Antlers on display..

 

I love this look, although I am not sure it is safe to do in every home.  I can imagine my kids running by and getting snagged on them often.  It is such a contemporary take on the lake house or hunting lodge don't you think?  

I often wish we had a second home to relax in a simple place where the days of work would disappear and the quite family time would commence.  I am curious how many of you have vacation homes- do you love them?  Do you use them? Are they summer or winter getaways or both?

image via house beautiful

 

working towards the dream...

 

I love all of the intricate details of Paris, I love that she stays there being beautiful just waiting for us to visit once again.  I have missed her this year!  We are planning a trip for Spring and I cannot wait to see how little she has changed!  

I hope you have a dreamy weekend!  

We will be here working hard to be able to visit next Spring!

images 1, 2

 

Twins...

 

I just love this look and the headboards are pretty much amazing!  I love the idea of a room big enough to hold a pair of twin beds with a single table between.  Our next home will have one of these for visitors, can't you just see sweet little grand children sleeping in a pair.  

image via 

 

Also a big Thank You to CountryLiving.com for asking me what I think about breaking the color rules! 

 

Design Traveler: W Hotel Vieques

As you know a few weeks back we had a chance to visit Puerto Rico, it was amazing.  Amazing in a few different ways, it was the first tropical vacation that my husband and I have been on just the two of us since the kids were born (10 + years).  So relaxing!  The main island of San Juan was beautiful in it's own way, which I will show you in a later post, but the small island of Vieques was gorgeous.  We decided late in the game to head over to the smaller island and spent less than 24 hours there which is surprising considering the number of photos I managed to take.  I made a quick reservation at the W Spa and Resort on the island.  It was perfect!  

I am a fan of the W Hotels and have stayed in a few but this was really one of their best in my opinion, very much the Anthropologie of hotels.  The room was fun and well done, the bed as always super comfortable, but all in all it was the property and the view that impressed me the most.  They have snorkeling and kayaking right off the beach, 2 pools, a great bar and restaurant and they make the best peach smoothie I have ever tasted.  I am trying to figure out how we can go back and spend a little more time there!  The design in the lobby and reception was really cool, I am pretty sure that they thought I was crazy when I came in with my camera to take more photos of the space, which I will share with you too.

Also, a big THANK YOU to all of you who recommended this beautiful Island to me, I never would have gotten over there without your help!

images by christina for greige

 

Beach Bound..

I am gearing up for an upcoming trip to Puerto Rico with the Hubby and wanted to see if you my lovely readers have any suggestions for the area.  I have never been and it is kind of impromptu so any suggestions are welcome!  It looks gorgeous from photos!

 

images via google

 

Vacation Bliss-Expert Designer Amanda Burdge

  On a whim I decided to come and visit the parentals, in Camdenton, Missouri this week. They have a beautiful home on Lake of the Ozarks and I am very happy to report that we will be enjoying a day of boating, in a pleasant 90 degress today, yay!! We have had partial sunny, mostly cloudy days ( whatever the heck that means, are they not one in the same?) And today will be our first day of full, 100% SUN!!

GOOD MORNING CAMDENTON!!!!

Seriously, does it get any better than this? I do have to say myself that I could wake up to this every morning. No wonder the people back here are so happy! I would be too, now if I could just figure out how to become independently wealthy.....

Seven in the morning, large cup of coffee and blogging. This really is the life. Is this not the best way to blog? Perhaps I just sell AB HOME and move here. I could be property management. Make sure everything is as it should be....

Well the good news is I have managed to get a little work in. Mom took me to the local thrift store, where to my surprise, lay some of the worlds best treasures...who knew?!

As we approched Bear ( name of the converted Wal-mart, now a thrift store) I was dragging my feet. Nothing good could possibly come out of a dilapidated store, with crusty windows, dust bunnies, and the depot for redneck central. We walked inside to find broken fans and cell phones, disassembled bed frames and smelly clothes. Why on earth am I here, I thought. But then out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of this

My excitement suddenly turned giddy. What a gorgeous peice! This would look beautiful in a lacquered white paint, and carrera marble top. Oh the thought of it in my store with my acid green lamps, pure design magic! Then I saw this,

Can you stand it? I was drooling over this hardware. This would be gorgeous in black, and would also make an incredible bathroom vanity. At this point the employees were starting to give me the stink eye. They couldn't understand why I was getting desperately excited over junk. But the piece de' resistance, ( no joke I may have peed myself) were these beauties. At this point the angels were singing, and design magic was occuring right underneath our noses! I scooped these up, and dad put them in the truck to come home.

So I did what any GOOD designer would do. I immediatley contacted Dayka, over at meditations on life and style and rubbed it in. I emailed her all my fabulous finds, and like a coy fox, I asked her what she would do with them, knowing full well she was shorting out her computer with envious drool. I think she may have even cracked a rib when she fell out of her chair because she was having a hard time breathing. I was too, but luckily my mom is a nurse and could administer CPR if necessary!

(Ok no joke, she really did hurt herself doing something, so head over to her blog and give her some well wishes!) I hope all of you are having a fabulous weekend and I will be thinking of you while I'm out in the sun with booze and boating! Happy day to all!!!