Black and White Floors

Now that you have seen the post with my all black and white guest bathroom I thought I would share some images of some rooms that I am drawn too because of the flooring:

Be still my heart!! What drama! What elegance!

Amazing architecture on this beautiful Charleston front porch.

Crisp and Fresh!!

I love the striped banquette with the pop of lime green accent pillows. So fresh and fun.

This floor is actually stained with black stain to make the diamond pattern in the flooring. Notice the black trim tile outlining the counter.

Entry at Phoebe Howard’s shop, Mrs. Howards.

What amazing light this kitchen is getting through all these wondeful windows. Nothing prettier to me than a light filled room with checked floors.

This flooring and the adjacent room are wonderful.

 

Oh My! Gorgeous.

I hope you have enjoyed looking at black and white floors as much as I have. It is fun opening up an inspiration file and finding so many lovelies. It is kind of like getting the Sears Roebuck Christmas catalog when we were children.

“Enjoy the Process” Of:

Discovering how beautiful black and white floors can be!

Kathysue

The All Black and White Room in my House!!

It is no secret to my readers that this girl loves Black and White! The other thing about me is I love to design bathrooms. I have shared my theory on bathrooms, especially a guest bathroom:

The bathroom is the only room in your home that your guest will go into, sit down and have nothing to do but look around at everything without any apprehension since there will be no one (Mainly YOU) watching them check things out! With that being said I believe one’s guest bath should be one of the best dressed rooms in the house for YOU and your guest.

Often bathrooms can be relatively small and in such cases I feel they should be like a jewel box so I will often have clients use darker, richer colors on the wall for a little drama.

Now, back to my all black and white room in my home, my guest bath.

When we moved into our home over thirty-two years ago ( Yikes, has it been that long, and I am still decorating and changing things?! You see it never stops!) At that time, I wanted to find an antique piece where I could place a sink. A common practice now, but 32 yrs ago, not so much. My sweet hubby wanted to just get the house finished being built. His father is a cabinet maker and made all my cupboards in the house so he built our bathroom cabinet. I agreed and it was 20 years later that I finally got my antique piece of furniture.

I have always loved black and white checked flooring and I knew the bathroom would be a perfect place to do this element. I chose to use white Carrera marble and absolute black granite for the flooring. I must say when the floor went down this girl felt like I had died and gone to heaven!! To this day I can not look at that floor without smiling.

 

The other piece in this room that I had looked for for years was a fretwork to put over the opening of the bathtub. I actually found this in an antique refinishing place that dips antiques pieces to strip them. It was literally hanging on a nail in the rafters, in pretty bad shape. It was a fret work off of an old Victorian home porch in San Francisco.

When I brought the piece home, which had been stapled together and had been dipped and all the finish that was coming off was off, my poor hubby said that it was a piece of junk and could not believe I had paid what I had paid for it. I was deflated, but still determined since this is a piece I had literally looked for for years.

The re-finishing began. I used a drill with a sanding bit on it. I literally worked over 2 hrs on ONE!! spindle with very little success. This was a solid oak piece and I wanted to stain it. It had white paint in the grain. I did not quite know what to do, so I took it to an older man that was a paint specialist in our town and he told me it was not paint but a filler that they use to put on large grained wood to paint it. Oh No!! Not good news. What was I going to do?

I sanded a bit more, Hubby glued and clamped it together. He stained it. He shortened the length to fit above the tub and we installed it!! Here it is today after twenty years!!

All the lighting in the room is reproduction. The actual piece of furniture for the sink dates back to the late 1800’s so I chose the lighting according to the era of that piece. That is why all the fixtures are in a brass finish.

I have had a black and white bathroom for over 40 years, so I guess I am married to that color scheme, so to speak. Previously the bathroom in another house, and in this house had been wallpapered in a black and white ticking, which I still miss. When we did the re-do I chose a black and white toile’ which I have enjoyed, but lately I have been thinking of another black and white wall paper. Shhhh! don’t let hubby hear that. I will have to go slowly with that change, more on that later.

I have all white towels in my home but in this bathroom they are monogrammed in black. I love the look, it is so classic and sharp to me.

I put a few pictures of old world scenes on the wall and one black and white sketch of a building in Charleston, South Carolina that I got on one of our trips. I like to get black and white historical building on our travels.

Well, there you have it! The complete history of my all black and white guest bath in my home.

“Enjoy the Process” Of:

Waiting and planning to get a room you will truly love for years!

Kathysue

Garage Sale as an Event

Ever since I read the book by Carolyne Roehm, “A Passion For Blue” it made me want to find out a little bit more about this amazing woman. 

In researching, I ran across an article in Veranda magazine about a garage/tag sale that she had. Now you must understand this was not a typical sale. 

This sale has been elevated to a level like no other garage/tag sale that I have ever seen. I know the summer months are full of garage sales on every weekend. Somehow I doubt that I will ever see one like this:

Over-sized vases full of sunflowers were brought in, and also sold at the end of the sale.

I have seen these at Homegoods and Cost Plus. I think I need these for my patio.

Preparing items for pricing.

Everything you might need, or want for a 4th of July celebration!

I will take five of each please. Notice how all the picnic tables have been given a coat of white paint. Nothing but the best going on here.

Pretty amazing wouldn’t you say?!

I don’t know about you, but this puts my garage sales to shame. Oh to be able to attend such an event, now wouldn’t that be wonderful?

I know you can find amazing items at garage sales whether they are displayed this wonderfully or not. I just had to show you the way a professional does it. You can read the full article in Veranda here.

“Enjoy the Process” Of:

Finding a treasure at a Garage/ Tag sale this summer!

More blue and white with a little addition!

It is no secret that I love the cool classic look of blue and white. When looking at images of this classic color combination I found that I am always drawn to images with one pop color and that color is PINK!
I think a blue porcelain vase with pink flowers is always beautiful.

Image from “ A Passion for Blue and White” by Carolyne Roehm

I have used this picture before in this post. It still attracts my attention because of the soft blue walls and the beautiful simplicity of the pink floral arrangement.

I realized when doing this post I like the blue and white to be the dominate colors and the pink to be in a small dose as an accent, usually in a floral arrangement simply done. How about you? Do you prefer more pink with your blue or, do you have another accent color that you like with blue?

The same bathroom as above but this is the tub view. Calgon take me away!

I love everything about this image!

l

Lonny Magazine 

This is blue in the form of turquoise, but again I like the little doses of pink as an accent.

This is the only picture where I found pink to be the dominate and blue as the accent. I think this space is so interesting and the pink is soft enough and surrounded by a neutral, making it is very pleasing to my eye.

 

Soft, calm and relaxing.

I learned a little about myself doing this post. It appears that I love blue and white in the forms of any blue and white!! As far as pink I like it mainly in small doses, usually in flowers. I hope this opens your creative minds to possibilities of using some blue and white with your own personal preference of an accent color.

“Enjoy the Process” Of:

Using Blue and white with a pop of a favorite accent color.

Kathysue

A Relaxed Blue Sunday!!

This past Sunday I had the best day with a friend. It was not a complicated girl's day. It was a simple relaxed time with a friend. We met up at Barnes and Noble. First we each got an iced Passion Tea with Lemonade and then we started perusing. First on the agenda was to find some summer reads for plane rides and trips to the beach. I found a few that will be fun girly reads. I went to the design section and pulled several books to look at and my friend went to the cook book section.

I skimmed quickly through about three books and then I came to one that took my breath away. It is not a new book but a book full of the most gorgeous pictures I have seen in a long time. I know beauty is subjective but I can not imagine anyone looking at this book and not ooohing and aaaahing.

I am talking about the book by Carolyne Roehm, “A Passion for Blue and White.” I guess if you don’t like the color blue you probably won’t enjoy this book. This girl however loves blue and white. In fact I use it a lot in my home for the summer months to cool the look of my home for the hot summer weather. You can see how I incorporate blue and white in this post showing my summer mantle.

As I turned each page I became more and more relaxed and almost felt like I was on a wonderful trip that was surrounding me with nothing but beauty. I think when a book can do that it is a reallllly good book. I have a few images from the book that caught my eye, well actually they all did, but you must see the book for yourself.

Simple Elegance at its best!

Whenever a setting is done with multiples and with a tight color pallete it gives one the Wow Factor!!

This is symmetry done well. It looks inviting and pleasing to the eye, but not contrived.

I love blue and white porcelain pieces with pops of pink. This is one of my favorite combinations. I like to use this combination in my backyard pots and planters.

This is only a small amount of the blue beauty you will get when you read this wonderful book. This has inspired me to get out my blue and white pieces and revamp my home for summer. I love to be inspired by such beauty, don’t you?

“Enjoy the Process” Of:

Absorbing the beauty in a great design book.

Kathysue

My Dad

My Dad! I can hardly think of him without getting big tears in my eyes. He is no longer with us and he died at a very young age (47). The tears I shed are sometimes for sadness but other times for joy.

He was a man among men as far as I was concerned. We were raised to pretty much think he could walk on water. I actually thought I was going to marry him until I turned 10yrs old and I found out that was not done. On my actual wedding day after he walked me down the aisle he sat down and took out his hanky and boo-hooed, my Mom had to console him.

 

I wish the pictures were in color, he had the most amazing sparkly blue eyes.

I remember how hard my Dad worked and what a wonderful provider he was for his family. What I remember above all was how much he loved his family. Daddy spoke with his eyes, they could laugh without making a sound. I would love to watch my Dad look at my Mom and her looking at him. Not a word was spoken but you knew without a doubt how much they loved each other that gives a child so much security to see how their parents love each other and boy did mine love each other.

My Dad made me feel loved and protected. I knew Daddy would fix it if anything would go wrong. I knew I was beautiful in his eyes.

 

He put a penny in my shoe and helped me with my garter.

I remember when my oldest son had his daughter (who is the most precious little girl alive) I watched as he leaned over the isolette and he bowed his head. I asked him later was he praying and he told me , “I am a blessed man, I was thanking God!" I knew that he was going to love his little girl just like my Dad loved me.

I told my son that day, You know you will be her first mirror. She will see herself through your eyes. Now how did I know that? Because I saw myself through my Dads eyes. I knew I was worth loving because he showed me. So when it came time to choose a husband I knew without a doubt that I had I met the right one. We have been married over forty years now. I fell in love with him when I was only sixteen yrs old so I have loved him for 43 years.

So you see because my Dad loved me like no one else could and took such wonderful care of me. I have learned to expect the best and in my opinion I got the best in the man that I have been married to for 40 years.

I guess in my heart I will always be Daddy’s little girl, I kind of like that even though he is no longer here to give me hugs he is with me in spirit and his love will be with me forever. That is what I call a wonderful example of a Dad!!

 "Enjoy the Process" Of:

Telling the Dad's in your life know how special they are to YOU!!

Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's in My Life!!

Kathysue

To Comment or Not to Comment ?!

Blogshpere is a strange and wonderful place, isn't it? I have yet to figure out what makes it tick. There are as many varied types of blogs as their are different personalities in the real world. I have met some of the most wonderful, and genuine people here in blog land. I have also been introduced to people and places that I would have never met or gotten to visit in my lifetime.

I have read blog post that inform me, teach me, inspire me and fascinate me. Sometimes I will see a post that will have one image and maybe a few words or maybe they just type,"Loving this right now." They will get multiple comments and accolades. And yet I will read some beautiful and thoughtfully written post with a lot of gorgeous images and they will only have three or four comments. It is so puzzling to me what makes this wonderful place we call blog land tick.

Now that I am a blog writer I look at blogs in a different light. I use to peruse blog land looking for inspiration pictures and information. Now, however I also look from the point of view of how much work and effort the blog author did to put up a post for my enjoyment. I don’t take it lightly anymore!! I am sure the rest of you blog authors know exactly what I mean.

I also feel more compelled to leaving a comment so they know that I was there and that I enjoyed what I just read. I am not sure what compels others to leave or not to leave a comment, but I, for one, try my hardest to leave a comment to let the author know I enjoyed my time on their blog and it inspired me.

I want you all too know that I appreciate all the time it takes to read one of my posts and also to leave a comment. It really does mean a lot to me. Because of some of the comments you all have left I feel like I have developed relationships with some of you. Even if it is a cyber –relationship it still means a lot to me. I love that blogging is an activity that is a creative outlet and it also brings like-minded people together to share our ideas and experience.  It has also opened up a whole new world to design styles that I might not have explored before.

I am not sure how you all feel about commenting or not leaving a comment? I would love to hear your take on the subject. What compels you to leave a comment? How do you feel about a post with one picture and a few words vs. a well written post with many images? Of course you will have to leave a comment, won’t you? Boy was that a trick question!!

“Enjoy the Process” Of:

Connecting with others by leaving a comment on their blog.

Kathysue

Do Your Clothes Ever Remind You Of A Room?

I plan on cleaning out my closet this weekend. It is going to be a really hot weekend around here so I think staying in the air conditioned house is the answer for me.
Our weather was so strange this year that I still have long sleeved blouses and T-shirts hanging in my closet. Time to bring in the Summer clothes.

I remember reading that we will subconsciously decorate our homes like we dress. Have you ever heard or read that? I use to beg to differ because I had all kinds of different styles and colors going on in my closet when I was younger( do you think maybe I had an identity crisis going on?)

As I have become older I seem to dress more classic, or at least I hope I do. Now, when I look in my closet I can see that whomever wrote that article was right. In my closet you will see a lot of black and white. The colors in my closet will consist of yellow, lime, pink/red, blue. Hmmm!?? This sounds vaguely familiar to my home doesn’t it? The patterns are usually striped or checks or just solids,hmmmmm!?? This also sounds vaguely familiar.

I love when I visit others blogs and they match an outfit with a room. There are some really talented bloggers out there. I am so amazed at how close they can come to matching a room with clothing.

I thought it would be fun for me and, hopefully for you to find some rooms that remind me of some of my clothes.

 

I got this dark blue and white top at Macy’s. It is sooo comfortable and cool. It looks great with a pair of white jeans. I think everything looks great with a pair of white jeans, though.

Love the black and white Imperial trellis pattern. I just happen to have a blouse that this reminds me of. This is a go-to blouse that I wear with dress black pants.

 

 

After looking at this image, I probably should have ironed my shirt!!

This is one cute laundry room. I love the freshness of the pink and white stripes. It reminds me of my pink and white striped cotton shirt. I have a black and white and a blue and white striped shirt also, go figure!!

 

In the summer time I like to wear knit, light weight dresses around the house. This room reminded me of a green Ikat print dress I have with brown beading around the neck. It is a long dress and fun to wear in the summer with brown tortoise sandals.

 

I love the color blush. You know it is not pink and it is not peach- just a soft shade of both. I love how it looks with white or a soft gray. My summer blush top with sequins reminded me of this room with its soft shimmer.

 

Room by David Bromstad

 

I wear a lot of this acid or citron yellow. It is a color that I truly enjoy wearing and it has become a mainstay in my wardrobe.

Love this tunic top and it's unusual color combination. This was a bit hard to find a room to go with it , but I think the room reflects the colors and feel of my top, don't you?

I only did a few pieces out of my closet but it was really fun finding rooms that reminded me of the pieces. You should try it!!

“Enjoy the Process” Of:

Finding rooms that remind you of your wardrobe.

Kathysue