A little cubby... A long way.

It finally feels like Christmas time in Houston and it is actually cold enough for an outside fire. I just finished designing and (had) built an outdoor fireplace for someones home. It turned out beautiful and it was the perfect evening last night for them to enjoy it. Take a look at their new addition. unfinished. not decorated.

Having never designed a fireplace, I flipped through many many pictures to get ideas. I knew on picture number UNO.. this fireplace would have a cubby for chopped wood. Not only for convenience but it really adds character year around. With Rustic Chic on the rise... Here is how you can incorporate chopped wood into your home.

And if you are like me and have a non-working fireplace... you can still get the look...

And during the summer months... fill it with books...

I am in love with chopped wood walls too. Cozy. I first spotted "a wall" at Tillman's Roadhouse in Dallas, as you can see in the first two pictures below.

(If you like this look...keep reading... there is a "how to" below on how to create it in your home.)

And there is even chopped wood furniture appearing out there!

Check out more furniture by artist Jaehyo Lee.

If you just want a tiny piece of this look. Get this frame for $12 by Pt. OR mix tradition and chopped wood decor. For the past 4 years, my husband and I have been keeping a little piece of the trunk off of our Christmas tree. We write the year on one side. I usually put them in a bowl during Christmas as decorations.

Back to the walls of wood... This looks like so much fun and I will be participating after the holiday season is over. MAKE YOUR OWN CHOPPED WOOD WALL. Follow this link to see how to do this fun craft.

You can purchase the wood chips from a fun little store on Etsy named Monkeys on the Roof.

See you soon,
Alli

ahhh antlers.

This post comes to you with much excitement. I know I know, antlers and deer mounts have been making their rounds quite a bit lately in the blog-o-sphere. But I still can not seem to get enough. Didn't women used to hate when their husbands when hunting and insisted on hanging up their prized possession?

Thank you for the inspiration houzz.com

Thank you for the inspiration papastour.com

Thank you for the pictorial Cote de Texas.

Thank you for the pic Cote de Texas.

Thank you for the inspiration Inspiration Beautiful.

Thank you for the pic Cote de Texas.

Loving the glowing deer head.

The antlers above are PERFECT (are you reading hubby?) and a reasonable price from papastour.com.

I am officially obsessed with these antlers MADE BY Luke Bartels. Yes, made by. They are tree branches!

The little guy above, designed by Esschert Design, can be found on Amazon. So if you are looking for a way to add antlers into your home...start here.

And in the season of Christmas, I leave you with my friends Christmas Tree. Take a close look at the top of the tree and you will see why I love her so much!

See you soon, Alli.

whats your style?

Do you ever wonder what style you would call your home? Do you have a style? I have been contemplating that question a lot since I have been on my blogging sabbatical. Every time something new trends, or a new color makes waves, I have to find a way to incorporate it in my decor. Then I browse the latest Wisteria catalog or Cote de Texas blog and always want to redecorate everything to look just like the picture. I know...magazine living... does not exist.. but still...am I a french decorator, vintage, minimalistic, Nantucket? uhhhh I like them all.

When I recently visited a friend in Dallas, her decorating inspired me to pull my vintage side back out of the closet and incorporate it with my new love for french decor. When I walked in her home office I almost died when I saw her huge vintage E from an old sign. I had to copy and find one of my own and I knew it was not going to be in the Wisteria catalog.

And she has the lower e too. Isn't her sitting room cute? After a long day of antiquing around Dallas, look what appeared in the trunk of my car!!!!! It wasn't until I came back home to Houston that I started contemplating, How can I fit these vintage marque letters into my country french decor?

It honestly took me forever to find the perfect spot to hang my A and C. (for alli and chad). Was it possible to mix my damask pillows, stark white couch, antlers, and wooden bench coffee table with huge industrial vintage lettering?

BUT... I did it. I obviously love french, must buy traditional antiques, have a hard time saying no to a good vintage find and need color and patterns in my life. Mix that with simple, classic, clean and what do you have? MY STYLE. So when I see something I like (considering I can afford it) I am going to buy it, mix it with what I have and call it ME.

I encourage anyone who is redecorating or trying to update... buy what you like, be unique and mix it with what you have and YOUR STYLE will shine.

Here are some ideas on how to MIX vintage marque lettering into your decor.


Thank you for the inspiration Ken Fulk Design.Thank you for the inspiration Rue Mag.
Perhaps a bed frame?
And if you are LOVING this look... collect the entire alphabet.. just kidding... but its a cool picture, right?

See you soon, Alli.

"Shut the door, We do not live in a barn."

Or do we? Netherlands here I come. I'm totally drooling. I have always had a passion for barns transformed into quarters.... and then Decor 8 features this dynamic duo. Check out the work of designers Ina and Matt  from the Netherlands and how they put a modern spin on the traditional barn. 

Notice the amazing barn door inspired shutters and the barn door.  I am pretty sure this "barn" house is Ina and Matt's actual home and studio. 

The simplicity of this the entire "barn" is so peaceful.  Zoom in on the different shape white tiles all over the kitchen. I would have made all the wood match, but I really like how it looks with all different colors of wood.

Check. I could work here.  Living wise... I might need more in my bathroom and definitely a larger closet.

Below is an Ina and Matt designed Residence in the Netherlands.

KITCHEN: Open shelving. industrial lighting. mixed cabinetry. fresh colors.

This is one of their more modern barns.

Oh my. A barn door inside make me happy.

My husband is going to love it when I tell him I want a barn door between our kitchen and dining room.

McLean Quinlan, a design firm based out of the UK takes the same holistic approach as Ina and Matt. Check out the pictures below of a converted barn named Stow-on-the Wold.

Wanting to add some barn inspiration into your home? Check out how barn doors can be incorporated  inside or outside your home. 

Notice below the carriage style garage doors from Real Carriage Doors.

The picture below is of a friends house who just put barn doors on the side of their garage. Cute right?

See you Soon, Alli.