Sun Porch Planning

We are still in the early stages of a possible renovation. Which is exciting and stressful. But mostly exciting. One thing our house has been screaming for since we moved in was a screened in porch. Another family space that we can use to chill and eat, but can also be designed for year round use. And while we have not even started, I of course am already plotting out design ideas. Our home is traditional and set in a rustic setting, so I would like to combine those aspects along with a nod to my favorite coastal style. For the living space, something like this would be nice...

Lantern: Gabby Decor / Chairs: Serena & Lily / Rug: Shades of Light / Coffee Table: West Elm  (Or this one) / Sofa: West Elm / Brass side table: West Elm  / White side table: West Elm /  Framed Sailing Photo: Serena & Lily / Abstract Painting: Serena & Lily

The walls will most likely be white and floors a wood tile (radiant heat), so I like the mix of neutrals and navy. A little brass helps warm it up a bit and that big lantern is such a great statement. 

For dining I want to go a little more rustic/farm house. But add in a fun rug to keep it interesting. 

 Reclaimed Dining Table: West Elm / White chairs: Serena & Lily / Rug: Serena & Lily

My hope is to do a built in bench on one side, but those details are not quite there. Hopefully things will be underway soon so I can share fun design ideas on here and instagram. Are we snap chatting now too? If so, I can add that in for you. ha

Anyone else add on a porch recently? Would love to hear ideas, things to do, things not to do! 

xo

Erin 

Not Just for Tweens

I have been having some busy days around here and soaking up this summer with the kids. Mary turns one at the end of the month and I am savoring every last second with her before she is no longer truly a baby. 

I did have time this morning to put together this fun bedroom after I was looking around for some accessories online. Who knew that PB Teen had such style? The site is of course chock full of preppy teenager options, but there is some seriously fantastic pieces that would work for grown ups, too. Bonus is that the prices reflect more for a kids room, so your budget goes a lot further. 

1. I love a good pom pom drape and these are black out. $89-$119

2. Pretty chandelier $129

3. Obsessed with this petal abstract painting. Beautiful colors and scale. $149

4. This canopy bed has been pinned to death and there is a reason. It is gorge. $599-$899

5. Pretty scalloped bedding that can be monogrammed is always a good idea. $29-$159

6. This tray side table is a fun alternative to the usual shapes. $98

7. A soft Moroccan Diamond Rug is perfect for a bedroom. $143-$169

8. This navy velvet love seat is the perfect size for in front of a bed. $799

Happy Monday. I hope your week is off to a great start. And I hope to post more this week. Anything you need help with in beauty, design, food, travel, or fashion? I love getting ideas for posts from you. Upcoming wedding, living room refresh, cooking dilemma, happy to help ladies. 

xo

Erin 

Recovered and Refreshed

No, I did not just return from a spa trip, I wish. But, I did just return from a trip to the reupholster man that I recently discovered. I have had two of the original chairs from our dining room set (from Matt's grandmother) for years with the original fabric. While the mauve plaid was really "vintage," it was not cute. I have looked at hundreds of fabrics trying to pick one. Why is fabric so hard??? My biggest concern was that the rest of the room was not done at all, so I had to pick something I liked, but was also neutral enough to be incorporated into whatever design decisions were made down the road. I came across Mally Skok and her fantastic fabric a few months ago. If I chose one of her fabrics, I could then use another pattern in the same colors for other options for the room later (drapes, other chairs, pillows, etc.) So I went with a simple stripe in shades of blue....

When in doubt, go with stripes, right? I think it turned out fab. My next move for the dining room is going to be paint. Or possibly wall paper. The darker navy in the stripe of the fabric is my inspiration and I am fairly certain I would like to do dark navy grass cloth above the chair rail and white below with some wainscoting. I found this photo for inspiration. 

If the grasscloth ends up being too pricey, I will go with a paint. Any favorites? Here is the room as is today. I really need to figure out how to use my DSLR, these are awful. ha 

Yep, that is a changing table in our dining room. 

I need to do something with that built in hutch as well. New hardware and a patterned paper on the inside possibly. 

Think I am headed in the right direction. We leave town for a couple weeks in April, might be a good time to do some painting. 

xo

Erin 

Destination: Austin

I had the pleasure of visiting Austin for the second time last weekend. I am kind of in love with this town. It is laid back, yet modern, rooted in Texas tradition, yet filled with many from all over the country. Both of my visits were under forty-eight hours, but oh so great. This time around was for a bachelorette party. We stayed in a house that was rented for the weekend and made the most of the weekend with a well planned itinerary celebrating my future sister-in-law, whom I adore. 

Friday night we went to La Condesa for dinner. The tequila shots had spicy tomato chasers, the corn was smothered in mayo, butter and cheese (still dreaming about it), and the set of salsas were delicious and complex. We had a cavernous private room that even had room for a mid-dinner dance party.  

There was even a private bar room with a Foosball table. The restaurant also has two bars and an expansive dining room decorated in a modern and fresh way. 

Afterwards, we headed to sixth street to the Hanger. Bubbly Sofia proseccos and more dancing with the bachelorette's very fun friends. The Hanger also had a great rooftop, which I have learned is the best place to be on a Friday (hot) night in Austin. 

Saturday we hoped on the Cherry Bomb and headed for the Guadalupe River to go tubing. This was a first for me, but despite the low water in the river, this was very fun. Floating along and drinking beers, nothing can be wrong with that. Our gift bags for the weekend were so adorable and included a cowgirl boot koozie, which I plan to use all summer. 

My brother, the groom, surprised the Bachelorette with a delivery of sixteen orders of fries from McDonald's (her favorite). It was a sweet gesture that was a cute way to show he was thinking of her. He used TaskRabbit to get the job done, check it out if you are looking to make a few extra dollars or to find someone to help out with random tasks. 

It was such a fun weekend. My favorite part was getting to know all the friends of my soon to be sister-in-law. They told such sweet stories of the amazing girl that she is, how happy they make each other as a couple, and what a gentleman my brother is. 

I cannot wait until they make it official. 

xo

Erin