Kitchen Soffit Solutions

Every time I look at this post, (I cringe) my eyes go right to the unfortunate soffit that rests above our kitchen cabinets. Even worse is the unfortunate vent cover!  I recently had the honor of helping a family plan a kitchen in their new custom home.  The experience has my wheels turning about what to do above the kitchen cabinets.  If you have an open space above your cabinets, you might enjoy this post that I wrote a while back.  But, if you are like me and have that awkward soffit that chops up the visual lines of the kitchen, you might find something here to consider.

To further throw my own kitchen under the bus, here is the soffit I am referring to.

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This example shows how treating the space as one unit by painting it and adding a variety of moldings can create a greater visual impact.

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Here is another example with a simpler trim detail.

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Here is a great example of cabinets that are recessed with the soffit extending past the line of the cabinets.  The molding detail blends it all perfectly.

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In this example, I'm not sure whether there is a soffit or if the molding was added to eliminate the potentially awkward gap that would exist without the molding, but either way bravo!

So what do you think?  Hide the soffit or embrace it?

DIY Espalier

For the longest time, I have wanted to add a vine to our fence that separates our back yard from our neighbors.  The bed in front of the fence is filled with hydrangeas, flowering perennials, and edged with boxwood.  We love spending our time on the patio beside the garden and try to do all we can to make this tiny space extra special.  It is all about the details after all.  I've been saving images of pretty vines trained to climb walls and over the weekend we finally tackled this project (we meaning Mr.).  Not sure why it took us so long because it literally took us 10-15 minutes!

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After lots of conversation and research on vines, we decided to go with teardrop ivy.  There are so many vines that can be trained this way, but for our space/lighting/zone, etc. this seemed to be the way to go.

We went with a "two x" pattern.  Mr. screwed three screws across the bottom and three across the top, equidistant from each other.

We happened to have copper wire on hand for the trellis.

It was super bendable and easy enough to twist around the screws to secure it into place.

It is hard to see, but here is the pattern.  We may go back and add to this for more visual impact.

We looked for plants that had long tendrils to get a jump start on the training process.

I will be sure to post more pictures once our espalier is established.  Fingers crossed it grows fast!

This girl was itching to get in the garden and help which is a no-no ;).  #bullinachinashop

Chic Striped Summer Bags & Totes

It's no secret that I have a thing for stripes.

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So it would be safe to say that I also have a thing for striped bags -- especially when summer rolls around.  Here is a fun round-up of striped bags & totes.  Enjoy!

1 * 2 * 3 * 4 * 5 * 6 * 7 * 8 * 9

E-Design: Dining Room/Living Room

Thank you for the kind words many of you left yesterday.  Your support means so much!  Mom is doing very well and is beginning to sound like her old self again.  

I wanted to give you a little peek at an E-Design I recently finished for a client living in Michigan.  The space is an open floor plan that includes a dining room and living room.  The client had furniture and wall color in place and just needed help finishing details like lighting, rugs, pillows, and art.  In other words, the fun stuff.

Her rooms were already neutral and needed a splash of color.  Once I found the large piece of art to go behind her sectional, the other details started falling into place.  She was so excited when she received the plan and immediately began shopping.  I love a happy client!

Do you need help putting the finishing touches on your space?  I now offer a per question service for clients who only have a question or two.  For more information email me.

A Weekend Re-Cap

Wow!  What a weekend!  I try not to share every detail of my life with you all.  Mostly because it just isn't that exciting and I figure that isn't why you come here.  I do enjoy blogs where you get to know a little more about the writers and their families and many know how to strike that balance perfectly without sharing too much or too little. I guess I'm saying all of this to let you know about Mom.

Last Wednesday she underwent hip replacement surgery and is in the process of learning to walk again.  She is doing great and was able to go home Saturday - in time for Mother's Day.  As with any surgery, there is a certain recovery period before you reach your "new normal".  Even though she is doing great, I would be lying if I said that it isn't hard seeing her like this.  Mom has always been the giving one, the one who does special things for each and every family member and never wants anything in return.  We tried to make yesterday as special as possible, but I really wish we could give her the ability to walk around her beautiful garden that she enjoys more than anything.  I know in time, she will be active again because Mom is very determined to do what it takes to heal as quickly as possible.  She is in good hands too - love you Mom & Darrell.

In addition to celebrating Mr.'s birthday on Saturday, we also enjoyed middle school LAX playoffs.  What a treat to watch an amazing group of boys play their hearts out for the victory!

My boys were super sweet to me this weekend.  I can honestly say that I am honored to be their mother.  They make me proud in the choices they make, the examples they set for others, and the incredible young men they are becoming.  Tyler and Parker, I love you more than you know!

P.S.  I mentioned this cake last week and wanted to let you know that it is yummy!

Friday Link Love

Happy Friday!!!  There's so much to love this week!  The sun is finally shining, the flowers are beginning to bloom, and the end of the school year is nearing.  I'm looking forward to a weekend filled with birthday celebrations and Mother's Day.

Here are my favorite links this week.  Enjoy!

1.  This lovely bedroom makeover from Amber Interiors.

2.  This strawberry cake recipe from Nothing But Delicious.  We plan to pick strawberries this weekend.  Sounds like the perfect cake for a weekend of celebrations to me!

3.  New Designs with Cote de Texas.  Ashley Goforth is one of my all time favorite designers.  So you can just imagine how excited I was to see this post.  If you would like to see the rest of her portfolio, you can do so here. 

4.  Gwenyth's juice with Savor Home.  Our new juicer arrived this week and this was the first recipe we tried.  We are hooked!

5. This quote made me laugh when I saw it.  I think we can all agree - men & women - sooner or later, we all quote our mothers.  I know I do.

Enjoy your weekend!  And if you're a mother, Happy Mother's Day to you!

Six Ways to Improve Curb Appeal

As I mentioned yesterday, when spring finally arrives I spend a lot of time outside, in and around my neighborhood.  I'm a little obsessed with curb appeal -- what works as well as what doesn't.  There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to sprucing up your front porch, exterior, and yard.  But, there are a few things to keep in mind.

1.  Keep it simple.  It is important for your exterior to tell a bit about the person/people who live inside, but leave a little to the imagine.  What to put on the front porch?  A container or two planted with evergreens is a timeless choice.  I also like cast iron plant, ferns, rosemary, sky pencil holly -- I could go on and on.  Seasonal flowers work well here too.  Just use caution when choosing colors.  Red geraniums might clash with your pink door -- unless you plan to hang a "BE MINE" poster on your front porch too ;).  A simple color palette is usually a good idea and by all means limit statuary and tchotchkes please.  Less really is more.

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2.  Paint your front door.  A fresh color on your front door is one of the easiest and most economical ways to freshen your home's appearance.  It is always a good idea to keep all exterior colors in mind when choosing a front door color.  This includes the roof, shutters, exterior walls and trim as well as flowering plants.  And whatever you do, if you have a storm door, please paint it the same color as the front door.  A white storm door over a red front door almost never looks good.

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3.  Make sure your lighting is to scale.  I repeat.  Make sure your lighting is to scale.  It can do wonders for your home!  This guide shows us how to find the right scale for a pair of lights flanking the front door as well as what to do when you have a single light.


P.S. Please use real, incandescent lights in your outdoor lights - not the aquarium type.  Fish tank lights do nothing for curb appeal.  Seriously.

4.  Create beds for shady lawns where grass will not grow.  If you have large trees in your yard, then you know how challenging it can be to get grass to grow around the roots that sometimes extend several yards from the base of the tree.  Instead of fighting it, incorporate beds filled with shrubs and ground covers that thrive in the shade.  I especially love flowing beds with sweeping paths of grass or walkways in between.

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5.  Add a vine.  Vines are a great way to soften an entrance, but an even better way to tone down a prominent garage.  Your best bet is to check with your local garden shop to see which vine is best for your yard/zone.

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6.  Other obvious ways to add curb appeal include house numbers, door hardware, and door mats.  See my post from yesterday for more inspiration.

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