Vintage Mint

Reading Eddie’s blog is like reading a condensed decorating magazine — chock full of absolutely brilliant ideas, tips, photos, and inspiration {he is the senior style editor of Martha Stewart Living, and a Top Design contestant}. I’m grateful for all the knowledge he so willingly shares about entertaining, diy projects, and decorating; and all with a kind and very unassuming narrative.

{Eddie’s living room: repainted/reupholstered chairs from a flea market}

{Pharmaceutical cabinet turned hutch for storing collection of dinnerwares.}

{Antiqued ironstone urns with lovely flower arrangements.}

{First heard about on layersofmeaning}
{Images via Eddie Ross}

Love how the rooms incorporate vintage biology/anatomy elements into the design. {Some of these rooms resemble what might have been found in a scientist’s home in the late 1700s.} I love the abundant use of glass bell jars, old lab stools + desks, and the wooden catalog cabinets. Great juxtaposition of wood, industrial metals, and flora.

{Images by Don Freeman}
{As seen in Country Living}

Check out Yummyfun Kooking’s Clare Crespo’s playhouse her husband built for their daughter, Ruby! This thing is a mini house! My goodness. When I have kids I’d love to have a backyard retreat for them, albeit a more modestly-scaled one, probably a tree house.

{Image via Cookie}

I wish cleaning my apartment felt less daunting, and more effortless. Morgan had a novel idea: clean as much as you can in just 15 minutes, daily. {How easy is that?} Keeping with that thought, I found another helpful article on how to clean house, in under 20 minutes! {Now I really have no excuse!}

{Image via House Beautiful}

Since Halloween is the second most popular decorating holiday in the US, it’s no surprise stores like Pottery Barn {and Z Gallery} have now stocked their stores with traditional-themed, spooky wares. {At least, this is the first year I’ve noticed their rise in Halloween decor}. And I am impressed with Pottery Barn’s styling:

{Love the idea of putting color-coded candies in the apothecary jars!}

Today is the first “official” day of Autumn! The smell of pumpkin-spice candles always remind me of this season. I usually get mine from Target, but this year I might venture out a little and check these cute candles from B+BW.

{Harry Slatikin silver acorn candle; Leaves}

{Harry Slatkin white pumpkin candle; Caramel Pumpkin}

{Henry Slatkin candle; Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin}

Scouring flickr for some Halloween-esque mantlescape ideas {ha! and I don’t even have a fireplace!}, I came across some inspirational ideas:

I actually had a very similar tree-branch-in-vase look for last Halloween. {More on that later.}

{boopsie.daisy}

{MelanieF}

{goldenpaws}

{melissann}

I think Lorajean describes early holiday decoration best.
{Found via layers of meaning}

{ Leave A Comment }Crafts + Ideas, Home + Garden, Inspiration

I don’t know what it is about robin egg blue that makes me covet anything in that hue. And these Martha Stewart blue collection appliances are no exception! {And they’re on sale!} My heart aches for this KitchenAid mixer — I just wish I had not already purchased the {ginormous} matte silver 5qt one I got last year. Sigh. {I could always tell my husband I need it for “blogging research” purposes…!}

{Image via Macy*s}

Looks like I’ll be scavenging for this new John Derian for Target alphabet tray this week.

Lovely red initial letterpress vignette from YeeHaw.