Lets Play. . . Favorites!

Today while shopping (for fresh pasta) a very cool, very hip and clearly much younger clerk and I started talking music. He asked me about my favorite concert and I struggled a bit (Pink Floyd Division Bell, I think!) and then I asked him, and he struggled a bit. It left me thinking about my favorite things and then wondering what are YOUR favorite things. I mean, blogging is so one sided and all. . .I share mostly boring and occasionally interesting details about my life and yet I know very little about my readers. So lets play I share, you share. . .

1. Favorite Restaurant: Impossible to choose. . .

     Charlotte: I love Halycon Flavors From The Earth.

     New York City: Extra Virgin in the West Village. Bonus: My little sister Lindsey may live next door!

     Atlanta, GA:  South City Kitchen in Midtown. I was lucky enough to eat dinner there last weekend!

2. Favorite Vacation Spot: Saint John, USVI. I love it so much that I STILL haven't given up on living there.

*pic from our last trip two years ago. . .

3. Style Icon: Olivia Palermo

Source: musingsinfemininity.tumblr.com via Olivia on Pinterest

Shop her style at Piperlime.

4. Most likely to be spotted wearing: Sadly. . . workout gear! Not sadly, Gucci sunglasses and a lux bag.  My favorite accessory is my daughter  Sadie, who is never too far away!

5. Guilty Pleasure's: See above: Gucci sunglasses and lux bags. Seriously. . . I have no business! 

6. Favorite thing about myself: My dark brown eyes and high cheekbones. A girl has to love something about themselves, right! Now it's your turn!

7. Dear God, Why Did You Make Me This Way:  I can cry at the drop of a pin. Big huge tears, and I CAN. NOT. STOP.

8. Most embarrassing moment: Swimming the wrong stroke in the 200IM at a BIG swim meet when I was 18. I am still not over it. Really.

9. Could NOT live without: So cheesy I know. . .but my family. They remind me everyday about what is really important. Plus they always let me sleep in. . .Scotty has the kids trained! (I might feel a bit guilty about that as well!)

*Last family picture together . . .Christmas of course!

10.  Adventure I have never been on, but I am dying to go on: I could write a paragraph on this one!  I have never been to Haiwai . . but I would do just about anything to make it to Bora Bora. Scott has not been to Europe, and I want to share Paris and London with him. We will go there someday soon! I AM married you know. . .so I have to have his and hers adventures.

Source: Uploaded by user via SunSoaked on Pinterest

So tell me your favorites. . .pick one or all of them! It's better that way!

All Grown Up: Sadie's Room Mini Makeover

Overr the last several years, I have been busy making over the rest of the house, giving Cooper a nursery and then a "Big Boy" room. As first born luck goes,  I had not touched Sadie's room since she was 2 years old, and even then I didn't make many changes from her nursery to toddler space. Well I promised her, her room was next. . .and well you know I had to deliver!

Initially I was inspired by several spaces I found on Pinterest:

Source: lonnymag.com via Taylor on Pinterest

Source: designstiles.me via Taylor on Pinterest

I am struggling with (re) learning photo shop, but I came up with this little concept board:

I know, I know. . . It's rough and the desk shown above is too small, but I have no idea how to go back in the layers. . .so replace that desk with this little beauty I found at Home With Heart. I want to put it against the wall on the other side of the bathroom door. We shall see if I can get Scott to go for the price tag. You may be seeing a DIY copy cat post. . . .But a girl can dream right?

I started by painting the walls a custom oatmeal color from Benjamin Moore and the ceiling in Cream Puff . Shown below are custom oatmeal linen Euro Shams and red bolster from Erin at Chancery Design. Not shown is the beautiful custom daybed bed skirt in matching fabric. 

 My friend and photographer Miranda Reger shot our family last fall in uptown Charlotte and we cropped and mega enlarged this shot of Sadie leaning on her daddy's legs. I had it framed in the same modern, white lacquer frame that I did in Coopers room. 

Remember these little beauty's from Home With Heart, well they came HOME with me!

The curtains are from Post and Gray and Erin from Chancery Design hemmed them and added the fringe. It was her call to add it to both sides and create a clean border by keeping both fringes facing in. I love.

 

The chair is from Ikea and was slip covered in Sadie's nursery. The vintage framed chalkboard was moved from the bathroom and the old English Pot came home with me from Home With Heart.

Sorry for the poor lighting. . .The lampshades are from Restoration Hardware Kids and the black modern lamp bases are from Target. The etched glass mirror was an old Interiors Marketplace find from Sadie's nursery. The drawing was one of Sadie's first , and I love that the two flowers are symbles of she and I. 

Just like everything else in our lives, our home is forever evolving and always growing. 

European Living at Home With Heart

Home With Heart is a new little shopping gem now open in Myers Park and if you haven't been, you really must stop by. Owner Lynn-Anne Bruns, a long time vendor and interior designer, recently opened her own little shop, with tons of heart, on the corner of Providence Road and Cherokee Rd in Myers Park. The historic cottage (dating to 1919) was dark and dated when Lynn-Anne moved in this fall.  But thanks to many, many coats of luxurious white paint, the shops decor is 100% light filled Scandinavian.

The cottage shop is filled with lighting lines from well known vendors like Currey & Company and Worlds Away, as well as one of a kind vintage flea market finds. Elegant furniture line Tritter Feefer is well represented in beauties like this Greta Desk.

Eclectic displays and well hung art fill the walls at Home With Heart.

One of a kind estate finds, luxurious candles (from lines like Aquiesse) and designer books meant as centerpieces accessorize this corner of the main room. 

Funky book ends, hooks and wall medallions fill this non traditional gallery wall. A Ted Baker Men's Toiletry Bag is resting below. 

My friend and "Shop Girl" Sue stays busy arranging the many beautiful gifts, children's toys, and tea towels in what is a light filled kitchen and dining area.  A world traveler, Lynn-Anne has stocked the store with such delicacies as Rosanna Cake Stands, Chehoma accessories and tea towels and papers and crafts by eeBoo.

A Valentine's display to warm your heart.

To the far right of the entrance, is small cozy room stocked fill of little delights for every child. Again one of a kind treasures are mixed with toys from Maileg and crafts by eeboo.  

Wooden trucks for boys, and wool hats and mittens for little girls. . .nothing in here is mass produced.  

Vintage english trays are hung on walls and cast iron bunny hooks playfully wait to hold little sweaters and treasures. 

When I stopped by the other day, Sue was busy creating these little birthday party GEMS! Pre-packaged gifts for little girls and boys, all retailing under $30. This little girls dream basket is stocked with metallic pencils, crayons and paper for $25. 

Home With Heart is the little shop on the corner that cares! Contact Lynn-Anne Bruns for complete Interior Design work. Contact her at:

Home With Heart

115 Cherokee Road

Charlotte, NC

704-780-9944

Baby It's Cold Outside: Warm It Up With Barn Doors

One of my favorite architectural trends right now is the emergence of barn doors. The over sized, rustic doors are most often hung on a track above the door frame and are taking the place of tradition sliding doors and french doors. While possible to hang in a smaller space, my personal favorite use is in larger new construction homes. The doors are a great way to add warmth and architectural interest (to often builder standard) to wide open spaces.

Source: facebook.com via Taylor on Pinterest

The rustic wooden door by architect Culligan Abraham is hung on a rod iron track and features a window and a modern steel edge in place of a traditional pull. Photograph by Chris Lake.

Eclectic Living Room design

This is one of my favorite example of the use of barn doors. The clean, white backdrop of the walls and floors in the main room are balanced with wooden support beams. The adjoining white bathroom with travertine floors in the bathroom are in perfect harmony with the rustic door.

Eclectic Kitchen design by Grand Rapids Interior Designer Green Apple Design

In this white modern kitchen, whitewashed wooden doors are used to create architectural interest. The stainless steel track keeps the room feeling light and airy.

Eclectic Bedroom design by Dallas Interior Designer Melinda Faranetta

In what appears to be a newer construction home, the painted black barn door is used create privacy and add warmth to a potentially wide open and uninviting space. The once great room is now an intimate office setting.

Traditional Living Room design by San Francisco Architect McCoppin Studios

The cool gray walls and stone fireplace are warmed this time by rustic wooden ceiling beams. The space is kept from feeling overly rustic by using a pair of white wooden barn doors as an entrance into the kitchen. Belgian roll arm couches and layered sea grass rugs complement the architecture to create an inviting space. 

To learn more about using barn doors in your home check out this article on Houzz.