Interior Beam Color

I started out trying to get ideas for exterior house colors. I quickly got distracted by interior beam colors.  I guess they both go hand in hand since the beams of Mid Century Modern Homes flow from outside to inside.  

Dave and I discussed many ideas when we moved into the house.  Ultimately, time was the determining factor and we decided to stick to the all white.  Had I not been 9 months pregnant when we moved in I would have wanted our main beams to go back to their natural wood color.  I have since found out that the labor, cost and possible toxicity of sanding it down to natural wood is all quite high.  

Anyway, these are all images from one website, SoCal Modern.  They've given me lots of ideas. The entire site is amazing and inspiring to look through. They are a real estate company with only Mid Century Modern homes in Southern California.  I was blown away by the range of price points listed.   I have to say, when I see these homes all finished and beautiful it makes me want to move! It's a lot of work redoing a home when you have little kids.  

All images via SoCal Modern

All of the color choices are amazing.  

I love how the two browns specially work and define in the kitchen. 

 

I would never be bold enough to do color like this on the ceiling but it really works.

This is what I had in mind for our house.  

I love the dark doors with the dark beams and the rest white. 

 

I love this combination to.  

Again, color choices that I'd never think of, but they really work!

And the all white. I love it as well but now that I see all the color options together I realize that beams with color make it more of a signature MCM home.

Dear Colleen Prints

After getting P's print for her room I've been searching a bit more than usual on Etsy and other blogs for great prints.  I'm loving this one by Dear Colleen; and so is Dave. Right now he's the only one who has the skills. Trying to figure out where it would go.  I also love her tennis print but it would mean I'm an awful wife so I'm gonna have to pass on that particular one.

Via DesignMom

The Montage at Laguna Beach

 

Last week we stayed three nights at the Montage in Laguna Beach.  It was an amazing and much needed trip.  We were very grateful that it was on the company dime.  (Although they did charge us for $550 of spa services. I never set foot in the spa and as of yesterday they had yet to reimburse the charges. Not very classy of a 5-star hotel.) Dave was shooting a commercial on location at the hotel. So while he worked all day, P and I took long walks after breakfast, swam in the pool, went to the gym, vegged in the room and P got to play in their kids club called Paintbox.  I could go on and on about all their luxuries but I think the pictures capture it best. 

The hotel was built over looking the ocean.  The property which once was a mobile home park is now home to a $1 billion hotel.  They must have some agreement with Laguna Beach because the path in front of the hotel and the cliffs right below are all native gardens and habitat for wildlife.  It's all protected area.  It was very inspiring to walk through their paths.  I hope to have our front yard looking much like their gardens in a couple years....except we it won't be just native plants.     

 

The crew took over the mosaic pool one day to film one of the scenes. 

 

They also converted five rooms into production space. Dave and P are in the far corner chair while other crew members are hard at work.  It's a luxury for P to see Dave on shoot days. 

Our room. The beds were super comfy. However, I am proud to say we have softer sheets! High thread count is a luxury I will gladly splurge on. It makes for many great nights.

We each got slippers, even P. They brought up a robe and slippers in her size!

 

The view from our balcony.

P and I having lunch on our balcony. The sound of the ocean and the sea gulls was so relaxing!

The gym with the lap pool in the foreground. 

 P doing "semi laps" in the pool. 

 The view from the treadmill. An open air view of the Pacific Ocean!  How inspiring is that?

 One entrance to the hotel has this amazing iron sculpture. Then you walk down a flight of stairs that leads to this courtyard.

 

 The view from the lounge. Great place to have a glass of wine or hot cocoa.

 Finally we had to say goodbye to Dave.  P is standing in the lobby calling Dave on my phone to say goodbye....even though he's right there in front of her. 

Ryder Rocking Chair

Browsing through Ohdeedoh the other day I found this awesome rocking chair. I was surprised to read it was from West Elm for $599!  I'm contemplating selling ours on Craigslist and buying this one.  I need to drive down there and try it out before I make any final decisions.

Buying a rocking chair turned out to be a big ordeal in this family.  Every parenting book we read said "Buy your rocking chair in advance. It should be your big first purchase." It was also advice given to the dads "go get your wife a rocking chair or you'll pay for it later."  Well, Dave paid for it later.  I researched a few modern chairs before P arrived. I told Dave what I wanted but he dragged his feet.  P arrived. A month later both of our backs were hurting. (Newborns need constant movement to soothe to sleep, ie, they need the same environment they had in the belly for 10 months) Then Dave threw his back out. One day I said "That's it! I'm going to get a chair and I don't care how much it costs!".

Of course the first time P had a crying fit that wouldn't end was when I was at the furniture store. I was making fast decisions just to get out of there.  I ended up paying $1400 for a brown glider with pink pipping that has a heater and back massager. Not my first choice in style but it had everything we needed for our aching backs. And then I had to wait seven weeks to get it!!! 

I'm super finicky about how a chair feels.  If you're buying a rocker for the first time for you and your baby, keep in mind that most of the time you'll spend in it you'll be half asleep.  So, be sure you can slouch and be comfy at 3am, when you can barely hold yourself up, let alone your baby as well. Problem is finding form and function can be tough.  Now that P is almost four I wish I would have bought something that went better with the rest of the style of our home.

These are some of the other rockers and gliders I've loved over the past 4 years:

Eames Molded Rocker at Room and Board $479

Super stylish in a kid's room. Not the least bit practical at 3am. 

image from Room & Board

Luca Glider by Monte $995. 

Water repelant and stain resistant micro-suade fabric

image from Monte

Joya Rocker by Monte $895

 

image from Monte

Vintage Danish Rocker from Etsy seller Deja vu long beach: $1295

My mom had a "southern style porch rocker" with my brother. I was 5 when he was born and to this day I will never forget how uncomfortable it was for me to feed him and not bump his head on the wooden arms.  But then again, I was 5 and the rocker was not as stylish as this!

image from Deja Vu

Sleepytime & Storytime Rocker by Nursery Works: $700/ $650

Sleepytime rocker has a higher back which I thought would be ideal with a baby.

The Storytime rocker has a lower back and wider seat ideal for reading to a toddler.

 images from Nursery Works

Low-Rider Glider by City Sprouts $895

 

images from City Sprouts

 

Sand Castle

This weekend we got a 6 foot tall sand castle!  Dave just worked on a Capitol One commercial and they had the sand castle built for one of the sets.  Somehow it ended up in our backyard and P is delighted.

It's made out of styrofoam, "sand paint" and sand.  It's not Mid Century or the sort of thing you expect to see in a home but it will be with us for a at least a couple months.  I don't think it'll make it too long since it's outside in the elements. Probably about the time P gets bored with it, it will be time to toss it out.  

Dave was very happy he was able to logistically get this thing to our house and over a wall into our backyard. How often is a dad able to get his daughter something like this, unless your Tom Cruise?  It cost over $3000 to build!  We're all feeling pretty lucky! I may have to throw a sand castle party!   

Snake Flower

 

A couple weeks ago we did more "mulching" and added a new row of plants called Snake Flower. They're South African natives that are drought tolerant, need partial to full sun, look lush and flower from Fall through Spring.  I'm really loving how they look.  

I planted 5 of them in front of our fence, and another 5 throughout the front garden.  The two colored blooms I found at West Valley Nursery were a yellow/orange or just yellow.  Both look really beautiful. 

My idea is to plant a row of Kangaroo Paw between the Snake Flower and the fence.  I've tried 3 times to grow Kangaroo Paw and all 3 times I've failed. But with each failure I've learned something new so maybe the 4th time will be the charm. I will keep trying because I love the Paws. I even bought a large burgundy pot that would tie the color scheme together with the red ones, which also happen to be the least finicky of all!

A week after we put in the Snake Flower we drove down to Irvine to the Orange County Great Park.  They have so much to see: a balloon ride, carousel, creative playground, race track and an eco-friendly, farming/garden center.  That day we did quite a bit but I didn't get to visit the garden/farming area. However, to my surprise, I did see the Snake Flower in their gardens.  I felt so proud I was "on it" with my plant selections.  Seeing the Snake Flower in combination with other plants and in a garden with some of the same ideas I had in mind was very inspiring.