House Beautiful

50 Shades of Greige

Published on March 12, 2013 in Color Palettes and Decor. 4 Comments

I’m not sure if it’s the new beige or the new black, and in fact, it’s not really “new” at all, but greige (grey + beige) is everywhere you look, and it seems to be everyone’s favorite new hue these days.  It’s that soothing neutral that comes in a slew of shades from dreary to dreamy.  And since it can come off a smidge modern, it looks great against time-worn pieces, rustic wood and warm metals.  That juxtaposition keeps it from looking austere and I, for one, am smitten.  Especially this week, since the weather in Columbus is so awesome (remind me to go write: “I love overcast & sleet in March” 400x on the blackboard). But whatever the case, I wanted to share some of my favorite spaces drenched in the moody hue:

RACHEL HALVORSON | Dining Room

I honestly think a little pee came out when I saw this on Simply Smitten yesterday.  That oh-so-soothing ceiling, against Farrow & Ball’s Lotus wallpaper…  and I can’t even talk about that chandelier.  The whole thing is perfection.  Rachel Halvorson never ever disappoints.  She only inspires all of us with her amazing interiors and even more amazing down-to-earth personality.

UNKNOWN | Entryway

The Moroccan lantern and the cement tile make this look like the entryway to heaven.

MARLIEN RENTMEESTER (of Lucky and LE CATCH fame) | Bedroom

This one is a forever favorite.  I doubt I would’ve ever chosen that pelican brief birdie fabric, but it works perfectly in here and adds to the room’s serenity.  The black (or is that navy?) in the monogrammed shams are a nice pop of contrast.  As is that chandelier – baller.  The nailhead headboard is perfectly simple, and the gold sunburst warms it all up.  Also – did you notice the paneled ceiling?  Adds character and warmth.  Perfection.

CELERIE KEMBLE | Bedroom

This reminds me of something I would want to do for my Mom’s room.  There are a lot of pale neutrals and greys, but the (is that bone or bare wood?) mirror, pattern on the wallpaper, knit throw and chocolate-y lampshades keep the room warm & fuzzy.  I think I’ll take my tea in here if you don’t mind, Mistah Carson.

NICOLA MARK | Entryway

I don’t know that it would’ve occurred to me to purchase any of the items in this space on their own – except for maybe the lucite table – but together, they look outstanding.  And that is precisely why people hire designers…  because they have a sixth sense about these things.  I gasped when I saw this room.

BAILEY McCARTHY | Bathroom

Uh, yum.  The basketweave tile is beautiful.  As is the Carrera Marble subway tile.  Rest of the house re-do is here.  And Bailey is the chick from Biscuit, that whimsical, pastelly-rainbow retail store in Houston, which I have been long-distance drooling over for months.

UNKNOWN | Bathroom

Give me that penny hex tile or give me death.

UNKNOWN | Entry Doors

I would be delighted to walk through this door every day.  Love the whitewashed brick, rust lanterns and greige door.  Benjamin Moore’s Texas Leather AC-3.

LEE ANN THORNTON | Poolhouse

How tranquil is this??  Yes please.

JESSICA HELGERSON | Formal Kitchen

Sigh.  Rustic + formal in one room.  Michelle Slatalla wrote a pretty right-on article about how dining rooms are a dying breed, and quickly being replaced by “formal kitchens.”  I kinda couldn’t agree more, and neither could my dining room, which is like one giant junk drawer.  It’s where all scrap paper, mail, and dirty clothes go to die.

UNKNOWN | as seen on A Perfect Gray

This is a good little blog about all things gray if you haven’t read it yet.  Donna’s got lotsa good recs for paint colors, too.

It seems to me the key to using greige in a way that doesn’t come off as frosty is to pair it with warm elements…  like antiqued brass chandeliers à la Rachel Halvorson or antiqued brass hardware, rich hardwoods, milk chocolate lampshades à la Celerie Kemble, and accents in gold and rust-colored hues.   It’s like Yin & Yang, yo.  And when it comes to painting in shades of gray, I do know one thing:  You can pin a thousand “The Perfect Gray!” pins on Pinterest, but when the rubber meets the road (or, before the paintbrush hits the wall), Sample, sample, sample.  The subtleties are so so hard to eyeball on a paint swatch, and every color looks different in everyone’s house and in different lighting.

One place to start – Apartment Therapy recommends these bad boys:  “Farrow & Ball’s Pavillion Grey | Stone 04 from Yolo Colorhouse. (It is greeny grey and lovely.) | Gray Owl from Benjamin Moore (A pretty true light grey) | Revere Pewter from Benjamin Moore (this one veers on taupe) | Stone Harbor from Benjamin Moore (that’s what’s in that last picture of our in process dining room)“.  Sidenote:  I just matched Revere Pewter to “Colonnade Grey” from Sherwin Williams last week.  I’ll let you know how it turns out!

xoxo,

4 Comments

Motivation Monday: Shedding Winter LB’s

Published on March 11, 2013 in Motivation Mondays. 6 Comments

I don’t know about you, but I did a real number on myself this winter.  To the tune of about 12 pounds.  I won’t say the Girl Scout cookies, pasta, and unbridled enthusiasm for weekend couch time while it was freezing outside weren’t all a great time, but now I literally feel like a different person.  Last summer I felt strong, lean and bursting with energy.

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And currently, I feel lethargic and not very comfortable in my own skin, AT all.  Or in my clothes, because I’ve been ready to bust a seam in my pants since December.  Ugh.  If you’ve ever put on a few extra LB’s, you know that whether it’s 5 pounds or 50 pounds, that physical discomfort spills into every facet of your life.  So with all that said, yo.  Spring’s comin.  Let’s get back on the track by using the best fat burning pills.  I don’t know about you, but these are the things that help me out…  and a good place to start is always my playlist.

1.  Recharge Your Playlist. These recent additions to my iPod mix *literally* make me run harder, faster and longer.

Did you and your friends make up as many dances to this song as we did in the early 90’s??  I thought so.

I’m a little late to the game here, but this one rocks my face off.  It literally got me over the hump the other day and got me to bust out an extra mile when I was really struggling.  Also – make like a Spinning instructor when you build your playlist and tailor it to your workout.  You know how they match the tempo of each song to the climb or sprint they’re taking you through??  That always helps me.  If I’m doing a 3 mile run that starts at a slow jog and ends in a sprint, then I will start off with a good steady beat – like U2’s Bad, and finish with something like Janet Jackson’s If.  I’m on a Janet kick – can you tell?

2.  Fill the Fridge with Goodness. And with things you know are good for you: supplements from NuMedica, lean proteins, fresh fruits & veggies, Greek yogurt, almond milk, etc.  Putting anything that doesn’t belong in there is like setting myself up to fail, because if I see pasta, then I reach for pasta.  It also helps if I leave snacks in my car – e.g. little bags of almonds, bottles of water – so I’m not tempted to hit up Wendy’s for a #2 instead.  And I love a Wendy’s #2 like a fat kid loves cake. Anyhoo – at home, who knows who has the exact list of belly fat burning foods, but the consensus seems to be ones like the below:

3.  Make it a Priority.  All winter I was like, “Meh, if I finish up with everything else and have time and still feel like it, then I’ll go to the gym.”  Mmm hmm.  Ask me how many times that happened.  Making it a priority and building the rest of my day around a workout – instead of maybe getting to it if the wind is blowing the right direction and the stars are properly aligned – helps me out big time.  So does that whole, “Where would you be now if you had started a month ago” thing.  So true.

4.  Write it Down.  Thinking about it is one thing, but as soon as you write something down, you’re accountable for it.  I recently wrote down my weight loss and fitness goals and hung them in the kitchen next to where I keep my fat burners.  Now I gotta (and really wanna) do it.  Period. I love to use Kratom to improve the quality of my life in many ways.  Given Kratom’s beneficial effects, it doesn’t come as a surprise that many use it as an effective supplement for fitness purposes. Kratom can be a very effective, natural workout supplement for fitness lovers, athletes, and bodybuilding professionals but, where can I find kratom online? kratom masters offers the highest quality Kratom products. Another great option is bhang, they offer cannabis edibles in Canada and provide the best deal for you!

5.  Find your motivation, and Do What Works for You.  Matt loves torturing himself with Crossfit – it’s a stress reliever and gives him a huge sense of accomplishment, because it’s like (my words) insane voluntary torture, and there aren’t a lot of people who will push themselves through it.  Personally, I think that sh*t is absolutely cray, but diff’rent strokes.  For my mom, it’s a big family wedding this summer, and she’ll probably take long walks and watch her diet to lose the weight.   For me, my motivation is feeling good about myself – physically and mentally.  And I usually get there by treadmill-racing everyone else in the gym, and circuit training after.  So whatever it is you’re working towards, find a way to get there that works for you.

6. Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. I know 12 pounds isn’t coming off by next week, but I also know that I feel a little bit better and stronger each day… and also a little empowered – not deprived – every time I make a good choice about what I’m putting in my body. Or every time I peel myself off the couch and take Gus for a run. I’m one step closer to where I wanna be, gaining motivation from weight loss therapy, and it gets a little bit easier every day.

So rawr – go get em!

xoxo,

Photo Credits: Sweaty Dancer | Belly Burning Foods | Summer 2013

6 Comments