A few recent house updates.....

Hi there and happy Tuesday evening....taking a much needed coffee break, just came in from being out.  We are in a deep freeze. It is almost too cold to go out. It takes every ounce of energy and perseverance for me to venture outside....yes, it's that cold. Hoping for an early thaw....please!!

I realize I haven't done any updates on my home in quite a while. But don't let the quiet fool you:) I have been quite busy behind the scenes. The single most exciting thing of all is my bedroom. I am beyond excited over how its coming out. I want to give the full reveal when it is totally done but did include a few "sneak peeks". Also small things here and there going, on and thought it warranted a small house updates post.

Other big news (I say it tongue in check) is that I joined Instagram! Woo hoo. Alert the presses. Now my friends can finally stop  making fun of me. True, I am still rather clueless as to how it all works or what the point even is but I am trying hard to think outside the box in 2014 and vowed to try a bunch of new things this year. So if you have any remote desire whatsoever to see whats on my Instagram, you can find me under you guessed it.....theenchantedhome (all one word) . I am not going to promise that it's going to be that exciting as I have NO idea what I am doing, but I do promise to do my best:) I am staring sloooooow so bear with me please.


These were all taken with my iPhone so pardon the quality on a few.....camera was out of commission

So come on in........


A few snippets of my bedroom. It is shaping up and shaping up fast but I want to wait until every last little item is in place. So far however my vision of what  a bedroom should be has come to life. I absolutely love it....

Loving my new slipper chairs....and remember this fabric? Well turns out it was the perfect choice!

I am not done with this arrangement but it's getting there!

And of course my most favorite lamps in the world!!

And the trim I hemmed and hawed over....well it finally got here!

FINALLY getting this small powder room off of the library done! I got the floors finished, the toilet is in, this is an old chest we are using for the vanity, just waiting for the new countertop. I found these wonderful sconces and brackets at a local consignment shop and using this wallpaper that I have had set aside since before we even moved in! I still love it so its been ordered!!

 Love the floor! It's a mess though, don't ask what a painting is doing in the floor there, it's become a bit of a storage closet:)

 The chest that will be the vanity, its not my all time fave but we own it so we are using it. Just waiting on the countertop (matches the floor)

 Do love these black tole chinoiserie sconces I found and will be using in here......

 The gorgeous wallpaper, still love it after all these years! Put your hands over that green countertop and you will get the idea:)

 I think the floor is really pretty...its honey onyx, that I had cut into 2 x12's and did as a chevron/herringbone pattern

I was tired of seeing the red poinsettias tress on my island. It was perfect for Christmas and at the rate I was going, I guess I could have left them up for Valentines Day since they are red:) But I wanted to feel some spring so added my pink cherry blossoms to these new blue and whites and I must say I love it. It feels so wonderful walking into my kitchen and totally belies the fact that there is ice crusted snow everywhere outside...oh well once can dream:)

And speaking of the kitchen, I love the way the bright yellows of lemons and green of limes looks in blue and white...its uplifting given the dark gloomy days of winter we are having!

And since we are in my kitchen, how gorgeous is this copper pot my sister gave me for my birthday? She does know me well......

Bought this beautiful pair of black tole lanterns to put in two small hallway vestibules upstairs. I like the simplicity and shape.

And added this belljar to a small vestibule between my bedroom and closet. You  know I looooove my belljars:)

I have been finding the prettiest antique decanters lately. Look at these, they are antique Baccarat with the sterling liquor  name plates...gorgeous!

We have been starting to look at flooring for our basement. I am amazed at what they are doing with tiles! We want a maintenance free tile that looks like wood. I am leaning towards those ashy colored light to med. woods..they are so soothing and pretty. Amazing!

 It is so hard to believe these are porcelain tiles and not wood!

Now that the holidays are over, I am going back to the drawing board on a number of projects, with the bedroom and my dining room being two of the most important. Still tweaking but getting closer every day to the final background color of the gorgeous chinoiserie which I know will transform the space.....

And have had these really large chunky white ginger jars for a while (was going to carry them) but they are so darn big and heavy. So instead of sitting in storage I took them out and put them on the pale green French console in the upstairs hallway and I love the way they look, so fresh and crisp! I am going to add something to the center, just not sure what. I will probably refer back to my post from yesterday on accentuating with accessories!

Put in this gorgeous new lantern finally in our back stair hall...really pretty piece!

I think I have finally figured out the secret to keeping orchids alive well and super long lasting. Cool, cool cool rooms. This one is in one of the coolest areas of our house and this thing looks as beautiful as it did the day I got it over two months ago....still going strong! Very little water also (maybe once every 10 days)

Yes my Christmas tree FINALLY got taken down 3 days ago, my big soldiers are next in line:)

Another one still going strong that I now moved to a cooler spot

Just starting to get my orders in for the Annabell Ingall totes so if you are one of the ones waiting.....things are starting to ship out this week. Every time I see a new color/variation, I want one (it's a bit of a problem).  I mean how many bags does a girl need? Nevermind, you don't have to answer that:)  They are all so gorgeous....

 Sky and Cherry totes (med and large)

                                     This is a great neutral,new color String in the new style, Coco


A few important things......

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for this magnificent bowl courtesy of Bonny Neiman! Click here for details. I will announce a lucky winner on Friday morning.

Also accepting pictures of your kitchens for about another week for my KITCHEN LOVE contest! If you think your kitchen has what it takes and is "contest ready".......send it in! Details below....

My new contest is called Kitchen Love. A subject near and dear to our hearts, the heart of the home. Send in your pictures of your kitchen or it can be a snippet of your kitchen, something that makes your kitchen special and beautifully yours. I cannot wait to start getting the entries! Rules are-

Max. two pictures per entrant

They must be your pictures (not taken off the internet)

Please send your pictures to theenchantedhome@gmail.com

You must put Kitchen Love in subject line to insure it is received and included

I am accepting pictures as of today and the deadline is Feb. 8th

The contest will begin Feb. 10th and run for two days.

The lucky winner will receive a beautiful large Spanish olive tray, a gorgeous addition to any kitchen.

Thank you for stopping in. Hope all is well with you....talk to you soon! Stay warm:)