HGTV Magazine

has anyone else been getting hgtv's new magazine? i have and i'm surprised by how much i like it. i haven't been turning down the corners in many other magazines (except maybe lonny but that's only virtually) like i have been with this one. some of it is a little corny but there is also some good stuff. like who knew that glass cleaner and coffee filters are the best way to get rid of fingerprints on stainless steel? but my favorite thing has to be their PAINT INDEX!!  the second to last page is a visual listing of all the paint colors that were mentioned throughout. genius! all publications need this.

have you tried it? what do you think?

Not Too Short Shorts

memorial day weekend marks the beginning of summer, or at least it should! i feel like every summer i am in a perpetual search of the perfect pair of shorts. not too short, not too long, not too wide legged, etc.  for some reason i find shorts very hard to buy.

but this year the design gurus at j crew must have heard my silent pleas because they have created the 4" short. i know, they're not exciting and certainly not very fashiony, but they work. just the right length for my 5'5" frame!

welcome summer!

Kitchen Lighting Idea

happy friday and happy memorial day weekend! how is it at all possible that may is almost over??

what do you all think of this? our new kitchen has nice pendants that we don't need to replace (and i'm not) but i saw this light and thought i should make a mental note...in the way of a blog post :)

all of the hardware in the house is a dark oil rubbed finish which i love so a few of these would go well with the rest of the house. what's really nice about rejuvenation is that they allow you to customize it completely from finish to length to shade. i enjoy that, makes it feel like you're getting a unique product. here's a completely different look:

have a great long weekend :)

Little Girls' Bedding

vacation was GREAT and even better, my little non-sleeper decided to give sleeping a whirl. happiness squared.

i had a chance to look through dwell studio's catalog and the last page had the cutest little girl's room. i am in love with the headboard and the unicorn bedding.

so cute right? and btw, if you're in need of a new pillow, check this one out. fun color, zebras, what's not to love?

Powder Room Vanity

the house we're buying is new construction (can't remember if i've mentioned that before or not). the builder did an excellent job of picking colors, finishes, cabinetry, etc.  they cheaped out in two places - the counter and sink in the laundry room and the half bath vanity. it gives me opportunity to improve. :) so although we can't make changes for a (long) while until we have saved up, i still like to peruse my options!

for some reason a gray vanity came to mind when i looked at the powder room. there's this one from restoration hardware that i loooove:

then i saw this one at home decorators:

definitely not the same richness in the finish or clearly the quality of the RH one but it's a pretty good "look for less" no? trying to stick to a prefab option rather than going custom at a kitchen/bath place.

and although this one isn't gray, i really like this look.

any thoughts or other decent vanities that you've seen lately?

Time For A Vaca

after 4 months and almost 2 weeks of nothing but babies, this mama needs a vacation. but of course the rug rats are coming with (just kiddin, they're the best). the hubby and i are off to visit my parents in easton, md (see my post about it here). wish us luck - this is our first big trip with the kiddos - should be interesting!

that pic gets me every time! catch you all on the flip side :)

A New House Purchase (Rug Post Again)!

we got to go over to the new house yesterday to put up some notes for the painters about where touch ups are needed. but it was a great opportunity to do some more measuring and remind myself of what is going where.

the mud room is going to need a rug of some sort. it has a slate-ish floor (so gray) and a bunch of built-in cubbies which you can see here. it's actually a pretty cool room but it needs some color badly!

i don't know if you stalk joss & main and okl like i do but is it me or have there been about a zillion indoor/outdoor rug sales recently? i think there is one every day! so finally today, after looking at said zillions of rugs, i pulled the trigger. and here is what our mud room will have to spice it up:

i am on a strict budget and this puppy was $62 at joss & main. aaaand it's reversible so we can decide which side looks better. maybe this side?

we still don't know when we're moving but it's fun to dream in the meantime :)

Landsend Rugs

it is so random but landsend seems to have some of the best dhurrie rugs. check out this one that i'm pondering for under a kitchen table.

Still On The Roman Shade Kick

i just watched american idol and i am still having a reaction to j lo's hair and make up combo. she is such a beautiful woman but that weird, harsh updo did her no favors. and purple lipstick? no. did anyone else feel this way?

k, just had to get that off my chest! this room caught my eye in the last house beautiful. the wallpaper, the floors, but i think my favorite part is that roman shade.

Flush Mounts

the new house happens to have a lot of flush mounted lighting fixtures. the really traditional kind. in some places i think they work (laundry room) and in others not so much. but it got me on a search for flush mounted ceiling fixtures. not really super exciting but there are a few nice options out there.

in a bedroom:

shades of light via maddie g

shades of light

shades of light

in a kitchen

shades of light

in a bathroom:

pottery barn

what do you think? other ideas?

Guest Post: Design Shuffle

i was so excited when design shuffle reached out to me about doing a guest post on vfmh! and as you'll see, this post is very apropos for what's going on in my life right now :) thanks to the design shuffle team for some great inspiration! enjoy! ...

Hi, all! I'm Mari, a writer for Design Shuffle, the fantastic social networking site where interior designers share their work and design enthusiasts find decorating ideas and inspiration for their projects. As a writer for Design Shuffle, I'm so excited to be visiting with you at view from my heels to share some of my favorite rooms. Today, we're going to explore bedrooms for two or more kids - very appropriate since Meredith has beautiful twin boys in the house. Creating a comfortable room for two, three or more is a challenge for both designers and parents. However, the results, like the eight we're sharing here, often show us they're up for the task and leave us in awe of their creativity and resourcefulness. Please enjoy!   

 

This crisp blue and white room would work beautifully for boys or girls. Bunk beds were chosen to allow room for comfy seating on the opposite wall. I love the combination of stripes and checks and the custom pendant light.

   

By fitting two beds and overhead storage on one wall, there's plenty of room for play in the rest of the space. Of course, as with bunk beds, safety measures for toddlers might have to be taken with that cute little ladder.

   

A bedroom space any mother could love, it's chic and offers lots of toy storage. The color palette is bright and cheerful, while the tall draped window adds a touch of grown-up charm.

 

It seems red and blue is a perennial favorite in interior designs for children's rooms. This open airy space can easily grow with the kids from toddler to teen room.

   

What a charming coastal feel this bedroom has. Again, we see the benefit of placing both beds on one wall, this time with a center divider that allows for a bit more privacy.

   

This lovely room seems fit for royalty, two little princes or princesses. With a formal feel, it's still comfortable and child friendly. I love the simple, but elegant canopies.

   

An inspired design for quadruplets, this one is quite adorable. The beds are charming, the upholstered benches offer cool storage and the oversized animals want to follow me home.

   

Soft pastels are perfect for this unique beach cottage style bedroom design for four. I love the cool minty color of the window trim. 

Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 

Which kid room is your favorite? If you check out Design Shuffle here, there are even more great ideas and inspiration to decorating your kid's rooms!

Big News!

we're having our first ever guest post on vfmh on monday! i hope you all check it out! in the meantime, TGIF. we are dealing with the 4 month sleep regression at our house which i never knew was an actual thing but it's definitely real. all of a sudden sleeping has gone out the window. grrr! so i wouldn't mind being in this room all weekend peacefully sleeping away :)

via west elm's blog

Wisteria: Scratching Me Right Where I Itch

that sounds kinda gross but let's just go with it. actually it's a seinfeld reference. anyone else have a husband who still watches that show religiously? anyway! just got the new wisteria catalog and it is chock full of color which i think by now you know that i love!

first i'll start with this cabinet. bamboo and greek key? yes please.

tiffany blue boxes:

yummy ikat lamp:

ikat pillow at an insanely good price ($29 for the cover, $49 with insert):

beauuuutiful blue and white dhurrie:

another view and lamps here too:

gray console/chest. i am envisioning this in an entry but it would work anywhere.

this feels like an ad for wisteria but trust me, no one is paying little ole me a dime! just things that caught my eye. and definitely not everything at wisteria is my style but there are some great pieces that i think mix well and are unique.

Hexagon

happy may day. (what is may day??) anyway, saw this rug on one kings lane. hexagon by david hicks. i love this pattern and this color. it comes in a 12' runner...tempting!

in practice...

muse interiors via houzz

zoe feldman design via houzz

what do you think?