A little cow goes a long way....

So this week I ordered my first hide rug. Yipee! I have huge expectations for this rug. I really think it is going to change my house. (Though I still don't know where I am going to put it) Hooper encouraged me to not go to 'cow'. So instead of big brown and white spots I chose salt and pepper brown.

Isn't she lovely.....

Of course I go to read Lonny and hides are everywhere. Now I am more excited because dare I dream my room could be this delicious....

I was thinking it could go under my dining room table. I hear they are indestructible. I wonder what they do when they test a product to say it can withstand anything. Do they put it in a house with a dog, 10, 7, 5, and 4 year old. They should. I am  a little nervous. Sometimes I turn mean when I get something new. I yell at the whole family until the new thing gets it's first stain or scratch. Then I  am over it.

Anyway, I'm totally psyched!

How about you...Anyone else have a hide rug? Where did you put it?

Bye, bye Birdie,

~A

Credit: Lonny Mag.

Overstock Rocks

My latest project is a big bedroom on a small budget. The goal being big bang for buck bedroom. I have $2000 to spend on everything and I mean EVERYTHING. I wanted to challenge myself and try to do the entire bedroom out of one of my favorite budget friendly resources, Overstock.com. At Overstock, your entire order ships for $2.95 or less. Literally. Check out what I found. 

Ultra modern South Beach bed, $294.29

             Linen handprinted drapes, $59.99. I need 4

     Painted distressed dresser with mirrored panels, $709.99

                Cream and White Duvet Cover, $41.99

                 Down Alternative Comforter, $64.99

1000 Thread count sheets in gray

Ikat Pillow, $74.99

            Reclaimed stripped teak side table, $188.99

             Industrial Steel Nesting tables, $276.99

         Ivory Cable knit, faux cashmere throw, $44.99

                   Trendy Prints, $14.79 each

Show me the money! Right now, Overstock is offering a 7% discount to email subscribers. With shipping, I am at $1915.72. Not bad. What do you think? Could this be your bedroom? Your bank account thinks so.

Bye bye birdie,

~A&H

credit to: Overstock.com

Plenty of Room for Imagination

Little clients have big imaginations and their rooms should be a reflection of that. My four year old client's room is finally finished. Check out his nautical room below. 

The walls are painted a gray blue to showoff the NOAA Marine charts hung by my fabulous wallpaper hanger. We did the entire Eastern Seaboard and then finished off with the Great Lakes since the clients visit family there every summer. 

Does this dresser look familiar? I think I found it a new home.

 A reading nook with comfy (slip covered) sofa and seafarer trunk (for extra storage) creates a cool kid space that will take little boy to big boy. We wanted to create a space that would grow with him.

 Bead board built-ins are filled with books and galvanized buckets for toy organization. 

 West Elm bedding in gray ticking gives a nautical feel without being too cliche. Want to see more mapped rooms? Sue at one of our favorite blogs, The Zhush, recently posted pics of her little boy's room. I love it Sue! Is it a new trend?


Now for the flip side. While the little boy's room may be fit for a fisherman, check out the little girl's room, fit for a very stylish little girl.

Dwell Studio bedding has enough of a modern twist to off set the sweet antique four poster bed. 

 More modern touches... Ann did another great job with this one. As the little girl grows, this room can grow from prissy and sweet to  Palm Beach Glam. 

 Slip covered slipper chairs in a green Ikat twist on a polka dot. 

 I love the pale pink lamps on the Target (yes Target) mirrored bedside tables. 

I added a little jewelry. Check out the pink polka dot ceramic knobs from World Market!

A final touch of glam. Every little girl needs some, right?


Bye bye birdie,
~A&H

Fun in the Sun....Room

On the original plans, this room was a very large breakfast room. Seemed like a waste of location, light, space. Everyone always ends up in the kitchen so why not give guests and family a place to hang out?

The client had existing furniture with great lines that just needed a face lift. The sofa fabric is soft but textured and still stood up to my ketchup, red wine stain test. And could handle Clorox for spot cleaning. Ahhh...the sign of a good fabric. 

Her club chairs were reupholstered in a Premier Prints fabric -- very affordable.

The Smart Coffee table from CB2 mimics the circles in the rug but also loses sharp corners for kids. That's it for the sunroom, I'll finish up the tour with the kids rooms so stay tuned. Let us know what you think! We love to hear from you!


Bye bye birdie, 
~A&H

There's More Where That Came From...

First of all, thank you for all of the comments and feedback on the last couple of rooms. We love hearing from readers and it is great that Ann and I no longer have leave anonymous comments for each other...

Back to the project at hand. Not thrilled with my camera or unprofessional photography, but here goes. This is the family room  in my dear client's home. She is busy moving all of the boring stuff (pots and pans), so she doesn't have time to read this blog (which is good). To her it looks very pretty. What she doesn't know is that each piece as chosen with tiny hands, messy spills and crumbs in mind. Doesn't look like it, huh?

Here is a close-up of my oh so favorite Chiang Mai Dragon by F.Schumacher. It is not only beautiful but Teflon coated. Pretty and strong. 

 The charcoal wool rug was purchased from my friend Betty Eatman Nelson from Eatman's Carpet and Interiors in Raleigh, NC. The color will hide anything from red wine to Kool Aid. 

 These bar stool seats are covered in a fine burlap for texture and my "welcome home" cupcakes brushed right off...

The painting seems to change from stormy to overcast with sun peaking through depending on where you are standing and where the light hits. Thanks again to John Beard for this beautiful masterpiece. 
The petrified wood console table adds lighting to the seating area but also doubles as a serving piece to the breakfast table (that seats 8 for additional entertaining).

The black lacquer chair seats are covered in indoor/outdoor fabric should the entertaining get out of hand or spaghetti-o's at the family dinner table find their way onto the seats.

The reclaimed wood oak table is already distressed so homework and rainy-day projects can't hurt it.

Details, details.... and the room wouldn't be complete without a garden stool. This one is prettier than the one I put in a previous post.

This orange leather box isn't just for show, the top comes off for storage (toy's, a throw, books). I loved the fretwork and nail heads. Do you? 

I pulled in fun pillows in punchy fabrics (with zippered covers that can be thrown in the wash)for pops of color. The clients are very tall and I wanted to create sofas that they could really sink into or curl up on. The back cushions come off to reveal a deeper tufted sofa. They aren't frilly or fussy so I went with simple clean lines. Do you like it?


Next up is the sun room. In the plans it was a "breakfast nook"... Let's just say I like to change things up. Check back and see...
Bye bye birdie,
~H

Behind door #1 and 2

Now that the home owners have seen their new home, I can finally show it to you! I have worked on this project for 9 months and it is so much fun to see it all come together. It's like having a baby only I have to put it up for adoption because it is not actually mine. I have the stretch marks (wrinkles) and sleep deprivation to prove it. 
When they left for vacation, their study looked like this... remember?

And now...

The Study above, is covered in wall to wall blue grasscloth for texture. The hide rug and sleek shell stone mantle play off of each other. Lots of dark molding, leather and bold prints for a masculine touch.

The tweed sofa has a  textured feel and clean lines and while the octopus looks small in this photo, it is actually very large and makes a bold statement. 

Navy crocodile embossed lamps on reclaimed wood pedestal tables with navy oiled zinc tops. 

The Roost driftwood side table adds another organic element.  The orange embroidered drapes have a Moroccan vibe and soften the picture window.

Warm and cozy study... What do you think?

Now onto the formal (but not so formal) dining room. Just a few weeks ago, it looked like this...

Ann worked her magic...drum roll please!

The dining room features a wall-to-wall hand painted mural. The peacocks are made up of creams, golds, peacock blues, shades of aqua and yellow to play off of the yellow zig zag drapes from across the room. Great job Ann!

The client wanted to use family pieces for the dining furniture. It is formal, but not too formal with the aqua and white damask seats. The chandelier is made out of silver/gold glass leaves and chrome. The rug for this space has not yet arrived, but I will send pictures when it does!

Mother of pearl mirrors and mirrored buffet lamps dress up another family heirloom with a modern twist.

Here's another shot of Ann's fabulous work. The mural is illuminated by strategically placed lighting and she used a metallic paint to accent their feathers. At night, through the bay window, they almost glow. 

Don't the playful metal peacocks on the table make a fun centerpiece?

The gold and ivory chevron patterned drapes pop against the chocolate walls.

That's all for now. Stay tuned as we reveal the living spaces next! Let us know what you think! Do you like it? What is your favorite item or feature so far? We would love to hear from you!


Bye bye birdie,
~A&H