Patio Party

 

Come on back and sit for a spell! Our patio is where we spend the most time together.  

It's shaded throughout the day giving us a pleasant place to enjoy the sunshine, fresh air and beautiful backyard views.

This year we added a sectional sofa and coffee table for this very reason.  We wanted something super durable, comfortable and it had to be pretty.  We made a significant investment into quality pieces so that we would enjoy many years of use. 

Note: We also purchased covers that we use each night to protect them from the elements.

I'm very minimal when it comes to Vivian's things beyond her room but since we play the most outside I wanted her to have things to enjoy.  This playhouse and picnic table were both past birthday gifts that she absolutely adores! It's also great when other children come over to play.

Before the party lights ... clearly they add the perfect twinkling touch!

Our little garden off to the side.

Vivian and I enjoy time together caring for our plants and harvesting delicious vegetables.

It's so much fun to host our friends.

And to celebrate all the blessings life has given us!

We do all things from share meals, read, afternoons playing and splashing, hosting friends and even date nights. Anything we can take out under the Carolina blue skies, we do!

Dress Your Outdoor Space Beautifully

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Conservatory Sunroom

Welcome to our sunny space. Walking to the back of our home you'll find what we like to call, our little piece of paradise. Our first home and now our second and forever, are both mid-century traditional designs having enclosed sunrooms off the back. It's our favorite architectural element and room. 

This room allows abundant sunlight in and beautiful landscape views all while providing comforts of the indoors.  It is such a happy place to enjoy the sunrise with a cup of coffee, curl up with a good book, fellowship with friends, play games with Vivian and even a sweet date night.

This room didn't look like the classic conservatory that it is now when we purchased this home. Now it doesn't have a glass ceiling like a European conservatory but it does have lots of windows to make it bright. I brought the traditional design elements of a conservatory in with a black and white diamond patterned marble floor, dark palm printed fabrics and all my special plants.

I completed this room in December and here's a look at the transformation ...

I love that our late sweet Scragley is in this picture. It was his favorite room too.

We removed the door leading into our home once he passed.

I started by white washing the brick wall that's a part of our home's exterior.  

I prefer this over painting as it allows for the texture and various colors of the brick to remain.

Then I painted over the concrete mosaic floor.

While this truly lightened the room this was not practical.  This is the room we enter and exit our home through and it could not withstand the traffic. And it showed every single spec of dirt and dust. 

By adding porcelain tile and new fabric the room is complete!

I chose this porcelain floor that resembles marble for durability.

I kept the classic rattan furniture and just replaced the covers.

This room allows me to prepare meals in the kitchen and other tasks inside while providing clear views of Vivian playing out on our patio. 

My plants bring me great joy! The palm is over 30 years old, a gift from my Mamma, the fig 6 and Lilly nearly 5. 

Dress a Sunny Space in Your Home Beautifully

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Decorating with Monograms

 Here in the South we have a saying ... more like a belief:

In my 20's I put my personal touch on just about anything with my initials (clothes, jewelry, bags etc.) Then, when Ryan and I were engaged came our married monogram on things for our home.

Fun Fact: my monogram didn't change after I was married as both my maiden and married last name begin with an 'H'! Thank goodness b/c I had quite the investment. 

I've shifted over the recent years to monograming less for myself and more for gifts, home decor and darling Vivian. 

I believe, like in most things, that moderation is key. The way to do that is with intention.  Rather than having everything stamped, choose a few special pieces so that it's more personal rather than 'branding'. You're a person, not a business.

Here are my favorite ways to add a monogram in your home ...

MASTER BEDROOM PILLOW SHAMS

Our Shams

These were the first thing we purchased for our first home. The appliqué monogram makes a formal and bespoke statement on our grand four poster bed. It's our room together and where we as husband and wife end our days (even if Ryan climbs in most nights just a couple of hours before I'm up). We both love Carolina blue and it can be found throughout our home.  It also is a great color to compliment a variety of bedding. I like to change out our duvet cover.

NURSERY

When designing Vivian's nursery, I went with the colors lavender, pink and a pop of orange. A unique palette only found in her special room. Her name is significant as it is passed down from me, my mother, my grandmother and my great grandmother all of whom are first born and have the middle name 'Louise'. Having the baby's monogram displayed is a sweet & specific way of making it special. 

I chose a linen down filled pillow for her rocking chair.  It will transition perfectly to her big girl bed. 

Note: She's 3 1/2 and still happily cozy in her crib. I can NOT imagine my darling girl out of it or not rocking her twice a day in this chair. #tears

ACCENT PILLOWS

I had these silk pillows embroidered with our joint monogram when we were engaged.  I was just sooo excited to be together (still am!).  They've lived in 4 different homes and reflect us, the family that lives here. I'm not typically a 'brown' person but they are neutral and compliment nicely. I love that they can and have moved from our couches to accent chairs throughout. 

Note: A married monogram is the wife's first initial, the last name initial followed by the husband's first initial. 

COCKTAIL NAPKINS

These add a special touch when hosting guests.  They aren't just something you pick up at the party store and can be utilized all year long for any occasion.  I'm not one to purchase decor for each and every celebration.  They also convey a sophisticated touch without being a true linen. 

These make a great wedding gift!

BATH TOWELS

 

Pictured: These Towels

Ryan & I received monogramed bath towels as a wedding gift and have loved them but after 12 years they've been retired.  I love the ones above and often gift them at bridal showers. They add an elegant touch to your bathroom and also a potential pop of color.

Engraving is another way to personalize and create sentimental treasures.  That's another post :)

Dress Your Home Beautifully with Monograms

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Formal Dining Room

Ma chère Mademoiselle, it is with deepest pride

And greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight

And now we invite you to relax

Let us pull up a chair as the dining room proudly presents

Your dinner!

Be our guest! Be our guest!

- Beauty & the Beast

Our formal dining room is a beautiful place to come together!

We do not save this room for holidays and special occasions.  We gather here every day for lunch and dinner. We reserve our breakfast room for the mornings. 

Our home is a classic colonial design which honors the tradition of a formal dining room.

This is essential for our style as we love defined rooms including a dedicated 'fancy' space to honor our family time and our guests when entertaining. 

We prefer to keep the preparations behind the scenes for an effortless & tidy atmosphere. 

Here's how this room started ....

The bones were so good! 

Custom dental molding, large space for ample seating and additional furniture such as our antique buffet, a window with a nice view to the backyard, a large opening into our formal living room and a smaller into the kitchen

This 'before' picture does feature our first step which was painting the walls - Benjamin Moore Classic Gray

This was the first thing we did throughout our home prior to moving in 

(so many hideous dark colors in each room)

But it was still so flat and lacking.

I wanted this room to be as sentimental as the memories we'd make in it!

We began with lighting. This grand chandelier was in our previous home and something I wanted to incorporate into our forever home. 

Next up, wallpaper! By far my favorite part. While paint can surely add impact, it can't compete with the detail, dimension and pizazz of a pattern.

This particular print (available in several color palettes) is special as it contains metallic trimmed herons in honor of my mother. She loves birds and these are as elegant as she is. They are often used to represent hope! The chinoiserie style is a nod to my grandmother's formal dining room. The colors are soft complementing the blues and pinks in our formal living room and the print is larger something that was important so that it wouldn't overwhelm. 

I was just about to select fabric for custom drapes when I came across these panels at HomeGoods and I just happened to have the wallpaper sample in my purse.  The color matched perfectly! 

This antique buffet houses our china and silver serving ware. 

I also proudly display the silver tea set that belonged to Ryan's great grandparents. 

Heirlooms give us a reminder of our loved ones. 

The lamps add a modern touch to all the traditional furnishings.

I found this mirror at an estate sale with a special friend.

This large ornate table & 8 chairs were my mother's that she recently gifted to me. 

I love that we can continuing to add use and pass down generations of love. 

We currently have one leaf inset but there's an additional we can add alongside the 2 chairs we keep off to the side, for hosting larger parties. 

I encourage you to give proper attention to your dining space.  It's more than just a place to break bread. It's where you can step away from the world's distractions and share meaning, love and laughter with those you hold most dear!

Dress Your Dining Room Beautifully

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Powder Room: Mid-Century Glam

Powder rooms are important for so many reasons.  They're a high traffic area as they're typically the only bathroom on the lower level of a multilevel home.  And it's a space that will most certainly be visited by your guests. Therefore, I believe making it a beautiful is a high priority.  

When it comes to small confined spaces you have the ability to decorate boldly. The low square footage allows for pricer finishes and because it isn't open to any other space you can go outside the style and color palette found throughout your home. 

I'm excited to share the renovation we did on ours last year!

Let's start at the beginning ...

I detested this powder room the second I walked down the hall and got a glimpse! The red, blood red walls,  were overwhelming to say the least. Not only was it the intense color but the fact that this room is tucked underneath the stairs with a partial vaulted ceiling made you not want to venture in. 

We jokingly referred to it as the crime scene.

We had the walls painted Benjamin Moore -Chantilly Lace prior to moving in!

Then there was this tiled pony wall UGH

We didn't know how it was built in so demolishing it before we were prepared to replace the flooring wasn't an option.  So I primed and painted the tile to match the walls.

The bright white paint definitely freshened the room up but the flooring was cracked from 60 years of settling, the sink was so low and tiny, as was the toilet, and the awful wall cut the nearly 35 sq ft (large for a powder room) in half.

We replaced it ALL!

I kept with the hexagon shaped tile because it's a classic shape and fitting for our mid-century colonial. I chose a white marble stone rather than porcelain for a fancier finish that's bordered by pieces of shiny brass. They were filled with charcoal grout for contrast and to make it all pop. 

Its hard to see in the pictures but the brass really shines!

We also replaced the toilet! It's truly #adulting when this excites you.

A brass freestanding toilet paper holder and matching waste basket all complement the brass flooring. 

I even replaced the mirrored 1980's sconce (it was hideous!) with a simple brass one. 

This deep cabinet is so useful.  It houses our cleaning supplies and table linens.

We now have a much more substantial pedestal sink that has a modern touch with the rectangle shape.

The faucet is the real MVP! It's a shiny brass goose neck with class straight handles and traditional detailing.

We added this matching brass towel ring.

So much shinny brass and white and while pretty it fell flat to me.

One day I got a wild hair and decided I was going to paint the back wall charcoal to compliment the grout and elevate this very monochromatic bright room.

I went after it right after dropping Vivian off at school and was finished by lunch time.

Voila! 

It was the perfect touch.

I used Benjamin Moore - Wrought Iron

I'll be honest, I was nervous but you just have to follow your gut and go for it.

And since everything in our home is very traditional, I wanted a tribute the modern side of mid-century design and chose this iconic poolside glamour print. It adds a fun and light hearted touch.

Flooring - Grout - Toilet - Sink - Faucet 

Toilet Paper Holder - Waste Basket - Towel Ring - Cabinet Knobs - Sconce - Art 

Dress Your Powder Room Beautifully

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Decor Elements for Every Room

When decorating my home my goal is for it to be pretty and reflect us.  We live here in this space so it should be a display of what we love and memories we've made.  There are several things I incorporate in each room that does just that.

Fun Fact: I rearrange decor ALL the time! So these shelves may look different in couple weeks. 

All of these things will add beauty and help showcase your style ...

1. Plants - Living things add life to your home. They actually help clean the air you breathe all while giving us little reminders of God's amazing power in creation. Choose pots that reflect the colors and style of your home. When choosing plants, think about what can thrive in you space/lighting and what you can realistically maintain.  Personally, I love Christmas cactus and fiddle leaf fig trees.  They're easy to take care of - just water and place near sunlight. 

My Mamma gave me this plant and the brass pot was a thrift find

2. Books - Literature enriches our lives and clearly displays your interests. Books show anyone who's in your home what fascinates you enough to read and learn about it. For Ryan, you'll find books on medicine, military and golf. For me, you'll find books on fashion, biographies of influential women, home design and etiquette. You'll also find copies of the Bible that are sentimental to us whether they belonged to a family member or were a gift. The Word is the most important and greatest book that ever will be!

These are sentimental Bibles to both of us

3. Pictures - Framed photos of the memories we've made are my favorite. I involuntarily smile when I see them remembering the he joy I share with my beloved family.  I encourage you to surround yourself with images of those you love most.  I also believe that while the professional posed photos are beautiful, framing the candid moments that aren't so picture perfect, perfectly capture life well lived!

I find most of my frames at Homegoods and for quality printing I use MPix

PS I'm taking my advise and going to update/add printed photos around our home. I'm so behind! When you have that picture you can't wait to post and provokes a 'frame it' reaction. Do it!

4. Sentimental Items - I have so many treasures that I cherish throughout our home.  Things that belonged to members of my family, people who have impacted my life or that were a gift. Sure, you can shop pretty items at the store, I have plenty throughout, but there's something about a piece that has a connection and story behind it. Of course you want things that align with your style but think about why you're adding it to your space. Is it because you saw it promoted somewhere else? Or better, is it because it evokes joy to you?! 

This pink floral plate belonged to my Grandma - it's cracked but reminds me of her

The cranes remind me of my Mamma, she loves birds and they evoke a feeling of hope and happiness

The Japanese find them to be a symbol of good luck

Note: When I do purchase decor I prefer it be from an antique or thrift shop!

5. Mirrors - They are the fairest of wall decor for their ability to reflect light, enlarge spaces and add style. I have them in every single room. Don't worry, I'm not living in a 'fun house'. They fill walls with unique shapes and materials without competing with my other items of color and pattern.  They make our rooms brighter and bigger. Often I find adding art or gallery walls of prints is just to busy while a mirror is streamlined and highlights what's already in the room.

I didn't get a good view of our mantle mirror but I purchase most at Homegoods or Antique Shops

Tip: Round or sunburst mirrors are a fantastic option for filling a large wall

Bonus:  I also like to add animal! NEVER living ones (an intense battle in this home - Ryan has wanted a big Lab for most of his life ... I kill his dream every day).  I like subtle animal prints and actual animal objects. We even have Brutus, a deer head, mounted on the wall in Ryan's office.  I love the nod to nature without the elements. Animals are majestic and their patterns in elegant colors and textures add natural beauty.

I recovered the seat of this old chair with soft zebra fabric myself

The Foo Dogs are from a favorite shop on the NC Coast - go shop Beaufort Linen Co NOW! you can thank me later :)

The cranes were found at Homegoods

Let the things in your home tell the story of you!

Dress Each Room of Your Home Beautifully

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Transformation Tuesday: Family Room

Welcome to our family room.  This room is more informal as we do not host in here.  It is in the back of our home leading out onto our patio.  It is also off of our kitchen/breakfast room which is convenient as Vivian can play in here and I can see her while I prepare meals.  We have a small table and chairs for her in one corner and a toy chest on the opposite wall seen here.
This room houses pieces of furniture from our previous homes that while not designed intentionally, serve well for now.

I love the large fireplace and the variations of colors in the brickwork.  I don't care for the mantle and hardwood stain as they are too dark and rustic for my taste but that seems to be everyone's favorite when they visit. I will be replacing and staining them both along with all new lighting.

We plan to install custom built in cabinets with shelving on both sides of the fireplace when we update our kitchen.  We will be opening up the wall between the two spaces so in efforts to create continuity of the design we want the cabinetry in both areas to match.

Until then, these glass etageres are great place holders! They serve well for displaying decor and photos of us, contrasting the dark elements with shiny gold trim and keeping the room light with the glass shelves.

I styled them symmetrically with a gold vs silver motif.  I used items around my home and the pictures speak to us and the memories of our life.  Naturally, you'll see blue and white porcelain as it's the color scheme throughout our home.
I also love having live plants in every room.  They add life and remind me of God's creation.

When these etageres are no longer needed they will easily be useful in a bedroom, office, hallway, bathroom or closet.  They don't have a large foot print so they can be used in practically any space.

This room originally had dark brown paneling, stained trim and a tan ceiling. UGH
When we were purchasing this home we referred to this room as the dungeon den! It was so dark and very very brown! We had it ALL painted and gracious you couldn't help but say 'let there be light!' when it was completed.
We also ripped down the blinds immediately so that we could see the beautiful outdoors clearly through the windows and door.

BEFORE

We enjoy the sunshine, views of our backyard and have a lot of fun playing with Vivian in this room. In future years this room will be where she hosts her pals without infringing on our more formal spaces with her belongings/activities or disturbing the adults should we also be hosting.
The direct access to the patio and backyard is one of my favorite things!

I hope you've enjoyed seeing some of the transformations in our home this month.

I plan to do it again this Summer showcasing our foyer, dining room, powder room and kitchen.

Spoiler alert: there will be lots of beautiful wallpaper :)

Dress Your Home Beautifully with Paint & Etageres

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Tuesday Transformation: Bye Bye Blinds - Hello Roman Shades

Last Tuesday I started this series on updates we've done to our home that are fairly quick and easy as we await the big renovations.  I believe this is important for many reasons.  Everyone wants the magazine pretty/HGTV home reveal but in reality that takes time, resources and so much money.

There's also endless design options available so it takes a great deal of searching and deliberation when deciding on finishes. I have stacks of magazines and several inspiration boards on Pinterest with examples of things I like.

We're focused on the downstairs as it's where we spend most of our time, needs the most shine and is shared with others. Thank goodness the  majority of the upstairs has been renovated recently. 

The bones and character are outstanding in our mid-century colonial (that's why we bought it) but it needed some fine touches.  The hardwoods, one of a kind moldings and large scaled layout are all details throughout that they just don't make anymore.

Windows are impactful features from the inside and out of a home.  How you dress them is equally as impactful. Our downstairs windows and doors were covered in blinds.  I detest blinds, so they had to go. Most of the blinds that were removed in the back portion of our home on the French doors and windows I'm not replacing as the unobstructed light is stunning!

Before ... Bye Bye Blinds

Blinds have been the standard window fixture for function and form for decades and while they do in fact block light and provide privacy, they're not for me. Made of plastic they appear cheap and collect dust. I prefer upscale fabrics. One of the things I miss greatly from our previous home was the beautiful custom plantation shudders.  I'd love to have them in this home however they are a significant investment and I'm not sure they would be a best fit for function and the design plan I have for our current home.

Super Easy to Install

I chose roman shades to replace the blinds and gracious what a beautiful difference!

I started in the formal living room as it's in the front of our home and where we spend a majority of our time.  The rug is a family heirloom and the foundation for the entire color palette of the downstairs and because it has such an elaborate print I needed to keep the shades simple.

Ta-Da!

I love that you can adjust the coverage of the shades

I take window treatments seriously and almost always prefer custom creations.  This can be pricey as  I would have chosen a printed fabric with trim but in this case I was able to save money opting for a solid shade with a neutral trim therefore no need to go custom. 

They balance the room with a clean and complementary look. They also darken and provide privacy but in a prettier way!

Note: Donate your blinds - while not my favorite aesthetically, they serve a very helpful function.

Every morning I wait to open the windows with Vivian so that she can look out and watch for puppy dogs to pass on their morning walks.

The morning light is so much prettier - but it's always been fun with this gal

Roman Shades  - Sofas

Dress Your Windows Beautifully with Roman Shades

XOXO Sarah-Louise