Thursday, March 12, 2015

Spring




My kitchen designer told me that he was adding a shelf to my stove hood so that I could add decorations if I wanted to.  I have had more fun with that area!!  It's been so easy to add a seasonal wreath or decoration.





Not an original idea.  I saw this on the internet and fell in love.  I had all these supplies on hand and made this in five minutes.  


This is another unexpected area that I have loved decorating each holdiay.  I am thinking flying bats at Halloween!



Hello Mr. Rabbit!










HAPPY SPRING AND EASTER!!

These 
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XOXO Ann




Monday, March 2, 2015

Favorite Things Home Part 2-Whimsy

It has been raining on and off all day....and I love it!  I do appreciate the beautiful sun and year-round moderate temperatures, but sometimes a little variation is a welcome change!!  

So true to form, (decorating for the next holiday as soon as the previous one ends), I have been decorating my house for Easter today.  Pictures coming soon!  But first, please take a peek at another favorite area of my new home.   First post of new home favorites can be found HERE.


Welcome to my Whimsical Pool Bathroom!

This room has been in the works for eighteen years.  Before it even knew it existed!






I love, love, love, love, love Mary Engelbreit.  Her paintings make me happy.  They are so whimsical and colorful and fun!  I have been given a Mary Engelbreit calender for Christmas for oh, about eighteen years in a row now.  First from my husband and then from my kids as they got a little older.  Her summer illustrations and Christmas ones are my favorite.  Over the years I have saved my calenders and always knew that I wanted to do something with my favorites.  Did I mention that I love her?



Well now was my chance!  In the design and decorating of my home, my focus and intent has always been sophisticated and timeless.  Whether I have achieved that or not remains to be seen, but hopefully I am on the right track.  But the bathroom that we built for the purpose of the backyard and pool was a different story....

This room needed...COLOR



And WHIMSY....



And FUN.....



 And LAUGHTER.....



I wanted to evoke all the happy emotions of childhood summers.

And I knew just how to do that!  I narrowed down my collection to my five favorite summer portraits (it was SO hard) and had them framed in simple white frames.  


 This is the scene that greets you as you open the bathroom door and step in.  The sign above my treasured pictures was purchased years ago at a vintage beach store.  I love it too!




I had beadboard applied to all the walls in the room.


And then showed my finish carpenter a picture of the finish detail (chair rail) I wanted on top.


The ceiling in this room also has the beadboard detail.



Surrounded by crown molding.



The opposite wall from the toilet and sink is designed as an area of conveniences~


I store all my beach/pool towels here and the bench serves many purposes.  A mom knows how good a bench can be.  A surface to place your bag that isn't a wet floor.  A place to sit down while drying off your child or helping them change.  Forget the kids, a place to set your clothes down while you change!


(Also love anything Lily Pulitzer!)


I also store sunblock and goggles in this room.

In keeping with the fun and whimsy, we painted the walls a colorful beachy blue.


I still need to hang the sign below.  We definitely took advantage of having a pool last summer.  My kids had friends over constantly and Marc and I had OUR friends (and their kids) over almost every Monday and Friday night.  I was constantly asked where the bathroom was (Good question!! I am GLAD you ask!!)  I am going to hang this sign from a black wrought iron hanger similar to below.  It will protrude out from the wall next to the bathroom.  Can't miss it!




This room just makes me happy.  And yes, I do realize it's a bathroom.  But it's a bathroom with a stamp of my personality all over it!



And before you know it, these little boys will be once again admiring my WHIMSICAL BATHROOM!  I am sure they appreciate the design just as I do.  
Right?
Well maybe they appreciate the design of the pool. :)


These 
Are
Some
Of 
My 
Favorites...
XOXO Ann


Saturday, February 14, 2015

Valentines Day-a Favorite Holiday for Sure

Happy Valentines Day!!  I hope everyone is having a lovely day.  We had a very yummy and festive breakfast this morning for my teenage daughter and four of her friends who had spent the night.  Three of the girls had parents who were out of town and the fourth was invited for good measure.  :)


They needed plenty of nourishment after their day yesterday
-hiking to a waterfall and playing in the creek
-ordering pizza for dinner and then hot tubing when the sun dipped
-watching a movie
-and then finishing off the evening with a dance party

I LOVE teenagers.  I love having them in my home.  They bring an energy and happiness and whole new level of fun.




On the menu this morning:
hashbrowns
heart shaped chocolate chip bagels and two flavors of cream cheese
glazed donut holes
orange juice
mango sausage
turkey sausage links
fresh strawberries
and a box of chocolates for everyone





As soon as I packed all of Christmas away, my house felt so lonely without all of the Christmas cheer.  So I decided, why wait?  As I put away Christmas, I decided it was high time to celebrate Valentines Day.  On January 2nd!  Out came the Valentines Day decorations.  So we have been enjoying the red and pink for a lovely month and a half.








I needed something to hang and so I made these paper hearts.  Easy and cute!









 I switch this artwork out in my hallway each season or holiday.  I am on the lookout for some really neat vintage Halloween prints if anyone comes across any!



It has been a beautiful and SUNNY day today.  My flowers are starting to fill in around all the nooks and crannies of my rocks.  And tonight I have a date with my husband to my favorite restaurant!  

Happy Valentines Day!!

Is it too early to get out Easter decorations?  I am watching the grocery store shelves for my Brach's jelly beans!  Another FAVORITE that only comes once a year. :)

These 
Are
Some
Of 
My 
Favorites...
XOXO Ann