Cowhide Rugs

Cowhide rugs have been seen quite a bit in the design world lately - and I'm just now getting on the train. I've never been much of a fan of animal prints whether its cowhide, zebra, or the worst - leopard print. My distaste for animal skins included uses in interior design, as well as fashion. I suppose I've always felt its a bit cruel and tacky and too western. I think whats starting to turn my opinion around is the mix of the prints with glamorous furniture and styling - its no longer just for cowboys or those living in Texas. Its for those in a high-rise loft apartment, mid-century ranch, or traditional colonial. The animal skins keep the rooms from feeling too stiff or stuck-up. I really love their organic shape and that they add a bit of earthiness. And with all the cows being eaten, there's gotta be plenty of skins to go around, right? (does that sound too insensitive?!)

Here are some examples I found that I like that represent many different styles of living:

They also have zebra options which is still a cowhide just dyed to look like zebra skin. I don't like these as well as the cowhides, but they still look great in these spaces!

 

So in the coming weeks I may take the plunge and add a cowhide to my office space. I think it would go nicely under my drafting table desk and will keep my high-gloss white bookcases from feeling too pristine. 

 What do you think? How do you feel about cowhide rugs? Classy or cruel?

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

Tipp City's Christmas in the Village "Holiday Homes Tour" is coming up soon on December 3rd from 2pm-6pm. This event is open to the public and is a great way to start feeling festive! Visitors will tour 8 gorgeous historical homes in the quaint town of Tippacanoe. Every year a different street or section of the downtown is open for touring so you always see something new. The homes are usually filled with musicians and art done by local artists making it a true community event. This marks my 3rd year participating as a designer and I'm more excited than ever!

This year's theme is "Over the Top Table Top" where a different designer is decorating the table top in the dining room of each of the 8 homes. The decorations for my tabletop are off to a great start - in fact my entire dining room is full of Christmas stuff! This is a little bit of what I have in mind:

To see the finished product, you'll have to come to the tour!!  (or for those of you not in Dayton, wait until the day after when I post the photos)

One-of-a-Kind Benches

 I love when creativity is used in public spaces. It makes the everyday a little more interesting. These unique park benches will certainly make you look twice.

These are just hilarious! I couldn't resist........

My Kitchen Revealed!

I wanted to leave you this week with some cheery images from my kitchen. I'll also be adding these to the "tour" of my happyroost, along with the front porch. haha, I haven't gotten too far in the documenting of my home, have I? Hopefully I will have another room to show you next week (my house has been a total wreck from the never-ending bathroom remodeling project that's STILL in the works).

Welcome to the kitchen!!

This little area used to be the "mud room" for the entrance to the backyard. The closet was removed and the double ovens were put in its place. It's actually pretty convenient because it doesn't heat up the rest of the house when baking in the summertime. 

Above the ovens is an extra-deep cabinet that serves as storage for my collection of cake stands and the glass cabinet holds our antique beer bottle/can collection. Its kinda fun :)

Here we have Alfie showing off the bell he rings when he wants to go outside. And if you notice no food in his dish, its not because we are mean or starve him, but rather food is only ever in his dish for about 20.586 seconds of the day because he hogs it all down. We have to ration it!

This flowerpot, along with a couple other vintage ones I have belonged to my grandmother. Things nowadays just aren't as cool as they used to be!

And here's Alfie's snack shop. It's safe to say that Alfie pretty much owns the kitchen. He's always in here rooting his little nose around for crumbs. 

Retro Vinyl and Wood Chairs.....Another Fab Find

I think I'm addicted. Admitting you have a problem is the first step, right? Well, in this case, I have a problem I don't want to get over!

I bought something else from Craig's list. That makes two days in a row for me. And yet again, my husband Brian found these online (I'm going to make him my permanent scavenger). He emailed me the listing upon which I replied "YES PLEASE! When can we pick them up?"

Check 'em out!

These babies are in GREAT shape and I got four of them for less than $100 total. It was the curved arms that hooked me. I'm thinking these will go in my office along with my antique drafting table. If I get sick of the black vinyl I can reupholster them to make them a little more chic, but for now I love them just the way they are! What do you think- New fabric or should I leave the black vinyl?

Antique Drafting Table Craig's List Score!

I have been wanting an antiques drafting table to use as a desk in my office for awhile now. I first fell in love with the idea when I saw this in Restoration Hardware.

It is now on sale for $795 which is still a bit pricey for me. You can imagine my excitement when my husband Brian (yep, I'm giving him credit for this one) found this one on Craig's List for $100!! We went yesterday evening to pick it up.

If you're interested in getting one of these for yourselves, they're all over the internet! I haven't found one for less $100 but you me be able to. The best deal I found was $225 for this one from Griffins & Gargoyles:

Or if you have buku bucks, you can get one of these from 1st Dibs:


This one is being sold by Deja Neu for $595 (though that's still a decent deal compared to Restoration Hardware)

Or this one from Tom Gibbs Studio for $1250:

The prices only go up from there, most of them being around $3,000 - $4,000.

I'll share some photos when I have my office "up and running"  :)

Bathroom Renovation: Before and After

Remember the "Pepto-Bismol" bathroom? Probably not because it was so long ago! Well, I'm finally getting some of the photos up of the completed project. There are still minor details to be finished, such as hardware for the vanity, but I've waited so long I lost patience and just decided to post this. Enjoy!

Here's the before again.......

And here's the after: