Happy Weekend!

The weekend is finally here! I'm excited for a full two days of going out with friends, hanging out with family, relaxing with the pup and cozying up to my man. Here's wishing everyone a weekend of fun, love and some good, old-fashioned romance!

Photo from here.

Thankful Thursday

I have been feeling such gratitude lately for one very exciting reason: My sister is expecting!

My sister and her husband are over the moon, of course, but I know she's also quite overwhelmed. Even though this is a new experience for her, as well as for our family, I wish she weren't so worried. She is absolutely amazing, the most caring person with a gigantic heart, and I know she is going to be a wonderful mother.

I found this photo of Gisele Bundchen and her baby, featured in Vogue, to be so tender. I will have to share it with my sister so she can think about the beautiful moments she has to look forward to.

Photo from here.

Pure and Simple

When you think of a vacation home, what do you see? Open spaces for letting your mind wander, cozy spots to curl up with a book, big tables where all your friends and family can congregate?

Well, this lake home, featured in Chicago Home & Garden, has all that plus a terrific crisp, clean aesthetic. Take a peek:

Photos from here.

Glass Half Full

Today at work I realized my coffee cup was missing. The cup that has sat on my desk for the past two years somehow wasn't there anymore. Did someone take it? Did I leave it somewhere? Who knows. After some fruitless yet intense searching, I popped over to Target for a replacement. And I found this little guy ... for under $1. Score!

You have to appreciate the little joys in life, no?

Photo by me.

Step it Up

The work day is over, it's blazing hot out and I'm going out to dinner with my man in a few hours. Whew!

I wish I had these sexy, summery sandals to step out in tonight, but even without them I think I'm going to have a good time.

Photo from here.

Decked Out

When it comes to decorating our home, my husband and I have always been quite thrifty. We had to be with our first apartment when we were both in grad school, and it felt natural to take the same approach when we bought our first house nearly three years ago. Over the years, we've come to pride ourselves in finding creative, inexpensive ways to furnish and decorate.

I really like the idea of giving new life to an old piece of furniture. And that's what we did with our deck table and chairs. My parents had given us a Homecrest patio set they got back when I was in middle school. The chairs were in pretty rough shape and they reflected my mom and dad's love of earth tones and neutrals. So we ordered new "slings" for the chairs, and the update has made all the difference. Now the chairs look crisp and contemporary and invite us to enjoy dinner and drinks on the deck.

Before:

After:

Photos by me.

Perfection

I am in love with this kitchen. While I'm a sucker for pretty much any makeover or before-and-after photo series, this kitchen remodel on House Beautiful is incredible. The materials, the lines, the colors -- everything is so bright and clean and, well, just perfect.

Here, have a look. And don't miss the "before" photos on the online slideshow.

This kitchen may be just the inspiration I need to get a jump on some of our own home-improvement projects over the weekend!

Photos from here.

Water Worlds

Growing up, summers meant one thing: Pool time! My parents installed a pool in our backyard when my sister and I were young, and year after year this is the place where we'd congregate with friends and family. We learned to dive and do underwater flips, held races and lounged on tubes. It was such fun.

These mixed-media works by Luciana Abait capture the compelling nature of water. Don't you want to dive right in?

Photos from here.

Gray Matters

I don't typically think of gray as a summery color. I tend to reserve it for clothes I wear in fall and winter. However, I recently bought a super-soft gray wrap dress and it feels so right, even now in the height of summer.

But then I noticed the gorgeous gray dresses in Donna Karan's spring 2010 ready-to-wear collection on style.com. So beautiful! There really is something to be said for the hue, no matter the time of year.

Photos from here.

Drop-Dead Gorgeous

There's something really special about these necklaces by Lizix26 on Etsy. I love how your eye is drawn along the chain and rewarded with the beautiful stones, flowers, beads and charms at the end. Lovely!

Photos from here.

Pop It

Often, when I see homes and rooms in shelter magazines and on design websites, I'm drawn to serene white spaces. Gorgeous rooms that make you breathe deeply and settle in to a relaxed state.

But when I think about living in one of these homes, I get antsy and begin to mentally inject color.

So when I saw this slideshow on Canadian House & Home, I knew why I liked some of the rooms. They all have a glorious pop of color. An orange floor lamp, a purple dining table, bright yellow accents -- yes, yes, yes!

Photos from here.

Spot On

The travel bug has struck again and I'm itching to go somewhere. Anywhere, really, that's out of the ordinary and has the promise of seeing, hearing, tasting and experiencing new things.

Maybe that's why these prints by JHill Design are so appealing to me. I love how they epitomize the color, pattern and mood of each incredibly unique place.

Photos from here.

Pretty in Pink

Summer is in full swing ... and I've been socked with a cold. I very much dislike being sick in the summer. It feels like I'm missing out on so many great things. I want to be out and about, having fun with friends, hanging out with family, going on dates with my husband.

If I were feeling up to any of these activities, I would slip on a pretty pink dress, like one of these frocks from J. Crew. These muted colors are gorgeous and the silhouettes are simple -- perfect for adding on fun accessories. Ahhh, it will happen soon enough, I suppose.

Photos from here.

Made for Living

While all the spaces in our home matter to me, our living room is a special place. I want it to be comfortable as well as stylish, a place we crave and look forward to spending time in.

As I was perusing galleries on My Home Ideas, I found these living rooms particularly inspiring. Take a look:

Colorful, patterned accessories meld together nicely in this white room.

It's almost impossible to tell where the indoors ends and the outdoors begins.

Could anyone ever be crabby in a room this sunny?

Neutral tones look sumptuous thanks to lots of different textures.

I wish more rooms were this vivacious!

Photos from here.

Cool Cucinas

Everyone talks about the kitchen as being the heart of the home. Indeed, it's where we end up chatting at the end of a day, where friends inevitably congregate during parties. What's great is so many styles of kitchens are conducive to forging these types of connections.

Here are a few kitchens I liked at My Home Ideas.

I love this room! The blackboard walls are so irreverent and fun.

Equal parts clean and natural.

Can't you imagine talking with friends for hours at this table?

Such warm and luxurious materials!

This kitchen is graphically gorgeous.

Photos from here.