Nautical Nursery Mood Board

Here's my mood board for Baby D's nursery. I've always loved nautical decor - it evokes happy summer memories for me. Since I wanted something appropriate for a baby boy, but not too cutesy, it was the perfect decor style. My first stop for inspiration was Pottery Barn Kids - they have a great selection of nautical merchandise. From there, I used Pinterest and Google to finish off my mood board. I'm delighted to report that we've nearly received or bought everything from above. Now, we just have to figure out where the nursery will actually be (since we're in the process of selling and moving). Someday it will all come together perfectly, but for now all I can pray for is a happy, healthy baby boy!

1. Quilt 2. Mobile 3. Oars 4. Boat 5. Rustic Oars 6. Rope Letters 7. Crib 8. Crib Skirt 9. Chair 10. Pillow 11. Sheets 12. Dresser     13. Rug 14. Floor Mirror 15. Blanket

Four Seasons

As we continue to celebrate a record breaking winter in Chicago (high in the 50s this week), I wanted to share with you a little project I've been working on for the past year. When we bought our Wisconsin lake house in 2010, I set out on a mission to capture the following golf course shot during all four seasons. I went to great lengths to capture the same angle and view for each so they'd look consistent side-by-side. I love how they turned out! My favorite capture is autumn with all the beautiful colors. I kept the budget reasonable by ordering large format prints from Shutterfly, and buying the frames and custom matte boards at Hobby Lobby. My Mom and I hung the series on one of the focal walls in our living room - I love the personalized touch they add to our family get-away home.

Photos ©2012 Keg Design

Holiday Details

Photos ©2011 Keg Design

Christmas Mantel

I had a lot of fun decorating the mantel this year. I started out on Pinterest, gathering inspiration for holiday decor. A few of my favorites included this silver beauty and rustic topiary design. I wanted a Pottery Barn meets vintage look. Something a little eclectic to fit the aesthetic of our condo. I've always preferred traditional colors for Christmas (red and green), but like how the silver trees and white stockings modernize the look. Hobby Lobby was my greatest ally! I scored the stocking holders and stockings there, as well as the beautiful (artificial) garland. The topiary trees, wreath and ornaments were already part of my collection.

Photos ©2011 Keg Design

Deck The Halls

Happy December! Not sure how the last month and a half got away from me, but it did. Its been busy. We've already hosted a couple of holiday parties, so the house is fully decorated. The halls are literally "decked" out. More photos to come soon.

Photos ©2011 Keg Design

Beachy Bedroom Pics

Photos ©2011 Keg Design

Bedroom Transformation

I'm so excited to share my bedroom makeover with you. As you can see, I started with a very plain space that had little personality. I think the end result is playful, inviting and fun. I love it! I'm calling it my "beach cottage" in the woods. I think I accomplished the cape cod "look" I was going for by utilizing a soft color palette, classic shapes and a traditional design aesthetic. What do you think?

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

One of my favorite things about the transformation was the budget. Since I wasn't decorating the Taj Mahal, I did most of my shopping at T.J. Maxx, HomeGoods, Walmart and Burlington Coat Factory. I kept it under $500! Here's a quick price break down and a few more photos:

1. Gallon of Light Blue Paint $13.00 at Walmart

2. Painting Supplies $40.00 at Walmart

3. Waverly Bedding Collection $79.00 at Burlington

4. Waverly Curtain Panels $20.00 at Burlington

5. Paisley Quilt $49.00 at T.J. Maxx

6. Mirror $29.00 at HomeGoods

7. Wooden Side Tables $79.00 each at HomeGoods

8. Matching Lamps $34.00 each at HomeGoods

9. White Spray Paint (6 cans) $5 each at Walmart

10. Wooden Head Board - FREE!

TOTAL COST = $486

BEFORE

AFTER

Photos ©2011 Keg Design

Beach Cottage Inspiration

Last year we bought a summer house in Wisconsin. It's more of a "house in the woods" rather than a beach front property. Regardless, we love it! It sits on a golf course and is a 5 minute walk from the lake. I'm so excited to spend the summer up there. I'm also really excited to decorate it. Like I said, it's more woodsy than cottage-like. That hasn't stopped me, however, from dreaming of the beautiful cape cod inspired rooms below. I'm thrilled to share that my Aunt and I went up a few weekends ago and totally transformed one of the bedrooms. I'll be sharing the before and after photos tomorrow...

(Images)

Weekend Recap

My friend Kim got married! And I was a very proud bridesmaid. Details & photos coming soon! Here's a shot of one of the reception arrangements making a 2nd debut in my dining room. I love fresh flowers...

Weekend Recap

Picked up some fresh flowers at the Farmer's Market...

Made Tomato-Basil Flat Bread, from scratch.

Purchased the Deva Diffuser for my curls!

All in all I had a great weekend. Other activities, not pictured, included a trip to the beach, 90 minutes of Bikram Yoga, movie night with the hubs, and lobster dinner at Shaw's Crab House. What did you do?

Florentine Love

My favorite city in the world is Firenze! My mom and I are planning a trip to Florence and the Italian Riviera this summer. I CAN'T WAIT...I'm counting down the days! During my many searches for the perfect hotels and B&B's, I came across this gem - La Dimora del Centro and La Dimora degli Angeli. Rated #2 of 354 Florence B&Bs on TripAdvisor, these sister hotels are purely amazing. Each room has it's own name and is complete with the finest linens and Florentine decor. Unfortunately, when I called to book they were completely full. My next house will look just like these photos...or at least like Room Matilde. A girl can dream, right?!

Room Matilde

View of Piazza della Repubblica from Room Caterina

Room Beatrice

Room Agnese

Room Agnese

Bathroom in Room Beatrice

View from Room Beatrice

Room Giuditta

Room Caterina

All photos from here.