Home Updates, Accessories & Tours

Office Pretties

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This is a quick post about office items that I discovered. I found this pretty decorative box for my office. You can put anything inside. It is quite chic……

I tried to find similar ones on the T.J. Maxx website but it was quite hard but if you are still curious here they are. My box is by Max Studio just in case you wanted to search the web. 
The other item that I found was the gold letter holder. It was only $10! Great deal and looks wonderful with the office also from T.J. Maxx. 
The last item in the photo is my faux peony arrangement. Also a T.J. Maxx find. It was $16.99. 
Here is a photo of inside the box. It will be great for putting sticky notes in, reminders and anything I need. It was only $24.99. Sorry I could not find the links to these on their website but you can try to search for them. 
I love finding office pretties and using them everyday. Until next time, #live elegant everyday!

(photos by Mrs. Shockley)

Buying Beauty in France

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I love reading about people buying chateaus and renovating them in France. It takes a lot of courage and imagination to visualize the beauty that your chateau could be.

One such brave individual is Julie Huh-Carrie. I began following her Instagram account about 2 years ago and it has been a joy watching her journey with her beautiful chateau.

Her chateau is called the French Manior and was built in 1857. Julie admits that the property was not in good condition but after a week of seeing it her and her husband agreed to purchase the property.
Julie rents the property while she is away and she offers many services with your stay. You can host a wedding or party, have a workshop or schedule your very own brocante buying tour. 
You may also stay during her time slots for the bed and breakfast. This manor has so many wonderful things to offer. I hope that I can visit it one day. 
If you would like to read the original article you may see it here. And as always I hope that you enjoyed this mini tour! 

(photos via Victoria.com)

A Gracious Kitchen ~ A dream kitchen

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House Beautiful magazine always has inspiring homes. Some of the interiors are so amazing and are just non-stop elegance. I have been waiting patiently for this kitchen to post on their website for about two weeks now.

I had to share it. It was in the April, 2017 issue of House Beautiful. This kitchen is so full of richly details and is just full of grace…..

photo credit Jennifer Hughes

This island was built from walnut, imbuia and anigre and is nearly 11 feet long.
It was inspired by English antiques. 



photo credit Jennifer Hughes
The industrial-style faucet which is modeled on fixtures found in the turn-of-the 20th-century boiler rooms. The sink is called a fluted-front sink from Rohl Shaw’s. 




photo credit Jennifer Hughes 
The clients asked from ladylike cabinets with soft lines and Anuzkiewicz (the designer) sketched out a design for beveled, leaded -glass inserts with lots of fluidity. 




photo credit Jennifer Hughes
Hidden appliances in the island. 





photo credit Jennifer Hughes
Love the antique mirror panels. Oh and the blue and white ginger jars!
So wonderful!!!





photo credit Jennifer Hughes
The butler’s pantry is exquisite. It has an antiqued mirror back-splash and a wall-mount brass faucet.






photo credit Jennifer Hughes 
This kitchen is a dream. I loved that the designer balanced the island with the twin pair of Chantilly chandeliers. They are truly show stoppers! 




I do hope that you enjoyed this kitchen tour and find wonderful inspiration from it. To read the original article see here. 

(photos via House Beautiful, description from Kathleen Renda)














My Cupboard Update

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Oh, I am so excited to share this post with you all. My mother-in-law gave me this cupboard 8 years ago. She had it for 20 years and her friend (whom she purchased it from) had it much longer than that.

So our guess is it’s about 30 years old. At first I thought about getting rid of it. But then I stared at it for a moment and began to use my imagination. I imagined it in a different color with new knobs.

Once I did that I was hooked and wanted to keep it. The only factor was getting my husband to paint it and replace the knobs.

He finally did it this past weekend and it looks great!

We painted it black and bought crystal knobs for it. It looks wonderful and we both love it!
My husband got a new light bulb for it and turned it on. It looks great!
I love the vintage glass. My brother in law asked if we were going to change the glass and I said no way! I want to keep as much of the authentic pieces to this cupboard as possible.  I just love my blue and white ginger jars. Looks like I may have to find some more!
I think the crystal knobs add a nice touch to the cupboard. I picked them out at Lowe’s. They were pretty reasonable. 
This is what it looked like before. This photo was taken in our first home in 2010. It was our daughter’s 5th birthday party. My mother in law had just given it to me. 
Here is another photo of the cupboard. It is a great piece with good bones and I am glad that I kept it. Plus it will be nice to share the story behind it. I can pass it down to my daughter and she will know that this came from her grandmother and hopefully pass it down to my grand-daughter who will know that it came from her great grandmother. I love the idea of passing down family heirlooms and I look forward to passing down this beauty.

(photos via Mrs. Shockley)

My Waterford Crystal Vases

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I know many of us have heard or seen the beautiful vases called Waterford. If you have purchased a gift for a wedding registry, I am sure that you have seen those beautiful crystal, glasses, dishes and vases on the shelves or cabinets at those stores.

Honestly and truly I have never paid much attention to these items until my favorite Youtuber Trina Leavers shared her home and talked about her Waterford vase that stayed in tact when her roof collapsed on it!

Once she said that I decided to take a closer look at these beautiful and slightly majestic vases.

This is my Waterford vase. It is called the Normandy vase and it is on sale now.  I have four so far. My husband got me this one for Valentine’s Day this year. 
This is my Waterford Grant vase. My husband got it for me 2 years ago for Mother’s Day. 
Now I have 2 of the Waterford Cassidy vases. My husband purchased one for me and than the second we found at a thrift store for only $15! I could not pass that up even though I already had one. 
I keep the second one at my office. Would you have passed it up? It had the box and everything. No, I could not leave that there. My heart would not let me. 🙂 
I do enjoy having these vases. I think they are wonderful heirlooms. I look forward to passing them down to my daughter. Click on the link above to read the history about this wonderful company. 






(photos via Mrs. Shockley)

A Coffee Table Update

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I know that I have expressed my love and admiration for Aerin Lauder’s gold furniture numerous times. I have been watching and waiting patiently for the perfect gold coffee table and I finally found one this past weekend.


This was my old coffee table. It is faux bamboo and I picked it up at an antique store about 2 years ago. It served its purpose but honestly, it was too small. I only paid about $40 for it so I got my money’s worth from it. 

This is my new gold coffee table and I love it! I follow a Facebook page called Salvage and Company and it is located here in our city. 


They posted two photos of gold coffee tables. The other was a little smaller and honestly, I was looking for that one but it sold already and the lady that works there said that this one was better than the other one. 


Honestly, I love the way it looks! I don’t know if I will be keeping my brown couch. I really want to get rid of it and I probably will soon. I just want to take my time building my home. I am in no rush. 


I do love the color of my gray chairs. If you follow my blog you would remember these from two years ago. They were burgundy but I had them reupholstered. See here to read about it. 

I am happy with the way it turned out and I love having space. I can put books on the second shelf or more happy little trinkets to enjoy. 

(photos via Mrs. Shockley

My Favorite Spring Candles

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I know it is really early but the stores have been releasing things so early that it is hard not to purchase your favorite items when they are available.

I stopped in White Barn Candle during their semi-annual sale and saw that some of my favorite spring scents were available.

My candles at home



So I figured why not….. I purchased White Gardenia, Lily of the Valley, and Fresh Cut Lilacs (my favorite). I hope that they will come out with some hand creams and body lotions in these lines. That would be great! I still miss my favorite scents from my college years. I loved sheer freesia and night blooming jasmine. 
Go and check them out soon. They are quite wonderful.

(photo via Mrs. Shockley)