Going green

Modern Cottage eye candy: Waring's classic blender in retro green, mini latte bowls (love these for ice cream), a jadeite pitcher, a pale green alarm clock, and a linen pillow in Kelly Wearstler's Imperial Trellis.

Laundry list

Call me crazy, but I've become a bit obsessed with laundry hampers recently. Boring subject you might think and I can't really argue, except I just feel there is no reason a laundry hamper can't be stylish and beautiful, in addition to being functional. As the laundry (inevitably) got piled up on the bathroom floor these past weeks, my motivation increased and I became more and more determined to find that something beautiful does indeed exist... enter the wire laundry "hamper" from Pottery Barn. At $89 it is quite pricey for simply holding dirty laundry. But it is so beautiful... Our closet is one of  my favorites places, and why shouldn't it be just as cheerful and thoughtfully decorated as any other room in the house? My functional criteria were as follows: roomy enough to hold one full laundry load; easily removable remove liner bag to take to laundry room; narrow enough that I could fit three in a row along one wall of the closet. The PB one makes the grade on all counts. Now if only it would go on sale...

Labor (Day) of love

We picked up these beautiful, minimalist frames on sale at Pottery Barn nearly a year ago with the intention to create a simple and classic photo wall. I am happy to report that as of this Labor Day, we finally created our wall! Apart from taking the time to carefully choose and quality-process some of our best-loved photos, it really wasn't too difficult, thanks to the use of a leftover roll of painter's paper... we cut pieces of paper to the sizes of each of the frames then taped them up on the wall to determine our ideal placement and spacing. Once that was set, the ooks went in, paper guides came down, and up went the frames! We chose to create a smaller grouping with predominately "caught-up-in-the-moment" photos (i.e. life is happening and a camera just happened to capture it) using the same style frames in two different colors. The result is fresh, modern, and makes us smile each time we pass by.

Welcome, September!

I'm not quite sure how it's already September, but I think if we can incorporate a fraction of the sheer exhilaration demonstrated by Scout, above, time may slow just enough for us to soak in the last bit of summer. Though we do really look forward to fall time - it's our favorite time of the year! Crisp, cool air and gorgeous sunset-colored foliage. There's just something fresh and meaningful in the air. What time of year makes you feel the most gleeful?

Pillow talk

We at Modern Cottage have a great appreciation for pillows. We quite love the way they easily add so much style and personality to an otherwise boring, bland, or unstylish room...that's in addition to the fact that by their very nature they make a space feel more relaxed, comfortable, and cozy. This affection goes beyond the basics, however - beyond the fabulous solids, stripes, and patterns. We're really loving the more unexpected varieties which can inject playfulness and humor into a space, as well as a glimpse into the personalities of the people they  belong to. Some favorites, from top: a farm-fresh appeal in bold black and white; a clean, mod design in a pleasing shade of blue; and a more textural, linen style with a letter or number of your choosing.

Bin pull fixation

Bin pulls have had a special place in my heart since I was a little girl. In our old, old house growing up we had these cool built-in wooden bins (literally) that pulled open below the counter top in the large pantry, complete with honest-to-goodness bin pulls. As I recall, we stored the good stuff in there: Fruit Loops, Trix, Rice Krispies. So while we're always on the hunt for a really perfect bin pull, we have our tried and true styles at the ready. From the top, Restoration Hardware's Gilmore pull, quite thick and heavy and available in several finishes. Next, a classic shape in a more delicate, thin metal - available off and on at Pottery Barn (this is probably what they looked like in the old house, once you got through all the layers of white paint!). And more recently I found myself drawn to the the third one, RH's Duluth pull. It's a nice twist on the classic bin pull - a bit more squared and modern, and a lot more interesting. As we start our next project, I can guarantee the Duluth will get some serious consideration.

Modern Cottage soul

Things have been a bit insane as of late since we're moving. We're right in the thick of it, packing, loading, unloading, decorating, repeat. We're doing it in stages, organizing as we go - much easier that way (and it also helps that the new house is only about a mile away from the old one). So we're going from one Modern Cottage to another. Well... sort of. We are moving to a fabulous house with the heart and soul of a Modern Cottage ... great lines, engaging spaces, fabulous architectural details. Some of the interior finishes however leave something to be desired. It will be fun to post on our progress as we modify the design bit by bit. For now we leave you with Scout and his favorite part of the new house: the giant wrap-around porch. He has always dreamed of being a porch dog. Doesn't he look good on it?