Shades of Grey



Coutesy of Paper Mulberry

 Have you noticed that there is a growing like for the color grey. Whether it be a smokey grey or gustavian grey, you are seeing it more and more in magazines and in actual homes here in the United States.

I , myself, have a beautiful buffet that is painted a really soft grey color.  It is certainly a change from the norm, that's for sure.

Whether it is a large wall(s) or simple some accessorizing pieces within your home, you can't go wrong with something grey.  Plus there are sooo many different shades, it would be very difficult to decide on which grey is the "right" grey.

That's why I love sites like Paper Mulberry where they show you actual colors in use.  Visit their site for some really great photos and ideas for the cottage or farmhouse in your life.

Brocante Heaven

Even in America you can find a decent flea market or brocante, as the French call them.  But I have to say that is there were a contest tomorrow on who's are REALLY better, I think the French would win hands down.

Now don't get me wrong, Americans do put on a great show but the items that you find in France are so much more.........special.

When trying to furnish a farmhouse, where better than France to pick up some really great, and old, farmhouse accessories.  In my travels to France, there was soooo much stuff that I just wanted to buy myself a container and stuff it full of all the wonderful things that I was finding.  Needless to say, the cost of doing that got the better of me before I ended up spending way more on shipping than need be.  But in the end I did stuff on suitcases full of treasures and such.  But you don't have to travel to France in order to find a array of wonderful items right here in the good old USA.

So my point here is to go to as many flea markets as you can in every little town and city you come across.  Treasures await all around.  Whether you are looking to furnish an entire farmhouse or cottage, there are so many undiscovered gold mines out there.  No matter how small the town or how off the beaten trail, stop and shop.  You never know what you'll find.

Remember...One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure............I couldn't agree more.

Kitchen Heaven

There are very few new ideas out there in regards to making a kitchen new and fun.  But I ran across this photograph of a wall in a kitchen in an English farmhouse.  How cute is this !?

An entire wall of charming cubbies plus a quaint little chalkboard for those ever important notes to self.  This is very farmhouse and inexpensive to do in your own home.

The galvanized sheet used for the back wall of the counter is so ingenious, don't you think?  Who knew it could look so charming in this setting.

This definately isn't for a person who has messy cabinet contents..........................

Small Space Big Style

The ever present dilemma of space versus style is always a hard problem to solve.

This farmhouse is owned by an artist who used her love of cubbies to solve her storage problems in her studio.  She mounted lots and lots of drawers, shelves and baskets to hold her fabrics , etc.  Very smart, don't you think.

This can easily be accomplished in any space.  Not too expensive, unless you want it to be, and it packs alot of style and functionality. 

Nice.......