New Year a comin'

Country Living

I love this time of year: betwixt and between - after Christmas, before New Year's Eve. The kids are home from school. Everyone's off work. And the new year, new beginnings, are around the corner. To pick up a new knitting project or decorating project, the new year symbolizes a new start to everything. Whatever didn't get done last year can be done this year. A new surface to scratch upon. I say this happily as my honey puts up travertine marble brick-shaped tiles (finally!) in my new bitchin' kitchen (ahem - the kitchen's bitchin', not me!). We have been undergoing renos since we were married, many moons ago. Hubby is a Construction Super Genius but, alas, no time for his own home. So projects get done, well, when they get done. The kitchen began just over a year ago. The appliances (the stove is my third child; I love it so), marble counter and cabinets are in. Tiles are happening as I type and a bit of drywall and painting is next. Painting!!!! Painting means PROJECT DONE! Those photos will be coming in an upcoming entry. But, today is the anticipation of a new year! And what do we like to do in the new year? Organize.
On my list to organize is the kitchen cupboards, because when you move your stuff into new cabinets, it isn't always feng shui. And when Construction Super Genius is finished the kitchen, I'll have a need to reorganize the cabinets (again, another blog entry).
But my fascination today, is with craft and office organization. Here's what I found:

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1-3: Pottery Barn

4-8: Martha Stewart

And for good measure, while I was on Martha Stewart's site, I saw the most fantastic display of fiesta dishes; organized and spectacular. next project's inspiration!

Christmas Table Settings

Hopefully, you're ready! With my side of the family's Christmas Party over (last Sunday), I can say easily that I am. We go to my in-law's for Christmas dinner tomorrow. I miss setting a Christmas table this year and with 33 attending last Sunday, I caved to buffet. My sister made a very beautiful floral centerpiece, but as the day went, I forgot to take a picture. A fews years back, I saw an ad for Spiegel with the most gorgeous transferware Christmas plates in brown (I love brown transferware!). I hunted and hunted for these plates to no avail - still looking. So my ideal table set, which includes these plates, is yet to come. In the meantime, enjoy these wonderful settings. Don't eat too much! 

Merry Christmas!

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1-6: Country Living

7-14: Martha Stewart

15: bunnycakes.typepad

16: Colin Cowie

Home Offices

A rare animal: a functional, beautiful home office. I have the opportunity of creating a study in one of the bedrooms. I already have a home office, but with a daughter in 2nd year university and another entering high school, we could use and extra place of quiet. Here's a few great ideas I found:

Living, Etc.

finethingsandbigdreams.blogspot.com/

The organized ideal. Image: sxc.hu

Domino

House Beautiful Magazine

Domino Magazine (Mary MacDonald's office)

Domino Magazine

Deborah Lloyd’s office at Banana Republic

via chateau de lu

Jeff Andrews Design

So, first of all, I love parsons desks and trestle tables...

West Elm

Ikea Besta Burs desk (2 drawers!)

Williams Sonoma Mason Glass Top Desk

Ikea Vika Gruven Trestle

I can see this with Chrome slanted legs too!

So I am thinking white room, great coloured rug and white desk/chrome legs and slashes of colourful art on the walls. I love Amy Butlers new rugs:

I also like these last 2 from Elte:

1stdibs Introspective - Style Compass - Bunny Williams

1stdibs Introspective - Style Compass - Bunny Williams

Southern Accents Magazine Closing Down!!!!

Such sad news; one of my favorite mags is no longer publishing. Hats off to the wonderful job the editors and writers have done in finding the most beautiful, tasteful homes and sharing them with us. Here is the last issue:

And here are some Dining Rooms pick from Southern Accents (I promise, my last Dining Room post for a while):

Did you catch the round table theme? I love the look of them, but hunting for the right one proves difficult. My fav so far is the first one in my first post from Canadian House & Home. The last one here isn't round, but is from one of my favourite issues of Southern Accents. It is the Sept-Oct 2003 issue featuring the Dallas Showhouse. Talk about decadence with taste. The issue is titled Rooms with Style. The above dining room epitomizes that. The tour is no longer on their website :(, but catch the new 2009 showhouse, River Hills, designed by Joseph Minton. It is absolutely beautiful:

I love traditional, but I do have a modern side, coming up next post. Have a great weekend!