North Carolina Mountain Retreat

I would love to get away to a cabin in the woods, just me and my honey. No distractions, no carpools, no smartphones.  I would stay here, if I could.

   

 

 

This mountain home was designed by Kathleen Rivers and is featured here in Garden & Gun Magazine. 

I can almost feel myself relaxing just by looking at the pictures!

Hope you have a great weekend.

xo Meg

A Beach Cottage Beauty

Today, my home is covered in a thick layer of construction dust.  There's kitchen crap everywhere, since there isn't really anyplace to put anything.  And nobody made their bed this morning.

Ugh.  Instead of showing you the gruesome photos of that, I thought you'd rather check out this beauty:

These photos are by Sarah, of her home in Australia.  She writes the blog A Beach Cottage.  I highly recommend her home tour, since there are lots of really great before and after photos of all the hard work they've done.

There's something about the simplicity and functionality of her spaces that speaks to me.  Everything has a use and a place and her colour story is perfect.  She seems to be able to showcase the beauty in the everyday, mundane items we all live with, like a stack of white dinner plates, or a cup full of silverware.

Also, it sure doesn't look to me like there's a layer of construction dust all over her stuff anymore.  Bonus points for sure.  I'm wondering if it'll ever be clean in here again.

Happy Friday - enjoy your long weekend, Canadian friends!

xo Meg

Farmhouse Fantastic (Part 2)

Here are a few more photos from April's farmhouse.  I am so smitten with this beautiful project and how personally everything is decorated.  It's my new inspiration home!

Beyond that amazing door is a perfect mudroom and bathroom:

This is the dining room:  I love the curtain fabric.

Even I would enjoy laundry here:

Little landing desk nook:

My absolute favourite little girl's nursery, belonging to April's daughter:

Ok, so  now you know I'm obsessed with this house.  I just really love when someone is able to put together something this polished and amazing, without the help of a designer.  It seems like every piece in the home has been carefully selected and is meaningful to the family who lives there. I'm so inspired!  Love.

xo Meg

Note:  All this hard work is April's so if you'd like to pin some of the photos here, you should go to her blog to pin them directly from there.  You can also read about how she has transformed the tired farmhouse into something beautiful.

Farmhouse Fantastic Home Tour

I have a special treat for you this morning.  This is the home of April Foster, from the blog Goodbye City Life.  April isn't a designer or design blogger.  But she has managed to create a beautiful, relaxed, interesting home for her family.  This is one of my favourite living room spaces.

I love the barn board ceilings and the fresh green colour scheme April has chosen.  I love how the space is so open in this area.  It looks like it has great flow.  Stylish and comfortable. Here's what's on the other side of that fireplace:

And you know how I love a banquette?  Check this out:

(love)

This is the last one, and only because I'm more than a little obsessed with this sink. 

Photos and Design by April Foster here.

xo Meg

Eye Candy

Wow, I have such a treat for you this morning.  This is one of the most creative, colourful -yet-neutral homes I've ever seen.  I just love it.   Take a look.

Symmetry, lines and simplicity.  

I love this furniture grouping.  I've never seen anything quite like this  before.

I don't even have words. This kitchen is just so perfect.

Poolside drinks, anyone?

This home is featured on the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles website.  Interior Design by Betty Burgess Design.  Architecture by Stanley Dixon.  All photos courtesy of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles.

Designer Inspiration

     Lately, I've been looking for some inspiration for our new home.  I made up a new home inspiration pinboard on Pinterest if you'd like to see some of what I've come up with.  Since the homes we're looking for are so different from our current home, I'm thinking of freshening up and making a few changes.

   I first came across Jute Interior Design when I was working on Elliott's Room.  I had this image filed away for inspiration:

Here are a few other Jute Home images:  

This is their Studio.  I love the rough beams, lighting, and metal chairs.

Really?  Can I come over for a playdate? 

I love chalkboard paint on a grand scale.  Speaking of scale... those mirrors!  That light!

Beautiful, natural and spare.

   I also recently read a post over at The Yellow Cape Cod that really puts into words the way I feel about decorating with colour.  Sarah writes about this here. 

    When we were working on Audrey's room, I kept wanting to add brown, natural elements.  I think I wanted the space to feel more sophisticated.  I love this mood board Sarah made for her client:

 Sometime soon, I'm hoping to incorporate more colour into our grey and taupe world.  

xo Meg