Decadent Dining

Something I was super excited about when building our new home, was the prospect of having a formal dining room! Our last home had a room that was supposed to act as such, but it was awkward and so far away from the kitchen, we turned it into an office instead. But now we have a big beautiful dining room, and I can't wait to have our first big Thanksgiving dinner here in another two months.

Contrary to what I thought I would go with, we decided to stray away from my ideal dark mahogany, classic and elegant dining room. Instead, we found this really neat old kitchen table at Celebrations, it has drawers under the lip, great for storing napkins, rings and runners, and the top  has been cover in tin with little brad nails. We also picked up the rustic urn and flowers.

 Brett picked out the chairs, they are linen Calais Chairs from Pottery Barn, and we picked up a chunky basket weave natural Jute rug, some wicker chargers, white linen napkins, and stamped nickel napkin rings there as well. 

The walls were blank for awhile, my very decorating-involved husband and I could not agree on what pieces to hang, eventually, while he was working one evening last week, I just went for it, trying pieces until I found what I liked, and also, I decorated with all my fun fall finds, that I mentioned here.

 

I added some architectural sketches from Home Place (such a steal, only $20 each!), a Compass Rose from Pier One, Golden Candles Pillars, Candles, Ikat Napkins from  PB, and Burnt Orange Roses all give beautiful Fall glow. 

It is the first room when you walk in, and it always puts a smile in my face.  

I'll follow up with the living room and front porch fall make over soon ♥

Restoration Hardware Baby & Kids

I just realized that Restoration Hardware had a kids and baby collection, and I AM IN LOVE!! Their collections are soft and muted colors, and just as unique as their regular collection. The kids rooms are both pretty recently decorated, but I found some great items I want for their playroom.

Small World Ottoman, love the neutral colors

ABC Canvas Floor Pillows

industrial basket & "toys" liner, such a great idea instead of a traditional toy box



this Weathered Wall Bookrack will be great for the piles of books in their playroom closet

Don't think we'll get this, but how adorable is this mini Kennsington sofa!

I think I'll put these Sports display rack in Grier's room for his giant collection of soccer balls, such a fun design idea and also practical for storing them.

Baylor would love this in her room

We have often talked about having another baby, but always debate on cost and having a third tuition monthly for private school. I think with this new discovery, we'll have to put it off even a bit longer, because I definitely would want one of these nursery collections.

Stunning!

I'm tempted to buy the rocking horse even if we don't have another baby ♥♥♥



Fabulously Fall

I know the first official day of fall isn't until Spetember 23rd, but I absolutely love the fall! The colors, the smells, all fabulous! This past weekend I took a trip over to Pottery Barn and William Sonoma to pick up some items for fall decorating. I'm in the process of putting everything out in the house and will post some pics over the weekend. Here's some of my favorites of the items I found....

These were so yummy!!

 Can't wait to share the pictures and show you how great it all looks!

We are your favorite fall decorations?

Pottery Barn: 

Woven Rattan Pumpkins

Pheasant Pillow Cover 

Harvest Tea Pillar Candles 

Harvest Outdoor Pillows

Snow Currant Potpourri 

Neutral Chenille Throw

Antiqued Gold Pillars

William Sonoma:

Mini Ginger Spice-Cookies

Celebrations:

Metal Pumpkins

The world's most beautiful beaches

I feel so fortunate to live on the Gulf Coast, with our white sand and crystal clear water, it's truly one of God's most beautiful works of art. Sometimes we forget how lucky we are to live here, and have to stop a moment, and slow down to appreciate our gorgeous beaches.

A couple weeks ago, we got up at 4 am and headed over to Pensacola Beach, so that we could watch the sun rise, and here are some of the awesome shots I got.

my favorite

trying  to get the kids to smile for a shot

my little man ♥

after an hour, we still couldn't see the sun, because of all the clouds, but it still made for some beautiful shots!

There it is!

love this one

self shooting timer button - making family shots possible, lol :)

Stunning!

Kids Rooms

Continuing on with rooms, here are my kids rooms. These, as you will notice, have lots on the walls, if only the other rooms were as easy as theirs :)

Grier decide he wanted a Tampa Bay Buccaneers room. After searching endlessly  on the Internet for something other than cheesy trademark Buccaneer bedding sets, I cam across the new NFL Line that Pottery Barn Teen has, and it was perfect!

 

Baylor's room was a little harder, she's quite picky for only five years old. Her guide lines were: Pink, Black, White and Paris.....So here's what we ended up with:

This is the beautiful matching twin bed to my guest bed, they were my great-grandmothers, and my mom just had them refinished before bring them down to me. I think Baylor actually picked out some really great color, because its a room she can grow with, she's a design-diva in the making:)

Home Tour: Master Bedroom Retreat

We've been in our new home about 8 months now, and though I love decorating, I've had a hard time committing to things in this house. Our last home had lots of color, chocolate accent walls, a wall of 12x12 blue squares in 6 different shades in Grier's room, Baylor's room in two tones of pink with a chair molding......lots going on. This house we had painted in one solid color, dove gray, and I have fallen in love with the simplicity of it, and have therefore been timid to make things distracting with wall hangings and decor. Furniture and other items though, have fallen into place nicely. Our master bedroom isn't quite done, but it's getting there.

Before, excuse the bad lighting, ehh!

It was a bit stark for awhile, but then we sold our bed and got a king size mattress, finally! We used the same side table, and great lamps that Brett picked out from La-Z-Boy, I bought another white duvet cover, this time with some bunching for a little more texture, DKNY from Bed, Bath & Beyond, added some burlap pillows from Pottery Barn to our beautiful reclaimed wood bench seat to soften it, moved our trunk, also of reclaimed wood, from the living room to the foot of the bed, with some pillows from Pier One, and found a fabulous chair at DUH, that was literally made for this room, the colors were too perfect not to wrap up and bring home!

And After, I love!  So bright & cheery with all the natural sunlight ♥♥♥

 I still need some curtains, thinking about these Silk Dupioni drapes in blue smoke or white ones from Pottery barn.

And I'd also like to find or make a headboard like I mentioned here. And find something larger for behind the bed, that mirror is just an extra piece I put up for the meanwhile.

Something like this from Restoration Hardware

What do you think, a pop of color with curtains, or keep the neutral tones?