In a post that seems like forever ago, I shared that our family was planning to put a modular home on 4 acres of land about an hour away from Nashville. Well it is finally here! Week before last, our lake house travelled from near Knoxville, TN to near Carthage, TN where my father has purchased a couple of acres on Cordell Hull lake.

Seeing a house come down the highway is quite spectacular. But even more spectacular is seeing one come down the narrow, winding country roads near the property. The final road that our property is on is in fact so narrow that everyone that lives in front of the house was completely pinned in for the 4 hours it took the house to traverse that short stint. In this part of the world, it’s not unusual for a double-wide to create a traffic jam so luckily no one was upset. The iHouse is much larger than a trailer, however, and has a striking aesthetic. There were lawn chairs lined up for miles to see our house travel the miles. And a few folks even took a vacation day so they wouldn’t miss the sight. Does this sound like a lovely place to vacation or what?

After a few brushes with boulders and more than a few branches that had to be trimmed, the iHouse came to rest at the foot of our property.

From then, it took a couple of days and a variety of heavy machineries to see that iHouse make it’s way up the hill to her final resting place. But she made it!

Now we’re just waiting for the decks to be built before we can really get busy decorating and enjoying. In the meantime, we couldn’t pass up this excellent sofa from Costco. We bought the floor model for just $700 and we think it will seat a crowd.

(Not my photo but stolen with gratitude from windsorpeak.com)

Now Mom and I are hunting rugs and planning lots of thrifting, crafting, and DIYing to make our lake house stylish and special. We’ll be posting lots more in the weeks to come!

This weekend, the hubs and I tackled the first part of our master bedroom makeover. And although it might not look like much just yet, we’re both over the moon about the new direction we’re taking. But before I elaborate, let’s have a look at the before, shall we?

BEFORE

When Will and I were still engaged (and long before we ever bought our current house), we bought this blue and white Pottery Barn bedding. We were having a heckuva time agreeing to bedding and this set was the very first (and only) that we could both get on board with.

So we bought it! It’s been great for snoozing, slobbering dogs and is the perfect weight for keeping cold-natured me warm and hot-natured Will cool. But neither of us have ever been totally crazy about it in our bedroom.

We painted the walls in this room to play up the bedding. But somehow it all just fell a little flat. I was always on the hunt for an accent color to introduce into the room to give it some more pizazz. But whatever I picked, it looked good with either the blue or the taupe walls both just not both!

We borrowed my parents armchairs for the Whitland Home Tour (nearly a year ago!) and have kept them since then. Not because we love them, but because they helped to make the room look a tiny bit more finished. A tiiiiny bit!

AFTER

We’re nowhere closed to finished now but we’re liking the new direction so very much more. The curtains and pillow shams are another Pottery Barn find, the Audrey drape from last year. I had purchased them to hang on my sunporch office but never quite got around to it before changing jobs and going to work outside of the house.

One day I brought the drapes into the bedroom on a lark and found that they gave the room just the pick-up I was looking for. Since then, we’ve been on a hunt for the details that would help to bring it all together.

We swapped the tables to opposite sides of the bed (and swapped our sleeping positions in the process … so strange how attached we get to something like the side of the bed!!) to create a make-up table next to the window for me.

The Ballard Designs Bellesol Mirror that I bought at the beginning of the year (on sale and with a coupon!) has finally found a home and will be hung just a bit higher than it’s current leaning position.

Notice the Premier Prints Zig Zag pattern in Village Blue/Natural laying over the Euro sham there. I’m thinking of covering all of my Euros in that pattern. What do you think? Too much?

A strange window in the corner has finally been outfitted with a curtain rod and curtain. We went with an antiqued brass for our window hardware. It seems to be an unconventional choice these days but I love a gold tone in decorating – it just brings so much more warmth!

The Restoration Hardware Heirloom Quilt has proven to be the perfect weight, even if we do have to cover it with an old sheet at night to mitigate the dog slobber. And so soft!

But we aren’t finished just yet! The projects that are yet to go will remain a surprise for now. Stay tuned for more on our master makeover!

Say that five times fast, why don’tcha?

I’d like 2 of these unnecessary accessories for either side of the television in our bedroom. Since Will has managed to mount 50-inches of television on the wall above our dresser (and continually lobbies to add another 20″ to the size of the television), I think it’s only fair that I be allowed, nay, encouraged to flank that electronic with something lovely.

These fit the bill.

Check out the other options (and other fun accessories) that I pinned to my Pinterest board. Why all of the effort toward bedroom accessorization? I’m planning a little mini makeover! Before and after pictures are forthcoming. In the meantime, here’s a preview.

And yes … I’m back to blogging! Hopefully this time with more regularity and more longevity. Thanks to all of you who have encouraged me to get back to my little slice of the Internet here. You are lovely!

xo,
Julia

I’ve had this post in draft for 2 months on my WordPress account … this idea thief has been working too much and not blogging enough! Anyway, February 11th-14th was Nashville’s Antiques and Garden Show at the Convention Center. The weekend after that was the Tailgate Antique Show at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. In February I was really getting my antiques on … but shockingly I didn’t buy a thing (read down for the one that got away … still upset 2 months later!). These two antiques shows are very different but equally fab so I thought I’d share some of my favorite finds.

2011 Nashville Antiques and Garden Show

The show is full of lovely (and pricey) things but it is a lot of fun to peruse. I think the pillow above are especially lovely. The chairs they are sitting on I just can’t get excited about though. I’m seeing these deconstructed, burlappy, show-off-the-innards upholstered pieces all over the blogosphere. I guess my point about these chairs is that they look ok when they are staged in a vignette. But in my very own home? Not an idea that I’ll be stealing.

Now these super sculptural lamps on the other hand? These I love! A little more modern and organic than a barley twist but still hinting at that classic motif that never goes out of style (at least IMHO).

Shadowbox frames for botanicals still give a classic look but with a hint of contemporary style.

My hubs helped me draw a conclusion about oriental rugs. It’s the ones with a salmony color palette that I FAR prefer over the more typical deep reds.

We know I can’t stand fake florals. But sometimes you just need something a little more low maintenance. Hellllloooo, moss in unidentifiable, super-cool, weathered vessel, I think I love you.

2011 Tailgate Antique Show

A week later my mom and I hit the Tailgate Antique Show at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. We actually went looking for some good items for the lake house but quickly realized the lake is more suited to flea market prices. There were some great deals to be had for the everyday house, though … and even more great ideas to steal. Here are a few of the best ones …

Mom and I thought these bird prints would be adorbs at the lake. Even though they were only $19 apiece we held off … because they are just framed fabric scraps! Stay tuned to see this idea ripped off for the lake.

We thought this old, chippy, metal box made for a great planter. When we brought the pics home and showed my husband he informed us it was an old ammunition box. Seeing as there will be lots of hunting that happens with the lake house as a home base … even better.

I loved the look of this piece to replace the dresser in our current master bedroom (the one we have now is also getting toted to the lake). As much as I love it, it just doesn’t have enough storage to be practical.

This mirror is just darling, IMHO and you can’t go wrong with a good silhouette.

And now for the one that got away. The hubs has been interested in putting a ladies writing desk or dressing table under one window in our master bedroom so I have a place to put on my makeup. Before you go thinking he’s super sensitive to my needs, realize that we have one small vanity in our master bath and it can get a little snug in there when two people are trying to get dressed. I saw this one and thought it was probably perfect. But sensitive to buying anything without consulting Will, I snapped this cell phone pic and emailed it to him while he was busy taking a hunter’s safety course:

Momma and I walked on, continuing to browse and I kept thinking about that darned desk. Finally Will called, said I shouldn’t have hesitated, if I like it he will too. So Mom and I high-tailed it back over only to find a woman purchasing the desk right out from under my nose. 2 months later, I’m still upset! Just goes to show that it’s always best to strike while the iron is hot!

Keep on stealing, theives! More from me soon.

I never buy anything for my house without knowing exactly what I’m going to do with it. This usually starts with me deciding that there’s a wrong that needs to be righted, a hole that needs to be filled, a color that needs to be added … I look for opportunities and then I shop.

But this had to be mine … the quote, the color, the Dolly, the price tag, the size. I have no idea where it’s going as I don’t have a stitch of deep purple anywhere but this poster needs to be in my house and pronto. And it will be as soon as Sarah Winter sends it from the UK. Could this be the new, impulsive Julia of 2011? I’m sure my husband hopes not.

It just seems that 2 of these would really bring in the color of the blue smoke silk dupioni curtains I just put in my adjoining dining room …

And one of these from Pine Cone Hill would make it look so special …

And they could be definitely still be used if we reupholstered the living room sofa one of these days…

[notice all the rationalization]

Dare I?

Here’s one with the light turned off so you can get a good look at it. Also a good way to see the detail on the beautiful medallion …

This final picture gives a good shot of the curtains that my mother-in-law and I together made for Mom. Mom actually bought the Pottery Barn Dupioni Silk drapes online but when she went to install them, we realized that the windows were different heights! It’s an old house and we’d never paid much attention before. But suddenly we understood why there was a valance over the drapes in the adjoining living room – those windows were different heights too! Mom found a valance design that she liked in a picture in a Southern Living and Karen and I worked until we had recreated it. I’ll post some pics about that process next … stay tuned!

In the meantime, yay for Pottery Barn looks at Overstock prices!

My friends at Prudent Baby showed up on Hostess with the Mostess and this super-cute tutorial for Mod Podge Coasters. Love!

My friend Bonnie’s blog got me turned on to Flourish Design. This is the post that won me over. Why doesn’t my house look more like that? Love that cream dresser with dark pulls. Hmmmm ….

There are some really gorgeous photographs on One King’s Lane this week by Marcella Echavarria. The one below is stand-out. One King’s Lane is such a daily addiction … and this week I ordered a blue and white garden stool for our living room with a $25 credit that was burning a hole in my pocket! Pics forthcoming …

You know I love Miss Mustard Seed? She’s doing an awesome give-away. It’s a box FULL of fantastic antique stuff. A whole box! Check it out. And congrats to her on 2000 followers!

My friend Eleanor gave me a beautiful Pewter spoon when I was the Maid of Honor in her wedding years ago. It’s monogrammed with a B for my maiden name and it’s way too pretty to stay in a drawer. Love this idea! Think just one would be too boring?

Eons ago, my friend Katie Hitt snapped this pic for me at a Flea Market and said that these were selling for $199 each! She rightly thinks that they could be modified to fit nearly any decor. I was thinking of a slim, gold-leaf frame and mounted on a simple linen background. Would a soft lilac be interesting in a room with dark walls and lots of blue & white? I’d love to introduce another unexpected color for accent but  just don’t know what …

That’s it for this week!

Antique Bronze 6-Arm Chrystal and Iron Chandelier, $248.99 @ Overstock.com

And I felt like it looked suspiciously like this:

Camilia 6-Arm Chandelier for $399.00 @ Pottery Barn

The difference? A white hanging cord (changeable), antiqued candle sleeves (changeable or per the reviews on Overstock.com spray paint-able), and you put it together yourself (4 hour process per the reviews).

My momma had been eyeing the PB chandy. Let’s just say that less than 12 hours after my discovery and subsequent email, Momma is a very happy lady.

PB rip off accomplished!

Will and I decided that we would pull that rack down and recreate it later to better match the casual elegance we are hoping for in our house.  And last week, we finally got around to doing just that.  Here’s our new coat rack:

It turns out that this is a great feature to have in the downstairs hallway of our house.  For starters, as is typical with any home built in 1930, ours is light on the closets (at least downstairs).  And the closet that we had designated as our coat closet is inconveniently situated behind a rocking chair.  We rationalized that the rocker would be easy to move for access to the closet.  But what has happened instead is that the rocker has BECOME our closet … where we drape jackets, hats, scarves, the dry cleaning, dog leashes … you get the picture.  Our hallway coat rack has really helped to corral all of that clutter. And what else is a hallway good for anyway?  Might as well be for hanging coats.

How’d we do it?  Glad you asked:

putty knife

STEP 1: MEASURE AND CUT

First things first you want to measure the length of your coat rack.  We were butting ours up against the frame of 2 doors which made finishing it off pretty easy.  If you don’t have 2 door frames (or even a door frame and a corner wall) between which to position your coat rack, you’ll want to consider how you’ll cap off the corners.  If using trim, you’ll need a miter saw to get the look right.  But we didn’t have to worry about that because the door frames helped us out!

STEP 2: AFFIX THE 1×4 TO THE WALL

We were working with a plaster wall so my hubby used special screws intended just for that purpose.  Whatever is right for your wall, make sure you sink your screws so that you can come back later and fill over the screw head with wood filler.  Will also popped a few nails in the 1×4 using his finish nailer for good measure.

STEP 3: AFFIX THE DECORATIVE TRIM

We chose this particular trim because we thought it echoed the patterns in the iron hooks. You could choose just about anything that is intended to help finish off an edge.  The best thing to do is to hold it up against your 1×4 while you are still at the store and see how it looks.  You’ll use the finish nailer to attach this trim.  This is an important step. You don’t want to use a regular old hammer and nails for this task because you will dent the design in your decorative wood. Not cool! So rent or borrow the finish nailer if you don’t have one and enjoy the rush of using a pneumatic power tool!

STEP 4: SINK YOUR NAILS

Now you’ll want to go along and sink any of the nails that the finish nailer didn’t sink, so that the heads are just below the surface of the wood.

STEP 5: FILL, PUTTY AND CAULK

Get your wood filler and fill in the holes where the screws were installed.  If you see any funky knots in the wood, you’ll want to fill those with wood filler too. Next you want to use some painter’s putty to fill in the tiny holes where the nails are  The smother you can get the surface, the more professional and like-it’s-always-been-there your coat rack will look.  Finally, use your caulk and caulk gun to fill in any cracks between the 1×4 and the trim or between the new rack and the door frame.

STEP 6: SAND SMOOTH

Once everything has dried, come behind and gently sand to make sure everything is smooth.

STEP 7: TAPE, PRIME & PAINT

Next you’ll want to tape off the wall around your wood installation and apply a coat of primer.  Kilz is good for making sure that any knots in your wood don’t show up later as dark spots.  Once that’s dry, apply 2 coats of paint.  We chose the same color as our trim but the possibilities there are really endless.

STEP 8: INSTALL THE HOOKS

We found our hooks on eBay.  I think we paid $20 for all 4.  But there are lots of hooks out there if you get to looking. The web is a great place (but make sure you comparison shop) as is the flea market. Nashvillians, there is a vendor at our monthly flea market that has every kind of iron hook you can imagine – from kid-appropriate to ranch-appropriate to more Victorian like ours.  We chose 4 and spaced them equally apart on the board.  Will pre-drilled the holes and then just screwed them right in with some brown screws (due to the stellar price, the screws were not included so we just picked those up at Home Depot.

And ta-daaaaaa!  A great place to hang coats and wrangle general clutter.  How do you like our fancy coat rack, inspired by the much simpler one that greeted us when we bought our house? Those comments make me feel loved, ya know!