FRIDAY'S FIVE

 Are you ready for some inspiration? 

ONE

A beautiful cottage with pattern on pattern and color galore, filled with antiques and warmth. (Image: Christopher Horwood) 

 TWO

Have you watched the Reese Witherspoon movie Home Again? Or Father of the Bride? Or Something's Gotta Give? This article explains why we love all the sets created by Nancy Meyers. 

THREE

A beautiful Instagram account to follow.

FOUR

I use a planner that parallels the school year calendar, and this is the one I've been using for years.  If you do too, try this one. It runs from June to July. There are a few of them that come in a 5 x 7 size, but I prefer the 8 x 11 size. 

FIVE

We are heading to the beach at the end of the month, and I love this beach bag! It comes in 8 styles. Water and sand proof. All styles are less than $20. 

That's all! Now on to the weekend...

THRIFTBOOKS: A NEW AND USED BOOK RESOURCE

If you love design books (or really any kind of book), today's post is for you. I want to tell you about a book source that I discovered a few years back. It's called Thriftbooks. I've ordered from them multiple times over the years, and saved myself some money.

I haven't bought any new books from them, but I have bought several used books because I have no problems buying second-hand. I usually check this source first when I come across an interior design book I'm interested in. I love design books for both inspiration and decorating. When you find a book you're interested in, the site will tell you what condition the used book is in. The price is usually so good, it is worth the risk to trust the condition description. I've been pleased with what I've ordered. 

My latest purchase from Thriftbooks is an old book (1991) that I saw on a table in Mandy Eno's home. She's one of my favorite people to follow on Instagram. Her home is beautiful and authentic, collected and welcoming. Follow her here, if you don't already. She has multiple gallery walls in her home, and they are all so good! 

Hoping for some wall inspiration, I looked up this book Decorating with Pictures. 

Here are a few of my favorite gallery walls from the book.

So now, the next time you are hunting for an old book or even a new book, remember this source. Check Thriftbooks first. They may have what you're looking for, and they will definitely save you money.  :-)

FIVE FAVORITE THRIFT STORE FINDS

It's been a minute since I've shared thrift scores with you, but now that summer is here, and I've RETIRED (whoo hoo!), I hope to be talking to you much more regularly! So, let's get going with some things I brought home since we last discussed secondhand finds, aka - thrift scores.  

ONE: SIDE TABLE

This is probably my favorite thing on the list. I had been looking for a small end table for this spot and this one is the perfect shape and size. I needed something for my guests to put their drinks on. 

It has lots of pretty details on the legs. 

TWO: BLUE AND WHITE PLATTER

My next find is from an antique mall in Nashville. More than likely, every thrifting post will have a piece of blue and white. :-) I'm sure that does not come as a surprise to you.

THREE: BENCH

If you saw last weeks' post about the guest room, then you've seen this find before. It's getting a new look, and I hope to show it to you soon!

FOUR: FEDERAL MIRROR

I have a hard time leaving these behind. This one is very similar to one I already have, but it's bigger. 

I will probably also paint it eventually, but for now I'm using it as is. The one below is the smaller one I spray painted gold. 

FIVE: A BOLT OF FABRIC

Yes, I know. Fabric is not something you would expect to find at an antique mall, but one of the vendors makes and sells headboards out of his booth. This is eight yards of white fabric, and it was only $52. I love the small design in the fabric, and will be using it to recover my dining room chairs (one of these days).

Have you found any treasures lately? See the word "comment" below? Click on it and share yours!

PROGRESS IN THE GUESTROOM: A FEW UPDATES

After too much time has passed to say out loud, the guest room is finally coming together. I've been making decisions, ordering online, and picking up things here and there for the room for almost two years. Working full-time and decorating a home don't always go hand-in-hand. However, our latest addition, our first grandchild, spurred me along and lit a fire under my decorating feet because one little corner of the room is devoted to her. We are affectionately calling it Kate's Corner (until the next one comes along, anyway). 

Here are eight updates in no particular order. 

1. PAINT! The room went from Shaker Beige to Swiss Coffee. Both colors are Benjamin Moore. Paint, in case you didn't know, is a miracle worker! 

2. STORAGE. Sometime after Christmas, we found this small table at Home Goods. It's the perfect size for a few basics for Kate, and I had gift cards-always a plus!

3.  NIGHT STANDS. Last summer I ordered two small chest from Wayfair to use as night stands. They are actually children's dressers, so the size is perfect if you like a bigger night stand. 

4. PILLOW COVERS. I'm not sure when I decided to use red, white, and blue, but I'm loving it. I found these on Amazon. I was able to use inserts from other pillows I had. 

5. CURTAINS. I absolutely love these navy velvet panels from Amazon. Can't wait to get them up! Two panels for less than 50$. 

6. BASKET. Picked this basket up for blankets or toys for the grandbaby side of the room. 

7. ROCKING CHAIR. It took me FOREVER to bite the bullet on this smallish rocking chair. But luckily, it is the perfect size for this space. 

8. BENCH. Well over a year ago, I came across the perfect bench for the end of the bed while thrifting. It's headed to be reupholstered this week! I'll be using some fabric I've been holding on to forever that fits nicely into the color scheme. 

Links to a few of the products:

(affiliate links)

LEOPARD PILLOW COVER  //  RED FLORAL PILLOW COVER 

CURTAINS  //  ROCKING CHAIR  //  SIMILIAR TULIPS

CHESTS USED AS NIGHTSTANDS

(Looks like the white is sold out, but they have many other options.)

Still so much to do, but we're getting there!

NEW COOKWARE REVIEW

There's nothing like having two children getting married roughly three months apart to remind you how old all of your kitchen materials are. 

In the summer of 2021, both my oldest son and my daughter were married. It was hectic and wonderful all at the same time! It was a beautiful few months of parties, showers, teas, and lots of family time. I would do it all again if I had the opportunity. However, as their wedding gifts started coming in, I started making some comparisons (which is always a bad idea!) between all the shiny new kitchen gadgets they were receiving, and all the old, worn out, even some hand-me-downs I was using. So, after the money stopped dashing out the door for the weddings, I decided it was time to replace a few things in my kitchen. 

One thing I ordered and have loved is this new set of cookware. 

Rachel Ray 13-pc Non-stick Cookware

I did a good bit of reading and researching before I made my decision. I do cook, but I don't cook all the time. So, I was trying to find something that was a good value that would also last me a while without breaking the bank. This set had great reviews, and I also liked the color. (I mean that's important, too, right?)

It may be reading a bit green in this picture, but it's the perfect light gray with some blue undertones. Another great thing about this set is all the lids it comes with. That has been a problem for me in the past: not enough lids to go around when I'm using multiple pots or skillets. I have been really pleased so far. I've had my set for almost a year now, and it still looks brand new. It cooks evenly and everything washes up well. So far, not a single complaint.

If you could also use an upgrade in the cookware department, I think this set is a great option. Let me know below in the comment section if you have any questions. 

Happy cooking!

FRIDAY'S FIVE

Welcome!

ONE

This blog post discussing the paint color I'm currently painting our guest room written by Julie Blanner. (Image via Studio McGee)

TWO

Great ideas for decorating with books. I loved this article and the example photos are fantastic. (Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez)

THREE

If you like New York, you'll love this Instagram account. 

FOUR

These velvet curtains! I ordered them for the guest room I'm working on. Great quality, great price.

FIVE

A daily devotional book that I'm really enjoying. 

Have a great weekend. Don't forget to rest.

WHITE LAMPS: ALWAYS A GOOD CHOICE

I might have a white lamp problem. Okay, yes. Yes, I do have a white lamp problem. I have too many sets of white or off-white lamps in my home to say the number out loud. :-) But white lamps are so versatile, and they elevate the look of any room. I have a small set on my kitchen counters, a pair in the breakfast room, my bedroom, the living room, and the dining room. The dining room set is what inspired this post.  

For the first time ever, I ordered lamps online, from Amazon. I was so happy, and so pleased with the quality, that I decided to do a white lamp round up of only the brand I bought. The brand is Johnathan Y. If you're shopping for lamps, just want to update a room, or step up your lamp game, here are 9 options for you.

Unfortunately, my lamp, which is Number 1 in the picture, is out of stock at Amazon, but I was able to link it for you from Lamps.com. (The price here is slightly higher than what I paid.) All of the other lamps are from Amazon. 

 Number 1  //  Number 2  //  Number 3

Number 4  //  Number 5  //  Number 6

Number 7  //  Number 8  //  Number 9

(affiliate links)

I hope this round up was helpful. Did you see one you like?