Blue Bed

When I spotted this bed at Coastal Living, and it made me want to paint mine blue. And a couple of night tables, too, while I'm at it. So pretty!

P.S. I'm featuring Sienna Miller's London house over at Hooked on Houses today.

Vanity Envy

I've always wanted a pretty little vanity like this one from Cottage Living, but I've never had one. Have you? I'm usually putting my makeup on as I run out the door (or at stoplights on the way!). The idea of sitting down and having the leisure time to primp sounds appealing to me on this busy Monday morning.

P.S. Over at Hooked on Houses, you can see photos of Hugh Grant's house with the blue door from the movie Notting Hill--and see what color it's painted now!

Cozy Cottage Bedroom for Fall

When I saw this cozy bedroom posted at Danish Dessert recently, it looked like the perfect spot to snuggle into on a crisp fall day. It also reminded me of one of my favorite movie houses (and bedrooms).

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

It looks like it could've been inspired by Iris's bedroom in one of my favorite "house movies," The Holiday. Iron bed, painted nightstand, beamed ceilings. It has the same warm and welcoming vibe, don't you think? (If you loved Kate Winslet's cottage in The Holiday as much as I did, click here for more photos.)

I'm hooked on these cozy cottage bedrooms. Head to Hooked on Houses to see what everyone else is sharing--and to join the Treasure Hunt to win an Amazon gift certificate! I'm also joining the Beautiful Life party over at The Inspired Room.

Hooked on Mrs. Howard

I've always admired designer Phoebe Howard's rooms. They're soft and feminine, but clean and simple at the same time.

So I was happy to discover a blog called Mrs. Howard Personal Shopper that keeps us updated on what she's up to. This bedroom, for example, is featured in her new North Carolina showroom. I'm really liking those oversized botanical prints.

Earlier this year, I wrote a post over at my Hooked on Houses blog featuring five bedrooms that Howard designed, all with different color schemes, and had readers vote on their favorite. I was a little surprised by which color won! You can see them for yourself--and see if you agree with how the majority voted--here.

Today I'm joining both Melissa's Beautiful Life party and Hooked on Fridays. Hop on over to see what everyone else is talking about today!

A House with a View on Rosemary Beach

As I was searching the beachfront real estate listings in the Destin, Florida area, I came across this house on the Gulf (Rosemary Beach, near the house with the famous red kitchen I showed you recently). Not only does it have an amazing view of the water, but look at this lovely little courtyard:

The porch and the view may be my favorite part of the house--and what makes it worth $4.95 million, I imagine:

You can get more information about this beach house and see more photos here.

Black, White & Beachy

Country Living featured this Long Island cottage recently that caught my eye. Homeowner Donna Francis says she wanted to "keep it simple" in her cottage, so she went with black, white, and silver when decorating her home.




I thought this black and white bedroom was really striking:

To read more about this house and see the rest of the photos, visit the Country Living website.

This black and white bedroom is what I'm hooked on this week. To find out what everyone else is talking about, check out the Hooked on Fridays party in full swing on my other blog!

Saltbox in the Bahamas

Check out this charming little saltbox in the Bahamas. The interiors were designed by Tom Scheerer.


This white bedroom and bath upstairs look like heaven to me. Ahhhh... How could you not have sweet dreams in here?


Did you notice their ingenious solution for bedside lighting since the bed isn't near a wall for an outlet?

Visit Tom Scheerer's website to see the rest of the photos from this saltbox in the Bahamas.

This House in Nantucket Is Not Afraid of the Dark

I really gravitate more toward light and airy rooms, especially when it comes to houses near the beach. But then I saw this bedroom in a house in Nantucket with dark brown walls that still managed to be light and feminine, and I was surprised by how much I liked it!

The same house has this navy-blue dining room, so the owners are clearly not afraid of dark colors. Here's the room from a different angle that shows the fireplace:


What do you think? Do you like it? Could you live with rooms this dark? To see the rest, visit designer Tom Scheerer's website. This house is part of his portfolio.

P.S. Check out Nicolas Cage's Garden District Mansion in New Orleans on my other blog today.

Some Beach House Lighting for Lampapalooza

The Nester is having a "Lampapalooza" blog party today, and everyone is showing, well, lamps and lighting! Here are a few examples of pretty beach house lighting that caught my eye this week:

These two turquoise lamps from a room in Southern Accents really "pop," don't they? I think they pull the whole room together. Here's another pretty blue lamp in a bedroom featured on HGTV.com. Really like the beachy blues in this room, and how the lampshade kind of coordinates with the bedding:

Speaking of a lampshade that goes with the bedding--check out this cheery yellow and aqua bedroom from James Solomon's portfolio (which I originally found at House of Turquoise):


Head over to Nester's to see the lamps and lighting everyone else is showing today for Lampapalooza (do you know how many times I had to check to see if I was spelling that right?).

Oh, and I've got a post on my other blog I'm entering in the party, too--an example of what not to light an old French cottage with (click right here to see that).

An Easy, Breezy East Hampton Cottage

Here's where I wish I was hanging out over the Memorial Day weekend. I'm in desperate need of a vacation right now, so this cottage near the beach in East Hampton, New York, really appeals to me.


Linda at Lime in the Coconut got me hooked on designer Tom Scheerer's work, and I spent a lot of time oohing and ahhing over his portfolio yesterday (when I should've been working).

I like how relaxed and unpretentious this home appears. Like it's ready for me to move right in. First thing I'd do? Take a nap in this bed:



You can see the rest of the photos of this cottage on Tom Scheerer's website.

P.S. I hope all of my readers in the States are having a nice three-day weekend. As I was whining--er, explaining--on my Facebook page yesterday, I'm working all weekend to meet a project deadline. But I did manage to take some time off Sunday to go to a baseball game with my family, which was fun, and Monday we'll have lunch at my parents' place. What are you doing with your holiday?

Hooked on "Amazing Grace"

It's Hooked on Fridays, a blog party I host at Hooked on Houses each week to celebrate the things we love. Today I'm hooked on this renovated beach house on Tybee Island called "Amazing Grace."


It's so beautiful, I'm adding this to Melissa's Beautiful Life party today, too.


The Wilson family enclosed part of the screen porch to create this master retreat:



"Amazing Grace" was transformed by designer Jane Coslick and featured in a recent issue of Coastal Living. To see the before and after photos of this beach house transformation and take the rest of the tour, click here.

Be sure to stop by Hooked on Houses and check out what everyone else is hooked on today. I'm hosting a giveaway over there, too--enter to win a house portrait painted by the artist Fifi Flowers. I featured Fifi's paintings of a pink beach house here if you missed it!

I'll Take the Top Bunk

You don't see this color scheme much in beach houses--let alone in children's rooms--but I think it's fun and whimsical with the red palm-tree wallpaper and pale blue bunkbeds, don't you? (Room designed by Sarah Richardson Designs.)

HGTV Green Home in Port Lucie, Florida

Have you checked out HGTV's Green Home 2009 yet? It's in Port Lucie, Florida, this year. I have to say I wasn't crazy about it, but there were some things I really liked. The back porch, for example. I'd be taking naps out there all the time! "Where's Mom?" "Check the back porch. She probably fell asleep on that little bed again."

I like the color of the master bedroom, but doesn't it look a little small for two?

For more photos from the Green Home and see how people are voting in a poll I'm taking about it, click here. Register to win the sweepstakes from HGTV. Or check out last year's Green Home '08, which I personally loved.

P.S. Thanks for all of the nice birthday wishes you left for me on my Facebook page and on my other blog today! They made me smile. :-)