Flipping the Deck

This is our deck.

  It was in pretty bad shape when we bought our house and has been on our "To Do List" ever since we moved in.

Obviously the boards were well worn and hadn't been taken care of for quite some time.    

But there were other things too.  Like the railing, or lack thereof.  We had a lot of work on our hands.

The first item of business was to close up the side.  It had been left completely open and critters were becoming a problem for us.  So, my awesome hubby bought some latice and went to work.  Love the way it turned out! 

Then he started flipping the boards.  Literally.  It took hours and hours and hours and HOURS.  But, the underside of those boards was like new. 

There were only a few boards that had to be replaced.  

And after all that hard work, it was so pretty!

Next up was beefing up that railing a little bit.  We'd been looking online and finally found a pattern for how we wanted it to look.

And this is what we came up with.  We are in love!

I just can't get over how different it looks.

This last weekend, we stained the entire thing.  It feels like it took all summer!  

 But we are sure happy with the results. 

Light Living Room

This time of year, I'm always in the mood for something light.

Maybe it's the winter colors outside getting to me.

Maybe it's the need for something clean looking after all the holidays.

Maybe it's the dream of Spring.

 

Whatever it is, these light colored living rooms are just what I want right now.

Sweet September Sundown

Perfect time of year to be outdoors at sunset.

Filling the new night with your own lights. 

What I wouldn't give for a backyard that was fun to spend time in right now! 

In the sweet september night. 

Where every night can feel like your own private party.

Spring Cleaning

{Brown Paper Packages} totally inspired and revitalized me with {this post}.  I am going to try to be as on top of my cleaning as this woman is.  She's got it down.  And she shared her game plan with us.  Love this cleaning list:

At Home in Tuscany

I have a fantasy that I have a house in Tuscany.

It is located outside a quaint and quiet old village.

The driveway makes you feel like you are entering another world. 

And when you get there, it looks like this. 

I go there at least once a year for a month or two. 

It is the perfect mix of old and new. 

It is set on the most perfect hill in Tuscany. 

With amazing views on all sides. 

Paradise.

Maybe someday I'll at least get to see a place like this.

Beautiful Fall

It's here. 

That most beautiful time of the year.

When the world turns into gold. 

And I fall in love all over again.

Time to enjoy the cooler weather.

Time to go for a drive.

Time to soak in the vibrant light. 

Time to step outside

And take walks in the beautiful glow. 

When everything feels cozy. 

And we are reminded of earth's bounty. 

Time to enjoy.

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all."

-Stanley Horowitz-

Kitchen Inspiration

Just another collection of beautiful kitchens.

Love that this one has two dishwashers!!  Perfect for a busy kitchen!  It's so light, bright, and airy.

This is definitely one of my most favorite kitchens of all time.  Love the copper countertops, and the wood island.  I also love those copper pots!!  And the pizza oven is awesome.  It's the perfect mix between old world/tuscan style and modern style.

I really like the green in this kitchen.  So fresh!

This one just looks homey.  I'm a big fan of islands in a different color, it adds a lot of character.  I also love the huge window in this kitchen.

This one just seems so family-oriented!  I love the huge island!!  This kitchen is just huge, and I always love a kitchen that opens up in some way to the family room.  Love the dark countertops with the white cabinets, too!

This one just seems like the perfect summer kitchen to me!  I love the huge farmhouse sink, and the pretty white cabinets and countertops just feel so cool.  But, I love how the dark wood floors ground everything.

LOVE this kitchen!!  I love that hunge island/bar.  I think it's very clever of them to use the end of the island as a bookshelf - perfect spot for all those cookbooks.  I also love the creamy color of the cabinets in this kitchen.

Another light and bright kitchen that is grounded with the dark wood flooring and dark countertops.  I love the contrast!!  Love the size of this kitchen, too!  It's huge!!

Here's a great idea - 2 sinks.  Why not!?

Thought this was a cute idea.  I like how the island is exactly opposite the rest of the kitchen.  Dark cabinets and light countertop, vs dark countertops and light cabinets everywhere else.

I love all the pretty open cabinets in this kitchen!  It only seems like it would work if you had a ton of them so you have the space to set everything up so it looks pretty. :)  Love the three cakestands sitting on the counter as well - they're a really cute and functional decoration!

I love the color of the cabinets in this kitchen!  It's a great size, with a lot of great features.  I love the pretty window cabinets next to the fridge!! 

I love the idea of using an apothecary jar to hold garlic cloves.  Cute and functional - the pefect kitchen decoration!  I also love the idea of putting vases full of flowers next to the kitchen sink.  I gotta start doing that - it makes the sink feel so much more inviting. 

This is another one of my very favorite kitchens.  I love the tuscan feel of this one with the tile backsplash and deep wood tones.  It just seems very rich and warm.