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Kelly Christakos Stivers

Treasure hunter, reinventer, interior decorator, furniture refinisher & dog lover, creating champagne spaces on a shoestring budget. kstivers@Hotmail.com

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Wednesday
May302012

shingle-style chic

As a kid, our family spent every summer at the beach- my parents loved walking the shoreline after dinner in the evenings, admiring the beautiful shingle-style homes and cottages that dotted the coast. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree because, if you follow me on Pinterest, you know I have a thing for shingle-style homes, too....I have a board pretty much dedicated to the classic, casual style that is so popular on coastal summer homes. Weathered, gray shingles, with crisp white trim makes such a beautiful contrast.  Someday, I'll have a shingle style cottage on the coast...until then, here is some inspiration to make your mouth water:

 

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Gleysteen Design

Victoria Hagan via Country Living

House Beautiful

Patrick Ahearn

Amanda Nisbet

Martha Stewart

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Dujardin Design

Traditional Home

Tuesday
May292012

som

A trip to Charleston just wouldn't be complete for me without a visit to South of Market on King Street.  Shopowner and interior designer Kay Douglass stocks this hole-in-the-wall to the gills with a contemporary mix of French and Belgian antiques, furnishings, re-purposed objects, upholstery, lighting, books and gorgeous, one-of-a-kind pieces of art (think vintage maps, educational charts). The shop is turned inside-out quite often, but clean lines and rustic touches always create an industrial, sophisticated feel whenever you visit.  I've posted before about this beautiful home decor boutique and, once again, I was not disappointed! Here are some of the current goodies on display for summer:

Love, love, LOVE these wicker chairs:

Pops of orange brighten neutral, upholstered pieces:

These wicker basket chandelier lights are not only unique, they make quite a statement piece!

Turquoise bottles brighten up a neutral corner of the store:

Love the khaki and cream chevron pillows:

Vintage maps and industrial pendant lighting:

Drool-worthy lamps and lanterns everywhere you look:

These agricultural educational charts were absolutely stunning...it's hard to tell in this picture, but each frame was about four feet wide.  All three of them would look amazing grouped together...too bad the $2500 price tag for each one was a tad out of my budget:

This driftwood mirror was one of my favorite items in the entire store:

Emerald green accents add a fresh feel for summer:

To see more of South of Market, or to shop online, check out their website andbe sure to follow their fabulous blog.

Monday
May282012

charleston

I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!  The hubby and I hightailed it down to Charleston for the four-day weekend for some relaxation, house stalking and amazing food and drinks...Charleston, as always, did not disappoint!  No matter how many times I visit this charming seaside city, I fall in love with it over and over again-whether walking through the gorgeous historic neighborhoods, people watching at one of the many fabulous restaurants and pubs or shopping the Charleston Market, there is always something to do, always something going on.  Here are a few shots from our weekend:

Sunday
May272012

happy memorial day!

Remembering our friends and so many others who made the ultimate sacrifice, today and always.  You are never forgotten...

And they who for their country die shall fill an honored grave.  For glory lights the soldier's tomb and beauty weeps the brave.

-Joseph Drake-

Thursday
May242012

by the sea

We are taking a much-needed trip to Sullivan's Island, SC, to celebrate the hubby's birthday and it can't come at a better time!  Having lived ten minutes from the beach for eight years, it's been a tough transition, being now more than 2 hours away, so I'm looking forward to digging my toes in the sand!  You don't have to live by the beach to create the same tranquil, soothing environment..these beauitful seaside interiors all share soothing paint colors, crisp white trim work, lots of texture (think jute rugs and grasscloth wallpaper) and pops of color.  In a few years, we will be living by the water again (hopefully, ON IT, fingers crossed!)In the meantime, I will live vicariously though these gorgeous beach beauties:

Coastal Living

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Elle Decor

India Hicks

Coastal Living

Victoria Hagan

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Steven Gambrel

Traditional Home

Elle Decor

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Coastal Living

Ruthie Sommers via House Beautiful

Jackye Lanham