the casual side of formal

Our 1910 charmer has 2 rooms that are being used as entertaining areas - one we call the den and the other, more formal room, we call the library or parlah (parlor said in a super Southern accent). The den tends to be more girly and relaxed while the parlah is more formal and manly. Not that we're confining ourselves to those rooms respectfully, but we do tend to split up when certain shows must be watched (The Roosevelts vs. Vampire Diaries).

  vs. 

I digress. After The Fox sold his bungalow, the remainder of his Billy Reid-esque decor met my eclectic, fem-chic head on. The parlah (Southern accent) was where we planned to park his pieces, but my impatience got the best of me and my girly style started to creep into the room bit by bit. After unloading what he brought over, I started to see the styles begin to collide. I decided to think on it for a while (to be honest, we were exhausted and needed a break), but after a couple of weeks, I got antsy and needed to do something.

My parents decided to visit this weekend and since my mom is who I steal a lot of my ideas from, I asked her to help me jazz up the space. Of course, where does one look for jazzy accessories??

IKEA!!!

You may have seen this rug in a few of my past posts...

Gah! I love this thing! And for the price, you just can't pass it up! I purchased it back in June when we first moved in and immediately put it down in the parlah. Once The Fox's furniture arrived, it married perfectly with his leather sofa and coffee table/chest. But even with the fun rug, the room felt like a drab hole. 

We loaded into the deal mobile and journeyed the 1 hour and 45 minute trek to the home decor motherland. And, like expected, this trip didn't disappoint. The (horribly annoying) buggy (anyone who has pushed around one of those things knows what I'm talking about) was loaded with...

Of course, I found many other goodies, but these were the top pieces.

Although not all goodies found were used in the parlah, we did get the best bang for our buck with what we bought.

Between our two styles, we had a lot of great things already, but the parlah was just lacking that pop of color. With the things we found at IKEA, we were able to add that extra dimension for less than $100. Check out the end result!

I'm so happy it's finally together! One more room off the list! Hooray! 

Next on the list is either the office or the dining room, so stay tuned! 

Oh, and happy Fall, y'all!!

the big 3-0 & fall

In 1984, a little girl was born to two free spirits in Hickory, NC. With an abundant name fit for a prince (my mom said "If 4 names are good enough for Prince Harry, 4 names are good enough for my daughter), Ebonn Yvonne Victoria Thomas made her entrance the evening of September 22. The name Ebonn? The jury is still out. The "story" is that it came from a woman on MTV - it had just come out in 1984 - but I've yet to find any evidence of this said "VJ from MTV." If anyone can find proof of this lady's existence, I'd be very grateful. Until then, I continue to keep my public mystified with it's origin...

To celebrate the big 3-0, the fam and I headed to the mountains for some R&R. It's always such a peaceful place no matter the time of year. And I'm lucky enough to have a birthday that coincides with one of my favorite seasons - Fall. As soon as we crest the hill to see a rolling mountain, I immediately become filled with peace and calm. It's one of the most wonderful places on earth.

Our home has zero cell reception, so it's wonderful to disconnect from everyday life. With nothing but a radio, you can talk, reminisce, play games, laugh and just enjoy each other's company without interruption. It's moments like those that are cherished throughout the years.

And what's a mountain trip without a treasure hunt? Umm, not a good one! Lookie what I found!! He will have a new home above either my mantle or in our bedroom... I'm still deciding.

Because we didn't have any TV or internet at the cabin, we ventured out to the local bar to watch that incredible Clemson/Florida State game. My mom is such a fan of football (not), so I thought it only appropriate to take a picture with the woman who gave me life those 30 years ago (and who can't remember where my name came from...). I should have grabbed the other part of the equation (my dad), but he was outside.

Before we left, we harvested some chestnuts from a tree on the property. How pretty are these things?! It's amazing to me that mother nature can produce such beautiful bounty! The polished look of these gems mesmerizes me to no end. Gah!

On the way out of town, we stopped at my favorite roadside stand. We loaded up on fruits, veggies and fall porch decor!! You can't beat produce fresh from the farm. 

And we took some pictures with the pumpkins/gourds :).

The birthday celebration didn't end once we got home. I enjoyed a wonderful day off from work and did nothing but get a massage, eat and scour the interwebs for interior design inspiration. Thanks to The Fox for a fabulously relaxing day. 

So, here's to another 30 years! Wait? I'm still waiting on my teenage dream of marrying (or becoming) a super rich celebrity to come true...