Friday, May 18, 2012

Cabin Cozy


I am finally posting again.
It has been a long week and filled with sickness and complete exhaustion.

As I tried sitting and recouping from whatever has entered my system, I pulled out some old reading materials. From decorating books to fashion mags.

Inspired by the photo above, out of Country Living Magazine.

I love in the deadly hot summer here to make my home feel as cool and cozy as possible.
We spend a lot of days cooped up indoors to stay out of the heat. I burn pumpkin spice candles
set the air at frigid temps to be able to wear a sweater or snuggle under a blanket. We watch winter settings in movies, snow, falling leaves...I trick our minds into that it is really cold out beyond our darkened blacked out windows.

Once I started feeling a little better, I hit a thrift shop, I haven't been thrifting in almost a year.
But I wanted a certain look and the only way to get it was to go searching.
I wanted a cabin cozy feel to the landing in our staircase.
The main focus of our stairway are my brothers amazing paintings. They are LARGE and perfect in antique colors, so decorating around them was a hard task. I did not want to take the focus away from his art by adding more art. I wanted something to compliment the color and feeling they give off.

So the image from the country living magazine hit me. Lets add distressed wood, vintage gym hooks and some great vintage plaid flannel shirts. My primitive bench with my homemade letterman's pillow.

Okay, so I found the flannel but I will have to wait to stumble upon a piece of distressed wood in the desert somewhere. I have the vintage gym hooks ready to go. So for now I just hung the shirts on simple nails to give the feeling I wanted. It will all come together soon enough.

But i adore the feel it gives and how it flows perfectly with the rest of the home.

Summers are long and hot here. I will do anything it takes to make it feel like Autumn during these dog days, from getting out and running errands before 9 am and in by 11 am. That goes for swimming too.

I will long for wind and rain, a cool breeze and by the time August hits I will start thinking of falling leaves and cool nights. Its in my blood to change as the calendar tells me the seasons should. I will never get used to living here. I hate it with a passion, but this is where I am and I will make it as best as I can by creating seasons inside my home for my little one to learn.

5 comments:

Okio B Designs said...

Looking good so far! And wow, your brother is an amazing artist!

Jeanine

Gail said...

Oh Amy,
I'm so sorry you haven't been feeling great, I haven't either! I would have the hardest time coping with your climate...I MUST have a change in seasons.....right about now, before Summer has even hit, I start dreaming about my very favorite season....Fall!
Fall, why do I love you? Let me count the ways (and whys)...
~Crisp cool air
~Pumpkins
~Falling leaves...just the best
~Cold, blustery days
~Roaring fire in the fireplace
~Huge pot of soup to warm you up
~Snuggly sweaters
~New boots!
~Halloween (my favorite holiday, dd's too!)
~Fall candles
Well, I could go on and on......I'm with ya all the way!

Sue said...

I love the new decorating! Everything looks SO good. Where you are at, it does get a bit toasty to say the least. I like how you fight the heat mentally with you pumpkin candles and accessories. You made me smile on that one! Have a great week-end.

Take care,
Sue

Rhonda said...

I have wanted to email you all week. I'm so happy you are feeling better.
I've had the week from hell....but I refuse to bring my work home with me. It's the weekend and I'm ready to catch up with everyone.

Love your inspiration, love your idea of creating a fall environment. I'm right there with you, only in the next state with heat like no other. UGH and a big sigh. Here comes summer in the desert.

Julie said...

Have missed your postings Amy. Just love the decorating theme you are doing and its coming together GREAT. (you are so talented). Also love your brothers artwork.
Do hope you manage to escape from the heat and find some solace. Its hard to get my head around as we are going into such a cold biting snap over here with winter hitting us. Take care -sending positive thoughts your way, Luv Julie :-)