The Clifton House

HomeGood Goodies!

2010-03-01T11:49:00.000-08:00

Since I have been going to school at UofL and driving the 45 minute drive to and fro, I often find myself veering off at the Hurstbourne Exit coming home and finding my way to HomeGoods. Sometimes I get lucky, sometimes I don't. This past time at Homegoods, I found great deals and I thought I would share

These French lamps are very cute! They have a great price on them too, I think around $35.00

I loved this rug! The only thing that held me back from buying it was the size. Its an odd size of 3'x4'11'' or something around that.

This sisal rug was only $79!!!!!!!

I'm starting to see my guest room come together....

I LOVE FOREVER 21!!!!!

2010-02-28T17:59:00.000-08:00

I was going to wait to do this post, but I just got on the website and I am so excited about some of these items!!!! You can't get much better than these deals!

Click here.

This is SUCH a cute outfit!!!!! Click here

Click here

Click here. I definitely would wear this with skinny jeans... maybe some you stick figures out there could pull it off as a dress, but I think it would be cuter with something underneath

I also think this would be cute over white skinny jeans with some gold jewelry. Click here.

Click here

Hmmmmm..... maybe not everything at Forever 21 is adorable???????

Goodwill/Salvation Army Finds

2010-02-28T16:21:00.000-08:00

I had a couple of requests to show some of my "finds" from my weekly stops at Goodwills across Louisville. Some may think I'm crazy, but man nothing beats a cute chair for under $30!!!! All the chair needs is good bones, the fabric can be changed! I haven't just found chairs, I find little odds and ends that I stick here an there throughout the house...

This is my favorite find! It has gorgeous crewel fabric that is in great shape! I have to give credit to my mother for finding this one for me!

I love the fabric on this one also, but it really needs to be changed. It has a couple of worn spots and needs to have a new coat of paint. I think I may stick with similar colors because it adds such of pop of color in my kitchen nook.

This is my least favorite, but I think when I get some different fabric and maybe get rid of the tufting it may have something underneath all that... I'll post pics when I'm done with this chair.

This is a cute little mirror that I spray painted white. It was an awful green when I bought it, this mirror is very similar to mirror that anthropologie had a couple of years back.

My mother had to talk me into this little gadget. I thought it was cute, but I didn't really know what it did and I just thought it was ok. Now I love it! I find them in antique stores all the time for $100 or more! This gadget keeps tea warm and then serves it out through the spout. I plan on getting this monogrammed with a big "H"!

I love this little table! I fits perfectly with my couch. I also have to thank my mom for finding this.

Thats about it for now... more to come as I find them :)

Nursery Cornice Boards

2010-02-24T18:50:00.000-08:00

The past couple days I have been in sunny Tampa, FL visiting some of my husband's family. One of his sister's is pregnant and due in May!!! We decided to do some adorable cornice boards in her nursery and they turned out absolutely gorgeous!

We found really cute fabric at our local fabric store Making Ends Meet. The polka dots were perfect for the color of the bedroom and the bedding that she purchased from Pottery Barn Kids

Isn't is cute!!!!! She had the great idea of buying two extra pillow shams that had the same two birds on them as above. She thought it would be cute to cut them out and put them on the cornice boards! I thought this was a great idea and a great way to make the boards look very custom!

She also wanted baby Ella's initial on the cornice boards, so she was able to do an "E" in chocolate brown on the fabric and then have the birds cut out and sewn on either side of the "E"

The fabric came out looking like this

How stinking cute is that!!!!!! I was blown away how great the fabric turned out!

After doing some work....

and some pinning....

and some more hard work, we got a finished product!

and here is one board hung!

Can't get much cuter than that folks :) She has ordered two white dupioni silk curtains that have a ruffle down each side of them and we are going to stick them under the cornice board on either side of the window. Check back to see the final product!

If anyone is interested in having boards made for their own home, contact me at Hannah_Hays@yahoo.com for prices!

Guest Room

2010-02-18T08:46:00.000-08:00

I ran across this image on cocokelley and thought it was too cute not to share.

*minus the butterfly fabric...

I think this would be adorable in a guest room! The great thing about this room is you can definitely do it on the cheap. the head boards could be easily homemade, the roman shades are an easy at home project, and the pillows could also be made at home.

It would be very easy to find a lamp similar to the one shown here at HomeGoods! The table shown in the picture could really be substituted with any cute little table that wasn't to bulky.

For the rug, I think I would put a sisal or a seagrass down instead of that modern print. Here are some great deals on overstock.com for sisals/seagrass rugs.

These are on overstock and are priced at $155.99 for a 8'x10'. Click here

Here is a sisal rug also found on overstock.com. This rug is also an 8'x 10'. Click here.

Just for fun... here are some great deals I found on overstock

Bloomery rug for $111.99. Click here

$189.99 Click here. Below is a picture of a very similar chandelier from pottery barn priced quite a bit higher than this one.

$349.00!!!

Picture light $50.99. Click here. I love these over any great painting or nice print.

Well thats it for now... I'm currently sitting in the Birmingham Airport waiting for my flight to Tampa Special thanks to Birmingham airport for having free wireless, I'm glad I had something to keep me entertained :)

Cheap Spring Finds

2010-02-12T07:24:00.000-08:00

Since Kentucky is covered in snow, I have had all the time in the world to browse the internet for way longer than I should! I am starting to think about spring shopping, but not the kind of shopping that will empty a bank account! Here are some cute finds for under $50!!!!

Yellow Tunic only $22.80. Click here

Forever 21 Nautical Dress $22.80. Click here

Urban Outfitters $48.00. Click here

JCrew Long sleeve $24.99. Click here

Forever 21 Painted dress $22.80. Click here

(not quite sure about this dress yet, I don't like the belt, but I love the colors and shape... any suggestions?

Anthropologie Moon Tank $39.95. Click here

The next two are over $50 but are worth it!

Anthropologie Tank: $78.00. Click here.

Lou Lou Blouse from Jcrew $59.99. Click here.

Check out Little green notebook!

2010-02-11T07:24:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share with you all a blog that I check pretty much 6 times a day! I always look forward to what she is going to put on her blog next and she has the GREATEST ideas! Today she has a tutorial about how to make a skirt for a sink with exposed plumbing! This is so ideal for me, because this old house has many sinks with exposed plumbing! Check out her tutorial here!

Here is her finished product!!!

Eddie Ross at EddieRoss.com did a similar project and here is his finished product:

Eddie did this whole skirted sink with towels from the DOLLAR STORE!!!!!! This is my next project and I'm going to mimic Eddie, my bathroom has the same black and white tiled floor.. lets just see if I can only make it look as good as his ;)

Here are some more skirted tables for inspiration!

The Study

2010-02-09T14:05:00.000-08:00

My school semester just started in January and I already feel that its dragging! I need a little boost to help me conquer all the papers/exams that I have on my list to do... I think decorating my study would be the perfect thing to turn this procrastinator into one little book worm ;)

Here is my plan....

To start off, I would paint the whole entire room this emerald green. This isn't the exact color I picked out but it's in this color family. I would even add some wainscoting like I did at the old house..

I want to put down this rug....

and I want to put this chair in there.....

and I would love to put a lamp such as this to make it look like a study

and I would LOVE a wall of bookshelves such as this...

all painted in that emerald green by the way....

A couple of these sitting around....

and this hanging from the ceiling....

a girl can dream right?

Dreaming of Sun, flowers and Curtains

2010-01-30T07:35:00.000-08:00

I know I have been M.I.A. for a while.... I don't even have an excuse, but I'm back. Today in Kentucky we have 3.5'' of snow covering the ground and we are dealing with 20 degree temperatures! As much as I love the snow, I'm getting very anxious for spring to arrive! Here are some images to maybe get some of us thawed out ;)

Double Rose Peonies (these will most definitely be on my list to plant this year)

Jadite serving pieces... It reminds me of Easter. Go to Ebay for cheap pieces

Milly Dress! I'm going to save every penny to own this cute little dress! Click here to view.

Jcrew click here (Don't buy these till they go on sale.. you know they will;)

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these curtains!!!! Can someone please email my husband and tell him that these are really necessary!?

This little number is from H&M. I think the price is $14.95!!!

Jo Malone: My choice of perfume for spring/summer

Very fun Ikat fabric found here. There are so many great options on this website!

Adorned Mantels

2009-11-25T05:58:00.000-08:00

I apologize for the lack of posts lately, everything gets a little crazy around the holidays :)! Well, I'm sure everyone is starting to think about their own Christmas decorations and entertaining, so I thought I would share what I did over the past couple days for our decorations

This is my mantel in the family room! This is very simple and inexpensive.... I found 9' garland at Old Time Pottery for $1.99 a strand. I twisted two pieces together to make the garland look more full. I found the ribbon (make sure you purchase ribbon that has wire in it!) also at Old Time Pottery for $0.47 a roll! From this picture you are not able to see, but I wrapped white christmas lights around the garland before putting up the ribbon, so at night it lights up your whole room! I used magnolia branches from our big tree out back and did a little styling with my horse heads! I purchased the wreath at the same place (Old Time Pottery) last year on sale, I believe I paid $5.00 and used left over ribbon from last year to make the bow!

This is from the living room. This was a much more thought out design. I absolutely love hydrangeas, I grow them in the backyard, I had them in the wedding and I can find a use for them in any situation! I found these dried hydrangeas, again, at Old Time Pottery. The most difficult part of putting together a mantel decoration is doing the darn ribbon! It takes forever to place it just right. Thankfully, I had my aunt come over and help me place the ribbon! She is VERY talented!

So here is what I have completed so far... I would love to see some pictures of your Christmas decorations!

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS = $0.00

2009-11-18T15:27:00.000-08:00

I'm always looking to save a buck :) Tonight, when I pulled into my driveway, I noticed how beautiful and green my magnolia tree and Holly trees were among the other bare trees. I decided to not let these go to waste....

Remember those champagne flutes I got at the estate sale?

Just wanted to share with you all a quick and easy way to spruce up your house for the holidays without spending a dime!

Living Room Woes....

2009-11-17T19:08:00.000-08:00

Remember me posting this picture???

This was the day we moved in all our stuff!!! Well, this room only stayed this way for a couple of days, because I couldn't live with the black wood work! I chose to go with a very neutral color for this room because it only gets natural light for a couple hours a day, so I wanted to keep it light.

Here is the room painted with a light yellow/beige and my curtains. I think curtains make such a difference but they definitely leave damage to your back account! I decided to get linen pre-made curtains for cheap and then add on my own trim (with fabriglue!!) It was really easy and it makes the curtains look more tailored and custom made.

I was really concerned about what to do with my TV, I was ready to get rid of my husband's "TV stand" that he owned from college but I knew that buying an armoire would not be possible!

I was handed down a pie safe when we moved in, and I have to be honest, I wasn't very excited about it... It was all wrong, wrong wood, wrong lines, wrong look altogether... well I started looking at the pie safe in a new light when I realized that buying an armoire was not possible.

Look how it turned out!

I have to give credit where credit's due to my handy dandy husband! He basically sawed off the back half of the piece of furniture and shoved the TV in there... there is not a centimeter to wiggle! Then he build a back for it so you don't see straight through at the top!

I found the two pieces of luggage on top at a local consignment store and bought books at Goodwill for $.25! It just needed a little styling on top (thanks to my sister) to pull this piece together!

As for the plans for this room... I'm not to thrilled about my fireplace arrangement, in fact I HATE the black insert with the brass doors, I'm currently trying to beg my husband to try to pull it out!

Here is the start of my collection of Juliska on the back wall... I'm hoping to find an INCREDIBLE mirror to place in the middle of my arrangement and fill the wall... OR I could talk my husband into building me sophisticated bookshelves along the wall????? ;)

Equestrian Pieces

2009-11-17T16:11:00.000-08:00

Living here in the bluegrass state, we pride ourself in the history bourbon, basketball and thoroughbreds! I can't imagine living in this state and not appreciating the absolutely stunning beauty of horses. They are so posed and noble and I think everything thats equestrian is classy!
Here are a couple things that I have, want or NEED!

I may use this fabric on a couch that is going out in the sunroom... this comes in red also. I can't decided if this is too much or just enough and keep the rest of the room simple...

Here are some boots that I REALLY NEED!

You can buy these for $250 at Neiman Marcus... but I really don't have that kind of cash to spend. I found these as a substitute on thelook4less.com but they just aren't the same... These are 34.99 and from Charolette Russe.

The bag below is on my list for Christmas!

You can buy this bag at my mother and sister's store Rabbit in the Moon. I don't have a price for this one, but it is soooo worth the price ;)

Here is some fabric that I used to make some pillows in the room

I have some more things that I want to share on this subject, so I will keep posting pictures as I find them ;)

Animal Print

2009-11-16T18:15:00.000-08:00

I am crazy for Animal Print!!!! I really love the way it looks in a formal room. It takes away the stuffiness of a formal room and adds a big dose of glamour! I'm thinking about getting a zebra or some sort of black and white rug in my living room

I think that bringing in a zebra print will break up all the antiques I have going on and make this room a little bit more fun. What do you all think?

Take a look at how designers use animal print to put some personality into a room...

Another Estate Sale

2009-11-16T11:50:00.000-08:00

I was off to another estate sale this weekend... Not as good as the week before, but I still found a couple things for cheap, cheap!!!
First off...

I bought these silver plate candlesticks for my dining room table. I think they would be beautiful grouped together. I found these for $7.00!
Take a look at Pottery Barn's take on using Silver candlesticks!

I found these gorgeous crystal sorbet glasses for $2.50 for the set! I can't wait to use these during Christmas to either serve desert or sorbet punch!

Eddie Ross from Eddieross.com uses them for a summer lunch...

Next, I found these really cute champagne flutes that are going to be part of my centerpiece for Christmas! I bought these for $2.50 for a set of 8!

I'm hoping I can line these up along the table and put some peppermint amaryllis in them!!!

I think that would make such a statement! I don't know if they will fit in the flutes... I may have to come up with another idea! By the way peppermint amaryllis are great gifts to give to friends that you don't know what to get them! They come back every year and are so cute as a group! I just add one to my collection each year!

And one more thing to leave you all with... I loves these holly bushes for either side of my front door!

I found these at Lowes for $59.60... which is way to much for my front door decorations, so I'm on a quest to find cheap holly bushes!!

Have a great day!

Dining room

2009-11-13T06:44:00.000-08:00

I am FAR from done with the dining room... really I haven't even started. But, I have filled the room with at least a table and chairs...

Before.....

After!

I found the table back in the summer at a store "Eyedias" and it was there F.A.T. Friday special so I bought the table for a total of $120!!!! The table sat in this room empty for a while, and then I ran across a set of six shield back chairs at the same store! This particular store is a consignment store and they mark down their prices every week a piece stays. I got these chairs on the last week and bought the whole set for $250!

This is the room that I considered doing the dazzling red that I found on Elle Decor's cover... I thought if I could paint the walls Benjamin Moore "Ruby Red" and get the chairs covered in a fabric such as

This is the only thing that I could find that came close to the design that I want. But it has to be white and red and geometric such as this. Or I could go with something a bit more fun...

But I would have to keep the room very traditional with all the accessories if I did this fabric...

Let me know what you all think! And if you have any idea of where I could get similar fabric to the type on Elle Decor's cover let me know ;)

Heritage Antiques

2009-11-13T05:16:00.000-08:00

I mentioned before how incredible Heritage Antiques is in Lexington, KY. Let me first tell you a little history...
Heritage has been a Lexington staple for many many years. It first started out with the owner's father running the store and was passed down to the current owner. The building is an old horse livery but that piece of history had been lost for some time. As the current owner, Zeff Maloney, tore down parts of the ceiling in this historic building, he exposed brick with stall numbers running down the length of the store. After investigating further, it turned out that the whole length of the store has wondering skylighting and a bricked over entrance that used to be where the carriages would enter the building.
The store has every type of style, from english to french, dutch, modern ect..
Here are a couple things from the store...

The picture above has Amber, the manager of the store. She is standing in front of one of my favorite pieces! The whole piece is inlaid and just drop dead gorgeous!

Oh and here is a piece I purchased there a couple years ago....

Look at that cute little puggle! ;)
Come visit the store to find pieces that you will never find anywhere else! Each piece has its own history and believe me... this type of furniture never goes out of style!

Murder Mystery Party

2009-11-12T19:29:00.000-08:00

In lieu of tonights episode of "The Office," I thought they had a great idea! How fun would a Murder Mystery party be for you and your friends!!!! I have wanted to host a murder mystery party for a while, but with the move and school it has been put on the back burner. I found this website, Night of Murder Mystery, and it looks like tons of fun!

Look at these costumes that you and your guests can order

But who's to say you have to order these really expensive costumes??? Be creative and throw something together! (These costumes came from 'Murder in Sin City')This website offers many murder mystery scenes, so pick the one that is easiest for you and your guests to come up with costumes. Look at the decorations that they suggest...

The website even gives you tips for setting up your house for the party and different ways to really makes your guests get into character! Well, I'm off to plan a pretty crazy party ;)

Christmas Ideas

2009-11-12T16:26:00.000-08:00

I can't stop thinking about Christmas! It is by far my favorite holiday and I love all the beautiful decorations that come along with it. I am on a mission to find the prettiest wreath to put on my front door, and I have come across a few ideas. Let me know what you think...

Marthastewart.com

Southernaccents.com

marthastewart.com

And an idea for garland...

Looking at these pictures makes me want to start digging in my "Christmas closet" and start right away!

The picture below is my mantel at the old house... I am definitely going to upgrade it this year!

**** By the way, the two wreaths that I found on Martha Stewart's website have directions for making them at home!!!! Visit her website under the Holiday's Section to see all her great ideas!

*** Images courtesy of SouthernAccents.com and MarthaStewart.com

Swine Flu! OINK OINK!!!

2009-11-11T18:45:00.000-08:00

Hey ya'll! I just got back from giving H1N1 vaccines to the city of Louisville! We gave over 15,000 vaccinations today! Well this is really off topic for my blog, but I realized tonight how many questions people had, so I thought I would answer the best I could...
Who should get the shot?

Anyone can get the shot. There is a different dose for kids under 3 years, but they are allowed to get it. The shot is also for people that are pregnant, have allergies to eggs and have asthma, diabetes, kidney problems ect.

Who should get the mist?

Anyone who isn't pregnant, doesn't have allergies to eggs, and doesn't have asthma, diabetes, kidney, ect. problems.

Please don't be scared to receive the mist. It actually is showing to have fewer side effects! Help save the shots for people at high risk!

The difference between the two...

The shot is not a live virus and the mist is a live virus.

Kids under 9 need to follow up in 4 weeks with their health department to receive a booster to be completely vaccinated.

There is a lot more information... if you have any questions, post them and I can do my best to answer them. I know it is scary trying a new vaccine, but I have come to the conclusion that this is a pretty scary virus that is spreading quickly.

Watch for me on the Louisville news tonight ;)

Veterans Day

2009-11-11T08:18:00.000-08:00

I want to say a thanks to all the Veterans out there. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for serving our country!

THANK YOU!

Glamorous RED!

2009-11-11T08:06:00.000-08:00

I know I just posted on subtle colors... but that was before I saw the new cover of Elle Decor!! WOW! I'm obsessed! I have new inspiration for my dining room!!!

I have never liked this much color, but this is done with such sophistication! This set up is not at all too much! Look at those window treatments! I really think I have a new project on my hands!

How great is this study? Look at how great it looks with the greenery... easy Christmas decorating!

This definitely fits with my equestrian styling that I love so much!

Just a little eye candy for you all today, hope you enjoy!

** Photos courtesy of ElleDecor.com

Wish List

2009-11-10T17:33:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you but I'm already starting to compile my Christmas list! Here are a couple of things that I have been drooling over for a while...

From Etsy. Buy here

I love booties!! Buy here

Forever 21 buy here

buy here

I want this for Christmas/New Years Party!!

Buy here

So cute. Whitney off "The City" wore one and it was ADORABLE!

Buy here

See you all tomorrow!

Estate Find!

2009-11-10T13:24:00.000-08:00

I mentioned on here that I stopped by an estate sale on Friday and found a couple of things that I was pretty excited about!
Here are some of the pieces that I took home with me....

This is sort of difficult to see in the picture, but this is a custom piece made out of solid walnut. I haven't quite found it a home yet, but check back with me and hopefully I'll have found it a home and have given it a little style ;)

I found the two topiaries in this picture and bought them for (drum roll please....) $10.00! I have been looking for a pair of topiaries for a while now and I haven't bought any because of their pricey tag thats attached to them!

And lastly.... See the painting??? I got that for $15.00! Sure its not my kinda art... but the frame is absolutely beautiful. I couldn't find a frame like that for under $200!

When I got home, I decided to look up the artist in the painting on Google, just in case.... Turns out I have an original oil painting from artist Sally Haley. Her paintings are quite big in Oregon and turns out her painting are worth quite a bit of money.... WHO KNEW!

So for now... the Victorian Lady will stay in the frame (my husband is not to excited about sleeping next to her... HA!) until I can sell her.

Check out my sister's blog here to see her chic finds from the estate!

** One more thing... see the cherry stain on the chest of drawers? I'm staining it next week so check back for a how-to!

LIVING SPACES TO DIE FOR!

2009-11-10T12:31:00.000-08:00

I have always loved light and airy spaces. I have never been a fan of bright colors, I find myself always sticking with the grey's, white's, or any sort of neutral. Below are some pictures that I have gathered that are amazing interiors and feature the neutral palette that I love!

Though this interior has neutral walls, it still has great pops of color that make the room come alive! P.S. I LOVE the trim on the curtains!

I how neutral walls gives you a chance to really show off your fun and unique finds!

Khaki and white is sooo beautiful! It definitely gives a french look to the room!

This might be my favorite. I love the grey walls, I painted a similar shade through out my whole house!

So just remember next time that you are decorating a room, you don't always have to pick out a bright color... try a neutral so that other things can take center stage in a room!

** Images courtesy of Elle Decor and Southern Accents

Bamboo Tables

2009-11-10T07:08:00.000-08:00

A couple of months ago, I did a quick run through of a local flea market. I am known for getting very frustrated when going to these sort of places because I feel like I never find anything, but on this particular day I had a little bit of luck on my side! I love anything bamboo, I think it gives a 70's feel but still very modern... So when I saw these two little tables I snatched them up!

I bought these tables for a whopping total of $5.00!!!!! Sure they needed a little cleaning up, but for $5.00 I didn't care If they didn't work out! The tables had no tops on them, so for $20 I had to get two pieces of glass cut for each of them.

I think for a total of $25.00 these little tables are cute. They still need more styling (a couple more books stacked and some other little trinkets) but for now they will do just fine!
So next time you get frustrated because every time you go looking for deal you come up empty handed, remember to keep trying because you never know what you may find the next trip around ;)

Cornice Boards with Monogram

2009-11-09T10:53:00.000-08:00

Sorry it has been a couple days since the last post. I had a very busy weekend which included going to an estate sale and finding some great things... I can't wait to share them with you! Last week, I blogged about the cornice boards that I have been working on. Here are some pictures of them thus far...
* Again sorry for the picture quality, I can't find my camera charger anywhere so I am using my Iphone!

I first taped down a plastic sheet on top of the monogram that I wanted to use. I then got my exacto knife and carefully traced the outside of the monogram. I ran into a problem because, as you can see, the inside of the monogram isn't attached to anything so that had to be cut out seperate.

After I had cut out the monogram and pieced it together, I placed it on the cornice boards. I had to make sure that they were exactly centered, so I measured multiple times. I used "T" pins to secure down the monogram so that I didn't have to use my hands to hold it down. I used metallic acrylic paint to do the monogram.

And here is the cornice board hung up. I had to go back and perfect the monogram because the paint bled a little bit under the stencil. This is the picture before I went back and cleaned the monogram up a bit. I am going to add a trim around the boards and then I will be done. I went ahead and showed you my far from done bedroom! I am working on pillows right now for the bed and also arranging pictures above the bed!

This was such a simple project and I think the results are great! After I went over the monogram, it really looks as though it is embroidered on!

Email me if you have any questions on how to do this project! Please send pictures if you try this on your own!!!

Painted Doors

2009-11-06T06:18:00.000-08:00

My husband and I went on vacation to South Carolina this past summer. We fell in love with the old southern charm this incredible city evokes! Anyway... there was one thing in particular that I couldn't take my eyes off of...

Isn't this gorgeous? It made me start thinking about my own door way...

Should I paint it a fun color like the coral shown above? Or a red? Tell me what you all think....

I'll leave you all with a couple more pictures from beautiful Charleston!

Badgley Mischka Moves to the Bluegrass!

2009-11-06T05:03:00.000-08:00

I'm sure all of you have heard of Badgley Mischka. They have designed beautiful dresses for the most famous stars to walk the red carpet. Their designs are classic and timeless and because of that they are one of the most sought after designers in Hollywood! Their taste does not end with their gorgeous dresses.... Mark Badgley and James Mischka have purchased a house recently in Paris, Kentucky (about an hour from our house) and their decor is stunning!

They really caught on to the Kentucky charm in their home and I absolutely love it.

I think this is brilliant! I love the white walls with the equestrian styling to the room (You'll soon realize that I love equestrian decor!) Not to mention the Leontine Linens that are on the bed!

Oh wow... I barely have words for this picture! I absolutely love this study! I definitely could get some studying done is this unique room! I love the way they stacked the books and the high gloss black they used on the walls! They made this room so cozy!

I included this picture because I think a small bar set-up is a must in either your study, living room or dining room! This setup is so simple yet refined!

I love the stacked luggage against the wall.. I have done something similar with luggage in my own house and I will post on that later :)

As a fellow Kentuckian, I am so glad to have a piece of glamour from Hollywood nestled just ~60 miles up the road! I had the chance to meet the couple and I believe they will fit in just fine!

***All pictures are courtesy of Elle Decor.

Open Cabinets

2009-11-05T20:35:00.000-08:00

When I got my house, the kitchen was an absolute nightmare. The dark wood cabinets and the dingy white on the walls was a decor disaster! I mentioned in an earlier blog that I had to change this look quick and I had a slim to none budget! I have been really loving kitchens with open cabinets and when I saw RABBIT IN THE MOON's blog about kitchen ideas, I thought this would be perfect for my kitchen!

Go to Rabbit in the Moon Kitchen Ideas to see Meagan's great ideas for kitchens! This was perfect for my kitchen because I could loose some of those awful wooden cabinets and I could display my beautiful Juliska. So I took all the cabinet doors off and started painting all the cabinets Martha Stewart's Grey and the walls a light, light pink that I had them custom mix for me. Here is the result..

(Sorry for the poor picture quality, we can't seem to find the USB to our camera at this moment so this is all coming to you via IPHONE!) Not to shabby if you ask me... especially not when they used to look like this...

Well friends, my husband is next to me snoring... I guess that means it is bedtime ;) See you all tomorrow

Juliska

2009-11-05T20:17:00.000-08:00

Hey fellow bloggers! Before I start blogging on a different topic, I just wanted to let you all know I did the stencil project tonight and I am SO EXCITED to share it with you all! I'll give you pictures of the steps but I still have to add a border to my cornice boards so I don't want you all to see them till I'm done ;)

Ok, on to Juliska (AKA the most amazing, fabulous, chic dinnerware in the world!)

This company has exploded in the past couple of years and I can definitely see why! This ceramic stoneware is dishwasher safe and highly durable. I registered for Juliska for my wedding and I am a tad obsessed with this unique line of dinnerware!

The best thing about this line is that you can use it every day, which I do. I get a kick out of friends and family always making the comment, "you didn't have to get the fancy dishes out for us!" and I get to just smile to myself :)

These dishes come in a variety of colors and you can mix and match them. For instance below is the combination that I choose for myself

I love the robin egg blue!

So all you brides out there, remember Juliska! You have to go to their website to see how beautiful their merchandise really is. I was given 5 plates in 'Jardins du Monde' and I ended up making an arrangement of plates on my wall in the living room (I'll post the pictures).

Visit Juliska at Juliska Website.

Crest Stencil

2009-11-04T16:37:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys... I have decided on a project today!

I found this adorable crest/monogram today and I thought it would be ADORABLE on my cornice boards that I just made... (that post is yet to come) but here is a sneak peek...

Isn't it cute!!!! Alright guys... here is the plan... I have already made the cornice boards and I have a cream fabric covering them because I had a feeling I would want to do something creative to them down the road. Below is step by step plan of what I plan to do
1. Go to UPS or Kinkos and get the crest/monogram blown up to the size that I would like it.
2. Go Buy a sheet of thin plastic that is used to make stencils (found at Michael's or Hobby Lobby)
3. Tape the blown up image on the piece of plastic
4. Grab my exacto knife and begin cutting the image out of the plastic (Being EXTREMELY careful)
5. Take my stencil I created and tape it onto my cornice boards
6. Purchase some Gold fabric paint and paint the stencil onto my cornice boards
7. VUALA!!!! Beautiful custom looking cornice boards meant just for me! ;)

I'll keep you updated on how these are turning out!

Nook Part I

2009-11-04T09:20:00.000-08:00

Remember the awful red color and the yellow wood work in my kitchen nook?

This is not very representative of what the room really looked like. It was VERY dated and dingy. It made the nook dark and look dirty no matter how much you cleaned it!

I really wanted the nook to be a place with tons of light and have a clean look to it. I decided to pain the walls with Benjamin Moore "Lamb's Wool" and the trim Benjamin Moore "Navajo White"

So off to work we went painting the nook. Below is a picture of us painting the nook and it shows the windows.

And here is the final product! What do you think?

Bam! Instant transformation just with the paint! It really opened this room up and gave it a much more modern feel! We are working on finding cute tile to lay in the nook, because the tile that you see just ain't cutting it! More to come with painting and distressing our kitchen table!

Meagan Long-Claypool

2009-11-04T06:23:00.000-08:00

I want to introduce to you all a very, VERY talented individual.... owner of Rabbit in the Moon and Interior designer....Meagan Long-Claypool. Meagan took over a "mommy and me" store with her mother Yolanda Long. Since opening the store Meagan has designed numerous nurseries and children's rooms and done showcases with Louisville's top designer's. Below are pictures from a nursery that Meagan designed for the "Bellarmine Showhouse" in Louisville, KY

How adorable is this nursery? Meagan has a unique draw to her interiors... very eclectic, modern and fun! She puts her stamp of personality on each room that she designs. Notice the mural on the wall with the birds sitting on a tree, that was all done free hand by Meagan.

If you would like to contact Meagan for design tips or for her services, go to her blog that is featured under my favorite blogs "Rabbit in the Moon" or contact her via email:

Mlong1983@msn.com

I will have much more on Meagan and Rabbit in the Moon.... Stay Tuned

*** by the way, Meagan is my sister ad Yolanda is my mother ;)

English Club Chairs

2009-11-03T16:45:00.000-08:00

I have recently been working at an Antique store in Lexington, KY. These antiques are absolutely fabulous. Look at the pair of chairs I scored..

These are 1800's English club chairs straight from England. Aren't they beautiful! These found a home in my living room... pictures to come and more from Heritage Antiques, the furniture will have you packing your bags for a visit to Lexington, Ky :)

Wainscoting is "Picture Perfect"

2009-11-03T12:38:00.000-08:00

I have always loved the look of wainscoting and I believe it adds sophistication to any room. Before we moved into our old "new" house, my husband and I lived in what people call a "cookie cutter." There was no character... just blank walls screaming for a little bit of umph. Enter Wainscoting!

This is a picture of the old house... after we were married.. before I took over :)

This wall was so plain and I couldn't find any artwork that looked decent (I'm very picky about artwork). My philosophy is don't buy cheap artwork just to fill space, wait till you really love something. Wainscoting became my next option.

I wanted to do picture frame wainscoting and frame the walls in three different sections. So I went out to Lowe's and found the molding that I wanted for this project. Lowes had already pre maid picture boxes of wainscoting, but I wanted a custom look. If this is just not your thing... get the pre-made ones! I measured out the different lengths and made a template.

There is no limit to what you can do with molding. I think this jazzes the room up a bit don't you? Having a miter saw is very helpful in completing the project. And if you are out there thinking that you can't do this project, its too hard... you can! It is very simple and adds a lot of character to the room. Measuring is the hardest part!This will be a project in the near future for the new house. I'm thinking my bedroom could use some wainscoting! If you have any questions or comments, please email me and I can give more detailed instructions on how to put together the picture boxes.

Post Ranch Inn

2009-11-03T11:02:00.000-08:00

There are many things that I plan on sharing with you via my blog... I planned on sharing this a little later, but I felt inclined to go ahead and share with you during peak season of this unique gem....

Introducing... POST RANCH INN!!!

Nestled in the cliffs of Big Sur, CA this place is your one stop shop for ultimate relaxation, excellent cuisine and incredible views!

This ecofriendly hotel is something that you just can't pass up. Though the rates are pricey, the total experience is completely worth it! You arrive to a welcoming staff that literally are there to take care of your every need! After checking in and taking in all the scenery, you can go cruising around in a.... LEXUS CONVERTIBLE! As if that is not enough, they have James Dean music playing in the car so you can cruise around the pacific coastline!!

The above pictures are of our little trip along the coastline. We had to stop every 5 minutes to capture the scenery!

There are many different options to choose from regarding the room you stay in. We decided to stay in the "Tree house".

These are the pictures of the Tree house. One pictures depicts the stairs that were taken to get up to the tree house! We had views of the Ventana Mountains and the Pacific Ocean from our room.

This is the translation of perfection for honeymoons, anniversaries or just a relaxing vacation.

Click the following link to visit Post Ranch Inn's site and learn more about this unbelievable place.

http://www.postranchinn.com/

When we moved in......

2009-11-03T10:02:00.000-08:00

These are the pictures of our home when we moved in. I have to admit, when I look at these pictures I still get anxiety... what a job!!!! However, my husband and I were able to see the potential of this cozy home that was built in 1915.

I felt inclined to share with you the exterior condition of the house a week before we moved in. You are looking at the "Ice Storm of 2009's" damage!

Here, my friends is a sad, sad kitchen. The dark wood cabinets were surely going to be the first things to go. The knobs on the cabinets were also straight from the 70's. Everyone knows how expensive re-doing kitchens are... so stayed tuned for my cheap redo!

This is our kitchen nook. An adorable little room with a lot of potential... but that red and yellow (yes that is YELLOW wood work!) had to go!

Ladies and gents... look at this horrible wallpaper! Shortly after moving in I was watching "Home Alone" and guess what I saw? The "Home Alone" house had the SAME wallpaper as my new home...This was going to be a major project! Not only did this wallpaper go up and throughout the whole upstairs... there is plaster underneath (very old plaster) which means that the underneath has many imperfections which is almost impossible to paint over and look nice.

Here is the master bedroom... my husband took the picture and neglected to capture the most interesting part of the room. Above the wall behind the bed is a HUGE open sky light that spans the whole room. Let me point out the beautiful curtains that we put up our first night.... HA! Sadly, those "curtains" (bed sheets) stayed up there for quite some time while I worked on the downstairs. This is still a work in process but come back to see a dramatic transformation of my curtains!

The picture to the left is our family room. Notice the all white walls and black wood work (ughhh!)

These two rooms are the dining room and the living room... these two rooms were definitely not as bad as the rest of the house... but they still needed a little face lift!

Well folks... above is a look into our humble abode. So overall, very dark look and very dated! Stayed tuned for room by room transformation!

Welcome to "The Clifton House"

2009-11-03T08:58:00.000-08:00

“The Clifton House” is our new 100 year old house. The house was named after a former family that lived here for many years. We currently have three members in our family and I will introduce you to each of us as I continue to blog. My husband is an attorney and I am currently working on my second degree in Nursing with my first degree in Human Nutrition.
We bought this house in March of 2009 and since then we have been constantly changing it! We want to take our fellow bloggers along our journey and share our experiences of creating a home. Follow us to read about home projects, traveling experiences and tips for decor.