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Garden, Home & Party

~ My love of gardening, making home comfortable and entertaining friends and family.

Garden, Home & Party

Monthly Archives: February 2016

43 years and counting

24 Wednesday Feb 2016

Posted by Karen B. in Family, House and Home, Personal Information

≈ 52 Comments

Tags

wedding anniversary

Hi Friends!  Happy Wednesday!  Is anyone besides me feeling like time is flying by?  How can February have only 5 days left…thanks to Leap Year we get an extra day this month.  Hooray!

Mr. B. with Winnie, our rescue that thinks she’s a lap dog.  

Garden, Home and Party: happy anniversary

This will be a short post but I wanted to take the time to wish Mr. B. a Happy Anniversary.  This past 43 {gulp} years have been fun.  Hope we can enjoy another twenty or more.

Garden, Home and Party

One of the truths of a successful marriage is a little compromise, even when home decor is the topic. Today I want to share rooms that convey (to me) a certain masculine feel. No surprise, a few are Ralph Lauren. This is for you Mr. B. ♥

The heart of the house.  I love art and unexpected furniture in a kitchen.  This is a favorite room with the side table, lamps, ironstone tureens and equestrian paintings.  {sigh}

Amelia-Handegan-kitchen-equestrian-art

Navy wall with white trim?!  A timeless look. I’ll have to take the leap and paint a room in a dark color such as navy or black one day.

Garden, Home and Party

A touch of black, you know how I’m drawn to that!

Garden, Home and Party

Grasscloth wallpaper, black bookcase dotted with blue and white porcelain and a spectacular side chair adorned in zebra, who could ask for anything more?

Garden, Home and Party

A room that has a masculine quality yet seems inviting.

Garden, Home and Party

A room with the perfect touches of feminine (chandelier) and masculine (antlers) and old (fireplace surround, detailed ceiling trim) and new (modern art over the fireplace), a winning combination in my book.

Garden, Home and Party

…and at the end of the day, who wouldn’t sleep well in this dark, well appointed, bedroom?

Garden, Home and Party

This is me, waiting for Mr. B to get home from a busy day at the office! (yeah, right) doesn’t everyone stand around in their strapless gown? 🙂

Garden, Home and Party

I imagine this room as a getaway second residence in the mountains.  Daydreaming here.

Garden, Home and Party

Thanks to my readers for indulging me in these little daydreams; and to Mr. B. for making 43 fun and happy. 

 

Organized yet?

17 Wednesday Feb 2016

Posted by Karen B. in House and Home, Kitchen, Storage/Closets/Pantry

≈ 35 Comments

Tags

Organizing

I’m one of those people that actually enjoy organizing closets and drawers.  Still, as we’ve lived in our house for 34 years in April. {I’d love to say I was 10 years old when we moved in, but I’d be lying}  We raised our kids here and we’ve handed off most personal belongings to our California son; Our Texas son still has items in “family storage” [read: our attic space in the garage].

As I reported early last year, the Mr. B. and I have been paring down, analyzing each box with the understanding that we’re not getting younger, and our married sons have little interest in lots of the things we’ve amassed.  We’ve made inroads but it’s amazing how you can pare down so much and still find more!

So, I’m going to share some pretty organized spaces in pictures…it’s what I do to keep me going on projects as large as this. 🙂

I’d like to start with the pantry.  I think that’s an easy one for me…I check dates on foods (no, I won’t use the Jello pudding mix which has a ‘best by’ date of June 2012).  I chuck or give away foods that were gifted to us if I know we’ll never eat them.  I’d like to say I only need this much pantry space, but that wouldn’t work.  Still, I like to keep like items in close proximity to make my pantry look organized.  I use baskets for certain foods, like you see here.

Garden, Home and Party: organization

{source unknown}   

The use of this typically dead space is so clever.  It appears that it serves to store more than just pantry items.  Do you see the little etched glass letter on the door…too cute.

Garden, Home and Party: organization

{tumblr}

This is the exterior of my pantry.  When we remodeled the kitchen our designer friend recommended that we build something that looks more like a piece of furniture.  I’ve not been disappointed, but certain times of the year I could use a little more space.

Garden, Home and Party: organization

Since we’re in the kitchen anyway, take a look at the drawer organizers the talented Joan, for the love of a house uses.  This makes the kitchen drawers look pretty as well as organized.  {if you’ve never visited Joan’s site I urge you to stop by, you won’t be disappointed}.

Garden, Home and Party: Organization

Garden, Home and Party: Organization

{for the love of a house}

While we’re still in the kitchen, I think cupboards that hold glasses, plates, etc. are important, especially since Mr. B. likes to remind me of the number of sets of dishes we own!

This hutch installed in an Atlanta Home by the talented Carter Kay Interiors is a dream of mine.  It has appeal for the styling of the items, while having a lot of room for stacks of plates. My good friend, Gretchen, has a cupboard similar and I’ve always admired it for its style as well as functionality.

Garden, Home and Party: organization

{Carter Kay Interiors}

This is a nice piece as well…I could definitely organize my collection of plates in one of these.

Garden, Home and Party: organization

{via}

So next on my list is the clothes closet.  This is an ongoing battle.  I should get rid of more of the items that I don’t wear as often as the “organizing gurus” recommend.  I often worry that if I get rid of something I’ll need it for the next outing.  Does this happen to you?

Wouldn’t you love it if your closet held just the things you wear often and love?!  Oh well, it’s a work in progress, I’ll keep trying for a capsule wardrobe.

Garden, Home and Party: organizing

{via}

Leave it to real simple to come up with some handy tips on organizing drawers.  I loved this idea.

Garden, Home and Party: organizing

{via}

Stores, like Pottery Barn, have components you can purchase to help with organizing your closet.  Container Store as well.  This example is nice but I don’t have a spare room to convert into a closet.  I always imagine that if you have lots of space it’s easier to stay organized…is this true? 🙂

Garden, Home and Party: organizing

{via}

The final space I have to share is something I’ve always thought would be wonderful.  A room of my own where you could craft (not that I do much of that), wrap presents, store things that you know you’ll need for that next project and a desk space to type your blog posts. 🙂  How cool is this…

Garden, Home and Party: organizing

{via}

The biggest obstacle I’ve encountered are the heavy photo albums and photo boxes of photographs.  To scan and save them will take me forever, yet I know I need to do something…any handy tips on organizing and possibly paring down this part of our lives?

A touch of red

10 Wednesday Feb 2016

Posted by Karen B. in Accessories; details, Paint Color, Valentine's Day

≈ 31 Comments

Tags

Valentine's Day

Garden, Home and Party: Valentines day red

             ♥  ♥  ♥

Good morning!  Since Valentine’s Day is a short 4 days away, and I’m sure you’ve all bought your valentines and planned your special meal weeks ago, I thought I’d share a few rooms that highlight a touch of red, a traditional Valentine’s Day color.  For some of us red is welcome year round, embraced even.

But I understand that not all share my enthusiasm for the color. Still, here are some lovely rooms with a touch of red that even you might like. 🙂

            ♥  ♥  ♥

 

                               

                                      {via}

Red doesn’t have to fill the room to be noticed, as my friend, the talented Loi of Tone on Tone demonstrates here.  That red apple not only looks good enough to eat, but makes the perfect trilogy of lovely for this vignette.

Garden, Home and Party: valentines red

{via}

The red in this mostly white bathroom adds a welcome brightness, subtle enough to add a needed pop of color. There is a framed picture of the Cat in the Hat to the right of the mirror, this may be a child’s bathroom.  It’s very cheery.

Garden, Home and Party: valentine red

{via}

Love this pretty distressed chest in red.  This could be a showstopper in any home.

Garden, Home and Party: valentine's red

{via}

I really like this hutch that has been painted a contrasting color inside.  I like the way it brings notice to the items stored inside.

Garden, Home and Party: valentine's red

{via}

…then there’s this.  I love this library by Gil Shafer III and somehow the red seems just right!

Garden, Home and Party: valentine's red

{via}

James Farmer and this room is an all-time favorite.  Yes, I know it’s dressed for Christmas and yes, I know you’ve seen it dozens of times, but it’s so pretty…you don’t mind, do you? 🙂

Garden, Home and Party: valentines red

{via}

The red lamps add such a wonderful touch to this outdoor table.

Garden, Home and Party: valentine's red

{James Farmer ~ photographed by Emily Elkins Photographer}

There is a regal look to red in a formal room.  Isn’t this a pretty sconce on the red wall, with a stenciled door (?) to the left?

Garden, Home and Party: valentine's red

{via}

Layla’s [The Lettered Cottage] reading nook in their first house is so inviting and the smallest touch of red makes the space seem finished.

Garden, Home and Party: valentine's red

{via}

Finally, a favorite use of the color!  Oh to be in London!

Garden, Home and Party: valentine's red

Have a special Valentine’s Day. Celebrate the day with those you love. 

Karen ♥

Since we’re on the subject of LOVE, I just wanted to pass along a good word on a soon to be released book.  My friend, Kristy Woodson Harvey {Design Chic and Kristy Woodson Harvey} has a new book to be released in April.  LIES AND OTHER ACTS OF LOVE.  The is as entertaining as her first book, Dear Carolina.  I’m honored to be previewing the book and will post my review in April. You can preorder here.

Garden, Home and Party

 

New ideas for the bathroom

03 Wednesday Feb 2016

Posted by Karen B. in Bathroom, House and Home, Trends

≈ 28 Comments

Tags

bathroom

I may be dating myself but when I was growing up it was not uncommon for a small house to have one bathroom.  I was an only child so that worked out for my family—I believe I probably hogged the bathroom when I hit my teens but by then we had moved and I had a bathroom all to myself.

This isn’t our family bathroom, ours was white, but this is not unlike the bathroom I grew up with.

Garden, Home and Party: Bathrooms

{via}

Our bathroom was very utilitarian with a bathtub/shower, toilet and vanity with a medicine cabinet above the sink…bathrooms have come a long way baby.

We all decorate our bathrooms much like any room.  Wallpaper beautiful sconces and special touches, like a bouquet of fresh flowers.

Garden, Home and Party: Bathrooms

{via}

Then there’s this…

Garden, Home and Party: Bathrooms

{via}

Joe & Max (aka 3D Joe & Max) are artists who have traveled the globe creating their artworks for a range of clients including Google, Disney, Reebok, Save the Children and Coca-Cola.

Isn’t this amazing?  I’m not sure I’d want it for my bathroom at home, but I could certainly see the appeal if it was on a hotel bathroom floor in Hawaii, or some other tropical destination.

Garden, Home and Party: Bathrooms

Garden, Home and Party: Bathrooms

The inspiration for this post came by way of my friend Joyce who sent me these pictures of painted floors {thank you, Joyce}.

So, back to my reality where bathroom decor is concerned…

I enjoy getting ideas for bathrooms as much as any other room in the house.  You never know when you might want to redo your bath. 🙂

I love the collage of mirrors and the piece of furniture for the oversized sink.  The wall faucets are a trend (?) I really like.

Garden, Home and Party: Bathrooms

{via}

Even a smaller space carries big style with free floating shelves and this great vessel sink

Garden, Home and Party: Bathrooms

{via}

I remember the first time I saw a frameless shower door.  I thought it was so great.  This one has a frame at the top, but still, what a beautiful way to encase the shower without it looking like a giant box sitting in the room.

Garden, Home and Party: Bathrooms

{via}

This is one of my favorite beautifully designed bathrooms.  I’m not sure Mr. B. would want to use this bathroom, even better.  It seems to me we should all have our own bathrooms anyway! 🙂

Garden, Home and Party: Bathroom

{via}

In juxtaposition to the very feminine feel of the bathroom above, I actually love this more rustic bath.  Shown during the Trad Home Napa Valley  tour of 2014, compliments of Cindy at rough luxe style.  Follow the link for more of this beautiful house.

Garden, Home and Party: Bathrooms

Do you think you’d have someone paint a 3-D image of the ocean with a shark swimming by in your bathroom, or do you go for a more traditional look?

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