if i had the money and my husband let me, 

i might have a living room that looks like this.

  

it may seem cluttered to you,

and m would say the same.

but i've been keen on bohemian style for a while, 

and this sort of eclectic mix of patterns and colors really appeals to me...

i think somewhere deep inside me is a gypsy trying to break free.

do over....

when i was imagining up ideas for our extra (guest) bedroom, 

i had something like this in mind for the green-wall effect:

with a bohemian touch of...

ooooooh, so pretty.... i L.O.V.E!

         

aren't those staggered bookshelves interesting?  i could totally rock those somewhere in the house.

so.  back to the guest bedroom.

m & i are thinking the color we picked isn't really working.  

i, for one, am not convinced it is achieving the rustic, boho effect i so crave.

so maybe sometime in the not-too-distant future we'll give it another go?

i'm also thinking a lovely curtain-headboard would suit the space well.

what do you think?

 

and i, of course, still fantasize about making a bohemian quilt for the bed...

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i have a dream

 for my very small kitchen to someday be both functional and pretty!  i love pretty.

allow me to show you my virtual dream kitchen.

(the 'before' pictures are too shameful to show.)

east wall:

in my kitchen you will find the sink in the corner.  it is the only appropriate place for it besides under the window, only we can't put it there for logistical reasons.

the shelf with flowers is actually crown moulding that i hope will replace a very ugly homemade wall of shelving.  the curtain hung from this moulding deceptively makes the (teeny!) window seem larger.

north wall:

our refrigerator has successfully been recessed into the wall adjacent to the basement stairs (to the left of it) and the rest of the wall is turned into cupboards and drawers for storage (including my coveted shelf for the microwave... yay!)  the highest cabinets are actually already in the kitchen, so we wouldn't need to replace them.

south wall:

see that vertical wall of shelves?  it is hiding the chimney.  it would be great for cookbooks or pretty kitchen towels.  i would need to try extra hard not to clutter it up.  the other option would be to install bricks to make the chimney look lovelier than it does now (which would not be that difficult because it is ug-ly.)  to the right of the chimney is a tall pantry that either opens or slides out as a drawer... prime food storage space.

***

you likely have no idea how long it took me to actually come up with a plan and layout for this kitchen that i can actually live with!  

right now it is not only a serious eyesore, but it has very little storage and NO counter space!  i cannot imagine how the previous owners survived without any prep space for food.  

am i spoiled?

kitchen on the brain

every time i step into my kitchen i wince a little.  even ignoring the gaping hole in the drywall that has yet to be repaired by m- the space is dingy, impractical, and to say it is outdated would be a gross understatement!

you see, the problem with our kitchen is that is is very oddly shaped.  thinking of the ideal place to place things presents the unfortunate blocking of a doorway or just doesn't work with the window spacing or the fact that there is a chimney obstructing prime cabinet space.  

well, the better homes and gardens website presents some lovely photos of possible ways to cleverly use space in a small kitchen- and they offer great ideas for keeping costs down as well...take a look!

putting a decently-sized microwave on a shelf gets it off the counter and opens up space for prepping food.  i love it.

what a clever idea for spices!  i'm sure we can find a rather unusable space somewhere in our kitchen to use for something like this! i'm in love with built-ins.  for spices, books, whatever!

 don't you love how the refrigerator is recessed into this kitchen's wall?  m and i have talked about doing this, if we can figure out a way to do so without eliminating too much space from the master bedroom, which is already quite "cozy."

this photo shows the color scheme we've been planning, and bhg.com says the light walls, slate counter tops and white cabinets give a small space an open, airy feeling.  i couldn't agree more!

 

using shelving such as that shown above may be the only way we can fit needed storage into our kitchen!

don't you just love inspiring ideas?  i myself have a love-hate relationship with them.

because now every time i step into my kitchen i'll have a vision of what it could be!

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difference of opinion

(link)

these beautiful linens could someday be our bedding.

today i bought an oversized table cloth of the same pattern from world market, 

and i'm thinking it could be a good candidate for a bedspread.  

m doesn't think so.

he thinks it looks like a gaudy 1970's mess.

but to me, it has the same affect as the pattern in the bedroom picture we both liked:

which is why i bought it.

what do you think?

thank you, mila kunis

for wearing the most beautiful gown ever to the oscars tonight.

i'm so happy you chose purple.

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