Cozy and Calm Beachside Retreat

This Malibu beachside home from the March/April Lonny magazine really caught my eye. The charming breakfast space and expansive windows in the bedroom are perhaps my favorite elements. Can you imagine waking up and rolling over to a view of the water, and then sipping your morning coffee in that quaint nook? Perfect!

Currently Loving... Anthropologie Wallpapers

Am I the last to know that Anthropologie is selling gorgeous wallpapers? I've never applied wallpaper to anything (although I have spent an entire weekend peeling it off walls), but I have come to love the look of a bold printed wall. I'm loving these four prints, and think they'd look great covering an accent wall here or there.

1 . 2 . 3 . 4

Do you have any wallpaper in your home? Thoughts?

Sorry for the blog silence this past week! I caught yet another bug that wiped me out for an entire week. Now that we have super gorgeous spring weather (60s and low 70s all week!), I'm crossing my fingers I won't catch anything else this season!

An Adirondack Christmas

Have you ever been clicking away on Pinterest, and then 10 minutes later find yourself on a new blog or tumblr and wonder how on earth you got there? That's how I stumbled across these photos of an amazingly gorgeous Adirondack cabin in its full Christmas glory. This place would make the perfect getaway for a warm and cozy Christmas with the family, don't you think? According to the post, that's exactly what Barney's fashion director Amanda Brooks and her family use the cabin for. What fun!

November Necessities

It's hard to believe that it's already November. The air is cold, homes are cozy, and the holiday spirit is creeping in! Here are a few necessities to get you through the month of November:

1. A soft snood will keep you warm when the winds start to blow.

2. Wrap your hands around a Gingerbread Latte. It'll also bring you into the holiday spirit!

3. Lounge around in cozy faux fur slippers all day long.

4. Cold winds do not mean fashion sacrifices - simply pull on a pair of wool tights with a cute skirt.

5. Keep hands warm while you're on the go with a fun pair of gloves.

6. Give your home some extra warmth with knitted pillows.

Cozy Accents for the Home

The chill in the air this week has inspired me to make the apartment look and feel as cozy as possible. Warm blankets, knit details and candles will certainly do the trick. What are your favorite home accents for the winter? Here are a few of my fav accents for the cold months:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Currently Loving... Thanksgiving Tables

Over the weekend, my friend and I stopped in West Elm to check out some goodies for her new place. Believe it or not, it was the first time I had ever been inside a West Elm store -- I was in Heaven! As soon as we walked in, before us stood a gorgeous table staged for a Thanksgiving feast. The dishes, the colors, the styling -- all perfect. I wanted to take the entire table home with me. While I could kick myself for not snapping a few pics of the table settings, these images from their site will suffice:

This Thanksgiving will be the first time that my husband and I will be away from the family. My brother-in-law will be in Chicago to visit, but we'll be without the rest of the fam. It will also be the first Thanksgiving dinner that I will be cooking, and I couldn't be more excited. It'll be a small feast for 4 people, but that's probably all I can handle for my first try. I might have to pick up some of those cute "gobble" plates with the little turkeys to accent the table. Have you ever cooked your own Thanksgiving or holiday feast?

Pretty Pumpkins

I always like to decorate with pumpkins during the fall, but sometimes I find that they don't last quite as long as I'd like when placed indoors. As an alternative, I've had my eye on these pretty pumpkins for autumn decor:

Wood, Velvet, Vines, Marble, Stone, Mercury Glass, Wire

The Art of the Bar Cart

Upon sitting at my computer screen this morning with a big cup of coffee, I was delighted to open my inbox and find an email announcing that Society Social has officially launched! This handcrafted line of stylish home accents and flowing hostess wear is sure to brighten your day with its colorful palette and perfectly styled pieces. I'm personally head over heels for the gorgeous bar carts. How beautifully styled are these photos? Here are a few of my favorite bar carts from their collection:

Well done, Society Social! The site is a delightful read, full of color and flair, and I promise you'll be daydreaming about adding these pretty items to your nest in no time.

Wine Cork Initials

My husband and I love drinking wine, and have been saving corks for quite some time now. They are about to overflow out of the jug I've been storing them in, so I think I'd like to try my hand at one of these wine cork initials -- aren't they so neat? I think it'd be fun to hang one over a bar, in the kitchen, or prop one up on a shelf over the bar.

Image source

Currently Loving... Ball Jars

My friend Ashley got me hooked on mason jars -- Ball jars to be exact. Many of her family members collect them and display them in their homes. They even display them in the farmhouse on their cherry farm in northern Michigan. Ashley had her wedding florist incorporate large Ball jars into her wedding décor, displaying giant sunflowers and grasses. I adore the rustic look, and especially love the blue-tinted jars. I have a few clear Ball jars of my own, but I’d love to start collecting the blue-tinted variety. Don’t they look lovely with fresh cut flowers in them? They make such a pretty, understated arrangement. I’ve been rounding up images of Ball jars on Pinterest – here are a few of my favorites.

For links to the original images, click through to my Pinterest board {here}.

Darling Decor #23

If you've been following Darling Notes for a while now, you might remember the puppy printed wallpaper I posted this past September {check it out here}. The other day, I was excited to see a similar wallpaper used in this posh bathroom on I Don't Think Prada Is the Answer. It's certainly bold, but I love the print!

Pup silhouette wallpaper -- March 22, 2011, I Don't Think Prada Is the Answer

You Make Me Happy

Friends, are you on Pinterest? I totally adore it, and have been pinning away! Follow my pins {here} if you'd like. Today, I came across this fun image. It's originally from Holly Mathis Interiors, but I was not able to locate the original post. It's just such an uplifting & inspirational home accent, don't you think?

*Update:  A big thank you to Amy at Shutterly Lovely for pointing out the actual original source of this image! Dana at House Tweaking has this great accent in her own home -- I love it! You can check it out {here}.  

Hanging Around

Check out these hanging beds -- aren't they the neatest? I'd love to snooze in one of these dreamy beds. I'm sure it feels like floating!

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

Currently Loving... London Pillows

These pretty pillows, printed with London-inspired sketches, are so much fun! They would be really chic on a solid colored couch or bed with plain linens. Cheerio!

Nap Nooks

Don't these little nooks look great for napping or getting lost in a great book? I'd love to spend a rainy afternoon hiding out in one of these spaces:

 Image via Pinterest

 Image via Pinterest

Image via Pinterest

Image via Pinterest

Currently Loving... U & Me Pillow

This darling pillow immediately caught my eye when I spotted it on Etsy’s homepage. What a sweet Valentine’s Day or anniversary or “just because I love you” gift!

Simple Wall Art Project

While browsing through old posts on House Tweaking, I came across this fantastic and simple wall art {tutorial here}. The author created these for her nieces. I'm thinking about making three of them for our bedroom, now -- without the bird and apple, of course. I love the look of the stripes with the letter mounted on top. Perhaps I'll make one J (for Jennifer), one R (for Ron) and one T (for our last name) and hang them in a row. Has anyone else made any simple wall art lately? If so, I'd love for you to share a link!

Yarn Flowers for Valentine's Day

Aren't these little yarn flowers just so darling? I typically stay away from any kind of cliche Valentine's Day decor -- you know, hearts and cupids and whatnot. That's why I think these little pink, plum and white pretties are perfect for giving the house a little Valentine's Day treatment without getting too mushy and lovey-dovey.

via Spearmint Decor

Darling Decor #18

How do I love this room? Let me count the ways... 1) The couch  2) the wallpaper behind the bed  3) the chest of drawers  4) the built-in closets  5) the simple window treatments  6) the feminine & fancy chandelier  7) the wood floors  8) the clean white walls  9) the tiny mounted reading lamps above the bed

Serene bedroom -- Bliss blog

Refreshing Interior

I just discovered that the lovely Grey Likes Weddings has another site, Grey Likes Nesting. Why didn't I know about this sooner?! While scrolling through some old posts, I found these images. This home is just a breath of fresh, clean air! Living there would make me feel refreshed every day. I especially love that the headboard behind the bed is made of two old wood doors. So clever and shabby chic!