Christmas Lights and Snow

I love how pretty everything looks right after a snowfall.

Thought I'd take a few photos to document our outdoor Christmas decor.

Pretty simple really, but the snow makes it look more festive.

Please excuse the paranormal activity surrounding the lamp post.

I wish we could keep our outdoor lights up all winter.

We're getting another 2 -3 inches of snow tonight. Think it's time to light a fire. Is it snowing where you are?

Puppy Love

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! My husband and I were both down for the count with fevers and congestion and crud on Christmas Eve, but thankfully, we were able to rally and enjoy Christmas Day with the family.

We had a new friend join us for Christmas this year. Actually, he came a couple of weeks before Christmas.

This is Manti. (Named after Notre Dame linebacker, Manti Te'o). He and his litter mates were found dumped on the side of a road, and were saved by Pals for Paws rescue.

Every Saturday Pals for Paws brings their adoptable animals to our local Petco. And, for the past few Saturdays, the kids and I have gone to Petco. Just to visit the doggies. Not to get one. Not until Spring. Because it will be much easier to house train a dog in the Spring. And that is the practical thing to do.

Uh huh. Sure. One look at that face, and I was a goner.

Pals called him a "mixed-up mutt." Obviously, he's got german shepherd in him, and probably some lab. Whatever else is anyone's guess.

We love our mixed-up mutt, Manti, and can't imagine not having him in our family. Even if we have to spend more time outside on these cold, snowy winter days :)


If you are thinking about adopting a new pet, please consider adopting from a local rescue organization. There are so many great animals in need of loving homes, and the rescues work tirelessly to save as many as they can.

My First Client Project

This summer I had the pleasure of working on my first client design project. Kathy was looking to update her master bedroom and bathroom without undergoing a major renovation. I posted photos of the bathroom here, but today I thought I'd share some photos of the bedroom, as well as some updated bathroom photos.

This is the bedroom before...

BEFORE

And the bedroom after...

Kathy's favorite color is green, so we settled on Sherwin William's Hearts of Palm for the wall color.

We ordered beautiful monogrammed bed linens with green trim, and had a custom bolster pillow made.

Mirrored nightstands flank the bed, and are much more proportionate to the bed than the original tables.

We added a new mirror above the dresser, and we're still looking for the perfect lamps.

Kathy is done with the room for now, but we'll eventually add some artwork and, if I can convince her, a rug and bench at the end of the bed.

The bathroom started out like this...

BEFORE

Here it is now...

You can read about the changes we made to Kathy's master bathroom here.

I had so much fun working on Kathy's home project that I decided to become "official." I launched my little business, Chadwick Interiors, and I am enjoying helping others express their design style.

I hope you are all happy and healthy. I know I haven't been around much lately. I've just been spending  more time off the computer, enjoying quality time with my family. It's hard to convince kids to put down the electronics if mom is on her computer too much :)

Also, we've had a bit of excitement around here that's taking up A LOT of our time. I'll fill you in on that soon...

Peace.

Sweet Spaces: French Blue

Usually when I feature a "sweet space," it involves the work of a designer in a residential setting. However, today I want to show you a commercial spot... a restaurant... that we stumbled upon during our trip to Napa in September. We stopped to have breakfast at French Blue in St. Helena, and were immediately enamored with its design appeal.

I think you'll appreciate how the restaurant feels as if it could be someone's home in the Hamptons. It inspired me to think about how many of the design elements could be used in my home. Perhaps you'll feel the same way.

Let's take a look inside...

Eric Wolfinger

I included some photos from French Blue's website, as mine don't quite do it justice. I included photo credits, but I think you can pretty much tell which ones I didn't take :)

The trusses and open ceiling give the space an airy feeling.

Eric Wolfinger

Open shelves display French Bleu merchandise. We took home salt and pepper shakers. Believe me, if I could have fit a settee and table in my suitcase, they would have come home too.

Eric Wolfinger

How cool is this bar tower?

The open kitchen features a lower marble counter at the front, flanked by taller counters with zinc countertops.

Reclaimed French oak....

The wood-planked walls are painted Benjamin Moore's Mayonnaise. I loved the color so much, I came home and painted my family room walls in it.

I love the blue ticking pillows.

After oohing and aahing over the decor, I asked the hostess who the designer was. Turns out it is the work of renowned architect, Howard Backen, and his wife, designer Lori Backen, who are partners in the restaurant.

Oh... and I should add....

the food is pretty darn good, too!

So happy we discovered this "sweet space!"

Campaign Uncovered

Hallelujah! The campaign is finished! Campaign desk, that is...

Actually, it's been done for a while. I just finally put the hardware back on yesterday. What can I say? I don't move quickly. Thank goodness I don't write a blog where people expect me to actually finish projects in a timely manner :)

When I found the desk on craigslist, it looked like this...

I liked the green, but it was chipping. Since the desk was for my son's room, I thought I'd go with a more masculine hue.

Benjamin Moore's "Eclipse." 

I've got one more piece of furniture to makeover to complete the "tween room."

So many possibilities for this piece.... hmmmm....

What would you do to it?

Sharing at Tuesday's Treasures

Thankful for Dining Room Chairs

Happy Monday! Hope you enjoyed a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend.

I am thankful that we were able to spend the holiday weekend in Chicago visiting my brother.  He recently moved into a new apartment with this fantastic view...

I'll post pics of his bachelor pad soon.

I'm thankful that my brother hosted Thanksgiving dinner, as my dining room was still missing enough chairs. I bought a larger dining table and host and hostess chairs, sold my old dining table and chairs, and have been on the hunt for side chairs ever since. I had pretty much decided that the oval-back Louis XVI chairs would be ideal.

Locating the ideal chair proved to be quite the challenge. Hickory Chair makes a lovely one ...

if you are willing to spend $1,000 per chair on sale. Thankfully, I am not.

I'm thankful that I didn't settle for the less expensive options at Restoration Hardware, Ballard Designs and Wisteria since they weren't exactly the finish and fabric I wanted. I need stain-resistant fabric. Remember... we're a red wine-drinking, kid-friendly household.

So, that left me with craigslist and Ebay. I found several antique chairs, but once again, they were really expensive. And they had to be shipped. And they needed to be reupholstered. 

I'm thankful that I expanded my local craigslist search statewide and, eventually, to the surrounding states. 

I'm thankful that I spotted this during one of my craigslist searches...

So, they're not exactly oval. And they're more Louis XV than XVI.

But I like them. They are real wood with intricate carving (circa 1930). They are sturdy. They have potential. And they're only 25 bucks each.

I am thankful that I have a husband who doesn't question my potential insanity for purchasing chairs sight unseen in another state.

I am especially thankful that said husband, on the day before Thanksgiving, drove 3 hours to downtown Chicago, dropped the kids and me at my brother's apartment, then braved the insane Chicago holiday traffic for an additional hour and a half to pick up dining chairs that his crazy wife bought sight unseen, and drove back another hour and a half without complaining. That's love, people.

Here are the chairs in the back of his car. I'm sure he was freaking out when he saw the upholstery :)

I've got big plans for these chairs... fresh paint, new upholstery, new nailhead trim. They're going to be great!

 I'm hopeful that they'll be ready by Christmas!

Scored any great craigslist items lately? What's the farthest distance you've traveled for a good deal?