Dana's Summer Favorites

Last week Mallory shared some of her summer favorites with you, so now it's my turn (while I know you're anxiously await the progress of my navy bedroom)! 

Some of these I have already been enjoying, and some I have on my wish list to enjoy soon. Either way, I hope you can find a common interest in some of these, OR even better: try something new! 

Take a look:

1. Peaches and Heirloom Tomatoes. Some of my favorite summer produce. I've eaten a peach almost every day, and I made my first ever from-scratch peach pie. And heirloom tomatoes...y'all. Just slice one up, give me some mayo and salt and pepper and I'm a happy camper. Or, even better: a fresh caprese salad. 

2. Turban Headbands from Baby Beans and Me on Etsy. These organic knotted headbands come in all sizes from adult to baby and her Buy One Give One program--which donates a headband to a child with cancer--is just $15. Go get one. 

3. Fresh cut hydrangeas. A classic southern favorite--hydrangeas seem to announce the arrival of warm weather. Luckily I have a bush out front that I can collect from and then display in an heirloom silver pitcher. 

4. Jonathan Adler Navy Geometric Sandal for Toms. Loving these. Definitely on my wish list. And as always, the Buy One Give One doesn't hurt! 

5. Mommy and Me nail polish sets from Ella + Mila. Best part is they are vegan, fast-drying, and "5-Free", so goodbye harmful fumes!

6. Margarita. Patron. On the rocks, extra salt. Nuff said.

7. Ceramic Lantern from Target. Down here, most of our outdoor time (when not at the beach) is early in the morning or after sunset, to avoid sweating while just sitting still. This is perfect for evenings on the back porch.

8. Navy Diamond Outdoor Rug from Target. If you spend as much time outdoors as I do, you might as well make your outdoor space look good!

9. Aveda Foot Relief Cream. Summer equals flip-flop and barefoot weather, meaning your feet start to reflect being exposed to the elements. I put on this stuff nearly every night before going to bed. It's so good.

10. Baby Bum Sunscreen from Sun Bum. I discovered this the same day I won my mom-of-the-year award when we made it all the way out to the beach without a hat or sunscreen for my baby. I had to swing in a surf shop to pick up some sunscreen and bought this. Hands down, best sunscreen ever. It's purely zinc-oxide based (no other chemicals), and is good for you and the environment in lots of other ways, too. I even use it on my own skin, and thus far neither baby or I have gotten sunburned when wearing it.

11. Striped Rash Guard from Land's End. I have one of these and I cannot tell you how much I love it. I am motivated to wear one for three very important reasons: 1. I am pale and my sunscreen application is like a never-ending ritual. This is so much easier (and less messy). Put it on and you're good all day. 2. If you are near water they keep you cool--just take a dip wearing it and then you have a nice evaporative cooling system on your entire top half! 3. Living on the Gulf Coast has made me really appreciate UV protection--the long-term effects of sun-worshipping are not pretty (think "leather chest"). Plus, skin cancer is no joke. Respect your skin, people! 

That about rounds it up. See any familiar favorites? Any crucial elements that I missed? Let's hear em! 

Until next time...

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?