YELLOW.

Though I'm incredibly drawn to its vibrant properties, yellow's a color I rarely use. It's a tricky one. But look how gorgeous it can be when it's actually done well:

You see, a room doused in bright yellow paint hardly ever translates to the happy, lively hue the painter was in search of. It often has the opposite effect--making a space feel muddy and dull. So, being the empowering color that yellow is, it's best used in smaller-scaled doses...scattered throughout a room as an accent. And repetition is absolutely key if you're wanting to accomplish just what you were hoping to with that can of yellow paint. Used smartly, accents of yellow draw you in, and bathe a room in sunshine, which is what most people are searching for in those yellow paint swatches!

Happy yellow.
HAPPY THURSDAY.

SCENES.

My blog is always the #1 to-do item on my daily list, yet somehow it always ends up being the one thing that doesn't get accomplished. But that, my friends, is because my business is growing, and I am busy. And for that I am uber grateful. It's incredibly rewarding to see your passion evolve into a sustaining line of work, and I can't wait to see where both my work and I go.

Anyhow, here's a few moments captured since the last time we spoke :)

Samples arrived for a client's dining chairs.

We fell hard for the navy.

 The glory of a Lowcountry sunset.

They really are the prettiest.

I paid a visit to an uber-talented friend's art studio...

...and we made stamps :) ...So fun!

Wine, cheese, and laughs were shared during a night of Apples to Apples.

I stood in awe of the hand-crafted ingenuity at my favorite lighting studio.

Seriously...one of each, please?

And...lastly...Maple and I inaugurated the (giant) fire 

pit that we finally hauled home from the antique store.

Now we just need some furniture to go with it :)

Hope your week is off to an amazing start...and that you're doing everything you can to live out your passions and dreams. 

xoxoxo

A SWINGING MONDAY.

Yep. I am that girl. I pick up things on the curb. Granted, it has to be a pretty awesome thing. But you would not even believe how fast I slammed on my brakes and threw my car into reverse for this swinging treasure:

Poppy and I have been wanting a hanging rattan egg chair FOREVER. 

Yes, Poppy is well-versed in mid-century furniture design. Don't judge.

Can you believe my neighbor was curbing this gem?

It's crazy to me that people have no idea just what they have in their possession...

or they simply don't care.

A few notes:

• Yes, that carpet is gross. I know. And I am so over that rug that I made like ten years ago for a magazine shoot.  Little does my bro-in-law know that he will be our free labor needed to rip up that frayed, stained carpet and, yes, astroturf that's lurking beneath when he visits. Wonder if he reads this?...hehe.
• Poppy is cute.
• We're going to tile our porch with some Ann Sacks amazingness and replace the two black widow (ugh...over them) infested chairs with a loungey sofa.
• I'm blogging from my swing now :)

Now, go get you a fab egg swing of your own to enjoy. 

It pairs most perfectly with a sweet glass of prosecco, I promise.

PALM SPRINGS FRIDAY.

It's Friday. In September. So that means you best get out there and soak up that last bit of summer. The right way...Palm Springs-like poolside...like Slim Aarons and his fab friends were so adept at doing:

P.S. I am that girl who watches the background set design of movies vs. paying attention to the storyline, and notices the wallpaper, furniture, lighting, etc. in TV shows, movies, books, what-have-you. So I, of course, immediately started fawning over the furniture in this photo. Just look at those white egg chairs...on legs! And that sloping upholstered lounge chair. And that tulip table on the right. And those natural rattan dining chairs. Not to mention the architecture...white, smooth stucco with Morroccan-esque archways. And palm plants galore in sleek, white planters. Not gonna lie...sort of wish my hubby would sport bright yellow pants and a printed jacket with no shirt. And a fedora. While I lounged in a pink caftan, waiting ever-so-patiently for my butler to pour me a martini. I was born for the 70s...in Palm Springs.

THE CURATORY: AFFORDABLE ART

Let's get real: we don't all have the wallet to waltz into a gallery and out with a sprawling, one-of-a-kind, original piece of artwork. But if you're anything like me, you do know that art is a lifetime investment, and one that adds an unmatched amount of personality to your home and your walls. And let me tell you, that investment does not have to break the bank. Being that I'm on a pretty tight budget, I'm always scouring my resources for affordable art that will enliven my walls. And I thought I'd pass my favorite penny-saving finds onto you, and your home:

A.  A colorful yet classic, mid-century style abstract via Serena and Lily //  B.   I'm digging the bold statement made with this giant, diving triptych and would love to see it enliven a bare wall above a bed or in mix things up in a dining room //  C.  Scouring etsy is well-worth the effort. I love the texture and soothing hues in this oil-based abstract //  D.  A super-affordable statement can easily be made by having a favorite photograph professionally enlarged and framed. Maybe it's because I live on the coast, but I find water photos to be incredibly calming. //  E.  Not only is the lady behind Look, Linger, Love a talented blogger...she creates incredible (and affordable) art for us to covet...and buy.  //  F.  Crate and Barrel has a surprising selection of well-curated and framed artwork //  G.  I'm enamored with the bold graphics in this Natural Curiosities production  //  H.  Do as Serena and Lily did, and frame graphic vintage textiles  (etsy is a great source for your hunt) //  I.  Classic still lifes will never get old. I'm eyeing this citrus oil for my white kitchen walls.


So there you have it: my favorite affordable art picks.

Email me if you're interested in any of the above pieces, or if you'd like help curating the perfect art for your own walls.

HAPPY THURSDAY.
Where has this week gone?!

AS-OF-LATE:

Umm...I may be the worst blogger in all of blogging. And I probably don't have a valid excuse. People love to say they are busy, and yes...Maple and I are busy...but that's not entirely why I haven't been posting. I guess it boils down to the fact that I, above anything else, am a creative...and my right brain facilitates everything that I do. Everything. So inspiration can be fleeting. Not to mention motivation, especially when you're lacking in the inspiration department. And the sweltering heat and humidity of Charleston summers downright suffocate me...and all that inspiration. But fall is on the horizon...which means a new season, a new start, new inspiration...and boots. Lawd I miss my boots. And that, my friends, may very well mean that I am back :)

So, a little recap of life as-of-late:

We're always gone, it seems. This time it was a biz-rendezvous to Atlanta...for Maple. 

I love this photo. Only because of the pink mohawk that's casually lurking behind us.

Rains from Isaac paid us a not-so-friendly visit. Charleston floods when it drizzles, 

so one can only imagine what might happen with 6+ hours of pounding rainfall.

But I love the rain, as it seems to soothe my soul. So we curled up in front of the window,

and watched cars and neighbors attempt to trudge through the flood. 

 Isaac gave us the briefest glimpse of fall, so of course I took advantage: the most delicious banana oatmeal muffins you ever will eat...homemade ciabatta...and butternut squash, winter greens soup.

With less-balmy weather on its way, Maple and I have been itching to start on our patio. You see, we have a giant, giant backyard that's overgrown and underused, and we've been so anxious to turn it into an enjoyable extension of our house. Last fall we planted Lonny our Loquat tree (his name is fitting, no?), who soon will be boasting gorgeous orange rounds of fruit. We eventually plan to build a giant gravel patio, but with that requires both time and money, so we decided to approach it a little bit at a time. So we dug a giant mud hole in our yard, and decided it would be our fire pit round. 

See the hot mess we started with? 

I paid a visit to my all-time favorite antiques dealer, and spotted our future fire pit (an iron antique hailing from India), and two giant, white-washed antique urns that I couldn't get out of my head. 

I needed them. Okay...our yard needed them. 

Then Poppy and I got to work.

Okay...more like Maple got to work.

But look...I helped! 

We graveled. And cut a bed all along the back of the house. De-weeded that bed, and mulched.

And filled-in giant-ish sinkholes in our yard with the dirt and sod we removed to make the pit.

And for some reason we decided this would be oh-so-fun to do on a 98 degree day with what seemed like 180% humidity amidst a swarm of ruthless mosquitos.

But it was worth it:

Because now we can enjoy our yard.

Or, a tiny smidgeon of it.

So now we're on the hunt for the perfect fireside furniture. I am unrealistically picky. 

And someday that will all be gravel.And someday my creeping fig will form a gorgeous green wall of cascading vines on the back wall of the house. And someday we will have a giant outdoor table, an outdoor kitchen area, pretty plantings bordering the patio, and some lounge furniture. 

But I intend to relish in the now...and for now...she's perfect.

HAPPY THURSDAY.

Glad to be back :)

P.S. Hannah Maple Studio is wrapping up big projects and back to accepting interior clients, whether it be e-design, or full-service interiors work. Get in touch via hannah@hannahmaple.com if you need help creating the perfect space for your home or business.