~ My cottage before & afters ~

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful weekend! I've spent a few days this week getting the house all ready for the Spring/Summer season. I've had things on my to-do list forever and just never got around to getting them all completed, I do little bits here and there when I can... So now was the time to finish! I sat down a few weeks ago and made a list of some things that needed makeovers , oh what fun! And best of all, it just included some paint and some thought. Paint is fabulous that way, it's easy, frugal, and fun ( well most of the time, lol ). The first picture didn't even require any paint, just some inspiration and the time to move things around a bit. I'm sure you've seen many pictures of my Kitchen Hutch already, but the great thing about Hutches are, you can change them up at any whim...As my Mother always said, " The best and cheapest way to decorate, is to shop in your own home "....so here we go, on a little tour of my seasonal makeovers....

~ Kitchen Hutch Before ~

~ Kitchen Hutch After ~

I just moved some things around and put some books away to make it more Airy and a little more open and simple....
This oil painting below is one of my favorites, I keep it in the kitchen to remind how hard women had to work many years ago, not only did they cook the Family dinner, but they grew it, tended it, and harvested it! Anytime I feel stressed, I look at the picture and I'm reminded how lucky I am.

I got this lamp below from my good friend Rhonda, while I loved it so much, I wanted to make the rooster blend into my decor, so he was treated with a little Robins egg blue paint and a shade I already had...

~ before ~ ( already pretty I must admit )

~ After ~ ( a little color )

~ candlesticks before ~

~ After ~

I've had this coffee table below for so long, and while it was always Robins egg blue, the shabby chic look to it was enhanced by years of use, a little too much, lol..... so it needed a new coat of fresh paint, I used the same color on the re-do. But in my house, with 3 kids, 2 dogs and endless company, I didn't need to distress it to the chippy look, this will happen in my house naturally in about 2 weeks :)

~ Before ~

~ After ~

I just made this Kitchen Island below a few years ago, and again, I do love it, but my good friend Benita sent me a picture of an Island that was seen this week on the blog Southern Hospitality. I had been looking for an unusual island for a client and when I saw the picture I let out a big *GASP*, oh it was so pretty! so I am thinking of painting mine below and giving it that Soft Blue treatment also! That's next month on the list, lol.

I contacted Rhoda at Southern Hospitality to see if I could "borrow" her gorgeous picture of it, and she was as wonderful as her blog title indicates! A real sweetie with wonderful southern charm! She had said that her good friend Layla had blogged about it too, so I contacted Layla at The Lettered Cottage and asked her where this was from. She was so helpful too! I then contacted the owner of this fabulous market booth at Eastbrook Flea and Antique Mall in Montgomery, Alabama. So now my client will hopefully have the Island of her dreams! And I have an inspiration to re-create another one for myself ! :) That's the wonderful thing about Blogging too, everyone is so helpful ! Thank you girls! Isn't is beautiful ?!

~ My dream After ~

If you love that Island above, or would love to inquire about her many other gorgeous Islands and finds, contact Gayle Cowan at Gaylecowan01@bellsouth.net. She was so wonderful to talk to and as you can see, she has so many unique items to grace your home with beauty!

I had been thinking over this next project for some time, I wanted to lighten up the foyer, but yet I loved the English tongue and groove paneling too. I like my home to be cozy and warm , but every Spring and Summer I would look at this and just get this feeling I'd love it light too, so now was the time :)

~ Before ~

~ After ~

I was actually inspired by the Cottage sign to pick a soft cream as the color, so Thank you Elyse! Now your fabulous sign has a new place in my home :) Elyse's creations are so gorgeous, and what a wonderful girl she is! Thank you Elyse for being so talented!! I love all your creations!

Now I can really see my lamp shades that I love so much, they were an afternoon project a couple years ago. A glue gun and I have been best friends ever since :)

Some people ask me what I am inspired by as a Designer. That list is so long when it comes to clients, I am Inspired by so much! I have worked in Cottage Design ,Traditional Design and also Modern Design. But for me personally, it's basically Cottage. That's what comforts me and makes me happy. Simple, yet colorful, and it has to have that element of whimsy and fun too! I love farm chic, vintage inspired rooms, and as you'll see below I also love bits of nautical design here and there too! I am sure it's from my love affair with Nantucket and Marthe's Vineyard. If I could live anywhere else but here, that's where I'd be!

I don't have too many nautical things, but I have a few that I love. My steps have a vintage Nantucket design wallpapered on them and they are finished off with hand painted details. I also get shell crazy in the Summer and spread them around too. Wicker baskets, dried flowers, and other little details bring in a little of that feel for me also. I do love living on LI, the beach is minutes away and then we have the LI Sound on the other side dotted with sweet Seaside villages, so I try and bring a little something home each day out at the waters edge..

The 2 books above can be found at amazon.com, I love the easy simple style that they evoke, and the fabulous ideas I get from them too!

~ A little Nautical here and there , perfect for my Cottage ~

And last, but not least, the up close detail....


"We carry our homes within us, which enables us to fly" ....John Cage

Oh Decorating is so much fun!! I hope you enjoyed my little before and after tour, Thanks so much for coming by! Happy Decorating !

Till next time, Much love and hugs to all who visit!

~ Cynthia ~