House of Hydrangeas

My morning started out a little rough.  It was barely 9am, and I thought my day was destined to be a bad one. Luckily, it quickly became better --starting with getting my hair done, a task that has been neglected since I started working nearly three months ago.  After my hair appointment, I ran over the mall to make a few exchanges for my mom.  While I was there, I decided to pick up some lunch.  After ordering my food, I began to search for a table in the craziness that is the mall after Christmas. I was beginning to think my search would end in no avail when an older man sitting at a table near me asked "Ma'am are you looking for a table?" "Yes, I am but I think I see one that's about to be available over there," I said pointing.  I didn't want to make this gentleman get up from his seat.  Even if he wasn't eating, he was older and I thought his age warranted his sitting in that chair all day long if so chose. But before I could walk away, ...

It seems you can't read a blog without seeing a chalkboard sign somewhere in a post these days.  While these don't fit the style of every home, for many, it is a great way to add a piece of living art to their homes.  This rings true especially around the holidays.  If I ever get around to remembering to buy chalk at the store, I may have one to show you of my own one day!  But for now, here are a few that have inspired me.

Navy blue dining rooms have really been catching my attention lately.  The richness of color alone is enough to make a huge statement, but that, coupled with the instant intimacy the color evokes, makes for a perfect dining space color.   via Rue Mag If our dining room walls weren't openly connected to the rest of my living space, I would paint them navy in a heartbeat.  What you do you think about navy?  Too dark or just right?

I enjoyed a great mini vacay home for Thanksgiving.  It was filled with lots of love, celebrations (my grandparent's 70th wedding anniversary being the biggest) and laughter....and for that, I'm thankful. We reminisced about old times... (I'm on the right :)) Gathered at the table to enjoy some delicious food... Did a little crafting for Cohen's upcoming 1st birthday party... Can you tell the theme centers around a giraffe? Cheered the Tide on to victory... And enjoyed lots of time with this little guy who was more than amused with my iphone camera... :) I hope your Thanksgiving holiday was just as beautiful and refreshing as my own.

There has been something I've been wanting to do ever since the day Jon and I got married.  I'm sure it's a silly thing to most, but for me, it meant home. I'm happy to announce that I finally ordered a custom address stamp for our new home!  Yes, I said it.  We bought our first home a few weeks ago, and for the first time in over 2.5 years, we won't be moving any time soon! Our new home is right around the corner (literally less than half a mile) from the house we were renting.  We knew we loved the neighborhood, but weren't planning on buying anything until next year.  However, when I saw this one on the Trulia listings that I so often stalk, I couldn't resist checking it out.  Jon ended up being just as smitten, so we threw caution our plans to the wind and decided to make it ours.  We were blessed to have a fairly smooth closing process and made it into the new house just days before Jon was set to leave again.  Talk about perfect timin...

Well hello, friends!  Sorry it's been so long.  Between my new job and getting ready for my trip to New York City, I've had little time to sit down and write.  But on the upside, my new job has given me some major inspiration...and inspiration=blog posts! I've been overwhelmed by the amount of beautiful things at my fingertips lately--from product samples to furniture catalogs to stacks and stacks of fabrics.  The options are endless.  And with abundance should come organization.  Organization is key to creating an efficient and creative work environment as well as a pleasing "show" room for clients.  Success is achieved where style and function meet.  Here are a few successes in my book. Ahh catalog organization with style.  The pops of accessories bring life to the rows and rows of books. For artwork, frame a client thank you note or a preliminary room sketch.  Make it personal, not just a library. Why yes, I'd love to pin beau...

"Traditional and contemporary need each other."  -Genevieve Gorder That quote perfectly describes my design style, and Genevieve seems to be a pro at it.  She did a great job connecting the old and new in this recent nursery design (brought to you by the oh so classy paused screen of my TV--this is what you'll get until HGTV updates their designer galleries).  But I digress.  There are plenty of traditional pieces of furniture and accessories in this space, but they're perfectly offset by contemporary aspects, keeping the room from looking too stodgy.   One of the ways she achieved this was by painting the ceiling with woodland creatures.  Adding playful elements to a surface that is often forgotten makes a great impact on the room's overall feel.  The idea of addressing the ceiling isn't just restricted to nurseries though.  Adding detail to the most overlooked part of a room can make a huge statement in any area of your home.  ...

I'm getting in the football spirit with my outfit today.  Jon and I will be heading up to Tuscaloosa for the Bama game this weekend, so I decided to start channeling my team spirit on my errand run this morning.  Plus, I wanted to try out my new comfy flats I got for my New York trip!  Sorry for the poor picture quality, but I had difficulty getting the whole outfit with my SLR. Top- Urban Outfitters  (one of my favotie go-to tops)/ Jeans- Target / Shoes-Anne Klein iflex via TJ Maxx/ Purse-TJ Maxx/ Necklace- Danielle Stevens / Ring-David Yurman/ Watch- Michael Kors Here are the items (or a close match) on a board so you can get a better look.  Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Four years ago on this day, I met my husband for the very first time.  And as the old adage goes, "the rest was history ."  Jon and I married a year and a half later and have been on a fun, crazy ride ever since.  So in honor of the day we said "I do" and the recent Emmy's, let's do a little dress comparison, shall we?   When I first saw Julie Bowen's dress, and her whole look really, I was wowed.  The styling, color and design were right up my alley.  So much so, that her dress reminded me of my own wedding dress (the design, not the color).   Here is Julie looking stunning on the red carpet at the Emmy's. (Side note:  If you don't watch Modern Family, you're really missing out.) And here are a few side-by-side comparisons of my Watters wedding gown and her Monique Lhuillier gown.  I know the price tag doesn't even begin to compare, but the silhouette definitely reminded me of my own.  Obviously, I have more junk in the t...

This past weekend I went into TJMaxx looking for a new bed pillow.  But let's not kid ourselves; I knew that I would probably walk out with more than just a pillow.  Who can go into TJMaxx and only come out with one thing?  If that's you, I applaud you, but this girl has never accomplished such a feat. So true to form, I did leave with a more few things, some of which I will be sharing with you today. Feast your eyes upon these beauts. Now before you start thinking "Really, Mallory?  Soap?!" let me explain. Listen, I love the yummy smelling scents from Bath & Body Works as much as the next girl.   When they have a sale, who can really resist picking up some Warm Vanilla Sugar or Sweet Pea?  BUT as good as their soaps may smell and as long as they may last (longer than the cheaper Dial version I may add), their looks just don't cut it for me. I hate to walk into a beautifully done bathroom only to see some cheap plastic bottle with bright colo...

My mom's kitchen is a typical 1970's alley kitchen with a short, narrow footprint and dark cabinets.  Since this photo (below) was taken, new wood floors have been put down but the rest of the space is still living in its dull, brown glory.  The plan is to remove the wood valance above the sink, replace the existing cabinets with new door fronts and paint, put in under cabinet lighting and install a new countertop.  Since it is a small space and no walls can be moved, creating a light and airy feel is vital to adding more visual square footage.   This is my solution to the problem... white cabinetry with glass fronts to extend the visual space and dark stone countertops for dimension and durability.  New hardware in a timeless nickel finish is also a must.  And I've always envisioned putting in schoolhouse lighting (like shown here above the sink) to compliment the rest of the traditional pieces in her home.  Outdated fluorescent lighting and beau...