Simply at Home: Inspired

Bench Marks

2010-04-26T07:21:00.000-07:00

I’m a little nerdy—but everyone loves a nerd, right?

We have remarkable knowledge for one thing or a lot of things and are always feeding our little brains with information.

I am a nerd that craves words. I love them; devour them. I read books with a dictionary close by just in case I come across a word I’ve never met before. Yes, I said ‘met’. Words and I have an intimate relationship.

I’ve read some books five or six times. My favorite, to date, is After You’d Gone by Maggie O’Farrell. It is beautifully written and leaves me with a new feeling or discovery every single time.

And sometimes, it’s not just the book, but the place in which you read that book that makes the experience that much more. I often read in my bed, but how lovely would it be to sit on one of these beautiful benches, in a garden, perhaps, and have your fill of words…

a day at the park...

the comfort of home...

...and flowers

primary seating

mellow yellow

Totally Turquoise

2010-04-23T17:27:00.000-07:00

It’s finally the weekend! We’re looking at beautiful weather, working in the flower bed (so many weeds to pull), and possibly a meal or two on the grill. I also have some group work to do for school, but, we won't spoil things by talking about that!

I’ll also be picking out paint colors for the kitchen and designing a cake I hope to bake for my daughter’s third birthday next month. Children’s cakes are so vibrant and fun, and one color I kept running across was terrific turquoise.

We currently have a creamy yellow in our family room/kitchen that we will be changing to a color closer to taupe and little hints of turquoise would be a perfect accessory.

Turquoise—it’s not just for jewelry anymore.

Now half off!

Have a lovely weekend!

*images via elledecor, weheartit, and hgtv

Spring Kitchen

2010-04-22T13:03:00.000-07:00

Spring and fall are my favorite seasons. I used to credit the hot days of summer as the season that held my heart but at the ripe old age of 30, I can no longer handle extremes.

The months of April and May mean several things to me—the first being pollen! Has mother nature dumped a ton of pollen on your city this year? My allergies can hardly take another minute of it and my husband has sneezed practically nonstop for the past three days.

Spring also brings a fresh, crisp feeling—like a perfectly pressed white skirt or dress. It makes me excited for the new pops of color in fresh fruits and flowers, and for sunny days like today: 76 degrees and breezy. Perfect.

My husband and I are gearing up to do some renovations in our small kitchen: new countertops, backsplash, paint, and cabinet re-facing. I never cared much for our white cabinets but have since fallen in love with the brightness they bring, their blank canvas and so many possibilities.

I love the yellow and blue against the white backdrop. So fresh, so clean.

This is probably my ideal kitchen--very minimal, contemporary yet traditional.

I adore the pop of orange in this kitchen. Mixing warm and cool colors heightens interest in a space.

My runner up for an ideal kitchen. It just feels like home. The sunlight in the window, the green hydrangea and dishcloth, the blue in the cabinets--it's spring.

Though the countertops are a bit dark for me, I love the idea of this kitchen--the light fixtures, subway tile, cabinet hardware and doors.

What's your ideal kitchen?

*photos via weheartit and ikea