Saturday, June 13, 2009

I Love the Weekends

The past work week was my busiest week ever. Seriously. I am tired and I was never so happy to go home to enjoy the weekend - to retreat, if you will.

A few years ago when we built our house, during the construction, the house somehow began to feel like a beach house. From the outside it doesn't necessarily look like a beach house, but in the living room and sitting on the deck and porch it feels like a summer vacation house so while building I decided to redo our furniture.

Everything in our previous house was all about color and I loved all the color then.



But in our new house, I wanted a change. To lighten things up with a lot less color. We got all of our furniture recovered in various off-white fabrics. For accessories I decided to use beach colors, seashells and other natural items I'd collected from various trips as accents in the living areas.


Here are some of the collected natural items from various places in the world. A couple of years ago a feng shui expert came to offer some assistance with some issues in my house and I have to say she was amazed and happy seeing so much nature indoors. (I'll share the details of the feng shui experience in another post).

Salt from the Dead Sea.

A shell serving as a dish holding shells. One of the shells below I found in Florida but most of these were purchased at a shell shop.

A friend made these beautiful glass coasters with photos from some our favorite places. The glass is the color of sea glass so they're perfect for the room.

We even use a collection of shells and rocks to disguise the fireplace starter key.

And of course I keep my shell guide handy (on top of a basket of shells).

Our dining room is the only room in our entire house with a little color on the wall. The table mirrors the color of the wall with some seashell dishes that I bought from Kohls. The Nantucket basket is full of sand dollars and other shells we found on Tybee Island.

It has been a blessing to be at home, to rest in my vacation home. This weekend was a time for me to slow down, reconnect with nature and my family. My middle child turned 26 today so we went to a nearby hotel restaurant that sits on one of the airport runways. It was a relaxing celebration and nice way to end the week (of course I was dreaming of a trip to the coast - oh well). Hope your weekend is a relaxing one.

P.S. I am nearing my 200th post. It's time for a giveaway. More about that later next week.

16 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing your lovely home with us...it truly is a relaxing, comfy, sanctuary. I hope your week goes well...take care..jj

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  2. Love the details! Gorgeous!
    Have a wonderful Monday!

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  3. Your home is just gorgeous! I love the all the white and the soft blue of your dining room walls! Soooo relaxing. My son turned 26 this months, too. :-) Hope you guys had a wonderful time celebrating! :-) Susan

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  4. i think all that white upholstery could use some little girl footprints all over! ill try to arrange that for you

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  5. Sami, If they happen to be sweet little grandgirl footprints they are beautiful. If they happen to be their Daddy's BIG footprints, then he is in trouble!

    Signed, Jojo

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  6. Hey Sweetie. Sorry it has taken me so long to get back over to your blog. My hubby is about ready to divorce me. He thinks I'm married to the computer now, lol. I've just been slammed with comments and e-mails from everything to bridal photography, to Etsy, ebay and trying to keep up 3 blogs. WHEW!!! I need a big ole margarita. Anyway, didn't want you to think I've forgot about ya.

    I love what you've done in the new house. Those chairs look sooo comfy. I wouldn't ever want to leave. And I love that wall color you had in your old house. The aqua blue is so hot right now. Thanks again for all the sweet comments. Okay gotta run.

    Hugs,
    Crystal

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  7. Oh wow, everything looks so fresh and open. I really like you color pallette. It does feel like a vacation at the beach. Thanks for a look inside your new home.

    Crystal

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  8. Your home is so inviting...I love the white living room...the fireplace is beautiful and I'm a huge fan of anything beachy so the shells are wonderful....It looks like a great place to unwind...

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  9. I have to say I'm a color girl too with an inclination toward changing out that palette to a calmer one. I'm starting with the dining room next week. It's only paint, right? Your transformation is so wonderful! Very comfortable and cozy.

    Ellen

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  10. Carol, your home is so lovely! The photos look like they came right out of a magazine!

    I love shells and sea glass and rocks, etc. I collect them where ever I go. The Dead Salt you have is so amazing.

    Happy belated 26 birthday to your son!

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  11. Cheryl, I lovelovelove your house ! I am partial to the beach theme myself even though I live in the middle of a city. Home should be a haven and a place to restore one's strength and spirit; you have obviously achieved that.
    Are you still contemplating a trip to the NW? I'd love to see you, and can provide a guest room if your daughter is short of space. I'll be here until mid-August when I go back to Brussels and the blue-eyed b/f of my youth.

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  12. How I love your home with the beach details and it looks so inviting and relaxng. I love the sea salt and your new blue plates. Unfortunately, there is just no way I could live with light fabric on our furniture with all the little grands running around eating P&B sandwiches but I adore the look. I loved your previous post and never heard of that place. I am so glad you shared your day and photos with me. Happy Birthday to your daughter. I signed up for the Atlanta cooking class and hope you are joining in the fun. Have a relaxing weekend.
    Joyce

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  13. Lovely pics of your beautiful home...Have a happy weekend, xv.

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  14. Lovely pics of your beautiful home...Have a happy weekend, xv.

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  15. Your living room looks and feels so serene!!! And I absolutely loooove the color on your dining room walls... What is it?
    Isabel

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