The Serena and Lily Fall catalog will send me to the poorhouse

But rest assured, I will have the most stylish room in that poorhouse.  After dog-earing two dozen pages in the latest Serena & Lily Fall catalog, I decided a post was in order.  Maybe we can all be roomies in this fabulous poorhouse?

By the way, whoever is styling that catalog is doing a killer job.  See the full array of new Fall offerings here  but these are just a few of my favorites. 

1.  Coco Play Table & Stools:  Kid sized for the chicest of tea parties...can I get this in an adult size please?

2.  Bone Inlay Frame:  So graphic and fun, love it.

3.  Metallic  Suede & Hemp Rug:  Did you hear what I just said??!?!  METALLIC SUEDE!!  I love this fresh take on the natural fiber rug.  

4.  Marbella Owl Napkins:  I kinda want to create an entire room around this gorgeous napkin which is far too lovely to be folded up as a napkin.  It really wants to be on full display as a pillow (stuff it with this 20" square pillow insert). 

5.  Lotus Mirror:  36" diameter mango wood

6.  Punch Diamond Quilt Euro Sham

7.  Hanna Andersson Organic Cotton Baby Sleeper

8.  Jali Frame Collection

9.  Chevron Jute & Hemp Rug:  I've seen a million chevron rugs at this point.  Kudos to Serena & Lily for re-imagining this popular pattern in a new, natural fiber way.

10.  Elephant Pouf Leaf/Turquoise

11.  Capiz Tile Chandelier :  I am dying over this mod shape and the scale is amazing (30" diameter!!!)

12.  Elephant Pouf Carrot/Punch

Design Trick: Mirrors over Nightstands

My favorite layout for a bedroom is one where the bed is nestled between 2 windows.  I love the instant presence it gives the bed and the soft background light you get to wake up to.  Our bedroom makes use of that layout but since it is SOOOO not camera ready, I'll use Kate's lovely bedroom to demonstrate what I mean. 

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But sometimes the optimal bed placement in a room doesn't play nicely with window placement.  In that situation, I love the design trick of putting the bed on a solid wall and "faking" windows by positioning a mirror over each nightstand.  This works especially well if the windows in the room are opposite the bed.  The mirrors reflect the light and magically bring sparkle and lightness to the bed wall.  Placing lamps on the nightstand in front of the mirrors will also do the trick.  Plus I love the layered look this creates. 

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What do you think of this look?  Is this something you would try?  Or are you doing it, you fashionable, smart people you!

Potential at Shelton's Furniture

Yesterday, one of my fantastic readers Erin posted on my Facebook page that there was some interesting campaign style furniture at my favorite local used furniture haunt - Shelton's Furniture in Raleigh. It quickly made me realize that I hadn't paid them a visit since I was there almost a year ago looking at changing table contenders for Knox's nursery. A year! Seriously, where does the time go?

For about 7 minutes, I convinced myself that I wasn't going to go because I'm not very good at walking away from a great deal and a diamond in the rough. The combination of those two things seems to make me forget about my other half dozen projects in progress and before you know it, I'm strapping a 400 lb credenza to the top of my car. But I was blinded by the idea of finding one of the 3 things still left on my furniture stalking list so off I went!

I realize many of you don't live in the Raleigh area, but I'm hoping you can still find a little inspiration in these images and the potential that lies within! Apologies in advance for the terrible iPhone photos. This is the best I could manage while holding a wiggly 6 month old.

If you do happen to live in the Raleigh area, know that everyday is 50% off day at Shelton's so don't ever accept the listed price. And of course, there is always room for negotiations.

Love this credenza and the storage it provides. Look at those hidden drawers!

Doesn't it remind you of Jenny's credenza that she transformed with red spray paint?

via Little Green Notebook

via Little Green Notebook

Holy retro-lisciousness! Look at that banquette!

How about this mid-century lovely?

Cleaned up and with a glossy white top, you've got something that looks like this.

via Oh Dee Doh

See how Sherry & John transformed a similar piece here.

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I came so close to bringing this little stool home with me. It was marked at $99 (which means you could probably get it for $40) and less than 1/4 yard of some fabulous fabric would totally transform it.

via High Street Market

I found myself really intrigued by this piece too. It was pretty substantial (about 4' long) and would be a great layering piece propped on a mantle or something.

I need to stop buying mirrors or it's going to look like a fun house up in here, but this curvy framed one has a lot of potential.

In case you're decorating your spaceship...

Though seriously, these were made of a thick plastic and with outdoor cushions they could make for some interesting outdoor furniture.

A campaign style bookcase. I only spotted one. Sad because I love me a pair of bookcases.

Once again, look to Jenny for some inspiration on how fab these can look. See how she transformed a pair here.

Garage sale and flea market season is upon us so get out there this weekend and find yourself something fabulous!

Latest Score: Vintage faux bamboo mirror

So if you follow me on Facebook, you already know that I spent Saturday morning doing one of my favorite things - perusing every aisle of goodies at the Raleigh Flea Market. I wasn't really looking for anything which of course is when you find all the best stuff right? Like my latest favorite mirror - this vintage, gilded faux bamboo number.


The tag stuck on it said $20. I somehow managed to keep a straight face as I talked the dealer down to $15. He agreed and I ran away with it cackling like a crazy person.

I walked in the door with it and got the same reaction from Mr. H+F that I always get when I return from the flea market...y'know that "why do you keep bringing more junk home?" look. I have no idea where it will go but for $15 I couldn't leave it behind right?! RIGHT??! It's a great size too, 32" x 25". Maybe I'll try it at different places around the house and post back here for your opinion.

p.s. I also picked up these adorable vintage brass and crystal lamps. Except they had sadly lost most of their crystal mojo. Nothing a quick visit to eBay can't fix though. I don't have a spot for them so look for them in the Etsy shop (which is looking pretty sad inventory wise these days...working on it!) later this month.

Unlimited Space (Ceramic House) - by Héctor Ruiz-Velázquez

In the attic of an emblematic building of classical early 20th century Madrid, this new concept of living space is placed: UNLIMITED SPACE (Ceramic House) is presented by architect Héctor Ruiz-Velázquez and built out of total freedom of layers. 

 

My Chinoiserie Mirror & Entry

I found this crazy vintage chipped Chinoiserie Mirror at Lucketts yesterday & just went for it. My entryway is dull and uninviting to use the nicest of terms. It's really bad. (below) yummy linoleum (before.)






And you can see it from the Living room and the main wall is actually a focal point of sorts when in the living room (which is where the pic above is taken from. ) I'm putting it high on the main wall so it reflects all of the windows in the living room, not a person's face, when you're in the entry (I'm doing a smaller one across from the door for that.) Here's the mirror below (not hung yet- sorry!) in the repainted entry (white white) which now has wall-to-wall seagrass.



Red is NOWHERE in my house. I'm not usually a red fan but something about this mirror just made me grab it. I just love its patina & chips & cracks. It matches nothing I have but the love was there so I'm sure it'll work.



This 4 foot tall caged lantern (below from Bellacor.com for around $200- what a deal!!) arrived yesterday and I can't wait to install it to replace the sickly-light-producing-globe one that's there now!!!


And one last pic of the chips & cracks!! (I know I go overboard taking pics of the same thing sometimes but just can't help myself)

Have a great weekend everyone. We're hoping our floors have arrived on time so we'll be installing those along with all of the installs for a client's SURPRISE master bedroom. (She is surprising her fiance and they will be gone for the weekend & will come home to a completely new room!!! She's seen nothing in person - only the design plan- and I'm so excited to make a nice romantic space for the newlyweds!! I was thinking how cute it would be to have champagne & rosepetals or something waiting for them but then I also realized how weird that might be.. hahaha maybe just some pretty flowers!) wish me luck!!

xoxo,

lauren