It's the weekend

Therefore I'm going to:
*Make a mess of my kitchen...in a good way...baking and cooking and whipping up treats.
*Conquer the indoor rockwall with my hubby...our newest Saturday morning tradition.
*Shop the goods at an estate sale right down the street...hoping to score some finds for the new house.
*Finish building a headboard for an NYC apartment design I'm working on.
*Go fabric scouting for the same apartment...and for our new casa... :)
*Work, work...and do some more work...my freelance projects are piling up (yay!)
*Round up styling props for a mag photoshoot I have next week
*Eat a scrumptious, homecooked din (with amazing friends) at our very first monthly Supper Club meal
*do our Sunday morning church thing
*maybe, just maybe start packing a few things (am I getting ahead of myself here? We haven't officially closed on the new diggs yet...)
*hope there's some time left for lounging around on the couch with Maple, the pup, a good book and a frothy espresso.

Oh my...oh-so-busy...but that's a good thing :)
HAPPY WEEKEND.

Perfect for your pocketbook: Zara

One thing I love about the brink of spring?
Massive sales on cozy winter goods. I love stocking up for the upcoming season--especially on items that aren't too trendy so you won't be dawning last year's duds the next time the air turns cold. Anyway, I've been doing just that--searching for sales that are too good to pass up, and let me tell you: Zara has just that. Lucky enough to live near the Euro-chic retailer? If so (I'm entirely envious) you need to go to there:

Perfection--I know.
The best part? All these finds are super cheap--like $50 or less.
And...I adore the luxe detailing they give to their budget-friendly pieces. They certainly don't skimp when it comes to design.

The perfect weekend shopping spree? A big yes, if you live in a big city (which right now I'm wishing I did). So, if you are in fact lucky enough to be Zara-bound...think of me while you're replenishing your wardrobe on the cheapo.

HAPPY FRIDAY.
Thank goodness :)

Inspired by: pretty things.

*How striking is Kate Winslet? Loving her chic, messy up-do.
*And those flowers...
*European architecture--I'd give anything to go back to those wonder-filled streets.
*Almost beach weather...itching to stick my toes in the sand and feel that salty breeze.
*Then again...winter I really will miss. Wishing our  landscape was enchanted like these snow-covered,   tree-speckled hills.
*Prettied workspace: I like you.
*Europe--again--they sure know how to do design their dwellings.
*Hmm...I think I need glasses...especially those pretties :)
*I wouldn't mind getting lost in a berry-covered thicket...in fact...maybe I will try someday.

Hope your morning's just as pretty.
HAPPY THURSDAY.

Antique 8-foot farm table:

We need a decent dining table...and a pretty big one at that. So I've been perusing Craigslist, assuming I'd be sorting through a lot of overpriced junk that would probably never make it through our new front door. And then I found her:

FOR $325. 
DIRT. CHEAP. 


I fell in love.
I emailed the owner...feverishly.
He said he'd "sold" it, but the guy had never come back to get it.
I thought about offering more. I guess maybe I should have...
So I followed up on her yesterday, and yes...
she's gone.


Sad, right? She would've been oh-so-pretty in our new place.

h.i.m. (happy in the morning): fabulous France.

Hello, Monday! And hello, my pretty readers! My morning blog run-through was short and sweet (finishing up some freelance work this morning before heading into my actual work), but I came across this little beauty via dress, design, decor that might make your morning a wee bit brighter (and possibly convince you to jump on a plane to France).


EF - Live The Language - Paris from Albin Holmqvist on Vimeo.

Just look at that typography--it's beyond perfect. And the colors...the music...the culture...the food. The videography is brilliant. Bravo, EF, you've accomplished what you intended: I want to learn French and scoot off to Paris...tomorrow.

Happy Monday :)

Morning admiration: West Elm.

Is it just me, or has West Elm really stepped it up a notch?

I've always admired their products, but now it seems as if they've made a valiant effort to fuse their sleek, modern designs with eclectic pairings--I love how they've made modern (which can be completely austere) so cozy and warm. Their photo-styling is on-point, and those paint colors! Love the dark gray in the first photo--and I'm seriously considering emailing the company to find out where that stunning accordion swing lamp came from. I've somewhat stalked their site--it's got to be an outside find.

Well done, West Elm...I'm now more of a fan than ever.
My bank account certainly won't thank you.

Work from home--and do it well.

Working from home today on several looming deadlines (and therefore procrastinating a bit), which got me thinking--or dreaming--of our soon-to-be home office. This new house has my mind reeling--Maple and I can't wait to settle in, get organized, and spread out. We'll finally have some space to work, and best of all--it will be in a room that's totally dedicated to that (verses our current office/living room/dining room combo). 

So here it is: a home office inspiration board that makes days spent working at home so totally worth it.

{ coffee mug: Anthropologie }     { vintage lamp: 2 Bored Bunnies }    { tape dispenser: aldea home }    

{ parsons desk:  West Elm }    { sweatshirt: Free People }    { pillow: bellacor }    { stools: CB2 }

So, what do you think?

Do any of you work from home...even if only on occasion (like me)?

If so, what's your office like? What do you love about it? What do you recommend?

Would so love to hear!

Here to Keep.

Hello lovelies! I have someone I'd just love for you to meet. He's tall, dark, Australian, and ever-so handsome. He's sturdy, reliable, well-kempt...even warm...and he really loves a good latte.

Perfection? 

I sure think so...

He is my new Keep Cup (a big thank you to my big brother)...and he's almost up to par with my Maple (sorry, Keep Cup, you don't fix breakfast in bed...or do you?).

I can be a wee bit picky about things (my coffee mugs are one of those peculiarities), and I. just. love. this. one. I wanted something that's sleek (no handles, please), easy to clean, lightweight, good quality, and BPA-free. And this, fellow coffee-connesiuers, is it.  And the best part? You can mix + match the colors and it's totally dishwasher and microwave safe. SOLD.

Plus...he looks good on my desk.

THIS IS KY.

I stumbled across an Elle Decor spread last night (entirely unsure how I've never seen this before) that made my heart pine for Kentucky. Yes, Charleston is amazing in all of its charm and glory, and it's now our home--but my everything still belongs to Lexington. It's beyond describable; I try, but it's impossible for outsiders to grasp the beauty of the rolling hills, stately houses, rows of stone walls and painted fences, bright green pastures dotted with blue-blooded thoroughbreds, massive oak trees, and happy red barns.

There's no place in the world like it (and no, sometimes we don't wear shoes)...and apparently designer royalty duo Badgley & Mischka feel the same, for they reside in the boundaries of my home city--Lexington. Their diggs are a bit fancy for my tastes, but I'm loving the contrast between black, white, and dark-stained wood. Masculine...but totally refined, if not elegant. And ohh...to live on that million-dollar land...

Thank you, Elle Decor. This was so fun to see.

I think it's safe to say I'm terribly missing Lexington today, and all my family and friends.

XOXO. Miss you ALL.

Overstock-it.

So, inevitably I've been on the lookout for thrifty decor scores for our new house. I love perusing big-name sites for inspiration, but I've gotten to the point where I have a super hard time paying for a brand name...simply because I know I can find the same quality (if not higher!) elsewhere for a significantly lower price tag.

Well, friends--I bring you the wonder of Overstock.
I haven't searched for anything other than rugs, but, if it's a rug you're in the market for, you need to get acquainted with overstock. And yes, they sell out pretty quickly, but another little hint: they'll most likely restock that item if you're patient.

Large-room rugs like an 8 x 10 can easily run you $500-1000, and that's supposedly a "steal" these days. That just makes me hurt knowing that we now have six rooms that need some rug love. Below you'll find my favorite Overstock finds...all 5 x 8 to 8 x 10...all below $200. 

Yep, it's glorious, I know.
Happy Tuesday...happy overstocking.