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Sunday Morning Musing, Fall Edition

fall-cables-and-denim

What up Campers?!  Steph here, laptop tapping from the teensie western outpost of Crested Butte, CO.  Otherwise known as the coziest little Hallmark-Hall-of-Fame-esque mountain town you’ve ever seen.  I’m assuming my normal Sunday morning routine – (coffee in hand, Norah Jones & pals jamming on the playlist, OD-ing on Pinterest with Gus under foot)… except instead of saltwater, it smells like Fall & firewood & heaven here, and there’s chilly, clean mountain air wafting in through the open windows.

Crested Butte | Covet Living

Crested Butte | Covet Living

Anyhooski – here’s the latest & greatest reel of my favorite things:

File under: Future Home Pipe Dreams.  The blue door, the white brick, the lantern, the ivy… it’s perfection.  {via}

blue-gate-covet-living

These vintage Mercury Glass gems from 1st Dibs have been on my wishlist since the beginning of time.

first-dibs-mercury-lamps-covet-living

Ahhhooooooooooooh a monogram, in coral + chartreuse = air blowing up my southern sensibility shorts.

monogram-covet-living

Shower door porn. {via}

shower-door-covet-living

Vintage ladder kilim – Dash & Albert used to make a good ladder rug that’s been disco’d, so I really only see these in vintage form these days, but I love them.  They have detail and warmth and pattern without being too busy, and they’re perfect for layering.

turkish-ladder-rug-covet-living

This tuxedo ruffler from J.Crew (currently 30% off, BTW) reminds me of Jayne’s wardrobe ca. 1985… and also makes me wanna wear it to work with a pencil skirt, or with beat-up jeans and booties to Sunday brunch.

tuxedo-ruffle-j-crew-covet-living

Vintage suzani lumbars I bumped into at Hollywood at Home a few weeks ago.  Stunning in person – the photo doesn’t do them justice.  But what I love about these is that you *kinda* just need 1 on (an otherwise simple) bed, and you have a showstopper.  Or they mix & mingle perfectly with other patterns.
Vintage Suzani Pillows, Hollywood at Home | Covet Living

The best $38 you’ll ever spend = on these leggings from Vici.  They come in a whole ROYGBIV rainbow of colors, and they’re SO FREAKING COMFORTABLE.  We’re talking elastic waistband status, people.  I repeat: ELASTIC WAISTBAND.  They’re so comfortable and flattering it’s stupid.  Did I mention they’re $38?  K.  I have them in this army green, and also in the black – which is more charcoal/faded black.  Also craving them in midnight blue & wine, but I’m trying to exercise a little restraint.

Piper Leggings, Vici | Covet Living Piper Leggings, Vici | Covet Living

Since she tapered off of blogging over at Nest Egg, I follow Nashville Designer Rachel Halvorson’s insta to keep up with her glorious work.  But lately, I stalk her account for these videos of her ADORABLE CHUBBY TODDLER, where they try to subtitle his slobbery, adorable gibberish. “A goosey who pooped got sick” = I DIE.  And, “THE SCHEWAGE!” – BAAAHhfhfdhahahhaa.  Watch this one and this one.  You’re welcome.

Graham subtitles Rachel Halvorson | Covet Living

Addis in Midnight/Pasha (Peter Dunham’s latest & greatest) blows my shorts up like you wouldn’t believe.  It is perfect.  Also comes in a cream and chocolate color way that looks very understated cowboy chic.

addismidnightpasha-peter-dunham-textiles-covet-living

Using it in my #modernharmhouse project in Ohio… my client wanted to inject a smidge of lilac/purple for something unexpected (it’s an otherwise muted/neutral palette), which made me jump for joy.  Finding this gem checked that box and tied the whole dang thing together.

Fabric Story | Modern Farmhouse Project | Covet Living

Said pattern is also current swathing the walls at Hollywood at Home in LA, and you’ve never seen anything cozier in your life than an entire room enveloped in that stuff.

Addis in Midnight/Pasha at Hollywood at Home | Covet Living

I would love to use these new sconces from Arteriors, anywhere.  I love that there’s a mix of material & texture (wicker + brass). Flanking an upholstered bed, they’d be money – perfectly layered & understated without being boring.

Arteriors Padma Wall Sconce | Covet Living

I see and get to design some pretty fancy kitchens these days, with bells & whistles out the wazoo… but at my core, I’m still just a sucker for the warmth of a sweet, simple kitchen with some patina. {via}

cozy-kitchen-cabs-covet-living

Samesies.

coziest kitchen ever | covet living

I’d like to whip up these Pumpkin Beer Pretzels with Chipotle Queso in that kitchen tonight, and house them over a Netflix marathon.  If that doesn’t sound like the best Sunday ever, I dunno what does.  Signed, praisesweetbabyjesus my new jeggings have an elastic waistband.

pumpkin-beer-pretzels-chipotle-queso-covet-living

Loving this piece by John Zurier.

john-zurier-artwork-covet-living

Love / need / am coveting this leather satchel.

leather-satchel-covet-living

Pretty palette for Fall – spesh on the tabletop.  Just layers of blues and layers of antique metals.

fall-tabletop-palette-covet-living

If you’re in the market for new underroos, I’d recommend this over the shoulder boulder holder:

juit-interview-half-cup-bra-journelle-covet-living

I #cantstopwontstop with the blue & white tile.  These are my new faves:

{via}

blue-and-white-tile-covet-living

{ via BDG in San Diego }

blue and white tile, BDG | covet living

{via}

mark-sikes-blue-white-tile-covet-living

{via}

solid-federal-blue-cement-tile-covet-living

While we’re looking at things in pairs, I’d give my left nut to have my weave morph into something a little more mermaid-esque, comme ça…  WHO WAKES UP LIKE THAT?!

hair-envy-covet-living

weave-covet-living

Is that ever true.  I feel like that’s one of the most solid lessons I’ve learned in my 30’s.

muddy-water-quote-covet-living

If EVER you find yourself with a cold this winter, do yourself a favor and grab about 5 of these.  One of them does more for me than the entire contents of my medicine cabinet.

best cold cure - pressed juice | covet living

I’ve been sweating Kiini brand suits for awhile, and I’m thinking about scooping the pink version up for a January trip to Mexico.

kiini | covet living

This is a custom fireplace via a fellow San Diego-based Designer.  Super into it… there are a few things going on: the tile on the hearth and surround, the floating (looks like a reclaimed) mantle, the curvy shape etc… but it still feels nice and simple to me.

custom fireplace, design squared | covet living

Just another all-time fave I was scouting a few weeks back at BDG tile – Tabarka’s Izmir – for one of the bathroom floors at #projectsantabarbarainvegas.

tabarka | covet living

Loving the mountains, but dag… do I love the saltwatery air and technicolor universe that is San Diego.

san diego | covet living

Love the kitchens with islands-as-big-as-my-house & all, but I love this homemade beaut just as well.  So easy to do with some reclaimed lumber, or an antique piece of furniture – just have a remnant of natural stone cut for the top and you’re golden.

homemade-island-covet-living

ASOS = my favorite place to shop for lingerie.  Love this set.

asos-lingerie-covet-living

Bastideaux textiles (through Nicky Rising) are my new favorites – especially for dude pads.  This one is Napili… aka happy baby pineapples.

bastideuz-fabric-covet-living

Using their Bogo in Midnight (pictured behind the wool stripe pillow – via DRC San Diego) for a downtown bachelor pad in San Diego.  MONEY. #clientbadassbachelor

Bastideaux Fabric, Covet Living Interiors | Covet Living

This gorgeous antique headboard appeals to my southern-rooted, Stevie B sensibilities.

country-headboard-covet-living

Fall fashion goals. {via}

fall-fashion-covet-living

GOOD GOD IF YOU KNOW WHAT’S GOOD FOR YOU, MAKE GRILLED CHEESE + TOMATO SOUP FOR SUPPER TONIGHT.  Gobs of Grilled Cheese recipes here… my go to, howevuh, is Pacific Natural Foods’ Organic Creamy Tomato soup, + grilled cheese on fresh sourdough, with some RUHL good extra sharp cheddar, dipped in Bonne Maman’s strawberry jam.

grilled-cheese-covet-living

These dog bowls are about a jillion dollars at some highfalutin pet boutique in La Jolla, but I’d like someone to make them for me… *COUGH* Chris.

dog-bowls

I may or may not have just bought this for the future President of the United States… Gus.  Are you following him on Insta yet?  Cuz you should be. doggie-chambray-bowtie-covet-living

We just put these in my #modernfarmhouse project’s kitchen in Ohio, and they’re stunners.  One of my favorite lanterns ever…  look at the oxidized copper patina.  This pic I snapped from the Visual Comfort Vegas showroom a few weeks back.

Brantley Lantern, Visual Comfort | Covet Living

Snap from the Pom Pom Home booth at To Dine For in La Jolla a few weeks back.  All I ever needed was 2 of these at the foot of my bed, or on either side of my dining table.

wicker chair, pom pom home | covet living

I just wanna move in.  I want everything in here.

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Dying to use this gorgeous tile somewhere… via a trip to Country Floors in LA this past Spring.

tile, country floors | covet living

Lorna Luxe’s Instagram is on point for perfectly layered neutrals.  Also, I stalked the bra in this first shot, and thru some quick stalking I hath discovered a stellar new source for underthings.

via lorna lux insta | covet living

screen-shot-2016-10-16-at-12-13-49-pm

screen-shot-2016-10-16-at-12-14-29-pm

Log this under one-of-my-favorite-patterns-ever: Peter Fasano’s Hillevi in Buff.

peter fasano hillevi in buff | covet living

This shade of blue.  On everything – cabinetry, millwork, furniture – anything.

perfect-blue-paint-color-covet-living

Loving the artwork of Ines Longevial – discovered via Krista from Cloth & Kind’s Pinterest.  They have superb taste.

ines-longevial-covet-living

Susan Connor = another new textile muse I can’t get enough of.

inlay-cushion-covet-living

New and delightfully whimsical Keaton lamp, from Visual Comfort.  I have an antique lamp almost just like this, packed away somewhere in a basement in North Carolina. Sniff.

keaton-visual-comfort-covet-living

I need a new business card holder-thingy *COUGH* please Santa.
leather-pocket-business-card-holder-covet-living

How precious would Coeur in Olive from Les Indiennes be in a little girl’s room?

les-indiennes-heart-fabric-kids-room-covet-living

I may’ve posted this pendant (or one like it) 99x, but here’s to #100.  LOVE.

kitchen-white-antique-pendant-covet-living

I love a mosaic tile backsplash that looks like artwork just about as much as I love a classic subway tile backsplash, but you know what’s really growing on me?  Running your countertop up the backsplash as well.  These campers took it a step further and integrated the sink as well.  But it’s such a clean, simple, gorgeous look – and probably uber easy to clean.  My home skillet Betsy of Bixby & Ball did it in her kitchen, and it’s stunning.  PS: love the open shelf they popped in here, too.

marble-as-backsplash-covet-living

Get in my office.  Kthanksbye. {via} lucite-and-brass-bar-cart-covet-living

Obsessed with this oh-so-simple but chic entry.  Those tall baskets could hide a multitude of evils (toys for all my friends who are parental units) and the curved glass or lucite console hasn’t gotten old for me yet.

entry

Behold.  The most perfectly indiscernible blue-grey paint color, ever… with the faintest hint of lavender.  My last 2 bedrooms have been this color. wisp-of-smoke

Last but not least, you just can’t beat pretty hardware.  These hex pulls are from Rejuvenation and they’re $11 each… done.

hex-bin-pull-covet-living

I lied.  This needs to go last.  Maybe a good thing to do before the week starts over tomorrow?

make-a-list-covet-living

Have a great Sunday!!!!

xoxo,

Steph's Scanned Signature

Bohemian Garden Party

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Last weekend, I hosted a birthday party (on the front lawn) for one of my beloved gal pals, Hope… she’s the kind of person who doesn’t know strangers, always makes everything fun, always includes everyone (aka the anti-mean-girl – and you can’t get enough of those), has an easy-breezy and ever-positive spirit, an infectious love of life and a larger-than-life love for Taylor Swift.  Which has infected ALL OF US, including yours truly:

Taylor Swift Concert | Covet Living

Anyhoo.  Besides kicking ass at life, Hopes (a fellow design guru) is also insanely creative and has mad ingenuity.  For her birthday this year, she wanted to do a “laid back dinner outside” with just a handful of her closest friends… and had a fun, boho vision of laying out blankets and lanterns around a low table.  As soon as she said that, I knew we were about to embark on something magical in a Woodstock / flower power sort of way. This was the vibe we were going for:

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

And – YOU GUYS – I gotta tell ya… this was SO EASY.  So I promise you can do it at home this weekend if you wanna.  We only had a few days to plan and for a second, Lilly (my co-conspirator, aka Princess Jasmine) and I panicked and thought we were going to have to rush order all sorts of hippie hoopla from Etsy, buy West Elm out of lanterns, etc… And theeeeennnn we decided to just chillax and try to use what we already had.  Here’s what we needed:

  • String Lights (and some way to hoist/rig ’em up over the table)
  • Low Table (at the height you can sit on the ground and eat)
  • Blankets
  • Pillows
  • Lanterns
  • Flowers (for centerpieces)
  • Flowers (for flower crowns – more of Hope’s genius vision)
  • Tableware
  • Gold chargers
  • Temporary tattoos (duh)

We also thought about trying to make everything match and coordinate, and then (psssssht) threw caution to the wind and decided that – whateva – it’s boho, yo.  The curtains aren’t supposed to match the drapes… (this all goes back to my theory about how when you put a bunch of things in a room that you love, they somehow miraculously look great.)  Here’s how it all shook out:

SATURDAY, 12PM:

Hope (with her Chicago besties in tow) brings over some stuff she had at home: blankets, pillows, votives, tea lights & gold chargers.  And flowers she picked up from the market… for centerpieces and (duh) for flower crowns.

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Boho Party Inspo | Covet Living

SATURDAY, 12:30PM

Some dude delivers a massive, 300lb parquet dining table that Hope just bought off of Craigslist for $20.  Girlfriend can scout a deal, I tell ya.

Craigslist Table | Covet Living

But since she wants us to sit on the ground, we know we have to hack off the legs. So we plop down around my coffee table to gage how high we want it, settle on 17″H, and measure/mark the legs on the new table… remove them (luckily, they screwed off) and Hope ran to Home Depot to have them cut down (there’s usually a small fee to do this, but the nice fella with the saw did it for free for her.  Aww.)

SATURDAY, 1:30PM

Temporary tattoos {from Pigment}, check.

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Pick up cupcakes from Pure Cupcakes down the street. #nomnomnom // {Meanwhile, Princess Jasmine is baking a homemade lasagna and scooping up a salted caramel cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory.  Otherwise, we pot lucked it.}

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

SATURDAY, 2PM

Gus resting up for the festivities.  The excitement of party prep has already sidelined him.  Obviously.

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

SATURDAY, 5PM

Hope comes over to help start setting up.  Neither of us have showered, and nothing’s set up yet.  Party starts at 6:30pm.  NBD.

First order of biz: rigging the string lights.  We only had one measly string of lights and no trees close enough to hang them from, so we stuck some old pieces of molding (pulled from a heap of &^$# in my landlord’s garage) in a pot and weighted it down with bricks.  It only fell about 18x before we finally stuck the landing:

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Then we heave-ho’d the table out and laid blankets/pillows around it.  I scored the vintage batik runner on Etsy a few months ago:

Boho Garden Party | Covet Living

We set the table with the votives and flowers Hopers brought + a bunch of mismatched antique glassware I’ve been collecting since before Baby Jesus was born.

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Extra blankets got draped over the backs of the Adirondack chairs to make them a bit cozier.  I bought the giant lily lanterns at Celadon Home in Charleston about 10 years ago.

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

{Hopes putting out the last few Moroccan poufs}

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

6:30PM: TABLE SET!

{Chargers – $1 at Michael’s // ikat plates & plastic silverware – $1 at Wal-Mart // floral napkins & confetti – leftover from a wedding shower Karrie recently threw // antique glassware, Mexican bowl and runner – from the depths of my closet}

Bohemian Table | Covet Living

6:45PM: BOHO YARD PARTY COMMENCES

{to the tune of T-Swift – if you really wanna play along listen here}

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

boho yard party | covet living

7PM: DIY FLOWER CROWN CRAFTING COMMENCES

{Easy tutorial here}

DIY Flower Crowns | Covet Living

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

…even Gus was in on it.

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

He loves his Aunt Hope.

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

8PM: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

How cute is she?? Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

8PM – MIDNIGHT

Taylor gets louder & louder… Gus takes 400 laps around the table to show everyone his stuffed animal, then disembowels it on the lawn… neighbors try to complain about the noise but then decide coming over for birthday cake is a better plan, we may or may not have camped on the lawn, etc.  Good times.

boho garden party | covet living

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living
Bohemian Yard Party | Covet Living

So the moral of the story is: Gowel… don’t stress!  Use as much of what you already have around the house as you can, don’t worry about everything matching, and have everybody bring a dish so you don’t have to do all the cooking.  Teamwork is a wonderful thing. #Girlsquad #easybutton

Howeva – if you don’t happen to have string lights & kanthas & colorful tableware just laying (is it laying or lying??) around, here are a few picks I love:

Boho Yard Party | Covet Living

edison bulb string lights, target, $24.99 :: vintage hmong batik runner, similar to shown, about $79 :: chatoyant tumbler, anthropologie, $10 :: geometric appliqué pillow, target, $24.99 :: tie dye lumbar pillow, target, $24.99 :: fleur & frond bowls, west elm, $8 each :: faceted lanterns, west elm, $49-$69 :: bohemian kantha quilt, etsy, $89 (UM – I *LOVE* THIS ONE – somebody better go buy it before I do.)

As for the morning after… have truer words ever been spoken?

the morning after | covet living

xoxo!!

Steph's Scanned Signature