trendspotting…boston library lamp sconces

at first glance, i thought these boston library lamp sconces looked too futuristic (kind of like a double-jointed insect hanging off the wall…), but now i am craving them in every space that is missing a little bit of extra light and interest.  i especially love them paired with paneled walls in a beach/lake/river house, above built-ins, in a nook too small for a lamp or used in the place of a bathroom vanity sconce.  i really love the bronze and oil rubbed bronze finishes.

here are a few retail options:

{Circa Lighting, Boston Functional Library Wall Light, $315}

{Farmhouse Electric, Princeton Senior Wall Sconce Light Fixture, $199}

{Restoration Hardware, 20th C. Library Sconce Double Aged Steel, $229}

{Pottery Barn, Barclay Arc Sconce, $149}

What do you think – do you like the look?  Is it growing on you?

{image sources here}

True Pinspiration

So, about a month ago, I saw this on Pinterest:

and I thought it was so festive.  When we moved into our new house, we have 2 fireplaces and we haven’t had a chance to get either of the chimneys cleaned or inspected yet. About a week before Christmas, I saw a lone strand of big, vintagey -looking lights at Target, and gave it a whirl….

We call it our “partyplace”.  I love it and am thinking of keeping the partyplace burning even after the Christmas decorations come down!

It is a great idea for a nonfunctioning fireplace or a festive summer party.

Have you actually put any of your pins into action lately?

{mini} Buy This, Not That!

Anyone remember these posts?  I have been coveting this duvet from Serena & Lily for some time and just saw a great knock-off for more than $120 less….

LOVE THIS?

{Catalina Duvet Cover, Serena & Lily, $230 for F/Q}

BUY THIS!

{Tangled Up in Blue Duvet Cover, Land of Nod, $109 for F/Q}

P.S. Have you seen all the awesomeness at Land of Nod lately?  I love that most of it is easily translatable to adult living but at kid prices….

{Eden Table Lamp}

{Wish My Lucky Four Leaf Mirror}

{Confetti Duvet Cover and Sheet Set}

{The Vines Have it Storage}

 

hello again!

It’s been over 3 months since my last post and I have missed spark! and my readers so much.  My absence is due to a number of factors, including work and travel, but mostly because I am 15 weeks pregnant!  I have just recently emerged from the fog of fatigue and exhaustion that accompanies the first trimester.

We are thrilled, grateful and enjoying the journey.  I promise that this will not become a baby bump watch or nursery blog over the next five months, but I will share some of my thoughts and ideas on our house shuffle as we prepare to welcome the baby.

This week, I plan on sharing some of the updates that have happened around the house in the last 3 months.  First up, a quick refresh for the front porch.  I don’t think I have posted on the front porch since the front door was repainted.

I added Target outdoor pillows (in a great Imperial Trellis knock-off fabric) and inexpensive lanterns from HomeGoods ($12 each).

The final piece of the “front porch update” will be  this back-ordered doormat that I ordered on major sale (almost 50% off) from Garnet Hill:

{Another related tangent: Why is it so hard to find pretty doormats?  I usually have luck at Target, Pier 1, World Market or Homegoods, but theirs have been really fugly for the past year or so.  Any source suggestions?}

At some point, I would also like to replace the brass light fixtures with some that match the hardware on the door, like a pair of these Farmhouse Outdoor Lights from Shades of Light:

We use the front porch a lot in the summertime, so we have been enjoying its refreshed look.

It feels really great to “be back” and my new mantra (after reading Good Enough is the New Perfect) is GOOD ENOUGH.  I am going to post as much as my time and priorities will allow!

Next up will be a post on the status of my living room update.  It’s definitely in-progress.  I am not sure that I have ever posted on my living room, so stay tuned, peeps!

The Reveal: Project Big Girl Room

Project Big Girl Room is finally complete (only 10 months later)!  My goal was to transform my 3 year old’s nursery into a “big girl room” that she can she can grow into with minor modifications along the way.  I wanted the room to have a peaceful, tranquil vibe, and an age-appropriate playfulness, while staying away from matchy-matchy themes and overly girly motifs.   

Sooo, drum roll and Ta-Dah:

 

And, I am still pondering the closet-turned-secret room for the closet on the right.

I am thrilled with the way it turned out! 

What I learned from this project:

1. I stuck to the Nate Berkus four color rule, which narrowed down my choices and made my decisions so much easier (lavender, mint green, hot pink and white).
2. I splurged on the items that made the biggest impact (bed skirt, flower pillow, books on the dresser) and saved on the smaller details (rocking chair pillow, tissue box cover, sheets for the bed).
3.  Although it took me 10 months to complete, the long process was part of what made it a success because I organically let the room come together and breathe after each change and addition.

Here is some sourcing information for the new items in the room, but if you want sources on anything not listed, leave a comment and I will gladly email you:

Duvet Cover & Shams: Paris Toile, Pottery Barn Kids (similar)
Bed Skirt: Elizabeth Tulle Bed Skirt, Pottery Barn Kids
Monogrammed Pillows: Rattle & Roll, Richmond, Virgina
Headboard: Blanc de Blanc Headboard, Target
Bedside Clock: Target (not online)
Bedside Tissue Box Cover: headtotoe2009, Etsy
Pink Bichon Print: Mod Dog in Target frame
Pink Paris Metro Print: shellsherree, Etsy in Target frame
Other 2 prints are pages from Madeline book in Target frames
Curtains: Land of Nod (similar)
Butterfly Garland: Garden on the Square, Savannah, Georgia
Pillow in Rocking Chair: diypillows, Etsy
Green Ikat Mini-Bowl on Bookcase: Anthropologie (similar)
Typography Print: The Love Shop, Etsy in Target frame
Pink Lampshades and Lucite Lamps: De-Lite Bases and Border Dots Tapered Shade, PB Teen
Horse Book Ends: Home Goods, Richmond, Virginia
Books on Dresser: Penguin Books, Anthropologie
Flower Pillow: Serena & Lily Bloom Pillow, Layla Grace

Floating Lights and Vintage Chairs

Yes, that is a swimming pool in the dining room. 
(The attorney in me is wondering about the home insurance premiums and the existence of a kid-proof fence!) 

Although this set-up could provide for some very interesting dinner parties, it’s the playful light fixture arrangement and the modern vintage chairs that caught my eye.  You could totally recreate this look on a budget using your traditional dining room table. 

For  lighting,  purchase a few affordable Ikea ceiling fixtures and throw in a couple battery-operated pretty paper lanterns, all hung at varying heights over the dining room table.   

May I suggest the Ikea Fillsta Pendant Lamp ($49.99):

And the Ikea Maskros Pendant Lamp ($89.99) (my almost-neighbors John and Sherry from Young House Love recently used this in their bedroom):

And the ubiquitous Ikea Knappa Pendant Lamp ($34.99):

And add a few of these which operate on batteries (so no electrician required):

And you are in business.   The floating white lights would look amazing against a saturated wall color like a peacock blue or an emerald green.  

As for the companion modern chairs, Target and West Elm are good inexpensive options.  I love my Target chairs (found here online for $79.99 for 2, but are almost always cheaper in the store):

Or West Elm has these Scoop-Back Chairs for $158 for 2:

Add your traditional dining room table (which no one will even notice because of the cool lighting and unexpected chairs), and you got yourself a gorgeous dining room on the cheap!  Oh, and throw in a pool too, if you are so inclined…. 

{First image from March issue of Veranda Magazine}

Hooooo Doesn’t Love Owls?

I can’t get enough of the gorgeous owl’s round little figure, inquisitive eyes, serene disposition and infinite wisdom. 

How adorable is this tea set from Viva Terra?

I love both colorways of this cute owl lantern from Urban Outfitters too.

A quick search on Etsy will uncover some gorgeous wall art and home decor items featuring owls, like this little gem:

This owl lamp from West Elm reminds me of Jonathan Adler, but it’s only $99!

I wouldn’t mind having this little guy underfoot!  (Owl Door Stop from Anthropologie)

Truth be told, this wallet ($9.99!!) was the inspiration for this post.  I couldn’t leave Target without him yesterday!

This trio from At West End would look great on a tablescape or mantel!

And finally, I just love these fluffy feathered guys from Z Gallerie.  I think they would look amazing sitting atop a bookcase or gazing from a console table in the front hall. 

Progress Report on the Hallway Update

Remember my “New Years Prezzie-lution“?  Well, since the beginning of the year, it’s been moving in fits and starts.

Here is a before shot of the space:

And I added the pelmet box after the above shot was taken:

So, I began with the console (post here) to set along the long, empty wall in the hallway (took 2 months and multiple back-order notices, but it’s here!):

Next, I replaced those awful builder’s grade fixtures with these pretties (post here):

And throughout, I have been busily hanging photos, mirrors and art — all with black frames:

{Photo from Pottery Barn}

So, things are finally coming together, and I only have two more purchases before the BIG REVEAL — lamps and rug!  I am working on my lamps now.  I was originally going to go with something like these:

The green would pick up the colors in my stairway runner and my pelmet box in the dormer window.  But now, I am thinking that I want to move away from the colorful and more towards the vintage/eclectic!  These are my two favorites at the moment:

{Vintage Artichoke Table Lamp, Shades of Light, $175}

I would pair this one with a black shade:

{Liger Lamp, Urban Outfitters, $48}

Although the price is right on the Liger Lamp, and LBH it’s so damn adorable, I think it may be a little too small for the space.  The artichoke lamps would be more to scale, so I am leaning towards those.

What do you think???  Stay tuned!

LoL at Target

I know that this topic has been all around the blogosphere of late, but I just saw the special edition Liberty of London items at Target in person yesterday, and just about FLIPPED OUT.  Every item is gorgeous and affordable.  As you will see below, many of the items are sold out online, but were plentiful at my local Target. 

Fair Warning: you will fall in love with all of the Liberty of London stuff and your willpower will not be able to resist its fabulous charm.    

Shall we?  My faves:

{Liberty of London Turquoise Isis Print One Piece Swimsuit, $34.99}

{Liberty of London Garla Print Flip Flops, $12.99, Ed. Note: These were a NEED, not a WANT}

{Liberty of London Night Gown, $19.99}

{Liberty of London Boxer, $5.99}

{Liberty of London Toddler Girls Romper, $14.99, Ed. Note: This is way cuter in person}

{Liberty of London Toddler Girls Dress, $14.99, Ed. Note: This may or may not have ended up in my shopping cart….}

{Liberty of London Piggy Bank, $9.99, Ed. Note: Wouldn’t these make adorable book ends?  Loves.  This is sold out online, but there were plenty of piggy banks at my local Target, and again, it was not of my own volition that one jumped into my buggy}

{Liberty of London Lamp Shade, ~$30 (sold out online, but this beauty was there IRL at my local store)}

{Liberty of London Floral Print Chair, sold out online}

{Liberty of London Dunclare Dining Collection, sold out online}

Honestly, I could have bought one of everything that Liberty of London had to offer.  Run, do not walk!, to your local Target and check it out.  But don’t say that I didn’t warn you when you walk out with half of the store in your big red cart!

A Modern Family Room

My sister lives in Atlanta and is beginning the process of revamping her family room.  She and her husband live in a really fabulous turn-of-the-century house in a quaint Atlanta neighborhood.  She has just hired a decorator to help her with the “heavy lifting” and she and I have been bantering ideas back and forth about the aesthetic of the room.

She is looking for a modern, comfortable, easy, clean vibe that can accomodate evenings with her toddler, as well as after-dinner drinks with friends.

Here are my quick thoughts:

For paint, they have chosen amazing gray by Sherwin Williams.  They saw that cool bird’s nest pendant (upper left corner) over the weekend (as found here from Lightology) and fell in love.  I also really like the industrial vibe of the iron lantern from Shades of Light (upper right corner). 

Because of the shape of the room, which is a large square, my sister and I agree that a sectional is going to be the best choice for seating.  I love the idea of a simple brown or black leather sectional.  The one pictured above in the middle is from Pottery Barn. 

To balance out the gray and brown, I chose a bright yellow, cheery rug from Anthropologie (pictured bottom left), and some fun yellow and gray pillows from Etsy (floral on left and damask on right above). 

To complement the modern light fixture, I chose some sleek stainless steel side and coffee tables from Crate and Barrel.

My sister made her own inspiration board and we exchanged them only to find out that we chose the exact same rug, except her choice was in the red color palate! 

What do you think?  I will keep you posted as things shape up down there in Hotlanta.  Good luck, sissy!