Wicker - Gray Wicker Chair that is...

Have you ever noticed something for the first time, then start seeing it everywhere? I had that experience with gray wicker dining room chairs! I have to say, I was not a fan of wicker until I started seeing wicker chairs in the gray finish (also called Kubu chairs). And now, I like it. I specifically like the organic feel of the chairs, the inherent texture of the chairs and the fact that they are neutral enough to go with a variety of dining tables. Have a look at some of these inspiration photos:

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Lynn Morgan Design

House Beautiful

House Beautiful

The Enchanted Home

Here are a few gray wicker chairs I have found (high to low):
Provence Bucket Armchair from Restoration Hardware $500
Veranda Armchair Indoor/Outdoor from Armoires & More $395
St Thomas Indoor Wicker Washed-out Grey Arm Chair from Overstock.com $244
Byholma / Marieberg Chair from Ikea $95
Kooboo Side Chair from World Market $65

So, what do you think? Would you consider gray wicker chairs for your dining room?

xoxo,

Leah

Playroom - feature wall

I am in the process of turning a room in our house into the kid's playroom. I was originally thinking I would paint the room a medium toned gray color (Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray HC-170) and have white furniture, such as book cases and storage shelves. This would create a neutral background for all the kid's colorful toys. I was also going to use the kid's own artwork as the art for the room, kind of a gallery look.

                                                  

I painted the room Stongington Gray. While I love the color, the room needs a little something extra to make it feel more lively. So now I am thinking of different options to spruce it up a bit. I love the look of horizontal stripes on a wall, so I thought of adding some white stripes on the gray background, like this:

Or like this, leaving the bottom portion grey and only doing stripes above the center line:

pinterest (unknown source)

But then I started looking at wall murals. I am actually undecided about whether I love wall murals or if I think they are kitschy, but perhaps for a playroom, they are just the right thing! Here are a few I am considering for one wall in the playroom. I can just hear the games/imaginative play these murals could inspire: 

1. Let's play hide and go seek!

The Pepin Shop

2. We're going on a bear hunt. (I love the sunlight shining through the trees)

3. Do you want to go for a swim?

Eazywallz

4. Where shall we go today?

Eazywallz

5. Want to go for a ride?

Murals Your Way

6. Did you get the moon rocks, or should I?

Magic Murals

The ideas are endless with these wall murals! It is so much fun considering all of these. Decisions, decisions, decisions!

xoxo,

Leah

My guest bathroom - before and after

When we moved into our house the bathrooms (and kitchen) needed to be updated. These renovations have been occurring over time, and I am thrilled to share with you our renovated guest bathroom, before and after.

Some before (we moved in) pictures, yes, that is a green, puffy toilet seat and the shower floor is just scary - yikes!

Progress pictures, everything out!

Completed!

Because this is the guest bathroom, I thought it would be fun to do things a bit dramatic. The color scheme is charcoal gray, navy blue and citrine, with the main bathroom components crisp white. I like the contrast of the dark colors with the white elements, and I like a little splash of color to liven things up! I selected a pedestal sink and a low toilet, because they make the small bathroom look and feel more spacious. Also, I chose a large, mirrored medicine cabinet so that our guests would have a concealed place to put their toiletries. 

If you are interested, I am happy to provide the sources.

xoxo,

Leah