redecorranging

The Sultry Master

July 10, 2012 by Edie Wadsworth 144 Comments

I recently updated my About page, in case you’re interested!

Until I can decide which of the 356 pictures to show you from our Fourth of July Fest, I thought I’d show you some progress in my bedroom.

I’m finally getting furniture and some art work in this room—which means it’s starting to have that sultry vibe that perhaps all master bedrooms should have?

My first thought was that the master should be relaxing—a bit of a sanctuary.

But upon more contemplation, I threw it all out the window for passion. Let the bathroom or the guest room be soothing. This room should be a little spicy and evoke love and beauty. The bust of Aphrodite (from Pottery Barn) seemed like the perfect icon. Not only is she the goddess of love but she’s also the goddess of necklace holding.

My tufted bed was finally delivered and I LOVE the antique glass around the perimeter. (from Braden’s in Knoxville). The bed and the chandelier add just the right amount of glamour. The cowboy boots at the end of the bed add just the right amount of grit.

I’ve moved this stool around to every spot in the house but I really like it here at my dressing vanity. (Polka dot dress from Target).

When the painters laid the first brush stroke to this room, I think everyone thought I had finally gone off the deep end. Black walls?

But this ain’t my first rodeo 🙂

I’ve had dark walls before in the master and it’s the perfect spot in the house to create a little cocoon. The color is graphite from Benjamin Moore and Darlene helped me pick it out. I LOVE this color so much. It often looks navy, sometimes looks charcoal and occasionally looks black. It has depth and a certain muddiness that keeps you from being able to decide exactly what color it is. It’s alluring and makes you take notice. And then the pops of white reassure you that although it has a certain mystery, this room has nothing to hide. It’s honest and trustworthy. You know, like you want your marriage to be.

And the desk? It’s for writing love letters, of course.

In my humble opinion, every room needs a monogram. But then again, I like banjos and cornbread.
I recently had some white linen pinch pleat drapes made, along with a vintage sofa that I had recovered, and they are divine!

Just plain white linen, but beautiful against the dark walls.

masterbr2
The master bath is the only room in this house that is exactly the same since the first day we moved in. It’s the only room that I don’t beg, steal and borrow from. Maybe some day I’ll give it some more personality but I kinda like its understated loveliness.

And THAT is the state of things in the most important room in the house.
So, tell me about your bedroom. Have you neglected it for far too long? Maybe you should start a Pinterest board of inspiration and then slowly make a few changes. More importantly, what about the person who shares the room with you? Perhaps a love letter is in order.
xoxo,
edie

ps. Every master needs a theme song, right?!

Want to see more of the house?

Here’s the fall mantel, the kitchen, the girl’s bedroom, the teen room, the living room, the striped bathroom and perhaps my favorite room, the workroom!

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

Skirted Table Dessert Buffet

November 23, 2010 by Edie Wadsworth 18 Comments

I’m not gonna lie, it’s hard to host anything at your house when you homeschool. There are books and #2 pencils and notebook paper e.very.where. This buffet that I’ve had for many years has recently become our locker. It holds all our books and is usually hideous like this. But without our beloved school room, it’s how we’re making do.
So what’s a girl to do when it’s Thanksgiving-hosting time? Put all the books nicely away somewhere out of sight?
Nah. That’s far too practical and grown up.
My solution: cover it up with some pretty fabric and noone will ever know the difference. I used this simple tutorial here found via Little Green Notebook (a blog I love). It took maybe an hour to hem and make the pleat. I’m in love with the skirted table.

I found the fabric at Lewis and Sharon Textiles and spray painted the lamp and the tiered tray. I basically hemmed the fabric and then ‘stuffed’ the fabric between the granite top (which comes off) and the top of wood. My husband informed that it’d be easy enough to staple the fabric to the wood but it’s Tuesday already and the list is long. We can hope for time to do that but if not, it works just fine like this. Just don’t pull too hard on it.

Today, while admiring my dessert buffet, I made this blueberry pie and this apple pound cake. I also have this pumpkin pie in the freezer already and these red velvet cupcakes. Tomorrow, I attempt this orange- chocolate ganache cake.
The most brilliant part of this whole buffet is my stealth purchase of cake forks.
Am I the only one who has to wash forks before dessert on Thanksgiving? I’m having 22 people at my house. I do not have 44 forks. I bought these at TJ Maxx and can’t wait to eat dessert without washing forks. It’s the simple things that make my day.

ps. I published this post without adding all the links and now I have to leave. Check back later for links and sources. 🙂