our den

This weekend Saint Louis got its first snowfall. Its rather unusual to have accumulation this early in the year but for this northerner its was a welcomed surprised. We spent Sunday sitting around the stove, reading and talking and it really made me want to get the room more in order before the holidays. I have had paint samples on the wall since we moved in and have been planning to prioritize the painting of this room in anticipation of the colder months. There really hasn't been much wasted time since we moved in but now I am really feeling motivated to get it done. In anticipation of painting, I never unpacked our books or other personal items and the few leftover boxes are really starting to bug me. Also I really love decorating for Christmas and boxes are just not not going to cut it!

The other hold up has been color selection. Initially, I thought I was sold on Oval Room Blue by Farrow and Ball. But as time has passed I think it is too teal for me and I want something more blue.  Now I am pretty sure we will go with the Benjamin Moore's Normandy. Step one will be just doing the walls as I don't think I will have time to tackle the trim or the fireplace but eventually I think I want to do the trim and painted brick fireplace Normandy as well. 

The main furniture pieces in the room are a free standing wood bookcase, a wingback chair passed down from my parents and a vintage daybed that I had recovered in a blue ticking stripe. The chair definitely needs to be recovered and we need to get a rug. I also would like to get two poufs or stools in lieu of a coffee table and a round pedestal table with a big lamp to add height to a sort of dead corner of the room. Finally, we need lots of pillows to make the daybed as comfy and cozy as possible. This is my current idea of the design of the room.

stone like pedestal table by Noir - demijohn form table lamp by Circa Lighting - moroccan poufs by Serena & Lily - pillows by John Robshaw

Stay warm everyone!

weekend painting

Now that the master bedroom is finished being painted, we can move onto the office.  The space was most likely a sleeping porch at one point and has two walls of windows. Its small but very bright so I wanted to take the opportunity to choose a darker color. I looked at probably ten or so Benjamin Moore and Farrow and Ball colors and let Jeff narrow it down to three. He chose Hale Navy, Narragansett and Lead Gray. 

Hale Navy is the most blue. I would describe it as a true navy.

Hale Navy via Style by Emily Henderson

Narragansett can go pretty green.

Narragansett - design by Westbrook Interiors

And Lead Gray sort of seems to fall in the middle leaning more towards blue than green.

Lead Gray - design by Meredith Heron via House & Home

We haven't bought the paint yet but I am pretty sure we are going to go with Lead Gray. We also need to finish painting the ceiling which has already had two coats of primer and will probably need two coats of Simply White Benjamin Moore paint.

Check back next week for office pictures and project room updates! Have a good weekend everyone! 

hallway sconces

Our second floor landing doesn't have any overhead light so we are thinking about adding wall sconces. There is no direct outside light so I want something that casts a good amount of ambient light and is brass. Right now my two top contenders are the vendome and bryant lights both by Circa Lighting.

Bryant Sconce by Circa Lighting

Vendome Sconce by Circa Lighting

Circa does a really nice hand rubbed antique brass and I like that both sconces have a traditional yet modernized feel about them. Both sconces are the same size and take 1 - 60 watt bulb - meaning that they will cast the same amount of light.

I am not sure which way I am leaning right now but have been looking at these install photos to help me decide. 

Vendome sconces in bathroom by Ashley Whittaker via House Beautiful

Bryant Sconce via Circa Lighting Blog

Vendome Sconces in dining room source unknown

Bryant sconce in home office source unknown

Maybe the bryant???