Toast UK - Hello Autumn

One joy about living in rented apartments is receiving the tail end of the prior tenants magazine subscriptions. Anthropologie, Brides, and Fitness Magazine were common, but my favorite surprise I recieved in the mail was a Toast catalog. Bringing in this rainy, autumn weather with their latest catalog, I find myself once again pouring over each page of old-fashioned homes filled with raw wood, perfectly worn-in linens, cozy crocheted blankets, and subdued light seeping in through wavy glass windows.

Greetings, autumn. I've been waiting for you.

What are your favorite things about autumn?

Before and After: Light and Airy Kitchen

A very well thought out and budget conscious kitchen remodel. My favorite details are the cabinet paint colors and the glass backdrop.

After two years of living with a dreary kitchen, it was finally time for Lindsey Ellis Beatty, Decorating Editor, who shares the space with her husband and two boys. After spending an entire year researching, compiling tear sheets, and planning the space, Lindsey devised a manageable renovation plan.

"I know that anything requiring construction cannot be easily changed, so I played it safe and spent money wisely." Having saved in other areas, Lindsey was able to invest in white quartz countertops, dark, easy-to-mop hardwood floors, and a new tongue-and-groove ceiling - all materials that will hold up well over time. 

Being experienced in the remodeling process, Lindsey ordered all of her paints, fixtures, and appliances before construction even began to prevent delays waiting on products to arrive.

Raising the existing cabinets to the ceiling gave Lindsey space to install the floating shelves above the countertops. That extra space is so smart!

Mindful of her need to save money but not one to cut corners, Lindsey kept the kitchens original footprint and placement of appliances.  She designed a new custom pantry with double doors that echo the look of the refrigerator. The extra storage space now houses the microwave and helps anchor the refrigerator against the wall.

As for the breakfast nook, Lindsey continued to work on a budget. She found the camelback sofa at a yard sale for $25. Having saved so much on the sofa, she reupholstered it in a bright coral. 

So, what are your favorite parts of her new kitchen?

Found via Southern Living

Sources:

Wall paint: Seed Pearl (27-32)         Cabinetry paint: Hardwick White         Ceiling Lights: Clark Ceiling Light         Sink: DOMSJO Double Bowl         Faucet: Ashfield (529-7YPS)         Barstools: Vapor barstools         Range: Professional Series (PRG304GH)         Hood: Professional Series (HPWB30FS)         Refrigerator: GE Energy Star Side-by-Side Refrigerator with Dispenser         Backsplash Tile: Encata Glass Mosaic Herringbone in Everest         Countertops: Zodiaq Quartz in Snow White         Cabinet Hardware: Nouveau III Collection         Sconces: Serge Single Sconce         Curtain Fabric: Smokebrush in Silver         Sofa Fabric: Beach Strie (BST3)         Chair Fabric: Alan Campbell's Zig Zag (AC302-16)         Table: Eero Saarinen Style Tulip Table         Side Chairs: Louis XVI (FC010-4) by Zentique         Art: 1 2 3 4 5 6

October General Conference

Twice a year, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gather together around televisions, computers and radios all around the world to listen to the prophets of our day speak in what is called General Conference. The topics don't often differ from the years past, with a reoccurring focus on the Book of Mormon, the Bible, faith, Christ's Atonement, temples, living a happier life, service, families, kindness, church attendance, and more. Even still, I look forward to April and October with longing for a desire to recheck my progress and be reminded of the Lord's plan for my life.

It is a tradition for my family to gather together to watch General Conference together and enjoy a delicious breakfast. While I am the only child at home this year, my parents and I are still carrying on the tradition of listening to the prophets while eating a delectable feast.

In an effort to follow the counsel of being more kind and service-oriented, I share with you the recipe for the best syrup you will ever devour. I will also share a link to the Mormon church's General Conferences, where you can listen to, read, or watch uplifting messages from years past. May I recommend Henry B. Eyring's encouraging talk on promises we made to the Lord, Elaine Dalton's tender talk on fatherhood, or Dieter F. Uchtdorf's uplifting talk on five things we should not forget.

I hope you are having as happy a weekend as I am.

Designing a Room For: Little Misses

Never mind the swing that hung in my childhood bedroom. Take that out of the picture and I still thought I had won prize for the best bedroom. In my eyes, it was the coolest place a girl could sleep. In fact, for a while there it was the coolest room that three girls could sleep. Yes, all three sisters in one room. Two beds. A lot of teasing.

One of the details within the room that brought such joy to my little heart was the wallpaper. I have been thinking of that wallpaper as of late (I know, my mind is fascinating) and wanted to design a room for another six-year-old girl who loves wallpaper as much as I did, though I have doubts that she exists. Still, I started my project with Cath Kidston's Lace Stripe print. With that pattern in the shopping cart, everything else seemed to jump out as if it were begging to be paired with such a lovely pattern. The watercolors by Gillian McMurray seemed like a logical match for the gentle touch of artwork I was hoping for, and I finally found a home for the Waterfall Ruffle bedding from Urban Outfitters that has captured my attention for so long. Overall, it's a feminine room - subtle enough that it's not tiresome, temperate enough to welcome necessary change as the little girl grows older. 

So, without further ado:

Sources:
1       2       3       4        5        6       7       8       9       10       11       12       13       14       15           

Built-in beauty

Sometimes I think architecture can produce a more successful room than the dressings can.

 Don't tell my tuition money I said that.

1, 2, 3

Palos Verdes, California

While in the LA area for the Bon Iver concert, we thought it prudent to follow my grandfather's old commute and my mother's high school memories to a little place called Palos Verdes, California.

Stunning.

My mother grew up in Palos Verdes while my grandfather worked as a professional in the broadcasting industry in Los Angeles. Because of her upbringing there I have heard about this place for my entire life, but it wasn't until this past week that I had the opportunity to visit. I have laughed as my father has made quips about my mother waking up to a view of the ocean from her bedroom window in comparison to his waking up to a view of the six dusty siblings and four dogs that he shared a bedroom with, or how my mother had classmates who spent their mornings surfing before school while he was out milking the goats. Both sides are true...

One thing I enjoyed was the diversity of each home. While they all maintained a strict standard of class and elegance, each home stood strong as its own character, whether it was the charm of the East Coast, mimicking the tonal style of a Spanish villa, or a chic farmhouse with a wrap around porch.

The well-manicured yards and gardens would be enough to admire were the homes, cliffs, and ocean taken out of the mix. Each home was accompanied by budding roses, sprawling vines, neatly mowed lawns, and perfectly trimmed hedges.

 Once again, a photograph proving that California laughs when I try to have some

control over my hair. And also, showing off the cliffs near my mother's high school.

After seeing the views she had while growing up, I now understand why it may have been a difficult transition moving to Las Vegas, a city made almost entirely of cement blocks.

Oh, and during our perusing, I noticed a home or two for sale. If anyone wants to go in on it together, I can chip in about...$6.

What a mischief you would bring young darling!

When I turned 23 last month I thought there was only one thing that I wanted: a new set of scriptures. Well, it turns out there were two other things I, unknowingly, wanted as well.

One:

From Oliver

Two: 

From mom.  And Abby, kind of.

After hearing my sister and her husband strongly recommend that we go to their concert, my mother thought it wise to heed their counsel and purchased two tickets to their show in Los Angeles.  And boy am I glad she did. At any given time there were nine to twelve people on stage all playing separate instruments, some a few instruments at once. And what's fabulous about that is it didn't sound like there were 15+ instruments in each song. It was a balancing act that Justin Vernon and his talented mind was able to achieve. Three songs in particular stick out in my mind. They were mesmerizing:

Skinny Love - the final song of the set. So joyous!

Re: Stacks - a favorite song of mine. It could have gone on for ten more minutes and I would have been glad.

Beach Baby - the break the violins take at :23 quickly made its way onto my list of favorite musical moments.

A photograph proving that A: I went to the concert,

and B: California weather does not agree with my hair.

Thank you and goodbye, Bon Iver

My Labor Day Weekend

A few years ago my sisters and I spent a week together in D.C. It was there, while visiting Theodore Roosevelt Island, that I found my happy place. Giant trees form a green sky above the granite tablets with etchings of some of Roosevelt's more famous quotes. Unfortunately, that particular happy place is a long and uncomfortable flight away. And on an island. I don't expect to visit very often.

However, my parents recently purchased a lovely cabin in Zion National Park. Quiet and secluded, it is the perfect location for spending the occasional weekend away. The cabin is a place where time seems to stand still. Apart from a few practical modern day comforts, it seems to act as a transporter into decades past - the women happily prepare meals for the family, the men chop wood and keep the fire warm, books are read with the dog sleeping peacefully at the readers feet, and all the while the record player is softly humming Simon & Garfunkel or The Carpenters. It is a place where the natural good has time to show its face without Distraction there to rear its head.

This weekend was spent at the cabin playing a few rounds of Take Two around the table, watching The Killers live at Royal Albert Hall, canoeing on Navajo Lake (way harder than it seems), and trying to ignore the adorable meowing of the kitten that perched itself in an open window at church. 

  

While at our cabin, the days are spent simply and joyfully, and it has quickly become a happy place of mine. Do you have a happy place? 

By the way, if you would like your happy place to be next door to mine, and if you have a few dollars to spare, my neighbors cabin is for sale.

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