Where's Waldo? We mean...Where's the Garden Stool?

We don't know about you all, but we are still very much into the coveted garden stool. The garden stool can serve many purposes in a home, from its initial purpose, actually in the garden to being used as a coffee table. I currently have one that I purchased last year for a ridiculous price of $15 from Big Lots. Go figure. I am still left wanting more to spray paint and adorn other rooms with! Seriously...we think these are fab pieces and do not see them making an exit anytime soon. There are so many sizes, shapes, colors and uses of the garden stool. Explore the possibilities! 

We are going to play a little game. Its called: Where's the garden stool? Its not as obviously dressed in stripes as Waldo, however, I think you readers are very smart and will find them easily!

This gunmetal color is EXACTLY what I am looking for in a garden stool. We also love the shape and design of this settee. 

{apt therapy}

We are loving the openness of the garden stools in this image. Not to mention the striking color! It is a great contrast for the subdued hues in the space. 

Love the idea of having the garden stools in the foyer of the home. Such a unique idea. Not sure if they are useful in the space...but sometimes design just isn't!

This room is over the top and we adore it! The color of yellow used in this garden stool is just enough punch for the loud wallpaper, which we are completely in love with.

{decor pad}

This turquoise garden stool is the perfect way to lighten up a black, small powder room. What a fun accent color. 

{lonny}

The use of the garden stools under a console table is absolutely lustworthy. There is something so uniform and tailored about the look. This room is so bright and airy and the shape of these garden stools totally embodies the feel. 

{palmer weiss}

Ummm what is not to love here? I will take the chandelier, the pillows, the armoire, the couch, the rug and last but not least, the garden stool!

{dovecote-westport}

Creative use of the garden stool, my friends. Totally a different take, using them as a bench at the foot of the bed. I think our dogs would use this as their own personal doggie stairs.

{bhg}

We hope you all enjoy your Thursday! You are almost there...weekend is on the horizon.

Favorite Room Feature: Abode Love

This is the beginning of a new segment for S+S. It is called: Favorite Room Feature. Each week, we will have a guest blogger featured and they will share with S+S readers their favorite space to decorate and why. They will show amazing before and after pictures of either their homes or a clients space. Without further adieu, our first guest blogger is none other than the fabulous Laurel-Dawn from Abode Love. We love her and her style so much and we know you will too. 

Hello Sadie + Stella readers! I am Laurel-Dawn, the blogger behind Abode Love. I am here to talk to all of you about my living room makeover. When my husband, Mister Husband, and I moved into our lovely abode... we had nothing. I mean, nothing. I purchased the coffee table and two leather chairs at a furniture closeout store- and I was so proud that I took this photo below.... Also, notice the two throw pillows. I am sure some of you recognize these guys from Target! These gray and yellow pillows were the entire inspiration behind the whole space!

Next, we saved and saved for our sofa and received the yellow rug from Pottery Barn as a Christmas gift-- we also replaced the fan with this Overstock.com Murray Feiss light fixture.

Next, we had Colonel Dad come over to help Mister Hubbs fill in the huge hole that was built for an old school box tv... yuck! Now it's perfect.... we have a special place for all of our components, and we have our tv hanging in style...

Then I got this AMAZING bull skull. 

And here is where we are as of now! I have learned throughout this process to splurge on large items like chairs and sofas... I am a believer in quality and comfort- and I couldn't be happier with the few big ticket items that I have purchased. With that said, I am also a HUGE believer in SALES! I have yet to purchase one single thing without it being on sale. I love discount stores, outlet malls and Overstock.com has furnished much of my home. If you look often enough, you will find special pieces at a great price that you're proud to share with others! 

Not too long ago, I purchased this gorgeous pair (the Lyon chair and Tolouse Chaise) from Restoration Hardware to replace the leather chairs. There was nothing wrong with the leather pieces, we just wanted seating with arms and I wanted a look that was a bit more classic. I love the color and the soft look of these pieces. They're timeless and I believe that I will love them forever. I also purchased brown and cream striped drapes from Overstock.com for just under $90 per panel! I have done a lot of research about drapes and these were a steal for sure... they're lined and 120 inches long! Wahoooo!

The piece that lies behind the chairs is built from reclaimed wood and an old glass paned door. The swan is a prized possession of mine, my Grandpa hand carved it and painted it as a wedding gift for me, isn't it gorgeous!?

These two little finds are from TJ Maxx... I love this dried coral- it brings in the yellow that is repeated throughout the space, and the cement horse head was a super special find, I love it.

This little table was on clearance at Pier 1 a few years back for $39- it's a knock off... I just saw an identical piece in JLo's home (I don't think she snagged it from Pier 1!) Lucky me!

I snatched up this convex mirror from a local antique store in Birmingham for around $30 and I painted the white and gray accents.

I am a lover of Anthropologie lampshades and pillows... can you tell?

There's nothing like a great pillow to bring color and life into a space!

I filled this candelabra with tangerine, pale yellow and tones of gray candles- I love the pop of color that it gives to a corner of the room that wouldn't normally be of interest. I also am still loving the oversized shell trend.... I don't think this look will be going out of style anytime soon!

I love the undulating lines of this piece and the softness that it brings to the space.

Here are a few close ups of my rustic Summer Classics china cabinet. The american flag that you see on the top shelf was a gift from Colonel Dad a few Christmases ago. He made the display case and this particular flag flew with him in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. It's a piece that is very dear to my heart.

The Lladro piece in the photo below was used as our wedding cake topper... The artwork behind both images were pieces that I painted my freshman year at Auburn University. 

Wedding gifts that I love...

I love, love this print- it's beautiful! It's one of my favorite wedding gifts!

I hope all of you enjoyed my living room and how it came to be! Thank you so much Sadie + Stella for featuring my abode on your fabulous blog! Have a great day and come and stop by Abode Love to pay me a visit!

Chronicles of the $10 chair, the reveal.

I took the plunge and followed Kristy's step by step tutorial on how to paint upholstery. I. was. nervous. But I must say I am LOVING the results! It was super easy and inexpensive and I was able to achieve exactly what I wanted!

Let me remind you of the chair's humble beginnings...

Can you say gross? I am not sure what I was thinking when I brought her home. Don't worry, she had a nice cleaning before any painting took place. 

Are you ready to see her now??

LOVE. I am so happy with the results! 

The room is a blue-grey so I decided navy would be the perfect color choice. Once the fabric was painted the legs were begging to get some paint action as well . After a few coats of high-gloss white she was complete. I whipped up the pillows with some fabric I had lying around, waiting to be loved. The navy and yellow complement the room beautifully and add just the right amount of color! I think the total cost of this project was $30; $10 for the chair and about $20 for the products. Amazing. Thanks again Kristy for sharing your incredible project! 

We also started another chair project last weekend; re-upholstering a wingback. We still have some work to do but I wanted to give you a sneak peak before the big reveal... 

We should finish it up this coming weekend and will post the final product and all the dirty details next week! Can't wait! And SO PUMPED to launch our Favorite Room Feature tomorrow! Get excited, it's going to be fab! Happy Tuesday to all! 

and the winner of the Dani Notes Giveaway is....

Amy Lustig! Amy said...


So cute! My fiance and I would love to have a custom platter to serve guests outside! I'd love to have it in the geo print in purple and yellow, or blue and pink! 


Amy, please email us so we can get your information to Dani Notes! Congratulations!

monday musings: magnificent mantels

Good morning lovelies! We hope you all had a glorious weekend! So, hopefully all of you are more fortunate than we are and actually have the pleasure of having a mantel, as we do not. We are totally envious of all of these spaces. If you are lucky enough to have a mantel, it is most likely the focal point of the room it resides. These pictures definitely have the WOW factors.

These arched mirrors compliment this mantel like woah. What is not to love?

{rue}

This convex mirror is UN-believable. The accessories in this room and on the mantel absolutely make it.

{lonny}

Ummm steel blue walls? Check. White milk glass accessories? Check. Longhorn? Check. This room is the most.

{house beautiful}

Again with the steel blue walls, we cannot seem to get enough. This room is completely symmetrical and we love the complete uniformity.

This stone fireplace is so unique. The use of simple accessories and art is perfect, as it doesn't deter from the real beauty of this room. Oh and the chairs? Yeah. We will take them.

Wowie. Wowie. Love the walls and the white accents. The understated accessories on the mantel, let the mantel do what it is meant to do, steal the show. Again with the chairs! Come on! Need these...as long as you do not have children.

{decor pad}

Loving the eclectic feel of this room. The asymmetry and the hodge podge of accessories. The mirror is the perfect addition to the mantel.

{domino}

What about you all? Are you lucky enough to have a mantel to decorate your room around? We would love to see.

We have a busy week boys and girls. On the horizon: Announcement of the winner of the Dani Notes Giveaway, the $10 chair reveal and the beginning of a very special guest blogger segment called Favorite Room Feature. We look forward to spending the week with you all! Happy Monday!

S+S chow: soiree menu

Happy Friday! As promised, here are the recipes for our s+s party. Enjoy! 

The Drinks:

The Sadie {SAPPHIRE RASPBERRY MINT COCKTAIL}

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ part(s) Bombay Sapphire Gin
• 1 dash(es) Simple Syrup
• Club Soda
• 5 Raspberries
• 4 Mint Leaves
• ½ Lemon

Directions

In a tall glass, muddle the raspberries and mint leaves. Fill the glass with ice and squeeze in the juice from half a lemon. Add simple syrup and BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Gin and mix thoroughly. Top with club soda or lemon-lime soda. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

The Stella {STRAWBERRY CHAMPAGNE}

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon sweetened strawberry puree
• 6 ounces champagne

Directions

In champagne flutes pour in strawberry puree. Pour champagne over it to blend. It should have a pink blush to it.

The Dinner:

Arugula Salad with Strawberries 

Ingredients

• • 1/2 pint strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and quartered
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 bunches arugula, washed, dried, and trimmed
  • 1/2 cup toasted pecan halves
  • 
    
  • DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, toss 1/2 pint strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and quartered, with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; let sit 5 to 10 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together another tablespoon balsamic vinegar with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
3. To the strawberries, add vinaigrette, 1/2 cup toasted pecan halves, and 2 bunches arugula, trimmed and thoroughly washed and dried. Toss to combine, and serve.

BLACK PEPPER CRUSTED FILET MIGNON WITH TOASTED GOAT CHEESE AND TWICE COOKED RED CHILE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

• 4 filet mignon steaks, each 1 1/2-inches thick
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 4 (3/4-inch thick) slices goat cheese
• Red Chile Sauce, recipe follows
• Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the grill to high. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before grilling. Meanwhile, combine the cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Liberally season both sides of each filet with the spice mixture. Grill the filets for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium doneness.

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Remove the steaks from the grill onto a baking sheet, and top each with a slice of the cheese. Place under the broiler until cheese is golden brown and soft. Alternatively, use a blow torch or kitchen torch to brown the cheese. Ladle the sauce onto each plate, place the steak in the center, and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Red Chile Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 large red onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 New Mexican red chiles, lightly toasted
• 2 quajillo chiles, lightly toasted
• 1 ancho chile, lightly toasted
• 6 to 8 cups homemade chicken stock
• 1/4 cup creme fraiche
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• Salt and freshly ground pepper