Happy Dance! New Sponsor

I am thrilled to announce a new sponsor!


Cath is a world renowned London designer who began selling English inspired vintage fabrics and wallpapers.   She founded her company in 1993 with one tiny shop in London's Holland Park which has now grown to 32 shops in the UK and a handful of others located throughout the world.  Her company now includes a wide range of products from homewares to fashion and accessories.

Many of Cath's products are totally English (i.e., the tea cozies and ticket holders) while others simply bring in a hint of the traditional flare.  So, without further adieu, here are some of my favorites from her winter collection (in no particular order)!

Tartan Day Bag


Can't you just see this bag paired with jeans and a comfy sweater for the cooler months?  Even a pair of red wellies for a rainy day. 


Tartan Large Clasp Purse

I also love this small clasp purse.  Sometimes it's nice to carry just a small purse with essentials in it rather than a huge bag.


Retro Flowers Knitting Bag

OK, I don't know how to knit, but this little bag might make me pick it up.  I think it is the most adorable thing!  The perfect size for a small project that you can take with you anywhere.


Boy's Winter Hat


No way around it - this is just stinkin' cute!



Now for a few home goods, since, after all, this is a blog about interior design!

Zoo Duvet Set

Both of my children have out grown this look, but I still love it.  The vintage feel of this fabric makes it timeless for a nursery or toddler's room.

Also, look at these amazing wallpapers for a child's room.  Either would be a fantastic jumping off point to create a very special room.  You could use this paper on an accent wall and then paint the other walls a soft color for major impact.

Vintage Car Wallpaper

For the little boy in your life!

Circus Wallpaper

This circus paper (sorry for the fuzzy image) would be wonderful for a boy or girl.

This wavy stripe has several fun colors included which coordinate with either wallpaper above, but it also has a kaki and a watery blue green stripe which add a bit of sophistication that primary colors alone can't match.

 I could see a bed skirt for a crib out of this stripe along with an accent pillow for a chair in the same space.



And last, but certainly not least, is this cool item.  Have you ever seen anything like this?  It's a linen tea towel in a can!  A can of clean it up!! Who knew?!




These are just a few of Cath's products - there are lots of others on her website.  Please click over and welcome her to the Muse!
Enjoy your day. M.

Let's Go Craig's Listing!

This summer has really been a whirl wind.  I can't believe school starts next week.  I feel like we've just gotten into a summer routine!  Last week, we were able to squeeze in one more trip to the beach, and it was so relaxing - very hot, but relaxing.  We rode bikes, skim boarded (not me!), made tons of drizzle castles, and had some delicious meals.  Now, it's time for back to school prep.  You know the routine - haircuts, new shoes, decent bed time hours, and booster shots!  Here we go! 

With that said, let's distract ourselves with a trip to Craig's list.  Shall we?!  Here are my picks, along with thoughts and ideas on what I would do with these fantastic deals.  

Basic Dresser ($150.00)
I'm seeing more and more of these used in living spaces.  They are popping up as a piece to place under a flat screen TV (that's hung on the wall) or in a room as a focal point with a pair of lamps and a cool piece of artwork hung above.

As is, it's not really that exciting, but the basic shape is perfect for a little DIY project that will inject a huge amount of modern style.   First, I would remove the hardware and paint the entire piece a gray or cream.  

image

Then I would order these amazing O'verlays and apply to the front to get this look.  I would paint them either the gold, white or the same color as the furniture piece.

image

The above is my favorite design (and it's on sale right now), but I also love the greek key below and the oval circle pattern.  All of them would work amazingly well with this dresser. 

So, again, from this . . . 

image

To this . . . 

image

And no, I am not being paid for this advertisement!  In fact, I'm really wishing they were my invention at this point!!  BTW, a huge thank you to the ever snarky Bri at You, Me and a Wiener for introducing me to this product. 

Console Table ($69.00) 
This looks like a sturdy well made piece, and for under $100, it's a true deal.  Console tables are so versatile.  They work behind a sofa, in a narrow entryway or hall, as a buffet table in a small dining room, or even as a focal piece for a large wall (i.e., place chairs on either side of it and a large cool piece of artwork above it). 

image

So, what would I do with it?  Well, paint to the rescue on this one.  Depending on the style of your home, I would consider a bold color in a lacquered finish (if your space is modern) or a chalk paint (if you have a more traditional space or lots of french country furnishings). 

For a modern space, sort of like this. . .  

image

This is a more neutral look.

image

Or you could go with a turquoise color for a soothingly modern vibe. 

image

Now for the chalk paint example with a French Country look like this . . .

image

Hopefully, these have inspired you to look beyond the finish of a furniture piece for more possibilities.  Have a marvelous Monday! M.

Melted Heirloom Tomatoes

Earlier this week, I posted about my weekend.  I had several people email me to ask about the melted tomatoes, so I thought I would share the recipe with you.

Melted Heirloom Tomatoes

Start with the freshest heirloom tomatoes you can find (sounds like Martha, right).  I got these at Whole Foods and selected some of every color they had.
 You will need to wash and dry your tomatoes and cut them into large pieces.  Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Place your tomatoes in a single layer on a cookie sheet and add, fresh basil (10 leaves or so julienned), olive oil (drizzled over them), balsamic vinegar (as much as you like, I just sprinkled it over mine), sea salt and pepper.  Then I tossed them to coat each piece really well.  
You will place these in the oven and forget about them for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

And this is what they look like when they're ready!! 

And when I say they will melt in your mouth, I mean it!! They are divine.
I topped mine with thinly grated parmesan cheese.  

Now I am encouraging you to treat yourself to a meal at home one night this weekend.  I paired these tomatoes with grilled chicken and orzo, but you could easily do any grilled meat.  I think the tomatoes would also be yummy paired with rice, if you're not into pasta (which is unimaginable to me, but to each their own).  

This is such a light, healthy summer dish.  M.

Summer Pastime

Teaching the dog to chew gum . . . 

Looks like we need a bit more practice. M.

The Garden

There is always this short period of time when our garden seems to be at it's peak and then within a just a few days, it begins to look burned up and dry.  Thus is life in the South.
 You really have to enjoy it while it lasts.  I adore sitting on our back patio with my hubby in the evenings enjoying a glass of vino.  It is a wonderful way to end the day.

I have the very rare husband who enjoys working in the yard.  (I know, I know, I'm very lucky!)

One of my favorite spots is this little area of our patio.  You can actually see it from the chairs in the picture above (it's to the right).  This spot is very shady and is really the only place impatiens are able to survive in our yard.  Do you see all those little plants under the bench?  Well those are impatiens that have self seeded from years past.  

Every year, we pick a different color for the pots.  And every year, they seed themselves and pop up everywhere.  It's hard to tell the color variations in these pictures, but they range from purple, pink to even a coral color. 

I love how they create a carpet effect. 

This is another favorite spot for me.  This plant (which I have no clue what it is), hopped a ride with us from our previous home.  We did not purposefully bring it, but it's so incredibly evasive (I truly think it is some kind of weed) that it was growing in the same pot with a plant that we placed in this corner. 

It self seeded and we decided to keep it.  What I love most about this plant is that at the very end of the summer (when everything else is looking dead and dry), it blooms the most wonderful tiny white blooms.  

Totally covers the entire wall in a sea of tiny white flowers.  When that happens, I know summer is almost over.  

When it blooms this year, I'll post a picture for you to see.  Reminds me of a wedding - I  think I say that every year.  

What do you like best in your garden?  I would love to hear about it! M.

PS: I just got an email from House of Fifty - their fall issue is live.  I think I'm going to have to do a post about my favorites from all thes new issues of on line magazines.  If you want to see all their hard work click here House of Fifty or go to my right side bar where I have links to all my favoirtie on line magazines.

"How To" Series: Styling a Mantel

Sometimes I think styling a mantel can be way more difficult than bookshelves.  I liken it to styling a coffee table which I discussed here.  I think, for me, a mantel is challenging because:

1. It is THE focal point of a room
and
2. It's linear, so you have to get creative to make it special without using the element of depth.

via

When you have a room with a fireplace, it's the first thing you notice.  So, the accessories and artwork must stand on their own.

via

  It has to be well thought out and compliment the space.  In some cases, like below, the texture of the brick adds such a wonderful element along with the lantern that a mantel really needs little to no accessories for a wow. 

via

Here are my top things to consider when styling a mantel.

The Balancing Act

Decide on whether you like symmetrical or asymmetrical designs - this is truly a matter of taste.  Symmetrical designs give you a balanced look and tend to be more formal and/or traditional in style while an asymmetrical designs really have a more modern and/or casual vibe.  Now recognize that the ultimate style of the mantel heavily depends on the accessories you select, but the overall look will be influenced by whether you maintain symmetry in the design.

This is a perfect example of symmetry both on the mantel and in this beautiful room.

via

  A little trick to help you decide which you prefer? look around your home and if you have pairs of everything, chairs, lamps, tables, etc. you will probably like a symmetrical design.  

Remember Scale
Determine the proper scale of the items you should include on the mantel.  Rule of thumb: The main focal piece on a mantel should be at least 3/4 the height from the mantel to the ceiling.  It can be taller, but this is a minimum.  Otherwise, the pieces you place on your mantel will get lost.



In this example the artwork appears to be almost the same size as the fireplace surround, but what makes it work is the rest of the wall is large enough to read as one vignette.  

via

Depth of the Mantel

If you have a very deep mantel you will want to include accessories that fill up this space and make the depth feel purposeful.  This happens if the fireplace is located in a recessed corner or has a large alcove above it (for a TV).

If your mantel is very narrow, you will be challenged to find accessories that give you height  without depth.  Options to consider with a narrow mantel include: lamps with shield shades which I talked about here, wall sconces, plates or even propping a pair of weathered shutters for lots of height.

via

Layer the look vs. Keep It Simple

This is also a matter of taste, but it is important to maintain the style of the overall room.
This mantel makes my mouth water.

via

This is one of my all time favorite layered mantels.  Sherry at Design Indulgence is a master at layering without creating clutter.

via

Artwork can be hung or propped depending on the look you want to achieve.  Also, don't underestimate the impact that color will have on the overlook of a space.   In this example they have pulled colors out of the painting for the accent pillows.  

via

Lastly, I adore this image.  You don't even notice that there isn't a mantel!  This is a wonderful example of how one large, simple piece does the trick without a mantel!  

via

Think these things in mind and you will be stylin' in no time!  M.

The Weekend

On Friday night the kids were away, so we decided to stay in.  It's so rare we have a date night in our own house.  Since no one was screaming, begging, pleading for food, we decided to have a late dinner outside.  If you have ever been to Birmingham in late July, you know the later the better.  

These zinnias have almost faded, but I still thought they would be nice on the table.  I wish we had zinnias in our own garden - these are from a very sweet friend whose garden is bursting with them at the moment.  They also seem to last an incredibly long time once cut.

  

Notice the ice cubes in my wine - it's hot here people! And no, that is not a second bottle of wine - it's this incredibly yummy organic olive oil for dipping your bread. 

I served a lemon grilled chicken with melted heirloom tomatoes and orzo and crusty french bread.  I topped it all off with some parm grated on a microplane.  

When we make time to enjoy an evening like this, I always think, "why don't we do this more often?"  It's really not that difficult to make a meal special even when you are not expecting guests.  I think we just get so caught up in our routine we forget to stop and breathe. 

It was so relaxing time slipped away; and before we knew it, the evening had faded into night. 

Savor the summer season and make some plans for an evening at home. 

PS: I just got an email that the new issue of Adore Home Magazine is out!  I have not had a chance to take a peek yet, but I will be making time to do so!  Click here to see for a look see - Adore Magazine   M.