gallery life.

My empty-frame gallery needs a facelift.  

It's now been with me through two apartments for the length of three years, and I suppose I'm getting spring fever.  In my first apartment it hung on the wall of my reading nook, and in my current it hangs on the main wall of my living room.  

Though I loved the DIY (post to come), I think its time to bid farewell.  

 Cue the inspiration.  

photos via 

 I adore these galleries!  The character, sass, personality - it's like an autobiography hanging from your wall.  For the past few months I've been searching to collect just the right blend of personal photos, written prints, artwork and other knick knacks to create my ideal look.

I get caught between the refined look of evenly distributed matching white frames, versus the eclectic blend of mismatched frames and organized chaos.  I'm thinking I'll go with the latter, because let's be honest…my autobiography would not be refined :) 

fear of commitment

I love my little apartment but I'm feeling the need to autumnize it. Yes, autumnize. 

It's filled with pale and royal blues (shocking), and an occasional splash of yellow and coral-red. These splashes are kept to a very small minimum, so the blue-ness brings about a constant feel of spring and summer. It's wonderfully light but unseasonal once the temperatures fall.
There are so many areas for improvement (note: window treatments), but since I have less than a year left in this apartment, I don't want to invest too much into a temporary place. 

Cue Caitlin Wilson and all of her glorious talent in pillow-design. 

The perfect low-commitment solution to decor.

 I think its time to up the anty of golden and coral hues, perhaps with some navy and gray in between? Consider the collage below my inspiration board.

I'm slowly going to become a pillow hoarder and I'm totally okay with it.

How are you decorating for fall?

xoxo,

bungalows in fall.

 I've been consistently drawn to these photos. 

The color schemes. The warmth. The texture. They've got me hooked.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to own a similar-looking bungalow in the mountains of Switzerland or some other beautiful country? I'd imagine goats and piggies (!!!) roaming about outside, and looking out my window to see endless landscapes. 

...A girl can dream.

Until then, I think I'll frame these sights and use them as fall decor in my little apartment.

Here's a more practical (and equally beautiful) fall porch from the lovely Sarah at The Yellow Cape Cod . I just discovered her blog and it's definitely worth checking out - she's got talent!

Do you have a porch to decorate?  I dream of the day.

xoxo,

white on wood

I was inspired by the lovely Nicole at Me Oh My! to create my own wooden wall art.  I spent months thinking about the perfect quote or set of lyrics, and I finally decided on an excerpt from Times by Tenth Avenue North, and I'm so happy with how it turned out!

Here's how I did it:

Step 1. Retrieve scrap wood from local hardware store.

Or your parents' garage :)

Step 2: Purchase stain in the shade of your preference. I went with the darkest shade I could find (right option), all others were too auburn for my taste.

Step 3: Use a paint brush or old rag to lightly brush stain onto wood surface. I felt I had more control by applying with the rag. I'd definitely recommend doing a trial run on the opposite side of the wood or on an additional piece of scrap wood. It can be tricky to distribute evenly!

Step 4: If necessary, wipe off the entire surface to even out the tone or clear excess stain. 

Let sit and dry for a few hours.

Step 5: Get ready to paint! I've seen so many cute color combinations, but I decided to stick with classic white for my first try.

Step 5: Use a ruler and pencil to map out your content and make sure your words are evenly spaced.

Step 6: Get painting! My brush was about 1 centimeter in width, which provided natural block letters.  Again, I'd recommend practicing on the other side of the wood or on scrap paper beforehand!

Step 7: Fill in and fix letters where necessary. 

                      

Step 8: Let dry and hang. 

Wa Lah! 

(how do you spell that?!) 

This was surprisingly easy and is perfectly paired with James Morrison Pandora radio and red wine :)

I can't wait to do it again!

Be sure to let me know how it goes if you decide to try it.

xoxo

Stolen by stools

Meet the garden stool. The typical side table's more attractive older sister. 

Function collides with personality. 

Can't wait to get one in my own home!

photos via

xoxo

Brick.

I'm always amazed at how roughly textured cold brick can bring such warmth to a room. 

Can't get enough.

Inspiration via anthropologie.com. It never fails.

xoxo

shedding light on white

my second favorite color.

loving and lusting all of the above.

even the bulldog :)

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xoxo