I still love Cottage Living

and I still find so much inspiration in its rooms.  Do you?

The chairs.  The candles.  The toile panels.  Perfection.

Love the contrast of the bold floor and bold pendants with the white walls and sunny windows.

that ceiling!  love.

remember this feminine house?

This is our local community, Serenbe, south of Atlanta.  Next time you are in town it is worth the drive out there.  Such a utopia.

And lastly....is there much better than rows of metal bins in a kitchen?  

Have a good Thursday.  I'm off to finish cooking my contribution to the feast at 6 in the morning.  Oh, the things you do as a mom you never dreamed you would do.  Like making hearty casseroles before you've had your morning coffee and saying things like, "Liam, get that enema out of your mouth!"  Don't you wish we had a recording of all the ridiculous things we say and they?!  Julie

And Anisa is getting her wisdom teeth out today, bless her heart!  Please say a prayer for her.  

random (tired) yumminess

kelly green swan chair 

home office from a home tour in this month's Southern Living Magazine

(I need one now!)

great quote from quote blog--I will dig up her blog and link it!

picture of the kind and laid-back Daryl Carter from the other week

at Urban Electric Co. in Atlanta (yours truly is cropped out)

He had patches on the elbows of his jacket--I have a thing for professory blazers.

perfect creamy front door

soft contrasts

(both images via Farrow & Ball)

LOVE this monochromatic first look with the strong lip color

(J Crew)

chambray shirt & sequin skirt--too good

J Crew

(both via The Neo-Traditionalist

and a perfect sunny fall day

enjoy your Wednesday.....Julie

good bones, baby

This is a listing of a charming home in Mobile, Alabama.  Why am I looking at homes in Mobile, you ask? Good question.

Well, Katie (my online client there) was telling me a story about a home for sale in her hometown whose owners have some killer style.  I had a moment so I poked around to try to find it.

I didn't find that home.  But I did find this gem with a beautiful schoolhouse 10-light door and ebonized floors...

And some pretty amazing lighting.

double fireplaces!!

I find it really true that if you start with good bones...it almost doesn't matter what you put in the home.

It is like Giselle.  Put her in a paper bag and she's still a knockout.

                                Sometimes it is fun to look at real estate.  I did it for SO long, though, before we          
                                bought this home, I think I have had enough for a lifetime.  Are you a stalker?

I will buy Lonny in print because of Lulu DK

Surely you saw Lonny, right?

In my opinion, the best ever!  And I'm not lying about the title of this post.  Sure, I think $34 is crazy money for a magazine...but I pay that for books that have inspired me less.  (And I will pay it for Rue, too, of course, if they were to print as well!!)

Here is the fabric designer above, Lulu DK, in her NY apartment (that may still be on the market?  Not sure.)

And here she is in her current home with her two sons (for Lonny) 

images via her blog Trail of Inspiration

How talented is Lulu Dekwiatkowki?  Please view these glorious rooms.

look at her fabrics on the ottomans.  I have decided I'm going to save up to buy one of her pillows.  Truly one-of-a-kind.

But one of my favorite rooms is this bedroom.  Who would think to put that neutral art in the center of the wall like that in-between two intricate black and white pieces?  The entire composition of the room just blows me away.

And look at where she gets inspired in Italy (her husband is Italian)

more of her custom fabrics....

And here the designer is for C Magazine (April 2009)

The best hallway ever!!  (Gotta tell Chris now that we are going to wallpaper our hallway..not kidding)

No windows?  No problem.  What about a custom beach mural.  I love everything light & natural (like the beach)...and just that touch of black and bronze in the chandelier.

And to close with an image of her NY home.

Once in a while do you come across a room, a song, a poem or a movie that just gives you a true high?  Lifts the spirits?  Isn't that what God created art for?  Her rooms--her art do that to me.

Have an uplifting Tuesday.....Julie

reader request: lighting sources

Hey Whitney....this is for you.

I guess we do have a mix of lighting throughout the house.  I think lighting is really the most important aspect of decor, so I love adding sconces, lamps and ceiling lights wherever possible...and on dimmers, too!

I realize these are the same images I just posted...anybody else on blogger having a tough time trying to upload pictures?

Anyway...here are the sources for the lights pictured below.  Although they may appear to be a mix, my list may prove a bit uninspiring.  You will see it hit the same spots over and over...

The lamp in the corner is from Pottery Barn Outlet (it may be a West Elm piece since they are owned by the same company).  The sconces on the mantel are from Progressive Lighting.  $5 each.  Not kidding.

The basketweave pendants in the boys' rooms are from the same PB Outlet.  These are from the PB Kids line.  Wyatt's floor lamp is IKEA.

The majority of the lamps, though, are from Homegoods.  For fun, trendy lamps you really can't beat them.  The one below was $39 and the base is a light gray.

The sconces for Liam's bed are from Crate & Barrel.  These were a bit of a splurge at around $150 each. I love that they are not swing-arm, though...for that would have just turned into two swing-arm lamps flying across the room!

The light above our bed is from Target.  It was from the Shabby Chic line several years ago (although I did see on in our target this year for around $30).  I think I may have bought it before our first child when I thought we were having a girl.  The original paint was white with pink flowers.  I just spray-painted it chrome.  I love this simple light.

Again, the table lamps are from Homegoods.  This triple-drum shade is white eyelet lace.  I believe around $50 each.

This floor lamp (are you yawning yet?) is HG, too.  I promise I just saw the same one in Anthropologie for about $450!  This one around $60.

This chandelier is from Lowe's at $100.  The star pendant in the entry is Ballards and the two chrome table lamps from Homegoods....again.

Our exterior boasts two more star pendants (can't have too much of a good thing!)....these from Pottery Barn---and the two bronze barn lights next to the door are Ballard Designs.

And do you want to see how us married folk ended our date night last night?  We did have a wonderful dinner out...but instead of having dessert out somewhere else or going to hear music, we ended our date at Target to get the kids some pajamas.  Please tell me we're not the only ones who do this.  Julie