Fifty Shades of Gray

I've got to find a way to get my husband to read the blog and figured this would get his attention! I was inspired by Fifty in more ways than one and promised a friend I would do a blog post about Fifty Shades of Grey.I doubt this is what she had in mind. OK, this is not a book review or a recap of my date last night (which I assure you was nothing like the book), but a list of my top fave 50 shades from recent projects. This sophisticated hue has been around the blog.

1. All time favorite DIY project (because I did it all by myself and because I would rather give birth than do it again).

2. Fave mural we ever did (OK Ann did it, but I helped)...sort of

3. Favorite grout color... doesn't everyone have a favorite grout color?? You guessed it. Gray. (It doesn't show dirt)

4. Prettiest bathroom I ever had the privilege of working on... 

5. Which leads me to my favorite gray counter top. Can't beat Carrera.  

6. Remember this surprise gray nursery? The client didn't know what she was having. The doc sent the sonogram to me so I could have it ready to install. We would have paired gray with pinks and corals had Jack been a Jill.

7-23. Great Shades...
GRAY OWL by Benjamin Moore is our go to color, the others are perfect picks too!

Here is the line up:
Benjamin Moore: Gray Owl, Horizon, Titanium, Moonshine, Revere Pewter, Coastal Fog, Edgecomb Gray, Harbor Gray, Horizon Gray, Nimbus
Olympic: Plantation Moss, Quill, Gray Ghost
Valspar: Frappe, Oatlands Subtle Taupe
Behr: Dolphin Fin

24. Favorite vanity with barn wood gray top. Remember this Craig's List find? see here.
25. Coolest dining table in galvanized gray.

26. Ann used this killer light to brighten up the gray ceiling in this dining room here. 

27. Favorite gray fabric. Seen here...

28. And here... in our very first blog post. Awwww.

29. I spy my other most loved gray piece in the room world (I'm not talking about Christian). Isn't he divine? 

30. He lives with me and we have breakfast together every morning while dining on my other most coveted find (Craig's List, no less). My gray driftwood dining table. 

31. Favorite gray accessories.

32. Favorite gray headboards used in twins' room. Plus, they were free. Not Fifty Shades Freed, just free, as in $0.

33. Favorite gray Overstock score. Of course that should be a category. I mean, who doesn't LOVE Overstock?

And it looks like we are making our way into the bedroom...So very Christian.

34. The gray washed "Ferret" bed by Noir was retrofitted as a canopy. 

35-41. Best colors to pair with gray. Punches of these babies will warm up any space. 

Note: Do not use all at once. 

42. Favorite blog about Gray. Yes, there is an entire blog devoted to this versatile hue. Check out A Perfect Gray, it won't disappoint!
43. Favorite gray (ok silver) accent wall. For all of you that questioned if it was painted... No, Ann and I would no longer be friends had I made her paint this. It is wallpaper.

44. Fave gray mirror
45. And Lana Sconces by Currey and Company

46-50. Can't show you these quite yet. I'm finishing a bedroom in ALL shades of gray and a very UNEXPECTED accent color. 

Must.stay.tuned.

Laters,

~H

credit to: Birdsofafeather, Pinterest

hmmmm....

There's a lot I like about this room, and some I don't... I love table, chairs, rugs, & pillows. I get the light fixture though don't love it. But, the cloud art... bye, bye. I am sure it is great and wonderful and not from the World Market poster section, however It's not my thing... at all.

What I really like about this space is that it is current, fun and OBTAINABLE. With a few clicks and searches I was able to recreate the vibe of this room affordably...

I started at Overstock with an 8x10 sisal for about $170

Also at Overstock was this all wool Ikat. 5x8 for $232. It's not a dhurrie but plush is a nice texture too! If you haven't checked out the Ikat rugs at Overstock...go now, and read this later!

Here is a table option from World Market for around $350. However, for another $300 you can get the table below (also from World Market) That would be my vote!

Overstock chairs! And 2 for $162. I would do this route and do 6. You could ditch the window seat and instead add pillows to the head chairs.

Voila! 2 pillows for $50ish... (They are from.... wait for it... OVERSTOCK!)

So I liked the idea of a retro fixture just not really the one being used. I would have to go to my inner Jetson and for $300 use this one instead...

A girl likes a Sputnik!

Anyhoo... I love getting inspiration and seeing other's spaces. I also love the layered look of 2 rugs. I think this space needs to keep going but it's a good start to a fun fresh look on a budget fo sho!

And I would definitely trade the clouds for some Jasper Johns or a wall full of collected art.

Happy Online hunting!

Bye,bye birdie,

~A

Credit: google images, Overstock, World Market

the bold and beautiful.....

It's raining... It's Monday... I have a child that starts middle school in exactly one week...

I'm gonna need some good vibing make me smile images this morning...

I just recovered some client's chairs in a bold b&w graphic...It  never gets old...

simply love...

This space makes me smile... I love one huge graphic punch in a room.

What about you? SEen anything cool lately?

Happy Monday!

Bye, bye Birdie,

~A

credit to: Lonny Mag, Miles Redd

Powder Room Reveal

I recently had the privilege of redoing a client's powder room. It does seem I have been doing a lot of this lately. Maybe people liked my own? See here....

 There are so many special touches and because it is a small space, it was hard to shoot, but one of my fave Phillip Jeffries grasscloth in "Tantalizing Teal" is the backdrop.

 This metal mirror has a glam/rustic vibe and she fell in love with it when I showed it to her. 

 This lucite table/magazine rack does double duty. 

 We tore out the standard pedestal vanity and put in this piece. I love the color with the wallpaper. 

 It came with a dark stone top and we added a sleek faucet and some organic accessories. 

 These are like the earrings in the little jewel box. They are Currey and Company and oh so pretty in person. 

All done! Now onto the next space...
Bye bye birdie,
~H

Open shut case?

It's the great shelf debate... I'm actually not supposed to write about my kitchen again until progress is actually made.... (I think cabinet color swatches count!) BUT.... I am in a pickle. I love open shelving especially in a small kitchen like mine. (Very small) However all my nearest and dearest tell me NO because of my bad shoving habit. My name is Ann and I shove EVERYTHING behind closed doors. "Hi Ann"... I'm not the neatest person alive ...fo sho...

In my head my shelves could be this pretty...

I can't imagine not having open shelves in this space...the lights, the ceiling, the bricks... I heart this space...

This is more my reality... simply taking the doors off the cabinets makes for great organized open shelving...

Barn wood, stainless, subway tile, and light gray cabinets... now we are talking... exactly like my kitchen only BIGGER and probably in a way cooler house... I wish I had that much natural light pouring in. I love everything about this space...

But here's the kicker... In real life (unless I had someone coming over for dinner) my shelves would probably look like this...

I do not think I am sleeping with the enemy enough to keep them any other way.

What do you think? Friends be nice...could I do it? Would you? Are open shelves trendy or here to stay...

hmmm...

Bye, bye Birdie,

~A

And then there was one....

You always hear me give my bros shout outs about their incredible talent and company, Soundside Carpentry. After 7 years together my older brother and his wife moved to her family farm in Winston Salem. (they are redoing an old house on the property... that's for another day!)  However, do not fear, Soundside Carpentry is going strong! I told John if he taught me how to use a power tool I would be his new partner. Not sure why he wasn't all over that but anyhoo....

A few weeks ago the very talented Jen from Fotojenik took some pics of recent projects my bros had completed. I thought I'd share....

Yes, please....

The legs on this insane in the membrane table are 100 year old porch columns off of a local beach house...

Maybe I'll ask for one of these for Christmas... I've been very pretty good...

This is what I really want for Christmas... Jeff and Jackson would never shower inside again...

Visit Soundside and Fotojenik... Neither site will disappoint!

Happy Thursday...

Bye, bye Birdie,

~A