Decorating

Around the House, summer edition

June 7, 2012 by Edie Wadsworth 68 Comments

Did I mention I love summer? I’m working on a post to tell you all about what we’re doing this summer but in case I never finish it, you should know that I love summer with all my southern soul. In fact, this house is really at its peak in summer. It’s a summer house extraordinaire. I love it in spring and fall and even in winter but this house has summer written all over it.
I thought I’d share some of its summer glory with you.
We had company this weekend and my outdoor table has the most gorgeous piece of driftwood for a centerpiece, that came right out of our own lake.

If you come over to eat, be careful not to impale yourself on it–but other than that, it’s pretty cool.

And how could I withhold this image from you? Stevie meets me here every night for a little wine and some chitty chat. When the sun sets over the lake, the back side of our house is toasty. But this side? All kinds of heavenly. And we talk about gardens and flowers and chickens and kids and how in the world we ever got this lucky.

And this is what we see if we look to our left.

The screen porch is so pretty and peaceful this time of night too. The girls and I sat out here for our reading time last night.
And in the full light of day….

On the inside, I’ve been working like mad trying to finish all the details of the house. My house has been lacking the final touches that only fabric can give so I’m finally getting there. Fabric is so hard for me. I’ve been hamstrung trying to decide how many different colors and patterns one person is allowed in their house. And then do more than that. 🙂
Here’s a peek at the window treatments in the master bedroom. You’ll have to excuse the fact that the headboard and side tables aren’t here yet.

I did simple pinch pleat white linen, which I love against the charcoal walls.

I’ve been getting a few things framed and setting up my summer cocktail bar!

Here it is from farther back……

The living room panels and blinds were installed this week too.
And I’ve had a few things reupholstered.

This cute little stool in a fabric I bought on OKL about a year ago.

Then there’s this chair……

And this ottoman in the lovely Schumacher dragon fabric….

I’m still waiting for a chair to be delivered in here and a few pillows to be added.

After such a long, stressful year, it’s so good to see it all come together.

And kept in its proper perspective, it’s beautiful to enjoy the good gifts from God, whether they be a delicious meal, a gorgeous fabric, or a night on the screen porch reading The Odyssey with the girls.

This brick and mortar is temporary but what we do behind these walls is eternal.

May He grant us the wisdom to live well.

To not take it for granted—but instead to relish it, drink it in deep and then share the overflow of that joy with others.

*****************************

I love Pearl Jam and Stevie’s been taking me out on the boat for short night rides while he plays my favorite PJ tunes.

This one is our summer song.

It’s a good reminder when life gets hard—and it always gets hard.

Just Breathe.

Welcome, summer. I hope you stay a good long while.

Decorating with Plants

April 23, 2012 by Edie Wadsworth 33 Comments

My dear friend and blogging mentor the Nester is hosting a great party today featuring plants in the home. I LOVE my house plants and am so excited to participate.

I confess that I’m a little lazy with house plants. I do great for awhile until I don’t. I need house plants that are a little self-sufficient. I need teenage house plants that want to be left alone. Unlike my sister, who has my mother’s thirty-something year old fig tree, I can’t handle that kind of pressure and responsibility. I’d get an ulcer trying to keep it alive. I need easy and simple but I love the life and joy they add to my home.

My current favorite is the stag horn fern I bought in Nashville a couple months ago that sits right the middle of the living room. I LOVE this fern and it totally jives with my ‘Texas, cottage, Southern chic, eclectic’ vision for my home. I just added some really cool live moss that I found at our farm on Saturday. This fern is an attention getter and those brown parchment looking vestiges in the middle are part of the ferns’ charm provide some of the ‘food’ for it to grow and be healthy. This type of fern doesn’t even need soil but can grow on just a little moss. They can be hard to find but bring lots of enjoyment. Plus, who doesn’t want a fern named ‘staghorn’? I can’t think of anyone.

I’ve had a long time fascination with aloe vera for obvious reasons. We live on the lake and little red cheeks and shoulders can’t always be avoided so I love having the cure right on the kitchen counter. I added some very cool looking lichen to the top, instead of my standard moss. It gives such interesting dimension and texture. My husband is crazy for lichen and he’s made a fan outta me too.

The bird’s nest fern is kinda cool and very low maintenance. It’s called bird’s nest because the inner portion, from where the fronds grow, looks like little eggs in a nest.

Then there’s the snake plant or mother-in-law’s tongue that’s hardy and easy to care for that for now sits in the kitchen. I haven’t even repotted this one yet because I want to paint the planter. It’s been doing fine for a few months just like that but I’ve got to do it soon so it’ll quit nagging at me.

And I treat my plants just like furniture and accessories; they’re mine and don’t belong to a certain room. I can move them where I want so I take full liberty here and move them around as I see fit, taking into consideration light and temperature and such. Only 3 months after I had lived in this brand new house, I moved all the ottomans, chair and accessories from the living room to my bedroom. I LOVE it and am still working on tweaking it all. And luckily, they don’t care about light and moisture.

These chairs were in my bedroom and that little succulent between them has been in the kitchen, my bedroom and the workroom. You might discover a whole new color palette or whole new way to think about life, just by moving things around. It’s my favorite decorating trick and gives you a whole new look without much time, effort or money. But I digress.

Back to plants. The workroom is full of our green friends because there’s so much light that floods the room.

And last but not least, my favorite category—-the succulents. They are a lazy houseplanter’s best friend. They don’t care if you go on vacation or on strike or temporarily insane. They’re like the cats of house plants. Too much attention, then you’re in trouble. They love you best when you leave them alone.
I love their no nonsense attitude.

And I’m always scouting out unique ones to try. These are ‘hen and chicks’ of the red and green variety. LOVE them.

I even made a succulent centerpiece for Easter and am planning to plant the hen and chicks in my garden this week.

And hope you enjoyed this house plant tour!

I totally operate with a philosophy of grace with my plants. I don’t put myself under the law. If they die, I’m happy for the time we had together. They’re cheap and easy to replace. If they’re too high maintenance, then we agree to disagree and perhaps they’d do better living with someone else. They are good gifts from God but I’m not obligated to them like I’m obligated to my children. Life has enough pressures. House plants shouldn’t be one of them!

What’s your favorite house plant? Tell me all about it and whether or not the likes of me can keep it alive!

Happy Monday dears 🙂

31 Days|Day 3 Defining my Vision

October 3, 2011 by Edie Wadsworth 42 Comments

When you’re building a house or remodeling your kitchen or rearranging your furniture in your living room, it helps to have a vision. I learned a lot about vision while working with Darlene from Fieldstone Hill Design. She’s got oodles of posts on finding and clarifying and sticking to your vision.

Give your style some names. The more descriptive they are of what you like, the better.

I would describe my style (the things I love) as eclectic, Texas, cottage, vintage, southern chic. If there’s one room in my house that reflects all my words it would be the living room (design board). I love it and am so thankful for Darlene who helped me hone in on what I love!

{Eclectic}

No one who’s ever been in my house would question this. I’m quirky. I like layers of interesting things that aren’t really supposed to go together. I embrace this quality about myself and resist the occasional temptation to tame it. I would never, under any circumstances buy a ‘set’ of furniture. It hems me in, like someone’s forcing me to wear garanimals. In fact, I was in Knoxville at OP Jenkins this week trying to buy a dining table and the first thing I asked was whether or not I had to buy the whole set including matching chairs. That would be a deal breaker for me. It would drive some of you crazy but that’s the way my brain works.

{Texas}

I have a uncanny fascination with Texas. I do not know why. But who doesn’t love all things Texas? Steer horns, horses, cowboys, George W., Friday Night Lights, boots, and good guacamole. I rest my case. Texas forever. Amen.

To illustrate this, I will confess to you that I have already hung a ginormous set of steer horns in my yet to be finished house. My builder would like to lock the doors and not let me back in until Friday 🙂

{Cottage}

The magazine Cottage Living changed my life. I can remember exactly where I was when I poured over my first issue. The images of some of those rooms is forever imprinted in my head. I was devastated when that magazine shut down. My neighbor Julie, who lives in the most wonderful cottage I’ve ever seen, also shares my love for Cottage Living and brought me her nearly complete collection of CL magazines to use for inspiration after the fire. It was like reconnecting with an old friend. I spent days and days pouring over the all too familiar images and rooms. I love all things cottage—painted cabinets, open shelving, cozy spaces, textured, layered rooms and farm sinks. My favorite spaces are always cottage-esque.

{Vintage}

I just finished watching the MadMen series. I wasn’t sure I even liked the show until season 3 and by then it was too late to quit. But I kept watching, partly because of the costuming and my fascination with the 50’s and 60’s. I adore the music, the clothing, the more formal way of life, the manners, the decor and I could go on and on. I’m sure that’s why I love thrift and antique stores. They transport me to a different time. I want my house to have hints of that era—like a little nod to days gone by and my way of showing my respect and admiration for those generations before me when women wore dresses and aprons and families sat down together to have dinner every night. (except on MadMen of course, that blasted Don Draper)

{Southern Chic}

I love this article at Southern Accents. What does ‘southern’ mean as it relates to decorating? It can mean many things—but here are my favorites from the article:

some other things they say about southern style:
“gracious and eclectic with a strong architectural basis”
“comfort and relating to the outdoors is always a consideration in Southern design”
“southern style is rather eccentric, embodying classic roots with a unique application”

So, there you have it—-eclectic, Texas, cottage, vintage, Southern chic.
Why go to all the trouble to have words and to define them?
Because every decision you make should reinforce your vision. From the floor plan to the color choice to the landscaping.
It’s helped me so many times during this project.
And even more than that, having ‘words’ helps you to clarify what you are not.
I love so many different styles of decorating and I’ve tried to force myself into styles that I am not.
Take the all-white beachy look. I love it. For ten minutes. And then I’m dying for color.
Take the simple, pared down farmhouse look. It’s one of my favorites. But no matter how many ‘Simplify’ signs I hang in my house, I’m not simple. I’m just not.
I will load it up with stuff and books and I’m never gonna change so my ‘words’ give me permission to be who I am.

Now, think about your words, the things that define you. Write them down and then make a list of things you can start to change or rearrange that help you (or your house) become who you are.

Master Bedroom Vision Board

July 31, 2011 by Edie Wadsworth 25 Comments

While I was camping-it-up in MN, I got a fun little email surprise. Darlene finished my vision board for the master.
This is my take on restrained, sultry, and symmetric. There are some yummy pieces here and I may not be able to swing them all.

But I love the feel of this room. I’m sure I said this last time, but I think this is my favorite.

Just for a refresher, here’s the girls’ room…..

the workroom…..

the living room……

So far, I’ve purchased most of the big items from the design boards but not every piece. I think it’ll be fun to ad-lib a little when we’re actually in the house.
I’m so glad to have had such wonderful help in making my house dreams come true. I can’t thank Darlene enough for her tireless effort! I’m so blessed 🙂

That’s your eye candy for today.
I’m really tempted to post everyday this week.
Is there some blogging prize I can win if I do?
I have so many pics and blog fodder from vacation.
It could happen.
Don’t roll your eyes at me like that.
Have a little faith.
xoxo,
edie

The Workroom Design Files

June 20, 2011 by Edie Wadsworth 21 Comments

I think this is my favorite design so far!! I’m so excited about this room. It’s a laundry room/craft room/office/schoolroom.
And I knew that since the girls and I would be spending alot of time in here, I wanted it to be functional and organized but without sacrificing beauty. I wanted to be inspired by the fabrics, the accessories, the furniture, the built-ins. I used two of my favorite fabrics in this room—-

Imperial Trellis by Schumacher and Four Seasons Summer by Victoria Hagan.

Darlene has really outdone herself.

I am SO BLESSED to know her and to be able to work with her.

She makes every step of the process fun and easy.

We started with several inspiration photos but these two were the ones we kept coming back to when we were unsure what direction to take the room. You can visit my Pinterest site to see lots more inspiration.
The concept of a multifunctional room like this has become very popular over the past few years. I hope it proves to be as valuable to me as it seems like it will.

I’m not sure where the previous one is from but the pic below is from LonnyMag.com

One of the things Darlene did for me on was sketch drawings for the built-ins. I took them to the cabinet maker last week and he thinks he’ll be able to come pretty close to her ideas. These are invaluable to me and have helped so much with lighting placement.
Here’s the basic floor plan of this small (12 x 12ish) room.

One of my favorite features of this room is ‘my’ wall—which is shown above with a sliding library ladder. My set up will be very similar to this picture.

My desk won’t be built in but will slide right into the space very snugly. My cabinet maker has done several library ladders so I can’t wait to see how this wall turns out.

We chose conch shell pink for the walls, revere pewter for the built-ins, and azure water for the backs of the bookcases, all by Benjamin Moore. And when I say ‘we’ I mean Darlene, who has a perfect eye for color. The revere pewter is THE most perfect shade of putty that I have ever seen.

The other wall sketches turned out great too.

Girls’ built in desk wall (on the front of the house with each desk under a window)

the craft wall—-

and the laundry wall—

So there you have it—–my favorite room in the house—–at least until the laundry piles up!

I can’t wait to get to work in this room 🙂

xo,

edie

Living Room Design Board

May 30, 2011 by Edie Wadsworth 72 Comments

Darlene and I have been at it again and I couldn’t wait to show you the design board for the living room. It’s been such a fun collaborative effort, although she does all the hard work of placing and measuring and editing and I do all the fun work and sending a million links of things I love. And she finds the BEST stuff. She always comes up with the that perfect thing to tie the room together. I have so enjoyed this project with her. I’m kind of sad it’s over but…..

I’m so happy with how it turned out!

The honeycomb mirror ensemble goes above the mantle and there will be built in book shelves on either side. The walls will be white with a custom paneled treatment and the inside of the shelves will be painted navy. I’d like to add some magenta in the mix just for fun so I’m trying to decide where/how. I decided on the sofa, the benches and the chandelier several weeks ago so I’ve already ordered those. I learned the hard way in the girls’ room design project that some of the items takes 4-5 months to ship, so I need to order soon for the things that I want to have here by the time we move in. I’m not ordering every last thing on these design boards because they are intended to be a guide for the room. I sent Darlene about 7 or 8 inspiration photos along with the floor plan and links to items that I knew I wanted in the room and after 2-3 weeks and a bajillion emails later, she sent me this beautiful design board.

I’m undecided as to whether I like the blue “Eddie” renamed “Edie” chair (the turquoise leather) or the yellow zebra chair the best so Darlene did two design options so I could visualize the difference. Do you have a preference?

She then includes this key that correlates with the product spec sheet so that if I didn’t pick out the item, I know where to buy it and what size/color.

My talented friend Darlene is meticulous about placement and measurement of the furniture and she included two different floor plans for possible furniture placement choices. I fell in love with this Horchow sofa first so we spent several days making sure we liked how it fit in the room. It’s a large sofa and this is a relatively cozy living room. I like the contrast of large furniture in a small space.

At one point in the process, I hit a wall. I wasn’t sure what direction I wanted the room to go in. We had most of the large items chosen but I think we were both unsure which design path to take. She encouraged me to go back and look at my inspiration photos and to come up with five words that would clarify my vision for the room.

My five words were: elegant, layered, rich, storied, fresh, artsy.

Articulating those words and revisiting my inspiration photos really helped us finish the room. She’s so smart like that!

She also includes a very comprehensive spec sheet that references every item on the design board. She often gives less expensive alternatives to the chosen items and works within the budget you’ve given her. Since I was in need of almost every item in the room, my budget was generous. The only item I started with was the honeycomb mirror.

The chinoiserie mirror that sits over the chest was featured on One King’s Lane one day and Darlene sent me a time-sensitive email about it. I loved it and snatched it up immediately because if you’ve shopped OKL, you know that you must act fast or the item will be gone. If you haven’t begun your One King’s Lane addiction, follow this link! You won’t be sorry—but your husband might 🙂

This design has been so much fun for me and ALOT of work for her. I’m so thankful to her for all the hard work and love she puts into her projects. I can tell she LOVES what she does and I’m very aware that she is worth far more than her debut pricing would suggest. Her design queue filled up quick in the last 2 weeks so there’s quite a wait now but she’s so totally worth it if you you’re not in a hurry.

Overall, I think this design fits with my Texas, eclectic cottage self—with a little glam added in!

If you have any specific questions about the design, email me and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.

Hope you have a blessed Memorial Day! We’ll be enjoying the lake today—wishing our house was done already!!
xo,
edie