Bungalow: An emag I'm loving full of fresh decorating inspiration

FREE IMAGES

Finding a new mag or website for house tours and design ideas is always exciting.  Bungalow is a great emag I found with a lot of house tours. 

I  LOVE the two large prints over the sofa.

This nursery is cute and sophisticated.

See issues of Bungalow here.

Help choosing and finding mini pendant lights (and kitchen eye candy!)

FREE IMAGES So, we've recently had some demo work done in our house (pics coming soon!).  And as exciting as it is, picking things out for the revamped space is a bit daunting.  We are starting with looking for 3 mini pendant lights to go over our new breakfast bar, which is small at just 6' x 18."  The issue is that we would ideally like to spend no more than $70 per fixture, and hubby and I don't really agree on what style we like.

I want something transitional - I really had my heart set on clear glass, and he was frosted or art glass, which I just don't want.  We will ultimately have to choose a chandelier to go over the dining table, which is about 6' from the breakfast bar.  I don't want anything to be from a matching set, but I also want the chandelier and pendants to work together.

Here are some options I like:

Love these, but hubby thinks if we get these we might as well just have exposed naked bulbs hanging from the ceiling. I also like these because I feel like regardless of the chandelier we go with they will work together.

via Decoist

 These could potentially work, but I wouldn't know what finish to go with.
via Decoist

I like this style, but I can't find any in our price range.

via Home Decorators Collection

Maybe these?

via Home Decorators Collection

Traditional Kitchen by Narberth Architects & Building Designers Philip Ivory Architects

These are basic enough to work as well.

I like these vintage railroad pole pendants from Etsy.  They could be sophisticated in the right setting and have a story behind them.

Liking these globes too but I would want them a lot smaller and I doubt they exist in my price range...
via Pinterest via BHG


Any ideas for us or places for us to look?!?!?

Open Concept Love

FREE IMAGES Yesterday 3 walls in our house were taken down.  Our kitchen, living, and dining room will not all be one great room.  I haven't seen it yet, but I can't wait to start setting up our new space.

In the meantime, I've been gathering all the inspiration I can for open concept layouts.  Here are some of my favorites.

via Pinterest via BHG

via Pinterest via BHG

Love this palette!

                                    via Pinterest

via Pinterest via Young House Love

via Pinterest via Hi Ya Papaya

via Pinterest via Decor Pad

Creating a space for entertaining

FREE IMAGES More and more, Chris and I were finding our small apartment tough for entertaining.  One thing on our "To Do" list for our new home is to knock down the wall between the kitchen and the living room to create a breakfast bar. That would give us a little more space to entertain, but mostly it would vastly increase the flow in our home, making even our modest space more conducive to guests.

via Angie Hranowsky

This seating area isn't particularly large, but the open concept layout and variety of seating makes for plenty of ways for guests to mingle.

via BHG

This kitchen bar can be a great addition to more seating.

via  Houzz.com

Sometimes the bar stool itself can make a big difference. Having backless bar stools still gives you the visual space you need but allows for guest seating. 

via  Houzz.com

I love this "campy" industrial wheeled cart turned bar.
via Country Living

This post in partnership with barstools.co.uk

Our first home!

FREE IMAGES I am so excited today, we decided to buy the house in Gaithersburg, MD.

We weighed pros and cons and did some back and forth and decided to take the leap! As soon as I agreed I knew we'd made the right decision. I've easily seen over 15 homes in the area, and this one just had a feeling right away - only the first house I saw and this one could I ever see myself living in. It has some quirks and character, but nothing we can't work with. Our settlement is late May.

 As you can imagine I already have a smorgasbord of ideas for the home. Here are the listing photos:

A summer shot of the front of the house

 Unfortunately the adorable German Shepherd puppy doesn't come with the home... Behind the wall with the TV is the kitchen, which we plan to open up and turn into a breakfast bar...

 Master bedroom.  We also plan on having hardwood throughout - my allergies can't handle carpet.

 Guest bedroom

 Another bedroom, which will be my office

 One of the two full baths...

The backyard is what is really special to us.  It by far and away is the largest and the mature trees give it a secluded feeling.  It needs a little love, but we're excited to get started!

It even has an outdoor fireplace!


I've already started my wishlist:

I'd love to have a settee or something like this in the bedroom,  since it's pretty spacious compared to what we're used to.

We're going to need some additional rugs now that we have more than two rooms

The lighting throughout the house is not our style, so we're going to be replacing it all

4 items above via Joss and Main

 I would like something similar for the diningroom, but perhaps a little crisper than this.

Love the end table.
2 items above via One Kings Lane

Hopefully a real bed! I've been using one of those metal frames with the wheels ever since I left my parents! via Rue La La

Some barstools for the breakfast bar via HauteLook

A bright, white, beautiful kitchen

FREE IMAGES "Simple and white" was homeowner Julie Holloway's mantra for her kitchen renovation, and it's one I hope to have the means to adopt one day as well.  I adore white kitchens, they look so clean and bright!

Check out Julie's gorgeous Atlanta area kitchen (and some more of her gorgeous 70's home)

For some reason I have a lot of trouble finding bar stools I like, especially in a more open layout where they have to work well with the living room furnishings as well.  I think the brushed stainless steel ones look good.  What do you think?

One thing Julie manages that I don't think I could is open shelves instead of cabinets.  It would force me to get matching dish sets, which is good, but it means only I would ever be putting the dishes away, cause my sweetums wouldn't have the patience to stack everything perfectly.  He'd rather wash dishes by hand than unload the dishwasher!

I adore the dining area - everything about it - chandelier, table, mirror, shades....

Here are some shots of the rest of the house.

 At first I thought this was a home office, but now I realize that maybe that mirrored piece isn't a desk...Regardless, love the space.

Oh la la...white and dark wood - how I love thee!

Julie is co-owner (along with Anisa Darnell) of Milk and Honey Home, check it out, you'll love it.  All the images seen here belong to Milk and Honey Home, and some were featured in the Nov. 2011 issue of Better Homes and Gardens.


this post in partnership with Lakeland Furniture