What's cookin?

I just bought a brand new stove for my kitchen, so I have been a little ... ok, a lot stove-obsessed.  I ended up with a pretty cool stainless model that, unlike my former stove, actually gasp! cooks food evenly and has full-function in all of the burners.  These practical aspects alone made me jump for joy, but I admit that I love to just look at the new shiny appliance sitting in my kitchen.  While stainless is my finish of choice, these days there is an endless array of colors and styles for stoves - we're talking way beyond the standard white, black or stainless options.  Take a peek at what colorful options are out there!  I even found a pink one ... swoon.










Are any of these lovelies calling your name?  I adore the stainless stoves, but that pink number is pretty darn cute!

See you swoon,




{images courtesy of countryliving.com, artsandcraftshomes.com, waterfordcookers.com, casasugar.com, best-kitchendesign.blogspot.com, oldfashionedgirlink.blogspot.com, jillbert.wordpress.com, housebeautiful.com}

Home Swoon Home: Rugs

I have been very grateful for the past few days, they have been nice and warm and have made me forget how cold my house is without rugs! I now have a rug in the bedroom which has made a huge difference and I have also been lucky to find a beautiful Anthropologie rug on sale for my front "sitting room". I am not creating the typical sitting room with a formal setting, my style has more of a comfortable, very lived in feel.

So here you will see the jute/straw rug that I had shown in in my IKEA blog, this one is in our bedroom. The second is the Anthropologie rug and the last couple are some I am considering for the dining room and long entryway.

Let me know what you think and if you have any ideas that we can use to help keep our tootsies warm!


Ikea Tarnby Rug


TĂ…RNBY Rug, flatwoven natural Length: 8 ' 2


Anthropologie Meandering Meadow Rug





Pottery Barn Fringed-Hand Loomed Rug


Fringed Hand-Loomed Rug, 2.5 x 9', Wheat


Home Decorators Lauren Area Rug





See you swoon,



What "Wood" You Do?

Whoever loves hardwoods, raise your hand! I think almost everyone loves a beautiful hardwood floor.  They are gorgeous, instantly update a space and are super easy to keep clean (especially if you have pets and kids and/or allergies).  If you notice, though, all hardwoods are not created equal: certain colors of stain can make a room feel incredibly different.  Below are four different color stains - notice how big of an impact they have on the feel of each space.


Dark Stain



Dark stained hardwoods (usually a walnut) feel modern to me.  I love them, and they are probably my favorite color of wood floors.  I have heard they're not as easy to keep clean and show a bit more dirt and dust-bunnies (or fur) than a more medium toned floor.  I just love how crisp the trim and wall color appears next to the darker floor.

Light Stain



Light stained floors (beech or birch) feel modern, cottage and beachy to me.  They're my second favorite floor stain, and I love how clean they look.  They instantly lighten and brighten a space, making the room feel larger and more airy.  I think lighter colors on the wall and furnishings work particularly well with this color floor.


Medium Stain



Next up is the medium stained hardwoods (oak).  These are probably the most common color out there.  They're so versatile and work nicely with any kind of furnishings, from country to modern and cottage to contemporary.  They are a breeze to keep clean because, well, let's face it: the dirt just sort of blends into the floor color.


Red Stain



Last but not least is the red stained floor (cherry).  These are stunning and really warm up a space.  They make a room feel cozy and comfy and add a layer of depth to all of the other tones working in a room.  I think warm colors work best with these floors: creams instead of whites, beiges instead of grays.

Which color floor is your favorite?

See you swoon,

{images courtesy of decorpad.com, cococozy.com, archiexpo.com, blog.dennisandsarah.com, cpluxurycondo.com, dosoates.blogspot.com, genuinestyle.net, blog.wyldfires.com}


Swoon-Worthy Sites: IKEA

Ikea is officially my new home, I have been in and out of this store more in the past 3 weeks than I can count on my two hands! Now that my bedroom is completely painted I think it is safe to say I have gone completely ballistic working and shopping so that I can complete the whole look.

The furniture my husband, Kelly and I decided to use is the Hemnes line by IKEA. Check out some of the furniture we have purchased to make our room, well, feel like ours.


HEMNES Bed frame black-brown Length: 79 7/8


HEMNES 8-drawer dresser black-brown Width: 63 3/4


HEMNES Nightstand black-brown Width: 15 3/8


And some fun things we used to warm up the space next to the dark wood.


JONSBO ILSBO Table lamp beige, white Total height: 13


LEVANGER Mirror gold Width: 31 1/2


LUMMIG Curtain rod set black Length: 55


Ă…SELE Table lamp dark brown Diameter: 18


TĂ…RNBY Rug, flatwoven natural Length: 8 ' 2


Stay tuned for more, and as soon as I find my darn camera I will show you all what we have done!


See you swoon,



Swooning over fabulous Fall front door decor

Try saying that ten times.

So, Fall is in full swing here on the East coast.  The weather is finally cool enough for sweaters and boots (you know Jamie is all about the boots), the leaves are beautiful colors and Halloween is just around the corner.  What a perfect time to round up a bunch of lovely Fall-themed front doors.  What I love about them is they incorporate natural elements, like pumpkins, leaves, wreaths, berries and flowers and appear fresh and current versus too cutesy or silly.  Here are a handful that had me at hello.









Got any favorites? I'm torn between those gold spray-painted pumpkins and the lovely oversized monogrammed pumpkins.

See you swoon,






{images courtesy of dailydecorator.com; elliemaescottage.blogspot.com; captainschoonmakers.com; thebellalifeblog.com; flickr.com; vickihorton7.blogspot.com}

What Would Jamie Wear: Lov'n me some boots!

What can I say, I love boots and now that it is cooler I have the worst itch ever to buy, oh, let's say five to six pairs of them. Extreme? No I have a purpose for each pair and if you ask me to justify why I need them I can do it in a heartbeat.

I will share my all time favorite pair that I must have and am currently lobbying to get my family to chip in together to help me get them as an early Christmas gift (will keep you posted on how this actually goes).

Earlier today when I showed Shanna these boots I had to be honest and disclose the price (they are insanely expensive, I could buy furniture for the price of these luscious boots). She simply asked me if they were magical and I told her they were of course and I immediately had her on my side, love her, and this is one of the many reasons we are so close!!

I will not keep you waiting any longer, here are some of my favorites from flats to high heels. So what type of boots do you keep coming back to each season and do you have a pair you are eyeing up this year? Please share!!

Flats:


Vince Camuto Fays





Jessica Simpson Katyia





Coconuts MacKenzie





Mid-heel:


Botkier Holden





Miss Sixty Issac





Miss Sixty Melody





High Heel:


Not Rated Official





Vince Camuto Briva





Now, the moment you have all been waiting for, duh duh, duh, MY BOOTS!
Frye Sarah Boots





See you swoon,



Swooning Over ... Sarah's House & Sarah Richardson Design

If you are not watching Sarah's House on HGTV or reading Sarah Richardson's blog, it is high-time you started!  Sarah Richardson is the amazingly talented, Canadian designer who buys a home in need of some work and makes it her own with the help of Tommy, her assistant and Vito, her contractor.

from left: Tommy, Sarah, Vito



I love the personalities on the show, but most of all, I absolutely love the designs.  Sarah and Tommy come up with the most beautiful - and livable - spaces.  And the best part: they do so on a budget.  Sarah shops at IKEA and in flea markets and takes the viewers along for the ride.  She also shows her budget and how much she went over/under.   For anyone attempting renovations or redecorating projects, big or small, the show is a source of endless inspiration and encouragement.

There have been a few seasons of Sarah's House now, but my absolute favorite is the 2008 season where she renovated the 1970s back-split.  I just love what she did with the split-level layout.  A close second is her most recent season with her farmhouse.  Below are some of my favorite rooms that Sarah designed on her show.















Got any favorite spaces above?  I love that pink living room. Oh, and the yellow bathroom. And the gray master bedroom.  See? It's impossible to pick just one!

See you swoon,