I loved looooooved the old clawfoot tub I had once upon a time in an apartment I lived in before getting married. I think it was the thing I missed most, bathroom wise at least, when we bought our little Cape. Even if that tub was kind of old and dingy and rusty all the time because the finish had rubbed off the cast iron in so many places. It was basically impossible to clean, so I hardly did bathe in it.

Besides, my bathroom wasn’t romantic or dreamy enough to make the whole clawfoot tub experience worthwhile.

Of course, I’d happily give up romantic and dreamy to get huge, fireplace-y, and wall mounted TV-y like the loft bathroom at Beachnest. A clawfoot tub with its own room, maybe even its own floor? *swoon* If I had all the space in the world, maybe just maybe I’d have someone whip me up a bathroom that was just a room for the bath. Would you? Or are you more of a high-tech ultrashower kind of person?

“Who doesn’t love a comfy, distressed, brown leather sofa?” is a question I saw once in a magazine, and the answer is me. I love comfy leather and I love distressed leather, but brown? *yawn* If your home is decked out in an amazing brown palette, that’s one thing. But why not get a little more colorful? Before I begin, I have to say that this post is for Kai Jones, who said: I would love to see a variety of options in leather furniture. Due to allergies I am supposed to only have plain wood or metal, or leather-upholstered furniture. Your wish is my command! (Variety? Yeah, I can do that.)

The benefits of leather furniture go beyond not absorbing dander and mites and such – leather furniture can be wiped clean with a damp sponge instead of needed a full shampoo, Aniline leather in particular can be deliciously soft, leather warms to your body temp on chilly days, and leather furniture is really, really durable. It’s not entirely maintenance free, of course, but what in this life is? I certainly wouldn’t kick a sweet red leather sofa out of bed.

Leather furniture can be traditional and classic and awesome, which I think is the main source of leather’s long lasting charm. How nice would it be, do you think, to curl up with a good book in this orange leather chair? Just keep in mind that all leathers are not created equal – after Aniline, there’s the sturdier but less soft semi-Aniline and then the extremely durable coated leather, which could be softer. (via)

(more…)

I have a good friend who moved into her house (which is a lot like mine in terms of size and shape except for a few additions and swapped doorways) way before I did but has way more bare walls and surfaces not being used to display stuff. My impression was always that her decor choices were entirely intentional. While I can’t seem to see a bare wall or buffet top without immediately thinking of something that would just be perfect there, I also like the clean, uncluttered look that many people prefer. As it turns out, however, my friend’s decor style actually isn’t her style!

She admitted to me one day that there are all kinds of things she wants to do to her house to make it her own. But she doesn’t actually want to do any of them until she can do all of them because she doesn’t like that ‘in transition’ feeling. She’s much more interested in achieving what I call a finished-finished look, i.e., a decor scheme that is put in place and then remains unaltered until it’s time for a complete overhaul. I, on the other hand, am one of those people who is always shopping her own house for things that would fit better in other rooms. I don’t know quite how I want everything to look, but I know it when I see it, enabling me to take advantage of things like $1 signs at the thrift shop.

My friend has a concrete idea for her home. My dream house is always evolving, which is why I’m still making inspiration boards for my daughter’s room when her room is, in the eyes of everyone we know, done for now. Finished-finished, in other words.

But if my living room and bedroom (currently non-existant, but whatevs) and my kitchen will never be finished-finished, why should my daughter’s room be considered done? I like an evolving house – besides the fact that little touches keep things fresh, I will probably never have to do a complete room overhaul. Something, I hasten to add, I doubt I’ll ever be able to afford. But that’s just my way of keeping a home. As outlined above, it’s certainly not the only way, which is why I want to hear about YOUR way. Do you wait until you can whip up a whole perfect room or do you decorate and then redecorate in bits and pieces?

(Images via: Little Crown Interiors, Zachary Dickory Dock, Sproutstyle, Sugabee Lane, Modern Pea Pod, Cookie Dough Designs, and Sweet Retreat Kids)

Boring fences are so boring, right? But maybe a colorful fence isn’t for you because it’s just too ho hum. Now we’re getting into themed fence territory, and have I got just the thing for you. It’s the pencil fence, and not just any pencil fence. It’s the colored pencil fence!

If it happens that your fence isn’t made up of rounded posts shaped like pencils, you can either replace the boring old thing or create a trompe l’oeil colored pencil fence. Options, options! Need inspiration? No prob, people. There are more totally sweet, must-see colored pencil fences under the cut, promise.

(more…)

There are lots of wacky keyholders out there, and here is another. I can’t decide whether I like the giant novelty key keyholder or not, but it’s not exactly unattractive.

Now let’s all think of other giant versions of things that can be used to store the normal sized versions of those things. A giant egg in which to put eggs? Huge fruit bowl shaped like fruit? Any ideas?

They may not be insanely comfy, but vintage theater seats and stadium seats can be an awesome addition to a super chill household. That’s where I think they belong, anyway, because old stadium seats that have been refinished are still going to be less than perfect. Unless you’re the cool kind of person who thinks unperfect is perfect, dig?

These vintage theater seats were salvaged from a movie theater in Chicago that closed down in the 50’s. Awesome. And they’re for sale for $950 at Rhapsody Attic , which is awesome if you happen to have a thousand bucks around. Plus shipping. A whole lot of shipping.

How can you not love these?

(Images via Rhapsody Attic and Penny’s Enchanting Home)

What is it that they say about having house guests and fresh fish? Both start to stink after a couple of days? I’d posit that the expiration date on playing host to one or more people arrives much, much sooner when those people are sleeping in your house. Especially if you don’t have the space for an actual guest room and guest bathroom, and there are consequently suitcases and makeup cases spilling their contents all over your living room.

I think we’ve all been trained to believe that guest houses are something only those with lots of money or lots of property or both can have, but what if your guest house is simply a watertight cozy little structure tucked into one corner of your garden?

With a Beltima Chalet Chambre, your guests still have to trek in to use the toilet, but everything from reading to sleeping to face washing can be accomplished somewhere out of your hair so you and your loved ones can remain on good terms when stays are extended. I have no clue how much one would cost, but I love the idea. I wonder if the bottom bunk could be removed and replaced with a desk, turning the whole thing into an adorable detached office?

Have an old burlap coffee bag, potato sack, or rice bag squished up somewhere in your closet because it was just too interesting to throw out but too large to use as a lunch bag or tote? Never fear! Some of my favorite bloggers have got you covered with burlap bag craftiness that is in many cases, super easy. And in the cases where it is, the results are super awesome. Here are some of the ideas that got the crafting center of my brain humming:

A sweet burlap pillow (via)

A useful burlap apron (via)

(more…)