Gorgeous Christmas Salt Box in ConneCticut

Isn't this a pretty front door for Christmas and winter?





It belongs to this charming salt box home in Connecticut...





and the owners,  Frank and Andra Mollica. Many of you may have seen the article in Country Living magazine, or on countryliving online, but I can't help sharing it. I admire the colours, textures, and simple feel of this home so much (including the Christmas decor.) 





The wall and trim colours are very much like our main floor and hallways. Love the little trees in bowls and buckets. I would love to have a wall of windows with a wreath in each one. I might just have to try a similar look in our family room. Hmm...





The galvanized tub for a tree stand is another perfect touch, in my opinion. Can you tell I like my home to be a little simpler, a little more rustic?





Stop by the link to CL if you would like to see the kitchen and other photos. I'm going to strain my eyes analyzing these photos a bit longer ;)


Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends today. Enjoy your weekend and safe travels, including to my sister, brother-in-law and two nieces travelling today from here in Ontario to Pittsburgh, PA. We have our family room tree up, but lots of decorating still to do. On another note, I have always considered myself a pretty good speller, but I really did not know that Connecticut had that middle 'c'. 

Post Title

→

Gorgeous Christmas Salt Box in ConneCticut

Post URL

→

https://learningwithimpact.blogspot.com/2011/11/gorgeous-christmas-salt-box-in.html

Visit Learning with Impact for Daily Updated Collection

Shingle Style Inspiration

In trying to find inspiration to work on some unfinished trim projects here at home, I came across these photos I had in my inspiration file.



I am a fan of Shingle Style homes and this Canadian lakeside vacation home above, from BHG, is a favourite of mine.





Our home's exterior has a hint of Shingle Style (crisp and simple, restrained ornamentation, multi-gabled roof, white wave board and arched window.) The trim and attention to detail in this home is awesome. Our builder basic home is much simpler than this home (and totally lacking shingles) but it shows that by adding architectural interest to ours, on a much smaller scale, we can get some of the same feeling. 





Our home has carpeted stairs with oak rails that I would love to rip up, repair, paint and stain. Yeah, huge project but it would look so good. Not as great or as large as this entry with the gorgeous hardwood, but certainly fresher.





Layers of trim and tongue-and-groove ceiling boards in fresh white make me swoon. On a smaller scale I can add recessed panel trim to the two posts in our dining room where the drywall is chipping away from our kids playing hockey in the house.





The mix of materials in this room is really appealing. Love the planks, barnwood, granite stone, shingles and the light bouncing off the white ceiling. The cathedral ceiling in our family room/kitchen (think horrible popcorn ceiling with lovely skylights) would really look great with a beadboard or tongue-and-groove plank treatment. Actually, just about anything would look better than the popcorn ceiling ;)





Another shot of the same room. Great windows and lovely transoms. We have the wall of windows/patio door but not the transoms. I have been working on our board and batten wall, but have stopped at the fireplace because I'm still not sure what to do there.





This stone really appeals to me but is probably way out of my price range and skill level. I do have black curtain rods and simple white curtains though : ) More great ceiling treatments including this coffered one.
  



A farmhouse sink {SIGH}. We had one growing up and I was so excited when my parents put in new cabinets and a 'modern' stainless sink. How I would love to have that old beauty now! Also on our list of wishes (not needs) is a subway tile backsplash. This home has a great mix of subway tile and herringbone tile.
  



Another great detail in the home is oil-rubbed bronze door hardware. I may just have to look into changing out some of our builder shiny-brass doorknobs to match our front door hardware. Have any of you had luck with spray painting interior door knobs? I'm also wondering if you ever get inspiration to continue a project (or the opposite~totally distracted) by great home tours or photos from your inspiration file?


ALL PHOTOS EXCEPT THE SECOND ONE ARE VIA BHG

Post Title

→

Shingle Style Inspiration

Post URL

→

https://learningwithimpact.blogspot.com/2011/09/shingle-style-inspiration.html

Visit Learning with Impact for Daily Updated Collection

Studio Inspiration and a Peek at Mine

I love the unfitted look, and storage potential, of furniture repurposed for craft or sewing rooms.




This scrapbook cabinet, featured this week in BHG's decorating newsletter, probably dates to the 80's as a tv/stereo components cabinet. With large flatscreens now so popular, I see these regularly on kijiji and Craigslist really cheap and often free. Some fresh paint and a few storage containers and you have an inexpensive solution for all your craft needs.




Or how about fabric and craft storage in some freshly painted bookcases and china cabinets. In mismatched or dated wood tones they might just look like leftovers. Painted fun and fresh colours, I think they look adorable and intentional. I love the display space on top too. Seriously, I would swoon if I had all the fabric in these photos.



Cottonblue


I'm fortunate to have a studio/sewing room. Our 4th bedroom, our smallest upstairs bedroom measuring 9' x 10', is a room that I can work in, and close the doors on when it gets too messy. Believe me, it gets very messy. We hung second hand kitchen cabinets and base cabinets that I had planned to paint. I even added beadboard wallpaper to the edges and underneath. I stalled there, trying to decide what to do.




I've tried rearranging things in this small space several times, but I think bookcases or hutches might be a better solution. They are tall, and hug the wall saving valuable floor space. In a 9' x 10' room I need all the floor space I can get. Maybe I should take the cabinets down. Or maybe I should work with a combination of the two hanging cupboards and tall bookcase/hutches.




For my sewing and crafting surface I am using my old farmhouse dining table. It is quite large for a room this size but I like that I am able to spread things out.  




I am working with a wire shelving unit we have until I find some great pieces to paint. Hopefully now that I am off work for the summer, I can spend some time organizing the disaster my studio and take some photos this week. Nothing gorgeous or finished but I'll still share the photos.

I'm linking up with SNS at Funky Junk Interiors. Hope you can stop by.

This year will be my first to link up at My Desert Cottage's Where Bloggers Create 2011. I'm going to roll up my sleeves and get organizing!

Post Title

→

Studio Inspiration and a Peek at Mine

Post URL

→

https://learningwithimpact.blogspot.com/2011/07/studio-inspiration-and-peek-at-mine.html

Visit Learning with Impact for Daily Updated Collection

Inspiration ~ Simply Breezy

I love having a quiet hour or two, sitting in my favourite reading spot with an icy glass of lemonade, and flipping through my decor books for inspiration.




Better Homes and Gardens second home ~finding your place in the sun  is an old favourite, published in 2000, but the advice on searching for and purchasing a second vacation home is still valid. Very pretty pictures, too. We won't be buying a second home anytime soon, but I certainly would refer to it again whenever we do.



all images: Better Homes and Gardens Second Home Finding Your Perfect Place In the Sun


This beachfront home I am sharing was one of the reasons why I first bought the book and I still love this look many years later. Especially at this time of year, as I strive to lighten our home for summer, I am very drawn to the simple colours and textures.



I am inspired by the laid-back textures and materials: natural birch floors, coir rugs, pine tables, white canvas slipcovers, enamelware, painted wood chairs, Muskoka (Adirondack) chairs,



simple and bright white walls, white painted wicker, simple blue and white fabrics, white dishes and pitchers,



wrought iron candleholders, breezy white curtains, ticking stripe, casual bunches of cut flowers, and of course, the view! I guess this casual beach style is really quite timeless. That's it, I'm getting out my flipflops today.

Post Title

→

Inspiration ~ Simply Breezy

Post URL

→

https://learningwithimpact.blogspot.com/2011/05/inspiration-simply-breezy.html

Visit Learning with Impact for Daily Updated Collection

Inspiration Journey Linky Party

I'm joining the Inspiration Journey Linky Party at Modern Country Style. Sarah describes it as "a party where you can link up WHATEVER images have given you inspiration on your quest for the prettification of your home."



I'm inspired by beautiful white trim like in this Blue River Cottage.



image: Stephen Alexander Homes and Neighborhoods


I'm trying to add some trim personality to our plain builder home. So far I have a couple of walls in the kitchen started and love the results. I have plans for lots more as time permits.



I'm inspired by black Windsor chairs, Pine farmhouse tables and hutches. I love the simple rustic country feel of these pieces.



image: Ethan Allen




This month I shared a post about my design style and how this image helped me to better understand the elements I feel comfortable using in our home. I'm inspired by quilts, ticking, white linens, lace, leather, painted wood, white curtains, galvanized and wrought iron metals, browns and tans, blues, white and black. Rugged sturdy denim and romantic lacy cottons.





I'm also inspired by barns, cows and agriculture. 



Image: The Weisen's Dragonfly Farm in Caledon Ontario via Country Living


I'm inpsired by white china and glassware.



image: White Flower Farmhouse


I'm also inspired by so many blogger's homes, many of whom I follow through my sidebar. I hesitated to use my favourite photos here without permission from the blog authors.


I hope you stop by Modern Country Style to see the other links.

Post Title

→

Inspiration Journey Linky Party

Post URL

→

https://learningwithimpact.blogspot.com/2011/03/inspiration-journey-linky-party.html

Visit Learning with Impact for Daily Updated Collection

Design Style ~Prairie Pretty Repost

Simplifying has been a popular topic this year on blogs and in magazines, especially when it comes to home decor. To me simplifying includes eliminating clutter and items that don't have the 'feel' that we want for our home. 

Image: Ethan Allen


This process of simplifying is helping me to make decisions on the design style of our home. I am now more comfortable parting with things that don't suit our home or lifestyle and at the same time making better decisions and not buying or collecting items that don't fit my design style. I'm making money selling a few items and I've saved some money by not making impulse buys just because they were a good deal. The changes are not happening overnight and I can't start from scratch, but I am certainly making better choices and feeling like our home is more 'us'. Tearing out the bedroom carpet in our new build home in the suburbs is not going to unearth perfectly rustic plank floors. But lining our bedroom closet with beadboard might give it a bit more character.

The other day I was reading back through my blog and came across this post.  It was this article, a magazine tearout from Country Home, that helped me narrow down my preferred design style.


Here is the post from June 2010:

I keep coming back to this magazine article I tore from an old issue of Country Home. It has been in my inspiration binder for several years and is hands down my favourite.



I admire many decorating styles, try out a few in our home, moving things here and there, but I always come back to this when I think of how I want our home to look. Prairie Pretty they called it. Rugged and Romantic. Quilts, ticking, eyelet, lace, leather, painted wood, white curtains, metal, galvanized, browns and tans, blues, white and black. Rugged sturdy denim and romantic lacy cottons. I love all the fabrics.



I don't necessarily want to copy this bedroom, but I want to incorporate more of these textures, fabrics and materials that I love, into our home. Adding more of these elements and this feeling to our 12 year old home in a suburb. When buying something new or redoing a bargain find, I have been trying to keep these two photos in mind. Add in some antique pine country pieces, some painted pieces, agricultural elements (cows, horses, barns), and this is my style. I admire many styles, but this is the design style I want for our home. Do you have a design file of magazine tearouts or computer files of favourite images? What name would you give to this style I am struggling to label?






Prairie Country and Rustic/Prairie Country or Rustic Farmhouse were some of the 'names' my readers came up with. They also liked the article's title of Prairie Pretty. I just ordered the much anticipated Romantic Prairie Style by Fifi O'Neill and I can hardly wait to get my copy. I love the homes that are featured, but I'm curious if there are examples that include the darker denim and blacks that I also love to incorporate in our home.

Post Title

→

Design Style ~Prairie Pretty Repost

Post URL

→

https://learningwithimpact.blogspot.com/2011/03/design-style-prairie-pretty-repost.html

Visit Learning with Impact for Daily Updated Collection

Country is Cool!

Country is cool again, but then I always thought it was!





I love getting my Country Living magazine in the mail each month. In Redefining Rustic, The Country Living March 2011 issue shares 25 Reasons Why Country is Chic Right Now.  





The feature discusses how popular designers and famous chefs are incorporating country rustic into modern design and restaurant fare. From recycling materials for new products, to Etsy (what they call "an online arts-and-crafts renaissance"), to quilting, to fancy restaurants cooking with rabbit, the interest in homegrown and homemade is making a comeback.





Organic farming, sustainability, and greener thinking are still hot topics and continue to grow in popularity. Anyone who reads blogs knows that home canning and local farm to table are becoming more and more common, and in many cases being both small and big businesses. I think it is refreshing to see country rustic, for many years scorned in the design world, become more popular. I also love seeing more and more people move towards greener living and sustainability and I think 'home arts' make this more possible.





Not surprisingly, many of the blogs and bloggers I follow are once again way ahead of the times, as we have been seeing all these things in the blogging world for some time now.



Country and rustic style design is still my favourite. It was back then, and it still is now. I'm trying to freshen things up in our home, especially by taking away some of the visual clutter, but I will always have some kind of country rustic style. Things like quilting, needlework, making jam and baking are an important part of my life. We dream of a simple farm life in the country one day, but we're doing pretty well enjoying some country lifestyle here in the 'burbs.


So maybe I'm a little bit 'in style' once again.



all images above: countryliving.com


If you are interested in a chance to win a $75 gift certificate to NOVICA, click here to go to the giveaway post. They have a huge selection of ethically made and sustainable items.

Post Title

→

Country is Cool!

Post URL

→

https://learningwithimpact.blogspot.com/2011/02/country-is-cool.html

Visit Learning with Impact for Daily Updated Collection