Shipping Container Retreat!

My dream one day is to have a really cool home office that is detached from the main house and is in a beautiful backyard. I saw this idea posted a while back on {Dwell.com} and then later on {Apartment Therapy}. I love it! This specific shipping container was turned into a backyard retreat/guest house - so cool! Texas architect, Jim Poteet, was able to find an empty steel shipping container and transform it into this wonderful room for visitors! Measuring 8ft x 40ft, a portion of it was kept as a garden shed and the rest was the living space. Floor to ceiling glass doors and windows, heating and air conditioning, a green roof, bamboo flooring and wall covering were all added, as well as small sink, shower, and a composting toilet. The whole structure was placed on a base made from recycled telephone poles.

Penelope's Bedroom Makeover!

I fell in love with this bedroom makeover when I came across it on {IS*LY} today. The part of this that inspired me was the way they were able to find ways to cut cost by picking up some great deals and doing some DIY along the way. In total this cost $300. Not bad if you ask me!

DIY Bottle Cap Tray

I thought this was a pretty sweet idea from {Apartment Therapy} of something to do with a collection of bottle caps - either paint them or keep the branding from your beverage of choice. This is a perfect project that can start with a cool tray picked up from a swap meet, thrift store or if you have an old one lying around that needs some sprucing up.

PS: I love these colors :)

Shabby Chic Flag Banners!

These whole fabric and paper flag banner things have become such a trend lately - I figured it was time to finally do a post on them. Here are some of my faves. I love this shabby chic style that can be customized for any event :) I am just wondering...is it overdone? Is it a trend that will die out?

Los Olivos Wedding

Those who know me well, know that I LOVE the color grey :) Black, white and grey make up much of my wardrobe and as far as home decorating goes, I tend to stick to neutrals for the most part. When I read that this bride's favorite color was grey, it explained why I fell in love with the decor of {this wedding} and the choice of colors used. It was a perfect mix of elegant contemporary and rustic vintage. From the the incredibly unique chandelier, lace table runners and fabric/ribbon covered candle holders to the place setting numbers and menus. My favorite part of all was the fact that the bridesmaid dresses were not only each different, but they were actually all white! It is usually considered a huge fashion faux pas to wear white as a guest to a wedding let alone those standing up with the bride and groom! I thought it was an absolutely beautiful decision and turned out looking amazing with all the different styles and textures of each dress. Thank you {Style Me Pretty} for always featuring such amazing events that are truly masterpieces.

3-Ring Circus Baby Shower

I have definitely seen a lot of beautiful and creative baby shower ideas, but this one is just something else! Such a fun theme, so creative, and well done...down to every small detail! The concept of a {3-Ring Circus} with this adorable couple expecting a baby is too perfect :)

Laid Back Cottage

One of my favorite sites, {Apartment Therapy} featured a house tour of Michael Jon Watt's Michigan cottage. It is a total of 818 square feet with a full basement. Here is what he has done with it in the two years he has lived there. {Click here} to learn more about resources and details about each room.

Beadboard, Chair Railing, and Moulding

I have always been really drawn to the look of beadboard and chair railing in homes. Lately I have been seeing a lot more homes with moulding added to walls and ceilings, creating beautiful framed sections. Here are some of my favorite styles...

I'm Back!!!

It has been FAR TOO LONG since I have been able to sit down and get to blogging! I have missed it so much! My little brother graduated college, we went on a family vacation, I went to a destination wedding in Cancun, moved to a new apartment, been busy at work...it's been nuts! But I am back now and ready to share a ton :)

Being that I just moved, I have been thinking a lot about decorating and furniture. One of my main challenges over the past few weeks has been figuring out the seating in my living room/dining room area. I only have enough room really for one main couch and a chair, so I have been trying to come up with some other ideas. I seem to be drawn to the idea of cute floor cushions or putting cushions in front of the fireplace. Today I came across these awesome retro {bean bag chairs} on Etsy and had to share! LOVE them!

Before & After Country Kitchen

Kerri, of {Driftwood Interiors}, had plans of designing a new kitchen like the one in the first two images. One day while her husband was at work, she decided it was time for an update until they were able to actually remodel. Since structurally the kitchen was in good condition, but just looked fresh out of the 80's (when it was built), she decided to take matters into her own DIY hands. Armed with spray gun, she was able to transform her kitchen for less than $500. Found via {Apartment Therapy}

In Kerri's words:
"I love what a difference a simple coat of paint has made to the room – it’s now so light and airy, and it looks much bigger. But my favourite element came about by covering the brick island with beadboard, which totally changed the feel of the room. The dark brick screamed 80’s style, and by replacing it I think I’ve managed to inject some charm and style into a space that was sadly lacking both. The room was functional but very tired, and with just a little paint, some new cabinet hardware, and a bit of elbow grease it now has a fresh, contemporary feel."

EAT DRINK PRETTY Dessert Table

Ok, so clearly I absolutely LOVE dessert tables as you can tell. Here is yet another beautiful spread by {Eat Drink Pretty} found at {Style Me Pretty}. From the plates, cake stands and vases to the the desserts and the use of flowers...it is so elegant. I love the vintage touch :) This table was done in celebration of Eat Drink Pretty's blogiversary!

Bridal Shower Dessert Table!

I had the pleasure of designing Bridal Shower invitations, design elements throughout the shower, and of course my favorite part...baking for and putting together the Dessert Table :) This was a great experience, a first for me, doing much more than just cupcakes. It was a lot of work...I think I am still recovering and trying to catch up on rest...but it was well worth it. Congrats Kristina! Can't wait for the wedding!

Succulent Chandelier!

I have a huge love for succulents, so you can imagine my excitement when I found {this}! I can't wait for the day that I have a backyard to enjoy a DIY creation of my own like this :)

Outdoor Essentials for Spring :)

With the weather warming up these days, I have been dreaming of having my own home with a beautiful backyard for entertaining and relaxing. What better place to go for furniture and other outdoor living essentials than {Crate&Barrel} One day...

Ya ya ya...I love me some GREEN!

Contemporary Meets Arts & Crafts

I adore much of the architectural style that came out of Arts & Crafts movement/Craftsman style homes. I am loving the way {this} 1920's craftsman style has been transformed, while still keeping much of the original character. The high-end modern furniture and chic handmade decorative accents have put a whole new spin on Arts & Crafts.

Open-air Bathroom

Can I have one of these...pretty please?

The Litte Things

I love this kitchen decor found on {The Little Things} blog! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the splashes of color, yet it still has a very neutral overall look and feel. Just my style :)

Natalie & Garret's Wedding Dessert Table :)

So this was my first time doing a dessert table set-up for a wedding :) What better than doing it for the wedding of a close friend!

With beautiful table runners made by the bride's mother, awesome DIY cake stands and framed chalkboards made by the bride herself, San Luis Obispo's Cowboy Cookies, a delicious chocolate cake from Claim Jumper that I decorated with flowers, and 188 cupcakes I made and decorated myself...it all came together nicely in the end :) I had so much fun baking and decorating all of them then finding a way to arrange the whole table to make it all work together. Made me really want to do this for a living...ah...someday :)

The beautiful photographs were taken by {Jake and Necia Odening} from {Mike Larson Photography}. They do incredible work - check back in a few days for some gorgeous photos taken from the whole wedding!

Goldiehome ~ Eco-Conscious Homewares

I came across the home furnishing designs by {Goldiehome} on the {2Modern Blog}. Not only are the designs beautiful and sophisticated, but the products are also eco-conscious and inspired by the geometry and tactility of nature. Goldiehome has begun to set a whole new standard for luxurious organic modern design, all made from certified organic cotton.

Before & After (via D*S)

This Before & After was far too beautiful not to share, for those of you who don't follow {Design*Sponge} and haven't already seen it. It probably helped just a little that they used my favorite color green :)