Monday Mish Mash

Happy Monday!  Hope you all had a great week and weekend. Today’s post is a bit different than normal – lots of odds and ends (hence the title) – instead of just one topic. Things have been quite busy around here and I wanted to share a few of the smaller projects which have been happening at Red Door Home.

We took advantage of the perfect temperatures to replace the hydrangea bushes which were planted on either side of the boxwoods in the front of the house.  The super hot weather this summer did not sit well with them and they had become quite sickly looking. 

I don’t think they ever really liked this location as I can’t remember them blooming since the first summer they were planted.

So we dug up the old ones and relocated them to a more shady location and planted oak leaf hydrangeas in their place.  I love the oversized white blooms which are in keeping with the other hydrangeas we have planted along the back of the house.  

I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will like their new home.

Another outdoor project was the installation of a new mailbox.  Not too exciting but something which had to be done.  A few weeks ago we received a note saying our current mailbox (which has been in place for over 10 years) was now no longer tall enough. The postal carrier has switched to a truck instead of a car to deliver the mail so our old mailbox had to go.

The mailbox is from Walpole Woodworkers and is a nice improvement from the old cedar post one we used to have.  I ordered it online and because I had it delivered to a local distributor I did not have to pay shipping.  It came in two boxes and was easy to put together.

In other “plant” news, I finally found topiaries!  I have wanted to try my hand with these for so long and was thrilled to find two at a local nursery.  They are a bit small but hopefully by following Loi’s great tips they will grow to look like his beautiful topiaries.

via Tone on Tone

Finally, I began a refinishing project which I have had it the works for quite some time.  The coffee table in the office needed a new look – much too shiny and orange looking.  I had plans for my normal stripping, sanding and then finishing but had a change of plans when I spoke with the sales associate at Lowes.  He shared a new to me way of refinishing wood pieces so I decided to give it a try.  I will share the details and let you know how it all turned out once the table is done.

That is all for now.  I hope to be back later this week with a finished coffee table and more updates on the bedroom sneak peek I shared earlier.

Weekend in the Garden

Hi all!  Hope you had a wonderful weekend and Mother’s Day.   We had beautiful weather which allowed my family to partake in our annual Mother’s Day tradition - planting our garden.

Saturday typically involves basic clean up, readying the soil for planting and purchasing various vegetables, herbs and other plants.   Sunday is planting day!

With the arrival of an early spring, we had already brought out the garden furniture and spruced up the fire pit area and back and side patios.

Over the years, our garden has evolved from haphazard to a bit more structured and symmetrical.  We have figured out what type of plants work best and what simply will not do well in the shortened growing season here in the northeast.

Tomatoes, herbs and cucumbers seem to thrive and have become a standard. Each year we try something new and this year’s “experiments” are eggplant and cantaloupe.   We also added peppermint to the herb selection.  I have been told mint can be quite invasive so it was planted in a separate container to keep it from overtaking the entire garden bed.

As you can see from the pictures, the garden looks a bit sparse as the plants are just getting started.  Hopefully within a few weeks everything will have taken off and the garden will be lush and green.  I will be sure to post pictures later in the summer.

Oh – in case you were wondering about the “tom junior” sign in the mint pot.  Years ago my kids decided to name all the plants in the garden.  (I am guessing this one used to be for a tomato.)  We have kept the signs and truly get a kick out of ourselves every year as we again use them to name our plants!  Silly I know but lots of fun too.

Thursday Thoughts

Happy Thursday! Hope you are having a great week and looking forward to the upcoming weekend. I had planned on sharing this post on Monday but somehow time went speeding by and it is now Thursday. Things have been rather busy around here so I thought I would update you on a few random happenings.

A little while back I came across an exciting-to-me find in the bookstore – my shower curtain was included in Better Homes and Gardens New Decorating Book! It is only a very small picture (the green one with blue tabs in the center) but it certainly was thrilling to be flipping through a design book and come across something I made. You may remember the curtain was part of this BH&G basement bathroom story.

The warmer weather over the past weekend was motivation to finish up a few inside painting projects (who wants to be inside when the weather is nice!) and begin an outside project that has long been on my mind.

So Mr. RDH completed repainting the two upstairs bathrooms. Both went from SW Aria Ivory to BM White Dove. The change is subtle but one that was well worth the effort. The master bedroom no longer has a blue ceiling and now is more in keeping with the feel of the attached bedroom.

We spent the second half of the weekend removing a whole bunch of myrtle that we had planted years ago on a small hill next to the driveway. The plant was becoming invasive so it was time for it to go.

Now we are left with a dirt hill and no plans for what to plant. If you have any ideas please let me know. I was thinking lavender but I would love to hear your opinion. This area gets a good bit of sun and tends to be very dry.

Besides the above I have also been filling my time with a few sewing classes to learn how to use my new-to-me sewing machine! For those of you who have been followers for a while, you are probably very familiar with the story of my old sewing machine.

I purchased a nine year old Bernina and I am just so excited by all the new capabilities I now have at my disposal. It even does embroidery which will allow me to customize stockings with names in my Etsy shop. Although I absolutely love my Singer Featherweight and will never part with it, I knew it was time for an upgrade. I plan to share more on my new toy later as I have been making several new stocking designs – including the one shown above - for this upcoming holiday season.

Finally there is all the little behind the scenes prep work which needs to be completed for next week’s photo shoots. I have a few smaller projects which I am working on which might be included in a few of the pictures.

Have a great weekend! I look forward to hearing your opinion about our dirt hill.

Brabourne Farm - the Red Door Home February Blog of the Month

Today I am happy to introduce you to Brabourne Farm – the RDH February blog of the month.

Brabourne Farm is a beautiful Australian blog which features daily collections of interesting and inspiring design, antiques, flowers, photography, gardens and much more. The list is truly endless!

By Gina Sigala - Picture via Brabourne Farm

Each day Leigh publishes carefully selected photographs on a single topic.  Subjects vary greatly and range from colors to chairs to kitchens to chandeliers and everything in between.

  By Andrew McCaul - Picture via Brabourne Farm

It honestly is my daily dose of pretty!

By Beth Webb - Picture via Brabourne Farm

  Source Unknown - Picture via Brabourne Farm

Brabourne Farm is also a home and the blog chronicles the house and garden as it changes from season to season.

via Brabourne Farm

  via Brabourne Farm

via Brabourne Farm

The gardens are stunning and a great break from the white snow many of us are currently seeing outside of our windows.

  via Brabourne Farm

  via Brabourne Farm

To see more of Leigh’s daily collection of pretties be sure to stop by Brabourne Farm.  I know you will be glad you did!

Centsational Girl - the Red Door Home December Blog of the Month

If you love blogs which feature just about everything house related, you will absolutely adore Centsational Girl – the RDH December blog of the month.

Centsational Girl is written by Kate – a former lawyer turned decorator and DIYer extraordinaire. 

Her work has appeared in numerous publications including Better Homes and Gardens and Holiday with Mathew Mead.

In fact, her talents are so numerous she has also appeared on the Nate Berkus show on more than one occasion.

Some of my favorite topics which Kate covers include decorating, home improvements, holiday decorating, crafts, furniture makeovers, and recipes.

Kate’s photography skills are something I aspire too and her knowledge of all things "home" seems endless. Not too long ago she added several contributors to Centsational Girl who help scout the blog world for great ideas.

Every Sunday, Centsational Girl features these posts in a series called "The Best of The Blogosphere." TBOTB series is a one stop place to catch up on fantastic ideas you might have otherwise missed. I so enjoy this series!

To see more of Kate’s great ideas, you can visit Centsational Girl HERE. Be sure to leave a comment letting her know you stopped by!

October RDH Blog of the Month – Belgian Pearls

One of my favorite aspects of blogging is the ability to connect with people from all around the world.  I love being able to experience different cultures and decorating styles right from my computer screen.  Belgian Pearls - the October RDH blog of the month - is a perfect example of the wonderful global bridge the internet provides.

Greet’s site was one of the first blogs I discovered when I began Red Door Home and it has remained a favorite ever since.  As you might have guessed from the title, Belgian Pearls encompasses all things Belgian.

Greet Lefevre is a talented interior decorator from Belgium. She and her husband run the Lefevre family cabinetmaking business. It is a fourth generation company and their work is truly an example of what beautiful craftsmanship and attention to detail is all about.  Take a look at the pictures below.  All of these photos showcase Lefevre Interiors projects.  Simply stunning!

As you might expect, Greet’s home is also gorgeous.

She and her husband recently finished an update of a room called the orangery.  I love the simple beauty of this space.

Not too long ago, Greet wrote about some special visitors she and her family recently entertained.

Many of you probably recognize Brooke Giannetti from the blog Velvet and Linen - The August RDH blog of the month.  Brooke and her family vacationed in Belgium and during their stay made time to visit Greet and her family at their beautiful home.  I loved hearing about their day together – all coming about through blogging.

Thank you Greet for allowing me to feature Belgian Pearls.  You have been a design inspiration for me and many others from all across the world.