Christmas at CottageModern

With a new baby in the house, by necessity my Christmas decorating was slightly minimized.  This was a bit painful, as I love to deck the house out for the holidays!  That said, I told myself that it might be the last year for a long time that I get to have things the way I want them :), so I made a point to get out all of my fancy breakables and load the tree down with sparkle and shine!

We went to pick out the tree this year, and I had in mind something a bit scraggly with lots of random branches sticking out everywhere.  I wanted it to be "not so perfect", and although my husband thought I was crazy, within minutes I spotted what I was after.  Too bad it was 12' tall.  Even though we have standard 8' ceilings, I wasn't going to let that stop me, and had one of of the workers do some minor "remodeling" to get it down to about 7 1/2 feet.  I love how it turned out, and how it looks all decked out in turquoise and green!

I'm not allowed to buy any more tree ornaments.  This is what I'm telling myself since its become clear that I have more than I can even use.  My problem is after-Christmas sales.  Every ornament on my tree was either a gift, or purchased at 70 - 90% off at the end of the season.  Its become evident that I'm unable to control myself when things are that deeply discounted, but we'll see what happens this year :)

I felt like I needed to change my mantle up a little bit for the season.  Last year, I did decorated it like this, and I'm ashamed to say that it stayed like this for the entire year (except for the hanging balls and ribbon):

I like the symmetry of the new mantle, and the lanterns and candles add a nice ambiance when lit.

I love this winter white owl, and am delighted to finally have this hearth tiled.  Last year, it was unfinished with exposed concrete, and this year my dad finished it out for me in this nice marble subway. He did a great job, and its nice to have another project checked off the list.

I did have a few more touches of Christmas around this house, including this wreath I made a few years ago, but mostly I focused my efforts where I was able--because I only have short windows of time these days, it took me a week to get that tree decorated!  Thanks for stopping by for this little Christmas tour!

Still Workin'

Since the baby's due date came and went and the little guy forgot to show up, I'm trying to find ways to keep my mind off of the fact that I'm still pregnant.  The nursery is almost complete, but there are a few finishing touches that I want to try to get done if at all possible.  I mentioned in this post that the nursery bedding was initially a disappointment because it was so blue, compared to the aqua/turquoise colors that I was going for.  In the end, everything is tying together beautifully, and I wanted to continue bringing together the two shades of blue I'm working with.

For drapes, I would have loved to go with full patterned panels, but I needed to keep this economical and use what I had on hand.  I've been hanging on to this aqua geometric for a long time, and I wanted to make it work in this room.

To stay on budget, I bought these inexpensive panels and took the tabs tops out because I plan on using ring clips to hang the side panels.

Since I had limited yardage of the fabric and wanted maximum impact, I decided to sew 12" strips down the outside edge of each panel.  There are 2 windows in the room, so there's nice opportunity for some "hits" of this fabric.

Here's some photos of the fabric after I attached it to the panel--very basic sewing skills folks--nothing but straight lines and uncomplicated patterns.  I added a grosgrain ribbon to trim out the inside edge and bring in the blue tones found in the bedding.

At the end of it all, to my delight, I had just the right amount of fabric to piece together this pillow cover--complete with some fun orange ball fringe--for the room.  I'll have photos of the completed space soon, and hopefully some even more exciting news to share.....:)

Getting Close......A Nursery Sneak Peak

With only two weeks to go in my pregnancy, I'm getting so anxious and excited to meet our little guy, and the "nesting" stage has completely taken over.  The baby's nursery is almost complete, with only a few finishing touches yet to be added.  Here's what's been happening over the past couple of months:

Maternity photo shoot.  My husband's idea, not mine (I wasn't too excited to capture my larger-than-life state on camera).  Fortunately for us, our photographer worked magic, the shots turned out beautifully, and I'm so glad we did this. If you're in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, check her out here for a beautiful portfolio of work.  I'm excited for the newborn photo shoot in just a few weeks!

To cover up an odd square recess in the ceiling, I used this oversized drum shade, embellished it with orange ball fringe and added some cute little whales to the inside--they'll glow through nicely when the light is turned on.

We went to the east coast and spent some time in Maine this summer for a little "babymoon".  These lobster buoys are the perfect colors and remind me of our last little trip together as a two-person family!

Love this whimsical, yet elegant whale pillow from West Elm.

You can see the fruits of our labors on all of the walls in the nursery.  Mr.CottageModern and I spent a good chunk of weekends this summer adding board and batten paneling to the perimeter of this room.  It turned out really nicely for a couple of rookies!  The map letters I made tie in well with the different shades of blue in the room.......we've had lots of guesses on the name of this little guy based on those two letters!

I'm really pleased with this bedding from Serena & Lily.  I agonized over keeping it because the blue is very "blue".  Not aqua/turquoise at all like I was hoping.  I was disappointed at first, but its so well made and adorable that I decided to make it work.  Its tying in beautifully with all of the other touches, so I'm happy designer again :)

Can't forget Sophie--a staple toy among all babies, so I'm told!

There are some great built-ins in this room that were original to the house.  I painted the backs of the open shelving turquoise, and have had fun accessorizing with toys, books, and of course the mini Air Jordans that my husband "had to have" for our little guy.  He has a matching adult pair in his size.  Pretty cute, I have to admit :)

So that's the nursery tour for now.  I'll post some more shots in the next few weeks.....maybe after the name is revealed!  This weekend's task list involves creating some drapes for the windows, so hopefully this very pregnant lady can muster the energy!

An Accidental Favorite: Turquoise & Orange

Since the nursery color combo has been on my mind a lot lately, I'm taking notice of this combination everywhere.  I didn't realize it was so popular until I did some more digging, and now that I've found this collection of delicious images, I'm liking these colors even more......

Platt Byard Dovell White Architects

What a fabulous kid's space!  Its so chic and modern, but still incorporates a touch of whimsy with that zebra rug, fresh palate, and monogrammed pillows.  My favorite part--the antler chandelier!  What a great crowning touch.

House Beautiful via House of Turquoise

Since I have kid's rooms on the brain, this one obviously struck a chord with me!  My favorite part--that grandparent's-house-meets-cabin vintage-look sailboat wallpaper.  Love it!

 Caitlin Wilson Interior Design

 House Beautiful

I've always loved this room--so serene but that orange quilt adds such an unexpected zing of color.  

 Elle Decor

Never mind the delicious color combination, I want that chandelier!  The mix of styles make this room feel so lovely and fantastical....

 Emily Gilbert via House of Turquoise

This goldy-peach version of orange is handled so well in this space.  Perfectly complimented by a soft, seafoam tone.  Beautiful!

  Mabley Handler Interior Design

  Porter Design Company

Personally, I don't think I could live in this room, but I'd love to vacation in a space like this.  There's a lot to look at, and the whole room kind of wraps you up in a warm, graphic hug :)

 Tobi Fairley

Tobi Fairley

I could move right in to both of these spaces!  I love the jade tone in the first photo--an interesting and unexpected compliment to the orange.  In the bedroom, orange and turquoise is handled in such a sophisticated way--restrained pops of color, but an overall serene feel to the room.

Tracery Interiors

I haven't seen a space by Tracery Interiors that I don't immediately fall in love with.  There's a refined rusticity to both of these rooms that feels so comfortable.  Accents of orange and aqua are beautifully handled, adding interest and punch.  I especially love the wallpaper in that bedroom--so fun!

My House At Christmas

I mentioned in this post that I was abandoning my somewhat traditional roots to go with a scheme of turquoise, chartreuse green and silver in my holiday decorating.  Here's how it turned out:

 

That turquoise patterned pillow was a total fluke--I purchased it randomly last time I was in Canada  (I loved the color and pattern), and lucky for me, it looks super with the rest of my "stuff".

This mantle is verging on cluttered, but I love it.....the  more sparkle the better at Christmas, I say!  That feathered wreath is one of my proudest purchases in the past few months--I found it on an end aisle at Michaels for $3.99!  So of course I bought two :)

I have a little obsession with mercury glass.  I love how it can go with either gold or silver, and can have a warm or cool cast depending on what its placed with.  It works well when I'm an indecisive decorator!

 

And finally, here's our "penguin of the year" for 2010.  Every year since we got married, my husband and I buy a new penguin to celebrate another Christmas together.  Penguins mate for life, so we think its a clever and suitable tradition to carry on.  This guy is one of my favorites, purchased from West Elm.  It looks like origami, but is actually ceramic!

So there's my Christmas holiday tour.  The cool, frosty tones of my living room don't seem out of place at all with the piles of snow and cold going on outside......cheers to this Minnesota winter!

I'm Dreaming Of.......

Someday when I get the nerve, I'll post pictures of what our current bathroom looks like.  I get nauseous just thinking about the tile-clad walls, floor, and countertop, not to mention that the tile is done in varying shades of flesh-tone.  Add to the mix a coordinating skin-colored tub, toilet and sink, and you have a whole pile of dated ceramic and porcelain--none of it good, none of it staying for much longer.  When we moved into the house last year, we thought we could live with this bathroom for a few years--sure, it's ugly, but everything appeared to be in great shape and we know it will be a great deal of sweat equity to take this room apart.  Slowly but surely though, over the past year, the sink faucet is now on its last legs, and the bath faucet drips constantly.  I'm sure the toilet isn't saving the world either, with its massive water-wasting ability compared to new water-saving toilet technology.  Since it looks like a bathroom renovation will be on the horizon sooner than we thought, I've been sort of keeping my eyes peeled for inspiration and a possible "place to start".  Then, last weekend when I least expected it, I came across this little gem:

 My company had a booth at the Midwest Home Show in Minneapolis the weekend before Thanksgiving, and I had the privilege of providing free "designer consults" there.  I spotted this little guy at the National Kitchen and Bath Association's "garage sale" booth, where there were a ton of overstock and discontinued items for sale at seriously discounted prices.  This pretty little sink is from Kohler's Serif collection, and to add to its beauty, the color is Vapour Blue--a gorgeous variation of turquoise and powder blue!  The price on this item was $75, and I told myself that if it was still there at the end of the weekend, I'd purchase it and use it as my inspiration for the (inevitable) upcoming bathroom project.  Imagine my delight when I went back at the end of the weekend, and not only was my sink still there, they were offering an additional 30% off as an "end of show special".  Obviously, I snagged it (for $50 nonetheless), and it's sitting in a box at my house, waiting to be worked into the design scheme for our new bathroom.  Since then, I've had turquoise on the brain, and have started to collect images of blue bathrooms to inspire this design....even if it's still in the very early stages.  Here are a few of my favorites:

House of Turquoise

This ensuite feels more like a glam retreat than a bathroom, which is maybe why I love it so much.  I especially love the un-bathroom-like glass lamps on the counter, and the plush area rug anchoring the center of the room.  Oh, to have that kind of space!

 Lynn Morgan Design

 

This bathroom doesn't scream turquoise, but has intentional hits of the beautiful color through the soft frosting on the shower doors, and gorgeous back-painted glass countertops that wrap the vanity and go to the floor.  What a great way to add color and drama to the space!

 

 House of Turquoise

Now here is a great way to do floor to ceiling tile!  This aqua banding around the entire room is so soothing, and is a great backdrop to the simple vintage fixtures.  I also love the way the aqua subway tile continues into the white without a bulky chair rail tile or other ornamentation.   Sometimes pure and simple is best.

 Southern Accents

Normally, I lean more toward green-blues and turquoise tones, but something about this sky blue bath calls to me.  I love the marble that climbs all the walls, as well as the "imperfect" nature of the glass tile on the tub surround and wall niche.  Stunning.

 

Sara Richardson

I saved the BEST for last, and had to post all of the pictures I had of this spectacular bathroom by Sara Richardson.  I fell in love with this room when it was featured on the first season of Sara's House, and it remains to be one of my favorite spaces of all time.  Just look at that glass-tiled wall in the shower and dark wood detailing at the vanity.  To top it all off, full length drapes?  In a bathroom?  It doesn't get much more glamorous than this!

So I think I have a nice little handful of inspirations as I start thinking about my bathroom re-design.  Of course I'll have to scale my champagne tastes back (a lot!) to make this happen, but hopefully in the end, I'll have a calming, turquoise-infused space to relax and start the day in.  I'll keep you posted!