The Quarterly 06

The Quarterly 06

Somehow it is already fall and already time for another Quarterly. I have to admit that I didn’t mind (at all) that summer decided to stick around. We were even able to have a family beach day on September 27! That said, as much as I enjoy the warmer weather and wish it could last forever, I have also enjoyed slowly thinking about the holidays. Let’s get on with it: in no particular order… holiday decor, holiday clothing, our latest trip that I think about almost every day, possible projects, design trends…

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Memorable Trip

We had a wondering anniversary trip to Hudson Valley, New York. We stayed here and you can read all about the details here. But, to sum it up, I think about it a lot. Even two months later. Oh, and it just got a Michelin award, so thinking about it daily is justified, right?

Possible Projects

We have two possible projects coming at the end of October. The first involves finally having this medicine cabinet that I bought eons ago installed. Our old medicine cabinet had a light built in (sort of). So I’m looking for a sconce to place above the mirror. It is the only light for the bathroom, so it needs to be somewhat significant. Maybe this one… or this one…

That reminds me! I did paint the bathroom. I used Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee at 75% and I love the color! I just went with the sheen the paint store recommended for bathrooms (semi gloss). It is too shiny for me, but when I read that I would have to sand the first coat before putting on a second coat in a flat sheen, I decided it was fine. I also added this print above the toilet. The size is perfect and I love the frame too!

Our basement has been on the list for awhile. It is okay. There are exposed ceilings with wires and pipes and vents. Oh my. We are thinking about having it painted black and the walls a lighter color. (I got a quote last winter to give you an idea of how long it is taking me to wrap my head around this.) We will also likely do new carpet. LPV would have been oh-so-nice but the floors are very slanted. There is also drywall on interior walls but cement brick on the outer walls so I’ve been brainstorming/making lists of possible ways to dress those up. We’d love to be able to incorporate something that we have in The Beach Cabin and use a ton.

Design/Clothing Trends & Updates

I honestly don’t even know what is trending anymore. It changes so quickly! But I feel like equestrian themes keep popping up from barn jackets (I sort of feel like I’ve already done-that-in the 90s- but also think this one is very cute) to home decor (this book adds a classy check to that box). I don’t want to pretend that we are horse people, although my 10-year old self did give riding lessons a go. BUT, if we were the equestrian type, I think that this photograph would look perfect above our mantel.

I haven’t really bought much decor or clothing this fall, quite possibly because until this week it felt like summer. I bought these white jeans (they’re sort of creamy white in person so I am giving myself permission to wear them this month yet) for $28 and they look and feel like a $200 pair. I also bought this sweater vest(ish) – it really has been the perfect fall for sweater tees and tanks. This is a particularly good purchase because when the weather turns, I can always throw a long sleeve under it.

After scouring high and low for the perfect coffee table, I finally found one at RH (photos coming soon) and I could not be happier with it. I tried to locate a dupe but could not find anything as good. RH is annoying like that.

Holiday Decor

It’s fun to think of different ways to incorporate the old with the new while keep the overall sense of nostalgia that the holidays bring. This garland is classic with a twist. I’m fairly consistent with my love of bows so these are also on the list. A tree with several of these as the main ornaments is about as traditional as it gets. While it really is TBD until I get our Christmas boxes up from the basement, I think I would like to try burgundy, navy blue, and silver in the dining room and then burgundy, citrus, and green in the living room. Stay tuned.

Holiday Clothing

My brother is getting married in December- we are so excited for him and his fiancé! And I am very excited to shop for a Black Tie Optional wedding. I thought I would share my top contenders here in case you also have a winter wedding or fancy holiday party to attend.

For my birthday last year, R surprised me this classic dress (it looks like my color is no longer available). I like this short sleeve option for fall/winter as well. It is a splurge, but it is also a wardrobe staple that I truly believe will never go out of style.

Books

I am really happy with amount of reading I’ve gotten in before the holidays. I have been loving new-to-me author, Kate Quinn. You know I enjoy historical fiction and she is just so good at it! I finished The Rose Code and The Alice Network and can’t wait to read more of her books. Additional books that were 5 stars from me were Broken Country,  The Bright Years, and What Kind of Paradise.

Thanks for Reading & Have a Great Fall!