Hey everyone, I managed to snap a few shots yesterday of the upgrades to the downstairs powder room!  Freshening this space was one of my Home Goals of 2012 and I’m loving the new look.  This downstairs bathroom is just 3’ x 8’ but a few changes added some real drama to this space.  Here’s how it looked two weeks ago:

Here’s how it looks today!

I added beadboard wallpaper last week, then painted the upper portion of the walls a deep mushroom gray.  I also replaced the light fixture, the window shade, and the mirror with the one I mentioned with the winter mantel.  This small powder room now feels much more sophisticated, dramatic, and modern!

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Leave it to Nester to kick my boo-tay in gear every year and get me to put pen to paper and make a list of goals for around the house.  So I did.  Last year, I did alright, met at least 80% or something like that.  This year, I’m feeling just as ambitious.  I’ve got big dreams so let’s take a peek at the *official* CG Home Goals for 2012.

#1  Prettier Powder.  First up, I’m giving our powder room a mini makeover ~ it’s in need of some piz-azz.  It’s been that soft RH Silver Sage color for years but I’m over it. Yesterday I installed some beadboard wallpaper, and I just need to repaint and install the new mirror. Gonna be gorg!

#2  Build a Bench   I’d like to build a long potting bench. I’ve always wanted a potting bench.  I’m thinking of building it with some local resalvaged wood and adding a little sink, it could would fit along this narrow strip of unused space on the side of the house. I could plant and grow and store all things garden right here. 

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Hey all, as promised here are a few shots I took over the last couple of days of our home this holiday season.  I’m keeping it simple, my decor this year is mostly garland for scent, poinsettias scattered here and there, ornaments in various vessels, and always branches ~ simple touches since I want to spend most of the next week enjoying the twinkle lights, the baked goodies, the traditions, and our family.

I’m officially done with all the decorating, welcome to our home this Christmas season! 

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Today is the last of the Holiday Home parties, and Sarah is hosting Christmas trees, so it’s the perfect occasion to show you ours.  Just like last year (and because it reminds me of my grandmother who always had the same) I picked up another flocked tree at a local lot.  Instead of a tree skirt, we placed it in a wine barrel for a rustic look.  I’m using up all of my red decor this year, so the tree is covered in various favorite ornaments and also bulbs and flourishes in crimson shades. 

Wedged in the tree are several branches of red berries for color and contrast.

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Well it’s certainly looking a lot like Christmas around here which means some things are done like the tree and mantel, but much of it is not. I’m going very minimalist with the décor, perhaps it’s because I’ve had to bring it all out a few times this year, so I’m keeping it simple.  I’m in a ‘less is more’ mode right now and loving the fuss less look. 

Most of my holiday decorations are a mixture of white, gold, and silver, and every year I just pick a color to layer on top.  This year I’m loving crimson again. I’m infatuated with white ceramic things, you’ll spy a new snowfall tree from Z Gallerie and two white reindeer I picked up in an after Christmas sale last year ~ they’re both my favorites right now so they got the prominent placement on the wintery mantel.  

And how about that gorgeous mirror?  It’s the Bellasol from Ballard looking lovely in the living room but it’s really just visiting ~ it’s destined for the powder room in January.  I found it on sale at Ballard with free shipping two weeks ago, the sale couldn’t have been better timed since I’ve had my eye on it for a year now for the bathroom.  I’m loving the way it bounces images around the room. 

Those are the same stockings from last year, just embellished with red yarn and pom poms. The iron fireplace screen was an antique faire find last spring, a steal at $40.

Yes, I have a giant 9 foot moss covered branch in my living room and yes I love it. The story behind it is here.  I’m obsessed with this branch, it’s like it fell off the tree because it wanted to live in my house. 

The new club chairs with nailhead trim were acquired from Joss & Main (I saved up enough credit over there to only have to pay cash for half of one) and if you love them too they’ll be available at my sale next week.  The white furry pillow is actually a reformed bath mat (read about it here) and the lamb’s wool “throw” is just the cover to the West Elm mongolian lamb’s wool pillow I’ve had for awhile (seen here).  Red velvet pillow from World Market, red sparkle pillow from Crate + Barrel.   

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