pedestal tables and a kitchen that needs some love

As I was cleaning my kitchen today I couldn't help but notice how horrible my kitchen and dining area look. It's not a big area and so you would think I would be able to do something with it and make it look pretty. But apparently not! Everything I do to it never comes out right. It's kind of depressing.

Here is my kitchen/dining room right now...

I know that it's not that bad and could be a whole lot worse, but when I think of my kitchen I think of someplace that is light and bright. Someplace I won't mind sitting for hours and blogging or drinking coffee. Someplace that makes people say "I love your kitchen". I also needed something that looked great with white appliances because that is what I have and can't justify replacing perfectly good ones (well except for the stove with the front glass that kind of fell off...). So naturally I started looking for some inspiration on Pinterest.

I had to add this kitchen at the top. I fell in love with it the moment that I saw it! I know that my kitchen differs from this one in several ways, but I can so see my kitchen looking like this. I love it!!

(picture source)

There is also this wonderful kitchen from Flower Patch Farmgirl.
Didn't she do a wonderful job? Her curtains are even made from old napkins!

(image via Flower Patch Farmgirl)

This next one I found on Pinterest but could not find an original source. I really like the open cabinets as well as the chalkboard. Great for kids. And that farmhouse sink! LOVE!

(image via Pinterest)

Now when it comes to the dining room my table desperately needs to be refinished and my chairs need to be painted. But I will get to that eventually. Someday. Right now I am trying to figure out what I am going to do with the space. With it being so small it poses the challenge of making it functional and pretty.

I really like bench here. It adds something different and gives you one extra seat. I'm just not sure how it would look in my kitchen. My light is placed a little further out and I don't know if I could make the bench work if it were not flush up against a wall.

(image via Pinterest)

This one here is my favorite. My table looks almost exactly like this one. You know when it is refinished and all. But what I like most about it is that they left the table it's natural color. Which is exactly what I want to do! Seeing this makes me want to go refinish my table now! 

(picture via BHG)

I also took this screen shot of my latest issue of Country Living Magazine. 

I am in love with this little dining nook!

(picture via my iPad)

easter inspiration

I can't believe that Easter is in two weeks! 

Can you?

This year has flown by so much faster than I have realized so I am a little sad today. Spring will be here in like two days and then everything is going to just start rolling. Easter, Mothers Day, Fathers Day and so on. I'm not ready! I am still trying to get all my winter stuff put up and things ready for all this warmer weather we have been having.

Since I have done nothing Easter related all month I thought that I would post some Easter inspiration that I found this morning on Pinterest :)

(all images from Pinterest)

aqua chevron and cowhide

Last week I posted an inspiration board I put together for my living room that featured bright oranges. But the more I looked at it the more I didn't like it. So I took it down.

I got to thinking about everything I had and really wanted to use as much as possible so I could use the money for other things. So in saying that I made up another inspiration board that has a completely different look and feel than the first.

I won't lie. I like this one so much better! It feels nice and comfortable. And the best part is my hubby approves. Here is the little inspiration board I put together using things that I already have lying around and just adding a few here and there.

And here is how my living room looks right now... It's progress :)

Here is a close-up of the flowers on the coffee table. 

a lovely master bedroom

Inspiration boards seem to be my theme these days.

That's okay though.

My kids are gone during the day so I have no one to take pictures of and I have really enjoyed my new desire to decorate.

back to the board... I do plan on working on one room at a time so I don't overwhelm myself. I think that has been my downfall in the past. I try to do too much and then I want to scream and I quit. Not anymore. But it is still nice to see it all on the screen and what you want your end result to be.

So today I wanted to do one for my bedroom. My bedroom has been a work in progress for some time now. I have gone through so many ideas on what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do things. And just when I think I have it where I want, something changes.

I have searched the internet and read various blogs, but I could never find what I wanted. I knew the rest of my house was gonna have bright colors throughout so I wanted my bedroom to be calming and peaceful. Someplace I could retreat to when the boys are driving completely insane. Also, someplace a little girly since there is boy everywhere else.

(a) The bedding I bought at Target a while back. The picture does not do it justice. It is such a prettier color than you see. And for now I love it. But as you know that could change in the coming months :)

(b) I really would like to have a white or cream colored pillow to go on the bed. It doesn't have to be fluffy, just pretty.

(c) I already have the lamps. I got them on sale at Target a while back.

(d) I also already have the armoire and dresser that my in-laws gave me. The bed is the only thing that is getting replaced.

(e) The nightstands are my favorite part. I like the round ones as opposed to the square ones. It just adds something different to the room.

(f) I don't know why I love the rug, but I do. It's that little bit of girly I am looking for. Well that and the pretty flowers.

As for everything else... I have a vanity area and bathroom that will make match the rest of the room as well as find the perfect color of paint to grace my walls. Challenge accepted! :)

dreaming of a new house and the big 500

Firstly I want to say...

**** Happy 500th post to Me! ****

Continuing on... here recently we have been talking about selling our house and getting something bigger.

So naturally, I was on my Trulia app looking all over for house inspiration. Not that it does me any good. What I can find in other places is not what I can find here at home, and even if I could everything around here is way overpriced right now. I did find a few houses that I love, but they are in different states and I seriously doubt that I am going to talk my husband into moving away from his job.

That’s okay tho :) A girl can dream can’t she?

I love this first house. I have always wanted a house that looks like this. Maybe it’s the front porch or the shutters. Whatever it is I love it!

This house would be perfect. It sits on 16 acres and has large windows with great views and actual seasons. Oh ya, it’s in VERMONT! But seriously, how wonderful would it be to watch those leaves change in the Fall or your kids squeal with excitement because it’s snowing on Christmas. My poor boys barely know what snow is. Thanks a lot Texas!

 

Now here is something I can do. Granted, my kitchen looks nothing like this but I could paint my cabinets and change my countertops. I love the black cabinets! Some would disagree but I don’t care. I still love them :) But wait...

... they did paint where the sink is and the bar white to balance it. That makes it that makes it even better! Now I just have to convince my hubby to let me paint my kitchen cabinets black before we try and sell our house.

Hey! It could happen :) I do have to live here until then ya know.

autumn pinspiration

Have I mentioned today how much I LOVE PINTEREST!

If not here I am giving a heartfelt declaration of love.

They have so many wonderful ideas and tons of inspiration, and all with just a click of the mouse.

I thought I would share some fall inspiration that I just found wonderful :)

Happy Tuesday!

  

  

 

 

it’s fall y’all

*happy dance*

I am so excited!

It is time to crack out all that Fall décor and start making the house all cozy.
Sadly, the weather may be warm for a while longer but that doesn’t mean I can’t get a head start :)

Here is some Fall inspiration to get you excited too!

{courtesy of google}

{almost all pictures were taken from pinterest}

indecisiveness

When it comes to my kitchen I have been completely indecisive on what I want to do with it.

I’m trying to get away from the darker colors and lighten things up a bit. But to be honest, I am not sure how to do that. Everything has always been black or brown or different shades of black and brown. And I am sick of it! I want a light and bright house.

Here is my kitchen/dining room in it’s semi-current state. The walls are called ‘fabulous red’. The microwave is not there anymore, but it still pretty much looks the same.

I originally wanted to paint stripes along the entire wall...

... then I found this picture on The Lettered Cottage. Yes, they wall is black, but it is a fun chalkboard black. Mike likes it and so do the boys. I think that they just want to draw on the walls and not get in trouble :)

I also love the way this kitchen. Yes, I know that mine does not look anything like this... and the cabinets are black (see I can’t escape it!) but I love the cabinets and how bright they are with the white walls. I think my kitchen has enough natural light that I could pull off the dark cabinets.

By the time this is all over I swear I am going to drive my husband crazy :)

shutters anyone?

I have been wanting to put up shutters at my house.

Some that will match my door.

My turquoise door!

I just not sure that shutters will work on my house... *sigh*

In the spirit of things, I thought you would enjoy these wonderful turquoise shutters...

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