Sofa Art

For your Saturday yard sale, Craig's List & general weekend design-scouting inspiration... Here are some of my favorite living room art arrangements...

An eclectic grouping (which has quickly become my personal favorite):

{Peter Dunham via ?}

{Betty Burgess via The Newlywed Diaries}

{Martha Stewart via The Newlywed Diaries}

A large mirror (be sure to note what is directly across from said mirror, since that is the image/light you'll be reflecting)...

{Timothy Wealon via Little Green Notebook}

{both images via Two Ellie}

Or a combination... like this grouping of a large mirror & two framed pieces that I love...

{Ashley Whittaker}

Or a more structured group of prints...

{via The Newlywed Diaries; my absolute favorite in this category, with two of the top framed pieces subtly horizontal}

{Jenny's own living room via Little Green Notebook}

{Ashley Whittaker}

Or you can always go with a large piece of artwork... But I have a feeling that the groupings or a mirror would be a little more budget friendly?

{via ?}

{Ashley Whittaker}

{via Little Green Notebook}

Happy weekend!

This or That?

This is one of those posts that could either turn out awesome... or not at all.  As I mentioned before (and even earlier), I'd really like to upgrade my camera to a digital SLR.  I'd love to improve the pictures featured on the blog, take an intro to photography class, and of course, be ready for all the deluxe photography when little ones come along (that belong to other people, well for right now at least).

Jeff, on the other hand, isn't too keen on the whole idea.  My father-in-law loaned me his SLR to test out for a little while, and of course, it was love at first shot!  Jeff still doesn't think there is a noticeable difference in picture quality... So, dear blog readers, this is where you come in!

The three pictures below were taken with an SLR camera, our regular digital camera, and a digital camera with a telephoto lens (but about half the mega pixels).

A

B

C

So which do you think is the SLR camera picture?  Can you tell a difference between that one and the other two?  Leave us a comment on your picture quality thoughts, and be sure to mark your choices in our poll!

Featured

I'm so excited that our Framed Map Series project was featured on Sister Sister Sunday this week!

Every week, in addition to posting about their favorite things, sisters Mandy & Ashlie choose a recipe or project that readers submit as part of the Sunday 'Linky Party.'

And this week (which also had the most linkers to date), they featured our project.  What a great start to the week!  Thank you, Mandy & Ashlie!

And Ten...

Most importantly, today marks 10 years of wedded bliss for my sweet sister April & her husband David!  Congratulations on such an incredible anniversary... and many more happy years to come!

Lots of love & best wishes to April & David!

Twenty-six

Today is my 26th birthday!  It couldn't be off to a better start... I came home from school last night to find this sweet surprise waiting for me from my husband...

And right after I was telling his sister that he never buys me flowers!  Since I have no willpower, I also opened my present last night... A gift card to stock up on fall essentials & the cutest pair of earrings (that hubby picked out all on his own, which I love the most!)

Then this morning, I hit the road bright & early for a run through my old neighborhood.  I grew up right behind the Harris Y, but can't remember the last time I ran through those neighboring streets.  It was really fun to see all the houses, and wonder if the families I used to babysit for still lived there... Not to mention I think that area has the most hills (and best wooded setting) of anywhere in Charlotte.  Very fun & nostalgic start to my day!

Now it is back to work for a little while, then off to my in-law's for a birthday dinner!  Jeff & I have a date night planned for tomorrow, a weekend brunch (and of course, Sarah's amazing engagement party on Saturday night!), and more birthday celebrating with my parents, grandparents, & sister on Sunday evening.  I am the luckiest! 

Dream Dining

Since we are sadly running out of rooms & budget to keep redecorating around here, I've decided to try something new on the ol' blog.  Lately I've been thinking about how I would decorate if Jeff & I lived in my dad's house... So here are my thoughts on virtually redecorating his pad!

For anyone who doesn't know, I adore the house I grew up in.  My dad is a retired architect and general contractor, so he designed and built the entire house (literally, built it with only a handful of other people to help).  The house has amazing character, with lots of stonework... giving it kind of a cottage feel. 

Go ahead and humor me, as I go through my fake makeover (with an even more fake large budget) for his formal dining room.

{dining room current state}

I have to admit that I've never been a fan of dark rooms... And this formal dining room is filled with dark wood furniture and a dark wall color.  I would love to add white wainscoting all around the room, and paint above the wainscoting a nice, light gray - like Benjamin Moore's Edgecomb Gray (seen below).

Then I would go with a wooden farm-style table, like this one found on Craig's List or this one from Ballard Designs.

Adding two wing back chairs in this ikat pattern for each end of the table...

And six of these tufted chairs in a 'dijon' color for the rest of the table...

I would without a doubt keep the sideboard that belonged to my grandparents (see the original dining room picture above - it is below the current mirror), but replace the current mirror with this mirror set from Horchow...



Finally, I'd remove the old light fixture and replace with this amazing chandelier for a kick of glam!

Perhaps throwing in some dark blue silk dupioni floor-length drapes for a little color...

And lastly a sisal herringbone rug for under the table.  All together now...

Maybe one day... Until then, thanks again for humoring my inner-decorator!

Back to school

I've enjoyed an amazing four-week summer break from school... but now it is back to the books!  I'm so excited that one of my courses requires us to keep a blog updated weekly.  Not surprisingly, good ol' Wedded Whittaker does not count!

{image via oh happy day!}

But I will be sharing a new communication and coaching oriented blog, hopefully later this week.  Ever since my course over the summer on the dynamics of personal change, I've been increasingly interested in the power of positive psychology, coaching, and mind/body connection research. 

There is just something about the start of school, cooler weather, and the on-set of fall that leaves me feeling revitalized... Looking forward to a great semester!