ACCESSORIZE!

'Tis the season for fun and stylish accessories! I found these adorable accessories at Z Gallerie! They are perfect for adding color or a little fun to your decor!

HIDE AND....FOUND!

Zebra printed cowhide that is! I finally got my zebra cowhide rug....now it's time for you to get yours! 

Cowhides stand in for exotic zebra, striped in tones of rich black/brown. Warm colors, natural texture and a unique shape and size make these hides a wonderful accent over bare floors or carpeting, whether surrounded by seating in the living room or standing on its own in the entryway. I love this look, cowhides are so timeless and add character to any space! My blog followers get FREE SHIPPING! Email me to place your order, along with your profile name.

Zebra print hair on cowhides

$360

Brindle and spotted hair on cowhides

$310

HAPPY SUMMER!

YAY! Summer is officially here! Here's what summer means to me!

Fresh lemons!

Summer berries

Watching my chickens grow

Lots and lots of apricots...and learning how to make preserves!

Beautiful blooms

Relaxing in the grass

Apples......and homemade cobbler-YUM!

And lots of refreshing summer suds!

CRAIGSLIST FIND!

I have been looking for some Hollywood regency faux bamboo furniture for quite some time and finally....after searching daily....I found a great deal on Craigslist! A faux bamboo armoire and chest of drawers...best part....it's Drexel (which became Drexel Heritage in 1977)! The armoire has chicken wire where glass would normally be. Does anyone know if this is original?? I was thinking I would paint them white gloss. I think with the original hardware, it would look nice. What do you think? Any ideas? It will be in our extra bedroom, which will one day be a nursery.

GALLERY ENTRYWAY

Simple, contemporary frames let you create your own gallery of photos and artwork. I used my entryway to display my travel photos from New York to Seattle to Monterey. It was my way to remember my great travels, but mostly because I am extremely picky when it comes to artwork. Since I couldn't find the perfect artwork, I decided to just use gallery frames and my own photos. Some of my photos are available in my Etsy shop.
Again, being a very....let's say.... particular person, I was not satisfied with the console tables out there. I did find some, but I wasn't overly excited about all of the products that are veneer wood. I wanted something that was solid wood and that would be modern, yet timeless. So, my friends referred me to a great woodworker in Long Beach that was able to create the exact look I wanted. The console is solid alder and stained in an espresso finish. I am 100% satisfied!
I have to tell you that I love these antler accessories. I know...some think it's awful, but I love them!

SHOW AND TELL TAKE TWO!

Rewind....back in 1962 this was a stylish family room/kitchen.....in 2010, not so much. After a couple of years, blood, sweat and tears, removing walls, etc. we have almost finished this part of the house. We still need to paint some trim, add some art work, etc. But the big projects are done!


Before:

We removed the wall between the kitchen and living room, gutted both rooms and replaced the 6' slider with 10 feet of french doors.

Kitchen in progress, before the floors, faucet and fridge.

We also demo'd the rocks on the fireplace and removed the 15" bench!

Time for the floors! It was messy, but worth it! We used natural maple wood flooring, with dark hickory borders,which separates the Italian marble in the kitchen and entryway.

Now:

All that's left to do in the kitchen is to add the kick plates to the bottom of the cabinets!

Now...we must finish the rest of the house....ugghhh!

Dark espresso stain on the french doors, ties together the dark hickory borders.

To see more remodel pics for the rest of the house, check out my post on our powder room, entryway and dining room projects.