nix wallpaper coming back...

Remember when {two posts ago} I said wallpaper was coming back? Nevermind about that. I found something SO much better!

photo by Ashley Ann Photography

I saw this post from Under the Sycamore about painted subflooring and was super inspired. {How beautiful are her floors??} Then yesterday while shopping at Hobby Lobby I stumbled upon a number of different giant stencils to use for walls or floors! To give the appearance of wallpaper! 

I'm pretty excited... and am pretty sure I have much more patience for painting stencils than putting up wallpaper. {Plus there's no tearing down if you want to change... hallelujah!}

I must say I love this website I found- Royal Design Studio. Please check them out- SO much inspiration and amazing stencils to buy. Here are just a few inspiration rooms from them I know you will love...

So much fun, I can't wait to stencil a wall or floor! 

knobs and hardware

I've grown up with some attention to detail- especially in door and cabinet hardware- thanks to my parents' little business where they sell these things. Watching a movie Dad would say, "that's a Baldwin knob", and Mom would say, "yep they put it on backwards." 

Not uncommon. 

So I think door and cabinet hardware is really fun and can add tons of character to a space.

One day while shopping in one of my very favorite stores {Anthropologie} I came across some really beautiful hardware I can't get out of my head {and that I really think Mom and Dad need to start carrying} 

Beautiful huh? They are pretty pricey over at Anthropologie, but I've seen some beautiful hardware also sold at antique stores, World Market, and Hobby Lobby {which are often on sale!} 

My cabinets are hardware-less right now. A perfect time for dreaming!

adding {character} to your house

I'm in the planning and dreaming mode of re-design.

Can I tell you how much I love a house with character? LOVE old houses that have beautiful moulding, crystal door knobs, built-ins, old fixtures. Unfortunately our house was built in 1967 during a time when houses were built pretty much cookie cutter without much character. I've always wanted to live in an old house, maybe someday... but in the meantime I can add some character myself.

Like a crystal chandelier for the dining room...

photo from Coastal Living

And some paneling...

photo from McCabe Lumber

I have to say I'm REALLY excited about adding paneling. And I refuse to spend a fortune, so I'll share with you how I do it when it comes time. Until then,

Here are some of my favorite ways to 

add character to a house:

1. Add crown moulding 
2. Replace flat doors with paneled doors
3. Add vintage or interesting hardware to cabinets and doors
4. Exchange outdated {un-pretty} fixtures with vintage or stunning new ones {I like the new ones that look old}
5. Add wall sconces 
6. Buy ornate outlet covers, switch plates, and vent covers to replace the white {or worse- beige} ones.
7. Add paneling to walls {no not that 70's retro pretend wood that covered whole walls- although I've seen that painted and it can look really good... painted} 
8. Build a fireplace {even if it's faux} 
9. Add built-ins {shelves, cabinets, desks, even murphy beds}
10. Update your front door with a pretty leaded glass door
11. Instal french doors {I love them in offices and dining rooms... pretty much anywhere} 
12. Refinish or put in wood floors 
13. Use antiques {an old desk for a bathroom vanity? Vintage curtain rods?} 
14. Dare I say... wallpaper? I know... I'm even scared of it, but have you seen new hotels that use it to texture a wall? It looks incredible! Or really fun big vintage patterns... but paint can also add nice texturing. {I think wallpaper is coming back- mark my words}
15. Expose {or add "exposed"} beams to the ceiling 
16. IF you need to replace windows... go for the really pretty, original designs {by no means replace them to just to replace them- if you're going to do that call me, I'll find a use for your old ones}
17. Spiral staircase anyone? My parents somehow managed to add two to their house- but they are fun and very pretty. {There's no way one would fit in our house but I wish}
18. How about outside... a cobblestone pathway or patio

Hope this inspires you! 

pretty pictures & inspiring stores

Sometimes I need to be inspired- following are a list of my very favorite places to go when I need some home or craft inspiration. {I linked their design galleries when I could and some of my favorite rooms or ideas}


Home

Pottery Barn

Restoration Hardware 

Antique Stores
{the good ones... if you have been to an antique store and didn't like it chances are it wasn't a good one}

image credit: Hiking in Stilettos

Anthropologie 

World Market

Crate and Barrel 

Kids

Land of Nod

Baby & Child

Pottery Barn Kids

Baby Gap

Janie and Jack

Melissa and Doug

Craft


Hobby Lobby

Archivers

The Paper Source

Urban Arts & Crafts {local to Kansas City}

image credit: Ingenious Inkling

{re}design time!

It's the new year and with it comes new projects! Ben promised me about a month ago when I was putting up our Christmas decor {and saying how I'd love to re-do all our main floor rooms} that I could "next year". Which I'm 90% sure means now. 

In our living room we have two floor to ceiling windows {which I LOVE} but they are a little deceiving. When we moved in I thought our living room would always have tons of light. Sadly I was wrong. And sadly I painted the walls brown which now sort of depress me during the days. 

On the other hand my dining room is full of light and the walls are yellow... just a little too yellow. I have never loved the color {I meant it to be a bit lighter} but it is cheery.

And my kitchen... well it's a burnt red right now and with all the white cabinets it's decent on cheer. I'm in between on re-doing that room.

So it could be that it's January, but I need some change and I need some brighter rooms.

So here goes my color choices...

I LOVE this color for my living room walls. {unknown photo source}

but I also love the touch of green. {photo from Apartment Therapy}

currently we have a patch of drywall above our sliding glass door that I really like the color of actually. I love the light gray and white. Clean and simple. {photo from Apartment Therapy}

Also I'm in love with this color right now- I call it "artist's clay". I might try it for the dining room but I don't want to make the mistake of going too dark again. {photo from classic-interior-design.blogspot.com}

Also did you notice that giant hutch in our dining room? It's definitely too big for the room {it used to be where our sliding door is now but it's been moved and no longer fits} I need a spot for my china away from little hands, so I'm thinking of options- here are the two I have so far:

shelves- these are beautiful aren't they? {photo from exitpursuedbybear.typepad.com}

or build a stunning corner cabinet {photo from Country Living}

but I'd of course use the help of Ana-White.com

Anyway, I'm excited to have been take some vacation time and have a 'staycation' with him for a few days just doing house projects. Yay for redesign!