New Pillows

Remember these awesome napkins from our wedding?

Photos by Maggie Conley Photography

They have a new life! And they look beautiful with the ikat-print silk we bought at the market in Istanbul!

Hosting Thanksgiving

We are hosting Thanksgiving for the first time this year! In our new house! With all of our new wedding dishes! And filling up all of our new guest rooms! I. Am. So. Pumped.

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DIY Craft Studio / Home Office: Before and After

With the new floors down in the studio I couldn't wait to fill it with furniture! My goal was to simulate built-ins with a desk/countertop that runs the full length of the room, supported by drawers/cabinets on the ends. I love the home office options at Pottery Barn but can't fit that in the budget, so here we go with another DIY project! 

The first find was a two-drawer file cabinet from Marshall's. No painting required. I'll take it.

The second find was a TV stand from a consignment shop. $40. I cut the top off with the circular saw so it's the same height as the file cabinet. White primer and paint, here we come.

Finding a countertop long enough to fill my 118" opening was a challenge. Home Depot linoleum options were outrageously expensive and all had a little lip on the back that I didn't prefer. I came quite close to an overstock piece of Corian I found online but even that was going to be about $100 and shipping was steep. In the end I went to the local lumber place, thinking I would buy plywood, but found they had an unfinished MFD countertop for $30. Into Nate's van it went with two 2x4s that I screwed to the bottom for support.

While I'm at it, why not paint the inside of the sliding doors as well?

Now things are really getting fun. The inside of the sliding doors, which will only be visible from inside the studio, are going to be Aruba Blue by Benjamin Moore. Wahoo!

Things are starting to come together!

This awesome doorknob was a wedding gift. I'm so excited it has a new home!

When in doubt, add bistro lights! And a strip of LED tape under the bottom shelf. I also added moulding across the front of the desk and the base of the shelves for a cleaner, more finished look.