LUSCIOUS SOFAS

Ever since we moved into Melrose I have dreamed of replacing Brandon's bachelor pad sofas (yes, he has a matching pair) with two vintage leather club chairs and a beautiful, luscious velvet sofa. The richness of the velvet would be a perfect contrast to our stark white walls and neutral decor. I am drawn to darker shades - olive, sienna, gray - and these rooms just influence me even more. 

sources via

Here are some sofas I have had my eye on:

This mink velvet with brass nailhead accents is gorgeous. The lines are simple and classic and you could always find a place for this sofa in your house. 

the balmoral sofa from jayson home

I love how full and comfy this sofa appears - and it is just as stylish without all the pillows! It looks fancy and sophisticated without being uptight and rigid. 

the holloway sofa by jayson home

I am head over heels for this sienna toned sofa - not too dark, not too light ... it's a nice neutral that still grabs your eye. Although I love the tufts, I think the husband would say it isn't "comfortable" enough ...

shoreditch sofa by jayson home

This olive green is amazing. I would bring this home right away and love it for forever. I doubt I could ever afford this exact one, but it gives me inspiration!

the highland sofa by cs post & co

the morgan sofa by jayson home

Currently, At Home in Homewood has a lovely gray velvet sofa that I sit on and lust over every time I'm in the store. I know it loves me too. I guess Baby Owens needs a crib and nursery before I decide to replace a sofa! Here's to dreaming ...

HANGING PLATES?

Now that you have seen Melrose's den, don't you think this collection of 4 plates would be perfect to display on the wall and accompany some of the coastal items? I am thinking next to the mantel above the La-Z-Boy (yes, we have a La-Z-Boy). I especially love the knot set.

I all ready have 2 Thomas Paul pillows on the couch - the oblong whale pillow and a square anchor pillow. They aren't the best pillows to lay your head on, but they get the job done. Who knew burlap was not soft to the skin? ;) I got them on sale at Anthro! Check their sale rooms frequently - they are often hiding some exciting items.

B&A: DEN

I am finally ready (or really, finally found time) to share some pictures of the den. Here are some before pictures.

[standing at the back of the room, close to the front door - straight ahead is the dining room)

[reverse location - bay windows open to the front yard]

Our first step was to paint. As you can tell, I love white and neutral palettes so that was definitely the direction for the den. I chose Benjamin Moore's white dove for the walls and decorator's white (oil semi-gloss)for the trim. I think Brandon was a little nervous about going all white (he still says the white walls give him headaches), but he trusted me, and it turned out great. White is so clean and fresh and allows you to use accents of any color of the rainbow.

Do you remember the industrial rolling cart project? And the framed print inspiration? Or the bargain shopping bookshelves? Well, here they all are in Melrose:

So, this is the basic overview of the room. I still need some "filler" items on the back shelves, but for the most part I think we have her under control. If you can tell, there is a hint of a nautical theme. Which just so happens to be the theme at Pottery Barn right now - great minds think alike! ;)

I purchased the sea life coral prints from One Kings Lane and framed them myself. After checking at Hobby Lobby and several places online, I found that I could buy the black frames individually, get the glass and backing cut, and assemble them for much cheaper. We actually had an "assembly party" one day at work during lunch over pizza. Thanks girls!

Brandon helped pick out the natural bound rug at Pottery Barn and many of the other items were found at antique shops. 

Since Brandon loves to deep sea fish and we have a nautical theme going, I thought a coastal map of the Gulf would be perfect. He helped me find the perfect one and voila! Paired with an old clock, ratty books with ship cast iron bookends, and a few blue mason jars - and you have yourself a decorated mantel! 

Remember the fireplace inspiration? Done! I was kindly given a trunk load of awesome firewood to strategically place in the fireplace and I love it.

Last, my favorite area: the painting corner. I actually purchased this gorgeous drafting easel at Scott's Antique Mall last Fall - before I even knew Melrose, but she fits perfectly in the bay window. I am on the search for an industrial stool, but so far they are all too expensive. 

I have my paints, brushes, fresh canvases, and old paintings all ready to go! I am also looking for metal locker baskets for the open shelves, but I am having a problem finding ones small enough. Also pictured, decorating books on the coffee table - Domino's Book of Decorating & New Farmhouse Style by Terry Woods. I have probably looked and sticky noted both of those books a million times! 

I will keep ya'll posted on more finds and future progress. Thanks for reading!

BARGAIN SHOPPING

I have found the best purchases lately at the most surprising places. Don't get me wrong, these stores have great items, but typically I don't find myself imagining these items in my home. Most of these purchase ideas were found on other blogs and led me to playing around on their websites. I love a good deal, so when these items caught my attention for style and price, I was in!

PIER 1 IMPORTS:

The den (pictures to come, I promise!) has a casual nautical theme and I knew this lamp was perfect for the entryway console. And for $100, you can't beat that!

It is even more beautiful in person! I love the shade - it is white, and covered in a nice, thick fabric that does not look cheap or see through. 

I knew I wanted  "boxy" lamps for the night stands in the Master. Originally, I was hoping for crystal ones similar to these: 

But they cost an arm and a leg pretty much. So, when I saw these:

I thought they would be a perfect fit for what I was looking for. They have a mirrored base with a cream shade and were on sale for $50! I bought 2 and have 1 on each side of the bed. I did have to go to 3 different Pier I stores to find all of these, but it was well worth it.

JC PENNEY:

I knew needed a bookshelf of some sort to put in a "nook" in the den, but it couldn't sit directly on the floor because of the air vent. This "nook" is next to my art easel that sits within the bay window. So, I knew I needed some kind of table/stand/stool for my art supplies (brushes, paint, etc) while painting. I didn't know exactly what I was looking for until I spotted this baby on a blog.

She is originally $200, but is on sale for $90! I thought this would be perfect for a few baskets to store blankets, paints, etc. and I could have an ENTIRE shelf for my paint brushes and jars! Pottery Barn sells one very similar but almost double the size for $300 which is absurd - beautiful, but absurd. If needed, I may by 1 more to have 2 next to each other, but I am going to try out a single first.

Did you know Cindy Crawford has her own line at JC Penney? Some I like, some I don't. But, these curtain rods I LOVE: 

I knew I wanted the gold immediately. And, these were on sale for a surprising $50 each! I only needed 2 so that was great. They look fabulous in the room (to me) and really look good with the mirrored lamps. 

If you have any fabulous bargain finds, please share!

INDUSTRIAL ROLLING CART

I love the industrial, rustic, exposed hardware look that is starting to appear all over the design world. So, when I started to see these awesome old-school, rolling furniture carts doubling as coffee tables, I knew I wanted one. You have probably seen them going for top dollar at shops like:

Restoration Hardware: $895-$1295 [here]

Wisteria: $579 [here]

And while shopping in Auburn I stumbled upon these beauties at Ressurect Antiques:

I was bound and determined to get one for Melrose! I showed my Dad these pictures and he had an even better idea - refinish one ourselves. I am all for the cheaper option so when he said he found one I was beyond giddy.


She was an ugly duckling at first, but quickly grew into a beautiful swan! 

This cart is newer than the others - the tires are rubber rather than the chunky, metal ones and the frame is thinner, but these issues didn't deter us. The idea was to spray paint the frame (all the red) black, add a new board on top, remove any nails or staples, and sand the top.

[please excuse the rooster and hens - Bob wanted his moment to shine]

We then decided to stain the new board with a mix of walnut and red oak to try to distress it to blend in with the older boards.

But, then it looked too different so we decided to stain the others boards as well.

Looks pretty good at this point except for the "Br Hu" on top. We sanded the top some more to remove the white letters and then did several more coats of stain to keep blending the boards together.

I have to say, I am more than happy with it and getting it for free makes it even better. Thanks Dad for all your help! It fits in perfect with my style and you don't even need coasters! 

The Den is coming along quite nicely and I am trying to get in one last piece before I post pictures. I am off Friday for Good Friday so I hope to get A LOT accomplished - wish me luck!

FIREPLACE INSPIRATION

Melrose has a fireplace. A real, wood burning fireplace in the den and I am stoked. Well, I guess we won't use it 'til the winter, but that is fine because fireplaces also double as a great decorating nooks. I love how designers, and aspiring interior decorators, are using firewood as an accessory. I immediately started collecting pictures for my own fireplace inspiration and these are my favs:



LOVE the stacked firewood on top of the grate. So messy and casually thrown in there. [habitually chic]

This is how I will accessorize my fireplace until I purchase a grate like the picture above. [nest egg]

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Love the woven basket - good for storing extra firewood. [unknown]

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A good friend brought me a bundle of firewood today to decorate so I hope to have pictures up soon. I was concerned about getting firewood now that the weather has warmed up, but leave it to a girl from Chelsie, Alabama to know where to find some. Thanks Janie - especially for picking out the pretty pieces for me!

FRAMED PRINTS

I (well, Brandon) hung a collection of botanical sea life prints yesterday at Melrose and they look fantastic. She now has 12, 14" square frames of coral reefs and such that hang above the sofa. I have been collecting inspiration images of hanging prints ever since I bought a set on One Kings Lane. Before I do a B&A post of them, here are some of my favorite rooms with prints.

[brabourne farm]

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[beautiful things to share]

I really like these small framed prints above the bed. Just enough to add interest to the bare wall and loads of white (which I love). [nest egg]


The den is almost done so be on the lookout for a new B&A post coming soon! In the meantime, I will share other inspiration topics that make an appearance in the den and a DIY project my Dad and I did.