One Room Challenge: Week Four Blue and White Dining Room

Welcome back for week four of the One Room Challenge! How are we already at Week Four? It is officially time to freak out! I am making over our dining room in a fresh blue and white design...if you want to catch up, see the links below!

Week One- Plan
Week Two - Drapes and Paint Swatches
Week Three - Painted Room and DIY Chandelier Update

If you are new here, I'm Katie and I am a wife, mother of two, living on the coast of North Carolina. We bought our current home in October, did some initial upgrades, moved into the house December. I am really just catching my breath from the move. We might never move again :) Our house is a two story white colonial, black shutters, timeless design and layout. We are settled in pretty well but none of the house is "done" if you know what I mean. Everything is kind of 50% there...we still have a stack of pictures in our living room waiting to be hung, hardly any drapes hanging on the walls, and little projects in each room to be completed. I chose the dining room because it has taken on it's own little path of actually getting somewhere and I want to go ahead and cross this one off the list. If you know me, you are familiar with my love for mixing traditional and modern design, touches of vintage/antiques, fresh flowers, and a healthy dose of blue and white.

To get us all on the same page, here is the punch list:

-Caulk and paint trim (a doozie...dentil moulding) in progress
-New window shades (these are terrible mini blinds)
-Hang new drapes!
-Paint walls 

-Paint nightstand-ish piece of furniture
-Update chandelier
-Fix the table/lamp/art situation- in progress
-Flank china cabinet with mirrors?
-Remove door to room

So this big accomplishments this week were that we finished painting the walls and are making good progress on the trim. I promise you I am more tired of talking about painting than you are probably hearing about it. So. over. it. Anyway, painting the trim really sucks the fun out of my day so I'm doing it little by little. But, y'all...it looks so amazing painted!!! It is like a brand new room.

We were out of town last weekend and then I unexpectedly had to make a day trip back to Raleigh on Tuesday to say goodbye to a family dog (thank you for all your kind messages on insta!) and I really didn't think I would have much to update on.....Then I had really, really, good luck at a consignment shop yesterday and found some really cool pieces for accessorizing!! First up, I want your opinion on this bird art. It's an original and I think it is SO cool and really amazing for the room. I know art is so personal so you may think it is hideous. In the right room, I think it is pretty fabulous. I search high and low for original artwork at thrifts, estate sales, antique shops, you name it. I love originals!! I plan on doing something to the frame as well to make it a little more modern. Also, the little swan planter was a find at an antique store in Florida. I'm obsessed...

I also found a pair of these pink ginger jars for $30! I have been wanting a pop of pink to tie back to the shades of our rug and also our Tobacco Leaf dishes. They do have a vintage rose painted on one side but I plan on facing that toward the wall. Also, a new plant stand. I have been envisioning a fresh plant in this room. 

The best find for the week is a new console to replace the one seen above with the bird art.  I am so excited. Big thanks to Winston's Collections for getting this baby painted and to me in time for the big reveal. I cannot wait!! I plan on using this console as a bar, and of course for lots of great storage.

Why oh why did I order a sample of this beautiful hollyhock fabric?! It is stunning. I just don't know that it is ideal for covering dining room chairs with the potential for stains. You should see our kitchen buffalo check covers- they are absolutely awful! Recovering the chairs was not in my original plan but I would like to incorporate another fabric somehow.

This situation is getting worked on this week: painting the bachelors chest and mirror white, and gold leafing the wine rack. I bought this wine rack when we got married with a gift card. It is a little rustic but I hate to let it go. I think the gold touch will be perfect!

So, I think we are getting somewhere finally. I would like to find a lamp for the bar as well. I tend to like modern shapes and solid colors for lamps, so that is what I am after.

So- LOTS to do this week. Wish me luck and send good vibes for finding the accessories, fabric, lamps that I need to pull this room together!!!

Catch up with the linkers here and featured designers here!

One Room Challenge: Week Three Blue and White Dining Room

Welcome back for week three of the One Room Challenge! Thanks for joining me. For this time around, I am making over our dining room with a blue and white design in mind. Here is a little background:

Week One

Week Two

If you are new here, I'm Katie and I am a wife, mother of two, living on the coast of North Carolina. We bought our current home in October, did some initial upgrades, moved into the house December. I am really just catching my breath from the move. We might never move again :) Our house is a two story white colonial, black shutters, timeless design and layout. We are settled in pretty well but none of the house is "done" if you know what I mean. Everything is kind of 50% there...we still have a stack of pictures in our living room waiting to be hung, hardly any drapes hanging on the walls, and little projects in each room to be completed. I chose the dining room because it has taken on it's own little path of actually getting somewhere and I want to go ahead and cross this one off the list. If you know me, you are familiar with my love for mixing traditional and modern design, touches of vintage/antiques, fresh flowers, and a healthy dose of blue and white.

To get us all on the same page, here is the punch list:

-Caulk and paint trim (a doozie...dentil moulding) in progress
-New window shades (these are terrible mini blinds)
-Hang new drapes!
-Paint walls (I'm thinking an icy blue OR a stencil. Is stenciling still in??)  in progress!
-Paint nightstand-ish piece of furniture
-Decide on chandelier  in progress!
-Fix the table/lamp/art situation
-Flank china cabinet with mirrors?
-Remove door to room

And what happened this week? I did a fun little update to our chandelier and started painting and caulking. Let's start with the chandelier! I know many people would toss this brass beauty to the side and opt for something more modern and I totally get that. For some reason I had this inkling to hang on to it but it needed some updating. Let's also not skip over the fact that this is a lot more cost efficient and also less of a headache to get my husband to hang a new light fixture. One of his all time favorite tasks (right up there with painting the walls on a Wednesday night at 9:30 pm, thats another story)...

For this update, I wanted to add strands of crystals and also some pendants that would hang down like a typical chandelier has. I needed a way to attach everything so I bought this tarnish free brass wire from Hobby Lobby and made my own jump rings. You need something to use as a mandrel of sorts, and this Sharpie pen was the perfect size. Also, grab your wire cutters.

By the way, I think the crystals are a great quality with lots of sparkle!

I found the easiest way was to wrap the wire up tight next to the cap so it has a resting point. Wrap a few times until you get a nice tight circle and clip!

Easy jump rings! From then you just attach the rings to the place on your chandelier. I had leftover pendants from previous chandeliers that I went ahead and added across the bottom row. 

I ordered a few more strands of crystals and I am adding another row to the top. My Mom also has some vintage crystals that might be added to the mix or replace the pendants you currently see. Such a fun update. I love that the light catches on them and brings a whole new look to this brass beauty! 

Just yesterday we started painting the walls. My toddler has been on Spring Break this week so in other words, it was hard to get much done. I think I got a solid 20 minutes of painting in yesterday during nap time! I barely convinced my sweet husband to join me to get our first coat on the walls late last night. Thank you honey. Husbands are such willing and excited volunteers for the ORC!

I love the brass and the blue together!

And here is a fun fact...we have a central vac system, which is great, but the house came with these old yellowish plate covers. I was two seconds away from ordering a new cover and decided to put a coat of wall paint on it. Everything still needs another coat, but oh my gosh, what a better look for these vacuum plates! Ahh!

And just as a refresher, this is the paint swatch "Lily White" with our drapery fabric.

So not a ton of progress, but definitely headed in the right direction! The plan this week is to finish painting, add the additional crystals to the chandelier, and make some decisions on furniture and accessories. Still so much to do!

Catch up with everyone linking up here and the featured designers here! 

Post Baby Hair Faves On Sale

Let's talk about hair products shall we? Let me first start out with some complaining, ha. My baby girl is almost a whole eleven sweet months old, and I am very much fighting the post pregnancy hair slump. I am at the phase of a bunch of new hair growth right around my hairline, which means flyaways- lots of them! And they drive me absolutely nuts. Dependent on the weather, some days they cooperate with the rest of my hair, and some days they have their own agenda and I cannot get them to do anything that looks good! So frustrating! So I really enjoy good hair days...don't we all?

I loved this photo of us, but you can definitely see my new little flyaway bangs!

Anyway, I wanted to talk about some of my favorites that I have found over the last year- not just for post baby hair, but really great products that I will be using a long time! Important to note- these are on sale for a few days at Sephora if you are a beauty insider! 15% off beauty products is so exciting to me since usually you don't catch them on sale.

 First off is my favorite tool ever!! The T3 Styling Wand. I realize it is quite the pretty penny but you will love your curls, I swear. I am so impressed I would really like to own the hair dryer and straightener from T3 as well. They will be on my long term wish list.

My current hair care regimen is washing every other day to 2 days. It's taken me and my hair a long time to get used to this, but it is so much better for my hair after lots of heat and color treatment. Before I dry it, I run this Moroccanoil Treatment through it - nothing too close to the scalp. This oil smells amazing and somehow it is all my curly hair needs to blow dry it out straight. The less product I use before blow drying means the better my hair will look next day. A lot of times I end up showering later in the day when kids are napping and I don't even touch it with any other heat until the next day. I think it helps for it to be completely dry when straightening to prevent further damage!

On the days I need Dry Shampoo, I alternate between Dry Shampoo Light Tones and Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo I think the Living Proof adds more volume and really freshens your hair up. The Moroccanoil just again, smells so darn good. I think it works really well for freshening up, and also comes in two tones for your hair- light or dark.

For smoothing the flyaways and also creating shiny waves, I turn to this cream. I love the way this product works! It instantly adds shine and smoothing to my ends. It is amazing and lasts a long time.

For hairspray, again I am loving this Moroccanoil spray. Again- that scent!! I know it probably sounds like an endorsement for them, but I promise I only wish so. I love spraying it on!! I usually spray my curls after curling, then brush through. Highly recommend it!

My dream team below..haha.

So those are my current hair faves for this hot mess express hair of mine. I would love to hear your favorite products, especially anything that might help in the post-baby hair department. I've heard good things about vitamins for hair, but honestly I gave that a go and never stuck with it. I take daily vitamins anyway and the gummies left a weird aftertaste in my mouth!

Anything you are picking up at the sale?

One Room Challenge: Week 2 Blue and White Dining Room

Welcome back for week two of the One Room Challenge! Thanks for joining me. For this time around, I am making over our dining room with a blue and white design in mind. Here is a little background:

Week One

If you are new here, I'm Katie and I am a wife, mother of two, living on the coast of North Carolina. We bought our current home in October, did some initial upgrades, moved into the house December. I am really just catching my breath from the move. We might never move again :) Our house is a two story white colonial, black shutters, timeless design and layout. We are settled in pretty well but none of the house is "done" if you know what I mean. Everything is kind of 50% there...we still have a stack of pictures in our living room waiting to be hung, hardly any drapes hanging on the walls, and little projects in each room to be completed. I chose the dining room because it has taken on it's own little path of actually getting somewhere and I want to go ahead and cross this one off the list. If you know me, you are familiar with my love for mixing traditional and modern design, touches of vintage/antiques, fresh flowers, and a healthy dose of blue and white.

To get us all on the same page, here is the punch list:

-Caulk and paint trim (a doozie...dentil moulding)
-New window shades (these are terrible mini blinds)
-Hang new drapes!
-Paint walls (I'm thinking an icy blue OR a stencil. Is stenciling still in??)
-Paint nightstand-ish piece of furniture
-Decide on chandelier
-Fix the table/lamp/art situation
-Flank china cabinet with mirrors?
-Remove door to room

So, what happened this week? The drapes got hung! I mentioned that this room has started its own little path, and the drapes were something I decided to tackle about a month ago. To say I am relieved that they are up and hanging straight is such a relief! I am pretty proud of myself too. These are fully lined with pinch pleats. I followed this tutorial from Design Sponge and it was SO good. Not all tutorials are created equal I learned. I highly recommend it! 

They "kiss" the floor perfectly. Obsessed. 

We also removed the old vinyl mini blinds and replaced them with wooden blinds. I really didn't want anything that would stand out here, just basic. They are doing their job well and the room is SO much brighter with out the mini blinds! I can't believe the difference.

I went back and forth on the stenciling and wallpaper idea, and once I saw the drapes go up, they confirmed my decision to keep the walls a solid color. This is more in line with my original inspiration photos and I think the leopard is too fun to take away from! Decision made. I bought three paint samples for the walls, pictured below. The color I am looking for is what I would describe as a french blue. I do not want Carolina blue. A soft, pretty blue with a hint of grey. The bottom sample ended up being so dark, it won't be a contender. Can you guess which one I am leaning towards? I would love your input as well- or even better- if you know this perfect blue I am looking for!

Another idea that came to mind is adding some crystals to our existing brass chandelier, and possibly shades. You can see in some of the photos a random string of crystals hanging. 

The plan for this week is to decide on the wall color and paint- and start caulking the trim. Lots and lots of cracks that need to be filled along the ceiling line. Painting the trim will be a doozie but I know it is going to absolutely shine once it is done and I can't wait to see that!

Thanks so much again for following along. To see all the other amazing projects going on, you can check the featured designers here and the guest participants here!

Shop Bop Sale Faves!

So, big news in the shopping world, right? Shop Bop is having their big sale (my favorite kind) when everything is 20% off (even more if you spend $500+) so I rounded up my favorites. As I've told y'all before, I usually look for things that are a spendier purchase that I need for that season during these types of sales. Most of the time the enormous selection of clothes can overwhelm me so I narrow it down to my favorites...

I am loving embroidery lately and this was one of my favorite dresses I spotted! One shoulders are huge for this season in dresses. I love the shade of the chambray too.

rita dress 

Jeans are always such a smart purchase at 20% off because I always like the expensive ones. Of course! AG is one of my favorite brands for denim. Really flattering that hold their shape. I desperately need a new pair of white jeans because I think I stretched most of mine out during pregnancy and after! White jeans are a STAPLE in my summer wardrobe.

legging ankle jeans

If I was treating myself, I love this bag. That little lock detail does it all for me.

metropolis small satchel

I love the shape of this bag and have eyed it for a few seasons. This is a great neutral- I am totally a neutral bag kind of girl.

regan satchel

I love, love my Soludos! They are so incredibly comfortable and I wish I had 10 pairs to wear everyday. I get compliments on these every time I wear them. Size up!

flamingo smoking slipper

Since I would love to add another pair of Soludos to my collection, these are on my wish list. I love a pretty off white wedge for summer. 

wedge espadrille

And these are a great option in a pretty shade of brown. I really just like the simplicity of them.

jill wedges

Last but not least, get yourself a pair of these sunglasses! My most asked about accessory. They are fabulous in every way.

super duper sunglasses

What are you eyeing for the sale?

xo.

March Date Night

This date did happen in March, even though I am recapping it in April! We had a really busy month with our vacation to Amelia Island falling in the middle of the month. Right before the trip, Weeks got an ear infection, I had a sinus infection and Frances Ann got a cold. Everyone was better for about a week and we had a boomerang effect and everyone got sick again. I tell you what, it has been crazy with sick kids, out of our routine, Weeks home from school, me not sleeping (ugh! the worst!) because of this terrible allergy season...so anyway, all of that to say we snuck in our date night at the very end of the month at the very last minute. It was so necessary and so blissful!

We went to Pescara, which is in Atlantic Beach on the town circle that is being revamped. It's an adorable looking beach house with a twist on Italian food. I joked as we walked up to the restaurant, asking Stephen if he would have flowers waiting on the table for me like Valentines Day. We laughed when they did have a sweet little arrangement of Astromeria on the table. The house wine was buttery, which is my fave. Sidenote- the first time we came here a few years ago the wine selection was all Italian and was not my taste but since then things have really improved! Just an FYI in case you have been before too and couldn't find what you wanted.

We ordered the charcuterie platter to start with and it was incredible. I am still dreaming about how good the fig preserves were, as well as the soft cheese. The salami and prosciutto were so, so good too. I cannot wait to have it again. Might even go just for this and a drink in the future!

I ordered the eggplant parmesan, which is usually my go-to at an Italian restaurant. I would definitely recommend it to anyone that likes eggplant- it was delish. Those noodles? I tried not to eat them all.

And once again, we were able to sneak in a photo as we were leaving.

jeans // top // wedges (similar)

It was so last minute and we were both exhausted but it was so worth it to have a little break from the kids and an hour or so of peace and quiet! I am so glad we opted to go for it! That's a wrap for date night in March. We are headed out again for our April date night this weekend, in honor of our 7th anniversary!

January Date Night
February Date Night

One Room Challenge: Blue and White Dining Room

I've been waffling back and forth on this idea for weeks and finally decided this morning I was going to give it a go! If you aren't familiar with the One Room Challenge, its a brilliant idea, started by Calling It Home, to transform a room in six weeks. Six weeks may seem like a long time but it sure does fly by. It's quite a challenge and this will be my fifth one! 

To see my previous rooms click here:  Baby Girl Nursery // Hall Bathroom // Living Room // Den 

If you are new here, I'm Katie and I am a wife, mother of two, living on the coast of North Carolina. We bought our current home in October, did some initial upgrades, moved into the house December. I am really just catching my breath from the move. We might never move again :) Our house is a two story white colonial, black shutters, timeless design and layout. We are settled in pretty well but none of the house is "done" if you know what I mean. Everything is kind of 50% there...we still have a stack of pictures in our living room waiting to be hung, hardly any drapes hanging on the walls, and little projects in each room to be completed. I am choosing the dining room because it has taken on it's own little path of actually getting somewhere and I want to go ahead and cross this one off the list. If you know me, you are familiar with my love for mixing traditional and modern design, touches of vintage/antiques, fresh flowers, and a healthy dose of blue and white.

I wanted to be completely transparent and show y'all what the dining room really looks like when I am in the middle of a project. I have drapes waiting to be hung, the hardware strewn across the table, and a good amount of clutter. I love the large size of the dining room table because it is so great for a make do work space! (By the way, we traded out our old dining room table with my parents for their new beach house. It was theirs when they got married and it really fits well in the new house. So we now have their old dining room table from the beach house. Not sure it will be permanent but I have actually grown to like it quite a bit!)

I love our china cabinet with the blue and white collection on the top. 

This nightstand-ish table and mirror landed in here and I actually really like it in here. I use it to store extra linens and keep an extra stash of diapers and wipes in there if I don't feel like running back upstairs. It needs a coat of paint and I'm not sure what color yet.

We put this white table in here about a month ago because I needed something on this wall. The lamps are not staying and the art will move too. I would rather have a narrower piece here because space is a little tight with the chair.

Ok let's talk about the brass chandelier....is it bad that I really don't mind it? I mean, I think it is pretty even though it is so old school. Initially I said it had to go, but now I'm not sure. What do you think?

Overall, I want this to be a "fun" dining room. Like most people, we hardly use it! Since I'm not in here all the time, I want to layer on the pattern and color. My drapes are blue leopard, by the way!  Here is some inspiration I found, some rooms that I have long adored:

source

source

source

source

The project list:

-Caulk and paint trim (a doozie...dentil moulding)

-New window shades (these are terrible mini blinds)

-Hang new drapes!

-Paint walls (I'm thinking an icy blue OR a stencil. Is stenciling still in??)

-Paint nightstand-ish piece of furniture

-Decide on chandelier

-Fix the table/lamp/art situation

-Flank china cabinet with mirrors?

-Remove door to room

So, not terrible but I certainly have plenty to do. This week the plan is to get the drapes up and decide on the walls...I would love to do a paper but I don't want to spend a fortune on it. We have a garage addition that is about to happen and paint vs. wallpaper definitely seems like the smartest option. Any thoughts on these stencils? I would love your input! These are from Royal Design Studio:

 

Thank you so much for reading despite my terrible photos of this drab room! I can't wait to see everyone else working alongside of me during this season's One Room Challenge!