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May 1, 2013

Newport Harbor Home Tour House … Two Ways

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I know you have probably seen the cute little kitchen above from a feature several years ago in Better Homes and Gardens magazine.  Even if this room was not in a house near the water, I would still love it.  It has such great cottage elements with its white paneled cabinets, wood floors, apron front sink, window shelf, and curtains in a perfectly simple stripe (and the rug has red!)  And if you have seen that kitchen, then you have probably seen this living room, too:

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But have you seen it like this?pinterest.com

This home is featured in the 2013 16th Annual Newport Harbor High School Home and Garden Tour.  It is always interesting to me to see photographs of spaces taken at different points in time.  Same room…same furniture…just accessorized differently.  I know the photography, lighting, and photo editing make a major difference, but I think the change in accent color makes a big difference, too.

 Take a look at the photo of the chair in the corner from the magazine photo shoot:

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And now at the same space photographed more recently.  I do love the lamp.pinterest.com

Here is another view of that chair with its partner in front of the fireplace.  I am afraid I don’t have a magazine photo shoot one with which to compare it.

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And here is a closer shot of the window seat corner in that same room.bhg.com

And now a view of the same space taken recently for the Newport Harbor Home Tour.  The seat cushion currently has a cute little print with some blue in it.  It seems more beachy in its style now rather than the previous somewhat nautical look. (There is a difference in the two to me.)

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I am sure you remember how the master bedroom under the eaves appeared in the Better Homes and Gardens’ feature.  (So many of you have pinned this one on your Pinterest boards.)

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From this Orange County Register newspaper photo, we can see the same linens seem to be there on that great metal bed, but the lumbar pillows with the red accents are gone.  Also, the red striped rug has been replaced by a black striped one.

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There is an armchair on the other side of that bedroom that has views of the water.  I bet that would be everyone’s favorite spot to sit.  Here it is as it looked for the photo shoot with its splashes of red…

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and as it is now in another photo from the local newspaper for the Newport Harbor Home Tour.  It sports a striped slipcover, and the pillows are gray and burlap.

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I see the shiny finished antique black dresser from before is still there.bhg.com

There is another bedroom under the eaves upstairs that was not shown in the magazine feature.  Here are a couple of photos of it for the home tour.

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I love the simple framed black and white photographs, and I also love that they did include a little red with the trunk there.

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One of my favorite spaces in the cottage is the dining area.bhg.com

I have not been able to find any recent photographs online of it.  I wish I could take the tour just to see what changes they made there!  Do you see the edge of that green cabinet with a chair beside it above?  Here is a recent photo of that space.

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If you don’t remember the exterior of this charming beach house, you can see it here with its flag, black awnings, and red beach cruising bicycle:

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If I had a beach cottage, this would be it.  It is perfect with its board and batten walls, beadboard, wood floors, classic upholstered pieces, black and white photography, and wicker in the mix.  They have updated the look some to be current by going with more black and burlap accessories, but I still love all the red they had previously…that is just me…nothing wrong at all with what they did.  If you have been around here any, you know that I am a lover of all things red.:)

And if I were over on the West Coast instead of here on the East Coast, I would be sure to have my ticket ready for this tour!  It will be May 16, 2013 (in Newport Beach, California).  The $65 admission cost includes a welcome reception at Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop (which has the tastiest looking health food I have ever seen!)…

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and tours of several beautiful homes in the area (including this perfect beach cottage), a luncheon at Newport Theater Arts Center catered by Stonefire Grill, a boutique with 18 vendors for your shopping pleasure …

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and last, but certainly far from least, an afternoon reception at the wonderful interior design shop of Barclay Butera.  (You can read a previous post I did on his work here.)

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All proceeds from this absolutely fantastic tour go to a very worthy cause – the Newport Harbor High School.  If any of you readers are in that area, I hope you have an opportunity to take part in this.  Be my eyes for me! (Unfortunately, no cameras are allowed.)  I will wrap up this post with a question for you…

Which room in this beach cottage is your favorite?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Posted in Houses, Places to Visit, RoomsTags: , , , , , , , ,
   
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Angela - May 1, 2013 - 10:42 pm

I will take two of each :) Angela @ HickoryTrail

Stacey - May 1, 2013 - 11:00 pm

Girl, when and where do you find all of these pictures. I have the pages of the beach cottage with the red accents and prefer it that way. Wouldn’t you just love to live there?

Grace @ sense and simplicity - May 1, 2013 - 11:01 pm

Oh, I love seeing a room in different incarnations. I agree that I prefer the first version with the hits of red. I’ve done a couple of posts comparing two versions of a room that you might enjoy – like this one of Sarah Richardson’s rooms (http://gracie-senseandsimplicity.blogspot.ca/2012/04/wish-wednesday-27.html) and part way down this post about kitchens you can see two versions of the same adorable white kitchen (http://gracie-senseandsimplicity.blogspot.ca/2013/01/17-ways-to-add-colour-to-white-kitchen.html).

Nancy - May 1, 2013 - 11:32 pm

I have been getting bhg for years and am wondering how in the world I missed this!! I am a color girl and definitely love the older pictures better but all of the are fantastic. Sleeping in the bed under the eaves would be like I was in a cocoon. Cozy. Isn’t it everyones dream to live at the beach?!

Garden, Home and Party - May 2, 2013 - 12:03 am

Kelly,
I love this house, both versions. I live about 6 miles from this area and may have to see about attending this home tour. The greenhouse chophouse is a yummy place to eat. I stopped going to these home tours because too many of the homes started seeming overly decorated without heart, if you know what I mean. This home looks like a real house with charm and personality. Thank you for finding this for me. :D
Karen

Amy O'Quinn - May 2, 2013 - 8:18 am

I ended up pinning half of the photos you have in this post…L.O.V.E. I am also coveting those stenciled burlap pillows and that large vintage glass jar! I might have to getting busying with some DIY-ing. I usually wait until June to put out my ‘seaside/beachy’ stuff–but you’ve inspired me with this post and I’m ready to decorate for summer NOW. :)
Great post as always! Take care and enjoy your countdown until summer vacation.
Blessings,
Amy

kim - May 2, 2013 - 8:21 am

I like the changes, but really loved the red in the befores.

Arlene@Nanaland - May 2, 2013 - 8:23 am

Well Kelly, I would have to say I like the kitchen and living room but I think I like the original decor better than the neutrals. I know neutrals are big these days but I like to surround myself with happy colors.

Anne Boykin - May 2, 2013 - 9:50 am

Hi Kelly, I love this beach house too. The pops of red are what I prefer but both are beautiful. The kitchen might be my favorite room but it’s hard to pick just one. The master bedroom looks so inviting.

Dawn - May 2, 2013 - 10:27 am

Kelly,

I love that beach house also. My favorite room is by far the kitchen. That is where everyone always gathers. I love to visit in the kitchen. Thanks for sharing it with us!

House Crazy Sarah - May 2, 2013 - 11:21 am

Very fascinating to see the rooms in different photos at different points in time. Also fascinating to see the difference camera & lighting make on the image!

Ann - May 2, 2013 - 12:43 pm

Kelly,

I live within easy driving distance of this house, and always enjoy home tours! I’d love to go to this one. I vote for the red accents, too.

~Ann

Linda Evans - May 2, 2013 - 1:38 pm

I LOVE the “before” version soooo much better….the touches of red just make the room…

karen - May 2, 2013 - 3:45 pm

Does the front terrace count as a room? I would pick that space first….then the kitchen. so hard to choose just one space! :)

Jennifer from Chesapeake, VA - May 2, 2013 - 5:18 pm

I LOVE seeing the differences from picture to picture. The pics of the kitchen are some of my favs. I can’t believe my neutral palette loving self is about to say this (maybe your rubbing off on me) but I LOVE the red!!!! Happy Weekend to you!

Martha - May 2, 2013 - 9:07 pm

I have always had a love affair with red….it makes me happy. So of course I think the before pictures are so much better.I will never get on the all neutral bandwagon. I had to laugh when I saw the comments about loving the bed under the eaves….my first thought was that I would hit my head if I sat up in bed.

Lisa - May 2, 2013 - 10:08 pm

Hi Kelly,
I do remember this house from before, and I just love it. I have to say I prefer the red accents over the neutral. I can’t pick a favorite room because it’s just a sweet little cottage.

Wanda - May 3, 2013 - 1:26 pm

This is the type of cottage I would love to have! Hoping we see many of these on our trip this summer!

Sheila - May 3, 2013 - 10:04 pm

Hi Kelly – Loved this post and the “compare and contrast” you did with the photos. Great work…I continue to enjoy all your work!

Louvina - May 4, 2013 - 11:11 pm

I liked the kitchen the best — I seem to be “into” kitchens these days after my remodel! I liked the “before” pictures because of the brighter accent colors. It was fun looking and comparing the two different settings. I liked seeing how the same pieces were reused and changed around plus discovering the new pieces.

Kelly - May 5, 2013 - 11:31 am

Kelly, I have to say that I LOVE the red from the BHG photo shoot. The new styling and photos don’t hold a candle to them, in my opinion.

Kelly

Susan - May 6, 2013 - 12:42 pm

I love the BHG photo shoot! Those pops of red really make the rooms have personality.

April 28, 2013

Callaway Gardens…Something for Everyone

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Several of you commented on the azaleas in my yard in my last post, and I know many of you are gardeners, so I think I need to take you on a trip to Callaway Gardens.  Go get a cup of coffee and a snack, and then come back to your computer.  I’ll wait for you here.   This is going to be a loooong photo filled post.:)

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April is a busy month at Callaway.  Their azaleas are amazing.  All the azaleas in my yard are white – the Snow variety.  I am not a fan of pink, but seeing all the azaleas there just might convert me from my monochromatic ways.

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Aren’t these unbelievable?!  Many years ago, we were trying to find azaleas for our previous home.  I wanted to find a red (of course), and they had a variety called Massasoit.  It was as red as I was going to get, so we planted a number of them .

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But there are more things than azaleas to see at Callaway.  The gardens were started by Cason Callaway and his wife, Virginia. Mr. Callaway made his fortune in textiles. The couple had been on a picnic with some friends at a pond on the property near LaGrange, Georgia and loved the land there.   They purchased the property and used it as a weekend retreat for awhile, but eventually it became their full time residence.

At one point, the Callaways owned 40,000 acres in the area.  Mr. Callaway eventually resigned from the textile industry and became interested in farming.  He was especially interested in developing new techniques in agriculture and sharing those ideas with others in the field (no pun intended.:))  So there is also an amazing vegetable garden to tour at Callaway.

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You might recognize the vegetable garden and its buildings.  It was the southern setting for the PBS show The Victory Garden.

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In 1948 Mr. Callaway suffered a heart attack, and in 1949 their family farm was left under several feet of mud resulting from a flood.  Perhaps it was those two events that helped the Callaways turn their interests away from farming and towards gardening.  They then began their plans for creating Callaway Gardens.  It officially opened to the public in 1952.

But there is more.  The flower and vegetable gardens aren’t the only things to see there.  In 1953 a beach was added (claimed to be the largest manmade beach in the world), so you can swim in the lake there.  There is also water skiing (and a championship Master’s Water Ski competition each Memorial Day weekend), wake boarding, and tubing.  Around the lake you will find miniature golf, shuffleboard, and the FSU Flying High Circus performances.

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There is another quieter lake there for fishing, and they offer fly fishing classes.callawaygardens.com

On April 12, 1961 Mr. Callaway passed away.  Exactly one year later, on April 12, 1962 my favorite place in the gardens was dedicated by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale – the Ida Cason Callaway Memorial Chapel – named after Mr. Callaway’s mother.  Inside you will find a wonderful pipe organ that can be heard both inside and outside of the chapel when it is played.  The chapel is available for rental for small intimate ceremonies.

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Another place available for weddings (and for touring) is the Sibley Center.  It is an amazing greenhouse with a 22 foot waterfall. The beautiful landscape displays are changed out inside the greenhouse eight times a year.

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And there is more.  How about a butterfly house where you learn about butterflies and have them actually land on you?  That is what happens at the Cecil B. Day Butterfly House.

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For a little more action, there are hiking trails and biking trails through the gardens and a golf course.  And that’s not all.  Last year, they added something this afraid-of-heights girl has always wanted to try…a treetop adventure.  Oh yes!

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And every Labor Day weekend they have this…muscogeemoms.com

a Hot Air Balloon Festival!

Callaway Gardens also has an old log cabin to tour, a Discovery Center where educational programs are held, and a wildlife birds of prey program.  There are fireworks for the Fourth of July, and they have a huge Christmas light display.  I think all of this is quite enough to keep everyone happily entertained.  Don’t you?  So let’s take a look at where you can dine when you are there.  After all, food is important!

You have a number of choices, but our family’s favorite always seems to be breakfast at the Country Kitchen.

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There is a major gift shop inside the store where you can purchase that delicious muscadine sauce I gave away here.

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Some other choices for your dining pleasure include the Gardens Restaurant…callawaygardens.com

or Vineyard Green.callawaygardens.com

There are a number of other restaurants at Callaway Gardens from which you could choose, or you could pack a picnic lunch and enjoy it in a pavilion as we did for my parents’ surprise 50th wedding anniversary party.  You can purchase picnic box lunches at the Country Kitchen.

And now that brings us to one more dining option and a beautiful place to stay.  You could enjoy food like this at the Piedmont Grille.

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or perhaps here.
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These are located in The Lodge and Spa at Callaway which is part of the Marriot Autograph collection of hotels.

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Take a look at their pool,autograph-hotels.marriott.com

and their lobby.autograph-hotels.marriott.com

Here is a room in which you might stay.

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And finally, what if you wanted to move and actually live at Callaway Gardens…It is possible.  Southern Living even gave away a cottage there several years ago.  Here are some photographs of cottages at Camp Callaway.

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And one last one.myhomeideas.com

Weren’t those cute little cottage rooms?  And to think that you would have access to all that Callaway Gardens offers, too.

Hope you have enjoyed our virtual trip there.  We used to visit the gardens several times each year when we were first married, and we went quite a bit when the boys were very young. (We even took our first born there when he was less than a month old!)  But once there were three children to take along, we cut back on our visits.  But I think it is time we make another trip to Callaway…and soon!

Until next time.

Posted in Gardens, Houses, Inns, Places to VisitTags: , , , , , ,
   
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Garden, Home and Party - April 29, 2013 - 8:17 am

Kelly,
Do they charge admission? What an amazing community of things to do see and savor. I loved the drifts of azaleas and the freshly leafing trees in the first image, but it only get better, right? I felt like I was hearing one of those television ads where the announcer says, “but wait, there’s more!” What a wonderful place. I really must visit Georgia someday. :D
Karen

House Crazy Sarah - April 29, 2013 - 11:11 am

what an impressive place! There sure have a good thing (or many good things) going there. What part of Georgia is it in? Perhaps I will plan a visit for next time I visit the in-laws in GA!

karen - April 29, 2013 - 2:13 pm

Wow…..thanks for the Monday daydream! :)

Ann - April 29, 2013 - 3:58 pm

What a beautiful place!! And yes, of course I want to live there!

yarlette - April 29, 2013 - 4:30 pm

That looks like a great place to visit. Maybe we will get down there for a weekend soon.Thanks for showing us how beautiful it is. Yarlette

Kelly - April 29, 2013 - 5:18 pm

Karen – Yes, they do charge admission. It is $18 for adults and $9 for children age 6-12. Under age 6 is free. Some of the activities have an additional charge – the treetop adventure is $35 per person (I think.) So you can certainly spend a good bit on a day there. It is a tremendously expensive place to maintain to the standards they expect it to be. Callaway was in major financial trouble until last year when they sold off a considerable amount of acreage (several thousand acres), but they are now in much better fiscal shape. You do need to come to Georgia and visit it. It is a treasure!

Sarah- You should plan a trip with your in-laws there the next time you are in the state. It is on the west side of the state in Pine Mountain to be exact. Hope you get to visit!

Karen – So glad I could give you a place to dream about!

Ann – Living there would be wonderful with all there is to see and do right out your door. I would come and visit you!

Yarlette – It is a beautiful place – especially in the spring, but really all year round. I hope you do get to visit there soon.

Kelly

Cindy - April 30, 2013 - 1:02 pm

Thank you for my virtual trip to Callaway Gardens. When my daughter was in her last year at NC STATE she did an internship with Kimberly Clark in Georgia. On one of my visits to see her we went to Callaway Gardens. My one and only trip but it was like Heaven on earth. It is beautiful and inspiring. Give me 15 minutes to pack and I will be ready to go with you…

Andi - April 30, 2013 - 3:39 pm

Hey there! A friend pointed me to your blog. I GREW UP going to Callaway Gardens! I live in central Illinois, and every single summer, my parents would pack the six of us kids up and we’d head down there for the BEST week of the year!! (Things have changed a bit since then–but I’ve been to MOST of the places in your photos!) :) I loved it so much, my husband and I also took our kids there twice on vacation while they were growing up. It is truly a magical place. Thanks for the memories!!

-andi

Nikki Lehnhardt - April 30, 2013 - 9:12 pm

Love Callaway Gardens. It’s been years since we went but we loved it. Stayed at Magnolia Hall in Hamilton Ga. Lovely inn run by a terrific couple. Check it out on YouTube. Worth the side trip.

Kelly - April 30, 2013 - 9:53 pm

Cindy – So glad I could give you a virtual trip to Callaway! It IS inspiring – makes me want to go outside and work in the yard. :) I am happy that you got to visit it with your daughter, and you should go back again for another taste of Heaven on earth.

Andi – What a great childhood memory! How wonderful that you were able to take your children there while they were growing up, too. You need to go back now and do the treetop adventure that just opened last year for a good dose of fun – or you could make a trip to stay in the Lodge and Spa for some relaxation – or do both! Thank your friend for me for sending you over to visit my blog. I appreciate it!

Nikki – I will have to check out that inn! Thanks for the recommendation. We normally just make a day trip of it since it is not a real long drive from here, but it might be fun to have a night away from here for a change. You need to make another trip back to Callaway since they have added so much in the last few years.

Kelly

Wanda - May 1, 2013 - 7:08 am

Kelly, when my mother and stepfather married I was 13. This was the first trip we took as a family. They also have a fabulous golf course which is the reason we went. I remember that beach well! We stayed in a cabin, but I know it was not one of these pictured. Lots of updates in the last 44 years!

Kelly - May 1, 2013 - 7:32 am

Wow Wanda! What a terrific place for your first family trip. Yes, they do have a beautiful golf course, and the bike path winds around much of it. We aren’t much for golfing (although my husband and father-in-law do play), but we have biked around it several times – with children in bike carriers on the back.:)

Nancy - May 1, 2013 - 11:39 pm

I have never heard of this place but it sounds a little like a paradise. When I received our AAA magazine today Callaway was featured. I am always looking for places to go that will interest my husband AND myself. This seems to have it all. Thanks for the tour.

Amy O'Quinn - May 2, 2013 - 8:27 am

Great post! When I was a little girl, we often went camping at FDR State Park on Pine Mountain. We would visit Callaway and Warm Springs. Good memories. Then, when my husband pastored a church in Thomaston (nearby), we had yearly passes to Callaway. My children always enjoyed the Butterfly House, but I loved the Conservatory.
We ate many Sunday dinners at the Bulloch House in Warm Springs after church too. There is nothing like their Sweet Tomato Relish spooned on top of black-eyed peas with cornbread on the side.
Yes, thank you for sharing Callaway Gardens–such a beautiful place. I’m ready to go back!
Blessings,
Amy O’Quinn

Marci Johnson - May 2, 2013 - 9:02 pm

What a beautiful place!! I can imagine how breathtaking it must be there right now. I will definitely have to add this place onto my must visit list.

Jennifer - May 2, 2013 - 9:56 pm

Thank you Kelly for posting this! What a beautiful place! Lots of friends from here go there each Christmas and stay. We haven’t been, but it’s a must see…especially with us being this close. One of my dear friends is from Pine Mountain and she worked there.

Kelly - May 2, 2013 - 11:16 pm

Nancy – Wow that is uncanny! I must be channeling AAA these days. :) Callaway definitely should have something for every member of your family and then some!

Amy – Thanks for the recommendation for a restaurant! That sweet tomato relish sounds divine. Yum! You should go back for a visit to Callaway.

Marci – I hope you will get to visit Callaway Gardens. It is absolutely beautiful in the spring…and the Christmas lights are amazing too!

Jennifer – I can’t believe you haven’t been! You need to make plans to go over there soon. It is beautiful, and you should plan a trip before it gets so very hot here! – although the lake would be good in the heat. :)

Kelly

April 27, 2013

More Touches of Spring Around Here

As promised, here are a few more around-our-house-in-the-spring photographs.  I can’t take responsibility for the gorgeous azaleas, but I thought you would like to see them (especially those of you who, I am sad to hear, are still awaiting spring’s arrival.) And I apologize for the fuzzy picture.  The auto-focus on my camera is quite lazy these days.  He chooses when he wants to work.  And my vision is so poor, manual focus comes out like this.  So what you are seeing is my “normal” vision.   Let’s go inside and see the mantel in the den – where auto-focus decided he would start working again.:)

Oh but wait.  I have a question.  Do any of you have a secret formula for cleaning a mirror?  I have tried everything on this big one, and it still streaks… paper towels, lint free dishcloths, newspaper, even coffee filters.  And I have used every commercial product I can find.  So if you have a suggestion, please share. When the sunlight comes in through those big windows and hits that mirror, it looks pretty sad.  Okay that was my spring cleaning question, now back to spring decorating.

As you can see, yellow is showing up in the family room, too.  I mentioned over at Karen’s post at Garden Home and Party that I really don’t know what to call this room.  I have been calling it the greatroom, because I believe that is what it was called on the floor plans.   The kids call it the den, but I like the term family room better, so I think that is what I will use for now.

I like to keep the mantel kind of simple in its decorations…candlesticks, fresh flowers or a plant, and a little something extra.  The toy vw van is just for fun – everyone needs a touch of whimsy in their rooms. Don’t you think so?  I added another spot of yellow with a couple of books.  Easy peasy.

There is another touch of whimsy atop the cabinet in here.  I have had that bingo cage tucked away in a closet for years but couldn’t find a place to use it until now.  Again, it is just a fun accent.  Remember this is a family room.  You won’t find formal anywhere in here.

And finally, the dining room table was given a fresh grouping for its centerpiece – again with some spring time yellow.

I love the bubble goblets.  Almost every single thing I drink is “sparkly” so they look perfect to me.  (I won’t drink water unless it has fizz.  Yes, picky picky here.)

 Tag Ltd Bubble Glass Water

And one more view of the table with its spring arrangement…

That’s all I have in the decorating department for you this weekend.  In other news, we spent an evening earlier this week on this lovely college campus…

listening to this very talented group of musicians with whom my daughter is privileged to be able to perform.  She played piccolo for most of the concert. 

She moved back home with her two car loads of college stuff last night.  It has taken over the playroom, her closet, the laundry room, and part of the garage until we can figure out where to put it all.

Our weekend is going to be an “unpacking” weekend, I’m sure. Not complaining.  I am more than thankful to have a daughter who survived her first year of college, made wonderful grades, and is currently out doing work for a charity today.

I hope your weekend is a good one.  Please remember I would love a solution for my mirror cleaning problem if you have one.:)

Happy Saturday!

Posted in Our House, RoomsTags: , , , , , ,
   
say something nice
Nancy - April 27, 2013 - 1:11 pm

I have lots of windows and find that vinegar works the best. I have them facing every direction and have never noticed any streaks. You can use it straight or mix a cup with a sprayer full of water. I use straight if I have hard water stains such as when our sprinkler gets too close. I just wipe with paper towels. Your yard and trees, oh my… I have such major tree envy!!

Kelly - April 27, 2013 - 1:20 pm

Thanks Nancy. I will give it try! And as far as your tree envy goes, just remember that all those pretty leaves have to be raked up when they drop in the fall (and the pinecones all year!) Maybe that will curb your envy some. :)

Linda Evans - April 27, 2013 - 1:29 pm

love your home, as always….but, I want to comment on the window cleaning……I have tried everything, like you….home made, newspaper, etc…then I received a coupon in the paper for “Invisible Glass” by Stoner….awesome, it even worked using paper towels (I always thought that was my problem), here is their website (I bought my at Walmart, but I even seen it at the auto store etc) http://www.invisibleglass.com, let me know if you try it and love it!!!!

Jerri - April 27, 2013 - 1:42 pm

I always have good luck cleaning windows and mirrors with ammonia. Dilute in bucket of warm water. Use soft rag and Wipe window or mirror. Use a squeegee to remove solution and dry soft rag to wipe up the edges. No wiping, just squeegee. Good lick

Linda - April 27, 2013 - 1:49 pm

Have you tried Sprayway glass cleaner? It’s a spray can, works really well, no streaking. You can buy it at Target. I’m new to your blog and truly enjoy it. Linda

Rose L - April 27, 2013 - 2:52 pm

Kelly, your yard is gorgeous in Spring! I know what you mean about the leaves in fall but no matter what sort of landscaping a person has there is always at least one season that requires an immense amount of yard care. I’ll take the flowers and the greenery when I can get it and put up with the work just for the pleasure of the other.

Love all the yellow touches you’ve spread throughout your home. Everything looks so fresh and inviting.

My youngest DD just finished her second year of college but unlike yours she will stay in the city and work all summer. She works during the school year too but prefers to work full time in summer to get some savings set aside for the leaner times of year. I miss her terribly but she does come home for the occasional weekend when she can and we both enjoy those visits so much! She also calls me almost everyday since she is the one with the cell phone.

Have a great weekend!

Cynthia - April 27, 2013 - 3:01 pm

I was reading your blog, as my own daughter who is away at school sent a text. “Mom pretty much packed up everything to bring home this weekend, except for a few things I’ll need to finish out the final week. Please make room in basement. I hope it all fits in my blazer.” Why does his sound like its more than what she left with……

Marlene - April 27, 2013 - 3:03 pm

Kelly,
Your yard is so pretty. I love that the azaleas are all white. Just lovely with the trim on your home.
Seeing all the college “stuff” sure brings back memories.
Enjoy your week-end and so enjoy all your spring touches.

Donna - April 27, 2013 - 4:21 pm

Your home and yard are beautiful! Is that Mercer in the picture? I graduated from there (32 years ago!) and it looks familiar…

yarlette - April 27, 2013 - 5:15 pm

Kelly, every thing looks like spring around your home. Love the touches of yellow. Wow your azaleas are beautiful. We are having a beautiful spring here in Tennessee also. The dogwood trees are so pretty this year around here. Oh how I remember those days of trying to find a place to store all the things they bring home from college. Enjoy the summer with your daughter.
Have you tried Fish foam cleaner for your windows and mirrors. It works great. A lot of pros use it. I love it no streaks ever. Another thing you could try is rubbing alcohol on a cloth. It will clean great and leaves no streaks . Hope one of these will work for you. Yarlette

Leila Jane - April 27, 2013 - 6:00 pm

Ah-hah! At last! Thank you, Kelly, for sharing with us what one room looks like with all of your daughter’s bins ‘n’ things brought home from college! I can only imagine how glad you are to see her…..and I love the small glimpse you allowed us to see into the temporary chaos! Just very realistic…and doesn’t hurt a bit since everything else we always see is so orderly and so beautiful. Now, just to show the difference in generations, when I went away to college in (ahem!) 1962 (yes, well, I know, I’m old!) I left home with a suitcase, a cardboard box or two and my brand new Olympia typewriter. Just a different time before the explosion of electronics. And really, not as many clothes and shoes either. I’m not critiqueing (at least,I hope it doesn’t sound that way), just talking about the difference in times. Enjoy having your daughter back home for the summer. I bet we’ll get to see the two of you in the kitchen baking or cooking or something!

Barbara Hinske - April 27, 2013 - 7:25 pm

Kelly — your home is beyond lovely, but that first photo of the outside took my breath away! Out here in Arizona we would die for those trees, and we only find azaleas in small grocery store pots. Sigh….

susie hinson - April 27, 2013 - 7:52 pm

My allergist told me to avoid any kind of chemicals (even ammonia and vinegar) as I have severe allergies. He said to use two microfiber cloths-one wet and wrung dry and one completely dry. Scrub your mirrors and windows with the wet one and then with the dry one. We have floor to ceiling windows and glass doors in our house. This works beautifully! No streaks and so clean! Throw the cloths in the washing machine in cold water/detergent and lay out to dry. Do not put into the dryer and never use fabric softener. That’s very important. I’ve been doing this for over 4 years and it’s the best way to clean windows and mirrors that I’ve ever used (and I’m 64 years old!). Good luck!

Dayle - April 27, 2013 - 8:08 pm

Gorgeous stuff. As for that mirror … I have similar issues over here and try not to decorate with mirrors very often. I canNOT keep them clean.

Maureen - April 27, 2013 - 8:27 pm

I just washed windows today — and as someone else mentioned — vinegar worked awesome. I filled a spray bottle with straight vinegar. I didn’t have any microfiber or lint free clothes on hand, so just used paper towels. They came out beautifully, with no streaks!

You must be so happy to have your daughter home. I brought my son to his first semi-formal dance this weekend (middle school) and got weepy eyed just about that. Time passes so quickly.

Dawn - April 27, 2013 - 9:12 pm

Kelly,

I saw some others commented to use a vinegar and water mixture. I want to add to that to use a microfiber cloth. After you clean with those microfiber clothes Don’t wash them with laundry detergent or fabric softer. It ruins them. Just launder them in hot water with a touch of vinegar added to the washers water. Good luck!
Thanks for sharing more spring pictures from around your home. I love the touches you have added!

Cindy - April 27, 2013 - 9:47 pm

Such a beautiful room Kelly, love your dining room light fixture!!! I have found that a spray foam glass cleaner from window companies cleans the best. You can call local companies and they will usually sell it to you. I’ve tried microfiber, vinegar and water, newspaper, coffee filters…this foam spray cleaner works like a charm.
Blessings,
Cindy

Nikki Lehnhardt - April 28, 2013 - 7:56 am

Love your home in the spring. My last house we had all white in the landscape and loved it. But a bit of a pain to dead head all those blooms so it didn’t turn into a brown landscape. This time we went for bright colors. Red and white petunias, white impatiens, yellow iris, blue agapanthus, white gardenias, and bright pink azaleas.. Sounds like a mess but it actually worked out well against a taupe and White House with black shutters and rockers on the porch.

How do you keep your azaleas so white?

Pat Pegram - April 28, 2013 - 9:43 am

Try Dirtex. You can find it at Lowes. It is not with the cleaners. It is in the paint dept. When we built our house the cleaners accidentally left a can behind. I have not bought any thing else in 18 years. It wii remove latex paint if used in a couple of days of application.

Pat - April 28, 2013 - 10:32 am

Your beautiful home is so inviting, I just love it! I call my “big” room the family room to. It just sounds most descriptive of what it is.
Love your mantle. I just redid mine, but the problem I have is that my mantle is very narrow and limits what I can put on there. My configuration is actually quite similar to yours right now!
No window cleaning hints, mine are streaky too, but I’m enjoying reading all the suggestions!

Jeanne Bell - April 28, 2013 - 7:12 pm

I am not any better at mirrors than you are, I do use a piece of an old, all cotton, sheet to wipe with.
I alos love your glasses with the bubbles, are they Southern Living or Willow Hous?. My daughter sold this after she graduated from college, she is a nurse full time and felt she needed a hobby. I have glasses in 2 sizes and love them Your house, inside and out is beautiful. I am holding you to the part that is does not always look like that.
You and I both work full time, but how can you stay up so late do your blog? Bless you, I am dead at 10:00pm.
Have agreat day,
Jeanne

Wanda - April 28, 2013 - 10:05 pm

I have been out of town so just now peeking in. Lovely!!

Kelly - April 29, 2013 - 6:07 pm

Thank you everyone for all the suggestions for cleaning my streaky mirror! I am going to embark on a massive experiment with all your suggestions to see if any of them will work on it…starting with the microfiber cloths suggested by Susie and Dawn, and then trying the vinegar recommended by Nancy and Maureen, then the ammonia from Jerri, and all the products suggested by both Lindas, Yarlette, Cindy, and Pat Pegram. Maybe Dayle and Pat would like to try an experiment with all of it too. :)

Rose – Thank you for the compliments on the yard. I am glad your daughter calls you so frequently AND that she has a job. Mine starts hers here on Wednesday.

Cynthia – Too funny! Yes, they always manage to bring home more than they started with!

Marlene – So glad you like our Snow azaleas!

Donna – You are correct about Mercer. :)

Leila Jane – That messy photo was just for you!! I knew you would appreciate the disaster.

Barbara – How sad that you can only find azaleas in pots in the store!! They are not very drought tolerant, and show it when they are thirsty.

Nikki – No deadheading here – just let the storms take them off the plants for us.

Jeanne – The glasses are from Tag – a company that also makes dishtowels. I handle the late hours with a crash on the weekend in the form of a long Sunday afternoon nap.

Wanda – Thank you for dropping in here!

Kelly

Lori R. - May 2, 2013 - 1:14 pm

I would recommend the Fish Foam for your mirror. I use it on everything and it doesn’t streak. It’s an awesome product! You can get it on the website http://www.fishwindowcleaning.com.
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