Keeping it Real: A Decorating Dilemma

Have you ever had a room that ends up being waaaay more difficult to decorate than every other room in your house? While some rooms just seem to come together (somewhat) effortlessly, that one little stubborn room just keeps putting up a fight? Yes?...Okay good. That makes me feel A LOT better.

I've shown you my kitchen (ad nauseum...sorry) and my living room (and I'll be showing you a few other rooms soon) but for some reason my master bath has decided to be a worthy adversary. In all honesty....it's been kicking my butt. I hate to even admit that, because I feel like I should have all the answers in the decorating universe, but man oh man I've had trouble with that room.

Here's the BEFORE photo (again...sorry that you're seeing it for the umpteenth time)

Here's the KIND OF AFTER photo (way too dark and blah....and I truly apologize for the flat iron and paint cans in the photo).


It's blandness kind of gives you a tummy ache, huh? Sooo, obviously, I'm cooking up a Plan C.

I was looking through my inspiration photos over the weekend, and I was struck by this one from Pottery Barn.

OPTION 1

I hadn't planned on using a color as bright as the blue-green on the vanity, but I really kind of like it. It would give the bathroom a focal point and it would also tie in with my bedroom (I'll be showing you soon). If I did paint and glaze my vanity, I'd probably paint the walls a cream color and use white on the trim. So, that's possibility 1.

For possibility 2, I could paint the walls a very pale gray-blue and paint/glaze the cabinets cream. Kind of like the kitchen below from HPJ185 on Rate My Space.

OPTION 2:

Or...for possibility 3, I could always just paint everything cream and white and call it good (with a few carefully chosen accessories to bring in a bit of color and texture). Keep in mind there's no natural light in the bathroom, though, so I'm not sure how all white would work in there.

OPTION 3:

Photo: Coastal Living

I'm opening the lines American Idol style (...minus the actual phone lines) and letting you cast your vote. Yes...I'm that desperate, but I also trust your fabulous taste and judgment. Besides, sometimes you can become so immersed in a project it's hard to see straight...know what I mean?...so I thought it would be constructive to get some perspective from you.

Thanks so much...and please, please, please keep reading my blog. I promise I DO normally have lots and lots of great decorating ideas to share...or, at least a whole bunch, or gaggle, or something like that :-).

Paint Color Party!

Melissa at 320 Sycamore is having a favorite paint color party today. I am so excited about this party because I L-O-V-E paint colors....like seriously, a collection of paint chips is more exciting to me than a box of chocolates. I love paint that much. And then to actually see colors and other people's homes and actually be told what they are?!...oh stop, it's too much.

So, while I was excited about the party, I wasn't originally going to participate because the reality is that can't say I know what my favorite colors are yet. I've only lived in our cottage a year and I think one must get to know one's house. It's like that scene in Under the Tuscan Sun where Diane Lane talks about introducing herself to her house and letting her home introduce itself to her. I'm a firm believer in that concept.

There's honestly only one room in my house right now where I'm completely content with the paint color. Le Kitchen...

The color is Restoration Hardware's Cappuccino and it works so well in this room because there's plenty of light, and it's combined with cream cabinets, tan floors, and black and white accents (and a smidge of silver sage).

I also like the color in my living room (The Nester's Tobacco Road...do you think the paint company knows it's her's? If not they should...and pay her residuals or something).

I think it may have been mixed just a little off, though, because it's a smidge too yellow for me. I'd prefer if it had a bit more tan in it, but it is very warm and cozy.

I thought I'd also share some great paint colors from the house I used to live in.

Ralph Lauren Cotswold Breeches was used in both the living room and guest bath (below). It's a nice substantial neutral with green undertones. Very nice.

I used Ralph Lauren Archectural Cream on my kitchen cabinets and Ralph Lauren Manor Gray on the walls. It's a very nice combo.

Finally, I painted the laundry room Sherwin Williams Svelte Sage and it was my FAVORITE room in the house. It's such a soothing green. It has a lot of gray in it so it doesn't take any energy to look at it...does that make sense to anyone besides me? (oh...and yes, this is the only photo I have...sorry!).

Soooo, I'll be sure to let you know when I develop new favorite paint colors in the Cottage, but be sure to head over to Melissa's to see other great paint ideas. Enjoy!

Patio in Progress..AKA The Blue Period

I've desperately been needing some patio furniture, and I just haven't done it because it's so darn expensive!!! However, how can I possibly have outdoor get-togethers if I don't have anywhere for people to sit? So I told myself I could spend $100, to improve my patio situation.

Wanna see what I found? Oh, I'm sooo excited.

Disclaimer: This is where I meant to include the actual photo of the glider I was going to buy after my dentist appointment this afternoon...but the appointment ended up being a little more complicated than planned and one of my cheeks looks like I'm hiding a jaw breaker in there...I'm not even kidding. Therefore the photo below is a a similar bench I found online (ummm..does it sound like I had a lawyer draft that disclaimer?...just checking).


Isn't it cute? The real glider is from Garden Ridge and it's on sale this week for $80.00 (well, $79.99 but c'mon...who do they think they're fooling?). It's hard for me to fork out $80.00 on any one item, but I knew it had to be done.

I then stopped by TJ Maxx and found these adorable, beachy outdoor pillows.



They came in sets of 2 for $19.99...not too bad.

And while I was at it I had to buy the matching placemats...why not, eh?


Oh...and I stumbled upon this Dash and Albert outdoor rug at TJ Maxx and I just couldn't pass it up. Although, it may end up inside...soooo many possibilities.

So...if you do the math, I went a little over my $100 limit...but that still wasn't bad for everything I bought. And I am so excited to get it all together so we can finally enjoy our patio!

So that's it for now. I'll be sure to report back when it's finished.

An American Girl in Germany

Hey everyone! I'm happy to say my feet are firmly back on American soil....although I think the coherent part of my brain is still somewhere over the Atlantic. Oh well...

First, I want to give a BIG thank you to Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for her great guest post last week. Like many of you, I desperately want to start using power tools, but I'm just a little bit skeered. I admire Sarah and her "Just Do It!" attitude.

Okay...so let's talk Germany. I honestly didn't have a lot of time to get out and explore, and I would have looooved to have taken more pictures, but I did grab a few I thought you'd be interested in. If the picture quality isn't top notch it's probably because I took it in the span of 5 seconds...better than nothing, right?

I basically had one day when I wasn't in a conference center, and on this day we traveled to a charming little town called Aachen. It's about an hour outside of Cologne (where I was staying).

Isn't it cute?! It was hot that day so we decided to stop into this little pub for a cold beverage. I think it's one of the few old buldings that's left in the town (since most towns and cities were flattened during WWII).

I loved this old blue and white tile.

And (being the decorating geek that I am) I was transfixed by this old painted lettering.

We then wandered down the street, and this little row of homes stopped me in my tracks. I love the blue next to the yellow, etc. So charming.

Care for a Lilien?

Or a Hortensien?

And I lagged behind my group just so I could discretely snap a photo of this menu board. If I'd had the chance I would have eaten there just so I could have stared at the menu board and flowers.
We then crossed over into Belgium so we could visit a U.S. WWII War Cemetery. It happened to be Memorial Day in the U.S. so this was especially fitting.

Isn't Belgium beautiful?! I could easily imagine myself living in a little farm house in the Belgian Countryside....where we'd eat Belgian Waffles and Belgian Chocolate...oh yes, I could just picture it :-).

It's hard to capture the vastness of the headstones in the cemetery. There were thousands. Apparently most of the soldiers laid to rest in the cemetery perished in the Battle of the Bulge.

It was truly awe inspiring.

Finally, I snapped a few photos of my hotel for you. I've noticed that in European hotels (even in nice ones) the public spaces are usually pretty grand and the guest rooms are fairly humble.

Here are a few photos of public spaces in my hotel (I really should have taken more).

Doesn't this drape look like a ballgown?

And look at its graceful little puddle! It's almost like a train on a wedding gown.

I actually ghasped when I caught a glimpse this fabulous courtyard.

Notice all of the window boxes in the photo below? They were everywhere in Germany.

And here's my little room.

Surprised at how plain it is? I was too...especially since this was a very nice hotel. It was perfectly comfortable though, and the down comforter and duvet cover were to.die.for. I wanted to sneak it out of there it was so light and cloudlike and the cover was so incredibly soft and smooth. Ahhh...

Oh, and here's a gratuitous shot of the bidet...which I was never adventurous enough to use.


And I loved this little "Do Not Disturb" sign...it could have just been the jetlag though.

It's good to be back! Thanks for your patience last week.

XO~AnNicole

Don't fear the power tools.

Hello all! It's Sarah from Thrifty Decor Chick here for a guest post! My friend AnNicole is off traipsing around Germany...well, really, she's "working" (sure AnNicole). I like to think she's frolicking around in fields of tulips or something. (Or is that Holland?)

Whatev.

Anyway, I am so excited to be here at AnNicole's place! And I have one mission with this post -- that you will no longer fear power tools.

Tools are not just for your Dad.

They are NOT just to walk past in Lowe's on your way to furnace filters.
Tools are not just for your Hubby to hoard and use "when he has time," or "when I get home from work," or "woman, will you get off my back?!"

Sorry. You get my point. I once was like many of you...my tool skills consisted of twisting a screwdriver to put furniture together. I was even confused when it asked for a "flathead" screwdriver. Wasn't there just one kind?

When we moved into our house, I discovered my love of all things molding. At this point, my experience with tools had graduated to an electric drill. Upon the direction of my father, I went and got myself a purdy little yellow miter box that comes with a hand saw:

With that miter box, some glue, a hammer and nails and a level, I dressed up our columns:

And fancied up the entry as well:

My love of tools was growing, but I was still hesitant to try out anything new (read: more powerful). Enter the nail gun. My sweet, sweet Lovely:

Three years ago when I was pregnant, my Dad and I made these built-ins together -- for less than $200 for two of them:

It was on that glorious day I used the nail gun for the first time. I still remember the first shot. And good God, it was FUN! I believe I put about 30 extra nails in each time just for good measure. (Dad had to stop me because we were running out of nails.) It was that fun, that empowering.

And from that day on I was hooked. Dad just gave me his nail gun -- he could see the little hearts coming out of my eyes. So with that, I went crazy and did this with beadboard:

And most recently, did this in our living room: But there was still one power tool that alluded me. The compound miter saw...

And this one I really was scared of. I mean, this thing is heavy duty. But one day, while working on my beadboard island:

My hand was about to fall. off. from all the cuts with the miter box, and the saw was only $108 on clearance at Lowe's. I splurged and got it. I was scared the first time I used it and then never again. It is my new Love. The possibilities are endless with you my dear...

I hear it ALL the time -- not just from readers, but from friends..."I'm too scared!"

Well, don't live in fear ladies. I know some of these tools look ominous. But once you learn how to use them, and realize they are all made so that it is hard to mess up when using them, I guarantee you won't be as hesitant.

Here are some tips if you are going to take the plunge:

1. Start small. The miter box is, in my humble opinion, the easiest tool to use and is the smallest but does the biggest job.

2. If you've never used a power tool, PLEASE have someone show you how to use them. Honestly, once you've done it yourself I promise you'll feel a 100 times more comfortable with it. But until then, let someone show you how to use it, even if it's the sales guy at Lowe's.

3. Most of the time there's no reason to be scared. You need to be cautious with tools, you need to take your time, and you should never skip important steps (like wearing eye protection when using the compound miter saw.) But it is nearly impossible to nail into something with the nail gun unless you are using it correctly. The electric saw blade is protected until just before it hits the wood. If you are using them correctly, they are truly, truly easy to use.

Don't wait. Don't wait for your husband (unless you have a really handy one -- lucky you if so!!). Don't wait till you have enough money to hire someone (you can rent these tools). If you want to make your home more lovely, don't wait.

I promise you can do it. Cross my tool belt heart.