Posted in Fashion, Shop It on April 16, 2014| Leave a Comment »
A few weeks ago, I posted a new Facebook profile picture photo, and my pals went crazy over my sunglasses.
I’ve hunted for the perfect aviators forever.
I finally found them on one of those gift shop sunglass spinner racks while on vacation this winter.
And they are…perfect. (And a deal.)
Image credit: Paige Lewin
Posted in Color, Grow It, Inspiration, Outside, What Do You Want to Change?, What Do You Want To Do? on April 3, 2013| Leave a Comment »
One domestic pursuit I’ve never been able to wrap my head around is gardening. It’s always seemed very complicated to me with its chemistry and logistics. Managing planting and blooming times; planning out a garden to allow for the plants to mature; understanding soil pH; making sure the buggers aren’t over- or under-watered, etc. etc. etc.
Am I overthinking this?
Maybe so.
Maybe if I planted a whole garden full of these beauties I’d be all set.
According to my emerald-thumbed friends, Hellebores are some of the easiest plants to grow. They’re perennials (so they’ll come back every year), they like shade, and they bloom from late winter to late spring (in the Northeast), so you get to enjoy them for months on the plant, or clipped and set in a bowl.
Gorgeous, right?
What do you have in your garden? Any easy-to-grow, easy-to-keep-alive plant suggestions for me?
Image and gardening credit: Valerie Schrade
Posted in Décor, Furniture, Inspiration, Interiors, Reinvent It, Shop It, Styling, What Do You Want to Change?, What Do You Want To Do? on April 1, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Looking for pretty, inexpensive, brass drawer pulls?
Aren’t they fabulous?
Furniture image by Paige Lewin. Furniture design by Paige Lewin in collaboration with Bill Jones of Fresh Air Millworks.
Posted in Art, Décor, Inspiration, Interiors, Reinvent It, Styling, What Do You Want to Change?, What Do You Want To Do? on March 29, 2013| Leave a Comment »
On the way to a friend’s house this morning, I received an urgent text from her.
“I have a mantel that needs editing. HELP!”
She was right.
I understand why my friend had a challenging time styling the mantel since it’s very shallow and quite long.
The fishing pole, particularly special to her angler husband, wasn’t going anywhere.
It’s hard to see, but the round vase is a total showstopper. It has these beautiful abstract horses all over it, perfect for my friend who spends a few evenings each week riding, so I knew that needed to stay. Front and center.
I cleared everything off and we went hunting around her house using the vase as a launching point. When we came back and assessed the options, I found that there was nice collection of pottery and wooden objects.
Using the vase as the focal point, I created groupings that followed the line of the pole. I weighted the center, and left the right side of the asymmetrical mantel empty, letting it sort of recede visually.
Not bad for 10 minutes and zero dollars.
Do you have a 10-minute, use-what-you’ve-got styling that you want to share? Send images to mudroomboston@gmail.com and you might be featured in an upcoming 10-Minute Styling post!
Posted in Color, Inspiration, Interiors, Reinvent It, Shop It, Walls, What Do You Want to Change?, What Do You Want To Do? on March 28, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Who doesn’t love blue? Not me, that’s for sure. I think I’ve had at least one blue room in every house in which I’ve lived and loved every single one. Contrary to conventional color theory, not all blues are soothing, as is the case with one of my favorite paint colors — Benjamin Moore’s Peacock Blue. I used it in a dining room, and it hardly put my dinner guests to sleep. See?
Right? No sleeping allowed in those funny paper hats.
You can’t go wrong with blue walls, but you can choose the wrong blue paint. The six blues below — my Ain’t-Got-No-Blues Blues — seem to work for me every time.
Do you love blue, and if so, what’s your favorite shade?
All images by Paige Lewin. Dinner guests include isabelka and A Philosopher Who Practices Architecture. All paint colors by Ben Moore, natch.
Posted in Fashion, Reinvent It, Shop It on March 27, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Here in Boston, it seems we’re still trying to decide if it’s winter or spring. It was 30 yesterday morning and 50 by afternoon, and although we missed the Nor’easter that was supposed to hit us, nobody feels safe enough to store away the winter boots quite yet.
I’ve never been that adept at transition dressing — y’know, that winter-to-spring and fall-to-winter wardrobe conundrum — but I think I’ve finally landed on a formula.
Bright cotton skimmers + leather patterned flats + cozy merino sweater + fabulous statement necklace = warm enough for winter and colorful enough for spring. (The pants? Ridiculously flattering and cheap, but consider sizing up.)
Perfection.
All images by Paige Lewin.
Posted in Interiors, Reinvent It, Shop It, Tabletop on March 26, 2013| 4 Comments »
Last week, I spent a few days with my mom at her home in North Carolina. Although I didn’t grow up there, it seemed that every time I opened a closet or cabinet, some object behind the door reminded me of my childhood. These great hobnail goblets — my grandmother’s originally — were such objects.
I have loved these goblets for as long as I can remember, sparkly and fancy, filled with memories of my mom’s unsweetened iced tea with two lemons. In fact, if you were to say the word “goblet” to me (does anyone even say goblet anymore?), these glasses are what would spring to mind. When I became old enough to use such fancy glassware — twelve, maybe — I drank my milk out them each night at dinner. And even when I came home for breaks during college, they were the first glasses I reached for when I wanted to throw back an iced Coke with a bag of chips while watching a 90210 marathon (ah, youth).
Lucky for me, my mom decided that she’d had enough years enjoying the glasses and sent them home with me this time. Now I’m hoping my boys love them as much as I do.
So, dear readers, is there tableware from your childhood that conjures up memories for you? And have you gotten to hold on to some pieces for your generation or the next?
All images by Paige Lewin. For similar hobnail lovelies, visit Etsy or ebay.
Posted in Art, Décor, Floors, Furniture, Inside the Mudroom, Inspiration, Interiors, Kids' Stuff, Lighting, Linens, Organization, Outside, Shop It, Tabletop, Walls, What Do You Want to Change?, What Do You Want To Do?, Windows on August 22, 2012| Leave a Comment »
As a mother of two who has dedicated nearly my entire professional life to aligning large organizations with causes, I am excited to be a part of Macy’s Shop for a Cause fundraiser supporting the March of Dimes!
Did you know that the March of Dimes was established in 1938 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, inspired by his own battle with polio? In fact, March of Dimes funded research for vaccines developed by Dr. Jonas Salk and Dr. Albert Sabin — the vaccines that ended childhood polio. In 1958, having addressed its primary mission to end the polio epidemic, the March of Dimes shifted its focus toward birth defect prevention. Today, the organization is focused on preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality, as well as advancing maternal and health research. For those of you who have had babies in the last decade or so, you’re probably well aware of both their folic acid and prematurity awareness campaigns, both of which have worked toward healthy, full-term pregnancies for all women.
Now’s your chance to support March of Dimes and get up to 25% off your purchases at Macy’s — all for $5.
Simply buy a $5 Macy’s saving pass that will provide 25% off on regular, sale & clearance items, including home items (please note that you will receive 10% off electronics, watches, furniture, mattresses, rugs/floor coverings), and Macy’s will donate 100% of the $5 cost of the savings pass to the March of Dimes to help give more babies a healthy start in life.
So you want to know the details?
From now until August 25: buy passes in-store (good for in-store purchases only)
August 25 only: buy a $5 savings pass online at macys.com (good for online purchases only)
SHOP, SHOP, SHOP on August 25! Use your passes online or in stores (depending on where you bought them). Two stores in Massachusetts will hold Shop for a Cause on Friday, August 24 AND Saturday, August 25 — Boston (450 Washington Street, Boston) and Berkshire (170 Old State Road, Lanesboro). So if you want to get shopping early, you can go on August 24 to either of these two stores, buy a pass, and shop.
Want to see my Shop for a Cause wish list?
Gold is having a moment throughout the house, and I’m LOVING this Marchesa by Lenox hostess set!
The shape, shade, and color of this table lamp from Pacific Coast are perfect.
My husband and I were given a single glass cake stand for our wedding 12 years ago, but I could find many uses for this one from The Cellar collection. Great for displaying baked goods or using as a tiered centerpiece filled with fruit and flowers.
Add texture to your living room with these faux bois vinyl coasters from Chilewich. (psst – they’re a bargain closeout!)
These Sandpiper tidbit plates from Kate Spade would be a great hostess gift, or framed out in shadow boxes and hung on the wall.
On a trip to Atlanta last year, I fell in love with a natural fiber cocktail table, but decided against it because the shape didn’t work with our sectional. This cocktail table is perfect!
With two boys and a mountain biking-husband, I use indoor/outdoor rugs throughout our home. This runner from Couristan is a beauty! (Please note that rugs are excluded from Shop for a Cause online purchasing, but are eligible for the discount in-store!)
Inspired? Purchase your pass, help babies, and get shopping!
Image credit: all images from macys.com
Complete details about Macy’s Shop for a Cause fundraiser can be found here.
This post (+ my sharing on social media) was inspired by my participation in a compensated program initiated by Women Online/The Mission List to raise awareness about the March of Dimes/Macy’s charitable fundraiser. All commentary, opinions, and fabulous finds are, of course, my own.
Posted in Fashion, Reinvent It, Shop It on July 25, 2012| 2 Comments »
When it comes to my wardrobe, I like to keep things simple; clean lines, great colors, the occasional pattern. After spending my 20s purchasing cheap, trendy clothes, I’ve tried to move toward pieces that will last me the long haul. It’s not that I ignore trends all together (I did, in fact, buy a mullet dress this summer), but of-the-moment pieces are few and far between.
When it comes to accessories, however…mah lawd, I do love a good accessory. Classic, trendy, cheap, expensive, well-made, junky…I’ll take ’em all. Accessories are my THANG. Give me a Gap t-shirt, a ball skirt, and my collection of accessories and I could get you to the Oscars.
Oh wait, that’s been done already.
Anyway, you get it. Accessories. LOVE.
Want to see what accessories I’ve been wearing all summer?
So, friends, what are you wearing this summer? Do you love accessories too?
Posted in Inspiration, Interiors, Reinvent It, What Do You Want To Do? on May 11, 2012| 1 Comment »
It is cold, rainy, and desperately depressing here in Boston right now.
After a spring-tease in April, we’ve been treated to nearly nothing but clouds since May started.
Out went the kelly green shorts, coral blouses and peep-toe espadrilles from three weeks ago. Back in came the black cashmere and boots of fall.
And I am SO over fall clothes.
I didn’t think anything could jolt me out of my precipitation-induced coma, until I saw the designs of Madcap Cottage today.
Have you seen? They’re like visual antidepressants.
Candy colors! Stripes! Florals!
John Loecke and Jason Oliver Nixon, the talents behind Madcap Cottage, might as well have their M.D.s, ’cause I feel a whole lot better after an hour in their world.
Image credits: Madcap Cottage
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The Mudroom 