No doubt about it - summer is my favorite season. The earth is bursting with life and all its goodness. My favorite room in the house this time of year is my cozy kitchen. Welcome to another installment of our Cozy Living series. My blogging friends and I are sharing how we make life cozy during the month of July. For me, I'm drawn to creating fabulous meals with all the produce from local farmer's markets and my own vegetable … [Read more...]
How to Decorate with Flea Market Finds
June 26, 2018 By 4 Comments
Summer is flea market season and it extends well into fall. See how to turn your flea market finds into beautiful home decor that makes a visual impact! Photo by Adrienne DeRosa Flea markets always have an ample supply of vintage dishes like colorful Fiesta ware, vintage China, or classic white ironstone (my personal favorite). Take the doors off your kitchen cabinets to display your beloved treasures. Photo by Alison Kandler Interior … [Read more...]
Update a Room with New Artwork
June 4, 2018 By 7 Comments
An easy and fun way to update a room is with new artwork. Prints and canvas art can be inexpensive and immediately gives your home a new look. Since adding board and batten to our dining room, I've been searching for new artwork for the south wall. I found an Antique sign for the north wall that worked out well. You might remember the my cream-colored buffet was on the north wall with painted shutters and a wreath above … [Read more...]
Is This the Most Beautiful Kitchen Ever?
May 18, 2018 By 7 Comments
First let me say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We all have our unique tastes which is why there's a wide variety of clothing styles, furniture designs, and so on. I find today's kitchen to be the most beautiful kitchen ever and understand if some of you disagree. But for me, this kitchen combines the best of functionality with a charming European country style. Photo by deulonder arquitectura doméstica The colors in the … [Read more...]
How to Artfully Display Pottery
May 15, 2018 By 3 Comments
Most of us have a treasured collection at some point in our lives. Maybe you collected marbles or pretty stones as a kid. And now, you might have a collection of beautiful shoes or pillows for every season. I've always been a fan of dishes and pottery and appreciate all the beautiful ways to display pottery. Given ample space in a vintage cupboard, a humble pottery collection takes the form of a still life painting. The spacing of the pieces … [Read more...]
The Antiques Sign That Changed My Dining Room
May 1, 2018 By 11 Comments
An innocent trip to HomeGoods changed the look of my dining room. I was shopping for a housewarming gift for my daughter, and walked away with an Antiques sign that ended up changing my dining room. A large wooden Antiques sign jumped out at me from the clearance aisle at HomeGoods. I realized the size was perfect to replace the mirror I had just hung on the wall. It walked out of the store with me. After hanging it above the board … [Read more...]
Country Garden Tour in Upstate New York
April 24, 2018 By 10 Comments
Somewhat warm breezes are beginning to blow and I'm in the mood to get dirt under my fingernails! I stumbled across a country garden tour photographed by Rikki Snyder and it's got me inspired. Stepping up to the front door of the historic Colonial home, you get a hint of what you'll see throughout the gardens. Second-hand treasures dot the property in really delightful ways. Photo by Rikki Snyder Charming outbuildings add architectural … [Read more...]
The Story of My Rabbit Lamp
April 21, 2018 By 11 Comments
Have you ever found a treasure when shopping but decided not to take it home with you? Such was the case in the story of my rabbit lamp. I first spotted it at The Little Traveler in Geneva and hemmed and hawed over it before finally walking away. The following weekend I decided to go back and get it. Unfortunately for me - the rabbit lamp had sold! (This post contains affiliate links.) Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed. That … [Read more...]
How to Decorate Your Bedroom for Spring
April 17, 2018 By 17 Comments
The bedrooms in our circa 1875 home have always provided a decorating challenge. The rooms are small and there's lots of angles to consider. Once furniture arrangement is figured out, you can start to decorate your bedroom for the season - in this case - spring. Since we had a little snow this weekend, I decided to go with a lighter, neutral color scheme for spring. I replaced my cocoa-colored quilt with my ruffled white … [Read more...]
8 Ideas for Sliding Barn Doors
April 14, 2018 By 8 Comments
Are you a fan of barn doors used inside the home? There's been a huge upsurge in farmhouse style decorating ever since Fixer Upper became such a popular TV show. In honor of the show ending its series, I'm featuring a collection of barn doors made popular by Joanna Gaines' popular decorating style. Photo by Lauren Leonard Interiors Add a barn door to a mud room and when the room gets messy, simply slide the door shut to hide the boots … [Read more...]
Decorating with Ticking Stripe
April 12, 2018 By 12 Comments
Back in my early twenties I was a huge fan of Asian-influenced decorating. My first rental home was decorated in traditional style with heavy influences of the Orient. Then my older sister showed me an issue of Country Living magazine and everything changed. I fell in love with casual country style and never looked back. A tried and true staple of country decor is ticking stripe and today I'm sharing various ways to use its subtle beauty … [Read more...]
Board and Batten in the Dining Room
April 3, 2018 By 18 Comments
Just when I thought we were close to being done decorating the dining room, things changed. I felt a strong whim to add board and batten to give the room a bit more architectural appeal. I was also tired of the shelf on this wall and wanted a different look. So hubby and I took a trip to Lowe's and picked up 8-foot long pine strips for under $3 each. The board and batten section is painted in semi-gloss Ultra White by Benjamin. The … [Read more...]
Fresh Country Style Home Tour
April 1, 2018 By 2 Comments
Today's fresh country style home pairs two of my favorite decorating staples - wood and the color white. The rooms are warm, inviting, and beautifully styled. The living room contains a variety of textures. Shiplap walls hug the room, soft linens cover the armchairs, and earthen pottery graces the built-in shelves. Photo by Kemp Hall Studio On the other side of the living room is a beautiful fireplace and mantel. A wood mirror takes … [Read more...]
Hi! I'm Jennifer and I'm happy to have you here! I live where the suburbs meet the country, which affords me the best of both worlds. Come along on my journey where I share decorating, cooking, gardening and more as it relates to both city and rural life. 
