Summer Mantle

Happy Independence Day! I hope everyone is having a fantastic holiday weekend! Since the kiddies were at the Grands, I was doing some much needed cleaning and a little foo-fooing too, usually one follows the other, doesn't it? :)

I love a good mantlescape, so I hit there first. I like to change mine seasonally and since it's officially summer, seashells and flowers were the main players. With the new suzani curtain panels, all kinds of different decorating opportunities have arisen arise come up. I am able to use a lot of different colors and textures, which I am really loving.

The mirror never changes...I keep thinking that I am going to do some abstract art and hang over the mantle in lieu of the mirror, but I really like the black and white contrast, you probably know this from seeing the kitchen.

For an asymmetrical mantle, I like using two good size "anchors" on each end. I love using florals on one side and typically candle holders on the other. That's kinda the formula I stick with. The living room is not big at all, but because of the vaulted ceilings, I can go pretty tall, big and chunky. I like using over sized objects and then fill in around them.




I also like leaning one or two pieces of artwork or pictures too, here I used just one and a collection of starfish and shells







At first, I did a floral arrangement with primarily orchids, but it was looking a little too tropical than I wanted so I went out in search of some lillies. I found them in beautiful rusty orange, however, they look a little more red in the photos. They are blooming everywhere in nature, so they were exactly what I wanted.






The original with just orchids, I like both of them, but I wanted lillies!

I've tried using that vase a trillion times before the curtains, but with them, now I can use a lot of earthy textures on the mantle that just didn't seem right before.

Some other details going on around the room....everything here thrifted (ginger jars spray painted, check out how they looked before HERE :) I love that little dish.

I found a fantastic bowl at TJ Maxx this weekend (I love a good bowl). This bowl could work everywhere! I rarely find orange accessories, so when I do I snag them up. Right now, because Logan is on a building kick, I filled it with wooden blocks.





This is the bowl I found thrifting a couple of weekends ago, I filled it with various shell balls. I told you I love a good bowl!

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you are inspired to create a summer mantlescape!





Need more ideas? Take a peek at the Pre-Spring and Spring mantlescapes. Click HERE and HERE.

New Suzani Curtain Panels and Other Stuff

Last week you might have read that I was on the hunt for new curtain panels because my boring beige curtains were just not cutting it anymore. So on this past weekends excursion to St. Louis, it afforded me a trip to World Market (how I wish one was closer to me). Lo and behold, I actually found some affordable panels! Have you been to this store before? It's a cross between Pier 1 and a specialty food store. It's got rugs, pillows, dinnerware....all kinds of stuff and quite affordable.

Before (boring beige curtain panel)

I typically keep things fairly neutral and solid colors, IE boring. I like to play with pattern with throw pillows, and I still do, but this is the first time I've gone bold on the windows. You should have seen me in the store, hem-hawing over the decision. Thank goodness my MIL has a lot of patience. :)

These curtain panels have several things going for them. First, clearly, color. It has my turquoise, my orange, and a nice neutral background. In addition, I also have a yellow and persimmon color to play with too. Then there is the pattern. I have been enamored with Suzani for a while and have shopped for pillows and fabrics, so that was also an easy deciding factor. Also, they are lined and came with a nice tie-back if I ever want to do that, I thought that was a nice bonus. Oh, and they came in 96" which is exactly what I needed, I was so happy, usually that's a 'special order' to get that length.

After (Colorful Suzani curtain panel)

I also found a great wooden lantern at Home Goods. I have been looking at lanterns for some time, and this was a great looking one with a great price. I put three candles and some moss in for now, but I see doing lots of things with this baby!

Here is a quick and easy DIY project that you can do in 15 minutes or less....buy those unfinished wooden letters at the craft store, paint it out whatever color and glue to a salvaged piece of wood. This 'K' (for Keegan) just so happened to fit perfectly on a scrap block I had. Easy peasy, fun gift idea too. I love the super shiny against the old wood.

Here is a close up of the curtain, I haven't ironed them yet. ;) I was so excited I threw them right up on the rods!

I am really happy about how they are looking. Now I think I am going to buy a thicker rod and probably some rings to make them look a little more custom. I am considering a trim too, but I am not really a tassel kind of gal, so we'll see what I can find. Maybe something in jute, that would be nice! New pillow alert, I have a pillow sickness, really I do. This coordinated with the curtains so well that I just couldn't leave it. Beautiful colors in this Ikat-ish design. If you notice some new artwork on my gallery wall, I'll be showing you how I made it on Thursday. It's one of my easiest DIY projects yet!

There's nothing like a couple of shopping trips to change a whole room! Please don't mind the night time pictures, you wouldn't have been able to see the curtains as well otherwise so the pictures are a little more dull than I like.

Thank you for stopping by, I hope you are inspired to go bold on your windows!! I was a little all over the board here, I've told you before how squirrely I am! See you tomorrow with a field trip around St. Louis! Joining Kristin