GUEST BATHROOM: inspiration

I stumbled upon this fabulous room color the other day via pinterest and I knew right away it would soon make its way to Melrose's guest bathroom's walls. Currently the bathroom has a high, solid white chair rail with faded mint green walls to the ceiling. Nothing exciting. 


I posted this amazing black bathroom a while back and I love the dark, rich feeling the color conveys, but I just don't think black will do with Melrose's scheme. So, when I saw this deep teal I knew it would be perfect for our bathroom that is overpowered with natural light and white. I now introduce you to Melrose's future friend, Benjamin Moore newburg green. 

Here are some pictures of rooms painted newburg green.

all images via

What do you think? Paired with whites and creams and a pop of color, it really makes a statement in these rooms. With the color only extending about 3' above the chair rail to the ceiling, I think newburg green will be a beautiful, bold color to play off of. The existing tile in the bathroom is a white and pale pink square pattern so I think this rich teal will help neutralize the girl-y pink. 

This is the tile along with the other colors I hope to include in the bathroom (fyi, it is hard to match swatches on the computer so don't judge me too much). 

newburg green, white dove, pale gray, soft emerald green, pale pink (existing tile)

I'll post pictures once the progress begins! Wish me luck.

WISH LIST :: 26th birthday

There are a lot of summer birthdays floating around and mine just so happens to be next Saturday! Yay! It really snuck up on me this year, but I am excited to celebrate it at the beach -- along with our nation's independence.

Just for fun, I have put together my "wish list" for my birthday. I have been trying to focus on Melrose lately, so I have only requested a nice meal out ... but anything is much appreciated! A girl can dream, right?!

1 zgallerie orange pillow :: 2 anthropologie necklace :: 3 cuisinart ice cream maker :: 4 pink and tortoise shell belt :: 5 watercolor painting :: 6 watercolor print :: 7 deer wearing gym socks :: 8 upgrade to 4g white iphone :: 9 overstock chandelier :: 10 pottery barn registry

LOOK WHAT I FOUND

As most of you know, I have a fascination with all things gold and rose gold. I was browsing one of my favorite wedding blogs, 100 layer cake (besides ruffled of course!), and found this awesome post on rose gold rings. The rose gold has such a vintage feel to me and I love the unique combinations of stones. 

I love numbers 1 and 10 ... and number 2 is pretty identical to one of my wedding bands. See the full post here to get all the details. Which one is your favorite?

YELLOW MAGS

I know I have shared my admiration for covered books here and here, but I have found a new interest -- yellow, national geographic magazines. As much as I love my neutrals, these vibrant yellow magazines add a spark of color to these bookshelves. 

I believe we have a few of these laying around Melrose so I will have to find the perfect place to display them. Such an easy way to brighten up a room or cubby!

DRAFTING/PAINTING EASEL

I have had a few people ask me about my painting easel (I really need to update my photos of the den - it sure has changed since this photo!), so when I spotted this one at a local antique shop I wanted to share! I purchased mine at Scott's in Atlanta and since then have seen several other more expensive options at Anthropologie, Restoration Hardware, Etsy, etc. 

Check out this one at Anthropologie right now:

yes, that is right, $1,200 ... believe it

This one I found is at Consigning Interiors in Pelham, Alabama for less that $300. She isn't as battered and abused as mine (or the one above), but still has the vintage charm to add interest to any room! 

once again, please excuse the nasty iphoto resolution. The top working panel swivels back and forth to the angle of your choice for easy viewing.

An easel is perfect for any nook needing some creative juices! Here are two fabulous painting/drafting areas ...

via delight by design

via things that inspire

If you are interested, or know someone who is ... feel free to spread the word! I think it is a great vintage find!

BAR ART: finished

Well, I did it! The "bar" is complete. If you remember, I posted about the art arrangement here in hopes that sharing it with the blog world would encourage me to follow through. And, it did. What do you think? 

many thanks to Ann Yates for the precious cocktail glasses - definitely a focal point!

I used an antique mirrored vanity tray for displaying my decanters. It was the perfect size for the narrow counter top. I love the touch of gold it adds amongst the glass and pewter.

 

My B&A post on this room was the refinishing of the dining table and then about the DIY drop cloth curtains. Wow, has it come a long way! I would still love some large baskets or straw hats to hang above the buffet. Always on the search for something!

check out all my sources on my pinterest board

OUTDOOR INSPIRATION

With summer in full swing I have really been itching to do some out door entertaining (when it isn't 100 degrees). Problem is, Melrose is really lacking in the backyard area. Currently she has a a great lot for entertaining with a large stone patio, but no furniture. I need a game plan so next summer will be full of summer parties!


So, I have been brainstorming on what to do with the stone pad and what would be ideal for relaxing during the year. Here are some beautiful photos I have found while browsing pinterest lately:

 love how the vines have created a canopy overhead ...

 grape vine climbing on trellis

and, my favorite ...

Love, love, love this simple arbor with greenery - perfect for summer parties. The furniture layout is perfect and I like the combo of dining and relaxing. And the fireplace too - wow, perfection! Would love to have this someday.

check out all my sources on my pinterest board

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT: mary rutledge morgan

Here are some photos of Mary Rutledge's birth announcements that I just finished. I love the picture - it is so sweet and soft and the muted colors are perfect. 

I wrote her name and initials in calligraphy and printed them on a smooth white stock. The envelopes are a shimmery cream: paper source's stardream opal paired with tiny address labels I printed myself. 

printing by Communication Arts, Inc. 

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

This past weekend we headed to the beach for a sun filled relaxing weekend. We had a great time with friends and I can't wait to head back. 

I enjoyed a lot of this

and spent a lot of time loving on this sweet girl

The Morgans welcomed precious Mary Rutledge about six weeks ago and brought her to the beach for her first trip away from home. She is so sweet and adorable! I just designed her baby announcements and will be sharing those this week as well. Here are a few more pictures from the weekend.

(like mother, like daugher ... )

(this is her intelligent face)

(and her scared face)