Our Bathroom

We currently rent a small apartment on Spotts Beach.  The apartments were built in 1980 and ours hasn't been touched since then.  In case you are not aware, that was not the best year for decorating.  While the furnishings, small space, and musty smell aren't our favorite, we chose it for the view.

Our screened in porch

We are on the second floor with the ocean as our backyard.  If we lived on the popular Seven Mile Beach here I can't imagine how expensive our rent would be, but instead we are on the quiet Spotts Beach in Grand Cayman.

On my days off, I enjoy relaxing on Our beach, just steps from our apartment. 

Below is the little gem of a bathroom we use.  It is located downstairs and we use it for the shower, and I use it in the morning to get ready.  The bathroom connected to our upstairs loft bedroom is used to brush our teeth.  If I owned this home I would be so embarrassed to show it.  No, I am still embarrassed to show it!  Pink bathroom tile and that awful dirty green/yellow paint color.  Gross.   I know, I know, paint is inexpensive and getting a crisp white shower curtain wouldn't hurt either.   It is easier for me to put blinders on when I go in there.  I told Steven I was going to take pictures of our pink tiled bathroom and he said pink tiles?  He didn't even notice they were pink!  I don't see how he does not notice it everyday. Every time I take a shower I look at the stupid flower tiles that are sporadically placed in there and cringe!  

Our very offensive bathroom with pink tile.

I can't help but imagine a gorgeous master bath in my dream house.  Fixing up our Charleston master bath was on our future to-do list.  Now we have renters, hopefully, happily enjoying our home with their two dogs (EEK two BIG dogs at that!!).   Perhaps if we go back to Charleston I will prepare our dream bathroom.


My Dream bathroom, according to my Pinterest photos, consists of white marble galore.  (If you look at my kitchen pictures they consist of the same!)  I guess I am a big fan of simplistic, timeless style.  When it comes to such a big undertaking and expense as tile is, keeping it clean simple and white, truly is the smart way to go.  Marble just happens to fit that bill.  Marble can fit into your home regardless of style, from traditional to modern, just have a look at these examples.

 This image shows several applications for marble.  I am usually a fan of marble with less veins, such as Carrara, but I do like the basketweave floor tile. (source)

This is a great example of using marble in a modern way, while using touches of traditional elements like the wallpaper and chandelier.  The application in the shower is very interesting. (source)

Clean, simple, modern marble everywhere. (source)

I love this bathroom.  It is so elegant!  The marble basketweave floor, marble counter tops, marble tub (!), and beautiful wallpaper, and just plain everything! I wonder what the husband's side of the bathroom looks like?  (source)

Another great example of using marble in a modern way but mixing traditional elements with it.  Really like the chevron stripes and the marble mosaic border around the mirror, oh and the pretty little chandelier. (source)

Marble and what seems to be teak wood.  Keeping it simple and earthy.  (source)

 I will always remember this image from House Beautiful.  Truly a luxurious bathroom fit for a castle!  Marble floor mats for his and hers and pink towels!!  (source)

Mixing mirror and marble looks so beautiful.  I would take this in a heartbeat!  Not sure how my Monsieur would enjoy it.  (source)

This is quite a creative way for using marble as a shower wall.  It is the only image I have seen like that.  You could easily use that it a modern bathroom as well.  (source)

Absolutely gorgeous bathroom by Walker Zanger.  

Marble is always gorgeous in every application (in my eyes), but it can get pricey.  If I was doing my own bathroom, I wouldn't apply it on all surfaces as most of these images show.  I would use it on the floor, or as accents in the shower or both.  You can find mosaic tiles in marble and only a few square feet would be needed to do a border.  Our kitchen backsplash in Charleston was a 2x2 marble mosaic from Home Depot that they kept in stock and it was not expensive!  Or you could find a remnant piece at your granite yard for the counter top.  Typically you save at least $10 a square foot when you buy a remnant.  Many ready made vanities have marble tops standard on them.  Pottery Barn had a few vanity options, but on the pricier side. 

Now getting back to our current rental bathroom... I would love to be able to redo it for our owner by getting things inexpensive.  I would chose simple white subway tile.  This is usually a few dollars a square foot (perfect!).  I will need around 70 sq. ft. for the tub surround.  I would save a few bucks and keep the picky beige floor tiles, toilet, and tub.  Pick up a ready made vanity with counter top at our local hardware store for under a $1000, keeping it clean with white.  Plenty of storage is a must because we have none, so maybe a medicine cabinet could be used as the mirror.  Paint the walls blue, we are in the Caribbean after all!  Add a sparkly accent border in the tub.  New stainless steels towel bars are a must.  I think all these could easily be done for under $2000.  

Here's what I would do:

1. Nantucket Fog   2. Medicine Cabinet    3. Vanity    4. Glass accent tile    5. Waterworks Subway tile ($15 a sq. ft. but can find cheaper)    6. Towel Bar

I have been working on bathroom renovations, so I have them on the brain.  Looking at Walker Zanger's catalog has made me VERY jealous and wanting everything.  I have saved tons of their images as inspiration for future projects.  I will post about this bathroom renovation as it gets closer.  We are looking to install in May.  Pretty much everything has been selected, just need a few more odds and ends.

Hopefully these images have inspired you to take another look at your own bathroom.  Just remember if you keep it simple and timeless, you won't get sick of it ten years down the road and it won't look dated.  

Babies, Babies, and more Babies

My best friend had her little bundle of joy last week. And in honor of baby Charlie,  I am going to feature some of the great nurseries found on Pinterest.


There are a few necessities that a nursery must consist of.  It should have first and foremost a crib that is easy to get the baby in and out.  A place to sit and rock the baby, preferably a glider.  Don't forget to get one that has the right height to lean your head back for late night feedings.  Plenty of storage for all things baby.  Curtains, shades, or anything to help block out the light, so you can catch a few zzz's while your baby is fast asleep.  And don't forget some sort of surface to serve as a changing table. 


A nursery should flow with the rest of your home's design scheme, not to mention be able to grow with your children five years from now and beyond.  From what I hear, having babies is tiring, down the road you don't want to scrap off the Winnie the Pooh decals you put on when you were pregnant. Before you know it, your kid is in eighth grade and still has them.


The images I have found will easily transition as your child grows. They are not "cutesy."  However, they all provide elements of whimsy and fun, but they still could be appropriate if it has to function as a guest room later on. 


"I don't know nothing about birthing no babies..."  I currently do not have children, I am solely basing these rooms on their beauty and design.

Love the aqua and green color palate, not to mention the light fixture!  Not sure how well the white flokati rug will hold up to the inevitable red marker incident.  (source)

Very classy room, nothing screams baby.  Take the crib out and you have a good looking sunroom!! Great mix of patterns and of course love the curtains!  (source)

This baby is only going to expect the finer things in life after growing up in this Charleston nursery.  (source)

Has a very vintage feel with the furniture and color combination. Very pretty.  (source)

I really like the wallpaper accent wall.  Keeping everything else neutral really helps it to pop.   Did you notice the bird cage chandelier?  (source)

Stripe accent wall provides interest with the gray and orange combination.  Same white flokati rug as the first image hum... I guess it is a requirement now.  (source)

This room is for a future globe trotter!  What great texture everywhere.  And instead of a white flokati, this baby gets a real zebra skin how nice!  This is how you do a theme nursery without looking like Noah's Ark.  (source)

This room doesn't seem very baby "friendly," but it sure is purty. Every element could easily be in any other room of your house.  Great details.  (source)

Gray chevron stripes this time, standard flokati rug.  I just like the yellow and gray combination including the cute bedskirt. (source)

Another sophisticated nursery with a tiny flokati rug.  Great rug, nice painting above the crib and love the bed skirt fabric!  Can I move in? (source)

Really cute little girl's room with plenty of texture, pattern, and just the right amount of pink. (source)

Great idea with framing children's books.  They bring so much color into the space.  Dash and Albert rug, cute curtain fabric.  (source)

A nursery is a wonderful room to have some fun and bring in whimsical touches and to be creative.  You want to create an inspiring room for your child to grow up in.  Hopefully you mothers and mothers-to-be were inspired by these pictures.  My favorite room was the small safari theme nursery.



Which one is your favorite nursery?

Blue and white

I seem to always put blue in a bedroom.  I find that blue- either soft blue/gray or blue/green, creates an inviting, serene, spa like room.  And I like when my clients' agree with me.  Who would want to turn down a calm, serene bedroom??  


Phoebe Howard, interior designer everywhere in the South, creates perfect bedrooms every single time.  Below is an example of one of her blue bedrooms.  

Sigh... such a serene bedroom. (source)

One of the condos I am working on has three bedrooms.  The color palate is steel blue, tan, cream, and chocolate.  Currently one of the bedrooms is used by a stylish teenager.  I want to create a fun room for her while using these colors.  I have to keep in mind that it is a rental property that will get beat up, so washable fabrics and durability is key.  The client wants white matelasses for the rental property.  However, these are some things I would buy if we didn't have to worry about renters.

The proposed bed for my teenager provides the perfect backdrop for blue and white. 

I have found some great blue and white bedding options that you can find in stores and online.  

Pottery Barn had some pretty ones:

Great duvet cover option for a boy's room

Such a pretty blue/green washed damask look.

My favorite out of all three.

Pine Cone Hill options:

 New bedding by Pine Cone Hill, very masculine.

 Pretty damask quilt.

My favorite linen duvet cover from PCH.

These items from Dwell Studio are perfect for my beach condo, but I think have since been discontinued:

This one is teal, but screams hip teenage girl.

Perfect for a lake house or the ocean!

And we can't forget the wonderfully, amazing John Robshaw:

The movie "The Change Up" featured duvet, quilt, and shams all by John Robshaw. (*side note duvet and shams have been discontinued) (source)

I understand that not everyone has my taste in the design of a bedroom. I came across these rooms which feature wonderful accents of blue and white. 

This person is a true lover of all shades of blue! (Side note: love the rug.) Image from "Domino" (source)

Very masculine bedroom and bedding. (source)

Oops this one goes back to my pretty serene category.  I just like all the fabrics (damask!) and the cute pom-pom trim on the drapes. (source)

This is for the fancy lover of navy. (source)

Very fun bedroom by Phoebe Howard. (source)

Phoebe Howard again.  Love the headboard to bring pattern to the room. (source)

My ideal bed consists of a nice sateen sheet set- preferably bamboo or something else super soft; a cozy fleece blanket; a solid coverlet with coordinating shams; and a duvet cover folded at the bottom with matching euros.  Top it off with a decorative throw pillow and you have yourself a wonderful bed.   

I have several clients that have allowed me the luxury of custom bedding.  This is a great option when you live on an Island where there are not options.  You can customize the bedding to fit your exact specifications.  It doesn't have to be anything ornate or fancy.  When you have a trusted seamstress anything is possible.  

I'll keep you posted on what is actually chosen for the teenager's bedroom.

Now go jump in your freshly made perfect bed and enjoy some much needed beauty sleep!

Southern Style

I am a Southern girl through and through.  While being in Cayman I have tried to stop saying "y'all" and have started saying "you all" but it is so much easier to join it together.   People are always asking where I am from because they can't quite make out my accent.  Steven and I consistently discuss things we miss about the South.  We plan on moving back in a year or two.  You just can't beat warm Southern hospitality.


As I have already discussed Cayman style, I think it is important that I discuss Southern style as that is what I try to blend together in my designs.    


The wonderful Celerie Kemble said "Southern style means friendly, comfortable, approachable interiors.  In the South, it's all about being welcome."


Here are a few things that come to my mind about Southern style that I think represent what Celerie says.  They are in no particular order.




1. Plantation Home

Twelve Oaks

When I think about the South I think of Gone with the Wind and "Tara."  This is allegedly the home they modeled Tara after in the movie.  I love driving through the country and seeing these big beautiful wooden homes dotted along the road with their beautiful oak tree lined driveways.  The beautiful columns and shutters framing the windows.  I would love to live in an old home with all the beautiful moldings, fireplaces, grand staircases, and mysterious attics.  However, I would not like to live with the electrical bills in the winter or Southern summers.




2. Big porches with a swing

Perfect for thunderstorm watching. (Source)

3. An amazingly sunny sunroom.

(source)

I can't think of a house on my street growing up that did not have a sunroom.  They are a perfect room to curl up with a good book or have a lunch when it is just a bit too chilly to sit outside.  Everyone likes to bask in the sun like a cat right?

4. Wicker furniture

I know some people cringe at the idea of it.  They think of their Granny's wicker furniture from 1972.  But, wicker furniture has the ability to fit into any style.  It's the element of texture and natural that completes a space.  If a room feels a bit too cold, place either a rattan, seagrass, wicker, or my favorite-something caned to warm it up.  Don't forget, it can be painted for whimsy.  

Sisal rug and raffia bed. (source)

Wicker and a porch oh my! (source)

Love a good window seat mixed with painted wicker chairs (source)

Color, caning, and a cute ticking. (source)

5. Beautiful yards filled with flowers.

When I picture the late 60s neighborhood where I grew up, I always imagine it in the Spring.  The azaleas are in full bloom, the daffodils are out, the dogwoods are blooming, and I am playing in the creek.  

These beautiful images from Southern Living show exactly that- wonderful yards from the South.  The old Live Oak with Spanish moss takes me back to Charleston... sigh. (These yards prove exactly why you need a porch swing to view the beauty!)

6. Curtains

I'm not sure where our love affair with curtains began.  We all remember the scene in Gone with the Wind.  I prefer Carol Burnett's interpretation.

(source)

Curtains are a necessary element in my book.  They add just the right touch of softness to a room.  They are also a great way to add a whimsical pattern because most of the time they are pushed back so you can't read a big bold pattern, but add just the right amount of color.  

Typically I like to use panels solo, but sometimes the room calls for a valance.  Roman shades can be the perfect solution for those windows that you don't want too fussy.  With fabrics, you can be creative with the style. Don't forget, trims and tapes are also fun to play around with. 

Phoebe Howard creates perfectly precise rooms every single time.  She does not allow her clients to not have curtains.  She states that not having curtains is "like a face without eyebrows, something is missing."  Well said Mrs. Howard.   

Below are examples of Mrs. Howard's myriad of curtain styles.  You can read her article on her blog here. 

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7. Patterns- specifically toile and florals

It is rare in the South to find a home void of pattern.  We are not much for neutrals.  Just open up a Southern Living magazine from 1992 and patterns will blow up in your face.  

I think it is because a toile print or a floral is timeless.  They do not go out of style, perhaps the color will (mauve) but the pattern stands the test of time.  

Eddie Ross used a variety of patterns (source)

Fabric repeated on headboard, shams, and trim on drapes. (source)

Modern use of toile in neutral with pops of Tiffany blue. (source)

This house is in NY, but it shows a modern toile print in teal! (source)

8. Antiques


You can always find antiques in a Southern home.  Generally, they have been passed down through the family.  When you have an antique or two in a room, it adds that sense of timelessness.  A great room has an antique or two, a trendy item or two, a pattern- two or three, natural element, and curtains!

This room gets a little trendy but a wonderful mix of color, pattern, and antiques.  (source)

Antiques don't have to make a room feel stuffy!  (source)

 Love the elegance of this room, but still mixing old and new. (source)

While I am currently a designer in the Cayman Islands, I am trying to capture the feeling that Southern style emulates, all of course with my Southern hospitality!