Acadia National Park + Bar Harbor Maine

Our family drove up to Acadia National Park/Bar Harbor, Maine with friends last month and I'm sorry I'm just now getting around to sharing the wonderful adventure with you all!  It's about time for another travel post, huh?

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Acadia National Park (in the background) and the little town of Bar Harbor (in the foreground) sit on a quaint little island - Mount Desert Island - on the coast of Maine.  It was about a 5 hour drive from Boston to this little gem of a locale.  It had a little something for everyone - beautiful scenery, fresh mountain air, parks and wildlife, beaches, trails for hiking, small-town shopping, delicious lobster eating, and more.  We simply adored our time there!

Look at this blue water!  (And, my cute kid...)

Since we stayed in a vacation rental home (via the best kept secret - vrbo.com) instead of a hotel, we opted to prepare most of our meals in house, but we did venture out for two meals at Bar Harbor restaurants totally worth mentioning.  The first was Stewman's Downtown.

Their clam chowder was phenomenal...and that's coming from someone who typically doesn't eat seafood.  Most of their seating is on a large deck that overlooks the pretty park and harbor.

They had cute little lobster cut-outs for the kids (or kids at heart) to pose in.  And, they had a cool lobster display tank at kid-level with all the crustaceans awaiting their unknown fate.

The next must-go spot on the island is Sand Beach.  It sits within the national park and offers lots of sand, crystal clear (frigid!) water, and gorgeous views.

The kids loved the beach the most!  It was hard to tear them away, and I can't blame them.

Cadillac Mountain is the highest point in Acadia National Park.  We missed visiting it, but our friends made a trek up and said it was beautiful.  It's the highest point for 25 miles, and has some spectacular sunrise views.

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The second restaurant we went to in Bar Harbor was called Rupununi's and our meal there was great!

My husband ordered a hot lobster roll - just lobster and butter, as opposed to the more popular lobster roll that's served cold with mayo - and I took a bite and loved the lobster.  It was very tender and almost melted in your mouth.

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I finished up my meal with the most delicious blueberry pie.  Maine is famous for it's blueberries so it was on the must-taste list.  I wanted to take a whole pie home with me...it was that good.

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We went for a nice run along the Carriage Road trail in Acadia National Park.  The system of trails run for 45+ miles - quite the recreational offering!

Built in 1916-1920 with funds donated by the Rockefeller family (who owned property in Bar Harbor), the Carriage Road was originally paved for horse-drawn carriages.  Now bikers, hikers, horse-back riders, and carriage drivers alike frequent the wide path.

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This is just an example of the many lakes you encounter on the trail.  Truly majestic scenery, if you ask me.  Most of the lakes do not allow swimming, but you sure are tempted to take a dip!

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The last place you must visit in Bar Harbor is Agamont Park.  It can be a "touristy" area if a cruise ship is docked, but the view is spectacular and it's a great greenspace to sit down, relax, and let the kids run around.

We missed the Fall colors on our trip to Maine, but I'm certain it must be an even more spectacular place to visit during Autumn.  If you ever need a place to get away and want to experience a place like no other in the USA, think about venturing out to Maine.  It's well worth a visit!

Splurge vs Save...Animal Print Pillow

Something about Fall brings the animal print out in both fashion and decor!  There is no better way to experiment adding a little "animal" into your space than by adding a throw pillow or two.  I'm quite drawn to the use of animal prints in beautifully elegant spaces such as these...

Animal print pillow a la leopard!

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Animal print pillow a la tiger!

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Velvet animal print pillows can get very pricy because they're typically made from high-grade designer fabrics (such as the Scalamandre tiger print below).  But, if you're in the market to try one in your space why not go for a more affordable option like this leopard print pillow?

sources: splurge  |  save

It's the same look (both 22" square, velvet pillows) but for WAY way way less!  And, doesn't it look so pretty in this less formal, more contemporary room?

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While I tend to shy away from animal prints in our very laid back home decor, I'm tempted to try it when I see spaces like the one above.  

How do you feel about animal print in decor?  Would you consider adding an animal print pillow to your space??

Inspired By...A London Cafe Design

I snapped this photo years ago in London while on a little pre-child jaunt to Europe.  At the time, I wasn't certain why I loved the design of this little British cafe, but I knew I had to have a picture to use as future inspiration.

After reflecting a bit on why I loved this place, I now realize it was the overall feel of the space - warm, inviting, and classic but modern (thank you stainless steel).

A few specifics that make it ever so pretty:
1) Mixed metals - bronze, stainless silver, antique brass, gold
2) Mixed textures - woven fibers, wood, metal, glass, etc.
3) Mixed art - mostly posters, with a few other items (like the Esso flag) thrown in
4) Neutral paint colors + thick original crown molding
5) Bright flowers!

So, I hunted around a wee bit to find kitchen fixtures, finishes, and decor that reminded me of this snap-shot.  Here's what I came up with for a timelessly classic kitchen inspired by this London cafe:

source links: gray paint for walls - Balboa Mist (BM) // blue paint for cabinets or trim - Newburg Green (BM) // pendant light // moon poster // picture sconce // basket // mixed fabric art // feather print // New York poster // stainless glass-front fridge // Balloons Over Paris framed print // antique brass knob for cabinets // antique brass pull for drawers // bougainvillea // faucet // carrera marble look-alike Corian countertop (it's super durable!)

What do you think of my little slice of British heaven?  Wouldn't it be so pretty with some floors just like these?  

Oh, how I wish I had taken a photo of the floors in the cafe...I think they simply must have looked like that.  And, if not, they should!

Gift Wrap Paper Pumpkins

Since we're on a gift wrap roll (see my previous post below...), I thought I'd try a little pumpkin craft with some cute gift wrap paper that I had on hand.  Ok, in full disclosure, Emily Henderson's paper pumpkins inspired me a bit too - don't mind her creepy floating head in the HGTV.com picture below...

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In comparison, my gift wrap pumpkins didn't turn out too shabby looking.  Plus, I didn't have an intern to do it for me (wink! I'm just jealous, Emily).

Here's what you'll need to create your own darling little gift wrap pumpkins...

Materials:

Mini pumpkins (or VERY smooth-surfaced larger pumpkins)*

Paper cut into thin 1/2" strips (pick a porous paper that will absorb the Mod Podge, paper with a laminated/shiny finish doesn't work)

Mod Podge 

Paint brush

Small bowl

Wax paper to work on

* Note: In full honesty and for the sake of your sanity, this would be a super tedious project with large pumpkins...the curvature of a pumpkin mixed with the ribbed texture on most pumpkins make it very difficult to create a smooth, some-what seamless paper surface on a pumpkin.   Just FYI...

Instructions:

1. Pour your Mod Podge in a bowl.  Brush the Mod Podge on a small portion of the pumpkin's surface (I did about a quarter of the pumpkin at a time) and layer your paper strips over the "glue", making sure the strips overlap.  Then brush a thin layer of Mod Podge over the strips.

2. Repeat until the entire pumpkin is covered.  Place a small square of matching paper under the pumpkin as it dries...the pumpkin will stick to the paper instead of the wax paper.  Let dry completely.

3. After the first layer of Mod Podge is completely dry, brush another layer of Mod Podge on.  This step can be repeated as many times as you like.  Let dry.

4. Enjoy!

Pretty darn cute, huh?  I'm wishing I had done this on faux pumpkins so I could keep them for next year...live and learn.

Have you seen any other new pumpkin decorating ideas this year?  Do share!

Ombre Gift Wrap Wallpaper

I recently spotted this amazing wallpaper treatment in the Oct 2013 Canadian House & Home magazine.  Isn't it divine?

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I thought this must be some expensive to-the-trade only wallpaper, but sure enough it was an affordable DIY project using sheets of gift wrap from Rifle Paper Co. (see below) and 3M adhesive strips!

Each gift wrap sheet is 27" x 19.5" and you get 3 for $8.50.  In a small foyer or powder bath you could do a lot with a less than $100 budget.  Simply measure, stick the 3M adhesive strips on the wall, and hang away.

Brilliant, temporary, affordable, and beautiful!  Can't beat that for wallpaper, huh?

A Global-Inspired Design for a City Space

Hi friends!!  I've been out of pocket the last two weeks doing some work down in Washington D.C.  While I was there a dear family friend asked if I would help her decorate her new apartment, and I not-so-hesitantly said..."YES!"

Here's what we started with - some good furniture bones plus lovely REAL Persian rugs and many accessories from her world-wide travels.  

My friend travels all over for work - she just got back from a 10-country Africa trip - and even lived several years in Afghanistan.  She has travel souvenirs oozing from every nook.

I took her large area rug as my color inspiration, and ran with it!

And, here's what we came up with in the end with a $500 budget...

The Living Room

The Dining Space

The Breakfast Bar

The Kitchen

And, of course, the detail shots...

Isn't this white quartz, gray cabinet, stainless hardware, marble floor combo gorgeous??

I love this vignette atop an enclosed liquor cabinet with the city lights sparkling in the background.  So sexy in the city!

A wall of travel finds to get the conversation started.  My friend has so many amazing stories to tell!

Have an old office chair with ripped seat?  Upholster only the ripped portion!

What's a good design without fabulously luxurious pillows?  Hello velvet and decorative embellishments!

Well, what do you think of our work?  Quite a change in the space, huh?  Tell me what your favorite piece or part of the re-design is.  I'd love to hear your feedback!

Brilliant or Crazy? A Drinking Fountain in Your Home

So...the other day I had a revelation.  This revelation hit me as I rinsed and placed the 100th cup in the dishwasher for the day.  Why don't we install drinking fountains in kitchens?

I mean, we have every other appliance under the sun in our kitchens, so why not have the convenience of a drinking fountain?  We'd all likely drink more water, wash far fewer cups, and save time filling up sippy cups for the wee ones.  It would be a total convenience.  Any one else on my bandwagon? 

Where's Waldo time...Can you spot the drinking fountains in these kitchens?  

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From my perspective, these homeowners are brilliant!  What do you think of the idea?  Crazy or cool?

Here are a few small and streamlined drinking fountains that could easily be incorporated into a well-designed kitchen.

sources: Vintage  |  Classic  |  Modern

Is this something you would go for in your kitchen?  And, if not in your kitchen, maybe your garage, backyard, or mudroom?  

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Again, brilliant!  I'm totally in on this...once I have my own home.