Stunning Living Room

Okay, so I don’t very often look at pictures and say to myself, “That’s it.  That’s the room I want.”

But I did when I saw these pictures.


Wow.  I love this room.  It’s done in my colors!  The ONLY thing I would change would be to swap in the rug from this room.


I love that this room was created by the homeowner, and photographed by her as well.  Somehow I like rooms better when they’re created by the people who live in them.  I love the work of designers, too, but I always wonder if people really live in those spaces.  You can find Julia’s blog here .  The room was featured on House of Turquoise , which is where I saw it.


My favorite elements in the room, aside from the all the blue and white on the walls, are the chairs and the painting.  Julia painted that gorgeous piece.  And while I’m not usually a fan of gold, I’d hang that beauty in my house in a heartbeat.  Stunning.


The chairs are on my wish list.  I’ve loved this aviary print for a long time.  Chances are I’ll never see them in person because they’re low on the priority list, but still they’re beautiful.  I was surprised by this, but I actually like the zerbra print pillows.  I’ve NEVER like animal prints, but these pair really well with the chairs and add a nice touch to the room.  Once again, there’s not too much clutter in the room so it’s easy on the eye.

It’s all so beautiful.  I suppose it’s a good thing that my living room doesn’t look like this.  I’d never leave it, which would be a very sad thing for our bathrooms.   Truthfully, I don’t share these pictures because I’m unhappy with my own house or because I’m wishing mine was like this.  My floor plan is different, and our family’s needs are different.  My home is full of children running and bumping and spilling.  I refuse to let the house be more important than the people, so I do some things my own way in order to reduce stress.  For instance, I could never put an orchid on a coffee table.  It would be spilled, broken, eaten by someone before I could take a single picture (remember George?) .  And that’s life.

I share them because lately I’ve been really motivated by pictures like these.  They’re helping me decide what I want to do with my own house, and I’m taking those ideas and putting them to work with items I already own.  It’s a really fun creative experience for me, and I feel urgent about doing it before the warm season pulls us outdoors.   The before and after pictures of this particular room are also a great reminder that a good eye and paint can go a long way.

Lastly, here is her entry.  We don’t have an entry in our house, or at least we don’t have a wall in the entry for the eye to rest on.  Ours opens up to three rooms and a hallway.  I really like the way she’s made this entry both beautiful and functional.  That basket beneath the console table holds her scarves.  What a great idea.  I also like the bird print to the left of the mirror.


It’s always fun to see the creativity and vision that people have.  I love it.  Now I’m off to hang a piece in the girls’ room .  I want to get it finished and move on to the boys’ room ASAP.

All photos in this post are from Pawley’s Island Posh via House of Turquoise.
Hope your day is great!
Hopeful Homemaker

Lavender + Lemon = Spring

I’ve got spring fever in a bad way.  While my husband and son lament the melting snow (it signals the end of snowboarding season) I’m jumping for joy at every bit of sun and warmer temperatures.  I know it will get wet and cold again, but I’m loving the promise of spring just around the bend.


To celebrate the coming season I decided to make my favorite Citrus Lemon Bundt Cake .  Instead of lemon pudding I added vanilla pudding (it was all I had on hand).  At the last second, I got out my miniature bundt cake pan instead and made 36 mini-cakes.


Then an idea came:  what if I add lavender to the glaze?  Why not?  So I adapted the glaze a bit to make it a lavender-lemon flavor.


Heavenly.  Mouthwatering.  And oh, so cute.  I’ve got big plans for these cakes.


The vanilla pudding didn’t hurt the flavor of the cakes at all.  I love how moist they are, and the lavender flavor is a most delicious addition.  I want to experiment a little bit more with the glaze recipe, but I’ll share it when it’s perfect.

What are you doing to welcome spring?

HH

My Hand Up

The school my elementary-aged children attend hosts an annual event called Leadership Day.  It’s a day when students and staff host parents and community members in sharing experiences with leadership.  The school uses a program called the Leader in Me, which is Stephen Covey’s 7 habits adapted for use in a school setting.  I love the exposure my children have to these great principles every single day at school, and I’m trying to use them more at home also.

This year all the students had to complete an art project of their choice for display on Leadership Day.  The theme was “Finding Your Voice”, which is Covey’s 8th habit.  I really enjoyed watching my kids think of ways to share this idea.  One of my daughters entered this piece that she painted on President’s Day , using the image of birds singing to describe how she felt about finding her voice.


My first grader’s project was so sweet.

She’s very loud and emotional at home, but at school is quiet as a mouse.   She’s a perfectionist in her school work and stresses about all the little things.  She’s been slow to make friends, but is learning a lot.  Her reading teacher is in love with her and emails me constantly about what an ideal student she is.  (My husband and I chuckle at this because we also know the rest of her personality, but it’s a relief to know that she is a model child at school.  Sometimes I wonder which is worse, the kid who’s perfect at home and a problem elsewhere, or the child who’s great everywhere but at home?)  She is a little sweetheart, and my heart salutes her because we know how much stress and anxiety she experiences in order to be that model student.

At her student-led conference a few weeks ago she was invited to set a goal for herself.  We chose the 8th habit, and her goal is to have the courage to raise her hand at least once every day and share something in class.  Oh, it made her nervous to write it down, but it is such a great goal for her.  With this goal in mind, she created her piece of art using oil pastels.


Her title:  My Hand Up.

Her description:  I will be brave and raise my hand.  I will share my thoughts.

She had me trace her arm on the paper, which gave it more meaning for her.  It’s her arm, her hand up high.  My heart swelled with love and pride when she showed me the final product.  I love the colorful fingernails.  I’m so proud of her for setting a goal that will truly help her grow.  I’m proud of her for having the courage even to declare the goal.  And I’m grateful for this little first grader in my life.

Hopeful Homemaker

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