New city, new job, more family...

Well... we moved. About three months ago! Not only did we move, but we are expecting a baby in February! And... I started a new job in September. Nothing like piling it on in a time when you already have a lot going on. But, now I get to see my sister every day and both of our families more often. It has been really nice. We found a great home to rent in a great neighborhood while we settle in and decide where to buy a home in the Grand Rapids (MI) area. So far it's been great! You can walk to restaurants, dog parks, it's close to downtown and in a quiet neighborhood. Here is the confused front porch with halloween and christmas decor.... (i promise I removed the pumpkins after Thanksgiving! Myko loves her front porch and being at street level to bark at dogs passing by...)

The entrance way... (which now is home to our Christmas tree)

The stairway to the second floor (where we have four rooms and a bathroom). Notice the stained glass window that the owners restored. It's one of my favorite parts of the house!The dining room.. I have been stalking the "Big Sur" dining table since we got married and we finally got a dining room to fit it in! Hello big family dinners :) Notice more stained glass windows!

We also scored with a gas fireplace! It's so nice to have. The living room... Those bay windows look out onto the main street in front of the house and also allow us to look in and find out if Myko has set up shop in her new sleeping arrangement, otherwise known as the couch.

I wanted to paint the kitchen to make the cabinets pop more but I haven't gotten to it yet. After painting three rooms upstairs and the living room (it was red) my mom and I were too tired to tackle the kitchen. Stay tuned for more updates on the upstairs and nursery!

And were back!

Well,... after a long hiatus, I am back! We have gone through a life changing 7 months - more on that later. But first, a highlight on one of Greet Design's weddings! Janet and Josh are close friends of ours who got married in Chicago this summer. It was a BEAUTIFUL wedding and reception at The Rookery Building downtown. The simple classic style of her stationary fit in perfectly with the entire event!

Yakedake, a family recipe was a favor for every guest.
The programs were flat printed on heavy ivory stock and finished off with a sage green bow. You see the gorgeous Church in the background.

Glass Bottle

I have been minorly obssessed with glass jars lately. If I could, I would build a gigantic collection of them and place them on relcaimed wood shelves with nothing in them! But can you imagine the dust collection that would start to happen?! I might have to do it anyway and take up dusting as another hobby. (As if I have alot of free time) Lovely packaging featured this amazing design for a gift a canadian company offered for it's clients. You open the top and the sides BUST open to a clean classic clear glass bottle for your eco friendly use. Why can't I be one of their clients?! ...

DIY Pallat Headbord

I want to make this headboard for our guest room! I love how simple it is. The only un-simple thing about it is finding a pallat! They are becoming more and more popular in home design, DIY projects, and anything that needs a little vintage flair. Well- I 'm on the lookout! If anyone sees my legs sticking out of a dumpster- no worries! Just looking for an old pallat!

compliments of stylizmo blog

Oversized numbers

I love when numbers are used in decor. Especially large ones like this! It's so unusual and surprising. I have yet to get my hands on a giant number, hopefully soon...

Here's another application- Integrating numbers into the architecture!

West Elm Stria Storage

I was just perusing the new arrivals at West Elm and found the Stria Storage collection! I am in love with the raw look of the wood, the texture and the rustic grain
After I found this, I decided to look at Crate and Barrel's site to see what they had to compare and found the Sierra collection which is about 1.5 times the price of the West Elm Collection for a smaller dresser!!! My husband has taught me to shop around and I have now gotten to the point that I get giddy when I find a deal!

Another dream

I just had to share this image... In my dream house I will have cabinets that go all the way up to the ceiling with crown moulding at the top. Look at how it finishes off the space!

Jawdropping kitchen

I am speachless by this amazing kitchen. The sliding ladder, dark ceiling, the simplicity of white walls with contrasting chalkboard paint... What more can I say? Enjoy...

compliments of dwell

Martha is at Home Depot!

My friends called me Martha in high school. Since it was referring to the organization, crafty, decorating and cooking queen of the world, Ms. Stewart, I was ok with it :) I find myself referencing her quite a bit in my grown up life as well. Cooking, cleaning, designing... everything needs a little help from Martha Stewart! I just found out that she now has kitchen cabinets at home depot! Feast your eyes on these great affordable lines!...

Crushing on Chevron

I have been obsessed with all things chevron lately! The pattern has won it's way into my design heart. There is something about the rhythm the diamond pattern evokes. I'm loving it!

above: compliments of beckwith interiors

above: walker zanger porcelain chevron tile

above: compliments of love in letter's etsy shop

above: Obsidian mosaic tile by Ann Sacks

Snowed in...

Being trapped in the house due to weather hasn't been too bad...

I made my husband run out to the grocery store while I was at work yesterday because everyone was in a mad rush to stock up before the storm! A spaghetti squash, some herbs and parmesan made an excellent side dish for last nights dinner! Thanks to martha :)

Sorry for the blurry image but I was so excited to eat these amazing scallops!

Breakfast this morning... (during the week I never have time to make a full breakfast)

Mud ROOM

Living in an apartment, I can only DREAM of having an entire room dedicated to coats, shoes, umbrella's, dog stuff... The list goes on and on! Here are some drool worthy images i'm keeping around for my dream home. This one is my favorite because it incorporates the sliding ladder feature that i'm obsessed with.
This one is not a room but a dedicated space for coats to gather when you walk in the door. Still an entity we don't have!

The Third Dimension

Check out the three dimensional wall art over at "Hip and Clavicles" etsy shop!! What an easy dramatic transformation this would make to any room. And you can install it any way you want to! I could see these adorning the wall of a nursery or around a corner leading you into another space.