"Wicked" Good Lamps

I have heard the term "wicked" used here in the Boston area when a local really likes something.  I will be using it for the first time for these lamps!  I have been here for almost 4 years and thought I need to try out the local jargon (really only have heard it used once)!  Home Goods really is surprising me lately.  I was not shopping for lamps but thought I should share these with you.  Bright, fresh and colorful lamps for any scheme.  Could add that one pop of color you may need to finish or jazz up your room.  

Great prices too!

Fresh green spring!

A touch of spunk!

This lamp is really tall and had an Anthropologie flare to it with the twine shade and wooden base.  There was a pair of these on clearance.  I wish I had a spot for them.  They could add some drama to a space with their height. Looked better in person.

Black and white your thing?  Crisp and sharp.  Many to choose from.

White and summery.  Perfect if you want to bring some lightness into the room.  The shade on the left actually was fashioned to resemble cork.  It has great texture paired with the white base.

Get over to your local Home Goods to check out what they have been up to!

Surprisingly "wicked" good stuff!  {Excuse all the slang talk!}

Have a wonderful day!

~jamilyn

*Photo's property of Living It At Home*

Great Chairs & Docksta Table

I was looking for chairs and came across some great beauties at Arhaus Furniture.  I have only been in this store once before and this time was pleasantly surprised by what I found.  These are great accent chairs.  Pretty reasonable for how they look.  They also have great looking hide rugs.

Many chairs caught my eye but I was actually looking for a chair like the one below for my kitchen.

I was considering purchasing the Docksta table at Ikea and pair it with these black wooden chairs.  My kitchen is mostly white and I thought the accent of the black would work.  Not ready to show a picture of that area yet.  I really want to rip the whole kitchen out and start over! {My kitchen really makes me crazy.  I have always dreamed of a professional kitchen}

Image via Apartment Therapy.  This is just lovely.  She claims her Docksta table wobbles!  That is why I am so hesitant to buy one.  The saying, "You get what you pay for," keeps invading my thoughts.

The use of the Docksta table in these rooms is so inspiring however and keep pulling me back to it!

White with black...kind of what I was going for.

Lauren at Pure Style Home uses the Docksta table from Ikea beautifully in her kitchen nook.  When I saw what she did with this table, I had to have one.  I really just want to have fun with it and not worry to much about how inexpensive it is (or that it comes from Ikea-Shhh)!  Sometimes you just have to say, "What the heck!"  I don't think I am prepared to pay thousands for a kitchen table...yet!

Oh, but how pretty the Saarinen table is with that marble top!  It is funny, I was just thinking as I was looking at all of these photo's...  Before I started getting into decorating and looking at everything that has to do with decor.  I never thought in a million years that I would ever be into modern furniture.  Now, I am totally smitten with sleek pieces like the Saarinen table.  I think for me, I could never go completely modern...I am not that kind of girl.  However, when the Docksta table or the Saarinen table is mixed with painted chairs, I love it!  So happy that my tastes have evolved to incorporate this kind of decorating!  

Has this also happened to you in which your decorating style has evolved?

~jamilyn

{Images via Living It At Home, Apartment Therapy, Bryn Alexandra interiors, Matters of style, Pure Style Home}

Consign It

OK...never put my dog in a bag before, but she was going in because I had to stop to check this place out {love how her hair is all crazy-good dog}.  Consign It, located Mason Street in Greenwich Connecticut, was on my list to see when I was driving this past weekend from Massachusetts to New York.  Maggie was actually quite obliging and so was my daughter (who was eager to get to see her relatives for Easter-if you are wondering why I haven't mentioned my hubby that's because he had to work all weekend)!  I knew I would not have that much time to do my leisurely shopping and gawking.  I practically rushed through the whole place in thirty minutes and then my dog became restless and so did my daughter.  Greenwich, CT is lovely and I would live there in a heart beat!  I love coming upon charming towns (that I want to relocate to).  Consign It was unbelievable-as you will see below.  Chuck full of the most wonderful finds.  

I feel like I am giving away a secret.  I don't mind if it is for you, my readers! Hee!  Actually, I first heard of this wonderful place from Good Bones, Great Pieces blog.

When we finally found Consign It, and it came into view, I was actually squealing with joy!  My daughter couldn't believe I was behaving that way.  I couldn't wait to get inside and wander around.  I knew it would be great. She wanted to know, "Why are you so happy to see old beat up furniture?"  

This was the first scene I encountered.  I said, "I am in love".  Glittering glory and antique splendor...I was so excited to be there looking at it all.  This is seriously one of my new favorite places to shop.  Hours from Boston.  However, when I visit my family in NY, I can just make a wee little detour to shop here.  

Two floors of treasures and very unique furniture.  If I had more time, I know I would have walked out with something.

I am looking for a mirror for over my sideboard in my dinning room.  This one is about the right size.  I like the details on this one.  Unfortunately, it takes me awhile to settle on one.

Another arch angel painting. I have come across at least three in the past couple of months.  Weird!  But I love them though.

Tall candlesticks are really cool!

Outside was as good as the inside.  Furniture everywhere!  I just wonder if they leave it out in the rain.  Great chairs await new fabric!

Below,  cute little upholstered settee and chair for a child's room.  I love the monkey fabric that they used on them.  I would leave it just as they are.

Too much to see in only 30 minutes.  I had to move on and get to NY.  We had a really nice weekend visiting family.  Traffic on the way back was horrendous!

I can't stop thinking about this place and will have to go back. 

~jamilyn

*Photo's property of Living It At Home*

Easter Color

I am scooting off to New York.  I really want to stop at some great antique stores on my way down through Connecticut.  I hope I can with dog in tow and my daughter who is eager to see her grandparents and cousins! This photo taken (years ago) on the coast of California on our way down to quaint Carmel.  The colors are so pretty and perfect for Easter!  

Happy Easter!

{My basement is dry now and water has slowed down coming into our sump pump well.  Warmer sunnier days are helping.  I need a break so I am packed up and I am off!}

~jamilyn

*Photo property of Living It At Home*

American Dural

Hope you are not getting bored with my "hunting" trips!  I certainly am not (don't think that is worded correctly.  Better than  I ain't )  Little trip into Boston lead me to this charming store in Cambridge called American Dural.  They have two floors of wonderful, rare, hard to find vintage pieces.  What really drew me here was that I had heard they were carrying antique "hotel silver"  cruise ship cutlery from a steamship that once crossed the Atlantic.  This ship was called "France".  Oh, how romantic!  Don't you think?  It plays right into my fascination with period pieces and love of antiques.

Many gorgeous pieces to swoon over.  Everything is so splendid!

They carry wonderful rare mahogany pieces of furniture.  I am always amazed at how well these pieces are made.  The craftsmanship and details are very impressive.  These pieces are so solid!  No fiberboard here...thank goodness!  There is way too much throw away furniture out there!

This powder blue chair was calling too me...take me home!  My more sensible side won out.  I have to stick with what only is necessary for now.  This would be a complete splurge.  It was so much fun wondering around this cute area of Cambridge, MA.  I stumbled upon some other shops that I will post later.  I hope you enjoyed my "hunt".

P.S. We have been dealing with all the water that has decided to visit us in our home recently.  Running around to Home Depot on my own has been interesting.  It seemed that the whole of Massachusetts was there buying flexible black tubing, or pumps.  Our lovely sump pump couldn't handle all the water and now we have three of them running at once so it doesn't over flow into our basement for the second time.  My basement looks like a disaster area.  Rug is pulled up and wet stuff everywhere. Ugh!  My chimney is also leaking water into my attic!  So, I hope I can share some more posts soon.  I may be a bit distracted!  Keeping my fingers crossed that all this nonsense will work it self out, I don't want to be away for long...stay tuned readers!  {One saving grace is that it is going to be sunny and in the 70's here soon.  Enjoy this long awaited spring!}

  

Wish me luck~

xoxojamilyn

Letting Go

"Don't you want to keep this sweetheart?" I ask as I hold my daughter's fairy collection in a box. 

 "No mom," my daughter replies reluctantly, knowing that I may be disappointed.

 I sigh and place them aside.  "Honey, can't you play with these a little bit more?  I remember when you used to love your dolls".  She shakes her head from side to side and shrugs. I sigh again and place some more of her toys in the "giveaway box".

 This weekend we decided to "edit" her room so that she could have more space on her shelves for her extensive book collection (450 and counting).  This was the conversation most of the time.  I really didn't think it would be so hard to empty out all the junk/toys and fritch-y fratch-y's.  I thought my daughter would have a difficult time with it but it was me in the end that found it hard to part with certain things.  Picking up a doll had me back years ago when she was younger and played on the floor with them.  I had unknowingly formed an attachment with all the things that may have been related to a second birthday, or loosing her first tooth.  Somehow while I was busy living and being her mom, she grew up.  Clothes are different, friends, activities and tastes. {I am getting teary eyed!}

"Mom, I am just to old for this now.  I really don't play with them anymore...sorry!"  She is apologizing to me for wanting to get the stuff out of her room.  I thought I would be the one to have to say, "Sorry, this has to go."  I really didn't think about the time that would come where she no longer desired these things.  Now we are onto finding a place for an Ipod dock, a spot for a desk, computer, reading chair, and updated bedding.  Somehow this process of letting go has made me realize that she is no longer a little girl and she is looking to grow up and have that reflected in her room.  She needs the breathing room and all of these "things" were in the way.  They for sure were in my way too.  My daughter is wise beyond her years and wants to focus on her writing, her book review blog Book Jacket, reading, drawing, school, roller blading (this is a new love), and friends.  I am very proud of her.

I secretly wish that I just had some more moments when I could hear her acting out a "play" upstairs.   Then later coming across one of the "scenes" that belonged to this play.  I would always leave all  of them just as they were.  Most of the time they were set up all over the house and would stay up for weeks.  I really felt that it allowed her to really express her creativity.  I would be over a friends home and they would have their children take down something they had built for hours.  They had to put it all away.  I do not consider myself very liberal, rather conservative, but knew instinctively that if I had her put that amazing scene away that she worked on for hours...I would never see it again and she would loose what she created.  It was almost like art.  Am I a good mom or what?  I actually believe that she benefited from the freedom to create.

When we were done for the day, it was all good.  Some small objects are staying behind to adorn her space. We still have more work to do in her room and she has taken it upon herself to sketch out a design...we will see how far we can go with it!  I am enjoying her eleven years of age (going on twenty or so).  Looking forward to discovering what she loves now and who she will become.

Aren't these sketches wonderful?  I think she has been bitten by the decorating bug!  I know hanging around me...antiquing, furniture shopping, blogging, and hunting for that perfect thing has worn off on her!

~jamilyn

*All photo's property of Living It At Home*

Maine Cottage Highlight

If I had a cottage...it would look like this one!  After you see these pictures, you are going to want one too!  Sorry!  I start to get this very strong feeling inside that I must go to a place like this.  It is almost like someone turns on a switch as the weather start to improve here.  There is a strong need to pack up and head to Maine!  We stayed at this beautiful cottage on a lake a few summers back.  The reason why we haven't returned is, I feel we need to vacation in other places so we get to experience more.  My husband  and I want to own a small place to get away too.  This was our ideal place. Because of that, and because we want to own a cottage, I took tons of pictures so as to remember what to do when we (if ever) get the chance to build one.  For anyone who is frustratingly stuck somewhere with still cold weather...enjoy this little slice of heaven via me!

Can you just gobble this place up?  Cottage quaint is emanating from this kitchen.  We really enjoyed eating and cooking here. I literally had a big smile on my face every time I was in here.  A girl can dream can't she?  I could sooo picture myself living here...

It is all in the details!  Every corner was pleasing to look at.  You just feel good looking at all of these little aspects.  I am getting all worked up again!  

Many days spent reading and napping here.  Can you stand it?  Just crazy lovely.  

Extremely comfy living room overlooking wrap around porch and lake...right at your footsteps.  You could hear the loons everyday.  So soothing....ahhh!

Superb fireplace was built from stones and rocks from the surrounding lake!  Great idea!  Never would have thought of it myself.  However, you learn something everyday and I will store that away for future building of my "dream" cottage!  Please!  Please!

Cute Lanai (I think that is what it is called) off of dinning room and living room.  Perfect summery spot to sit at night when good ol' bugs come out.

My mom fell in love with these arched windows.  They cranked all the way open so you felt like the inside was outside.  Get it?

Back side of house.  Great dock to dive off of and swim out to floating dock.  On my list!

Lots of kayaking in this amazing scenic lake.

Has anyone every heard of Christmas Cove?  Not Christmasy at all...look at this!  Gorgeous.  I have to have a home here one day.

Camden, Maine.  Little short trip to visit this quaint place.  This is top of Mount Beatie.  Look at these views.  Maine really is an amazing place.

I have more photo's but have to wrap up this rather large post.  My dog Maggie really enjoyed her vacation!  So, now you can see what I love about cottages and why I am getting that itch to go back.

Enjoy!

~jamilyn

*Images property of Living It At Home*