French Bistro Chairs

The rattan bistro chair - so classic, so durable, so.......French!

via TK Collections

Just a glimpse of their woven beauty and I'm instantly transported to my favorite Parisian bistro, enjoying a chocolate croissant(s) and watching the world go by. 

Lately I've been noticing these chairs used in some very stylish interiors.  I love that they inject a healthy dose of French style and I LOOOOOVE how practical they are.

These chairs are made to live outdoors and withstand the elements (READ:  they can withstand kids!) and you know I'm all about some attractive, kid-friendly chairs!  While the backs and seats appear to be woven from plastic, the authentic chairs are actually woven from a material called Rilsan, a derivative of the castor oil plant.   This stuff is virtually unbreakable and messes wipe right up.  And BONUS! Look how great they can look!

 

 

via House Beautiful

via Lonny Magazine

Maison Midi carries them (their's are woven from nylon).  But for the real deal, you need to get them from TK Collections.  Their chairs are hand crafted in France using the old techniques of steaming and bending the rattan and hand weaving the Rilsan.  Check out the process here.  Sadly though, TK Collections only sells to designers, so you need to place your order through a designer.  Booooo! to that!

I had a fun time playing around with their interactive weave designer though.  Do you like my designs?

Losange pattern (in fushia & natural)

Creole pattern (in white & cadet blue)

Multi Chevrons (in gray & pastel turquoise)

Losange ave Motifs pattern (in yellow & white)

All hainted up!

I did it!!! I actually did it! Behold my haint blue porch ceiling.

Two weeks ago while enjoying a Sunday afternoon on our front porch, I was reminded of how badly I wanted a blue porch ceiling. But as I mentioned in this post, I only seem to remember that I want a blue porch ceiling once the temperature has climbed into the 90s. That's been the case for the last 3 summers. Well I finally decided to do something about it this year. I can't believe I actually did it, but I'm SOOOOO happy it's done.

I used Martha Stewart's Aegean Blue from Home Depot.



I was about 1/2 way done when my friend Amy told me that Benjamin Moore will actually make you a custom (not on their color fan) color they've developed especially for Southern porch ceilings. Amy if you're reading this, leave a comment with how you do that/what you ask for!

It took me over 6 days working during Knox's morning naps (way too hot out there during his afternoon naps). I skipped one day when it was 90 degrees by 10 am. But slowly, I chipped away at it and got it done. Taping the whole thing off one day...

And painting, painting, painting the other days. I cut in around all the edges, ceiling fans and light fixture with a brush. Then Mr. H+F did the rest with a roller.

AND THEN I went back and did all the ridges with a brush...as in by hand. Yea. You read that right. All 500 sq ft of ceiling. The roller just wasn't getting up into the grooves and the result was a weird, stripey effect with blue on most of the ceiling and white lines showing through at each groove. I'm pretty sure I lost about 10 lbs of water weight sweating it out on this project but I totally love how it looks now that it's done.

I love how pretty the blue is when you're on the porch but how it just peeks out at you when you're looking at the house from the street.

If you need me I'll be here all summer.

Haint Blue Porch Ceilings

If you've ever visited the Charleston, SC / Savannah, GA area (or the Lowcountry as we call it in the South) you have no doubt seen the haint blue ceilings that grace nearly every antebellum mansion's front porch. Sometimes it's periwinkle, sometimes it's turquoise but it's always some shade of beautiful blue. A "haint" is an old Southern word for ghost or spirit, usually the un-friendly kind. Porch ceilings were painted haint blue to keep away these unfriendly spirits. Thus a house with a haint blue ceiling is protected. As if a great big, deep front porch needs anymore help to feel welcoming! (There's also all kinds of far less romantic explanations like it keeps the bugs away.)












I think the perfect color of haint blue for something like this is Martha Stewart's Aegean Blue for Home Depot. It's the perfect shade of robin's egg blue meets Carolina blue which I love!


This is my covered front porch ceiling. Don't you think it could use a great shot of blue?


Problem: This is one of those projects that I only seem to remember I want to do once porch season rolls around. And it's already like a billion degrees here everyday. My shoulders and neck are sore just thinking about tackling this...

Welcome Summer!

Memorial Day weekend is upon us and it brings with it the un-official start to the summer season! It's been 80 and downright HOT here in the Carolinas for a few weeks already. If you haven't been lucky enough to enjoy some summer-like weather yet this year (like my friends & family in the northeast who've had a complete washout of a spring, ick!), here's hoping things turn around for you this weekend.

To help get you started, I've rounded up some of my favorite summertime finds via Etsy.

1. I would love to catch an afternoon breeze on my porch in this vintage ib Arberg parrot chair

2. Take advantage of all those luscious peaches that will soon be in season by making some yummy peach lemonade and serving it in this adorable vintage peach pitcher.

3. I love a great beach tote - the more punchy and vibrant the better and this yellow & white striped sailor tote definitely fits the bill.

4. I'll be celebrating Knox's first s'mores making season with this ridiculously cute marshmallow campfire onsie.

5. I always get a kick out of flipping through old cookbooks and this one put out by Reynolds Wrap in 1950 is sure to entertain and give you some new uses for the ubiquitous outdoor cooking material. I mean, aren't you the least bit curious how to make a drinking cup out of foil?

6. I'm always amazed at the variety of pretty patterns you can get in outdoor fabric these days. This greek key patterned outdoor pillow is fab.

7. Sure, go ahead and look silly in your paper bib. I for one will be looking chic at my next lobster fest. Heavy weight cotton twill and washable lobster bibs. Brilliant.

8. I love the beachy colors, shapes and materials in these little chandelier cluster earrings.

9. You haven't lived until you've wrapped yourself in one of these Turkish bath towels. Don't let its lightweight appearance fool you - this beauty is as absorbent as its Egyptian cotton counterpart but not nearly as bulky or heavy making it the perfect candidate to tuck into your beach tote.

Imperial Trellis goes outdoors

Just in time for naps on the porch season, outdoor pillows in the pattern we all love to hate (or love to love depending on who you are).


They only seem to have this green/brown combo online but I saw a hot navy & white combo at my local Target so be sure to check there if you prefer that color. $19 for two pillows. I love you Target!

A traditional Normandy House

Hello my dearest!

What's best way to start

a new week?

With some fab images!

Buongiorno carissime!

Qual'è il modo migliore

di cominciare la settimana?

Ma  con bellissime immagini!

This is a traditional Normady Home

with that french chic

mixed with some country touches.

Questa è una casa tipica della Normandia

con il tipico stile chic francese

mixato però con alcuni tocchi country.

The feminine bathroom...

Il bagno femminile...

the bedroom...

la camera da letto...

and if you want to enjoy an

outside breakfast...

here you are!

e se volete godervi una

colazione all'aperto...

eccovi servite!

credits

A traditional Normandy House

Hello my dearest!

What's best way to start

a new week?

With some fab images!

Buongiorno carissime!

Qual'è il modo migliore

di cominciare la settimana?

Ma  con bellissime immagini!

This is a traditional Normady Home

with that french chic

mixed with some country touches.

Questa è una casa tipica della Normandia

con il tipico stile chic francese

mixato però con alcuni tocchi country.

The feminine bathroom...

Il bagno femminile...

the bedroom...

la camera da letto...

and if you want to enjoy an

outside breakfast...

here you are!

e se volete godervi una

colazione all'aperto...

eccovi servite!

credits