{a cottage dreams are made of}

{sandra foster's victorian gingerbread house as appearing in the ny times}

{boho sophisticate}

usually am one for cool colors, there's something about the persimmony reds and hints of aqua in this bedroom. a white chandelier and a bit of black to anchor the colorful florals adds sophistication. also betting that headboard was thrifted somewhere & painted.

{photo via canadian house & home}

{making a kitchen}

i have a new favorite movie. julie & julia. yesterday evening, kl and i shared chocolate malt balls while salivating over julia child's french food masterpieces. aside from making your mouth water, this is a feelgood, laughoutloud, charactersareyourbestfriends kind of movie (albeit several horror film previews pre movie, not sure what that was about..). anyway, all the thoughts of cooking have really got me thinking about the bungalow kitchen. and i think i may have found our perfect cabinet color, courtesy of windsor smith's beautiful l.a. home. drink in the sultry hue of benjamin moore's polo blue (hmm, just found the paint swatch online and it looks
::n o t h i n g:: like this inky midnight blue we have in the photos below. does it look like an ugly brown on your screen, too? whyyyy? ...in any case, the color i'm hoping for is that in the photos below).

now picture the bungalow kitchen cabinets drenched in polo blue (or a variation, if polo blue does in fact = baby poop brown) with satin nickel cup pulls (at least the drawers), coupled with my farmhouse sink (<3), gleaming white deck floors, and we'll need a pop of color somewhere...i'm thinking maybe we'll paint the back door turquoise (not unlike one of my all time favorite domino magazine kitchens, see last photo below).

would love to have enough space for a big ol table in the kitchen, but just around the corner will work just fine, too. i suppose you've gotta take the space as it's given to you (or at least as your money will allow). but i can't help daydreaming about windsor's centuries old french wooden table cozied up to her gleaming stainless steel range.


wishing carrera marble was in our budget... though while admiring it i just noticed smart skinny shelves above/around the sink

see the amazingness of a pop of color in a dark space. i'm also still having a romance with that chandelier. so yes, add that onto the bungalow kitchen list above.

{images via :: house beautiful & domino (last one only)}

p.s. happy weekend! this weekend b & i are heading north for a richmond wedding and are looking forward to making all kinds of bungalow related lists during the 7 hour car ride.

p.p.s. can i trade jobs, please?

{creamsicle sky}

{images via :: sweet space, style files, scribble-scribbles, first home, country living}

{sunshine glamour}

gorgeous. can't resist.

{see these photos & others from this glorious house in the uk at interior devine}

{luminescence}

{images from rate my space via house of turquoise}

{a bungalow bath}

really innovative (+ budget friendly!) use of the corrugated metal roofing sheet. a chandelier + ruffles add glamour and romance.


also adding two more bathrooms to this post that have the same feel with the soft neutrals.

{photos via country living}

{eat in} kitchen

a petite table in or attached to the kitchen would be about all we'd need in the dream-bungalow. i really like the coziness a booth creates if we have the space for one.

if the bungalow has more space, a separate dining area could work. either way i hope our kitchen can have as much natural light as this one.

and if the bungalow has less space, a convenient bar area could work well too.

ok so i'm straying a bit from the talk of breakfast nooks, but this next kitchen photo from domino really helps a little kitchen feel luxurious with the gunmetal grey and turquoise door (again with the turquoise, i'm telling you it's gotta go somewhere in the dream-bungalow). and that chandelier is so unexpected and glamorous in a tiny kitchen. love.

oh and also i found another glorious farmhouse sink photo. the overall decor is getting a little to country for me but i love this huge porcelain sink. and yet another chandelier in the kitchen. though i'm going to say if there is a chandelier in the kitchen i dont think it will be crystal. that might be a tad much for me.

{images: country living & domino}

{a queen's closet}

daily daydreams of an entire room for a closet.
& chandelier
& gilded three way mirror
& tufted chaise lounge

such luxurious space + elegant dove grey pouf

room to twirl.

windowed french amoir lends romance to any space.

the closet of carrie bradshaw, every woman's fantasy. & the gunmetal grey is a perfect neutral for brightly colored frocks & shoes. who says closets have to be white anyway?

take this paisley wall paper for example.

spring for glamour like paris hilton's opulent mirrored bureau and crystal chandelier

or add dramatic mirrored doors for impact.

one day i'll have all my shoes on full display.

{images - sarahleeab & domino, this is glamorous, housebeautiful}

{a refined rustic to call home}

with the virginia house finally under contract and a closing date at the end of april, b and i have officially started our search for our savannah home. day dreaming about a laid back low country lifestyle, we drove over the bridge towards the beaches hoping for an island bungalow that will be donned our Vacation Everyday House. the downside of this plan is that our coastal living itch has certainly taken our budget out of the move-in ready category and into fixer-upper territory (aka money pit! my mother has already promised a copy of that tom hanks blockbuster). but on the upside, a cottage demanding a bit of sweat-equity welcomes a load of creativity and endless possibility. hmmm.

so

there is a chance we have already stumbled on our future dream home. but im just wondering how much elbow grease it will take to have the interior looking like these photos from my new favorite (and possible domino replacement??) magazine. such a pulled-together yet inviting and casual style, yes? i'm loving the spiral stairs!

{all images from notebook magazine out of austrailia via decor8}