My Top 5 Bathroom Vanities/ Sink Basins

Urban Archaelogy

Zentique Trevor Bath Vanity

Pottery Barn Apothecary Double Sink Console.

Restoration Hardware's French Casement Extra Wide Single Vanity Sink

Waterworks Palladio Two Leg Single Washstand

Amanda

Keep It Clean

Bathrooms galore! I think a bathroom should feel like your own personal spa. Keep clean, simple, and relaxing. Like the gorgeous images below! I love the hand painted zig-zag floors. It is a new twist on a classic herringbone. The seersucker bench is too cute for words. I am a sucker for seersucker!

Phoebe Howard can do no wrong in my book! This is her personal bathroom in her Atlanta condo. I love the sweet Louis XV stool. It adds a nice contrast against the polished nickel vanity.

Subway tile, how do I love thee...I think crisp white towels are a must in any bathroom! It is like staying at a four star hotel! And crisp white sheets to go with them! The higher the thread count the better.

More delicious white. It never goes out of style.

The ruffle at the edge of this roman shades adds a pretty feminine touch. The polka dot towel is too cute. I like it when designers make things a little whimsical. Design should be fun, and not soooo serious!

images courtesy of House Beautiful and domino magazine

Add a Little Life to Your Room

If you are looking at a room in your house, and it seems like something is missing, ask yourself does it have a little life? Plants are a great way to add color and life to a room. Below are my two favorite ferns. I do not have a green thumb, and these seem to do well indoors. With the exception of my cat eating the leaves off.

Fluffy Ruffle Fern

Maidenhair Fern

Napa Home and Garden Roman Urn

Both ferns would look great in one of these Roman Urns. Add a little sheet moss around the edge to hide any unsightly pots or empty space. Happy indoor gardening.

Amanda

Needs Some Major Work!

Ok, I am having a hard time writing this post. Since my new sofa is on the way, and I promised pictures when it arrives, this is the before. I am very critical of my own "design work" at my house. I wish I had an unlimited budget and all the free time to make it exactly what I envision. Having said that, I do love our home. It has character and a warmth about it. So be patient and I will post the progress of our sweet house.

Since this photo a lot has changed. First and foremost I added some greenery. It makes a HUGE difference. I am thinking about doing a post on interior plants. What do you guys think? I need something that is hard to kill. I did not get my mother's green thumb!

Drapes are a must. They are next on my wish list. Luckily my husband agrees, so we will see how that conversation goes...advice is always welcome. Until next time.

Amanda

A few of my favorite things...

This week I am highlighting a few of my favorite things from my closet. Ask any of my friends and they can tell you these items are part of my daily uniform.

Michael Kors Giant Gold Watch

Hudson Boot Cut Jeans

Black/Navy Blue Blazer

V-Neck White T-Shirt

Love Quotes Scarf

I could literally wear this outfit everyday, and I basically do!! I am going to have to tweak it a little, due to the heat we are about to have to suffer through this summer. Any suggestions are welcome. I absolutely hate sweating more than anything in the world!! Amanda

Splurge vs. Steal: Gourd Lamps

Okay, I know I am way too obsessed with gourd lamps. Here is splurge vs. steal featuring my favorite lamp.

Christopher Spitzmiller Large Three Ball Lamp, $1,990.00 ea.

Robert Abbey Triple Gourd Lamp, $265.00 ea.

I think that is the biggest splurge vs. steal of all time. I do not think I will be purchasing any Spitzmiller lamps anytime soon...or ever. Until next time.

Amanda

Picture This

Art can be a big investment. An easy and less expensive way to get a big impact is using a series of framed prints. Below are some great examples of how a few framed prints can look expensive and impressive, but will not break your bank account.

Prints work great in multiples of three.
The more you use the more dramatic the effect. It is like a collection. If you can only afford to make three at first, no problem. You can add more later.

Try to keep the framing simple. I like using champagne colored frames. It goes great with gold and silver. I also really like to stay with neutral colored mats. No matter how cute it seems, lime green mats are rarely a good idea. I like to do a big mat, even if the print or picture is small, it gives a gallery quality to the piece.




I found all of these prints on Etsy! The seller is High Street Market and they run about $14.00 bucks each. They have a huge selection and it is so fun to hunt for a little treasure. So be creative and let the following tips act a helpful guide to creating a fabulous wall of prints in your own home.

1. Stick with simple framing. It is less expensive and more classic.

2. Stay away from colored mats, they can look dated.

3. Scour flea markets, Etsy, Ebay, and old books for potential prints.

4. You don't have to use prints. Photographs, remnant pieces of wallpaper, and even fabric could create a beautiful grouping.

5. Try to get multiply quotes on framing. It doesn't have to break the bank. Sometimes the smaller mom and pop shops are much cheaper than the big craft stores. It is important to shop around.

I hope this helps with the daunting task of custom framing. It can be so much fun, and will definitely look beautiful!!

Love,

Amanda

images courtesy of Phoebe Howard and restoration hardware