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belles want to take it outside….  

27 Thursday Apr 2017

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After a long winter and with spring upon us…we decided we needed to upgrade our outdoor seating. Our lovely Libby-belle was also a big contributor to this little endeavor! 


This little troublemaker is lucky she’s so cute.  If we could locate the pics, we’d show you what happened when she ate the stuffing right out of these cushions…but until then you’ll have to use your imagination.  Just picture a sea of white cotton candy all over a bright green backdrop. Lovely no? 

Anyhoo…time to do a lil refresh.  We went to a fabulous local lady who just happens to be very good at what she does (beyond good actually). Her name is Barbara Steele, and her company is Needles and Thread (needlesandthread.barbara@gmail.com – 281-974-7317). She can do anything. Really, anything! 


We picked a sunbrella outdoor fabric in a neutral, and then for a little fashion flair (and what any good southern belle would do)…a monogram ! 

The monogrammer did an incredible job don’t you think?  We used Missy Underwood of Underwood Embroidery, 120 East Main Street, Walhalla (864-718-5414).  And…of course…we always think bigger is better!


Love the idea of creating comfortable seating on the pillars!! 

Time to relax and enjoy!!

a&a

a beautiful gift and a fabulous find….

21 Thursday Jul 2016

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As we all know it is better to give than it is to receive. But let’s be honest, receiving a present is pretty darn great. Especially when it’s unexpected! 

We had the pleasure of  being on the receiving end of things recently…and it’s such a treat just knowing someone was thinking of you. 

It’s even better when it’s a gift that you’ve never even heard of before and realize that you can’t live without. When we opened a Lampe Berger oil diffuser, we couldn’t believe our eyes. 


These are the beautiful Lampe Berger we received – and love!!

Practical, useful, great looking…what more could a belle want?

We decided we needed to research this find a bit further…and lo and behold there is a color, style, look that will be the perfect addition to anyone’s home decor.


One for you, one as a gift…one for you, one as a …you get it!

a&a

absolutely flor-ed…a belle-maison share

24 Thursday Sep 2015

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We don’t know why we haven’t mentioned this before…but we happen to know of an absolutely brilliant flooring option that is ringin’ belles all over the world!  Our flor catalog arrived just the other day, and we realized it was our duty to do some sharin’.

Flor is the “smarter carpet” choice for your home and the planet.  Any design is possible…from novelty and area rugs to wall-to-wall…using their 19.7″ square tiles, and it’s no sweat when the pup (or clumsy guest) has an accident. Just pop out the unsightly tile and pop a fresh one in. Presto cleano!  And their Return and Recycle program is Mother Earth-friendly common sense.  

Take a gander…

flor.com- Positive Slant

We are loving this killer balcony using “Positive Slant” in Titanium!!

Inspired by the tire tracks on a California mountain road…

flor.com- Roadside Attraction

“Roadside Attraction” in Eggnog brings the mountain to the city

flor.com- Roadside Attraction

…and in Frost, it’s anything but frosty! (check out Tan, Haze and Dew, too!)

flor.com – Sweater Weather

Perfect for the cooler temps on their way…“Sweater Weather” makes ya want to cuddle the flor!

flor.com- Floweret

“Floweret” in titanium adds a tough feminine touch

flor.com- Mod Cow

while “Mod Cow” in Tan lets you explore your wild side

flor.com

And “Mod Cow” and many others can be ordered in rug sets that’ll knock your socks off!

Balcony. Den. Bedroom. Playroom. Dorm room. Garage, even. The possibilities are endless!!

Flor it, belles!

a&a

can y’all please console us?? …. belles need belles (needs photos)

10 Thursday Sep 2015

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Okay, so here’s the deal…we have a foyer/front hall situation.   We have needed to replace a console table in the aforementioned front hall for some time now.  We have patiently…okay, okay, we have been tapping the toes some time. Going on 6 months now.

We can’t look at this empty space any longer…simply cannot…soo ….

We went to One King’s Lane to see what they had to offer. Well, we are here to tell you that the bevy of choices will knock your socks off.   We aren’t quite ready to pull the trigger on a high-dollar item that we can’t touch or feel, and we are going to be redecorating an office, so a classic piece that could transition over is what we are looking for.

We picked two so far..but can’t seem to decide.  We would love some feedback and to hear your vote, opinion and/ or thoughts.  Ans if you have a console find that you love, we’d really like to see it!  (We are a bit partial to parsons consoles…but need to know its going to look high end on arrival…need to go in a different direction this time)

This acrylic console has us all a flutter ….  We like the idea that it is contemporary, high design , yet would fit with the existing decor  

This beauty is timeless and elegant and we could see it fitting a number of places if we decided it was time for a little change. The black and gold is so chic! 
 
Decisions decisions…we need all the help we can get… Here is a pic of the spot where we want to place the console.   

 
That poor little table just can’t handle the space. It needs a more intimate spot.
So help us out belles….please chime in!

a&a

come on in…door colors that say “welcome”

19 Thursday Feb 2015

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If windows are the eyes of the home, the doors actually “speak” to those who approach, saying, “Come on in”. Just how that message is delivered depends on several factors…curb appeal, belles…but let’s focus on door color for now. A quick update…an easy fix…minimal commitment…a coat of paint can work magic!

Now, we understand, some belles prefer the traditional. Stained wood, black, and even red are beautiful, yet expected. Why not punch it up a bit, belles? A fun door color says “welcome” to guests and says “home sweet home” to yours truly.

A couple of belle-ringin’ examples…

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We happen to know that these belles get a little giddy every time they walk in these happy-colored doors.

Now, one belle-friend recently decided it was time for an update of her own…

She has doors all the way across a loggia-style front porch, giving her many options for welcoming one and all…

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Above is a “before” shot…classic, yet fairly “business-like”…not quite fitting with this particular belle’s personality

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here are two of the colors this belle considered (the Chinese red is used in various places in the home’s interior, so it made sense to consider it as an option.  The chartreuse was a suggestion from a color-savvy consultant)

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and here is a soothing gray-blue which this belle had been pondering for a couple of years…don’t know what she was waiting for!

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The perfect choice, don’t you agree?

Let’s look at the before and after:

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Brilliant!!  Welcoming, soothing…a belle-worthy upgrade!  These doors scream (softly), “Come in and stay a while”

a&a

 

 

belles don’t fret…they do fretwork!

06 Thursday Mar 2014

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Our dear belles…should we ever settle for just ho-hum? Why, never! Not us! When it comes to what we wear, what we eat, what we do…we want fabulous, don’t we? Well, here’s a little belle ringer for your belle maison. When you are stumped as to how to create some “wow” in a room, don’t fret, do fretwork!!

Here are some beautiful examples…

from sybaritic spaces.blogspot.com

from sybaritic spaces.blogspot.com

sybariticspaces via Elle Decor

sybariticspaces via Elle Decor

http://sybariticspaces.blogspot.com/2013/03/create-fabulous-fretwork-doors.html

We have both been doing a little updating lately (actually…we are in a constant state of update…much to our husbands’ dismay), so when we found this touch of fabulous-ness, we just went all giddy with the possibilities!! Cut to order in some of the most amazing patterns, there is sure to be one that is perfect for any project you can conjure up in that pretty little head.

Some of our favorites from fretworksdesigns.com:

fretwork - Oxmoor

fretwork -Homewood

This pattern is Homewood

So, a few months ago, one of us realized it was time for a major overhaul of the master bedroom. Living in a nearly 90-year-old house, storage had become a touchy subject (i.e. – a certain husband might not be allowed to open the door to the wife’s “extra” closet because said closet, tiny as it may be, is so chock full of treasures, a purse and shoe avalanche could be set off merely by the low pitch of a male gasp…it’s take your life in your own hands dangerous!!).

Well, what’s a belle to do? Create as many places for storage as possible. In this case, we decided that some cleverly designed built-in cabinets could take the place of the typical bedside table/chest, and the cabinet doors could become a fabulous fret-work-of-art! The doors were built with mirrored insets…and the fretwork worked the rest of the magic.

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The fretwork (pattern is Oxmoor) was painted to match the cabinetry and fit perfectly into the space on the doors thanks to some accurate measurements on our part and skillful craftsmanship from Fretworks Designs LLC. http://fretworksdesigns.com/

Check out the photos of this project on their site here: http://fretworksdesigns.com/built-in/

A before and after view:

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Now, our dears, how could we possibly stop at these cabinet doors with this fab treatment? Just imagine the doors, walls, headboards, chests, and countless other ho-hum spaces that stand to benefit! Heads spinning and belles ringing!!

a&a