And On Came the Inspiration...

So yesterday, I mentioned a bedroom I would love to sleep in. Oddly, my favorite part of the room is the black four-poster bed. I don't think I have ever seen one or it has occured to me it would be so welcoming. But I actually really like the traditional look of the four posters with that sleek, modernity of black furniture. What do you think? Is it a good look?











*Images from Traditional Home, House Beautiful, Domino and Coastal Living.

But Some Other Things...

Definitely do.

I could sleep for days in this bedroom:



And it is simple, clean and modern, but to me doesn't feel uncomfortable. Could you imagine waking up to the natural light in here? I would keep the doors open during the night, listen to the ocean, but calmed by the breeze. Love.

*Image from Coastal Living

Some Things...

Just don't make sense to me.

Like this bedroom:



Crazy bird (butterfly?) wall art? Rock shaped lamps? Sad little black sconce? A silk sheet instead of cozy comforter? I thought the bedroom is supposed to be peaceful, but I can assure you there would be no sweet dreams for me in here.

Thoughts??

A Hug from Taylor Swift

So yesterday, I came across a story about country music star Taylor Swift surprising a 'university in Alabama's campus' with a free concert. So of course, I had to check and see if it was beloved Auburn University and after some quick googling skills, I found out that in fact, it was. Now, being that I literally have an obsession with my alma mater, I then wasted about 15 minutes of my life reading about project: Ahugfromtaylorswift.com. And in order to not make those 15 minutes complete fruitless, I have decided to share it with you all.

Long story short, two AU students started a website, got Taylor's attention, completed community-enriching challenges and ultimately got a hug (and concert) from Taylor Swift. Their videos are really cute, plus I was able to enjoy some snapshots of my favorite Auburn landmarks.




So thanks to Ryan and Michael for giving our school a little positive press and proving to tweens everywhere, that you can do whatever you put your mind to.

Have a great Tuesday!

Big Gold Mirrors

Last week I was incredibly busy preparing for my Junior League's annual Rummage Sale, which is basically the biggest yard sale you have ever seen. When the doors opened Friday night, people literally ran in, pushing those around them. I met a lady who takes off work every year to come, another who sewed a big bag just for the occasion and a man who bought 10 yards of green felt for no other reason then 'it was a really good deal'. Among these treasure hunters were also several aspiring designers and actual designers who come every year to get great deals on fabric, furniture and accessories. One lady spent $170 on 'anything cashmere and wool' to make pillows that she sells. I also helped another woman who bought up all the draperies, then informed me that she is a substance abuse counselor who thinks that a pretty house is one step in the right direction when you are trying to turn your life around.

But, my inspiration for this post was a woman I saw walking out with 5 or 6 big gold, empty!, frames. And I tried with all my might to figure out what she could be doing with all of them. If I were her, I would turn them into mirrors and get to decorating! Big gold mirrors are the perfect accent for any room. Of course mirrors reflect light and help a room look bigger, while choosing a gold frame automatically adds a touch of class and elegance.












*Images from House Beautiful, Southern Living, Coastal Living and Architectural Digest.

A Few Things for Friday

First, thanks so much to my guest bloggers from DC and NYC! I know I said there would be a third post all the way from Canada, but its a foreign country and their calendar is different, so her post will be coming on Sunday. I hear it touches on fun spring hobbies, including punting small dogs, so you will want to be sure to check back for that.

In the meantime, a few pretty pretty pictures from this week:

A surprise rose bush popped up on the side of my house. This bush did not bloom last spring and this year it is plentiful!





Of course, I had to bring a fun in the house. Please note my beautiful crystal bud vase, its Kate Spade, 'Larabee Dot', how appropriate!



A fun flowering bush in the backyard:



Lastly, and let me preface this by saying gardening is SO not my thing- I kill ferns, seriously, ferns, can't keep them alive.. so when my husband suggested we plant a vegetable garden this spring, I was obviously a little hesitant. But, guess what?? I have broccoli! Go us! Here is the proof:



Here's to a happy and wonderful weekend. I hope you enjoyed this week of posts, and if you are new to Daffodil's, I hope you enjoyed it! Please feel free to 'follow' me and check back often, you know you need another bookmark to waste time at work anyways. And of course, thanks to my friends who pretend to care everyday- you guys rock. LK and Cate- again, thank you for your love and support and the personality you added to the blog this week. Loves!

Daffodil's Takes a Trip to NYC

Hello Daffodil fans. What Katie said is true: There are now guest bloggers… We are her friends… and we are much cooler than she is. Now I know you all are used to seeing wonderful and creative home designs here, but I'm a renter. So, no insights here on that subject…

In terms of spring fashion, as a Manhattan resident and a player in the world of advertising, creativity is a must in my daily wardrobe.

Some people may be surprised to know ad agencies have a casual dress code. Sorry MadMen fans, but you won’t find suits and pantyhose walking around my building. On the contrary martinis are definitely still an industry staple – as we have in-office happy hours weekly. Even with the casual-code, simply wearing jeans and a dress-top is unacceptable. Flashy pumps, obnoxious jewelry and loud clothing are standard. And now that we’re out of the winter season we can again begin incorporating color back into our wardrobes.

NY Mag

Now if I was to sum up NYC’s style in three words it would be “pushing the limits.” Although, through this philosophy I’ve learned that there’s a very thin line between trend-setting and just plain weird. For example, neon’s are big this spring right?

My own personal collection

There are way too many “new spring trends,” all different depending on what magazine you read. So my one contribution to what spring is all about for 2010 is the color, or lack thereof, nude. I’m sure this will be interpreted inappropriately by many insecure celebs and everyday whores. But, here’s a classy example:

Style.com

Even though spring is all about florals, pastels, hope, bunnies and all that crap, I’m sure the majority of my wardrobe will revolve around the ever- dismal, always-cool – black. Because, let’s be real, the “new black” is always black.

NY Mag

You may think what I’m about to say is inappropriate because it promotes poor body image and un-realistic ideals. But, that’s only because ugly people have been able to contribute to the media. No matter what the season is, know that there are 3 things that are ALWAYS in-style in NY: Tall. Young. Thin.

NY Mag

But, for the rest of us there are 6 inch heels, wrinkle creams and spanx.

Kisses,

LK

Hello Bloggers! This is so exciting!

Ok, I'm Cate and I'm the GB (guest blogger) that lives in Georgetown! I’m moving next month so I have been stalking home decor websites and buying every flippin' DIY magazine out there for the past few months and have come to realize that I may be obsessed. Which is probably why my mother (who’s wonderful taste I hope to inherit) introduced me to the DC Home Design House.

With 22 rooms each decorated by a different designer, it really brought to my attention the impact a space can have on your mood. For example, the conservatory was filled with iron tables, hide rugs, with multiple fabrics and intricate decorative treatments which, while incredibly beautiful, made me feel anxious and hectic. But the master bedroom was incredibly soothing… with open windows, crisp tan and white colors, beautiful mirrors, and simple, high-quality furniture.

I’m a planner and I usually know exactly what I want, but it occurred to me after visiting the DC Design House that I had no idea what I wanted in a home (probably because I won’t own a home for a few years…). So now I've basically put together my ideal home (and ideal family??).. take a look!



This entryway is ideal for making people feel welcome (BHG)



Perfect Kitchen.. I can just see my 2 little girls doing their homework at this great kitchen table, while I whip up some cereal for dinner...(Architectual Digest)



I don't know why I like this so much, but I just want to go plop on that couch and watch Paula Dean in this sunroom (BHG)



I love this family room - it's so open and comfortable, yet very put together (House Beautiful)


My kiddies will not be touching this living room (House Beautiful):


It's funny, I didn't realize until after I chose this that my mother has this exact chandalier in her dining room (BHG)


I absolutely adore this master bedroom (House Beautiful). I also have a thing for chases'...


My two daughters will live here in perfect harmony (House Beautiful):


I think my guests will feel refreshed after sleeping in this simple room (Southern Living):


Other GB's, please feel free to share your thoughts...

Guest Bloggers!

I am very blessed to have some amazing friends in my life. Three of these such friends travel all the way back to freshman year of high school with me and have been there for everything since. We email eachother pretty much everyday and we are pretty sure our listserve would be a best selling book..and movie...if it were ever published. Most decisions I make come first with advice or encouragement from them. From first boyfriends to first babies, we have seen and documented it all. They were the ones who drank wine with me when my husband was deployed and sent me text-message jokes while I was in labor. And even though our lives are all very, very different, we find a genuine interest in all the places we are in. So naturally, they would be the first people I would ask to be guest bloggers. And since all three are infinitely cooler than I am, their posts will be awesome.

Starting tomorrow, I have asked each one to give us a "Spring Style" guide from their perspective cities and points of view. Since my point of view is very Country Cottage/small Southern city/wife/mom/teacher, I think it will be a nice change of pace for all you readers! From the beautiful, classy streets of Georgetown in Washington DC, to the high powered streets of New York City and finally to the adventurous foreign land of Canada, they will share insight to what is simple and beautiful in their worlds. I hope you enjoy!

The Conversation Room

Over the weekend, I mentioned that my mom and I are working on her 'conversation/cocktail room' aka formal living room. I am a big believer that there should be a room in a house that is comfy, TV-less and arranged in a circle where people can enjoy each other and have real conversations. While I am a fan of technology and short, quick convos via text, email and gchat, I think it is also imperative that we take time to look at the person sitting across from us and enjoy the real art of conversation. Formal living rooms have gotten a bad reputation for being the untouchable room, but the following examples show how this room can be a little fancier than the den, but still very usable.

From HB- I love the color combination of this room. The brown walls are unexpected at first, but then you can see the blue and brown geometric rug anchoring the room. Formal and fun!



Also from HB, this room is light and airy. I just want to make a martini and chat about life with my friends.



How comfy do those chairs look? This would be a great set up for a room that is a bit smaller and maybe doesn't have room for a couch. Very intimate! (Coastal Living)



Finally, with its clean lines and minimal decoration, this Architectural Digest gem is ready for a distraction free cocktail hour.

My Latest Obession

Recently, I have been helping my mom re-decorate her living room. What is fun about helping my mom re-do things in her house is that she A) as the most beautiful house to work with and B) she is open to updated idea while keep her own sense of style.

So long story short, our idea for her living room is to do a blue, cream and gold color palate and make it a room for conversation and cocktails (an idea that is so important and so unfortunately overlooked by many new builders). A warm cream wall and similarly colored couch currently anchor the room, but as I started looking for accent pillows/bench/chair fabric, there is one pattern that kept crossing my path:









PS- How much do you love the blue leopard print in the corner with the fabric above??

So now I am waiting to see what she likes best, but there will be an awesome 'before and after' coming soon!

*Images from Calico Corners

Something Fishy...

Yesterday, my son and I enjoyed a wonderful day at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. It was the perfect field trip with a little one; we were able to get up close to all the exhibits and he was wide-eyed and fascinated the whole time. I was really impressed with the overall design and function of the aquarium. It was a little pricey at $26 per person (under 2 free), but my friend Hillary, who accompanied us, luckily had some free passes which made the trip even more enjoyable.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the day:











And in honor of our day with the fish, here are a few great 'fishy' wardrobe options for summer from the always classic Vineyard Vines. They love some aquatic patterning.