Our Dining Room Revealed

Today is one I've looked forward to: showing off our dining room! In the midst of nesting, this room received a tremendous amount of attention, energy and effort, and I couldn't be happier with it.

Our Living Room, Revisited

The last post before my blogging hiatus focused exclusively on our living room and, in the ten months since that write-up, the primary pieces remained while I've continued to refine the room with a few final additions. Let me show you around.

Evolution

Wow, it's been a long time, hasn't it?

Since I last posted, life has changed substantially around here and, amazingly, all for the best. I've learned a lot about myself through the crucible of significant life experiences that happened last year, namely career upheaval and--most importantly--pregnancy and the arrival of our new baby girl.

I felt like I lived an entire lifetime last year. Just as our circumstances changed, so did our home.

Our Living Room...Mostly Complete

Hello! It has been so long since I last opened blogger to start a post. I contemplated packing it up and riding quietly into the blogging sunset; but just like a magnet, something about blogging has pulled me back in and won't let me go, at least not yet.

Frankly, I missed our interactions! I really, truly did. If I could invite each and everyone of you over to my house, we'd probably sit in the living room and spend the day gabbing away about our favorite fabrics, what auctions we've been to lately and our best thrifting discovery of all time. The best rooms are the ones that spark these kinds of engrossing conversations, and that's just what I set out to do in our living room

In the past year (yes, year...we've been working on it for the past 12 months), I've tried to cultivate a warm, cozy, curated room that welcomes to any visitor and demonstrates a little bit about Adam and I. I'm happy to report that we're 99% of the way towards that goal, save for finalized curtains in the room's large bay window.

This space has undergone lots of changes--both big and small. Carpentry, painting, upholstery, new furniture...you get the idea. I love this room. I always feel a little uneasy sharing such personal rooms but I hope it's the kind of room that seems inviting to you, even across the computer screen.

Without further ado...here's our "mostly complete" living room!

(all images via Meet Me in Philadelphia)

In case you wanted to walk down memory lane, here are some of the projects that brought this living room to life:

Living Room Carpentry

The Tufted Sofa Before

Reupholstered Chairs and Sofa

Coffee Table Before and After

Thank you all for sticking with me during my frequent blogging breaks (and following me on Instagram in the interim)--I hope we can pick up where we've left off. I've saved up so many projects to share here on the blog, and I'm looking forward to catching up with each of you!

Pre-holiday Spruce-Up: The Vintage Blue Tile Bathroom

This week marks the official start of the holiday season (though, according to malls and big box stores, it's perfectly appropriate to start celebrating and shopping in September!). As such, I had the itch to get a jumpstart prepping for holiday guests; the first place I wanted to start: our vintage blue bathroom. 

I shared the photo above on Instagram one morning last week, as I could hardly wait to show off this work-with-what-you've-got spruce-up, which required little more than incorporating items I already had into an otherwise-ignored space. In the spirit of Thanksgiving gratitude and contentment, I challenged myself to work within the limits of what I had rather than undertaking a full (and completely unnecessary) renovation and, in doing so, I proved to myself that the smallest changes could turn one of my least favorite spaces into one of my favorites.

Antoinette Poisson Printed Pillow + Vintage Bamboo Armchairs

There's been a flurry of activity around these parts since I last posted. I could spend the next week or so recounting all of the activity that's been stealing my attention from this blog, but instead of wasting too much time looking backward I figured I'd choose the most "blogworthy" happenings to share...like this pillow.

Back in early October, Adam and I spent a whirlwind weekend in Brooklyn with two of our dearest friends. Though the real purpose of the trip was to celebrate our friend's thirtieth birthday, I certainly couldn't miss the opportunity to do a little shopping. Adam was a great sport, and hardly seemed bothered when I dragged him into John Derian's trio of stores is in the East Village.

I was on a mission, and one of my objectives was to check out the printed pillows from Antoinette Poisson, a Paris-based design firm specializing in textiles and hand-painted papers based on 19th century French patterns. The company had recently been written up in Architectural Digest, and its offerings are not widely available in the U.S. except for Derian's shop so I had to take advantage of being in the city to look at them up close.

Aren't the prints lovely?

(via Architectural Digest)

(all via Antoinette Poisson)

Back to the pillow. I couldn't resist when I spotted it at one of Derian's East Second Street shops--the only trouble was selecting only one pattern. I hardly settled, though, as the pattern I picked suits the existing colors of our den nicely, don't you think?

 In other acquisition news, this set of 4 vintage bamboo arm chairs came home with us from an estate sale this weekend. They're sturdy, they're navy and I couldn't bear to leave the sale without them. I just have to find the perfect spot for them...

(all via Meet Me in Philadelphia unless otherwise noted)

Have the shopping gods shined down on you lately the way they have for me?

Cafe Curtains are Having a Moment

I decided to pull myself from my sort of impromptu blogging hiatus (again) to tell you all that I think cafe curtains are having a moment. For those of you who shudder at the phrase 'cafe curtain' and swear that I've jumped the shark, let me show you what I mean when I think of 'cafe curtains'.

Easy, breezy...the perfect balance of privacy and exposure. A nod to days gone by.

(via House Beautiful)

(via Jeffrey Bilhuber)

(via Two Ellie)

(via Markham Roberts)

(via House Beautiful)

(via Jeffrey Bilhuber)

(via House Beautiful)

Whether printed or sheer, in a bathroom, kitchen or living room, a modern application of the cafe curtain is unfussy, relaxed and affordable. I have cafe curtains, sheer gauzy white cotton options, in a few of our bathrooms and love how they filter light while also providing privacy. 

I recently made a few pairs for my home (more on that soon), but they're also incredibly easy to make by repurposing antique dishtowels or other linens. No sewing involved, either!

Do you have any cafe curtains in your home? Would you consider it?