So.  IT came.  Last week.  And I’m really exited about it!!  It’s our new trestle dining room table!  You may recall this trestle table post back in August where I shared we were on the hunt for a new one and looking at all the options available out there.  I ended up buying the last one I featured and since I didn’t have a chance to evaluate it in person, I confess I was biting my nails for six weeks it took to arrive.  But here it is!

I really wanted something light but not white to contrast with the dark wood built in buffet, and with a refined rustic feel to it – this table definitely fits the bill!  It’s 7 feet long, seats 6-8 people, and a perfect fit for the space. 

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Well I’m excited to announce I finally finished up the study space makeover we started way back in May.  I had every intention of finishing up this space before school started for the kids in August but life and other more important spaces kept me occupied.

Anyhoo.  Last weekend, I finally was able to tackle the final projects that remained – stitching up a cushion cover for the window seat and installing a window treatment above.  I decided to have a lot of fun with color in this space especially since it’s for the kids.  I stuck with a blue and green palette (predictable much Kate?) and mixed in a lot of pattern to keep it fun.

With a width of 9 ½ feet, the room is not gigantic, but but it’s just big enough for its intended purpose, as a creative zone for art and games, for reading or watching movies, and a place for the youngsters to hang out with each other and their buddies. 

Yeah that window seat we built from IKEA refrigerator cabinets over the summer sure looks great topped with a cushion and some fun pillows!  I’ve always wanted a true window seat similar to the built in nook I had when I was a kid. 

I sewed a cushion cover with a foam insert for the window seat, but let me tell you, it was the ultra lazy ‘sew the bare minimum’ method. I had lofty ambitions of a piped cushion cover with a perfect zipper enclosure but instead settled on a knife edge cushion, stitched up with some green canvas outdoor fabric I found on sale at Joann’s Fabrics.

Hello beautiful modern oversized drum fixture!  I searched high and low for the right pendant, and even considered a DIY version, but when I saw the Finley fixture at Crate + Barrel, I decided it was the one.  Large in scale, clean lined and modern, and perfect for the space. 

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When it comes to fall decorating, I have a predictable annual ritual.  I clip colorful stems of viburnum leaves from the backyard, pull out the amber glass collection from storage, and pose mini pumpkins all around the house.  As a result, the mantel tends to reflect my fall favorites. 

That was the mantel yesterday morning when I photographed it.  Then I had two cups of coffee.  And as I sat there in the cozy space, amped up on caffeine, I got a hankering to mix it up again.   

As I’ve mentioned, I am fixated on marbled paper this year, so I decided after lunch to  take down the mirror and replace it with some framed golden marbled papers I ordered earlier this year. (Those are IKEA Ribba frames if you’re curious.)

Aaaaaand here’s the afternoon version of the mantel. 

Here are the seasonal changes: I temporarily swapped my living room rug for the Surya rug that used to sit in the kid’s playroom and was hiding in a closet.  I brought down the slipcovered settee from our master bedroom for a few months to create a cozy seating area around the fireplace.  And I added a deep orange throw blanket and some embroidered DL Rhein pillows, both purchased from Joss & Main as autumn accents.

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We made a change in the kitchen last week, something I’ve been wanting to do for months now.  A couple of years ago, I found a free fixture at Habitat ReStore, brought it home, rewired it, and painted it white.  That free fixture hung in our kitchen for two years and it was really great (especially since it was free!) but I’ve been dreaming of something a little more snazzy.  I wanted to mix it up and bring in some lighting that was bigger, bolder, and modern. 

I’ve been fixated on statement pendants over kitchen islands lately, so I finally decided it was time to upgrade ours.  Say hello to the two new polished nickel lantern fixtures that now hang over our kitchen island!

Ba da bling!

We splurged on two polished nickel and linen shade lanterns, purchased from one of my sponsors, Shades of Light.  With a 10% discount, they were $288 each but my oh my what eye candy they are!  

They’re really gorgeous in person but do you notice the slight problem?

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