Favorite images from my favorite blogs

For installment 3 of my latest "campaign" - "Favorite images from my favorite blogs," I bring you the latest from Bloomacious, Desire to Inspire, and Design is Mine.




From Design is Mine






some loveliness from Desire to Inspire.




From a girl's paradise - Bloomacious!

Yes - cabin decorating can be done without taxidermy!

Shocking I know, but I still have nightmares about the deer hoof coat rack my parents had when I was a kid. So even when going for the country, "one with nature" look, I try to avoid dead animals. And when reader Carrie proposed a little challenge for me to provide her with inspiration for her newly renovated cabin - I agreed to take a stab. Anyone else have some ideas?

Carrie's cabin:

Carrie's own little "Shady Nook" - what a dream!



Of her *gorgeous* home she says,

Definite likes would include Adirondack, Mission and Shaker... a rustic chic.... Bold, warm colors, even though most of our space is filled with wood. Our cabin is outside of Philadelphia, that's why I say rustic chic. I'm a city girl, living in a cabin an hour from the city... we're not exactly in no man's land and I love the city. But how does I combine the two without things looking Felix & Oscar?

Dislikes include whites (in the woods nothing stays white), those cutesy bears that accompany so many cabin decor sites, and those metal chairs from the '60s (that my husband already collects). I don't have any interior shots, but I can give you some exterior shots of our cabin, "Shady Grove", for inspiration. The outbuilding with the canoes is my husband's workshop, and the cute one with blue and red trim is my "Shady Nook", and guest room."

Some yummy ideas I found:

Rich warm colors like navy blue, red, golden-tan, and plums offer bright color without being too worrisome of dirt showing through.
via Sunset


Don't you love farmhouse sinks?
via Cottage Living

The use of wood for seating and cabinets says cabin - while the back splash and clean lines ads a little touch of the city.
via Cooking Light


via Sunset
via Whole Living
Though an entire supportive column from a tree trunk may not be a realistic possibility for most of us, you can bring the forest in on a smaller scale like this tree branch used as a towel hook.

"At left, the open-air dining room features reclaimed redwood siding salvaged from an abandoned water tower that once served a local stage coach station." -
via Sunset


Use ample soft home goods to juxtapose wood and rock
via House to Home


I always equate open shelving with rustic-chic. The numbers on the back of the dining room chairs also add refinement to the country look.
via Southern Living


via My Home Ideas

via Dwellings and Decor via Country Living

via Marie Claire Maison

Little details and "imperfections" are actually nature's embellishments, and personally, I find that's where the charm lies.
via Marie Claire Maison

Wood needn't mean "cutesy bear" carvings and animals made from corn husks - wood can be sensuous and elegant like in this bedroom!
via Marie Claire Maison (?)



Dark furniture and glass accessories, and designing in symmetry or "pairs" ad elegance, and the Tuscan-style paint finish ads polish.
via Marie Claire Maison (?)

Accessories with a more organic shape and feel will fit in better than "manufactured" items.
via Hudson Goods

-love this table
via Hudson Goods

via Hudson Goods

Vintage accessories will lend themselves better to a cabin than objects shiny and new.
via Hudson Goods

Spring Clearing: The Kitchen! (don't worry - lots of pictures here to inspire you)

A step-by-step guide to efficiently cleaning your most-used room (in just a few hours, or over the course of a few days). Checklist via Real Simple.

The Cabinet Fronts

• Wipe from top to bottom. Using a microfiber cloth dampened with water and a few drops of mild cleanser, follow the direction of the grain. Rinse the cloth and repeat.

The Stovetop

• Scour the surface. A microfiber cloth moistened with water and cleaner will do the trick.

The Countertops

• Clean the countertops with a microfiber cloth. Wet it with water and mild cleaner, and wipe the countertops using a circular motion. Then mist with water and wipe down with a clean cloth. Wash the tile backsplash using the same method.

The Dishwasher and Microwave

• Wipe down the outsides. Try a cloth dampened with water and dish soap.

The Garbage Can

• Disinfect with an all-purpose cleaner. Spray on both the inside and the outside and wipe with a clean cloth.

The Sink

• Scrub in a circular motion from the top to the drain with a cloth and cleaner. Use an old toothbrush to remove any mold lurking in the edges of the drain or faucet. Rinse the area.

The Dish Rack

• Soak in a sink filled with water and a little dishwashing liquid. Scrub off food particles with an old toothbrush. Dry with a clean cloth.

The Cabinets and Drawers

• Empty, then vacuum with a brush attachment. Wipe shelves with a cloth dampened with water and dish soap.

The Refrigerator

• Wipe down the outside with a cloth dampened with water and dish soap. Move the refrigerator and vacuum behind and underneath it.

The Small Appliances

• Clean with a damp cloth. Moisten it with water and dish soap.

The Oven

• Clean the inside as directed. When finished, wipe down the door, hardware, and handles.

The Burner Grates

• Remove from the stovetop. Then scrub with a brush and cleaner.

The Floor

• Sweep, working from the walls to the middle of the room. To clean corners, blow out the dust with a hair dryer, then sweep up, or vacuum using a crevice attachment. Then mop in small sections, dipping the mop in a pail of clean water and detergent and squeezing out excess liquid in between each section.


The fun part? Rearranging things when everything is clean, standing back, and admiring your work.


A nook....dedicated to coffee...genius


I love the brick mixed with industrial cabinets















via Living Etc.