inspiration in charleston

because i didn't want to overload the first charleston post with a billion pictures, i thought i would dedicate a post just to the inspiration i found in charleston.

we spent an entire afternoon walking along the battery. it's an area of downtown charleston along the water that is filled with historic and beautiful houses. i kept stopping in the middle of the sidewalk and darting across the street because i saw something that i loved and wanted to snap a picture to remember.

although i will never live in one of these gorgeous houses, there were bits and pieces that i can maybe sneak into our house someday.

which one is your favorite?

i want to be her

maybe just so i can live in this house.

have y'all seen the movie "it's complicated"? it's a cute little flick that has one of the most fabulous houses i have ever seen. i was literally drooling the entire time.

or how about the amazing little store/bakery that the character owns in the movie?
sure...i'll take that too.

photos courtesy of here 

definitely recommend the flick. and anyone who wants to buy me the house...it would be greatly appreciated.

moving on...

on sunday, A and i had the chance to go over to my boss' house with a few other co-workers and their significant others for a day on the lake. my boss is a fabulous lady and her and her husband were fabulous hosts.

also, her house was breathtaking as well. an old cottage that had been renovated with some rooms added on. my favorite part of her house was the back porch. a huge porch (not screened in) with a long rectangular table (homemade by her hubs) and a sitting area with a fireplace. a perfect place to eat dinner and unwind every night. she said they spend most nights out there...i can see why.

i felt like i was surrounded by beautiful houses this weekend. first in the movie and then at my boss' abode. and although i completely believe that true joy doesn't come from worldly things (like beautiful houses), i still get excited to think about having my own little place someday with A. a place where i can paint, decorate and renovate to my little hearts content.

this is how you do shabby

shabby chic that is.

i think this is what fairytales are made of.

i fumbled across this article the other day and was immediatley drawn to the cottage. a NY woman (who wears pink rainboots so you know she is a precious lady) worked some magic on a little cabin. she took an old fishing log cabin and turned it into a dreamy, shabby chic, "i-could-sleep-in-that-loft-for-the-rest-of-my-life" abode.

now please please droll over these 2 photots with me.

you can check out the article {here} where there is also a link for a bunch of pictures (that i could not, for the life of me, figure out how to get them onto my blog. they are steal borrow-proof. so please...go look and you will understand why i want the loft bed.

i mean, is this cottage not what every girl dreams of?

minty love

it's no secret that i have a big obsession with all things minty green.

so when i headed over to high heeled foot in the door blog last week, i got my fix of minty love. camila featured rooms chocked full of my fave color. yes please. YES PLEASE.

in case you don't follow her blog {which i seriously recommend}, i thought i was share the minty goodness with you.

i pink puffy heart minty green goodness.

obsession: magazine

i am addicted. to {home decor} magazines. i didn't know it until i looked around.

and i always wish i would get elle decor and house beautiful.

what is wrong with me folks? i have a stack of about 12 that i haven't even gone through. they just keep piling up. and i am totally ok with that.

am i the only one?

emptying my obsessions

i have a folder saved on my desktop where i save all of my design/decorating inspiration. lots and lots and lots of pictures.

and it is about high time to dump some favorites onto my little ol' blog here.

enjoy the eye candy.

{design sponge}

{robyn karp}

{anthropologie}

{anthropologie}

{design sponge}

{domino}

{design sponge}

{domino}

do you now understand my obsession? i mean...i'll take all of these rooms please.
just gorgeous.

{duh}

first let me say...

holy interior decorating heaven, batman!

now as i wipe the drool from my keyboard...

while visiting family in pensacola florida, my mama and i have discovered a little treasure. it is an interior decorating shop called duh! in downtown pensacola. and y'all...i'm not kidding. it is seriously heavenly.

what seems to be a quaint little shop from the outside turns into a huge mecca of interior decorating fabulousness. from the front building you go into a huge courtyard, into a 2-story old house, into another building behind that, that entices  you to the warehouse across the street. each and every inch is crammed with decorating goodies. 

of course, over christmas, my g-mom, mama and i all ventured to duh!. i like to draw my inspiration from that store. it is so unique. they are set up like a bunch of rooms. it feels like you are walking into people's living rooms, kitchens and apartments. i love the set-up. like i said...so much inspiration.

here are my shots from our trip.

2 things about duh that are drawbacks for me...

1. it is outrageously priced. hundreds and thousands of dollars for some things. don't mind if i do just take 1000 pictures for inspiration. i am all about DIY or finding a cheaper alternative.

2. they love white. now, don't get me wrong. i am obsessed with white. but i am also obsessed with adding punches of color everywhere. they don't do a lot of color. not my cup of tea personally.

if you are ever in the area, seriously go. GO. 

they do not have a website {tear} but i have attached their information {here}.

anything that catches your eye? what about all the white? do you love? hate? like a mixture {like me!}? 

do tell.

these are just my personal opinions. i was not compensated in away to review the store or their products. i just love it so much that i wanted to share with my readers :)

extra seating

i love the look of kitchens with extra seating {as bar stools}. i think it is so practical if you have a big family and even more practical if you have kiddos. and these pictures just make it look so perfect. so fitting. i would like to prop there and pick out recipes for the week and make grocery shopping lists. i know...that sounds very mom-ish of me. but i would totally do it.

that first kitchen is my favorite. but i really do enjoy each of these pictures. someday, i will get to put pretty barstools in my kitchen. someday...

pictures above credited to domino and apartment therapy.