wallpaper download

i would love to welcome my newest sponsor--alice lane home collection.

alice lane is a gorgeous store located at 1350 south state street in orem, utah--about 40 miles south of downtown salt lake city, and definitely worth the trip if you are visiting utah, or if you live anywhere in the area!

 any time i travel, or check out a new city, i try to explore at least one home decor store, and i have to say that alice lane is one of the most amazing stores i have ever set foot in!

everything they carry is spot-on....from linens, ceramics, art, and other accessories, and of course, their furniture. you will see items from mitchell gold + bob williams, hickory chair, bernhardt and oly studio (one of my favorites. i had blogged about their pieces many times!). 

 i am a firm believer in saving and splurging---i would have no problem buying a chair at a thrift store and then splurging on a great pillow or lamp. speaking of great looking pillows, i would love to have any of the pillows on this bed!  

 i also believe that just one or two items in a room can really "elevate" it...make it feel special and unique. alice lane is the prefect place to get that one item (or 12!) that will totally transform your room.

here are a few more pictures from their portfolio:

 i love the textures, colors and patterns that infuse their store and their interiors!

 

isn't this leather settee just about the prettiest thing ever?

be sure to visit their blog for  design inspiration, giveaways, their design process + client projects, and much more!

and..if you happen to live in utah, do your self a a favor and stop in alice lane for a visit and some well-deserved shopping!

*their location is kitty-corner from the university mall. you can't miss it....just look for the darling striped awnings!

 Just when you thought I had shown you all the beauty a conservatory has... I bring you these stunning images of conservatories in all their beautiful external glory...
 Be still my beating heart! My mind is abuzz with inspiring thoughts...
 beautiful expanses of glass...


So very enchanting...I so Love them! Which is your favourite?Have a gorgeous day xx images via house to home

 (this one is my favorite! notice the built-in brick planter to the right side of the porch? LOVE.

i hope you enjoyed the little tour! 

 Okay so here you have it...more Beautiful conservatories...
 stunning conservatories actually!
 the gardens beyond are just beautiful!
 this one so had me at the beautiful open doors leading out to most spectacular of terraces...
 a breath of fresh air...
 beautiful in spring...
My love for conservatories continues tomorrow when I show you just how spectacular they look from the outside...have a lovely day xx  images via house to home

if you have been reading my blog for a while, then you know that my husband and i get away every year for our anniversary. these trips have been everything from a single night to a 12 day adventure. we usually opt for a stateside town that we can easily explore in 2-3 days. a few places we have been to include savannah georgia, charleston, seattle, and kennbunkport maine, but we have also ventured to mexico, the florida keys and maui. 

this year, we had family in town around our anniversary, and so we put off planning something until after the kids went back to school...or so i thought! on thursday evening, my husband surprised me by handing me a suitcase and telling me i had 10 minutes to pack---- that we were heading out the door to drop the kids off at my brothers house (a 5 hour drive away in boise), where we would spend the night. from there, he and i were headed to central oregon to spend a couple of nights in bend, oregon.

i have never been to oregon before,  (well--not on PURPOSE. i think i grazed a corner of it once on my way to washington!) and the first 5+ hours from boise to bend were much drier and ummm..."empty" than i imagined. i thought the entire state would be covered in pine trees! of course, the closer we got to bend and the cascade mountains, the more oregon started to look like the oregon of my imagination.

the town of bend is completely charming. we stayed at the oxford hotel, in downtown bend, which was nestled right in the heart of hundreds of boutiques, restaurants, salons, and specialty shops, ALL within walking distance.  also within walking distance is a beautiful riverside park with pedestrian bridges, walking and biking paths and a slew of beautiful historic homes. (more on that tomorrow)

want to see a snippet of our weekend? (ok...really, there are a slew of shots of the hotel, cuz it was pretty cute.) 

the hotel--the oxford in downtown bend, oregon.

 our room:

it had a tiny balcony and a kitchenette (which we never used), dining area and seating area.

cozy bed, and tall tufted headboard.

 the bathroom.

hello, lamp! i like you UH-lot.

isn't the mix of the lamp and the wood slices mirror great?

 the halls were covered in  this subtle metallic leather-look wall covering. the stitching detail on it was gorgeous!

 aren't these sconces great?

i adored them!

the contrast between the sconce and the wall covering behind it is really fabulous.

 the lobby. the most striking feature is the branch like chandelier...more like a sculpture.

 the seating area.

love the simple concrete fireplace and the green shag rug.

the mix of wood, metal, concrete tile, and leather is really beautiful.

there is a theme of wood--branches, stumps, wood slices, faus bois...and it adds a lot of character to

all of the spaces--the halls, the rooms, and the lobby.