Open Shelving

I once stayed in an old coastal cottage in Maine that had a butler's pantry between the kitchen and dining room that consisted on wall to ceiling open shelving. Ever since I've been a huge fan of the open shelve aesthetic in all sorts of kitchens: sleek, country, traditional, etc. 

{Images via Pinterest}

Happy Monday!

"I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.''

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen

{Image via Kate Spade}

Poolside

I'm finding it hard to concentrate today with this oppressive heat! I wish I was sitting in one of these cabana houses enjoying some lemonade before executing a cannonball into their respective pools. This is one of the few things I miss about Floridian summers. 

{Images via Pinterest}

Weekend Escape: The Hamptons

This glamourous yet livable beach house in the Hamptons was created by interior designer Amanda Nisbet. Each room is carefully crafted to be reflective of the beach and traditional seaside design without  having the home scream nautical. 

I love the focal point this table provides in the entry way. It mimics the circular motion of the space but also provides to hard lines to add contrast. Also, notice how the abstract pattern on the table skirt can suggest coral without making the entry way pronounce "beach house."

I love, love, love this living room for so many reasons: the tufted sofa, the freeform coffee table, the hydrangea (love them!)...

I love this abstract piece; it suggests waves and the ocean but it isn't the traditional, realistic rendition filled with sun, sand, and sailboats that you tend to find in seaside homes. The tablescape below also abstractly accentuate the feeling of the sea.

I'm enjoying the combination of antique lanterns with the colorful abstract hung on the wall in the kitchen.

I want to be sitting at this breakfast table enjoying my morning coffee and have a coastal breeze sift through the open windows. This looks much more delightful than the stifling heatwave in the city. 

{Images by Stacey Van Berkel-Haines via Style At Home}

Home Libraries

Luckily you don't need a degree in library sciences to have a library in your home. Who here doesn't fondly remember the bookshop or the castle library in Beauty and the Beast? Sadly, not all of us have a few extra hundreds of square feet to achieve this dream. Fortunately it's possible to throw up some bookshelves in any of your current spaces (guest rooms, living rooms, dining rooms, offices) and have it work double time. I'm working on incorporating a library space in this way for a current project.  Here's proof that this works beautifully: 

Home office, guest space or library? I love the built-in reading nook/guest bed!

I'm willing to bet that this occasional table and chairs is a disguised dining area... 

 Living room or library? You decide. The combination of the chartreuse sofa and the black bookshelves is divinely swoon-worthy.

This tiny space seems to do it all - dining, office, living, library...

Have to say that I'm a fan of having some smaller artwork hang off the bookshelves...perhaps this means i'm not a library purist...

I snuck this image in there even though you can't tell what type of room it is just because I loved the turquoise bookshelves. 

 I love the use of black lacquered paint on the bookcases. Gives a modern twist to the space. 

 Lovely little libraries created as part of large living spaces. 

Hello fantastic sconces atop the bookcases...where can I purchase you? 

{Images via Pinterest}

A Perfect Study Space XVIII

Somehow this workspace reads more artistic than cluttered. This space has a very masculine vibe given the chrome & glass desk, the black & white accessories but I think it has just enough softened edges throughout to be used by the fairer gender as well. I love the use of the weathered teak deck chair in place of a more traditional work seat. 

{Image via Pinterest}

Happy Monday!

True Story. 

Where's Neville Longbottom? Who is this attractive guy?

I am both very excited and disconsolate about seeing the final film installment of Harry Potter tomorrow afternoon. Excited to see the conclusion and unhappy that this is it, there wont be another! I had the same feelings while I stayed up all night reading the seventh book. I don't concern myself with the fact that the movies are somewhat loosely adapted, I reconciled with this truth long ago and can therefore enjoy the movie for what it is (not harangue it for what it isn't).

I plan to bring two "family size" boxes of kleenex for the soppy parts (of which I've been warned are numerous); one for me and one for my movie pal. We'll be emotional, in a non-geeky-costume wearing-spell casting way... and then we'll go out and get girly drinks to cheer ourselves up!

{Image via Pinterest} 

Mountain Cabins

Yes, more mountains today following on the heals of yesterday's Aspen chalet post. I found these fabulous rustic gems in the portfolio of interior designer Amelia T. Handegan (you may remember that name from this post). These glorious cabins are luxurious and glamorous while maintaining the backcountry aesthetic. Perfect for hosting a hunting weekend or simply enjoying a relaxing retreat from town. I love the rough-hewn timber used throughout these homes from ceiling rafters to porch railings to hand crafted furnishings. 

{Images via Amelia T. Handegan, Inc.}