Bedroom Design: Reality

TGIF, readers!

Those who follow along on Instastories know I decided to delay this post to today, since Bryce had a work dinner last night and I chose to spend Wednesday night focused on him rather than blogging.

I'm excited to share the final post in my bedroom refresh series. Hopefully the next post related to this will be a reveal of the updates in the next few months!

If you're just tuning in, be sure to check out the other posts in the series:

• Part 1 - Eight Interior Designers to Follow
• Part 2 - Beautiful Bowood Bedrooms
• Part 3 - Bedroom Design: Dream

In these posts, I started with the inspiration for a bedroom refresh, and worked my way up to a design. Today I'll share the plans I have to incorporate into our bedroom now.

As mentioned in the Dream post, pattern play is still a must for me, but I decided to go with a bit more neutral palette.

After playing around a bit, I decided on this combination: Kravet Xu Garden Veridian (existing shams and bedskirt), this neutral leopard (not sure of fabric source, but have chosen this bolster and these pillows in it), and Colefax and Fowler's Bowood.

I actually polled on Instagram asking for a vote on this combination and the vote I got was about 60 yay/40 nay. I was surprised, because it's rare to get such a close split. I'm wondering if the Bowood feels too traditional or grandma-ish for some? I also have had some reservations, because while it's timeless; it is definitely on trend right now. I keep seeing it over and over as I scroll Instagram, so while I'm about 90% sure I'm going to stick with the plan as shown here, I'm going to keep thinking on it a little longer. I don't want to go with Bowood because it's in now and then regret it. Plus, I keep coming across other fabrics I love like this one. this one, this one, and this one.

Okay, so assuming I stick to the plan, let me share it! If I end up veering off the Bowood path, the overall plan will remain the same, the Bowood pieces will just be replaced with a different fabric.

As mentioned on Tuesday, I've wanted to add a bolster to our bed for a while. I excitedly told Bryce my plan was to reduce the number of pillows on the bed, but he wasn't all that impressed decreasing from 7 to 5 (not counting the pillows we sleep on). I originally chose this leopard, but decided the neutral would be more versatile than blush and liked the idea of adding velvet into the mix as a new texture. 

The impetus for the rest of the plan came when we decided to convert our sunroom into Bryce's office. We're still working to complete that update, but have started the process. Namely, we moved the club chairs from the sunroom into our bedroom and the leather chair and plaid ottoman (that never really matched our bedroom) down to the sunroom. This gave me a springboard to create the seating area I've always wanted in our bedroom and do some additional updates to tie the whole space together.

This is the starting palette:

 

The blurry spot in the photo below is a bookshelf I edited out. It's an eyesore providing storage in our 1950s home that has next to none, but it's getting out of our bedroom, so I went ahead and removed for these purposes. Additionally, I had envisioned the chairs flanking the window seat, but the window isn't actually centered in the room, so this layout worked better.

So now for the fun part! I played around with different combinations to find the perfect design.

I played with the idea of keeping our ikat pillows (I do really love the pattern mix) with the bolster, as well as two small bolsters. Neither was quite right...

I also played with the idea of adding both Bowood and the leopard on the bed, and really love the look of the 3 Bowood pillows with the bolster, but that would increase not decrease the pillow count.

I finally settled on the original, simple plan of just the bolster with the existing matelasse euro shams and trellis standard shams. It evokes the calm feeling I'm going for, and I love that it lets the trellis shine.

Wanting to still incorporate the Bowood to this part of the room to make the overall plan flow, I decided to go with a Bowood tablecloth for my nightstand. The thought is that in a future dream bedroom that will hopefully have the space for matching nightstands, this table could perhaps go into the seating area.  You can see a mock up here, with the throw I mentioned Tuesday (comes in 29 colors!) for an added pop of color.

Fun Fact: 

My grandmother petit point embroidered 

the bench at the end of our bed as a teenager!

 Next, I turned my sites to the sitting area. I opted to add leopard pillows to the chairs to match the bolster and a basket beneath the existing table. As mentioned Tuesday, I find that natural fibers bring a cozy feel to spaces, and I have a few baskets similar to this one throughout our home. I even already found the perfect, rectangular shaped one for this space at Home Goods, my go to source for baskets!

I decided Bowood could have its place in our window seat and couldn't resist a fabulous monogram, as well for the window seat. It adds another pop of color and I really love a monogram in a bedroom. Our bedding doesn't really lend itself to monograms, so this dupioni silk pillow brings the couture monogram look I love in bedrooms. I've also already ordered this pillow for the space opting for my monogram. Bryce and I are not the hugest fans of the couple's monogram (just our preference!) and instead have opted for the more traditional Southern route of using her monogram for linens and his monogram for barware. Because of the size of the window seat, I created a custom order for a toddler sized pillow, and will need to go with 16" pillows in the window seat. 

And just because I'm obsessed with this pillow, I'll show you a close up. Aside from having to go with a smaller size, I chose everything else to be identical to this one shown in terms of monogram style and color selection. I can't wait for it to arrive!

So there you have it!

I plan to order the leopard bolster and pillows next, and as mentioned am going to think a little longer on the Bowood. I'm 90% there, but just want to give it some additional time to be sure, especially considering it's more of a splurge fabric, and that we have a few other little home refresh projects going on right now. 

Did you like this four part series, or did you get bored?

Are you a fan of Bowood?

What colors and style do you have in your bedroom, or want in your dream bedroom?

Have a great weekend!

Bedroom Design: Dream

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Did you have yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

I always think back to my kindergartners on this holiday. You can read a little about my lessons around the holiday, in this post from my teaching days.

Now for today's post...Friday turned into Tuesday! I was very excited for my 3 part series posting Monday, Wednesday, Friday, but the end of the last week just got crazy! That said, as I've put the finishing touches on this post, I've decided it's just too much content for one post, so the 3 part series will now be a 4 part series. I hope you're not tired of my bedroom yet!

As mentioned last week, I've been wanting to refresh our bedroom a little bit over the last several months. Over the last year or so, I've found that I'm drawn more to calm and neutral spaces and want a bit more subdued and serene design in our bedroom. When decorating our current house, the balance is always in choosing where to splurge and where to save. We know we won't be in this house forever, so I try to splurge on items I know I can use down the road; and save on items that may not be a fit for a future home. For example, I'd love to get an updated rug for our bedroom. That said, it just doesn't make sense to splurge on that now, when we may be in a bedroom that needs a bigger or smaller rug once we're in the next house. Pillows and bed linens, however, will "fit" in any bedroom so I have no problem splurging on those now.

All that to say, it doesn't mean I don't dream of the ideal bedroom, so for today's post I thought it would be fun to start with the dream and then share my reality design in Part 4 on Thursday.

We'll start with the focal point of a bedroom, the bed and then we'll look at my dream bedroom sitting area.

Similar to my Gift Guides, I'm linking my rationale for each design element, with links, below the design image. If you want to skip that, you can just scroll through and admire the pictures!

As a reminder, here is a picture of the current situation. I still do love everything about it, however, it just doesn't have quite the serene, calm bedroom feel I want at this stage.

Let's break it down:

The Bed: This is our current bed. It is actually 4 posters, but for the purposes of creating this design, it was easier just to crop out the end. I do get a few requests on Instagram for the source of this bed each year. It was handmade by a local company, Suter's, that has been in business since 1839. It is the Pencil Post Bed in mahogany.

Linens: All the linens you see are current, with the exception of the bolster pillow. The matelasse quilt and euro shams were from Garnett Hill and no longer made. I actually hunted for this exact style for a few years when I was still in college. I knew exactly what I wanted and said when I found it, I was going to buy it to have for my "grown up" home someday. I posted about them, actually, in my first few months of blogging in 2011 here. I love is the scalloped edge, the euro shams, and that it's heavier than a coverlet. Garnet Hill, if you're reading here (ha!) please bring the Orleans line back... after nearly 8 years, and Millie, I could use a new quilt! I have found a few similar options here (coverlet, shams), here, and here. I had the trellis standard shams and bedskirts custom made and the fabric is Kravet Xu Garden Veridian. Finally, the bolster, which I'm planning to order soon was something I had thought of incorporating for a while. Once I saw this bedroom by Molly Basile Interiors, I was sold. I was also sold on adding Bowood to the mix! Wanting to add some pattern and texture, while still remaining neutral, I chose this natural leopard in velvet.
Sunburst Mirror: When we first got the four poster bed, Bryce and I were just dating and our home was just his home at the time. The bed felt very traditional to me, so the sunburst mirror and other modern details like the ikat pillows currently on our bed were compromises we made to modernize the space when I moved in. This sunburst mirror was a Martha Stewart for Home Depot steal that was all over the blog world circa 2013ish. It's no longer available, but I've found some similar affordable options here, here, and here. I absolutely love a sunburst above a bed and think it perfectly fits my traditional meets modern style.
Mirrored Nightstands: Given the space constraints of our current bedroom, we're not able to have matching nightstands. Bryce's side of the bed really only has room for a walkway and slim nightstand. My dream is to someday have a pair of mirrored nighstands, though, and these I found for the design come in at a great price point. A close second to mirrored nightstands are these raffia nightstands at a not so great price point.
Bedside Lamps: I'm a big fan of symmetry if you can't tell and these splurge lamps are just gorgeous!
Bedside Art: When thinking of art, my brain went to symmetry again. I didn't want botanicals which would compete with the Bowood chintz fabric, or, mirrors that would compete with the sunburst. I eventually decided to opt for framed calligraphy. While not a big fan of word art, I think in a bedroom displaying your wedding vows or readings as art is quite romantic. It's affordable custom art, and you can bring in some color by having the calligraphy done over watercolor as shown here (though my exact dream one would have more of a pale coral watercolor to tie in with the coral throw), or through different ink choices. The calligraphy shown is from my amazing wedding calligrapher Virginia Lucas Hart (I bet you can spy our custom wedding invites and crest on her Past Work page). There are also many options on Etsy: I liked this one and this one. To frame the calligraphy, I opted for a splurge (since you're saving on the art!) burlwood gallery frame. I love that the burlwood brings another texture into the room and is a nice contrast to the mirrored nighstands and mahogany bed.
Bedside Accessories: I'm drawn to spaces that feel lived in, so topped my dream nightstands with some accessories. Books for both, of course, a stylish table clock for him, a tray and blue and white bud vase for her.
Bowood Bench: Can we talk about this bench!? I'm in love and made it "custom" for this design! Chintz can feel grandma really quick, so the ultra modern lucite bench legs are just what the doctor ordered! A pretty throw (comes in 29 colors!) atop the bench brings a pop of color I love and feels cozy.
Floor & Walls: Last, but, certainly not least, I have to mention the floor and walls. A cream rug feels soft in a bedroom and this wool one is affordable and has great reviews! For fun, I added grasscloth wallpaper to the walls. I've been dreaming of a grasscloth bedroom since seeing the bedroom of the always stylish Sue, the lady behind The Zhush.

The next and final part of my dream design, is a sitting area! A nice little sitting area in a room is wonderful for putting on shoes, enjoying a glass of wine as you get ready or relax with a face mask, and of course, is a place to throw and pile up all your discard clothes (ha!).

When envisioning this room, I simply added some square footage to our current bedroom and adjusted the windows a bit. In my dream design, if you were standing facing the bed in the last image, this set up would be to your right on the adjacent wall. 

Window Treatments: Let's start with that big window I designed! I couldn't stop with Bowood just on the bench, so my dream bedroom would have Bowood draperies as well. Again, to modernize the chintz, they'd be hung on a fabulous lucite and brass curtain rod! I'd also add a bamboo Roman shade. I love that natural elements like bamboo can really ground a space and also make them feel inviting. It's all about the mix and this dream bedroom should feel traditional and modern, masculine and feminine, formal and inviting. 

Club Chairs: These swivel chairs are casual chic and a great price point! To top them off, I added a leopard velvet pillow to each which matches the bolster on the bed.
Moroccan Pouf: A neutral Moroccan pouf adds some masculinity to the space, and while these poufs aren't all the rage they were a few years ago, I still love them! I'll never forget saving up to order a blush pink one for our sun room ages ago that cost $165...which felt very much like a splurge at the time. It's now in our living room and still a favorite.
Garden Stool: I have this very garden stool in our dining room. I treat blue and white pieces as a neutral throughout our home and think it's the perfect little table between the chairs.
Tortoise Frame: I've admired this Kate Spade frame for ages, and am not sure why I haven't ever bit the bullet and ordered it. I go gaga for anything tortoise. It's small size makes it perfect atop the garden stool.
Tocca Candle: As you're sipping wine, propping your feet up on the pouf reading and enjoying a face mask, this lightly scented candle will add to the overall ambiance.

Now, if you've made it this far, a few final notes:

• On the wall to the right of the bed, adjacent to the sitting area, my dream bedroom would have this ahhh-mazing antique bamboo secretary!
• I'd also add a fabulous dresser to the space. I really love this one and this one.
• My dream bedroom would also have a dream closet like this one, and a dream bath like this one.

What do you think?

What would be the musts in your dream bedroom?

Do neutral, calm spaces appeal more to you, or bright, bold spaces?

Be sure to tune in Thursday to see how I'm taking this dream vision and adapting it for our reality!

Have a great day!

Beautiful Bowood Bedrooms

Happy Wednesday, friends!

If you tuned in on Monday, you'll know from that post Eight Interior Designers to Follow that I'm doing a three part series on the blog this week culminating with a design plan to refresh our bedroom.

Monday, I "introduced" you to some seriously talented ladies whose design has been inspiring me, and today I'm sharing a fabric that has been inspiring me.

First, though, I'll note that my design style has really evolved in the last year or so. While still a fan of bright colors and bold prints, I've found myself more attracted to neutral palettes where bright and bold serve simply as "pops" rather than taking center stage. When thinking to design in my own home, an overly loud space feels a little overwhelming and exhausting. This especially rings true to me when thinking of a bedroom.

You can take a peek here at my current bedroom decor. Don't get me wrong, the bright ikat paired with the ultra traditional trellis does make my heart flutter, but, what it doesn't do is evoke calm, relax, rest...things I find to be pretty crucial in a bedroom.

The good news is that our base - white matelasse bedding (similar coverlet and shams) with trellis shams and bedskirt (fabric here) - are classics that will stand the test of time. The rest are just accessories that can be easily switched out with mood or style evolution over time. And I've given a lot of thought over the last several months to how I want to update those accessories. Don't fret, pattern play will still be be a part of the overall scheme, it will just be more subdued and subtle.

One pattern I've kept going back to is Colefax and Fowler's classic Bowood chintz. While it's definitely having a moment right now, it is undoubtedly timeless and as the photos below show, truly versatile.

Let's take a look shall we?

I'll let the fabric do (most of) the talking from here on out...

via

Whens scheming my bedroom plans, accent colors I considered were pink and lilac. I think I've decided on pink, but this bedroom belonging to the stylish Julia Engel does lilac so well.

via

I love, love, love the Bowood headboard and bedskirt and those bed linens are so cute! 

Those sconces are fab, too, while we're at it!

via

The Bowood headboard and canopy! The luxe velvet pillow! The lamp that looks nearly identical to my bedside lamp! Swoon!

via

This space by Clary Bosbyshell, who was featured in my post, on Monday is so cozy and calm.

via

And last, but certainly not least, all the love for this perfectly pink space. Designed by Richmond designer Suellen Gregory, this bedroom belongs to Katie Ukrop the lady behind Richmond's 

(also perfectly pink) Quirk Hotel and Quirk Gallery.

I can't wait to show you the vision I have on Friday for Bowood in our bedroom!

Are you a fan of chintz and Bowood?

Or do you prefer more modern fabrics?

Have a great day!

Eight Interior Designers to Follow

Happy Monday friends!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Ours was a great balance of work, fun, and relaxation.

Today I'm excited to share Post 1 in a 3 part series for the week.

This time of year, my creative wheels always start turning in regards to our home. The New Year brings a desire to not only clean out, but refresh our home.

When pondering home updates, Instagram is my favorite place to go to find design inspiration these days. I love shelter magazines and scrolling Pinterest, but I like the personal connection Instagram brings.  I thought today I'd share some of the designers whose style has been beautifying my Instagram feed and provides just the right dose of inspiration.

Nicola Bathie Designs

First up is Nicola Bathie. Talk about living a life of beauty and style!

Nicola provides just as much fashion as she does design goodness. She also 

makes gorgeous earrings, and you'll love watching her sweet baby girl and 

new puppy grow!

Amy Berry Design

If I had to think of a word to describe Amy's design it would be effortless.

Her work comes together in a way that just works and feels effortless- equally 

parts inviting and chic. You'll also swoon over her dog beds which I've been

eyeing for my Millie girl for quite some time.

Jenkins Interiors

Jenkins Interiors does traditional so well, but keeps it fresh by 

adding the absolute perfect punch like the acrylic curtain rod shown above.

Like several other ladies on the list (Nicola, Amy and Paloma), she's a Texan

which makes me think just like everything else, design is BIG in Texas!

Clary Bosbyshell

Blue, blue, blue comes to mind when thinking of Clary Bosbyshell, but

her eye for design ensures she does work in all colors well. Her kitchen designs 

tend to be my very favorite. She just launched her website last week.

Oak City Interiors

I love following Jessie on her business site and personal (@jlepley).

Though now pursuing her passion for design professionally, I think I connect 

with Jessie, because, she started out having a "normal" 9 to 5 job, 

building her design skills first as a hobby decorating her own home.

Alexander Interiors Nashville

There's a good chance you've swooned over her nursery

design featured in Southern Living. It was that nursery that led me to first 

discover Alexander Interiors on Instagram. Since following her, I've continued to 

swoon over design, but also love that Tori keeps it real and makes me laugh.

Paloma Contreras Design

I'm not sure why it took me so long, but I just discovered Paloma after flipping through 

her new book Dream Design Live in Barnes & Noble this fall. I received her book for 

Christmas and have already read it cover to cover. She provides lots of practical tips and I love the "Live" section at the end with tips for entertaining and hosting. 

She also is opening a shop (this week!) you should check out!

Katie Gibson Interiors

As shown here, Katie can do a monogram like no other! Her

designs feel clean and crisp, while still being infused with color and personality.

She also is an expert at mixing pattern and texture as shown in the powder room

above that exudes chic.

Do you follow any of these ladies?

What do you find inspiring on social media?

Be sure to tune in Wednesday and Friday, where I'll share a bit more about my path to refresh our bedroom. Today featured some of my design role models whose work inspires me. The "Dream" stage in Paloma's book. Wednesday will be a look at a fabric inspiration, and finally Friday, we'll veer into "Design" phase. Over the next couple months, hopefully I'll be able to tune in with photos of an updated bedroom for "Live."

Have a great week!

Word of the Year: SAVOR

Happy Hump Day, readers!

Nine days in and I'm feeling really good about this upcoming year and am excited to see what's in store.

Blogging can be so cathartic and sharing my reflections of the past year and intentions for the new year here is a really good exercise. One of my all time favorite quotes is "I cannot advise that we remain as we are." by Socrates. This idea of constant improvement really drives me, and reflection and intention are an important part of growth.

So before I dive into my word of 2019, savor, I want to take a moment to reflect on 2018, which was truly one of the best years of my life.

(This is a long post, so if you'd rather skip ahead, scroll down to the graphic and start there.)

My word last year was intentional, with a particular focus in the areas of family and career. I shared that I felt as if I was on a precipice, the end of a high dive, and I wanted to make sure my jumps into the next phase of my life were the right ones.

In terms of career, I knew I had landed in the right profession, but I hadn't yet found just the right fit. I spent a good bit of time job searching last year and was relentless in my search. I knew I needed to land somewhere that had lasting power, and even turned down a few really great job offers, so that I could ultimately say yes to my dream job. I've been in my role now for nearly 9 months and really feel I have "landed." I have room to grow, stretch, and challenge myself; a boss who encourages creativity and risk; and a reasonable workload.  Additionally, I have incredible flexibility, which was a huge deciding factor during my job search, and will be crucial once we have bambinos.

Which leads me to my next point: family. This time last year, we knew we weren't quite ready to start a family, and wanted to focus on being intentional in a few areas to prepare for babes in the not so distant future: finances, spontaneity, and health. Finding a job where I could see myself as a working mom was one box I knew I needed to check before thinking about adding a baby to the mix; and my new role also fortunately was a nice title and salary jump. As newlyweds last year, we also felt the need to "catch up" post-wedding and honeymoon, and also figure out what financial path to take as a married couple. This wasn't a huge curve ball, as we had been living together for a few years, but it's something we're still working at and tweaking to find the right balance. Next, we  knew we wanted to take some more time to be selfish and spontaneous. We planned a somewhat last minute trip to England last year when opportunity struck (our friends, Erin and Ryan, are living in London temporarily). We drove to the Eastern Shore on a whim to see a 4:00 am rocket launch! We said "No thanks!" (countless) times to our meal plan and opted for Mexican and margaritas instead. Finally, in terms of health, we wanted to build habits to make us as healthy as possible before parenthood. I'm excited to say I'm starting 2019 about 14 pounds lighter than I started 2018, but more importantly I'm more physically fit and have a good balance in my diet. Sleep is still a health area we need to improve on, but hey, maybe, we're just preparing ourselves for the sleep deprivation that will come with children.

Okay, now onto 2019. That "moment" to reflect on 2018 got a bit wordy. Hopefully you're still with me, because I am PUMPED to jump into my word for this year!

savor (v): to delight in; enjoy

It took me quite a while to find this word. It was on the tip of my tongue for a while.

I've shared on here before that I'm Type A, a planner, a doer. I don't necessarily think those are bad traits, but I do find myself sometimes focusing so much on what's next, that I'm not fully present and enjoying what's now. I've even noticed a trend where in the second half of a month, I'll often say "I can't wait for X MONTH to be over." Not because it's a hard month, or there's something I'm looking forward to the next month, simply because I feel like I want to just keep going. I also sometimes struggle (though I've gotten much better) to let go of things that are outside of my control, or to accept when things don't go according to my plan and timeline. When I was in therapy in college, my therapist once said to me something like "Allie, I know you can explain all your feelings, analyze them, tell me why you should or shouldn't feel a certain way; but I want you to focus instead on just being in the feeling." 

For all these reasons, I knew I wanted this year to be about, quite frankly, just being. I considered the words breathe and serenity, but they felt too zen. I considered faith or trust, but both of those have connotations that strayed from my meaning. I also thought about gratitude or contentment, but they weren't quite right either.

As I continued and continued to go back to the drawing board what kept coming to mind was our recent New Year's Eve. We stayed in and early in the night, I was sitting by the fire sipping bubbly, Millie was next to me, Bryce was nearby in the kitchen, and Van Morrison was playing on the radio. In that moment all I could feel was pure joy. Similarly, when I think back to our trip to England, one of, if not the most, favorite moments was at Stonehenge when we sat in the grass, paused, and took in the rolling green hills, blue skies, grazing sheep, and wonder of the monument. The moments where I'm most happy, content, joyful are the moments were I am truly stopping, breathing, and savoring the here and now. 

So as I think to and celebrate all I achieved in 2018, in 2019 I want to focus less on what's next and more on seizing the moment.  Achievements will come, of this I'm sure, but what's most important is savoring the experiences - big and small, happy and sad, easy and tough - along the way.

Happy New Year, friends!

Do you set goals, resolutions, a word for the year?

Have a great day!

2018 in 12 Pictures

Happy Friday friends!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and your 2019 is off to a fabulous start!

I always feel energized and inspired in the new year, and this year is no different.

I'm pumped for 2019and am hoping to keep the blog flow going!

Last year, you may remember I posted 2017 in 12 Pictures. It was a fun way to recap the year and I thought I'd do it again this year.

2018 was one for the books, so let's jump right in!

JANUARY

We had a quiet, dry January, which I'm repeating again this year! 

I tricked myself into thinking I was drinking cocktails by serving my La Croix 

with lime in a fancy glass!

FEBRUARY

I hosted my third Valentine making party and made these 

cookie dough rice krispie treats which are always a big hit!

MARCH

We enjoyed a beautiful Sunday with the cutest

little Easter Bunny I've ever seen!

APRIL

I landed my dream job and had Bryce do a shoot of me for a 

major life update post with workwear picks...that never happened...

These shoes, though, (on sale!) you need them for work, and play!

MAY

We enjoyed a bountiful peony season!

It is such a treat having our yard filled with peonies passed down from both our grandparents.

JUNE

We celebrated our first wedding anniversary! We started the day with brunch at

Portico, then made our way to Tuckahoe Plantation to walk the gardens and reminisce,

and finally enjoyed wedding cake and our wedding video!

JULY

We made our way to Bryce's hunt club for a couples weekend.

Millie was a happy marsh dog!

AUGUST

We "holidayed" in London and the Cotswolds and it was an incredible week! So hard to choose a

favorite, but Stonehenge left me wonderstruck and was a highlight. So grateful to our London hosts, Erin and Ryan.

SEPTEMBER

We made our way to Washington, D.C. for a day date that started at Le Diplomate

and ended at Jiffy Lube Live to see Van Morrison!

OCTOBER

I partnered with Serena & Lily to set what might be my prettiest tablescape yet.

Full post here.

NOVEMBER

Wow, what a month November was! I had such a hard time choosing just one photo:

Turkey Trot, hosting our first Thanksgiving, and turning 30! 30 won out...I celebrated all

month long, and it sure was fun!

DECEMBER

The most magical (12") snow came right in the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle

and provided just the respite we needed! And boy, snow is even more beautiful at Christmastime!

Wow, 2018 sure was good to me!

I can't wait to see what 2019 has in store, and will be posting deeper reflections and my word of the year next week. Last year's word of the year in this post.

What are the highlights from your year?

Have a great weekend!