Hubby's Bathroom!

Tuesday Serious Decorating

OK, back to Hubby’s bathroom… here are a few of my thoughts and pics.  The nice thing about hubby’s bathroom is that it’s a decent size.  By far bigger than the master, which is mine?  I’m ripping everything out; down to the frame.  Though due to budget constraints the plumbing will stay where it is.  It’s fine; the layout is galley style and it works especially for just one person.

Hubby will  get a double sink, a new custom built-in tub, pretty white subway tiles, polished nickel fixtures,  nice detailed white molding, and a new low flush Kohler toilet (whether he wants it or not).  Also, a coffee bar so we can store our huge collection of Starbucks mugs.  I don’t have the heart to throw them away (if you only knew everything else that I tossed)!   The coffee bar will be good; he won’t have to track up and down the steps when he brings me my morning java…how sweet for him.  And finally he’ll get some very much needed nice new fluffy towels.   I have refused to spend one dime on this bathroom until the gutting process has begun.   If you could only see the shower liner.

 

 

 They only negative is that I can’t add a separate shower with seamless door. But, oh well, poor Hubby will have to make do!  For the sink, what I want is a double carrera marble vanity.   Also, I’ve not been able to decide on the floor.  The bathroom is nice size; I was thinking marble or travertine.  Again, the cost of marble…hmmm!  Since I’ve had a hard time deciding, I just broke down the other day and asked Hubby what he wanted.  I thought after all, it is his bathroom and he likes the penny tile, which I’ve used before, and he is in luck, I like it too! 

 

 

 

Here are the pics that I’ve already sent to Frank for pricing.  We’re getting there!!!

 

 

Hubby's bathroom has a nice big window at the end, just like here.  I suggested to Frank that one of the closets in Hubby's bathroom that  we could turn into the coffee bar.  Using this pic as an example. 

 

 

I saw this bathroom here in Atlanta on a home tour.  I loved everything about it!  For Hubby's bathroom I'm going to have Frank do the molding like theirs above the double vanity. Pic from Atlanta Home's & Lifestyles

 

 Since I can't do a freestanding tub, I'm going to have Frank do a more custom look like this one here.

Love this bathroom by Gil Schafer "The Great American House".

 

Oh, my absolute favorite bathroom by Michael Smith. I spent Sat. night and Sun. morning ahhhing over Michael's Kitchen & Baths & Gil's The Great American House!  More on this later!

 

Controlling the Chaos Part 3!

Monday -  Getting Organized

 

 

 Okay, I know you’re about tired of me talking about my garage, laundry & mud room.  BUT…just one more thing…I promise! I’ve been thinking about these shelves from IKEA here lately. My original plan was to find an old hutch, but now I’m thinking the money would be better spent on other things…they can be pricey!    My friend Colleen, when redoing her kitchen, used these shelves for her pantry (from IKEA).  When she gave me a tour of her new remolded kitchen this past Christmas, she had to kick me out of her pantry. I was like a kid in a candy store…loved it!  Since my pantry is so small, I’m thinking I may extend it into my mud room, by using a few of these shelves.  Perfect to store canning jars and junk. I like the untreated pine too! 

Next time, I’m heading upstairs to tackle my office and Hubbies office…this won’t be pretty!

Loving Aerin Lauder's New Fabric for Lee Jofa!

A few weeks ago while leafing through the June issue of Architectural Digest I spotted

Aerin Lauder's new fabric collection for Lee Jofa.  And of course it was in my favorite colorway...green (down below).  I then recalled while picking up Aerin's new lipstick last March - see Loving Aerin Lauder's New Lipsticks!--the lady at the cosmetic counter telling me all about Aerin's new lifestyle collection that she was starting to roll out. Love it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Vanity For Me...Please!

I don't know if you had a chance to read Ahhh Kohler...A Bathroom for me!  It's basically me talking about my small bathroom. Don't get me wrong, I like my bathroom, but I'm in desperate need of storage!  Plus, I need a place to set my hair dryer, flat iron, and my morning coffee. I have been looking for some time and have seen a few things but nothing that I really loved.  So I'm waiting it out!  The nice thing is our master bedroom is large enough where I could place a vanity in there as well.

I do want something simple. I thought about calling Yung Li in for the job to see if she could whip something up like this. But then again, I would love to find a vintage piece like Alexis Stewart's that is shown below.  I also love the vintage bench with the brass legs.  Simple and elegant and a place to store my hair dryer! 

A Truly Impeccable Farmhouse in Senoia

Last fall, Thanksgiving weekend to be exact  the Hubby, the Mother-in-law and I ventured down south to Senoia, Ga. Our purpose, other then to escape the leaves in my yard, to see the 2012 Southern Living Idea Farmhouse.  The quintessential 1830's farmhouse had just been decorated for Christmas. So most of my pics are on my old phone which Hubby didn't back up...err!  I loved everything about the farmhouse! A few of the pics below are just a few of my favorites. Here you go!

 

 

2012 Idea Farmhouse in Senoia, Ga.  A nice wraparound porch with the perfect black shutter and door paint. I tried to decipher this one too - see Loving "Old Charleston Green"!

 

You walk into a light and airy foyer with burlap draperies (which I'll talk more on - later) and schoolhouse lighting (which I just used in my mud and laundry room). I love all the vintage painted chairs throughout the house. 

Walking up the steps you have this wonderful wall gallery. I love the fact they used different frames and different sizes. It looks like a true collection over time. I want to do this but I'm always nervous that it won't turn out!

Here is one of my favorite areas!  A cozy little nook under the stairs, love the old chest and the small collection of trophy cups.

As you walk into the farmhouse, to the right is the living room (above).  I loved the fact that they used rustic pieces such as the table above mixed with new pieces like the sofas.  And it is done throughout the house.

 Here's the kitchen, which is off the living room that you just saw. 

The dining room--I love the overscaled lantern and the wing chairs.  For Christmas, they had swapped out the benches with chairs. Speaking of Christmas, I loved the subtle decorating they did.

Here's the master bedroom, which is on the main floor.  Love the antler grouping.

 

 

Here's the master bathroom.  I don't think I have to say anything!

 

 

 

 

Here is one of the guest bathrooms. I love the vintage green painted table mixed with a modern sink.  For the grout they used a charcoal color.  Which I wish  I would have done for my bathroom see Ahhh Kohler... A Bathroom for Me!

Love this bathroom too! Love the ledge (wish Frank would had made mine a little wider).  Also, love the over scaled mirror propped up in the window.

Here is the side porch located just off the dining room. I love the pale blue painted ceilings and how they carried out pale blue with the pillows. A perfect place to go relax and sip a little wine.

The End

I told you I loved everything, and all the pics above are just a few of my favorites - For a full tour and all the details go to Southern Living...You'll love it!  I know I did!!

Contolling the Chaos...Continued!

I just spent my weekend cleaning up my yard from the brutal storm here in Atlanta  this past Thursday.  We weren’t hit too badly, just lots of down branches. I was also able to wrap up some much needed power washing on my driveway, a process that has taken forever and a day.  In the process I have discovered it’s a little decompressing for me.  Just me, my power washer, my walkman, listening to some Pink Floyd.  My neighbors probably think that I’m little crazy.  After all, how many women do you know out power washing their drive until 8:00 on a Saturday night?  Probably not too many, I would reckon.

 

Anyway, last Monday I told you all about the chaos in my garage, mud and laundry room (see Controlling the Chaos).  And I even shared all the great pics that I sent to Frank.  The good news now is we’re about done… only eight months later!  I don’t really understand why. For a couple who doesn’t own any sports equipment, backpacking and hiking gear, hardly any grilling stuff, and very little gardening stuff for that matter, this process has taken a while.  But, I discovered we have enough painting rollers and such to start our own painting business.  The reason for this is because when we (mostly Hubby) can’t find something we go out and buy it. So I have sorted and sorted painting brush, sticks, rollers, drop cloths, paint… you name it.  And I have put the fear in Hubby!   Here are a few items that I’m going to finish picking up so that we're ohhh so organized!

I have a few of these galvanized bins already...great for garage stuff. At Home Depot

 I have a few of these Smith & Hawken chalkboard baskets from Target, and love them.  Where I keep my gardening gear. I need to label though...baby steps!

Oh, boy I do need this, and this is the one I'm going to get.  The Heavy-Duty 3 Bin Laundry sorter from The Container Store.

Summer Time Hostess Gifts

Can you believe I’m not even hosting Father’s Day this coming Sunday.  Is that awful of me or what?  Hubby thought I had a little too much on my plate and jumped at his Mother’s invite to go to her house to grill.  Which has me thinking about a few Summertime hostess gifts?  So this is what I came up with…hope you like.

While reading my House and  Home I spotted this cute vintage pot. The only thing you have to do is add an herb (here they used oregano) and you’re done. How easy is that?  Since my mother-in-law has retired she has been dabbling with herbs and has often added that I should do the same thing.

Sine I’m on an herb theme, why not try a tomato candle from Crate & Barrel.  Perfect for the garden hostess!

 

 Also I’ve had my eye on these beautiful linen towels from Wisteria…perfect hostess gift! I want a set for myself!

 

On a quick side note, while at Crate and  Barrel a few weeks ago, I spoke with one of the sales ladies. She shared with me that whenever things would go on sale (there at the Crate) that she would purchase them.  And then she would simply add the items to her hostess baskets, which she kept in her extra bedroom.   She stated she was always ready!  Wouldn’t you love to be one of her recipients? I think I'll start my ready to grab hostess basket with the Star Wars Pancake Molds that we will obviously never use!

Hubby's In The Laundry Room!

I bought a few new bath towels last week and there staring me in the face was a sign that said “Wash in warm water”.  Hum...Hubby has always washed the towels in cold water and has berated me for washing them in warm water.  Do I dare say anything to him?  The back story is Hubby has always done the laundry even before we were married.  It’s something his mother taught him early on in life.  Way before taking off for college when most young adults learn.  While in college Hubby would leave the LSU campus and hit his Mamere’s house in New Orleans. And it was not to grab a few free Po-boy sandwiches, but to do his laundry. So when we hooked up while in college…guess who did all the laundry? He was the one who would even hit the dreadful laundramats!!  For a young lady, not too interested in doing laundry, indeed a guy worth keeping around…Don’t you think?

Oh sure, a few cashmere sweaters have been sacrificed here and there.  Had a few whites t-shirts come out of the dryer pink (I think he washed them with Ellie’s red blanket). Lost a few pairs of jeans that were shrunk….but who’s counting? Here’s the best part, Hubby does the sheets…every Saturday our cleaning day.  The bed may not be made until 10:00 at night but after all, again, who's counting? Not me! I don’t go to bed until 10:30.

 

 

All in all, I think doing the laundry is a little decompressing for the Hubby, kind of like me doing the floors—see " It's Not Too Late for Some Spring Cleaning". So after all, I guess it’s up to me to make sure Hubby has a nice laundry room, don’t you think? 

 

 

Next time Hubby's in the....Continued!

Ahhh Kohler... A Bathroom for Me!!

 

After  we purchased our house over eighteen months ago I had a whole laundry list of things that I wanted to do.  I pretty much wanted to gut everything, but of course that's not always feasible. A must that was on top of my list was the master bathroom, which happened to be  my bathroom.  The master  closet is directly connected to it.   Hubby and I don't share our bathrooms... it's not me it's him.  It's been like that for years and were not changing things now.  He actually got the bigger bathroom in this deal, and when I gets the funds to re-do it, it should be worth waiting for.   I may even take it over. But for me and my small bathroom, and because of budget constraints, I ripped everything out but the tub.  Here are a few pics that I sent to Frank. I had spotted this Kohler ad and loved it!  I wanted Frank to do the molding boy does it make a difference! 

 

I even bought the toilet and the sink!  Funny...every home tour I went on last year I spotted the Kohler toilet.  I love the molding on them, makes a difference...I think!  Love the wall paper too never did figure that out!

 

  

 

 

 

Here you go, a quick snap of  Ellie and of course the molding work Frank did for me.  She likes to hang out with me in the mornings while I get ready for work.  Next time for Girl Stuff Wed. A Vanity For Me...Please!

Voila'!!

Frank ( see It's Not Too Late For Some Spring Cleaning )  sent me a text the week before last asking..."Ready to paint"?   I should explain a little something about Frank.  He's a little impromptu and not the most organized person I ever met. Memories of last year lingered when I scheduled him to do my garage, laundry and mud room in July and  he showed up in Oct.  I instantly sent him a text back (he only communicates by text)  and said "yes of course".  

 

So last Monday I zoomed into Sherwin Williams to finalized my paint choices.  After showing the nice gentlemen what I wanted with my picture in tow (see Help... I Have a House to Paint ), he  thought my choices ,Sail Cloth for the brick, and  Silhouette for the shutters were good.  And  then he showed me Silvermist if I wanted to paint the door. I left very happy!

 

Come last Friday, I was trying to organize my thumb stick with a zillion pictures on it and came across this picture below. Here You go...love it! I have to text the picture to Frank (he works best with visuals) to show him want I want. And I'm heading back to the paint store just to really finalize my choices and decipher this pic!  I'm liking this door color better!  Now if I only had that slate I left  in Nashville! 

 

 

 

Controlling The Chaos!

Last fall I started the process of tackling our garage, laundry & mud room.  Much needed in our house, we're extremely short on storage!!! I was looking for my mud room to act as a butler’s pantry: store all my flower vases, canning jars, hurricane lamps, basically all the left over spillage from the kitchen.  Also, I wanted the mudroom as a place to store my old wicker furniture (I refuse to throw it out), a place to store Ellie’s rain jackets, leashes, and all her doggie-gear, and a place to hang our coats when we come in.    Everyone said “Don’t spend money on your garage, laundry & mud room… it’s just a garage”. Nope...not for me.  It’s the first place  I see when I come home. My plans were easy!  

 

 

For Frank: 

1.         Scrape garage ceiling (dated ugly star pattern)

2.        Paint garage & ceiling

3.        Install clap board in hall (which is leads from garage to kitchen). Both on the walls & ceiling

4.        Remove ugly oak cabinets from mudroom

5.        Install clap board in mud room ceilings and walls

6.        Hide ugly hot water heater in mud room

7.        Install clap board in laundry room to ceiling & walls

8.        Install  sink to laundry room

9.        Change out all lighting in mud & laundry room and hall.

10.     Install brick pavers throughout

 

My Plan for Hubby and me (Mostly moi) was this:
 

1.        Price wood etc.

2.        Pick out paint, lighting

3.        Find brick pavers (not easy to find)

4.        Power wash garage floor – remove oil stains

5.        Shop for shelving, hutch, baskets etc.

6.        Organize, Organize, Organize

 

Here are the  pics that I sent to Frank.

Love this Mud Room!  Pics above & below The Great American House (Best book I bought last year) by  Gil Schafer

Martha - Love the color, colored knobs  &
the shelf wrapped around

Martha - Love this--perfect for my garden gear!

 

Southern Living - I saw this showcase house a few years ago... love the cabinets, tile, & sink!! Perfect place to store my flower vases etc!

 

I saw this home a few years ago on a home tour...absolutely loved it!  As soon as you walk into the foyer are the brick pavers.  I've wanted them ever since.  Pic from Atlanta Homes

More on Controlling The Chasos...later!