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check yourself.

Jenny Kayne's Holiday Party - Domaine

Some design “trends” aren’t actually trends at all – because they’ve been around for decades, but recently have gained more love. This is especially true for checkered and plaid patterns. Just search the terms on Instagram or Pinterest, and you’ll see many awesome examples of using these patterns in a modern way.

BUFFALO CHECK

This fabric is typically classified by 1 or 2 colors on a light background, created by horizontal and vertical stripes of equal thickness crossing over each other to form squares.

It’s everywhere right now. On chairs, pillows, even on bathroom floors!

Checkered Bathroom Floor - Studio McGee

Black and White check is so classic but most importantly of all, very versatile. It mixes well with other patterns. You can do dots, floral, solids – the sky’s the limit.

It crosses over to many different design styles. Pictured below on this mid-century style chair by Schoolhouse Electric.

Studio McGee - Lynwood Remodel
It goes more transitional here with Caitlin Wilson’s pillow and rug collection.

Caitlin Wilson Navy Buffalo Check Pillow

PLAID

I grew up in the Catholic school system.  I wore a plaid jumper everyday for about 6 years. Needless to say, I was over anything resembling plaid. Putting my childhood aside, I’d be crazy to deny that it’s making a comeback. And I think I kinda, sorta, dig it.

Emily Henderson - Let's Get Cozy

There is some crossover between check and plaid, but plaid usually consists of 2 or more colors and the stripes vary in size and spacing.  It’s kinda like Buffalo Check’s uptight older sister. It tends to feel a little more formal, sophisticated, and traditional than the playful checkered patterns.
Dash & Albert Cooper Navy Jute Woven Rug

So the question is- are you Team Check or Team Plaid?

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Sources: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

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5 items I’m loving at Target right now (all under $100!)

Hola! Hope you enjoyed this past weekend. I can’t believe it is already June, and although Summer hasn’t officially started, it sure feels like it around here!

A couple of weekends ago I made a trip to Target to grab a couple of random items and got sucked into their home section. (You know, the usual.)

I would say especially over the last couple years, Target has really upped their game when it comes to housewares and home decor items.  They have some really great designer looks but without the high price tag.  Here are my faves:

five summer home items from target under $100!

Links from top to bottom: cotton blanket, mirror, marble lamp, brass wire basket, bench

 

what color to paint my door?

Being a designer is a funny thing sometimes.  Like I can help others with their homes all day long, but when it comes to my own home, forget it. I look at endless options and so the project just kind of lingers out there forever.  I’ve heard this before and it’s painfully accurate: I’m my own worst client.

Okay, so the backstory:  I’ve been thinking about painting my back door an accent color for about the last year. Well I’m finally going to do it, but need to make a decision on the color.

Here’s some of my favorite inspiration pics:

 

Painted Door - Claire Zinnecker - Farrow & Ball Light Blue

 

Chelsea Fullerton's Yellow Door - Home Tour on the EveryGirl

 

Jenny Piazza's Front Door - Country Living

 

Door in Essaouira Morocco - by Maryam Montague

Sources:  1 | 2 | 3 | 4

From the white bungalow to the Moroccan entry, clearly I’m drawn to soft and playful colors.   Which one is your favorite??

PS> My exterior is like a taupe color now. We’re looking to paint the exterior soon as well, possibly to a richer warm gray.

 

Lake Michigan modern farmhouse

Lake Michigan is one of my soft spots.  My memories drift back to being 19, young and in love, spending summer nights on the shore. Giant dunes and water for days, a coastline that could be mistaken for the ocean.  It was a time before social media, smartphones, and up-to-the-second updates.  Maybe we were naive to the world around us, but time just seemed to stop.  And in those moments is when you feel most alive.

When I saw this project on Lonny a couple weeks back, it hit that soft spot. Carefree and breezy, this modern farmhouse is just simply beautiful.

living room at the lake - Lonny Mag     Modern Farmhouse by Linc Thelan

Love all of the white and coastal decor that isn’t too in-your-face beachy.

Lake inspired dining room

Modern Farmhouse Kitchen

Modern Farmhouse Bath

I miss the easy lake life, the simplicity of youth.  I think that’s why I love this project so much.

Coastal bath vintage oars Pool Bath

For more pics, visit the very talented Linc Thelen’s website.

catching up

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.  So I know you must have missed my posts!

We have a lot to catch up on.  But where to begin?

Michigan peonies

The last time I blogged was before the official start of Summer…. and now it’s August.  Insanity.

I’m not going to give you some lame-o reason why I have been so silent.  Like, “oh I was busy”.  We all are busy.  We all have commitments, families, responsibilities, unexpected life events – and we all have the same hours in the day as Beyonce.   It’s all how you prioritize and manage your time.  And it’s safe to say that I’ve sucked at that lately.  A lot of times I find it extremely hard for me to just write, draw, or do anything random that I enjoy in my free time.  But as with anything you love, you pick back up where you left off.  So here it goes.

June flew by. We made our yearly vacation back up to the Mitten.  We spent a week trekking across the state – hitting Chicago, Detroit and everywhere in between.

Chicago Riverfront

I swear, there is never a dull moment on these Michigan trips.  Every year I bring a book along with me and am lucky to crack it once. Sure, it’s a little ironic because you go on vacation to relax, and we do get some down time, but it’s more like relaxed chaos.  Everyday of our trip seems to get booked up with commitments as we try to cram a year’s worth of hangout time into 1 week.   It always seems to feel hectic when we go home.  You’d think being there for a whole week would be long enough to see everyone we know and love, but it’s amazing how each time I go up there are people we miss.  I guess it’s one of the hard things about having family and friends spread out.  And you know, deciding to live about 1,500 miles away from your hometown.  But really, there’s no other feeling like being back at the place you will always call home….that place that takes you back to your roots.

Pure Michigan - Hidden Lake Gardens

And by the way, I had the best freakin’ time in Detroit.  Being downtown was absolutely phenomenal.  There’s revival in the air and I’m proud to see it coming back.  I just had to shout that out to the world.

Oh and if you find yourself there, do yourself a favor and hit up Detroit Institute of Bagels.  I bought one… and then followed that up with a whole dozen for the road.

IMG_2486

Our summer in Texas has consisted of lots of river tubing and picking back up with what seems like the endless list of renovating and maintaining an old house.  Don’t get me wrong, I love our 1954 ranch and would not trade it for anything.  Okay, mayyyybbbeee an oceanfront home on 30A, but that’s about it.  I can’t wait to share some of the details and some other new things happening around here in some future posts.

It’s good to be back to blogging after my sabbatical.   Hope you are enjoying your summer too!

Texas Sunset