A Tree Lined Street

The {Barn Door} Pantry

2012-02-09T21:58:00.000-07:00

I would love a walk-in pantry.

I would also love a master suite, a Porsche roadster, and a baby who doesn't bite me after a marathon nursing session. But, the reality is I have to walk across the hall to use the bathroom, I drive a ten-year old SUV, and my baby bit me today after a marathon nursing session (when will this terrible teething stop?). Oh, and I have a closet for a pantry.

Here's the probleme-o: I really love to cook, I have an insane amount of kitchen gadgetry that I am not willing to part with, and our kitchen is small. I have to make the most out of every square inch of this small cottage. I needed a pantry. So when we started the kitchen renovation, we also turned our attention to this built-in in the hallway right outside the kitchen.

This was the view of the built-in and the hallway when we first bought the cottage. That little door was a laundry chute that we removed a while ago. Don't you just love seeing all these old teal photos? This is a bonus photo: you also get to see the pink of the old kitchen on the right side of the photo!

This shows the built-in right before we tore the kitchen out (about three years after we bought the cottage). Normally I don't advocate tearing out built-ins as they add a ton of character and badly needed storage. But in this instance I needed to better utilize the space. This built-in was positioned right over the stairway and the wall is angled down - this will make more sense when you see the inside - so that bottom drawer wasn't as functional as it could have been. Plus there was unused space above the closet that was being wasted.

Tired of all the blah, blah, blah? Me too.

Here's the pantry now...

When a friend of mine told her husband that we were planning a barn door for our pantry, he responded with "What? Why?" I get it. It seems an odd choice. Here's why we did it. The pantry is located in the hallway between the kitchen, dining room and bedrooms so the hallway gets a ton of use and we didn't want a big swinging door blocking the traffic. Also, the barn door is awesome. Reason enough!

Now for the inside...

Like I said, the kitchen is small, so we opted to move the microwave out of the kitchen and into the pantry. Because we were re-wiring the entire kitchen and re-framing the "closet/pantry" it was easy to install an outlet at the right height to provide power.

You can see at the bottom of the pantry how the wall is angled down. Instead of letting that space go to waste, we installed some shallow drawers at the bottom that would utilize the space.

This pull-out is for all the larger 'small' appliances that I don't use everyday, but often enough that I don't want to store them in the basement storage. Bread machine, crock pot, rice maker, food processor, mini food processor.

I couldn't have a walk-in pantry, so I devised a pull-out pantry. They pull all the way out, so I have full access to everything I have stored in the drawers. Now every square inch is used for storage.

Just like in our master closet we used stock components from Ikea to make our pull-outs. For the top three we used the 36"x 24" 'deep' drawer component found in the kitchen section. They don't offer drawer fronts for drawers that wide so we made our own fronts out of MDF (medium density fiberboard). For the bottom two pull-outs we had limited space but the shallow drawers didn't come in 36" widths. We used two 18" x 12" drawers instead, and installed a divider between the drawers out of MDF. For the drawer fronts we used the Ikea ones and then placed some large white plastic bins (also from Ikea) in the pull-outs.

Now for the barn door hardware...

Long before we started this project, we started searching for the perfect hardware. We were not prepared for what we found. Barn door hardware is spendy! Like $400 and up! Yeah, not a splurge we were willing to make.

We happened to mention our predicament to a craftsman who was visiting us one weekend, and he said "Oh, I can make that." We gave him the dimensions and he designed and fabricated the whole thing for our Christmas gift! It really is a work of art. He is a true craftsman...he can make anything. I am proud to tell you that he is also my brother!

He devised these rubber stoppers for each end to keep the door from falling off the track at one end and from running into the wall at the other. Genius!

Thanks for stopping by. Cheerio! (Sorry, I'm allowed one bad pun a week and I had to reach my quota!)

In case you missed it, go here to see how we made the barn door.

How To: Make a Barn Door

2012-02-09T12:31:00.000-07:00

During the renovation of our little cottage, we have moved walls, altered the floor plan, and removed doors (among other things), which means we have lots of cast-offs/junk/debris filling the garage. So when it came time to build the new barn door to cover the pantry, we decided to use what we already had on hand (you know we love to do that).

So we took two of these guys (no idea why there is only one door in this pic. maybe the other one is hiding):

We ... ok let's be accurate here...the Mr. cut them into pieces and then using a pocket-hole jig he screwed the pieces together and then filled the holes with pocket-hole plugs. **Nate wants you to know that this is not the proper way to build a door. This is the way you build a door when you are trying to use up old doors and you are short on time (or patience...not what he said, that was me) and you just want to build a {insert profanity here} barn door already. If you are curious as to how to properly build a door, well...we'll discuss that later when we show you how he built the cabinets in the dining room. Until then...behold our blunders in door building.**

Here are the plugs in action. I know, it's a beautiful sight.

Then he sanded those bad boys down using an orbital sander. Ooooh! Nice moves.

Then he used a router on the back to make room to insert the v-groove panel. I applauded and then ran inside where it wasn't freezing.

That's the back, that's why all those holes are still exposed. No one will see them when it's installed so no one will remember that they are there. Except you. Forget you saw this picture.

Here is the v-groove panel after it was cut and ready to install in the back of the door. Are you kind of worrying about the water that is inching too close to the paneling? Are you picturing Mr. with his angry face because the paneling is now wet? No? Just me? **Hurry move the paneling!**

H helping her Dad screw holes in the top for the barn door hardware. Such a good helper.

Prime & paint the barn door in Roman Column - the color of all the trim in the house.

Almost there! Now we need a handle...

This came off our old front door. It's seen better days. We thought it might clean up nicely.

Alright, maybe a little too nicely. Brass isn't for me.

With a coat of black satin spray paint. That'll do.

Come back tomorrow for all the glorious after shots. The long-awaiting, we-thought-this-would-never-get-done, holy-moses-it's-a-beauty barn door is up, and we l - o - v - e it!

Breakfast & Nook Sneak Peek

2012-02-06T10:22:00.000-07:00

Progress on the kitchen renovation is coming along (slowly). We aren't 100% done with the breakfast nook yet, but here is a little sneak peek.

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am stepping (WAY) outside my 'neutrals' comfort zone, and I'm a little nervous! Why am I breaking out? I'm trying to create a space that looks as if a young family lives here. I'm also trying to be a new, braver version of myself (remember?) I may panic and change my mind in 2.5 seconds, but I'm trying to wait to pass judgement until it's all done.

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All I Want Is You

2012-02-03T07:41:00.000-07:00

Do you know this song by Barry Louis Polisar? It's a favorite in our house.

I thought I would share this little poster I designed for our hallway gallery project in honor of Valentine's Day coming up. Don't you just love the lyrics? So sweet!

Nursery Source List

2012-02-02T21:30:00.000-07:00

Our nursery has been featured at Baby Lifestyles! Go here to see the full article, and be sure to check out their site if you are looking for nursery design inspiration.

In the interview, they had asked for sources on where we got our nursery decor items, so I thought I would list them here in case you are curious too.

You can find more pictures of our nursery here, here, and here.

Wall color: Silver Strand by Sherwin Williams

Trim color: Roman Column by Sherwin Williams

Crib: Jenny Lind from here

Dresser: Home Again (Salt Lake City)

Frames above dresser: Ikea

Artwork: Original watercolors

Bookshelf: Campo (sadly, no longer in business)

Mirror: Pier One

Rocker/Glider: Pottery Barn

Bedding/Pillows: Made by me with fabric from here.

Bird art above crib: I made the birds with leftover bedding fabric with this pattern. Branch from our backyard.

Lamp: Home Goods. It was originally dark gray, and we spray painted it a glossy white.

Night stand: Antique handed down from my Grandma (H's namesake) and painted by me.

Chandelier: Ballard Designs

Project 366: Week 3 & 4

2012-02-01T12:03:00.001-07:00

These two weeks are all about H. I know. Big surprise. She's kind of a big deal around here.

January 15 - Yep, those lips. Everyone comments on them.

January 16 - H loves her sippy cup.

January 17- the daily Battle Royale: kitty boy vs. pajama clad kid. It usually ends in tears.

January 19- H with Penelope, our favorite piggy.

January 20- On our trip to St. George, we had to stop at the cheese factory in Beaver, Ut for spectacular Jalapeno cheese curds! My mother thinks it odd that my sister and I take pictures of our food.

January 22- H in a rock.

January 24- Cutting out fabric for the breakfast nook in the kitchen. (pictures coming soon!)

January 27- A surprised H crawling down the hallway.

January 28- Ice cubes in a mesh food holder: the only thing that makes our teething baby happier.

January 29- H helping Nate install the barn door for the pantry. (pictures coming soon!)

January 31- Sweet little baby feet.

Top 10 Baby Items

2012-01-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

I get asked a lot about gifts I would recommend for a new mom, seeing as how I am one. Now that I'm almost a year (!!!!) into this whole baby-having business, I definitely have some favorite items and some that I could do without. After buying a ton of stuff I thought I would need, and borrowing (from friends and family) what we weren't sure about, I finally widdled down my own "must have" list. In case you're in need of a gift idea, or you are just starting out and are overwhelmed with baby-gear-mania (totally me a year ago!) I thought I would share with you my list of favorite things that made my life a little better with a baby - in no particular order.

Mustela bath products.

Once you smell this you'll know why it's my absolute fav. Also, it doesn't irritate my very sensitive skinned baby.

Bath Sponge

Before our little one could sit up on her own, this kept her from rolling around in the big ol' tub. It's also cushy and sucks up the warm water to keep her warm. When H was tiny we used to put our sponge in the kitchen sink. We loved it because it didn't take up a ton of space - once bath time was over, we would wring the sponge out, let it dry and then shove it under the sink.

Baby Bjorn

We are on the go a lot. I tried a few other baby carriers - slings, wraps - and this was the only one that allowed my little one to be held close to mommy or daddy while also being upright (a must for her) and to face outward (also a must for her from a really early age).

Bouncer

H suffered with reflux when she was tiny, so laying flat on her back was torture for her. She slept in this bouncer for the first three months of her life (yes, we cleared it with her pediatrician). She liked it because it actually bounces on it's own instead of just vibrating like other "bouncers."

Rocker/Glider

This has become the most used piece of furniture in our house. I am (still) nursing H, and this is most comfy place to snuggle my little one while she nurses. Even if I hadn't found this chair for half the price of what Pottery Barn sells it for, I think it would still be worth the admittedly high price tag. When we travel away from home (which is quite often), this is the one item I miss.

Bamboo Swaddle Blankets

We swaddled H every time she became fussy and it immediately calmed her. We also swaddled her for naps and bedtime and she loved it. These swaddle blankets are the perfect size, are incredibly soft and are organic which is great for something so close to my peanut's sensitive skin.

Thermometer

No more guessing what temperature that stupid red line is at. No more trying to finagle it into the tiny recesses of my little one's body. Just press one button and swipe across the forehead. Easy. Fast. Love it!

Sound Machine

Our house is small. My husband is loud. You do the math. A sound machine keeps my baby asleep through even the most memorable Utah Jazz moments. We play the 'ocean' sound, though it sounds more like white noise than waves crashing on shore. I didn't link to this particular model because I think that any of them would work just as well. We got this one at Target (I think it was around $25?) and we also downloaded a few free sound machine apps for our iphones for when we are traveling.

Stroller

We live in a neighborhood where just about everything I need is within walking distance (market, pharmacy, library, 6 restaurants, bookstore, salon, chocolatier - that's right, I threw that in there - it's a necessity) so we opted for the Mercedes Benz of the stroller world. This ride turns on a dime, handles our urban un-even sidewalks like a charm (or off-roading to see some petroglyphs near St. George like the picture above), and can even grow to fit another little person or two. When H was tiny (after she had outgrown the reflux), we would attach the bassinet and wheel it into the bedroom for her to sleep. I love it so much, I would sleep in it.

Dimmer switch

So useful during a middle-of-the-night diaper change, or helping to set the tone for bedtime. Dim lights = sleepy baby (that's what I keep telling myself anyway. Hey, it puts me to sleep!) These can be found at any big box store and installed in about 10 minutes.

What are your favorite baby items?

*Again, though I have many opinions I don't get paid for any of them. I'm just a girl, rattling on about her genuinely favorite baby stuff. That is all.

Project 366: Week 1 & 2

2012-01-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

I'm finally doing it. I have hemmed and hawed for years about doing it. But there was always an excuse. My camera sucks. I'm too busy. My cat has too much fur. The windows are dirty. My toe hurts. Well, I got a new camera for Christmas, and I am determined to learn enough about this blasted thing to take one good picture by the end of the year. So let it begin....

My 365 project. Er...make that 366...it's a leap year! Yeah, yeah. All you over-achievers have been doing this for years. And you have made big, fancy, beautiful books. And you got them published. And your pets are cuter than mine. And your photos should be on bill boards. I almost didn't tell you about this little project of mine, for fear of utter rejection. Or worse: failure. But I am no longer afraid. I am turning into a braver version of myself (watch out!)

If you are curious as to whether or not I can keep up this commitment for an entire year (ack...the pressure), you are not alone. I'm hoping that you'll hold me accountable if I post all my pics here. Ok, not ALL the pics, because...well...no one needs to see every detail of my mundane life.

So, heres a select few of my photos from week 1 & 2. The biggest surprise? Not all the photos are of baby H (who after taking her first steps on Christmas Day is quickly trying to outgrow that moniker)!

January 1 - We started off 2012 with clementines and a pomegranate

January 2 - After hanging our barn door track over the pantry, Nate couldn't resist acting as the door himself. It was 7:30 am, thus the bed-head hair.

January 4 - I have a thing for orchids. Someone please tell me how to get mine to re-bloom so I can stop buying them every few months!

January 6 - What breakfast (and every other meal) looks like at our house: Hazel standing in her highchair while Mom/Dad hover nervously close to keep her from plummeting to the ground.

January 7 - Our back patio after the first snow storm of the year.

January 8 - Yes, we buy Cheerios in bulk. Yes, we put our daughter in the empty box. We're classy people.

January 9 - Our bedtime ritual: bath, brush teeth, p.j.'s, dim the lights, read some books, pray, goodnight kisses, sleep

January 10 - Egg-free chocolate chip cookies. mmmmmm

January 12 - Life with a little person. Plastic stuff. Oh the irony.

January 13 - Creating a gallery wall in the hallway.

HAPPY new year

2012-01-05T14:04:00.000-07:00

Happy New Year! It's 2012! A new year. A fresh start. Don't you just love that? It's like having a fresh new notebook at the start of the school year. Wait, am I the only person past fifth grade who still gets excited about brand new school supplies? Oh well. January is like that for me. New. Unwritten. Pure. It's exciting, full of possibilities and great intentions.

This year we are keeping the resolutions simple: be happy and enjoy life.

How about you?

Happy Holidays

2011-12-23T10:12:00.000-07:00

Things Are Looking Up

2011-12-21T21:17:00.000-07:00

Remember when I first shared this inspiration photo? (see our kitchen inspiration images here)

There is much to love about this kitchen from Southern Living, but the one detail that really sealed the deal for me was that spectacular ceiling. I have been obsessing over bead-board ceilings for a long time now, so when we started our kitchen renovation (too long ago) I just knew I had to have one. I'll give you all the deets on how we accomplished it in another post, but for now here is the reason all of my guests go home with a kink in their necks. It is the first thing people remark on when they walk into our home. We are so happy with how it turned out - we might even someday forget the pain it caused us to install (but more on that later!)

Here is the before. This is after we moved two walls in the kitchen to open the kitchen up to the dining room. You can see all the holes in the ceiling from where the old walls stood as well as holes from the old lights that were removed when the new can lights went in.

How To: Safely Remove Old Paint from Hardware

2011-11-09T12:08:00.000-07:00

There is paint on our hinges. And not in an 'I ate too many Mike & Ike's so now my hand looks like a tweeker with no cash and I inadvertently left a smidgen of paint on the hinge in my shaky wake' kind of way. Nope. We are talking an all-out, blatant disregard for painting etiquette. Always remove hardware before you wield a paint brush. Everybody knows that. At the very least, a lazy painter will tape over it. Fine. Your secret is safe with me. But slapping avocado green oil paint on an unsuspecting hinge followed by peach paint and then teal paint and then white paint is just down-right deranged.

Just looking at this hinge makes me cringe. It's not impossible to remove paint from hardware, but it isn't easy my friends, and it usually involves toxic stripper, burning fingers, and singed nose hairs, resulting in an angry cursing hinge owner. But now we have an eight month old so toxic fumes are no bueno, and we kind of like our nose hairs. So, that option sucks.

We could buy new hinges. But then our door wouldn't hang right. Hinges aren't made like they used to be. New hinges are made thinner. Not only that, if you have a door that is already hung, it has been fitted for that exact hinge. Putting on a different hinge, even if it is an old replacement hinge, will alter the fit of the door and may result in a door that squeaks, swings poorly, or worse, won't shut. Which is sort of what doors are for. So that option sucks as well.

Now what? What if I told you that you can remove paint from old hardware with nothing more than water and a tiny dose of dish soap? I know, I didn't believe it either. I saw it on Pinterest and immediately thought "this will never work." Nothing is ever that easy. Not for me. (Don't listen to my brother when he tells you I'm the Golden Child.)

So I put it to the test... a DIY myth bust...and it totally worked! Latex paint, oil paint, mystery paint. It all came off.

Want to try it? You know you are scanning your house right now looking for old painted hardware just to give it a go. It's easy and oh-so-satisfying. You know you want to. (This is getting strange. Let's move on.)

Find an old crock pot (or borrow your mother-in-law's - I won't tell). I bought mine back for $6.00 from the local thrift store that I had just donated my old crock pot to. Oh, hindsight, you make me look like such a jerk.

Throw your hardware in - OR tap into your OCD and carefully place in a pattern that would allow you to remember which hinge was which while at the same time maintaining a mathematically proportionate grid that is aesthetically pleasing. (Note to self: get help with OCD)

Fill crock pot with water.

Add a squirt of dish soap.

Turn on high and let sit overnight.

Remove hinge from water with tongs/pliers/chopsticks (metal + hot water = hot metal) and immediately scrape off any paint while the hinge is still hot. Most of the paint on our hinges came off in sheets. Some layers of paint we had to scrape with a putty knife, but it didn't take much effort.

Sand with steel wool to remove the remainder of the paint residue.

We sprayed ours with oil-rubbed bronze spray paint to match the new door-knobs, but keeping the metal in it's raw state would also look cool in the right house.

Disclaimer: We have yet to try this technique on any metal other than these hinges which are brass. Some metals may spontaneously self-combust whilst spinning out of control toward the great black hole in an alternate universe. Ok, I made that last part up, but we can't be held accountable for your metal mishaps. Crock (pot) at your own risk. Oh and rubber gloves aren't a bad idea either.

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Recap

2011-11-01T10:59:00.000-06:00

Of all the things that I'm not good at - small talk, sports of any kind, parallel parking, and (according to my sister-in-law) parenting - blogging tops the list. Somehow this last month took the bullet train and suddenly Mr. is proclaiming "Holy crap! It's November!" Time flies when you're sleep deprived.

Just in case you were beginning to believe that we slept through all of October (if only), here is a recap of what we were up to:

Irritating our fellow passengers on our semi-annual pilgrimage to the Atlantic coast. Yeah, that man put his ear buds in to drown out H's protests for more Biscoff cookies. I joke. She does not yet get to enjoy the deliciousness that are Biscoff cookies. I ate them all. Yes, I know I can buy them at Dan's and eat them any day of the week. It's just not the same.

Gearing up at our favorite surf shop in Cocoa Beach. H was not as impressed as we had hoped, though she did look mighty cute in her Ron Jon tee. Start em young.

Floating in the greatest hotel pool. Ever. Hands down.

Hilton Bonnet Creek, Orlando, Florida.

Seeing if all the living room furniture would fit in the dining room. Yep, it does.

Enjoying the fall colors at Silver Lake up Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Redecorating the built-ins in the living room with tools.

Playing in the leaves.

Hanging out with H's favorite cousin.

Getting lost in a corn maze.

Hanging crown molding.

Playing with more leaves.

Painting

More painting while H gets busy picking out new furniture from the Pottery Barn catalog.

Yep, more painting.

Now, let's see if I can manage to post more than once this month!

A Swing, a Miss, & a Homerun

2011-09-30T11:29:00.000-06:00

Like every other parent since the dawn of time, when we had our daughter seven months ago, we made several naive declarations - I will never hold my daughter's back side up to my nose to check for a dirty diaper, I will never ride in the backseat with my child - and almost immediately ate our words. Almost everything we said we would NEVER do has been done...on many an occasion. I say almost, because we are still holding on to a modicum of self-respect. 1. We will NEVER drive a mini van. 2. We will NOT fill our house with cheap plastic kid stuff.

Number 1 has been easy to hold strong on. There are lots and lots of cars out there, and most of them will transport a child, no problem. However, the no cheap plastic kid stuff has proven to be slightly more difficult. Plastic and kids seem to have become synonymous these days. So when it came time to find a high chair we had to get a little creative. I quickly became obsessed with the idea of a turquoise high chair and I began a lengthy search for a vintage wood high chair that I could paint. A trip to my favorite consignment shops, boutiques, and second hand stores still left me empty handed. I almost gave up, thinking that wood high chairs must no longer exist.

Then I happened upon this picture on pinterest via Drew B. Photography. Oh. My. Lands. It was exactly what I wanted. My quest for that elusive turquoise high chair continued.

Finally, in desperation I turned to the KSL classifieds ( a local, better, version of Craig's list) and found a sturdy, vintage wood high chair for 25 smackers. The couple we bought it from used it for their only son twenty five years ago, put it in storage and hadn't thought about it since, and it is in perfect condition! (Their son must not have been as adventurous an eater as our little H!)

Here it is before, in the kitchen (which is still in progress so ignore the crazy splotchy walls and the cereal on the floor - I can't be expected to clean when under construction). The finish on the chair was still in pristine condition so I sanded it to rough it up so the primer would have something to stick to.

After one coat of Rustoleum grey spray primer.

A hit and a miss. (I don't know why I am busting out the baseball analogies today. I am not really a sports fan. Just a word nerd.) This is after one coat of Valspar's Exotic Sea spray paint. The second the first drops of paint hit the high chair, I knew I had made a huge mistake. The color was all wrong. Too bright. Too blue. A cool color, but not at all what I wanted.

After two coats of Krylon's Blue Ocean Breeze. Yes. Yes. Yes. This is the one. The home-run (sorry, I had to follow through on the sports lingo)!

A humble little note from the Editor (yep, that's me) about spray paint (and no, I am not being paid for this or any other of my many opinions, which is sad really, as I have a lot of them):

While the color of Valspar's Exotic Sea wasn't right for this project, their spray paint, in my opinion, is far superior to Krylon. It went on like a dream and coated really well. The Krylon on the other hand is thin and runny and has a tendency to run if you are not really careful.

A word to those buying spray paint at Michael's Craft: They are now locking up their multitude of spray paint, you know, in case any crafty hoodlums try to spray the display case. I am guessing that their paint doesn't turn over very often, because the two cans of Krylon I bought there (and then promptly returned) were extremely old and defective. I figure that most people won't go to the trouble of having the case unlocked (lazy crafters) and instead head to Smith's Marketplace (like I did) where your access to the trouble causing spray paint is not regulated (they also have a really wide selection.)

I also learned that not every store sells the same colors of the same brand. So while the Home Depot on 21st may carry the color Satin Jade, the Home Depot on 72nd may not. So you may want to call and ask about a specific color first before you drive all over town in search of Blue Ocean Breeze (or the perfect color of your choosing).

Go forth and spray paint (legally of course).

I Got It Covered

2011-09-02T08:12:00.000-06:00

When I was little, my mother tried to give me sewing lessons. I scoffed at her, oh yes, I did scoff at her. I was more interested in hiding in my little room in the attic, cutting out pictures from Architectural Digest to create my dream house from bits and pieces of the glossy magazine. Sewing was for boring people.

Fast forward twenty + years and look at me now! I sew. Or I try to sew. In fact, almost every time I start a project I end up calling my mom to ask three hundred questions. "How do you thread this thing?" "Why is my bottom thread going all wonky?" "Was I a mistake?" (Oh wait, that's for another post.) My mother is too nice to do it to my face, but I'm sure she's the one laughing now. Boring people indeed.

It only took me six months (or is it eight? who's counting?), but I finally finished my very first quilt. Alright, if you must know, I got my mom to help me with the actual quilting part (thanks Mom), but the rest of it I did myself. Honest.

When I bought all the material to make H's bedding and pillows for her room I never intended to make a quilt. But then the fabric store got the better of me and I came home with way more material than I would ever need (big surprise). So a quilt was born. Not actually born (thank goodness, I still haven't recovered from H's traumatic delivery) but stitched together with love. Um, no, that's blood. Sometimes the needle and I don't see eye to eye. I didn't mean that as a pun. We really don't get along.

A closeup of the birdies in the top left hand corner.

I love rick rack. Especially when it is really BIG rick rack.

Everything good in life should be extra large.

The back side is almost as cute as the front.

I love how the new quilt coordinates with the birdies who live above the crib...

and the bedding that I made.

Now H will have something to remind her of me in the terrible event that I die before she is grown-that's irrational fear #34. I won't tell you how long the list is.

Kitchen: The Plan

2011-08-31T15:04:00.001-06:00

The other day my eighteen year old niece asked me what I did all day now that I am at home with the baby. I thought about it briefly and then blurted out: I have absolutely no idea.

I thought about it, though, and the truth is: I spend my days trying to keep one very adorable six month old alive...and diapered, and fed, and bathed, and smiling, and clothed, and safe, and entertained, and healthy, and laughing, and on it goes until the crickets start to sing and I fall blissfully into my bed next to a purring orange kitty and a very handsome Diet Coke addict.

This may be the most important thing I ever do and I am desperately trying to enjoy every moment I have with her, memorize every sound she makes, remember every new idea she discovers that makes those blue eyes of hers light up like the stars. She will only be little for so long (not long enough) and I want to be present in every single second of being her mother.

Of course, this means that my house is a wreck, the laundry is chronically dirty, and projects that were started over a year ago still sit where we left them. That is to say, un-done. Incredibly un-done. Remarkably un-done. The un-donest you've ever seen. Un-done-a-doodle.

Which leads me to the kitchen reno. Maybe I should start at the very beginning (a very good place to start...sing with me now!). The plan. Maybe then Mr. and I can get inspired again to get our rear(s) in gear and finish this mammoth of an undertaking.

It's possible to do this and be a parent, right? Other people have successfully raised families while renovating a home. Or so I've been told. Although, people lie. I lie all the time. No I don't. See, I just did.

Sigh. Aren't kitchen renovations the worst? This whole business is making me a little crazy. Or is it? I don't remember.

Without further ado, this is the plan. The method-to-the-incredible-madness plan. There is a lot to be done, so I've written it all down for you. And for me. Sometimes I get a little lost in the details, so it's good to have a plan.

Looking toward the "banquette" area

In no particular order:

1. Install bead board ceiling.
2. Install new lighting.
3. Move the refrigerator to the other side of the kitchen to improve the layout and flow of the room.
4. Of course all the cabinetry will be removed and replaced, but this odd little jaunt will not be coming back. Again, to improve the layout and flow of the room.
5. Install built-in banquette seating.
6. Install new molding around windows and doors.
6a. New window treatments. (why wouldn't I just call this 7? wouldn't that be easier? Is there any limit to my weirdness? and why is weird spelled that way? isn't the rule i before e except after c? I think I need a nap)

7. New wood flooring. (oh sure, name this one 7. that makes sense)

Looking from the dining room towards the kitchen.

Looking toward the dining area from the "banquette" area

8. Remove the walls between the kitchen and dining room.

9. Move the wall behind the cabinets (there is a closet behind there) one foot back to make room for a dishwasher.

10. New wood range hood over the stove.
11. Replace the glass top stove with a duel-fuel pro style stainless one.

Looking towards the back door.

12. Remove part of this wall and add a railing.

13. Repair the drywall from where we removed a closet to expand the bathroom.

14. Rework the old linen closet into a pantry complete with a barn door.

Looking from the hallway into the kitchen and dining rooms.

15. Install fully integrated dishwasher.

There, now are you sufficiently confused? Me too. I'm pretty sure a nap will take care of that. Stay tuned for more kitchen madness. This is just the beginning.

Chasing Butterflies

2011-08-05T14:34:00.000-06:00

I spend a lot of time in the nursery. Between nursing, changing, and rocking this is the most used room in the house these days. In fact, there are usually extraneous assorted chairs in here as well, because when we have visitors they end up here too. They come in to chat while I nurse and then we linger for a while because it's just a lovely space to be in. But truth be told, I have redecorated the room more than once in my fickle head. So the other day as Mr. was working on the kitchen cabinets I decided to spiff up the wall behind the door. It just looked sad...

Sad and empty.

The other day, when we were outside, H spotted a butterfly flitting by us and it made her laugh out loud. The best sound in the whole world. So I rummaged through my insane mountain of scrapbook paper (side note: I buy scrapbook paper like it's my mission in life, but I don't scrapbook. Nope, not even a little. It's just a little obsessive behavior that I can't seem to kick! Seriously. Anyone else have this problem?) and cut out some cute little butterflies.

I am hoping these paper butterflies inspire many more laughs from my happy almost six month old. I love how they look like they come in through the door and then exit toward the ceiling!

They really bring together the color palette in the room!

Product Review: Easy Canvas Prints

2011-08-02T17:07:00.001-06:00

I am sort of into my kid. I guess that is bound to happen when you wait ten years to have one; they turn your world upside down so that they can settle right in the center of it. So when Easy Canvas Prints contacted me about an offer to plaster H's mug on a 8x10 canvas in exchange for a review of their company, my answer was: how fast can you get this to me?

Creating my canvas was easy. Their website is simple, straightforward, and user friendly. The hard part was combing through the thousands (yes, plural) of pictures we have of little H. I vacillated back and forth between several pics before deciding that her cheeser grin in this one deserved to be immortalized on canvas.

The finished canvas arrived pretty quickly and was packaged really well. The construction of the canvas is top notch, the corners are super tight and the canvas is nicely stretched. I chose the standard thickness (.75) because I think I will eventually frame it, but they also offer a 1.5 inch thickness that would look really cool on its own. They also offer some optional color finishes (black & white, sepia tone) and image retouching.

What I learned: canvas has a tendency to make your picture look slightly darker, so choose your pic accordingly.

{This is Ellie. She was begging to be a part of this post. Aren't her blue eyes cute? I suppose I should post the pattern for her (it's vintage), and I should make her a brother...}

Want a canvas of your own? You can place your order here. 'Like' them on facebook to receive 50% off AND free shipping.

Coastal Inspiration: Oregon Coast

2011-07-26T14:14:00.000-06:00

We just returned home from our very first, honest-to-goodness, can't-believe-how-long-this-took-us, family vacation. We flew into Portland to meet our friends from Seattle and then drove out to the coast where we scored on the most amazing beach house rental (thanks Micah!) - which of course I have no photos of (duh!) so you'll have to take my word for it.

We stayed near Oceanside, Oregon and from there wandered all over from Tillamook (where we may or may not have made a voyage to THE cheese factory every day for squeaky cheese. Only those in attendance know the real truth) to Seaside. We walked the beaches, found some starfish, caught some crabs (of the oceanic variety...don't get any ideas), dug for clams and introduced the little one to the joys of salty ocean air.

H's ocean digs: BabyBjorn and daddy

View from the beach house

Fishing for crabs

Digging for clams

Octopus tree

Dinner!

Multnomah Falls

It's Raining, It's Pouring

2011-06-27T13:02:00.000-06:00

You know how if one thing goes wrong in your world, it seems as though everything else falls apart as well? Now is a good time to tell you the other title I considered for this post: For Sale: A Naughty Kitty. With doctors appointments, hours of crying (baby and me), and way too much time scouring the internet for solutions to newborn allergies, I guess the four-legged fur babies have been feeling neglected. They tend to act out in these situations in a ploy for attention. Usually they scratch the sofa. Sometimes they attack the houseplants or an occasional house-guest (sorry Sis). Apparently, when these naughty behaviors don't get the results they are after, the behavior escalates until one morning I find a giant lake of urine on my bed. If you have pets, you have certainly been there. If not, trust me when I tell you this: it's coming for you. Sadly, this has happened so often in our house that we now have a set arsenal to rid the area of the offending fluid. Here is what works for us:

A 12 Step Process To Remove Pet Stains From Your Mattress (or other areas in your home)

Step 1: Identify the culprit. If you are lucky enough - no scratch that - smart enough to have just one furry creature sharing your house, this step will be fairly straight forward. If you have sucker plastered across your forehead and you just can't say no to a cute whiskered face then this step could get complicated. First look around the scene of the crime, the offender is usually not smart enough to whiz and leave (either that or they receive a sick, twisted satisfaction watching you discover their little "gift"). He's probably under the bed. Yep, he's there, crouching just out of reach. You get down all fours and deftly swipe at him while spewing forth obscenities, but to no avail. You begin to screech. Strange, guttural sounds that you have never heard before escape your throat like a mental patient trying to escape a killer bee attack. You never thought that you could hate that orange striped, whiskered, purr-factory with so much vengeance. You have just rounded the bend to crazy town.

Suspect #1

Suspect #2 and the alleged culprit

Step 2: Throw his furry arse outside. Remember how you advocated for kitties to stay indoors to all your outdoor pet friends? And spouted off all those statistics about pets living longer, being healthier and safer if they are kept indoors? Remember how you looked down on your neighbors for letting their pets roam the neighborhood and sniffed disapprovingly in their direction? None of that matters anymore. You are blinded by rage. You have that crazy look in your eyes. You begin to imagine your life without offending kitties and you begin to laugh hysterically at the thought of a fur-free sofa. You have visions of some unsuspecting fool driving off with your kitty carrier strapped in the backseat. Your mind reels with the freedom of never having to swiffer piles of kitty fur off the bedroom floor. You have turned into an irrational crazy person. Yes, he is much safer outside the range of your profuse spewing of obscenities. Ignore the sad little meows and big sad eyes peeking in through the windows. It's a ploy. He's evil.

Step 3: Spread the blame. Pick up the phone and call your now least favorite brother. You know the one. The one that suckered you into taking not one, but two (two!!!) furry little rodents. Spew obscenities. Hang up. Take a deep breath.

Step 4: Strip the bed. Immediately put the soiled bedding into the washer with two cups of full strength white distilled vinegar. Repeat the wash cycle again, this time using detergent and one whole box of baking soda. That's right, now is not the time to be cheap. It's $.79. Use the WHOLE box. You'll thank me later.

If you were faced with a giant lake of urine, chances are the "lake" soaked through to the mattress. If that is the case, continue through to step 12. If not, count your lucky stars and offer a little dance to the pet owner gods for sparing you this time around.

Step 5: Gather your arsenal. You will need:

Oxy Clean

water

paper towels

disposable cloth rags

one box of baking soda

white vinegar

spray bottle

Step 6: Blot the area. Using the paper towels, blot up as much of the "lake" as you can. You may want to arm yourself with some thick rubber gloves. It depends on your "fluid" tolerance. Mine is very low.

Step 7: Mix and spritz. Fill the spray bottle with full strength vinegar and spray the entire area until it is damp but not soaked. Let it sit for 10 few minutes and then blot up with a cloth rag.

Step 8: Mix and spritz again. Fill the spray bottle with a strong solution of oxy-clean and water. We use about 1/4 cup of oxy-clean to 2 cups of water. Spray the area until damp but not soaked. Let it sit for 10 minutes and then blot up with a cloth rag.

Step 9: Sprinkle and soak. Sprinkle a whole box of baking soda all around the area. Again, a WHOLE box is necessary. You are trying to save your mattress which I'm guessing costs a heck of a lot more than a measly box of baking soda or two. Rub it in lightly with a clean dry cloth and let sit for a few hours to allow the soda to absorb all the moisture

Step 10: Vacuum. Using the hand attachment, vacuum the mattress, making sure to get all the baking soda.

Repeat steps 7-10 if necessary.

Step 11: Bask. Remake the bed and breathe in the intoxicating scent of fresh bedding pulled from the wash. Revel in your kitty-free bed that now smells April fresh.

Step 12: Admit to your weakness. As the hours drag on your stalwart resolve begins to falter. Your bed looks empty. Your kitty looks very sorry. You turn Pandora on to the Mumford and Sons station to drown out the now frantic kitty cries. Big mistake. They are playing "Little Lion Man" and a tear streaks down your cheek.

*Disclaimer: This song is not "family friendly"

That is his song. The orange striped, whiskered, purr-factory little Lion Man that is now staring at you through the open window. You open the door as you sing "it was not your fault, but mine" and you vow to pay better attention to ALL the babies in your life.

All is right in the world again.

Ginger Cookies

2011-05-16T10:03:00.000-06:00

I have been on this dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free, meat-free diet now for about six weeks. The question I keep getting is "are you starving?" Surprisingly no, it hasn't been as hard as I thought. Of course, I have a pretty big reason to do it. Trust me, when you wake up one morning to find blood in your infant's diaper, you'll resolve to do whatever it takes to make your little one feel better. And as an added bonus, I feel really great too!

Are there foods I really miss? In a word: toast. Yep, you read that right. I am a big fan of toast. There is nothing better in this world than a thick slice of whole grain bread (La Brea Bakery's is the best!), toasted ever so lightly, and slathered with salted butter. Oh sure, I can still eat wheat (for now), but take the butter (remember, no dairy) out of the scenario and all you have left is hard bread.

Besides my mid-day buttered toast daydreams, I really don't feel deprived at all. Especially now that I have discovered how to replace the dairy and egg in certain baked goods. This is a recipe I have had for years. I got it from my sister-in-law and it has always been one of Mr.'s favorites. Now, with a little tweaking, we can eat them again!

Ginger Cookies
*dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free - but don't let that throw you off! They are delicious!

2 1/4 c. flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. canola oil
1/4 c. molasses
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
3 tablespoons water

In a small bowl combine flaxseed with water and set aside (it will sort-of 'gel' together and look gelatinous like a beaten egg). Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt) and set aside. Mix together the oil, molasses, sugar and flaxseed mixture. Add dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Form 1 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Makes 48 cookies (depending on how big you make them).

Note: If you aren't trying to avoid egg, or don't have any flaxseed you can substitute the flaxseed/water mixture with one egg.

Enjoy!

Italian Inspiration: Venice

2011-05-11T17:41:00.000-06:00

A year ago today we were in Venice, Italy, blissfully unaware of the major life changes that were headed our way in the next year! Last night we were reminiscing about our fantastic Europe trip that we took last year and wishing we were anywhere else but here. Since our daughter was born we haven't traveled anywhere and we are getting the bug big time. We are working on getting her passport so that we can share the world with her. She needs to see Venice, and soon!

Just in case you aren't headed to Venice today but wish you were, here is a little something to keep you occupied for a few minutes. *Tiny disclaimer: these photos may insight a full-out, kicking, screaming, fists-a-flailing, I-just-want-to-jump-on-a-plane-right-now, giant hissy fit. If this happens to you, I apologize in advance. Take a deep breath and eat some chocolate (dairy-free, soy-free if you're like me!)*

Motivation

2011-05-11T11:33:00.000-06:00

Renovating an entire house has it's ups and downs, periods of frenzied activity where you feel like the projects are practically ticking themselves off the to-do list and periods of sheer laziness where it would take an asteroid colliding with your precious new roof to actually get your rear in gear and repair that gaping hole (or paint that room, or put in that new french door that has been sitting in the garage for a year, or finish that crown molding and base board that you purchased last fall, and on and on.) I think you know what period we are experiencing around here (ahem). And the reason?

Everything about this tiny little person makes us weak in the knees, from her hilarious laugh which sounds more like a cough, to her crazy little kicks and wiggles when she sleeps. We just can't get enough of her and find ourselves mesmerized by her every sound, which is why she eats into our 'project' time! Not to mention that by the time we FINALLY get her to take a nap (really? you only need a ten minute nap at 10 weeks?) the last thing we want to do is pull out the air compressor and shoot nails into the wall. So, very little has been done around here....until now. We just got the motivation we needed. We found out a few weeks ago that our I-don't-really-think-it-is-necessary-to-sleep-EVER daughter has some pretty severe food allergies. Because I am choosing to continue breastfeeding (I'm stubborn like that) we are now faced with some big changes to our lifestyle. Cutting out dairy, eggs, soy, and meat from your diet means that the eating-out options are slim to none. No more last minute runs to Cafe Rio or Yanni's, no stopping by Cafe Trang for a take-out noodle bowl. Now we spend our time at the grocery store reading every...single...label. Don't get me wrong. I have always loved to cook, but cooking with an infant is no easy task. So we often opted for take-out. Well those days are over. I am now cooking everything from scratch (prepackaged foods often contain dairy, soy or a combination) and am spending more time in the kitchen again.

So, we have turned our attention back to the kitchen (again!) Here is the progress so far:

The view from the dining room before the walls came tumbling down.

Same view without the walls

Sheet rock is finished and bead board goes up on the ceiling (my absolute favorite feature of the new kitchen, but more on that later)

This is what the kitchen looks like today. We still have a long way to go before we can proclaim it "done" but we are already loving the way it is turning out! Mr. is going to be working on trim this week and then we will paint the cabinets and walls! It's overcast and yucky today, so I'm going to wait until tomorrow to post more pics. These are definitely "in progress" shots, no beautiful "after" photos just yet!

Until then, have a happy wednesday (or whatever day it is where you're from!)

Behind the Scenes: Nursery Renovation

2011-03-28T11:11:00.000-06:00

I always love a good after, the final reveal, the finished product. But I also love to see the work that went into making a space beautiful. I think it helps for future projects as well, because once you've seen the steps that it takes and then see it all come together, you can then look at a "before" space and instantly know how to transform it. So if you're weird like me and are interested in the behind-the-scenes footage, then this is for you.

If you have been reading for a while, you will be well acquainted with how our cottage appeared when we first purchased it three and a half years ago. Teal and pink pretty much sums it up, and not in a good way. You also know that we had some serious space problems. Both bedrooms came with one tiny closet each, which meant that my clothes were stuffed into the closet in the master bedroom and Mr.'s clothes were stuffed into the closet in the guest bedroom (very inconvenient). So we started Project Pepto to create space where we really needed it most. After all there is no such thing as too many closets.

This sketch shows the layout of part of our cottage before renovations began.

This next sketch shows the changes that we have made to the floorplan. To see the dining room renovation go here and for the master bedroom closet renovation go here. For this last phase of the project we closed off the old closet from the master bedroom side and opened up the space on the other side of the guest bedroom (which is now the nursery) to create a larger closet which is way more usable.

This shows what the room looked like when we bought the house. Yep, teal. From top to bottom.

This picture shows the tiny size of the closet before. It was three feet wide.

Here is the guest bedroom after we knocked down the wall between the two closets and created a larger opening for the new closet.

This is what the floors looked like after we took the walls down. We ended up replacing the entire floor so we didn't have to worry about patching the old hardwoods.

The closet after the opening had been patched and primed by Mr. New floors are finished.

Closet shelving going in.

The closet shelving is finished and Mr. works on trim and molding.

Molding is finished and paint goes on.

New lighting is installed.

New doors finally go in. I initially thought that I would put curtains behind the glass doors, and that is my back-up plan for when H turns out to be messy and not keep her closet OCD clean like her mother!

This shows our master bedroom closet doors that we installed when we finished that phase of the project. We decided to match the doors in the nursery to lend some continuity to this crazy cottage. It may seem like an odd choice to put glass doors on a closet, but I love it. It makes the rooms seem larger, more open.

These knobs were original to our 1940s cottage. The backplates on the master closet doors were also original to the cottage and were spray painted to match the hinges. When it came time to finish the nursery, we wanted them to be similar but we didn't have any more backplates that had been salvaged. What to do? Our favorite architectural salvage yard saved the day (I'll have to do a post on that place someday, it's amazing). They had the exact same ones that had been original to our cottage, so those got a coat of spray paint as well and installed on the nursery closet doors along with two more knobs salvaged from the cottage.

So there you have it - a condensed version of the whole renovation process on the nursery. In case you missed the reveal you can find it here.

Nursery Reveal

2011-03-18T13:37:00.002-06:00

Wow! Time flies when you have an infant! Our little one is already four weeks old and she completely rules the roost. Between staring for long periods of time at her adorable long eye lashes, to whiling away the evening hours rocking an inconsolable baby with reflux, it is hard to get anything else done around here. But alas, the reason I am here today: the nursery!

The whole concept of the nursery started with these watercolors. When I was eleven I wrote a short story about a tree. A few years ago my mom and I thought it would be great to turn that story into a children's book and she graciously offered to illustrate it for me. I knew the second that I found out I was pregnant that these pictures would be in the nursery no matter what gender our little blueberry turned out to be. I picked my favorite nine pictures and wrote the story on the matting inside the frame. Mr. loves to read the story to little H when he changes her (that's his unofficial job - and he is great at it!)

The rest of the nursery evolved from the watercolors. I found this idea for a bird mobile and turned it into a stationary piece of art for the wall instead of a mobile over the crib.

I found the chandelier at Ballard Designs, and it is definitely my favorite item in the room. Mr. installed a dimmer switch so that we could turn the lights way down at night to prevent waking little H during changing time.

I bought this reclaimed teak bookshelf years ago from my favorite furniture store that is sadly no longer in business (Campo). H's uncle brought the dolls back from several business trips to Japan, the old doll was mine when I was little and was given to me by my grandmother (H's namesake), and the little pink elephant was made by me - my first foray into making stuffed animals. Not easy!

This closet wraps up the final stage of project pepto. More on that later.

This was a dress that H's namesake made for me when I was little.

Perhaps I should take off the chair slipcover and steam it? Meh. Who has time for such things?

You might remember this piece from when I painted it? We thought it would be nice for little H to have something of her namesake's in her room (she was named after my grandmother, did I already mention that?)

I hope you have a lovely weekend! Stay tuned for behind-the-scenes shots of the nursery renovation...

Our Little Miracle

2011-02-24T22:42:00.000-07:00

Introducing the newest resident of A Tree Lined Street...

Hazel Elaine

Never before have I experienced such

pain, elation, love, exhaustion, fear, and pure happiness

in such a short amount of time.

Welcome home Hazel.

We have waited 10 years for you.

Hello Again & Nursery Sneak Peak

2011-02-11T16:43:00.000-07:00

Remember me? I know you thought I disappeared and I sort of did. A few months ago I went through a very stressful situation at work and I decided to take a step back and really focus on the things that were most important to me: my health, my pregnancy, and my family. This time off has been great, and just what I needed (and what baby needed too!). Mr. and I have been able to focus on getting the nursery done and are thiiiiiiis close to having the kitchen done as well. And just in time too...our sweet baby girl is due this Monday, February 14, 2011!

I will share the full nursery reveal on Monday, unless of course I'm in the throes of labor and then, well...you'll just have to wait! I've got to sort through the hundreds of pictures I've taken...(yes, I am excited!), but until then here is a little sneak peak...

Hope you have a great weekend!

Cate

Battling the What Ifs and the Should Haves

2010-09-21T18:22:00.000-06:00

It's been three years since we moved to Utah from Miami. Three years. And yes, we are still battling the "what ifs" and the "should haves" and the "moving fever." You see, we are nomads at heart. The world calls to us to see it's beauty, experience it's differences, delight in it's ever-expanding cultural grandeur. Most of the time, it isn't enough for us to simply travel somewhere and spend a week there (though that is usually what we resort to). Something really magical happens when you put down roots somewhere - not deep roots necessarily, I'm not talking about making a home for your grandchildren here. No I'm talking about setting down your suitcase, unloading your skivvies into the top drawer of the dresser that you have packed half-way across the world in your over-full Penske truck, and pulling out your old, chipped mug that you picked up on your very first trip to British Columbia and sitting down at the kitchen table to just take it all in. You are now a local. It might be for a few months and it might be for a year or two, but in an instant you are rooted to that place in a way that you would never be if you were viewing this place as merely a "visitor." It's a change in the way you view a place. You now have neighbors, you are part of this place, it's heartbeat, it's breath. It's different. It's wonderful, and we crave that in our lives.

The downside for us to this desire to live anywhere and everywhere else sets in right about the time we have lived somewhere for a few years. We start to think "what if" we moved to France, or we "should have" taken that job and moved to New Hampshire when we had the chance. Then "moving fever" sets in hard and we find ourselves perusing real estate web sites for Ireland at three in the morning. It's a sickness. We will admit that much to ourselves, but shhhh...we don't like to say it out loud. Don't get me wrong, we love where we currently live. It's just that.... finding contentment and peace with where we are (geographically speaking that is) is something we battle every year. (Do I sound certifiably insane yet?)

Are you still with me? Here is where I am going with this: Just when we start going crazy with the possibilities of this destination or that foreign country, September arrives in Utah and we become content with our choice to move here. We spent Sunday on a beautiful drive through the mountains around Salt Lake Valley. With each turn we were oohing and aahing. Each rotation of our tires bringing us closer to yet another beautiful rust-colored canyon more beautiful than the last. Each tree and leaf becoming more and more spectacular. Looking around, we realized that sometimes you have to stop thinking about the green grass on the other side of the fence and really live in the moment. Be happy where you are. Grow where you are planted. Afterall, we are experiencing a world that not everyone gets to see. Until now...

Pull out your old chipped mug and have a seat. You just became a local (for a few minutes).

A Dresser for Our Sweet Potato

2010-09-08T12:33:00.000-06:00

Work is progressing on the kitchen but we can't help but be excited for the next project: the nursery! We told ourselves that we would wait to start buying 'baby stuff' until we had the kitchen wrapped up. Well... we may have already purchased two items for the nursery... unintentionally. (I use the word 'may' because it sounds passive, less concrete and keeps us from looking like suckers who can't pass up a cute dresser when they happen on one - which we totally are) Here is how the conversation generally starts:

"Hey, you want to go down to Home Again and see what they have?"

"Sure, but we aren't ready to buy anything."

"No, we'll just look, that way when we are ready we will know what's out there."

Of course "looking" leads to buying because we have been finding exactly what we want for less than half the price we thought we were going to pay and we. just. can't. walk. away. Which is why this beauty is now residing in our living room (along with almost everything else we own thanks to the kitchen remodel that seems to be spreading it's capacity for destruction to other unsuspecting parts of the cottage)...

Oh my, I can hardly wait to start on the nursery! Isn't this dresser absolute perfection? The best part is, I don't have to do anything to it! I kept seeing some old dressers that I loved but they all needed a paint job and new knobs, which I was willing to do, but with all the construction in these parts, I knew that it might be pushed to the back burner (aka, finished when our sweet potato turns three!) Then we happened upon this one and it was love at first sight!

p.s. For those of you here in the Salt Lake Valley, we found this at our favorite home furnishing store called "Home Again." They sell mostly consignment (though not your run-of-the-mill, it-isn't-worth-a second-look consignment junk) and also have some awesome vintage pieces as well as some architectural salvage. Check it out - - - wait, on second thought, don't. I don't want you buying all the stuff I want!

It's Electric!

2010-09-07T17:46:00.000-06:00

I realized I am way too deep in the remodeling process when my husband says to me:

"I need to go pick up some new strippers to finish that three-way,"

and I respond with

"Hold on, I'll grab my purse."

Seriously, no smart ass comment from me? Yep we are definitely in the thick of it. Call it wiring tunnel vision. And lest you googled something else and you landed here on accident, let me clarify...

The new strippers. (I promise that is what they're called!) Mr's most used tool at the moment.

A handy reference guide we picked up ten years ago on our first project. While it is a tad simplistic, it is good for someone just starting their first electrical wiring project. (They also published one for plumbing that is good too!)

We still hire an Electrician to do the "big" stuff like connect the main power to the line, but Mr. does most of the running of the wire inside the house. After so many years of doing this (and following the Electrician around like a puppy asking a million questions), he pretty much knows the ropes. He does, though, still reference the above page every time he wires a three-way switch. What is she talking about? A three-way switch is what happens when you have two switches that power one light source. For example, in our kitchen we have switches on either side that will turn on the overhead lights no matter what door you come in. Apparently it's complicated. Thus the book.

And speaking of our kitchen, Mr. has been hard at work rewiring the whole house (it's a long story), moving walls, and other general awesomeness. Here's the progress so far...

Looking towards the back door. We are widening the doorway and putting in a small railing above the stairs.

Mr. removed the old fire-hazard/wiring to make room for the pretty new yellow wiring. Too bad no one will see all his hard work underneath the sheetrock.

Looking from the side door into the kitchen towards the sink area.

Oh blessed day! While Mr. was in Mississippi on business, the sheetrock crew came in and worked their magic! It is starting to look like an actual room again!

I know I promised to show you the plan, and I will...one of these days. But for now, here is a sneak peak of what we are working on next....

Any guesses on what we are doing with the beadboard?

(For the before shots of the kitchen you can go here. )

Kitchen Inspiration

2010-08-19T12:28:00.000-06:00

The best part of any renovation is the planning: measuring, drawing, dreaming, looking for inspiration photos, and finally shopping. No matter what stage of the renovation we happen to be at, we are always in the market for some inspiration, and we have been known to completely alter plans if we happen upon something really great that needs to be incorporated into the design. So here is a little sampling of beautiful little nuggets that are keeping us motivated to finish. Each one of these photos has an element or two that we plan on weaving into the final kitchen. Can you guess which ones?

Southern Living

SchappacherWhite Ltd. via myhomeideas.com

Amoroso Design

Wendy Possard

Mueller Nicholls Cabinets

Jessica Helgerson

Mueller Nicholls Cabinets

Christian Rice Architects

The Kitchen Studio of Glen Ellyn

Rebekah Zaveloff, KitchenLab & Design in a bag.com

Denyse Rinfret via Traditional Home

House Beautiful

Michelle Dunker

Beautiful Kitchens

Amoroso Design

House of Chaos

2010-08-15T20:12:00.004-06:00

There is nothing like news of a pregnancy to really throw your well laid plans of a remodel into hyper-drive. Yes, those two crossed lines on that obscene white stick looked order (which previously reigned supreme in our household) right in the eyes and gave it the bird. Now our sad little cottage more resembles a fun house: left is right, up is down, the living room is now the kitchen, there are giant, curious holes where once a wall stood, the mirror is even spewing back horrid, skewed images of me (oh wait that is just the pregnancy wreaking havoc on my body!)

We realize that this behavior may seem shockingly abnormal to those whose first instinct is to clean, organize, and feather their nest for their new little hatchling. Oh, in a perfect world. And yes, part of our remodeling plans do include a nursery, but to be honest my very first thought when looking at that confirmation of our unexpected fertility was: We really need a dishwasher! So Mr. promptly ordered a 30 yard dumpster and took a sledgehammer to the pink formica that we inherited with our little old cottage. What a good guy.

It won't be as easy as a little kitchen remodel though. No, those of you who have been crazy enough to attempt this sort of thing know that one thing inevitably always leads to another. So remodeling the kitchen also means that we get to rewire the whole house (long story), new flooring on the main floor of the whole house, new paint throughout, new molding throughout, new, new, new (whew my head is spinning). And though we may wake up next week and wonder if this has all been one big terrible mistake, for now we are excited (or is that just the delirium from sucking in all this plaster dust? That's Mr. not me, I'm safely ensconced in our plaster-dust-free bedroom watching old re-runs of Kingdom - oh I do love Stephen Fry!) and fired up for our new dishwasher...er...kitchen.

Later I'll share with you the plan, but for now here are the before pics...

(Above)This is what the kitchen looked like on our last walk through right before we signed our names on the dotted line. And yes, we agreed to an all pink kitchen. That's pink cabinets, pink countertop, pink walls, pink ceiling, pink drapes, and ... pink carpet. Shocking, but true.

The breakfast nook before we moved in.

View from the breakfast nook before we moved in.

(Abov) This is what the kitchen has looked like for the last two and half years. When we moved in we knew we would eventually rip out the kitchen, but we felt it was important to live in the space for a while to really figure out what worked and what didn't. So we did what we could to make it livable for the interim: painted the cabinets white, the walls a light beachy sand color, spray painted the old knobs black, and removed the pink carpet (seriously, who installs carpet in their kitchen??!!)

View of the breakfast nook.

(Above) In this pic you can see the remnants of the bathroom remodel. See where that lovely unpainted drywall is? That used to be a closet that opened up on this side. We closed it off and opened it up on the other side to create more space in our small bathroom (you can see it here). You can also catch a tiny glimpse of the new full light wood door we installed last year.

View from the hallway.

View from the dining room. Remember when we redid the dining room and I told you that wall that you see in the foreground was coming out? Well...

It's gone! Along with everything else! It only took Mr. (by himself!) a few days...and all is primed for the transformation.

Stay tuned for a full play-by-play. I know... I know... I've been absent from the blog world for a while (blame it on the baby) but now I am hoping that I am beyond all the pregnancy yuckiness and into the "blissful trimester" so I'll be around to bore you with all the gory details!

The next step? Plumbing and electrical...

Italian Inspiration: The Cinque Terre

2010-06-19T14:13:00.000-06:00

I have been crazy busy at work lately, and the weather has been less than cooperative, so the house projects are slow going. We have some big plans for our home in the very near future, but until then, I thought I would share a little more inspiration from our recent travels.

The Cinque Terre, on the Italian Riviera coast, is the unreal, can't-be-imitated, hard-to-find combination of lush green rolling hills, stone terraced vineyards, craggy rugged cliffs, bluest-of-blue water, ancient hill towns, smiling, siesta-loving locals, and fresh off the vine lemons the size of grapefruit.

The five towns of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 and for good reason. Each tiny town is full of wonder: colorful houses built into the steep hillsides, cobblestone streets zig-zagging past old dry-stack stone walls, farmers plucking sun-ripened grapes, olives, and bright green basil straight from the vine, the air filled with the aroma of fresh made pesto mingled with salted sea air.

A hiking trail connects the five cities and winds it's way along the oceans edge, providing the hiker with breath-taking views of a landscape that has changed little in over five hundred years. The Cinque Terre stays with you long after you leave, and seems like merely a dream when you have gone. Next time, we'll wise up and put it last on the agenda because to be honest, after the spectacular beauty found here, everything else just seems bland. (Sorry Florence, we know you are a great city with amazing sites of your own, but you just can't compete with the likes of the Cinque Terre. It really wasn't our fault that your Duomo, with the marble-covered facade, left us cold. Blame it on the Cinque Terre!)

Lily of the Valley

2010-05-28T17:27:00.000-06:00

We have only been home for a few days and I am already missing Paris. Last night I dreamt of the men on the street corners selling tiny little bouquets of lily of the valley. Every time I saw a woman walking home with one I had a sudden urge to buy one, but I refrained knowing that mine would be in full bloom when I returned home. Now when I walk out my back door and breathe in that intoxicating scent, I am taken back to Paris. I brought a little bouquet inside to brighten up my morning routine in the bath. The vase is a black glazed ceramic yogurt pot from the patisserie "Paul" that I dragged all through Europe in my carry-on. Who does that? Please no snide remarks about my nerdiness, Mr. laughed at me every time the pot came tumbling out as I dug in the bag for my camera, chapstick, or umbrella! Oh, and I won't go into how I now completely refuse to eat yogurt from a plastic container. Ah Paris, even the yogurt is superior!

I Love Paris in the Springtime

2010-05-26T16:57:00.000-06:00

We returned home from our whirl-wind Europe trip last week and I am still trying to get back on a sleeping schedule that has me awake during the day! Thus I am too tired to compose an actual post with actual words. Instead, here are some highlights from Paris. I hope you find some inspiration from the most inspiring place on earth!

The Case for White

2010-04-22T10:43:00.001-06:00

Maybe because it is spring and the world outside my door is in a constant state of renewal, or maybe because of all this bright sunlight streaming in through my open windows, but I am having a serious hankering to lighten up inside. I would love to slipcover my sofas in crisp white, paint my hardwood floors a creamy linen, and lighten up all my dark furniture with a fresh coat of light gray paint. I found this home on 1st-option and immediately fell in love. (p.s. don't follow that link unless you have a whole day to kill. Seriously, that is eight hours I will never get back. That website might be where my productivity meets it's demise.)

I am posting this over at The Inspired Room. Head on over there for more inspiring spaces.

Distracted

2010-04-20T14:07:00.000-06:00

Reading this...

Worrying about this...

Iceland's volcanic eruption via Reuters

Dreaming of this...

Janet F via flickr

Hoping for this...

clear blue skies via trip advisor

House Stalking: Sherman Avenue

2010-04-14T15:34:00.001-06:00

I drove through this neighborhood the other day and was curious about this renovation. A quick google search led me to Brach Design (isn't the internet great?) This tiny dilapidated house sat on a 25 foot wide lot in an up-and-coming district (though you would never be able to tell that from the before pics of this house). The size of the lot required that the design be approved by the neighbors and the city Planning Division. Brach Design was able to devise a plan that restored the original structure and its relationship to the street, while adding space above and below ground to achieve 2,200 square feet of clean modern spaces flooded with natural light.

Before

During: The front structure of the house remains intact while footings are poured for the two story expansion.

After: I love that they kept the same lines of the old porch roof and updated it with the metal pergola. The slate porch ties in nicely with the new landscaping.

After: View of the back of the house. A juliet balcony extends from the new master bedroom.

Inside: Because the lot is narrow, so too is the house. This layout is very similar to a New Orleans shotgun style house with all the rooms lining up from front to back. Although the use of different flooring does set the living room area apart from the hallway, I would have kept the floors all the same material to allow the eye to flow more from the living room to the back of the house.

The streamlined kitchen sits at the back of the home with a sliding glass door that leads to the back garden.

Small scale glass tile visually expands the space and a european style glass enclosure keeps this small bath looking fresh, clean, light, and airy. Lesson to learn: keeping the vanity low with the sink placed on top doesn't take up as much visual space as having a higher vanity with an inset sink. Something to think about if you are working within a small footprint such as this.

You Get Me?

2010-04-13T21:14:00.000-06:00

When I started this little blog a few months back I had no idea that anyone would actually read it. I started writing it when I realized that I kept turning to design blogs when I needed direction on our renovation and decorating adventures. I thought that if I was searching these sites for inspiration then surely others were doing the same and I wanted to share our experiences for other crazy people attempting to remove astro-turf from their porch or paint vinyl siding (oh yes, it can be done). I figured I would get one or two hits every once in a while so I was surprised and excited when I started getting such supportive and lovely comments from perfect strangers. Who knew there were so many people out there interested in the same things that I was? To top off this great introduction into the blogosphere I have now been given a Beautiful Blogger Award by Heather at Pixie Dust. Thank you Heather, and all of you for being so kind and generous to a girl you have never met.

You all know how this works, award recipients are asked to share 10 things about themselves. Here goes:

1. I started college as a dance major on a ballet scholarship and finished with a degree in English Literature instead.

2. I always dreamed of being an architect. When other girls my age were drawing unicorns and fairies, I was sketching out house plans complete with exterior elevations and diagrams of cupolas and glassed-in conservatories. My favorite was a house with a waterfall running down both sides of the staircase into a stream that ran through the house. Oddly enough, my husband sketched out a very similar 'dream house' when he was a kid. Seriously, what are the odds that two architecturally obsessed kids would get together? And who knows, maybe an indoor stream is in our future!

Patricia Routledge (as Hyacinth Bucket) - BBC

3. I am obsessed with British comedies. My favorites are: Are You Being Served (shopping in a department store will never be the same), Keeping Up Appearances (Hyacinth Bucket 'nuff said), and As Time Goes By (I'll watch anything with Dame Judy).

Magnus Persson/Johner Images/Getty Images

4. I love to be outdoors. I would live in a treehouse if they came with indoor plumbing (which I admit is rather oxymoron).

5. If I could buy only one cable channel (don't you wish they came a la carte?) it would be the Food Network.

6. I only have one preset radio station in my car. It is tuned to NPR.

7. I have two cats: Sir Leopold, and Lucy Diamond. They were both rescued by my brother who is a sucker (he has five cats and a dog!) who then quickly called his little sister who is an even bigger sucker. What can I say? I have a soft spot for strays.

8. I am the youngest of six.

Salt Lake City Library

9. My favorite place to hang out is the library. The fantastic Salt Lake City Library combines my love of architecture with my love of books.

10. This year I will celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the day I married my best friend.

I am passing on this award to these great bloggers:

Jane @ Blondie's Journal
Karrie @ The Brick Cottage
Londen @ Sixty-fifth Avenue
Kifus @ Inspiring Interiors
Carolyn @ My Backyard Eden
Abby @ Tales & Trials
Pine Tree Home
Delightful Dwelling
Leigh @ Brabourne Farm

Thanks again for all your great comments and support!

Antiques: To Paint or Not?

2010-04-09T15:36:00.001-06:00

Attention antique purists: avert your eyes! I have done something you are not going to approve of. I have painted an antique glass bombe chest (okay, I really don't know if that is the proper name but that is what I am calling it).

I just realized that I don't have any good before shots. I found this one from when I was replacing some broken panes in the side...

My paternal grandparents were avid antique collectors, so as a result my siblings and I have all inherited some really great pieces. When my grandmother passed away all the furniture was divided up among those who wanted it, and this was one of the pieces that grandma had designated to go to me. To be honest I wasn't really interested in taking it home, but the fact that my grandma had specifically wanted it to be mine tugged at my sentimental side, so I took it knowing that it wouldn't really fit in with my decor. I tried using it as an end table in the living room but it just looked off so it ended up getting banished to storage in the garage. During one of the several moves we have made in the last few years the glass tray top was shattered, and a glass panel in the curved side was broken. I was crushed. I had been careless and now a piece of my heritage was broken. So it sat in the garage for a few more years while I debated just throwing in the towel and donating it to goodwill. I had been instilled with the 'don't mess with antique furniture' rule so I was paralyzed by indecision. Do I replace the broken glass and leave it as it is? (albeit in the garage?) Or should I just go for it and paint it? Well you already know the choice I made and I am here to say it was definitely the right one. I love it! Best of all, it is out of the garage and in a corner of the living room where it will be used!

Instead of replacing the top with a glass tray, I opted to cut a piece of pine and glue it the top. The rest of the chest is oak, but I figured since I was going to be painting it anyway it didn't matter what type of wood it was.

The broken glass pane on the curved side was surprisingly easy to replace. I just took the chest apart and removed the broken piece of glass, took it to Lowe's and had them cut me a replacement at the exact same size.

I love it's curvy little french cabriole legs.

I kept the original knob because I was feeling sentimental.

I keep my prized possession - an antique English demitasse tea set that my grandmother gave to me when I turned 16 - inside the glass where my two unusually rambunctious kitties can't knock it over.

This board used to be red velvet but is now covered with a tan and cream toile.

This project has made me realize that painting an antique is not the end of the world. I get that it may not be worth anything anymore, but I would never consider selling it, so the value is less about $$ and more about sentimental memories. Plus, before being painted it lived in the garage because I just didn't like it. Now it holds center stage and can be enjoyed.

What are your thoughts on painting antique furniture? Have you ever painted an antique? Or do you think they should remain in their original state?

I am linking up to Miss Mustard Seeds Furniture Feature Friday.

Project Pepto Phase 2: The Dining Room

2010-04-07T11:34:00.001-06:00

Finally, a room fit for a candlelight supper a la Hyacinth Bucket style (it's pronounced Boo-kay, in case you were inclined to say it like it's spelled).

Okay...so it isn't quite finished (is there anything in this house that is?) but it IS closer to looking like the vision that has been swimming around in our heads for sooooo long. If you have visited our silly little blog before you will remember that we started Project Pepto last year (last year!?!) to help cure some of our space problems. To catch up on the previous posts from this project read this and this.

Now for the evolution. This is the dining room as we first encountered it as we stepped foot into our cottage that had been ravaged by a teal and pink lovin' generation. Ah the forties, those were the good years...

We were moving to this house from another state and we needed it to be livable in a hurry. Wallpaper removal and paint did the trick for the interim...

As you can see from the above picture, the space is tiny. There wasn't enough space for my antique hutch AND the table, so the table had to be pushed up against the wall. When we had guests over for dinner (which wasn't very often due to my embarrassment of our lack of a real dining room) we would pull the table all the way into the living room and move the sofa and the chair over, effectively rearranging our entire house. In a word: chaos. So my brilliant husband came up with a plan, steal two feet from the Pepto room (which was slated to become the master closet), recess the hutch into the wall, and surround it with two built-ins. Genius!

During renovation. We had to bring in a beam to hold up the entire house (I am not exaggerating, this house was most likely framed by a crack head because all the trusses overlap in this one spot. All of them. Good plan crack head). The far wall you see was actually partially removed after this picture. We will eventually bring the whole thing down when we redo the kitchen but for various reasons part of it has to stay until then.

Voila! The finished (mostly) space!

We still need crown molding and base board, which has to wait until the new hardwood floors come in which have to wait until the wall into the kitchen comes down which has to wait until the kitchen remodel. Oh yes, there is a method to the madness, and the madness always inevitably leads to more madness. Such is the long and windy road (Frobisher style for all you Damages fans) of a whole house renovation that is done in stages instead of all at once. Sigh.

You may recognize those wooden boxes, and no I didn't steal them from Layla. I was the lucky winner of a White Flower Farmhouse giveaway hosted by Layla of The Lettered Cottage. I have never (NEVER!) won anything before so you can imagine how giddy I was. Aren't they the cutest? They come with attached hangers to hang (which is how Layla used them and they look amazing!) but I loved the texture and earthiness they bring sitting on the shelves.

A money shot of the built-in that Mr. poured his blood, sweat, and swear-words into (this was his first foray into inset cabinets!). We have a secret about how these were built, but I am going to save that little nugget for later. Stay tuned...you will be shocked!

Since the original door knobs in the cottage were glass and I have been using them around the house (in the bathroom, and the master bedroom) I wanted to continue that theme here. We bought these from an amazing local hardware store called Silver Star Hardware (we prefer to give our money to the mom-and-pops) but Restoration Hardware has some very similar to this.

In the picture above you can see the wall I was talking about removing. We have already taken down one side (where the pantry is), and behind the other lies the kitchen. Once we start on the kitchen reno the rest of this wall will come out and the whole room will be open to the kitchen.

We are almost done with Project Pepto! We have already started on phase 3 and I'll post those pics when we are a little farther along - right now it is a big gaping hole, which seems to be common around these parts.

Thanks for stopping by!

p.s. I am linking up to DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land. Go check it out!

Let's Eat

2010-04-01T20:47:00.004-06:00

A while ago I was asked to decorate a table for eight for a women's conference that was held last week. Because life has a way of laying waste to my grand plans I had no time on the day of the conference to actually go set up the table let alone attend the event. Good thing I have a husband that is secure in his masculinity. That's right, my unbelievably supportive husband set up my table for me! I got everything together the night before and we had a test run, though in all honesty, he probably didn't need my direction (he has a very proper grandmother who taught him where every fork, spoon, and salad plate goes)! Apparently they announced this good deed at the conference because I still have women calling to tell me that my husband's table was the best one there. I was sad that I couldn't be there and take pictures so I decided to recreate it at home - on a smaller scale.

Because the event was taking place so close to Easter I decided on a natural Easter theme. I used burlap fabric for a tablecloth (it adds so much texture!), seagrass woven chargers from Ikea, white china that Mr. gave me for Christmas a few years ago, my grandmothers silver, green cloth napkins, and topped each place setting with an egg.

For the centerpiece I used my antique Italian soup tureen and filled it with a yellow orchid, johnny-jump-ups, spanish moss, and more eggs. I didn't plant anything, I just placed the orchid in the middle, cut a six-pack of johnny-jump-ups apart and then placed those around the orchid. I stuffed plastic bags in all the spaces between and then topped it all with the spanish moss and nestled a few eggs on top. It took me approximately 15 minutes, and when the johnnys start to fade I'll just pop them out and plant them outside. Couldn't be easier!

Want to see more tablescapes? Check out Susan's Tablescape Thursday over at Between Naps on the Porch.

Painting v. Picnic - Round One

2010-03-18T14:54:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a glorious day - sun was shining, birds were chirping, daffodils inching their way heavenward. Really made me want to do this...

image via Country Living - photo by Laura Moss

image via S.R. Gambrel

But instead, I was doing this...

I have been a serious slacker on finishing Project Pepto: phase two. It is impossible to get any work done inside with Spring Fever running rampant in our household. I just want to be outside, fiddling in the garden, watching my bulbs sprout out of the ground centimeter-by-centimeter (which despite what you've been told is definitely more fun than watching paint dry.) Because of this our dining room has been in the grips of construction mania for many many months now. So with Mr. out of town I thought I would surprise him by painting the cabinet doors for the new built-ins that he has worked so hard on (besides, a picnic for one just doesn't hold as much appeal). This will come as no surprise: I didn't finish. BUT I am hopeful that I will get it done this weekend (read: Mr. will be back by then and can help!) I'll post the big reveal when I get my act together finish.

The little antique glass bomb chest in the foreground was my late grandmothers and has been a thorn in my side for five years now. I am finally doing something about it. More on that later.

So the score:

Picnic: 0
Painting: 1

The Banquette Effect

2010-03-16T15:50:00.003-06:00

Last week, I was discussing my kitchen renovation plans with a friend of mind and I told her that we are planning on incorporating a banquette into a corner of the kitchen. Her response? Ew yuck, along with a look of terror! Now mind you my friend and I don't always see eye to eye (she prefers Jean- Claude Van Damme, I prefer Matt Damon, she likes high heels and running (separately, of course), while I go for ballet flats and biking) but when it comes to design we usually have the same instincts. So I was understandably shocked at her reaction to my brilliant plan. I demanded an explanation and got an earful of her phobias of dive-e, greasy spoon, poorly lit diners. You know the ones - the place where your *insert male figure with terrible taste* drags you to every weekend because this place has the best tuna melt/six egg omelet/other nausea inducing indelicacy. The type of place with fake flowers stapled to the wall, an inch of dust dating to the 80's, and a cold, sterile booth covered in plastic coated checkered cloth which makes a screeching sound as you slide your rear across it. Yes, at this point in our discussion my friend was curled up in a fetal position singing 'You Are My Sunshine." I get it, THAT banquette is bad. Fetal position inducing.

So I dragged out the laptop and opened the folder titled "kitchen inspiration" and coaxed her out of her hell and into a happy place. Banquettes don't have to look like they were installed in the 50's by a red-faced screaming chef wearing a starched white coat and barking out orders in German. Banquettes can be good.

Here are three reasons why I will be putting one in my kitchen:

1. Banquettes are perfect for small spaces, an unused corner, or an awkward nook because they take up less space than a free-standing table with chairs.

2. You can create one with a free-standing settee or bench, or opt for a built-in upholstered bench which can provide an abundance of storage space (did you hear that? Storage space!)

3. There is always room for one more friend at the table, just scooch up a little closer on the bench. Relax, you're friends.

Molly Frey

Caroline Scheeler via Country Living

Rachel Ashwell

Decorpad

Domino

Chris Barret via House Beautiful

Cottage Living

Metropolitan Home

Morgan Harrison Home

BHG

What about you? Does the idea of a banquette make you want to curl up in a ball and cry? Or does it impel you to invite your friends over and whip up a big batch of strawberry crepes?

Composting 101

2010-03-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

After this post on my spacey composter I got a few emails from readers with questions about composting, so I thought I would put together a basic primer on composting to answer some of the questions you may have. So...let's get down to the dirt (sorry I couldn't help myself).

Why is composting important?

Composting reduces the amount of waste that each of us sends to the landfill each year. (read this to find out how I feel about that). The United States EPA estimates that roughly 23% of the 'waste stream' in the U.S. is made up of yard trimmings and food scraps while Canada estimates that 30% of their landfill is organic and compostable.

Composting returns vital nutrients such as nitrogen and carbon back to the soil which are natural fertilizers. It loosens clay soils and helps sandy soil retain water. It improves soil structure, texture and aeration. It makes your soil happy.

Why should I compost?

Homemade compost is cheap. You are using garden waste and food scraps that you would normally put in the garbage. Besides, buying fertilizer in the store is for suckers.

Composting makes you a responsible gardener. Every year we expect our gardens to produce copious amounts of beautiful roses and peonies, tasty tomatoes, crisp lettuce and sugar snap peas, fragrant leeks and herbs. Its time to give something back. Say thank you to your soil.

What can I compost?

Almost any organic material is compostable. The trick is to add both brown materials which are rich in carbon and green materials which are rich in nitrogen. Brown materials include: dried leaves, wood chips, straw. Green materials include: kitchen scraps from fruits, vegetables, egg shells, coffee grounds, tea bags, garden waste such as trimmings, dead headed flowers, lawn trimmings, and weeds. You can even compost paper napkins, shredded newspaper/paper, and pet hair. Some people (crazier than me) have even suggested urine but I (being female) have not quite figured out if I will go that far for good soil.

What doesn’t go in compost?

Meat and dairy products. Weeds that have pervasive root systems. Chemically treated wood products. Diseased plants.

Will my compost pile smell?

Only if you let it. Smelliness is usually a sign that your brown and green ratios are off kilter. Adding more brown than green goodies will give you that nice ‘earth’ smelling compost pile you’ve always wanted. The exact ratio is up for debate, you'll need to use your sniffer to know when it is right or wrong.

Will composting bring out my inner nerd?

I can pretty much guarantee it. Just embrace it and smile smuggly while you harvest your “black gold.”

For more information visit:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service

Happy composting!

{all photos by A Tree Lined Street}