Non-Traditional Home - High End DIY

I guess I'm really focused on features from recent shelter magazines this week.  A while back I received my July-August copy of Traditional Home.  I loved the cover house so much that when I initially did a quick read of the magazine I skipped over this house~

{all images via Traditional Home}

It's the Cultural Arts Alliance Designer Showhouse in Alys Beach, Florida.  Different designers took on each room.  You can see full pictures here.  I never would have guessed that multiple designers worked on the house; it's a very cohesive design.  What caught my eye were a few of the design touches in the living room, which was designed by Susan Massey. 

Take a closer look at the window treatments.  They're hung using simple u-hooks placed into the wall; they are usually used to hang items from the ceiling.  Then the designer ran twine/simple string down to attach the drapery panels.  This gives the room such a cool look, and it's definitely something you could DIY.

Now, take a closer look at the suspended bookshelf.  It just two pieces of rope connected to additional u-hooks and knotted under each shelf to hold it in place.  What a cool way to display your art.

These are two really high end looks that you could definitely bring into your own home at a very reasonable cost.  Have you see any ideas in your magazines that you brought into your own home?

At Home in Arkansas: A Tobi Fairley Bathroom

Yesterday, I showed you this fabulous kitchen designed by Arkansas's own Tobi Fairley and featured in the September 2011 issue of At Home in Arkansas.  I'm so jealous of these homeowners who not only got the awesome kitchen but also got this fabulous bathroom~

{all photos via athomearkansas.com}

At Home in Arkansas: A Tobi Fairley Kitchen

Even though we live in Texas now, I still maintain my subscription to my home state publication, At Home in Arkansas.  It features Arkansas homes designed by Arkansas designers.  Arkansas' own design darling, Tobi Fairley, is a staple regularly featured by the magazine.  This month's magazine features kitchens and baths.  And, much to my delight, Tobi is the September 2011 cover girl--well, one of her designs is.  Here are a few shots of the perfect kitchen.  Check back tomorrow for a feature on the bathroom.

Check out the online article here.  I L.O.V.E. every part of this kitchen, but if I had to pick three favorite features, I'd choose (1) the coffered ceiling; (2) the turquoise cabinetry; and (3) the draperies--the roman shade and the panels.  Ok, and I love the large island, too.  It's a feature I definitely want in our next house.  What's your favorite part?  What are your dream kitchen must-haves???

{All photos via athomearkansas.com}

The Dining Room: One Project Leads to Another

One of the first rooms in our house that was as "done" as any room ever gets around here was the dining room~

One thing that really bothered me, though, was the dull black wall of my china hutch~

I thought it would look so much better with a mirrored backwall.  I remembered that Lowe's cut glass and mirror, so off to Lowe's we went.  This is what we came home with~

Unfortunately, the machine at Lowe's wasn't accurate.  We had to go back to have them re-cut the mirror.  This time their machine broke.  Womp.  Womp.

After calling around to a few glass companies, I decided to use Addison Glass & Mirror.  I gave them my precise measurements, and a week later my mirrors were cut perfectly.  Smile!

I used this Scotch Mounting double-sided tape to adhere the mirror to the back of the cabinet.  It only took tiny pieces in each corner~

And, then after a struggle with styling the cabinet, here is the finished product~

My dinner guests requested that I included their picture.  They tried so hard to get in all of my pictures~

Unfortunately, now I'm bored with my dining room.  It's far from perfect, and just not as inviting as I would like for it to be.  My dining set is one of the first "real" furniture purchases I made on my own back in 2006.  I've got too much invested in it to get rid of it, so I'm brainstorming options for adding a little more *something* to the room.  If you've got ideas, please share in the comments section!!

Happy weekend, y'all!

Exposed Beam Ceilings

A feature that I love in a home is an exposed beam ceiling.  It's definitely something I would consider if I ever built.  For me, it makes the space seem comforting and inviting, and isn't that how we all want our homes to feel?

{all images via decorpad.com}

Evolution of the Master Bedroom

Many, many years ago in a land far away, lived a very small master bedroom...  Well, not really that many years ago, we're only talking 2008, and not that far away, either, Arkansas to be precise.  But it was a small master bedroom~

Sorry for the small picture, but it was really so small that it was hard to photograph.

Then, we moved far, far away (well, only to Texas), and this is how the master bedroom looked the day I looked at our house~

Everything's bigger in Texas.  Everything.

After we moved in, this is where we started~

We finally got bedroom furniture.  It was my 30th birthday present, and the day my bedroom furniture was delivered was the first time I remember really feeling like I was an adult. 

Then we painted the bedroom Nickel by Pratt & Lambert and replaced the bedding with a duvet from West Elm.  You may have noticed that I might have a thing for white bedding...

I got bored with my West Elm duvet.  It just wasn't a good match for our bed.  I asked for a Pottery Barn gift card for Christmas and used it to buy their Grand Embroidered Duvet in porcelain--a really close match to our paint color.  Then, we lowered the posts at the foot of the bed~

Then we added the board and batten feature -- my favorite part of our bedroom~ 

Then, we added a new white quilt (from Homegoods!!), new gold lampshades (from Garden Ridge!), solid white pillow sham (from Pottery Barn), and a small pillow that I made~

Next, I had the find of the year on my great chairs at the Wisteria outlet in Dallas~

Then came my beloved chandelier~

And, then it was time to tie it all together~

There are still some items that I want to add to finish the room, but it feels so good to finally have a mostly

complete adult bedroom.  I'm amazed by scrolling the pictures to see the evolution of our journey!