If You Could Pick Any Style of House...

...what would it be?

Do you ever find yourself getting lost in thought over your dream house?

You can still love your present home but still get excited over the possibilities of a dream home.

I was just perusing This Old House and found myself down the rabbit hole of American house styles, wondering which style I'd declare to be my favorite.

A Home Fit For a Philadelphia Princess

Philadelphia is filled corner to corner with landmarks and, just recently, another was marked at this gracious home in the East Falls neighborhood of the city. Aside from its beautiful architecture, this home at 3901 Henry Avenue is better known for its connection to royalty as the childhood home of Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco.

My Week Thus Far

It may seem strange to title this post "my week thus far" since the week is nearly over; but all week I've been on assignment: taking care of my 4-year old niece near Fort Dix, New Jersey. Staying somewhere else, even if it is only an hour from Philadelphia, calls for some exploring, right?

A New Design Crush: Meg Lonergan of LeSueur Interiors

This weekend, I was flipping through the November issue of Better Homes and Gardens when I discovered a new-to-me interior designer that, if you don't already know, you should know: Meg Lonergan of LeSueur Interiors. A self-described believer in "floor to ceiling bookshelves, anything with a monogram, and tomato red, olive green, navy blue, turquoise, mustard yellow, and eggplant," this designer is a Southern lady with global tastes. Lonergan shares her inspiration on her blog, LeSueur Interiors Blog, and I've already pored over the older posts.

To Replace or Not to Replace? That is the Question

In the life of every renter, there comes a time when she asks herself that all-important question, "Do I replace this or live with it?" That time for me, my dear readers, is now.

Through the Waves

On the eve of another autumn weekend, readers, I wanted to thank you all for the overwhelmingly kind comments to my posts this week. I love reading your perspectives and, to new followers, welcome! But, I also wanted to take this opportunity to be honest, lay it out on the line, and reveal a bit more about me.

Quick Change: Painting the Stairs

 In the next few weeks, I plan on employing my husband and father-in-law (perhaps this is news to them!) on another permanent renovation to our rental apartment: installing built-in storage under the stairs in our apartment. Our landlord gave his permission for this project, and I know it will add a lot of value to our place.

Final Shots of My Guest Bedroom

Tomorrow I promise I'll talk about something besides my guest bedroom, but today I've got a few more shots of the room before I change subjects. I feel an odd sense of pride about the current state of this room because it has a lot of DIYs in it that work together to create a welcoming spot for family and other visitors.

My Guest Bedroom: Tortoise Bedside Tables

Today, I wanted to continue chatting about my guest bedroom, specifically a bit about the nightstands I found for it. But first, I wanted to thank everyone for your lovely comments on the new built-in shelving in the guest bedroom. You all know how to make a gal feel good!

Big Before & After: My Guest Bedroom

Over the summer, I shared my intention of making some permanent changes to our rental, all of which were permitted by our landlord. Today, I'm happy to report that my guest bedroom is happily redecorated, thanks in no small part to new shelves that my husband and I built!

Thursday's Treasure Hunting

Yesterday, I left the house bright and early to explore a consignment shop in a suburb north of the city to track down an item I saw on Craigslist. It turns out, I walked away with several things, including the large vintage trunk above (the piece I went to the shop for!). I'm so pleased with my findings that I had to share them before we all headed into the weekend.

New Textile Obsession: Gypsya

(1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5)

If you've been reading this blog for any time, you may recognize that I love all kinds of textiles...especially when they are printed and aren't ubiquitous. Yesterday, I stumbled upon Gypsya, a shop on Etsy that specializes in "handmade treasures" that are surprisingly affordable and one-of-a-kind.

Where Does Your Style Come From?

Have you ever wondered where your design preferences come from? I have.

I wonder: is style inherent to each person or is it nurtured over a lifetime? 

I've been thinking recently about how my style and design preferences have shifted over time, specifically from the sleek and clean lines of mid-century modern to, now, a more comfortable, mixture of patterns, eras,  and colors...but with an emphasis on imperfect finishes and patina.

A Pumpkin-filled Weekend

My husband Adam and I had a very productive weekend, which included everything from shelf building to socializing to pumpkin picking. On Saturday afternoon, we headed out of the city to Linvilla Orchards in a nearby suburb to enjoy a little bit of autumn and a lot of fall produce.

Pretty, Painted Tablecloth DIY

I felt inspired recently to create my own tablecloth for my kitchen table after I'd looked awhile for one that captured my eye. The project was quick and the supplies were quite affordable, so why not try one yourself?

A Collection of Pottery

Since last week, I have been a busy little bee deconstructing and now replacing built-in shelving in my guest bedroom. I'm really excited to share this project in a week or two, once the shelves are painted and styled. The shelves will display a collection of vintage cream vases and planters (many are McCoy) that I gathered for the tables at our wedding. This collection holds a special spot in my heart and, as such, it deserves a place of honor in our home.

Collections of anything, pottery or otherwise, are most impactful when they are grouped together rather than dispersed throughout a space. I found a number of beautiful images of pottery collections that got my wheels turning for my own display. 

(via Flickr)

Designer Camels

I spent four years at a small liberal arts college in New England. The stone dorms, extensive greenery, intelligent classmates, and top-notch education at Connecticut College made for a great place to grow and learn, even if our mascot was a silly camel (seriously). I majored in English and also received my certification to teach, all while taking advantage of a spectrum of classes that made up a quality liberal arts education.

As it turns out, Connecticut College also proved to be a perfect place to cultivate several talents in the world of design. Today, I'll highlight just a few, but there are many more out there and many more still to come, no doubt.