Top 5 House Loves

There are a lot of things in our home that I love.  Family heirlooms, trinkets from memorable experiences, photographs of events long gone but not forgotten, and pieces my husband has built with his own two hands.

That's the difference between a house and a HOME. Minimalism versus these things bring me conflict sometimes, but mostly they bring me joy. They define our style, our space, our little world in these 4 walls.

For two whole years our house has been a construction zone.  Sometimes in the midst of tearing out walls and navigating the sea of tools, I look to a few items for normalcy. Things that are just FUN - not sheetrock, wiring or insulation! (For the record, putting up sheetrock is NEVER fun).

These are a few of my house loves that keep me sane with all these house renovations.

Anchor Hooks | Chateau & Bungalow in Newport, RI

Wall Sconce | Barn Light Electric

Dunes Painting | Meadow Brooks Studio in Westport, MA

Rope Knot Lamp  | Pottery Barn

Adirondack Chairs | Lowes

Master Bathroom Renovations

The dumpster has been order. Sledgehammer pulled out. "Before" pictures taken. Outdoor shower commissioned. Budget planned and ideas pinned. Sounds like its about time for another project at the Coughlins!

The Upstairs Bathroom Renovation starts in T minus 1 day…

1 day until our house becomes a construction zone. Again. Until walls are ripped down, wiring exposed and our house becomes a dust bowl.  I am pumped for this project - it is just about the only thing I wanted done to this house. Two years later and 8 rooms down, this ugly duckling is going to turn into a swan. Goodbyeeeee red laminate countertops, awkward cabinets, speckled floor and gross shower.

Hellooooo airy, crisp, new, dreamy bathroom...

It'll be a long time until these ideas come to fruition, but a girl can dream, right?! 

Have any great ideas for our new bathroom? Any secrets to renovating a small bathroom space?

Christmas with the Coughlins

There is something about the holiday spirit. People are giving & gracious to one another; the air smells of distinct pine trees, sweet sugar cookies & cinnamon, spice & all things nice. The energy & anticipation is contagious...inspiring...joyful.

This year is our first Christmas as a married couple. Our first Coughlin Christmas is certainly one to be joyful about. We are starting new traditions and keeping some of the old. And with new traditions, come new ways to decorate for the season, for our home, our Christmas as Maria & Andrew Coughlin.

My goal this season was to decorate our house simply. It's so easy to get caught up in all the commercials, the ads and truly believe that you NEED lots and lots of decorations and things for your house to feel like Christmas.

In reality, you just need a few simple, classic pieces that will put you in the spirit.  I got a lot of my inspiration this year from my Christmas Pinterest board, various blogs and my backyard. I didn't buy much to decorate, I just used what we had and added a few pieces from the yard (or my neighbors!) to spruce it up.

We visited Clarks Christmas Tree Farm in Little Compton for the second year in a row. We picked out this 5 foot beauty and brought her home. After a long day of sanding sheetrock, we decked the hauls and decorated the tree. The first ornament up? Our new married ornament! Thanks Mom!

One of my favorite things about the month of December is going to the mailbox to see what Christmas cards lie waiting in the box. I love seeing what photos people chose, what joyful saying is printed on the front and how we have all changed in a year.

I wanted to create a space where I could display all these beautiful cards. I searched all over the internet for ideas, and I kept going back to one. A simple garland with cards tied by ribbon or mini clothespins.

Holiday Dinner Parties are also one of my favorite things about the month of December. We hosted a Christmas dinner with Andrew's family and I decided to again, keep it simple. I used our beautiful gold foil napkins from C.Wonder and added a little greenery from the back yard for the table settings. I also clipped some holly from my neighbor's tree (with permission of course!) and adorned the 3 tiered tray I recently picked up at Home Goods for the centerpiece.

Add in there a pretty Frontgate copper tray with all the fixings for a rich, warm hot chocolate, and our dining room was ready for a holiday party.

Looks pretty festive, right?!

Try not to get caught up in the hustle & bustle of the holidays. Keep it simple. And ENJOY these next few days before Christmas.  Merry, Merry from the Coughlins! 

Fall Decor

One of my favorite things about living in New England are the changing & distinct seasons. Winter brings white magical snows, hibernation & big cups of warm hot chocolate. We are all awakened by spring with the chirping birds, sprouting flowers & end of Daylight Savings time. Then its the crisp sunny summer days spent sailing, antiquing and soaking in the fleeting rays.  And the best season of them all?! Fall of course. We hate to see summer go, but the aroma of spiced cider, hayrides & pumpkins, and colorful leaves entice us to enjoy every second of this cozy season.

With each new season comes new decorations. Now that our house is a bit more civilized these days, I am starting to spend more time & resources on fun decorations to spruce the place up. I have to be honest. I was hesitant to decorate this season. After a big wedding, you kind of look to settle in, relax and save $$.  But it turns out, I needed to nest and I found a way to transform my house without spending a whole lot. I bought a few things, did a little DIY, and visited my local farmer's market.

Here are a few ideas for your home!

DIY Berry Wreath
We don't keep plants alive very well - in fact just about every plant we've ever had dies in a matter of days of arriving at Middle Ave. We even killed our mums - I thought those were supposed to live no matter what?! So, this wreath I LOVE. I filled a basic grapevine wreath with artificial berries & dried Lotus Pods from Hobby Lobby for under $15. The best part? It will stay fresh for years:)

 

Mantel Decoration
I love our mantel, mostly because Andrew built it in our garage. It's a bit narrow, so its a little challenging to decorate, especially since bulky decorations are a no go. I found a way to use simple decor with baby pumpkins & gourds from our local farm, lanterns I bought last year off One Kings Lane, and a rustic frame we got from our day at Brimfield. Thank you to Pinterest for the "give thanks" idea.

Candy Corn

A decoration you can eat AND adds style & decor? That's a winner in my book! 

Curb Appeal
Currently with the look of the front of our house, there is only one section that has curb appeal. One section without tyvek, a fogged out window, and old rotten shingles…We tell people - don't look up! Again, I made a berry wreath last year & added the "C" for our new name, put out some pumpkins from the local farmers market & bought 2 lanterns from IKEA. I personally hate IKEA, but for $23 you can't go wrong with these two!

Happy Fall Decorating!!