I’m no stranger to a miter saw and repurposed wood, but sometimes the mess, added weight, and splintery texture of real wood just isn’t the best way to finish out a project- especially given the toxicity of repurposed pallet wood. My friend Merre and I spent weeks tossing around ideas to easily update a closet…
I always seem to end up at the end of each year with images on my phone that I’d love to share, but that don’t go with any particular theme I’ve blogged on lately. To that end, I decided to do a quarterly roundup of “favorite things”. This time: 1. Snowy blankets on snowy…
If you love a classic look and equestrian flare, Christmas gifts are a great place to show off this style. Small pieces of equestrian hardware can take the place of a bow to create sophisticated wrapping for your gifts. This year, I raided LuckyPony.com’s hardware department to wrap gifts for my family and…
I just wanted to share a few shots with my readers of Christmas Eve dinner at my parents’ home. What was once a shabby fiberglass-roofed patio that lulled me to sleep with the loud echo of raindrop when I was a child has been converted in recent years to a spacious 4-season sunroom with floor…
Each year I try to post a preview of my Christmas decorations before the rush of the holiday season begins- and then a full followup and a few tutorials during the relative quiet season of the weeks following the new year. While I’m still working on a few new decorating projects for Christmas 2014, here’s…
A few readers have commented on a decorating feature in my house that I’ve never really mentioned on my blog: the natural tree branches wired to the ceiling in my living room. I’ve never blogged about it because my friends seem to either love them or really, really hate them- and it’s hard to blog…
This post updated: In homes built prior to about 1985, builders often did not install wiring for an overhead light in common spaces. I suppose it was fashionable at the time to have lamps warmly lighting a living room- but in today’s multi-purpose living room, it’s far preferable to have an option to flip a…
Last Updated: I tend to be either 100% inspired and need to jump into a project immediately to see my vision come to life right away, or I stew in uncertainty for months or years, unsure of how to address a design challenge. This room falls in the latter camp. Hawk Hill’s previous owner painted…
I love Ikea’s small, $3.99 potted plants for shelf fillers. Most of the time, the standard 4″ pot size is perfect for dropping into small pots or the trophy cups dotting my shelves, but as my collection of white-ware planters has grown, I’ve found situations where I needed a smaller plant or a less…
My father loves the salvage yard- and occasionally I get to enjoy the spoils of his adventures. Last spring when he called and said he found small wood shipping crates for $2 each, I had him grab me 10. I’d planned on making planter boxes for months, but didn’t know where to…
With the colder than usual fall, and shorter-than-usual Christmas season, decorating was smashed into one whirlwind weekend this year! Although I’m still finishing up some new elements, I wanted to give my readers a preview of the tutorial I’ll be posting once Christmas retail sales slow down enough for me to have free time again.…
