grass and make it pretty again.  I'm having to clean my dogs feet now every time he walks through that Georgia red clay.  It stains everything!

After all that excitement, we ate some dinner and curled up by a fire to watch the FL/Auburn game.

What have you been doing during this cold snap?

Thanks for stopping by.

~ Kelly ~

New Lighting

Hello everyone!

You may recall that I said the old chandelier in my sitting room would move to a new location.  It went upstairs in the hallway.  This hallway is open to the foyer below too.  So, I wanted it look "decorated".

I like this light in here much better than the one I had.  

I took a few pics with the light off so you could see the light fixture better.

It is much brighter than the other one as well.

My husband also hung a new light fixture that we purchased for our son's room.

I love it!  It's much more stylish than the plain glass flush mount light that was in here.

I need to touch up paint on the ceiling where the old light left a mark though. But other than that, I'm very happy with how it looks.  This light came from Home Depot for only $30!  

Lately, we've been having to use our lights a lot too because of how cloudy it is outside.  We are expecting some single digit temperatures soon so I'm not looking forward to that. Of course, we are not alone either.

Hope you all stay warm and safe during this artic blast!

Thanks for stopping by.

~ Kelly ~