for the love of turquoise

do y'all remember this episode from the oprah show? cutie nate berkus makes over the main living areas of colette's home in alabama.
i loved this makeover. the above photo has stuck in my mind for years. i love the chest. the color. the high gloss. and turquoise IS the 2010 pantone color of the year.


this is the chest in my foyer now. it's red. i've come to dislike red. i'm thinking of painting it that turquoise this weekend. and doing a gallery wall of my photos of the local defunct train in black frames above it. what do you think?
my only hesitation is the wall color behind the chest. it's a yellow-camel. maybe if i made steve a really, really good dinner and let him watch what HE wants to watch on tv, he'll wallpaper the 2-story wall behind the chest in grasscloth. but first i'd have to get him to like wallpaper. he hates it. hmmm... i think i'll have to work with the paint color as is. i'll let ya know how it goes!

new week, new month

i'm glad it's a new month. glad january is over. it was grey and rainy and cold. i entered january exhausted and disorganized from my busy, busy holiday season at the shop. i felt sluggish from my poor diet and no exercise. february looks to be more promising. i'm rested, more organized, cooking more and eating better, and i returned to the gym. i like february. there's the superbowl, which means a gathering of friends... this time at the neighbor's. i could care less about the game (still not sure who's even playing) but enjoy the time spent catching up with friends. and there's our wedding anniversary. still not sure what we're doing for the day, but it'll be fun.

notice i didn't mention valentine's day. i'm kinda anti-valentine's day. anti may be too strong a word. i just think you should show a little bit of love and appreciation for one another every day, not just on one special day. like these two.

my mother-in-law sent me these photos. this cat living in harrisburg, oregon, has a special friend that visits every morning. very sweet.

small world

images via treehouse point

sometimes you have to read a blog post written by a newlywed (and soon-to-be-mom) from new york , recapping a blog post written by an internationally acclaimed stylist, photographer and author who resides in sydney, paris and amsterdam to discover something in your own backyard.

this is treehouse point, which is, according to their site, "an intimate alternative for individuals and groups who seek comfort and style in friendly and natural surroundings. all accommodations are well designed and artfully decorated, with touches like handmade beds, original art and charming vintage furnishings. we offer a main lodge with two suites and two overflow rooms, two treehouses, and a deluxe cabin tent."

image via treehouse point

treehouse point is within 5 miles of our house. who knew. jasmine from show+tell recently honeymooned there. these are some of her images.

images from jasfritz

beautiful, huh? peaceful, serene too.

i want this in my own backyard.

image via treehouse point

next time we can't accomodate all our houseguests, we'll send them here. or better yet, give them our bedroom and we'll go stay at treehouse point.

love this

i'm obsessed with soaps in pretty packages. i pick one up every time i travel. and put it in my glass urn on my bathroom sink counter. i'd buy these even though i'd only have to travel to my nearest paper source store.

image from here

lovin' yellow

yellow, or rather citron as southern accents calls it, speaks summer to me. to celebrate the end of summer i thought i'd post a few photos showing yellow. i love these spaces.

love all the windows, the window seat, the lucite chairs and those punchy stripe pillows

photos tria giovan, designer amanda nisbet

love those silky drapes puddled ever so slighty, the teal chair and wishing i could pan the photo to see more of the artwork

designer Heidi Friedler, photos Michel Arnaud

love the mix of artwork

photos tory williams, designer amanda nisbet

hmmm, apparently i'm really loving yellow with pinks

photos Pieter Estersohn, designer Nestor Santa-Cruz, SKB Architecture and Design

all images courtesy southern accents

lovin' the garden

friday is my day to show you what i love. lately it's been our gardens. things are finally blooming.

tickweed
stargazer lilies. steve planted these while i was on vacation with my mom and sister. he wouldn't tell me what they were. i know now. he's very proud of his lilies. and rightfully so. they're beautiful.
hydrangea
hibiscus
echinacea. in a pretty lime color.
even the hostas in the shade garden are blooming.

lovin' ...

this photo

from here

this garden path

via here

this table centerpiece

from here

these fans

from here

this small, bold manhattan kitchen

via here

these lanterns

from here

this room

via here

this handle

from here

this setting

via here

Lovin' This

I've decided Fridays will be my day to show you what I'm currently loving.

Today it's this

via cathy culles via oh so beautiful paper

Love the words, love the colors, love the photo styling.

Lovin' These

via here

via here

via here