When you live in a coastal area I think you have greater flexibility for casualness in all areas of your life.  Your design choices in your home and style often times reflect the proximity to the ocean and in turn create a more relaxed, laid back appearance.  Now, don't get me wrong, my home is not filled with seashells and 1980's pink and teal sofas...not that anything is wrong with that, but I do appreciate design aspects that are earthy and airy and slightly reminiscent of the outdoors.

Lately, I have really been loving wicker basket light fixtures.  Here are a few spaces that I love.  Thoughts?

1  2  3  4  5  6

feeling brassy

Brass hardware has made a resurgence over the last couple of years, and I must say I like it.  Now, I'm not one to go all out and have every finish brass, but I do like the warmth it brings to a space.  Here's a few inspirational pics for you fine folks.

1 2 3 4 5 

Burlap Curtains

This morning I was browsing the new Ballard catalog , dreaming of the day when I can actually afford to purchase massive amounts of fabric, furniture and accessories when I saw these beauties.

 

They are damask embroidered burlap and they are the perfect mix of glam and earthy.  I love them, but starting at $179 a panel this chick cannot even for another second think about getting these.  So after coming back to reality I figured, why not just stencil the burlap curtains I have in the kitchen to create a look a like minus the fancy embroidery.  So that's just what I did.  

 This is the before

I am pretty happy with the way they turned out and at zero cost since I had everything I needed already.  I definitely didn't have any rhyme or reason with the stencil so they aren't perfect but that's OK with me.  

Open Shelving in the Kitch

So for the last couple of years I've seen more of a movement towards open shelving in the kitchen.  Some with only bottom cabinets and top mounted shelves and some just taking the doors off of the top cabinets.  I originally thought it was a passing trend but I think it's here to stay.  I like a lot of the kitchens I see, with the beautiful  tile back splash going to the ceiling and wonderfully edited shelves but if you're a hoarder probably not for you.  I do think it would force me to be more organized and perhaps donate some of the stuff that never gets used in our kitchen but I don't know if I can make that commitment just yet.

Here's a few pics:

 

This is a little kitchen, but has big impact and it looks more like a cabinet unit with the doors removed rather than stand alone shelves. 

 

The tile is insane gorgeous and the shelves are styled beautifully.

 

This is like a happy medium.  The closed cabinetry on the bottom and top cabinets all the way to the ceiling allowing for one shelve running below.  It maximizes space to the ceiling while allow for more covered storage.

 

I mean, you know your fancy when your glassware matches the beautiful tile back splash.  

all images via

I found a rug!!

So as I mentioned a couple of posts ago, I wanted a rug for the kitchen.  I loved all of the rugs featured in that posts but had to be mindful of the money I spent.  Also, realistically this will be in the kitchen so it will have to be something that I will be ok with if it gets wet, food gets dropped on it, etc.

I searched world market because I wanted something a little "ethnic" looking but had no success.  Don't get me wrong, they have some beautiful rugs but they didn't have anything fitting my size, budget and style needs.  I lucked out when I went to TJ Maxx (oh how I love that place) which was great because you never know what they will have, fyi they now have couches which is insane but a whole other topic all together.

 So I scored this rug for $24.99. I know that it is not something that will last forever and be a family heirloom  and I'm ok with that. It has some blue in which I like, but also gives some added texture and color to the mass amounts of beige tile on the floor.

I need a rug!!!

I am really in need of a rug for the kitchen...and I'm not talking about one of those little mats that you put at the sink, I want a rug.  There are several things I have to consider, obviously price is first on the list then style and size.  So just for kicks and throwing the price issue right out the window I picked some of my favorite rug choices for kitchens.  They are all very different in size, style and placement but me likey them all. :)  So if anyone has an extra fabulous rug laying around I would be happy to take it off your hands for you.

                                        all pics via