Island bliss

Loving these prints for Little Guy's room (since he continues to be Hawaii-obsessed -- can't fault him there). They have a distinct vintage flair and perfectly capture the slow-paced, worry-free bliss of a true Maui vacation.

From Etsy shops LupenGrainne and LifeInFrame

Oh buoy

I happened across these the other night. Smitten.

Good Gifting

 I am in love with these menswear-wool pillows with contrast piping. I would get the Euro size.

 This rhino from Indy Plush has stolen my heart.

New enamelware in grey and white instead of traditional black and white. Couldn't be more perfect.

I'd wrap it all up in this awesome paper I found on Etsy.

Have a festive weekend!

Ornament love

Loving all of these - perfect for the Modern Cottage tree! This fabric snowflake design is the perfect simple/organic/rustic combo. I also love this set in the shop, which would be great if we get a mini tree for the little guy's room.....This tree at Terrain is exactly what I am picturing - I'm sure we can find something locally and we have more vintage buckets than we know what to do with :) Plus, it would be fun to plant it together after the holiday is over.

I also think these handmade walnut ornaments are so pretty. I love the wood and the subtle metallic paint. Very understated modern.

And H&M never disappoints with great style and even better prices, like this set for $4.95.

Fabric, wood, and metal ornaments would provide a pleasing assortment of textures on the Christmas tree, don't you think?

Early holiday picks

I can't seem to get thoughts of this year's Christmas decorating out of my head (since September!) but it is nice to get a jump start when those certain swoon-worthy holiday items are still in stock -- and also in order to have an overall plan so you are fully aware of what you have a place for, what fits in, what will work from years past, etc. Oh, and did I mention this will be our first White Christmas in this house? That's right - walls, millwork, ceilings - everything is all finally WHITE! We still have a few rooms with the oppressive dark walls and tan trim that were here when we moved in, and it's no denying we simply never want to spend time in those spaces. One of them is the office, and now that we replaced the husband's desktop computer with a new Surface, there is literally nothing tethering us to that room... so we are working in all other (white) rooms of the house instead. I have always believed so strongly that our environment (colors, decor, "stuff") can have such a massive impact on our overall state of being, and this just reinforces that.

But on to the holiday goodies! These are the things that have caught my eye so far, and I wanted to share, since all of them would fit into a Modern Cotttage quite nicely. Above is a 9-piece "Tree Farm" from Terrain. They are a mere 4" tall and I love the idea of a grouping of uniform trees as well as the chartreuse-y color. They also had me straight away just with the packaging.

This little cloud ornament is impossibly sweet - so simple and pure. I love the stamped letters. Ordered one of these for the little guy. It's just that great.

This artwork from Etsy has a great vintage feel. It would be pretty and modern in an oversized frame with a thick white mat.

An unusual design for these string lights - love the detail. They really feel magical, and kind of modern/vintage at the same time.

I realize we have a little way to go before Christmas, but this year I'm starting early. Even husband is on board, asking over the weekend "Should we take down the bats and put up Christmas lights?" I am a lucky girl :)

Fun finds

 

Here are a few items we are loving lately that won't break the bank - starting with this great clock from Crate & Barrel. Simple, modern face with fresh orangey-red hands...and the best part is the color - a glossy machine grey. At first glace in the catalog, I thought it was chrome and and felt a bit bored, but once I saw it in person and laid my eyes on that grey powdercoat, I was smitten. The perfect replacement for our master bathroom clock (which we took down for paint, and just haven't wanted to put back up because it had started to feel a bit too fancy).

Also - these acrylic block frames are the best. We got the unusual 5x10 size and use it vertically. We loved it so much we ordered a 5x7 as well, and both will live on our new fireplace shelves in the great room (hoping to have before and afters up soon, just waiting on the surround).

And from Urban (can't forget they often have really striking finds) this awesome denim flag. It may go in our little guy's future 'Big Boy' room - we are not 100% certain - but it is really versatile enough to go in many different places.

Just wanted to share!

A few things...

I seem to have a thing for blankets these days. Here's another great one from CB2. I really like the color combination of grey and rust.

Also they now sell these oversized house numbers which are not too bad, considering I am all about holding out for the perfect house numbers :)

And this tape dispenser. I just really like it. I've (strangely) loved office supplies since I was a kid, and this is just plain cool. I honestly don't remember the last time I used masking tape, but I suddenly want to. Like, for everything.

Instant Love: Ticking Blanket

Our trusty white denim duvet cover purchased YEARS ago from Eddie Bauer Home (remember when EB had a home store?) is just not going to make it much longer. It keeps tearing along the top, even after a last-ditch repair attempt. Sadly I haven't been able to find anything I like as much (it's quite heavy which means it doesn't need ironing and looks pretty good with very little maintenance - just how we like things!) but today this fabulous ticking blanket made in Maine got my heart racing. It suddenly occurred to me that I could easily get an inexpensive white cotton duvet cover (two, even, for ease of rotation) and then dress most of the bed with this most perfect blanket. Apparently it gets better and better with washing and wear. These days we are all about low-maintenance, hard-wearing, and beautiful, so it seems this would fit the bill!

Good Gifting

Ok so I'm a little behind with this one (or maybe just in time for those of you with gifts still on your list!) but I couldn't resist sharing these great finds...starting with this simple galvanized barometer, above. Why not?

And this sweet herringbone moose - we nabbed a few for the tree this year.

I love this chair for a little boy's room. It feels rugged and yet comfy since the seat's made from canvas.

Pretty striped linen hand towels.

The colors and design of this print are fantastic. The subject matter is fun, too.

A compact combo tool. SO useful.

The coolest bottle opener I've seen. (Husband would love).

And a sweet little personalized airplane. It has such a great vintage look.

Hope you are enjoying the season! Good luck with your shopping and remember to break for the fun stuff. We've been enjoying extra trips to Starbucks, driving all the Christmas lights, visits to Santa (yes, more than one - little guy loves him. Maybe even more than the mailman, which says a lot), and lots of singing!

Wall Hooks

Especially now that it's nearly winter time (and this week so far has been SO chilly) I am really, really wanting to get a built in bench with hooks and cubbies crafted for our mudroom.... would be so much easier to walk in and hang coats, hats (and stow shoes) all in one tidy place so they are all ready for the next outing. Searching all over the house for everything works too, just makes getting on our way at a decent pace a bit of a challenge when a two year old is involved (hat? mittens? coat? shoes? socks?). Anyway, as I dream of this little project (among many, many others we have yet to complete) inevitably my mind drifts to the hardware involved. Naturally, I am talking about the hooks. I searched all the usual suspects and came up uninspired. I even searched many other less common purveyors and nothing felt quite right. I still plan to visit the local feed and garden store for something fabulously raw and industrial (like when I found this great little L bracket to use as a hose hook), but if that doesn't pan out, I do think I would be quite delighted with these hooks I recently happened upon from Room and Board. The raw steel would be perfect. 

A faster, simpler solution -- or at least a fix for the time being -- could be something like this from Restoration Hardware. Looks nicely functional as well, and those little shoes and mittens could go up top :)

Happy Valentine's Day

Is this not the perfect gift from the little guy to his dad? The hearts are made from vintage electrical plans. He personalized it with a little heart-shaped photo which he attached to the twine. Quite crafty for a 17-month old, yes? (Okay, so he had some help from mom :)

Vintage apron art

 

A big part of Modern Cottage design is that subtle nod to the past - using vintage items in a modern way to add character, personality and a little sense of history. We love incorporating vintage pieces into our decor in creative ways. We've used old crates as wall art, transformed a weathered wood A-board sign into mirrors for two bathrooms, and most recently framed a delightful vintage lumber yard apron - a bit yellowed with age and slightly out of square - in a clean, white frame. The ties were tucked neatly behind the mat so the apron would remain intact. We especially liked the lettering and details on this apron, which we found at Daily Memorandum on Etsy. We put this piece together as a gift for a client, but really, really wished we had one to keep, too. I guess that's a sign of a great gift!

ombré for baby

Gorgeous blanket from Land of Nod. Also, this book caddy.

Little garden friend

 Adorbs.

(at West Elm)

Dear Santa...

Can't resist sharing a few items on my list this year, starting with these chairs for the little guy. If you're gonna have a little kid's table and chair set in your great room, it deserves to be stylish, does it not? I super love these. They totally stack together, too. Hoping one of these days I'll come upon a vintage pair for a song since they aren't currently sold in the US.

Also this stonewashed linen shower curtain. Beautiful, simple, modern. Huge bonus: comes in Extra Long! The Fog color is perfect.

Modern 3-tier stand. I love the idea of mixing this playful piece with more classic and rustic serving pieces. Alas it's out of stock till next year. That makes it tough on Santa.

House numbers. Oh, yes, the search is still going...I have a very specific vision and really don't want to settle. These ones are great (and a steal!) but this company doesn't ship to the US. Hmmm it seems my list is not easy!

Oh, Brook Farm General Store. It's always something with you...like these stripey baskets. How do you know??

Can't wait to show you what Santa's going to bring the little guy this year (I mean, I have an idea that is....we'll see if he delivers :)