Barn doors & helpful parent info....

I was on the hunt again today, for some finds for a design project. Once again, I went into one of my fave sites, Etsy for some inspiration.
Came across the store of Todd Manring and felt like yall would love to see what he creates.
Todd custom makes the doors shown above & below. The doors start at $ 300 with a $ 20 shipping rate (very competitive price) . Love this style of door for replacing existing doors with some charm.
Here's a top pic of the doors....they look like they're very well made:
Below , are 8 x 10 frames he makes from old barnwood. You can purchase them with the framed numbers or order solo. A great find, because it's hard to locate good frames with aged character.

Next, Todd features an aged , restored, rustic copper pendant light. The industrial style pendant would look so great over a kitchen sink, garden sink, bar sink, etc.! Loads of unique possibilities:
Todd also has other cool stuff on his site such as barnwood mirrors, etc..


Also, I wanted to share some parent awareness info, I think is very important to share with others. Yesterday my youngest son , Luke, was playing in a basketball tournament. Luke was going up for a shot, ran into his opponent, his feet went out from under him, and hit the court on his head. Thank the good Lord he is alright, but he got a concussion . My husband & I gained alot of important knowledge about concussions since the accident.
Once Luke had fallen, he was shaken, but then got up. He sat on the bench awhile & he did say his eyes were a little blurry, but then we all thought he was fine. Luke went back into the game a few more minutes . ( We later learned from the Doctor and other health professionals at the hospital, that ONCE any athlete gets hit on the head hard , even if they say they're alright , don't let them. Having blurry vision, even for a few seconds, is a big red flag.) Once the game was over, as we were driving home, Luke started to not feel well, got the blurred eyes again and then sick. We immediately took him to our local hospital, and they ran a CT scan. Thankfully, he's going to be fine. Unfortunately he can't participate in any sports or physical activity for a week AFTER all symptoms go away. Really hard for him because he's in tournament basketball games & tennis & loves to play!
Once we left the hospital, our friend called us . She informed us that she's a sales rep. for a company selling a test to schools & Doctors for concussion testing. We had no idea she was even working again and she was a wealth of knowledge about concussions! She's promoting a 6 minute, inexpensive test that is given to athletes while they're healthy to measure their brain activity while normal. If an athlete, then gets a concussion in a sport, then they measure their brain activity again after the athlete has apparently healed. This post test shows parents/coaches when an athlete is truly healed, ready to play again. (the pre-test scores indicate to the Doctor what an individual athlete's "normal" reading should score) Many incidences have happened with pro players and young athletes playing again too soon after a concussion and then a 2nd concussion occurs causing brain damage or is fatal. Our friend also told us that Texas is trying to legislate and make this test part of the UIL physical exam , required before a student is allowed to play any sport. Our friend, (the sales rep), also told us that her older high school son also had a serious concussion about 6 months after she started selling this medical test! She then learned even more information about concussions, as she went through the actual healing process with him.
(more things she discovered from Doctors & literature: don't let your kids do video games, watch tv, text, work on the computer, or read within the first hours of healing,etc.....stuff they don't always tell you when dismissing you from the hospital...the brain needs the time to rest & heal)
Right now, some schools and Doctors do offer the testing. If you'd like more info on this test, please read the links below:

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/head/a/concussion.htm
http://cogstate.com/go/sport

The Sports Medicine link also has instructions on what to do, if your child ever has a head injury, symptoms to look for ,etc.. I feel like this whole awareness sheet on the Sports Medicine link should be a guide given to all Coaches & parents to read before a physical sport is started each season!
I hope I can reach out and bring more awareness to others.

Also, a friend of mine recently told me that the Feedblitz on my blog wasn't working.
I did go back into my Feedblitz account and noticed my old blog : "Austin Cottage & Style" was linked to the account and never updated with "jvw home". So, IF you prefer the Feedblitz for your mailings, then please try again!


Blessings ,

Updating a Powder Room - Part II

Last year I decided to update my powder room, well heck I was forced to.  Are you just a little curious as to why I was forced to?  If you're slightly interested or nosy like me check out my earlier post here.

My powder room started out like this.

It currently looks like this

I decided to paint the room chocolate brown since the tiles were white and I've always wanted a brown room.  You'll notice that I reused the mirror and just sprayed it white. 

I'm still not finished... right now that makes three unfinished projects but who the heck is counting.

I think I'm off to great start, what do you think?

Good Finds

Wow, it's been a long time since I posted, after surviving pink eye, sinus infection and hives (I'm telling you I was falling apart) I'm happy to be back posting and healthy.

The other day I was surfing the web and saw this beautiful glass terrarium but at $79 it was way way way out of the budget.

A couple of days later when I browsing through my local Tuesday morning store what did I see on clearance... a glass pear terrarium for $11.99.  Don't you just love a  bargain?

While I'm not sure where it will end up in my house, I know for sure a plant won't be in it as I tend to kill plants just by passing by them. yup I have a black thumb.

Isn't it beautiful?  If you live close to a Tuesday morning, go browsing you'll never know what you can find.

Nesting Instincts

Today is a rare day in Austin , Texas. We're are getting loads of snow falling from the sky....it is absolutely beautiful! A great day to "nest" and write another post. I'm still wanting to share photos soon of the two design projects I'm working on, but those will come later. Today I was inspired to write about a new treasured gift in my house. My sweet sister-in-law Sarah just gave me the most adorable birthday gift this week; an art set of a precious vintage bird & eggs renderings, mounted on faux bois:
My "nesting instinct" today is to share all things great about beautiful bird and nest art. I guess I'm a little obsessed with the bird and nest thing right now, like alot of people are, right? I recently added the bird and robin's nest to my design logo. But I've always loved them.....we have lots of birdhouses and feeders outside because of our love for the little ones. Living in the hills of Austin, we have an abundance of so many varieties.
Also, when I visited with Sarah last week, we talked about the ETSY site. Sarah, like many others I know, wasn't familiar with this amazing site.
So, again I'd love to share more of what ETSY has to offer, and today I'm sharing things with the bird & nest theme:

A print of an original painting, from Lucia Johnson :


Vinyl wall art by Simple Shapes :
Sweet note cards by Creative Visions:

Love the turquoise blue color of these eggs.....these are going to make a nice centerpiece for my little Easter bunnies! Paper mache primitive robins eggs , The Broken House:
Pics don't do this justice....but it is absolutely beautiful, quiet and serene with the snow falling......by the end of the day this will be more white.....time to go enjoy it.....in Austin you appreciate the few days of snow you ever get!
Love, from the nest,

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sending you flowers, chocolate & candy today. I hope you and yours have a great day filled with loads of love & special sentiments to each other.

Also, want to share a lil design idea: get out those silver vases/teapots and use them for your flowers & sweets :


Make it a fun day,

Things I'm feeling right now

I'm a sucker for KW's imperial trellis pattern.  Are these hand lined envelopes great?
Schumacher and Dempsey & Carroll have joined forces to create these limited-edition stationery.
It's a pricey, check it out at www.dempseyandcarroll.com

Isn't this a hip light fixture? One of my favorite stores ZGallerie delivers again.  This would look great in a contemporary setting.

As I said before I currently have a slight obsession with the imperial trellis pattern (ok, maybe a big obsession), isn't this a clever little ottoman from the Cindy Crawford from her collection at JCPenney's and the price is just right - $150.

This little geometric bench is from Jeff Lewis's new collection from QVC.  A pair of these benches would great under a console desk or at bottom of the bed.

Did any of these tickle your design fancy?

RMS Mood Board

A RMS user requested some help with her living room.  I think her room is off to a great start don't you?
I've added some accessories that I think will complete her room if she keeps her rug. :-)

1. Mirror - Z Gallerie  - This mirror is a classic and will give this room a great impact and won't compete with the rug.

2. Window Panels - Ikea - These panels are modern and long enough to cover those vertical blinds plus with a $40 price for two panels you can't beat the price.

3. Ottoman - Overstock  - This ottoman is great as a coffee table.  The open bottom won't close the space in.  It's a great place to store remotes, magazines or even a laptop and can serve for extra seating in a pinch.

4. Side Table - Target  - These inexpensive side tables will be a great addition to the room.

5. Orchid - Kohls - I love an orchid and if you can get a real one to grow getting a red one would definitely make a room pop.  If you're like me..."black thumb girl" this orchid would get the job done.

6. Lamps - Walmart - The lamp is beautiful and would complement the room, plus the price is up my alley.

Happy birthday Luke!

11 years ago today our family was blessed with a beautiful boy, Luke.
I cherish each day with him because in the blink of an eye, my older kids were grown up. Next year he'll start middle school and until he graduates from high school, I realize now, just how FAST those years go by!
Luke touches the heart of everyone he meets with his laughter, the joy he gives, his honesty & kindness.So Luke, this post is for you, my precious son: Thanks for just being you and being the "light of our life"!

(and for making our days & vacations always a blast or an adventure!)
I love you dearly,
Mom
(your greatest fan!)
p.s. the first two songs on my Playlist are dedicated just to you Luke.....
(well, that's if you read this soon....cuz I always change up the Playlist with each new post! And when I write about Fish Camp soon, the songs will change....)

Great cure for a windowless room

Happy Monday! This Monday began as most mornings do other than the fact that I contracted pink eye. @#$#%$ seriously? So no going into the office for me for at least three days but since I have my work laptop, no rest for the weary. Since I'm hanging out in my room with the shades down I remembered that I wanted to do a post on a windowless room. If you have a basement, you probably have a room that has no windows and while lighting or a feature wall such as a brick wall can make the wall interesting it still doesn't make up for the lack of windows.

I was browsing in Bloomies the other day and saw this mock of a room and loved it.
Wouldn't this be a great wall treatment for a basement room?

With the curtains on the side doesn't it look like real windows?

Luxe for Less - Imperial Trellis Fabric

Last year I fell in love with Kelly Wearstler's Imperial Trellis designs.  You know you're a design nut or need some excitement in your life when you can fall in love with a home decor fabric.  But I just couldn't help it until I saw the price of the fabric.....my poor little heart was broken instantly. sigh  While I still heart the design I couldn't justify paying that amount of money for fabric.

So I started looking for a comparable fabric that would give me the same effect and of course Google had the answer (isn't he great, my kids think I'm crazy for thinking the search engine is a person, but come on he knows everything).  Tonic Living located in Canada has comparable imperial trellis fabric called garden trellis and for less than $10 a yard.  It isn't exactly the same but it's darn close. Isn't that a bargain?

Light Fetish

Last week I flew out to the "Fish Camp" project in Mississippi. We narrowed design choices and this week I'll be drawing out the window treatments, bedding, etc.. I have some great photos to share of this wonderful place, but I'll have to show you those on the next post!
Some of you that really know me, know that I have a serious light fetish. However, I feel that most designers/decorators all have the same fetish! We know that good lighting is key to good design, ......proper lighting is paramount when creating a mood within a room, as well as dimmers! Dimmers are a "must" on all chandeliers, but I install dimmers wherever the electrician will allow!....they SET the mood in each room.
Today I wanted to share some cool lighting I discovered when we stopped into Sunbelt Lighting, in Jackson, on our way out to the Fish Camp. (Fish Camp is just outside Jackson) ...
My client has ordered a few light fixtures and ceiling fans from the adorable Jessica Dalton, Interior Designer/Account Executive, at Sunbelt. Jessica has a great design flare & is charming.
I was impressed with the great selection Sunbelt has to offer. Another great feature: their lighting is priced so well! Yes, they ship! If you love something below, just give Jessica a shout. (Sunbelt's # 601-932-8989)

I had to share some of the fixtures, furniture & lamps that Sunbelt carries.....

In their main entry, they showcase this fabby blue turquoise dresser. The photo shows more blue, but in person it's a great shade of turquoise...greenish blue. Love it.....the lamps on the dresser are great too. The shades are white linen with embroidered dimensional flowers with vine detailing:


Love the silver/gold metal finish on this fretwork pendant:


I'm a huge fan of any "barn style lighting". The Fish Camp will have similar sconces, in the guest bathroom, like the brushed nickel one shown...
Classic iron pendants. My client has ordered a couple of these, for the Fish Camp , to hang in a long entry hallway:

Like the "modern meets classic European" style/finish of the round chandeliers:
Hard to tell from the photo, but this chandelier was very cool. Had a brushed sharp edge steel finish....making it a modern chandelier but with romantic details. I think it would be great in a teen girls' room , dressing area or powder room!:
Love the linen shade on this lamp, along with the whimsical "jumping jacks":
Pretty pendant with a rubbed shell type finish.....love the Italian chandelier on the back right:
A swanky metal chain lamp. Each chain is dangling separate from the ring. Great choice for the modern home or in a teen's room:
My client and I like the table lamps and the table here....a possibility for Fish Camp. The lamps are made from Aspen wood with a lucite base. The table, with it's classic design, has a black iron base.
























With the new buzz about French Ticking fabric(see Kelley's blog), I think these might be great in my son's room we're adding!:
A simplified Italian style chandelier....Sunbelt has great prices on these beautiful chandy's:

The Italian style chandy featured here, has more of a blue/gray finish embellished with smoky topaz crystals:My client and I are "oohing-aahhing " over this lamp with it's beautiful linen shade! It's definitely a contender for the night stands in her master bedroom, at the Fish Camp:

And this one too! This adorable lamp has a great shade....I wish I would've taken a photo of the very top of the shade which is covered in the linen fabric....it is sewn over, like a canopy.... the fabric didn't feel hot because the bulb was low enough:



Sweet French inspired shade:
My client bought a smaller version of this chandy for the master bathroom at Fish Camp. Details are beading, silver gray metal finish and beautiful stones. The stones remind me of the colorful river rock in Montana , close to Glacier Park:


Here's a sneak peek of the one hanging in the Fish Camp master bathroom:Sunbelt carries loads of different ceiling fans, but I thought this one was cool and different:


Pretty pendants :


Love the blue/gray finish of the Swedish look lamps:
















Priced well for lamp and shade:













Gourd lamps are the rage right now......occasionally you can find them, bargain priced, at Marshall's....but if you can't hunt one down, then these are nicely priced too....plus they come with a graphic design on the linen shade:




































My personal faves from Sunbelt were the next lamps. Love at first sight. I just assumed I'd order them, once I returned to Austin, for my own guestroom . (this extra guestroom is just being created with the remodel I've told you about) Yesterday though I finally drew the layout of the room and realized that the room only allows for wall sconces by the bed (not enough room for the nightstands). Oh, how I wanted those lamps!!! Aren't they great?? I love the rose baroque design of the shades and the modern silver base. Actually today this base looks modern, but my Mom still has beautiful Steiffel lamp bases , bought in the 50's, that look similar!:

Oh, how I love turquoise anything.....but especially this wall sconce! Would be GREAT in a teen girls' room, beach house or any house wanting a pop of color!:
Or how about this glam pink chandy for a sweet girls' room or that romantic boudoir?
I believe Jessica said the sconces & chandy are made by the same company and available in many colors.


Hope you've enjoyed my "eye candy" for the day.
Stay tuned for continuing posts on the Fish Camp!
Make it a great day....
much love,