inspired: spring window boxes

My "outdoor inspiration" folder on Pinterest is chock full of gardening and lanscaping inspiration that has me giddy with excitement to get my planting on! (Once the weather stays warm enough, of course.) In the meantime, I've been poring over my pictures from past trips to Charleston a lot lately, especially all my shots of gorgeous window boxes spilling over with petunias, ivy, lantana, liriope, asparagus fern, sweet potato vine, you name it.  Window boxes are such a a great way to add a ton of charm and curb appeal-both of which Charleston is famous for-but they are also a great (and easy!) option for those who are short on gardening space.  I've posted a few of these beauties before, but the rest were just too pretty not to share on this beautiful spring morning! 

monograms by no. four eleven

I love a beautiful monogram-nothing adds more charm or personality to your home.  Having lived in the South the last ten years, I have seen my fair share of monogrammed goods in friend's homes and boutiques, but, I have to say, none can compare to the gorgeous heirloom-quality monograms that are created every day at No. Four Eleven, a Savannah-based home goods and gift boutique.  They design some of the most beautiful and intricate custom monograms I've ever seen and then digitize them so they can be used on pillows, towels, napkins, throw blankets, stationery, furniture-perfect for weddings, parties and "just because" (my favorite reason!)  Here are a couple of my favorites from their shop:

Love the emerald green and navy color combo, but the sheer size of the monogram is what truly catches my eye on these throw pillows:

Beautiful hemstitch linen napkins are almost too pretty to use, but would be a gorgeous addition to a spring table setting:

Gray and cream - yum:

These navy blue and fuschia cocktail napkins are right up my alley - such a chic color combination:

Beautiful detailing on this monogram:

How AMAZING are these monogrammed chairs?  The yellow embroidery looks so fresh against pale gray linen:

Burlap and aqua look so fresh on bedding:

The only thing better than a monogrammed pillow is a monogrammed pillow with contrast banding!

A recently introduced collection of vintage monograms is so incredibly fabulous, that I am pretty sure this is the next purchase I will be making for my home.  Check out how beautiful:

To see more monograms, as well as other accessories, linens and gift ideas, check out their website and their blog.  Have a wonderful weekend!

5 fabulous front porches + a mini makeover plan

I'm chomping at the bit to give my front porch a bit of a mini makeover, courtesy of a glossy new paint color on my front door, some new lantern lights, a new rug and a fresh coat of crisp white paint on my crusty adirondack chairs.  The only thing holding me back is the pollen that has yet to set in and my incredibly frustrating inability to choose a color for my front door! I'm leaning heavily toward a glossy black door right now, but a pale gray/blue is also an option (ah, indecision!) and the oversize copper lanterns I posted a few weeks ago. 

Here is my plan, so far:

And here are five incredibly fabulous front porches that got me pining for a front porch makeover in the first place:

Everything about this stunning front porch by interior designer Lee Ann Thornton is welcoming and elegant, from the charcoal door, hanging lantern and slate steps to the transoms, potted boxwoods and oversize corbels.  Sheer perfection.

A poppy red Dutch door, brass lantern lights, huge corbles and a Lutyens bench are charming compliments to cedar shake siding on this back entrance (yes, can you believe it - BACK entrance???) of a home designed by Hillary Taylor Design:

A black front door is anything but boring when flanked by potted boxwoods, lush green landscaping and a pea gravel path leading to this stairway by architect Tim Barber.

Pale blue never looked as amazing as it does on the front door and board and batten shutter on the porch of this guest house by designer Steven Gambrel.  Simple and classic - perfect. 

You don't need bold color to make a dramatic first impression - I love the tone on tone of this white-painted brick facade, pale blue/green front door, zinc planters and, again, slate steps (noticing a pattern here?). Subtle, but stunning:

shingle-style in sagaponack

Shingle-style homes make me weak in the knees - I dream of the day when the hubby retires from the military and we can move back to the beach....into a shingle-style cottage of our own (fingers crossed!)  In the meantime, trolling MLS every now and then for shingled "shacks" near the beach has become a favorite (and rather depressing) hobby.  I stumbled upon this Hamptons haven last night and, while it's more than twice as big as I would ever want or need, she is quite a stunner, inside and out!

There really is nothing like weathered gray shingles and crisp white trim to make a dramatic first impression out front...except, of course, for the pool, pool house and stone, raised bed gardens out back:

Hand-hewn, reclaimed wood beams, a stacked stone fireplace and wide plank floors KILL IT in the two-story foyer/living area:

Love the built-in bed/nook tucked into the corner:

Soapstone countertops and an amazing zinc range hood take the cake in the breathtaking kitchen:

Chocolate brown walls and a touch of zebra print are fun and fresh in a guest room (with views of the pool and the sea beyond!):

LOVE that double farmhouse style sink!

Oh, and did I mention it's for sale for $6.5 million? 

See more of this stunner here.

pen to paper

There's nothing that excites me more than finding a handwritten note on gorgeous stationery in my mailbox!  In a world of email, text, twitter and instagram, nothing beats a personalized note for no reason other than just to say hello, especially when it's written on a piece of heavy linen cardstock with beautiful embossing, letterpress or monogramming.  I love to give handwritten notes just as much as I love to get them, so can you believe I've never had my own customized stationery?  After seeing some of the most gorgeous personalized letterpress notecard sets from the fabulous Sugar Paper Los Angeles, I think it's high time I ordered some for myself! I'm such a sucker for a beautiful monogram and these sets are feminine, whimsical and oh so pretty....I'm loving the crisp navy blue or grass green for spring!  Here are a few of my favorites from their social stationery line:

Sugar Paper also creates some of the most gorgeous wedding and party invites, birth announcements and holiday cards - check out their website here.  And let's not forget a few shots of their adorable shop - love the gallery wall!

There is no point in spending the dough on fabulous stationery if the outside isn't as beautiful as the paper inside.  Here is a pretty good tutorial on how to fake calligraphy that would definitely come in handy when trying to address your envelopes this beautifully:

For those who don't have the patience (or steady hand!) for calligraphy, a rubber address stamp is a must.  I love all of these so much, I would have a hard time choosing just one!

                                     

An embosser is another way to add elegance to envelopes and plain notecards and stationery - love this monogrammed one (which would also work on paper napkins for parties):

...and this one for addressing envelopes:

And last, but not least, something to write with....these Sharpie pens are a personal favorite that make my messy handwriting look so much better, thanks to its fine point.  It also doesn't bleed through the paper, an added bonus, and comes in a bunch of different colors:

 What are some of your stationery favorites or must-haves?