Hints of Pink for Valentine's Day

Ah, we made it. The last day of January. Goodbye and good riddance! At least February has some marginally Spring-y holidays. Now as a rule, I don't do pink in my house...or red, or purple. It's mostly just greens and yellows. Which means I'm already set for St. Patrick's day. But if you're not as weird about colors as I am, you certainly could add little touches of pink around the house to give it a festive Valentine's day feel. Here are some of my favorite looks. I'm sincerely hoping to have a new furniture project to show you over the weekend. Oh, and I already bought a new bed. So that was fast. And I'll show you that tomorrow.

First, a basket flowers is an easy and instantaneous way to add a little romance to you home. 

I see these gorgeous mirrors on Craigslist all the time for so cheap. If my walls weren't already dripping with mirrors I would buy more and paint them for every season. Love the shell pink on this one.

I like how the rustic wrought iron bed in this room keeps things from getting out of hand cutesy.

Well you know, if I found something as smashing as this set of antique French canisters,
I would have to let pink into my house. 

A stunning little antique side chair.

I love how the hot pink is the only pop of color in the otherwise muted room here. 

This sweet little side table is simply to die for. And do you see that it's on casters!

In any shade, I love a tufted and painted settee. 

This lovely wreath really inspired me. I need to break out my glue gun and make a new Spring wreath. 

And my favorite room of all. Everything in this space is spectacular. I love it. 

Do I Need a New Bed?

       We've had the same maple four post bed since apartment life, which was several years ago now. It's seen its fair share of bumps, bruises, and wood glue, and now I think it may just be time for an upgrade. What started all this? Why craigslist of course, that tempting, wallet emptying mistress of furniture fun. I spotted the most amazing bed on CL yesterday. I wanted wanted wanted it, but my budget's just not there after my chesterfield sofa adventures last weekend. Luckily, my friend and twinsie in decor taste is going to buy the bed. So it will be living three doors down from me, and I'll be able to visit it and stare wistfully at its beauty. Which...is almost as good?
        But it did make me realize that as soon as my budget allows, I want a new bed. At first I was thinking a simple sleigh bed would be nice, but now I've decided what I want is an antique bed, French style, with a curved and carved headboard and footboard. I put my full faith in the Craigslist Goddess of the Hunt to deliver, as she always does to us thrifty souls. Here's a picture of the bed my friend's getting (Hi Leslie- Blog shout out for you!), as well as some other beds I like, and the bed I've currently got. What's on your- 'time for an upgrade' list right now?

Here's the jealousy inducing awesomeness that my friend is buying. Did I mention I'm jealous!

I love the detail and carving on this one, but I want a painted bed and I would feel horrible about painting that contrasting veneer!

A stunning example made all the prettier with a new paint job. I especially like the scalloping around the base.

This would be a dream come true, but at $2900, it will remain a dream.

Simple and sweet with fluted legs and carved details around the base

This one's so delicate in that amazing shade of metallic dove gray. I'd call it silver but I think silver is too harsh a word for the softness of that paint surface. 

The final word in French shabby, this floral upholstered bed is so drool worthy!

Another absolutely breathtaking example. The faded pink tufted velvet is wonderful.

And here's the bed I'd be replacing. There's nothing really wrong with it, I'm just sick of it!

The Front Porch for Spring

I also made some pretty big changes on the front porch. The long antique black Windsor bench was messing up my inspiration mojo, so that had to go, and with it went much of the other items on the porch. As you can see, my painted Duncan Phyfe sofa now has a place of high honor. I'm just waiting for the weather to warm up to sit out there on it and watch the sun set whilst sipping a glass of white wine. There's no heat on the front porch, even though it's fully insulated and enclosed. When we replace the hideous rug with hardwood floors I'll convince the husband to put a couple baseboard electrics out there. In the mean time I must admire it from afar in the winter months.

The Family Room for Spring

So the family room basically got a full overhaul in the last couple months. The ugly fake leather sofa was banished to the curb, where on the second try someone took it home with them, thank God. The tufted leather chair is not in the guest house. That made room for the lighter brighter antique velvet upholstered furniture that I am utterly and completely obsessed with. Go ahead, drool over my new couch and chair. I don't blame you.

The Dining Room for Spring

There weren't a great deal of changes in the dining room. I swapped out the centerpiece, the mirror over the dresser, what was on top of the dresser, what was on the antique metal corner shelf, and the decor on and in the stepback cupboard. So.... actually I guess I changed quite a bit!