interior inspiration

i came across this little photo montage at stylemadesimple - it perfectly executes my idea of simple, unfussy & is something ide like to curl up into. 


the pairings of worn weathered wood and texture. the natural earthy color pallet 


i love that curled arm of the white sofa and the pretty muted colors of the pillow and blanket 

interior inspiration: modern farmhouse

 these two images have been on my mind often recently. i find myself referring back to them- each an utterance of a modern farmhouse. the rusticity i find myself craving; a bit of provencal, the handmade and folk blended seamlessly into a refined, sophisticated decor. well edited, each extracts the essential primitive simplicity of tools, furniture and wood while making parings, such as the lucite chair with the ruddy black desk that do not allow the look to slip into the dowdy or dated but be enveloped by utilitarian beauty. what do you think of these two spaces? 

both images via design*sponge sneak peek; heather chontos. sara bedford&alan hill 

for love of : small batch productions

i came upon this gorgeous etsy shop : small batch production and instantly loved everything about it - from the quilt inspired patterns to the minimalist shop photographs. claire creates and sews all of her designs with sustainable materials which amazing! and they can be composted when its their time. i so admire the elegant simplicity of her collection and would love to have that dishtowel in my kitchen and the tote for the beach!

go check out claire's shop~

in bed : the finished product

i finally finished up things in my little bedroom nook - i've been coveting a really worn but beautiful oriental rug for a long time now and while i was back on the east coast i found this beauty. i absolutely love love love it! i scored that amazing yellow 70's adjustable lamp at an flea market a few weeks back and my love for chairs has obviously spread to even the smallest of corners in my house - 


i posted about the bedding here if youre curious - 

hope you like it, i know ill be going to sleep with very sweet dreams  

home: vanessa bruno

i've had a very busy weekend - hitting what feels like every antique show and shop in the the massachusetts area. it has been wonderful so far and im looking forward to maine this week and an auction that looks quite promising. 


i am constantly thinking of how to make my life more simple in style and function. Vanesso Bruno is a constant source of inspiration - she manages to capture simple but chic in the same breath. she mixes suede sling chairs with airy floral pillows, makes wonderful use of paper lanterns and has just the right amount of farmhouse chic going on - whats not to love in the long wooden table. if you give the images a closer look there are so many carefully but care-free details to love. 

enjoy! im hitting the road but ill see  you back here tomorrow - 






images via: domino and photographs by birgittawolfgangdreger via thestylefiles

girl on a vine

i recently stumbled upon this truly amazing vintage shop - girl on a vine. there is just something that intrigues me about the vintage selection and upcycled looks. they are, in ways, just on the edge of being costumey but such restraint is exercised in most cases that the collection takes on a bohemian elegance with tones of romance and luxury. 


see a few of my favorite looks above and be sure to check out the shop. 

In with the Mid Century Modern : the finished product

im so! excited to share the sequel to In with the Mid Century Modern 


you all may remember that i found this chair in the back of a salvage truck on the street in san francisco. literally sitting atop a mountain of junk being removed from a basement somewhere around hayes valley. after a brief chat with the driver of this truck and a few eye rolls from SOS the chair was mine. 

and then the dilemma began. what?! was i going to use for fabric, what style cushion, what size cushion, welting or no welting. i must have looked at 50 different fabric and changed my mind 200 times. you can see my progress in this post. and in the end i chose exactly what i thought i didnt want at the start and i couldnt be more thrilled with the outcome. THRILLED!

 i took a risk (well risk for me anyway not for some) on the fabric choice. one day it was just like bam! sitting there at the fabric store right in front of me and i knew that was it. from there i let the fabric and the line of the chair guide me as far as cushion style and size. im so excited. 

i hope you enjoyed this little series and i would love to hear what you think.


 P.S. i picked up a new project last night and will be starting another little series on that. 

sneak peek

a little shop sneak peak ............. 
               these goodies and many many more are coming to the shop very soon 

In with the new : before and after

first, let me welcome you to my new blog!!!!

when i first started blogging 2 years ago the blog title i wanted wasn't available - so i patently waited and kept checking - and guess what santa brought me for christmas - the COTTAGE FARM BLOG!!!

can you tell im excited?

so just in time for 2011, i will now be blogging from here. cottagefarm.blogspot.com - its nice to have all my ducks in a row.

and now without further ado. a before and after to ring in the new year.purchased at the salvation army for 10$

hand sanded first with 100 grit sand paper (3$ for a pack of 4 sheets and 2 were used) and then sanded again with 350 grit sandpaper (3$ for a pack of 4 sheets and 2 were used) **wear a mask when sanding and painting.

next i primed using a large can of rustoleum's grey primer (aprox 6$) and two cans of rustoleum's glossy black enamel paint (each aprox 4$)

and voila! these will be replacing some green ikea chairs i had previously painted for the kitchen.

Sawkille Collective

im actually sorta at a loss for words - having just stumbled upon the beautiful work being made here at the Sawkille Collective.

tucked away in the catskill mountains a group of artists are working to create some of the most inspired american furniture i have ever seen. I love how it plays off the familiar shaker styles so indicative of this region - simple, functional,beautiful - but with an ultra modern twist.

bravo! i cant wait to visit and oh how honored i would be to have one of these extra lean stools in home

In bed

after 7 years i decided it was time for new bedding. I feel like recently my tastes have been moving in a different directions and i know they are different (though not drastically so) than they were 7 years ago.

since i live in a tiny studio the bed becomes a huge focal point. i decided to go with pretty neutral colors and load up on texture.

I went with this duvet in white from west elm and these shams.

for a bit of fun i recovered my big pillow with this ikea fabric -

what do you think? now im just on the search for a charcoal bed skirt - yes im a bed skirt person - but the tailored straight lined kind.

wanting woven

"Wishing and hoping and thinking and praying Planning and dreaming each night of his charms"
in the words of the lovely dionne warwick - this is exactly what ive been doing.

i just looooove these gorgeous woven seating options from Design within Reach. i think they might call security at my local store soon. ive been visiting my loves daily. the stool is fast becoming my favorite i think with its little nod to utilitarian glamour, perfect proportions and delicately tapered legs............

this is what inspired me the other day. i got it for the shop but im really not sure i can part with it at all.

are you wanting woven as much as i am

picture perfect.

im printing up some business cards (finally) and am trying to decide on a front image for a set of larger cards (4x6) im a bit indecisive in my choice - but have narrowed it down to these. I would love a little help from you all in the final cut. what do you think??

it seem to be coming down to two groups. flowers (above) and farmhouse (below)

thanks for your help

rustic redefined. mexican pottery

i wanted to do a little post on something i love even though i dont have too many pieces of it in my house. ok truth be told i only have one piece. a big white tea cup painted with luscious deep blue flowers. i like it because it crosses a line for me between the formality of english china with the casual but inspired folk painting of scandinavian and mexican pottery. also it feels amazing in my hand in the morning.

but there are tons of beautiful examples of mexican pottery. If you haven't guessed by now i love folk painting. my grandmother was a tole painter (ill be doing a post around thanksgiving on some of her work) and i think my appreciation of it came at an early age also the colors are typically vibrant and full of life. there is an effortlessness to all folk painting that attracts me but something else attracts me more. it is a style passed down through generation and generations of a culture. it adapts and changes while still adhering to traditional rules or guidelines.

here are some of my favorites from etsy.

the shapes are all irregular and weight and (typically) terra cotta materials give the pieces rustic feel. the brush strokes are honest but confident and there is a flow to the designs that are painted.

casadeoro

madeforfun

destash4u