But there’s just so much good stuff out there!  Here’s a sampling of the goodies I’ve stumbled across (and bear with me – there’s a strong girlie animal vibe going on since I’m having a girl and decorating an animal-oriented nursery).

Photography & Paintings

Via Unknown

Custom Toy Portrait by Jennifer Maher via 6th Street Design School

Sharon Montrose via Freckles Chick

Via Coco de Paris, here and here

Framed Flashcards, Note Cards & Book Pages

Via Dwell Studio

Via Amazon

Via Loopz Art

Via Sass & Peril

Alphabet Art

Via Ball and Skittle

Via Geninne’s Art Store

Via Petit Collage

Words, Sentiments & Gentle Hints  :)

Via The Wallaroo

Via Sycamore Street Press, here and here

Via Pam Garrison

Via Unknown

Via Belly Babies

His/Her Name

Via English Muffin Shop

Via Urban Outfitters

Art Prints

Via Sarah Jane Studios, here and here

Via The Paper Nut

Via Alley Kids

Did any of these beauties catch your eye?  How did you decorate your kiddo’s nursery?

Putting up the tree and all the festive trimmings is always a guaranteed good time – and it always puts me in the holiday spirit.  This year we ditched our old Charlie Brown Christmas tree and sprung for a 7 1/2 foot pre-lit tree, and it makes such a difference!  (It didn’t hurt that the new tree only set us back $130, after using our Sears points and getting free shipping for ordering in the store.)

We also abandoned our old red and gold scheme and tried out peacock-inspired hues, all inspired by some fun and funky stockings that I scored at the Crate & Barrel outlet for just 5 bucks each.  In all, we spent less then $40 for this entirely new look thanks to some DIY ornaments like these, donated goodies from my mom, peacock feather earrings, and gifted crystals from my grandmother years and years ago.

We are really loving our peacock-themed decorations!

These photos were all taken this morning, and it’s all even more glorious at night!

What about you guys – how are you decking the halls this year?  Link up if you’d like, we’d love to check out even more festiveness!

It was tough, but after taking into account price, pattern, colors, and my hubby’s opinion (no florals – boo), these are the four finalists!

1.  Waverly Ellis in Flamingo

2.  Waverly Sun n Shade Lenox in Horizon

3.  Premier Prints Chipper in True Turquoise

4.  Waverly Ellis in Turquoise

All of the fabrics are comparable in price, and they’re either indoor/outdoor or can be treated with ScotchGard – so it really just comes down to the best fit for the room!

Speaking of which, the fabric will be going in this room . . .

( Ignore the table and chairs – they’re both gone. )

. . . which is open to this room . . .

. . . and this room . . .

. . . and will go on these chairs . . .

. . . around a round, dark-stained wood table (more about that later).

I’m seriously on the fence.  I’m kind of leaning towards the Chipper fabric (#3) or Ellis in Flamingo (#1), but I’m also being wooed by the indoor/outdoor qualities of the Lenox in Horizon (#2).  But I could definitely use some help – which fabric would you choose, and why?

I’m so glad I got over my fear of tackling a gallery wall, because I’m completely in love with how it turned out. Take a look!

Clearly I’m a fan of color and pattern, and it’s taken a long time to figure out how to inject all of the that goodness into this room in particular. I’d been talking up the idea of a gallery wall to Jason for quite some time now, and I think I finally just wore him down. :) Anyhoo, once he jumped on the bandwagon I knew it was now or never.

So first I laid out the art pieces I was considering (you might remember that step from this post):

Then I got to work cutting out pieces of Christmas wrapping paper and magazines in the same size and shape as the frames.

My plan was to stick them to the wall and rearrange them until I liked how everything looked.

Then I just started hanging those suckers up!! Here’s how it looked about halfway through the process.

I had a little helper, which is always nice. :)

And here’s how it turned out!!

It’s a far cry from where this room started.  Want to take a little walk down memory lane?  If you’ve been around since the beginning of this blog, then you remember how our den used to look:

( Check out more pictures of how our house used to look here. )

Thank goodness we were able to ditch that look – yikes!  After we got the bones of the room whipped into shape the room looked empty and a little boring (and kind of like a sofa show room) for a long time:

The next step was to add some fun accents with handmade pillows and a new rug, and then just a few weeks ago we switched things up with our passed-down-through-the-family secretary:

And now, finally, our den feels like us! There are still things I want to change and projects I want to undertake, but I’m really happy with it.  (And yes, that’s the Real Housewives of New Jersey on the tv – it’s only like the 3rd time I’ve seen it but I kind of see now why some people are obsessed with that show, it’s addictive!)

Ooh, and of course I have to fill you in on the details for all the artwork!

(1), (6), (9), (10), and (12) are all little paintings or drawings that I’ve done over time.  (1) is a series three watercolors that I painted in 6th grade – my family always went to Estes Park in Colorado during the summer and I would spend at least half the trip in the craft center.  It was heaven at the time.  :)  I painted (6) yesterday when I had an empty spot in the gallery wall, and I really like how it turned out!  (9) is a pastel and ink that I did of tulips in 9th grade in art class – for some reason it’s stuck around over the years.  As for (10), I’ve been wanting an “H” somewhere in our house to represent our last name, and I thought the gallery wall was the perfect place for it.  I painted it using a version of this tutorial for a metal look and it turned out pretty well!  And last but not least, (12) is a doodle of an elephant (her name is Ellie Phunt) that I drew on the paper tablecloth while I was bored during a review class for the bar exam after law school.  I just like it.  :)

(2) is a Kandinsky print that I bought from Z Gallerie when I started law school – it was $75 and I felt very grown up at the time for purchasing a piece of art.

(3) is a wood block print that my grandmother did (she was a ridiculously great artist) over half a century ago.  My mom made new copies for all of us kiddos a few years back.  :)

(4) is (I think) a Blue Morpho butterfly.  Also from my grandmother.

(5), (7) and (8) are pieces I picked up in Paris about 5 years ago with my aunt and sister.  The two oil paintings (5 and 7) are copies of master paintings (both Monet, I believe) that I bought from a street vendor along the Seine near Notre Dame (I feel oh so snobby writing that!) and had custom framed at Joann’s.  (8) in the large black frame is a pastel of the Moulin Rouge that I bought at . . . the Moulin Rouge.  It has that old school 20s vibe and amazing color and lots of fun images like can can dancers and the iconic windmill from the Moulin Rouge.  I couldn’t get a picture without blur because of the glass, but here’s a close up:

(11) is one of my favorite pictures from our wedding – a big smooch as we’re leaving the church and about to hop into the limo.

(13) used to be painted a pale pink and hung in my bedroom when I was little.  It’s a really ornate piece of plaster molding, and I painted the trim the same color as this artwork on the other side of the room.

And of course I can’t resist a few more gratuitous shots, so here you go. :)

All in all, this was a super gratifying project.  I can’t wait to hear what you guys think!

Click here to find out how I hung my artwork on the wood paneling without using any nails.

Last week, however, I decided to make the rounds to some of the antique shops near downtown Dallas.

I had a fabulous time, and spotted tons of goodies. I thought my mom would enjoy it as well, so we spent yesterday afternoon trolling through the antiques and vintage/retro wonderfulness. Here are some things that caught my eye:

This hutch would be perfect as a dining room buffet for linens, or in an office / craft room – those long drawers are awesome.

Trunk as a coffee table?

Pair of embroidered ottomans – perfect for the foot of the bed, or extra seating in the living room.

Loved the pattern and colors!

Reupholstered in something sassy, of course:

It doesn’t get much more retro than this:

I would love this as a console table:

This was being shown as a side table – an interesting look for a loft!

An oversized, hanging version of these:

I wished they had a pair of these – I think it would have been awesome over a kitchen island:

No explanation needed:

I kind of swooned over this mid-century coffee table – I’ve been wanting one that’s long and linear like this one:

Fab for an entryway, mud room or pulled up to a casual dining table:

Antique Jenny Lind bed frame, anyone?

Pair of walnut cane chairs:

I’m certain Jamie could work some magic with this little number:

I kind of fell in love with this 1860s four poster:

It even had the little knobs to string the rope for supporting the mattress!

What’s your take on antiquing – boring or a fun way to spend the day?

This post is brought to you by Furniture Stores – Tesco.

While searching for contemporary rugs this weekend for a design consult client, I came across a slew of the most gorgeous, graphic area rugs.  They are truly fab.  And as you know, I’ve been scouring the planet for a rug for our den for months now, so I’m totally relieved to find that there is hope after all!!  Maybe the perfect rug does exist!

Here are a few of my faves – get ready to drool:

These grey rugs provide the perfect base for exciting pops of color.  When paired with an ivory sofa, splashes of raspberry, teal, canary yellow or spring green will really shine.

To me, these graphic black and white rugs are statement pieces that would look amazing with lacquered furniture, glass accents, and hits of bold color.  However, they are also versatile enough to support a more subdued palate with pale blues and wood tones.

These rugs are my faves.  I love the interlocking pattern on the rugs, some of which are a more subtle version of the Moroccan-inspired rugs which have been so popular.  These rugs would also pair easily with a variety of design styles, and are perfect for a casual yet hip den.  I have my eye on several of them as candidates for our den . . .

There’s no denying it – these tomato-red rugs are bold.  I think they would look best “played down,” with casual furniture such as an aged leather sofa and floor pillows.  Love’em or hate’em, they make a statement.

I love the loose pattern of these rugs, which would look fabulous accented with bright pops of yellow.

These rugs are from the Walt Disney collection . . . what??  I know, it’s bizarre, but they’re totally gorgeous.

I love the whimsy of these rugs.  I would pair the first, pale blue rug with a neutral beige sofa and play up the coral accents in the rug with splashes of coral throughout the room in pillows and lamps.  The spring green rug with the damask pattern is actually a kid’s rug, but I don’t think it needs to be confined to that category – it would be amazing as an accent rug in an all-white kitchen, as a runner in the hallway, or as the focal point of a calm living room.

To me, these beautiful rugs have a worldly flair that makes them the perfect substitute for a more traditional Oriental carpet.  They are a bit more modern, and bit more hip, and tons more fun than an Oriental rug, and they would be an amazing addition to an eclectic family room or refined dining room.

So are you guys as wowed as I am by all the fab rugs that are out there?  Are there any that you’re loving – or hating??  Time to dish!

Images courtesy of PlazaRugs.com, CSN Rugs, JC Penney, and DecorativeandAreaRugs.com.

He’s got it all.  Fun colors?  Check.  Lively stripes?  Check.  Ridiculously affordable?  Double check.

I made him mine for a grand total of 36 bucks (including shipping!!) from Dash & Albert.  What a score!!  This little rug is now bringing a much-needed dose of personality and life to our newly remodeled kitchen.  I love how the earthy colors of the rug play off the cream and chocolate tones in our granite (and looks pretty great with the mossy green backsplash – sorry no picture!), and will work equally well in the summer and winter.  And no more puddles from drippy dishes on our hardwood floors . . . ah, life is good.

I’m also digging those cute little magenta cone flowers by the sink – they’re from our backyard, and I’m constantly (and pleasantly surprised) by the fun flowers that I find popping up back there.  Kudos to the former homeowner!

But I digress – back to the rug!  If we ever want to switch things up, our snazzy rug would look great in our entryway by the front door for a little splash of color.  Recognize that fab oversized glass vase?

Found any awesome deals lately that just made your day?  Got any advice on where I can find a rug that’s just as cute (and hopefully as affordable) for our living room?  Spill the beans!

For the full line of Dash & Albert’s gorgeous and totally affordable rugs, click here.

Yeah, I couldn’t wait to rip that stuff off the walls.  Well, we’ve come a long way from the funky wallpaper of yesterday.  Now there’s a whole new breed of wallpaper that is pretty funky, too – but in a good way.

Several wallpaper companies have developed paintable wallpaper – it comes in just about any pattern or texture imaginable, and can give your room an awesome look in no time.  Take this beadboard wallpaper from Home Depot, for example:

Wouldn’t this look great in a bathroom or dining room with a chair rail on top?  It would be so much easier and quicker to install than the real thing – no nailing or measuring, and it’s completely prepasted so you just have to get it wet and slap it on the wall.  And a roll of this nifty stuff covers 56 square feet for just under $22 – quite the bargain, if you ask me.  Here’s what it could look like in your home:

And if beadboard’s not your thing, don’t fret.  This paintable wallpaper comes in just about any pattern that you can think of, from linen to stucco and everything in between.  Here are a few of the patterns available from Graham & Brown to get you thinking:

Don’t like white?  Just paint it!  That’s the beauty of this unique wallpaper.  Take a look at how Sarah over at Thrifty Decor Chick used metallic paint to highlight the gorgeous pattern of her painted wallpaper panels:

Awesome, right?  And Sarah’s creative idea shows how you can use paintable wall paper to create unique (and affordable) wall art in no time.

So what do you think about paintable wallpaper?  Not your thing, or right up your alley?  What’s your favorite pattern?  I think mine is that amazing leaf pattern from Graham & Brown . . .

Click here for some other fun wallpaper ideas.

Images courtesy of Thrifty Decor Chick, Graham & Brown, Home Depot, Better Homes & Gardens, Lynn Morgan Design and My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia.  Graham & Brown paintable wallpaper is also available at Design Public.

I have been lusting after huge floor vases for quite some time, so my heart totally skipped a beat when I saw this little (um, big) guy.  The jumbo beauty in the back is not only fabulous, but it was a fabulous deal – I got it for a mere $30, half off the original price!!  Not too shabby for my first trip to Hobby Lobby, right?

Yes, you read that right – I’m probably the last person on the planet to finally make it to Hobby Lobby.  But now that I’ve been there, I’m totally hooked.  Practically EVERYTHING was 50% off.  Even these green little cuties:

Too darn cute for words, I tell ya.  And they almost look good enough to eat.

Does Hobby Lobby always have such great sales?  What’s your best find from that awesome store?  Is there anybody else out there who has yet to make the trek to a Hobby Lobby?  If so, run there as fast as you can!!  I’ll probably see you there next weekend.

I have – you see, when my husband and I first embarked on our big remodel, my mom thought that it would be a good idea for us to sum up our design styles so that we could find common themes in our preferences.  She had each of us pick our favorite thing that we had purchased together, our most-loved wall color, our dream piece of furniture, and several words that would describe how we wanted our home to feel, etc.  Then we wrote each of these things on a piece of poster board so that we could compare and contrast our styles.  Turns out we weren’t so different after all – I wanted a classic and comfortable home punctuated by pops of color, and my husband’s ideal home was traditional and neutral (without those pesky pops of color).

Once we knew what styles would work for both of us, we were able to create a home that fit both of our tastes perfectly – if you check out our house, you’ll see what I mean.

Of course, you don’t have to create a big poster to find out your interior design style – sometimes all you have to do is take a quick online quiz.  I took a few minutes last night to try out a simple design personality quiz, and it turns out that my design personality is “Raffia.”  Why it’s called Raffia, I have no idea, but the description was pretty accurate:

And while I prefer truer colors than the ones depicted above, I do love green and that picture is gorgeous – the saffron yellow lamp bases, white sofa and orange-y/coral pillows combined with dark woods and wicker are right up my alley.  I guess I’m pretty predictable!

Wanna see how predictable you are?  Just click here.  Be sure to fill us in on your results!

Image courtesy of Pratt & Lambert.