Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Little Things Add Up!

Coast Awhile Cottage has been a huge project!  It's such a big house that it took lots of time to handle all the little details that make it special.  The last space I have left to show you in the main house is the upstairs master bathroom.  It ended up like this....


...but it started out like this....


Yes, I know---ewww.  

This is what we did...we started out with a brand new tub/shower and added new white tile to its walls and ceiling.  The tiles were inexpensive but I had them applied at a diagonal for a little more pizzazz.



The walls were covered with bead board and eventually painted with white semi-gloss paint.



We tiled the floors with white and black hexagon tile to keep the vintage flavor.



A new toilet and a new vanity were installed as well as a new light fixture.  You can't see it but we also installed new towel bars.



Then it was time for the fun stuff.  We found this cool mirror at Home Goods and an inexpensive but colorful shower curtain at Wal-Mart.  Good design can also be a good bargain.


And last but not least Target's Room Essentials collection has wonderful fast-dry towels and bath rugs at a great price point and in so many colors!  I liked these sky blue ones.....



My designer, Jane Coslick, always says that you can't have too many hooks on the walls of a beach cottage.  My sister Crystal sent me some really fun ones--the crab hook is shown...



And there you have it right down to the last little thing!

I am always amazed at each layer of decorating and how it adds to the whole.  Careful attention to detail can be a powerful thing.  

Makes me think of one of my favorite quotes which I heard attributed to missionary Amy Carmichael..."A little thing is a little thing, but faithfulness in little things is a very great thing."  I used to stress this to my kids when they were young and still living in our home.  It's a good lesson for all of us.  Think about it :) 

Thursday, April 17, 2014

It's A Girl!

Happy news!
 
 
 
Introducing our precious new granddaughter Piper who from day one already knew how to 
make a fashion statement!
 

 
 
She was born April 3rd, weighed in at a healthy 9lb 3oz, and was 22 inches long!   Her mother Meghan (our daughter) was a trooper and managed to deliver her with natural childbirth and Piper's daddy Tom was an excellent birth coach!
 
 
 
It would be an understatement to say her family is already in love with her!


Uncle Jonathan and Aunt Lisa brought two of the Fab Four to get acquainted (Violet, top left and Anna Kate, lower right)





Big sister Josey is thrilled and when she's not busy being awesome in her own right...
 
 
 
 ...she loves to hug and kiss her baby sister.
 



Piper already has a few nicknames..."Pipsqueak" (although she really doesn't deserve it) and my personal favorite--she was dubbed "Pipette" by her grandfather who was a Chemistry major as an undergrad.  She has also been called "Pipes" and I must say she can certainly speak up for herself...I am woman, hear me roar!
 
 
Daddy was trying to work and either Piper thought he was writing some bad code or she was letting Mommy know that it was time for her second or was that third (?) breakfast.  
 
But most of the time--all of the time--precious Piper is just that...precious!

  
Welcome to the world sweet girl and welcome to the family!

Monday, April 7, 2014

Happy, Cozy and Comfy Master Bedroom!

Coast Awhile Cottage has some pretty gorgeous bedrooms thanks to my collaboration with designer Jane Coslick and her assistant (and designer in her own right)  Anna Speir.  Those ladies are sooo creative!  If you haven't picked your favorite yet then take a look at these...


But wait to pick your favorite until you see this last bedroom.  It is the upstairs master bedroom and adjoining sitting area.



I'm crazy for the iron bed--a Craig's List find that I picked up for a song!  This is what it looked like when I picked it up.

 

It's amazing what a little white spray paint can do!  The dandelion print pillow was made from a $1.99 scrap of fabric scavenged from Fabric World!  Anybody want to make a wish?



This little dresser came from a flea market as well as the little lamps on top.  The mirror was a cast off from Coral Cottage which we painted white and then distressed to give it 
an antique look.



Leonard Miller, a Savannah artist, painted wonderful window art for this room using an old window salvaged from Coral Cottage. 



Jane Coslick gave him the inspiring words which call the reader back to the freedom of 
simpler, happy days of childhood.  These are some things we need to hold on to.

 

The bedroom opens up to a sitting room... 



 We wanted it to be a cozy spot in which to read, talk or watch TV.  The TV can be angled for watching from the bed as well (my favorite).




Like it?   Tell me--which bedroom is your favorite and why?  Which bedroom would you choose for your own if you were staying here at Coast Awhile Cottage?  (See the links at the beginning of this post to view the other bedrooms.)

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

My Favorite Bedroom--No Foolin'

Lots of work went into making an appealing and welcoming room in the largest master bedroom at Coast Awhile Cottage.  It took months to get everything in shape but we will compress the time and show you how things turned out with some before and afters of a few different angles...

Before
 
After


The sitting room area....

Before
 It looks very different with the closet and fake wood flooring torn out and beadboard walls instead of wallpaper.



 The white paint (Martha Stewart Living #8002 Glass of Milk) makes a huge difference!  There's nothing like crisp white walls to create a great background for cottage-y decor.  Because the budget was tight, we painted the floor with deck paint in lieu of adding more hardwood to match the other half of the room.

After

Next time I'll show you the decor...this bedroom is my favorite in this cottage!