Mallory's Summer Favorites

Summer has officially begun, and it has me pulling out my old favorites and enjoying some new finds!  

Cookouts, pool parties and endless hours of daylight are what the doctor ordered, and I'm so thankful to have sandy shores right in my backyard (or close to it!).  Now that the season is in full swing, I thought I'd share with you a few of my summer favorites:

1. Bib Necklace- This ivory beauty makes a statement with any outfit.

2. St. Tropez Bronzing Mousse- My go-to for getting a summer glow without all of the harmful rays.  

3. Margaret Elizabeth Teardrop Bangle- Wear it alone or stack with your favorites, this bangle reminds me of a cool dip in the pool.

4. Straw Hat- A pool or beach must-have!...and less than $15!

5. Metallic Print Glassware, set of 4- These gold gals will make any dinner party a little more glamorous and fun.

6. Black Espadrilles- A staple great for casual wear or a summer night out on the town.

7. Skinnygirl Sangria- Check your local stores.  Sangria is the essential drink of summer, and this one is already mixed and ready to enjoy.  Toss in some fruit (for presentation) and you are set!  

8. Parker Pom Pom Shorts- Pom poms and a fun print.  Need I say more? Freebird Collection knows how to do it right.  These are on their way to my house as we speak!

9. Summertime book- Curated by photographer Joanne Dugan, it's a "photography book about the essence of summer."  AKA happiness on pages.

10. Red Stripe Party Straws- These cheerful, vintage-inspired straws make any drink a little more fun.

11. Driftwood Bar Cart- For a party on wheels that can withstand the elements.   

12. Bell Jar Drink Dispenser- You can serve your summer soiree drinks in style with this elegant dispenser.

Happy 4th of July from the 3A crew!  Have a fun and safe weekend!

navy bedroom checklist

This doesn't count as the grand reveal, but I finally finished painting (most) of my bedroom. The top three inches of the perimeter still needs painting. I am not tall enough to get in on a good angle with the brush, so the hubs has promised to get around to it, when he's not working or studying for exams (so basically not in the next year--maybe I just need to find a taller step stool). There's also a tray ceiling, and we're trying to decide if we are going to paint the rise of the tray in navy as well. 

Anyway, here it is:

Valspar for Ace: Mountain Midnight

We are really loving it. It feels so much more like a master bedroom. Obviously there are still things that need to be done. 

Here's my checklist. I'll keep you all updated as I go along.

1. Paint walls--almost DONE

2. Upholster headboard (I have all the materials to do this, I just have to get around to it)

3. Make DIY wood and metal curtain rods, hang curtains

4. Refinish wood dresser--you may remember from my last bedroom post that I was going to paint the dresser. But I've decided the room needs more wood, so I'm just going to refinish it with a cooler, lighter, more natural stain instead of the reddish stain that it has now. Still debating replacing the hardware.

5. Hang artwork, photos, decor

6. Make a slipcover for OR remove skirt from chaise lounge -- I have this mint and cream striped chaise lounge. It is so comfortable. However the color is a little off for my room and with the skirt it's very traditional-looking. Truth be told I'd like to move it into our next nursery (if and when that happens) because it's a great nursing spot. But I'm thinking if I just rip the skirt off (which I think can be done) and replace the legs with some with personality, it will look tons better. 

AND for those that asked, yes my side tables are an Ikea hack of the ever-so-popular Rast series that I did about 3 years ago. The sides and bottom are spray painted navy. The drawers are spray painted white with a hand-painted true chevron in an opalescent silver that I mixed with a clear acrylic medium to make it a transparent overlay on the white. Even though I got tired of chevron a long time ago, it's 1. Not zig-zag, which people try to pull off as chevron all the time, and 2. It's very subtle, so I still like it. The hardware is very inexpensive finds from Lowes and the tops are 12x24 tiles of vein cut Silver Travertine--some of the most beautiful stone that I think exists (mine is from Walker Zanger because their source has more blue-gray in it than some of the other retailers that sell "silver travertine"). 

Here's a photo just for kicks:

Drool...

Well that's it for now. Have a lovely week! And I sincerely hope wherever you are is not as humid and hot as it is here!

Designer S.O.S. - Rugs

We get questions all of the time from friends, family, even strangers that meet us and learn that we are designers.  The questions can run the gamut from favorite paint colors to suggested curtain lengths (Dana touched on that last week).  

Because we often times hear simliar questions, we thought we should start to share them, as well as our answers, with everyone in a new blog series called Designer S.O.S.  You guys are welcome to ask us too.  Contact us via our website or our Facebook page and tell us your simple, but stumping questions.  We'll answer as many as we can and share some of the more common ones on here to help others as well. Sound like a good plan?  Good!  Now let's get started with our first Designer S.O.S. question.  

Gina from Dallas, TX, wrote... 

My husband and I are newlyweds and just moved into our first place together.  We're starting to decorate and purchase new items for our home, but I'm a little cautious about what to buy when it comes to certain pieces.  Currently, I need tips for picking out a rug for our living room.  What size would you usually recommend and should I be afraid of buying one too bold in color?   

As far as rugs go, I'd say go bold with pattern instead of color--at least for a first purchase that you'll want to use for awhile.  Because rugs are investment pieces, you'll want something that you can use throughout the years even if you switch up the decor or move it to another room.  I'm a big fan of natural fiber rugs (seagrass, sisal, jute...) because they bring in texture, wear well and can be dressed up or down depending on the space.  They are also a great base for layering on smaller, more bold rugs.  

If jute isn't your thing, any neutral color rug would work.  Remember it doesn't have to be a solid print--neutral, bold patterned rugs can transition just as well between spaces and can also bring a little interest to your room.  Every space needs some pattern and texture so don't be afraid to add yours on the floor!  

As far as size goes, unless you have a small room, I'd say skip the 5x7 and go for the 6x9 or 8x10.  The bigger, the better.  Anything too small will look insignificant and get lost in the space.  A good rule of thumb is that you want all surrounding furniture to be able to have at least the front half of their legs on the rug (for example the front legs of a sofa or chair).  The last thing you want is for your rug to look like it's floating in the middle of your furniture.

In the end, you and your husband have to love it.  So get what best represents you, and you'll enjoy it for years to come!  

front porch wish list

We have been in our house for over 6 months and we are entering the dog days of Gulf Coast summers--hot, humid, sweat rolling down your face just sitting outside. Even so, I love being outside (not to be confused with being outdoorsy--I'm not so much athletic; I just like the scenery...unless someone wants to loan me a paddle board indefinitely). We have a swing on our back porch, which I love love love in the mornings. But in the afternoon, the western sun beats down on our back porch and it is not enjoyable (at least not until the sun goes down). The front porch, on the other hand, is nice and shady in the afternoons. It's quite a pleasant place to be. 

BUT. We have no porch furniture. None. So we've been on the hunt for a couple of chairs or a bench to put out there. Unfortunately it's too narrow for a swing. And, come on--who builds a home in the south with a front porch too narrow for a swing?? It should be against the law.

Anyway, here's the space:

If you look closely you can catch my wiener dog and wiener-russell staring through the storm door.

I caught my hydrangea about 2 weeks too late for this photo. Her first round of blooms are dying off and the second round blooms are starting to peep through. I come from a long line of green thumbs that know the perfect places for growing hydrangeas. A little secret: keep them shady and keep them watered. I see hydrangeas out in the direct sunlight all the time, just roasting away. Poor things.

So, you can see there's just enough room for a bench and table, or two chairs and a table. 

Here are my top picks on my outdoor furniture wish list:

Dexter Bench from West Elm (just used on a project--we love it!); Apple Green Storage Stool from World Market; Green and White Dotted Ikat Pillow from World Market

White rocking chairs from pretty much anywhere; Summer Goddess Outdoor Lumbar Pillow from World Market; Wood Storage Stool from World Market

Sundero Arm Chairs from Ikea; PS Sandskar Table from Ikea; Tossed Floral Green/Yellow Lumbar Pillow Set from Target

St. Martin Occasional Bench from World Market; Aqua Aberdeen Throw Pillow from World Market; Pompeian Red Storage Stool from World Market

That about does it! Of course I'll also add some potted plants and hanging baskets to the porch to make it feel cozier...maybe some lanterns as well to provide softer lighting at dusk than the two overhead cans.

Can you tell I like that little storage stool from World Market? It comes in great colors and I love that it can be extra seating, storage, and a side table (the top flips over and becomes a tray). I have to say the first combo is my favorite, but it's also the most expensive, so I try not to get my hopes up. In all reality, we will probably end up refinishing a yard sale find. Because that's our real life budget :) 

It never hurts to have a little inspiration, though! 

Dream on, dreamers. You're in good company.

Until next time!

My Summer Bucket List

I love lists.  To do lists. Grocery lists. Bucket lists.  But bucket lists are my favorite.  There's something gratifying about putting something down on paper that you hope to accomplish and being able to mark through it upon completion.

I've made my own bucket list for summer and thought I'd share with you guys for a little fun and maybe some inspiration...

View fullsize

1. Read a book- Sounds like a simple thing, right?  But with a busy schedule and 7-month old, spare time is a thing of the past.  I do want to start to turn off the tube and turn a page though.

2. Dine outside- I'd love to make it a point to dine outside at least once a week.  I've got to take advantage of these long hours of sunshine and summer breezes.

3. Eat a snow cone- Why not?  They're refreshing on these hot summer days, cost very little and make you feel like a kid again.  I'm in.

4. Go to a farmer's market- Fresh produce, homemade finds and homegrown blooms all supporting locals.  Sounds like a good idea to me.

5. Plant something- Get inspired by the farmers and plant something yourself!  I'm happy to announce that I am growing my first ever plant--jalapeño peppers.  I love checking on my little guys and knowing that I helped create them.  Next up are some flowers for the front porch.  Let's hope I have just as much luck with them!

6. Make s'mores- They are the ultimate summer treat and oh so delicious!  Need I say more?

What's on your summer bucket list?

3 simple guidelines for hanging drapery panels

Confession time: improperly installed window treatments are my absolute design pet peeve (followed closely by "floating" area rugs). I can't take it. Inside of me is a little OCD designer that wants to rip down your curtains for the disservice they are doing to your windows. 

And I know most people just don't know any better. So if I cringe a little in your home, don't take it personally. I mean it--design is what I do. It by no means serves as a measure for what kind of person you are. Just like if you were a gardener you wouldn't judge me based on the fact that 90% of our veggies failed this year (true story). 

Once upon a time I had a page (or more) full of detailed instructions on how to properly hang drapery panels. But if I was being honest with myself, I would know that few people would actually read through all of them. 

So, for the good of myself and for you, I'm making it easy. I guarantee if you follow just these 3 easy guidelines, you will notice a dramatic improvement in your room. Properly installed window panels can make a room look so much more tailored and sophisticated. 

Here's an example of good and bad installations (read captions below for explanation):

BAD! 1. The panels are just floating in the air. 2. The hardware is mounted at the molding. 3. The edge of the curtain is at the edge of the window, so that the panels cover the majority of the window.

BAD! 1. Again, the edge of the panel is at the edge of the window--too much window is covered. 2. the panel is not wide enough for this window--notice how it is pulled so there is very little pleating or folding in the panel.

GOOD! 1. The panels fall softly to the floor. 2. The width of the panels is extended past the edge of the window; there is still plenty of window showing. 3. the rod is mounted at a nice distance above the window molding--this window is dressed, not covered.

So based on the photos above, here are my THREE RULES:

1. Cover your baseboards. I don't want to see them. Do not leave your poor window panels floating in the breeze. How do you do this? Before buying your window panels, measure from the top of your window molding to the floor. You want to purchase panels that are longer than this distance. If you need to hem, then hem. Hem tape is my best friend, and it can be yours, too. Use it. You can also "puddle" your draperies if they're too long, but this is a more traditional look. I don't see it done too often these days, even though in the right setting it can look very elegant.

2. Mount your panels so that they cover half wall and half window. In other words, take them past the edge of the window and push them back so that they pleat and fold nicely. Not only will this keep me from developing a nervous twitch, but it will also make your windows look much bigger, and more natural light will be coming in. 

*If you are actually looking to cover your window (like if for some reason you are part vampire and hate daylight, or you have a toddler that you need to convince to stay in bed past the break of dawn), either buy more/wider panels so that they maintain a nice pleat when your window is covered OR you can create a layered effect with roman shades or sheers, like so:

And honestly, you could omit the panels all together and just use attractive roman shades if you wanted to save money and the headache of installing panels. (image via)

Here, you can tell they have plenty of material to pull across the window to darken the space, but they also have sheers as well, if they want to let a light in but still maintain privacy--very well done. (image via)

And last but not least....

3. Measure, measure, and plan. Bad window treatments are like eyesores. They make your windows look dark, box them in, and create bad focal points. Properly used window treatments are accents to the sources of natural light in your room. They can definitely be used to bring in color and texture, but if they are going to have an actual purpose, make sure they serve that purpose well. You should put thought into your window treatments. ALWAYS measure your windows before you buy panels. The best thing you can do before mounting them is hang them on the rod, have a helper hold them on the wall, and mark exactly where you need to install your mounting hardware before you just pick a spot in your wall--or worse your molding. Please don't drill into your molding. 

And another little tip--avoid most pre-packaged window treatments. I know they're inexpensive and easy, but rarely will you find panels long enough for the standard window. Don't ask me why. I guess it's because major retailers love to drive me insane with their lack of design sense. And, if you are vigilant, you can catch good deals on window panels pretty often. In fact, right now West Elm has a few on sale for less than $20 per panel. That's a great deal! 

Of course there's a much more detailed science to hanging window treatments (that involves more math than I care to get into), but for the regular, every-day person out there just looking to dress your windows, the three tips above will put you leaps and bounds above the rest.

I promise.

Until next time!