Let There Be SEXY Lamp Light!!!

We finally got new lamps for the master bedroom!!! And let me tell you, there's something about lamp light in the bedroom that will have you thinking you've got the body of Beyonce! You know the saying that everyone looks better by candle light? Well, lamp light can have that same effect. I swear to you, there's nothing like it! But back to our new lamps...

Here's what we were working with before... The size was OK, but the color and fact that they didn't work were pushing things in the wrong direction.

But, here is our after!

Soooo much better, right???

I found these beauties on a business trip to Fort Smith at their local HOBBY LOBBY of all places. Its one of my favorite stores, but was never my go-to place to look for lamps. (That title belongs to my beloved TJ Maxx!!!) But, I was pleasantly surprised to stumble across a couple stunners on their shelves. These two were my fav.

Both were my "dream" lamp...gourd shape, clean and simple shades, and a not-too-modern style. But thinking about them in our bedroom with the dark furniture and gray & white color pallet, I knew I wanted to bring in something that would wake things up a little bit. The hints of gold and silver in mercury glass-like lamp on the left were really speaking to me.

And when I saw this, I knew I was walking out of there with a pair of one or the the other.

That's right. They were 50% off! And I thank God that they were, because if they weren't, they would still be at the store right now. Both lamps were priced at over $100 each!!! My husband would loose his religion if I spent that type of money on some lamps! Even if I told him that similar lamps that you find in boutique stores or online would run no less than $250 each. But after a little begging, the hubby gave me permission to leave with these at $60 each. Thanks Honey!!!

I even took the liberty to finally pretty up the place. I move the art that surrounded the television to each side of the headboard. On Mr. Marcus's side of the bed, I hung the M & C metallic wall thingies, which were wedding decorations (from Hobby Lobby, oddly) to eat up the empty space under the artwork. And since he seems to collect an entire hoard of things in his pockets while at work and then bring all of it home with him, I grabbed a couple of these desk organizer boxes from Wal-Mart to keep things looking nice and neat.

On my side of the bed, I have my alarm clock (that's never been armed), and a little brass dish that corrals the jewelry that I wear everyday: rings, watch and earrings (if I remember to take them out). At times it may catch my spare change or even chapstick. Pretty much whatever will fit in it.

I love how all of the finishes of each item are vastly different, they play together pretty well. If you're going to mix finishes or metals, just remember to have balance throughout your space. We have the matching lamps and storage boxes on each side of the bed. My brass tray is similar to the brass candle holder on Mr. Marcus's side of the bed. The art on either side of the bed both have wooden frames. Balance, people. It's just a matter of balance.

So up next is hardware for those blank furniture faces. And we still have to get some color in this place with the addition of a decorative pillow or two. Definitely have to get a rug over these laminate floors. And then bring in a little more personality. This bedroom in getting there...slowly, but surely.

Xoxo,

Coco 

Blazin' Colors

I'm back with another fashionable post. This one is all about colorful blazers.

You see them everywhere and they will definitely be around FOREVER!!! They are one piece that you can layer on any outfit, from jeans and a tee to a blouse and girlie top. And lately, I've spent more than a few hours online scouring the net for these wardrobe boosters. Here are a few that I may dish out the cash for.

This fire hot blazer is from Zara. And considering the accolades this site/store gets, the pricing is still fairly reasonable. At $79, its still a little rich for my pockets, but I would just consider it as an investment into my future. : )

This crisp, white blazer is also from Zara. It's the perfect pick-me-up for any one's spring wardrobe. The wonderful Tamara Styles dives a little deeper into how essential a white blazer can be, so you should definitely swing over and check it out.

I found this hot pink cutie at Urban Outfitters and love that it's a bit dressier with the no-button closure and rayon fabric...kinda has that sateen feel to it. And I have to mention that this blazer comes in about 10 different colors!!!

Now, my go-to place for blazers never seems to let me down. Forever 21 came through with this green sateen version for less than $30! The ruched sleeves are always great for me and my abnormally long arms.



The blazer color of the moment seems to be this royal blue. Every one's wearing it...but understandably so. Forever 21 has several style selections in the color, but the one you see above is my favorite. Really loving the bold shoulder and contrast lining.

Last, but certainly not least is this canary yellow beauty! I'm having heart palpitations about this blazer. Not only is the color doing it for me, but the cut and the details are calling my name. It may seem like a plain yellow blazer, but trust me...this is no run of the mill jacket. It's by Rag & Bone and is expertly crafted out of crepe. It also costs a pretty penny...$495 worth of pennies to be exact! So lets just say I'll be wearing this one in my dreams!

So what about you guys? Are you as much in love with blazers as I am? Do you have a favorite go-to store/site for your wardrobe essentials? Do tell!

Xoxo,

Coco

Bringing In a Little History

Every space needs a little history, whether it's an old quilt thrown over a sofa or an old chair that you got from your grandma's house. I was blessed enough to find a little history at my parents' house in this piece...

After my great grandmother (my mom's dad's mom) passed several years ago, my mom was able to bring this cabinet home. I never thought much about it; especially, since she used it to store books that I would never read; but, I always thought it was kinda cool that a part of my great grandmother was now a part of our house.

Then, a couple months after my mom passed last year, I asked my dad if I could have it to put in my own home. He, of course, had no objections, so into the backseat of my car it went. It was only after Mr. Marcus got it into the house did I see how bad of shape it was in.

The top and front have been beat up, scratched up and worn out.

And the back was completely none-existent.

There was also quite a bit of evidence of a few repair attempts.

And after a little more inspecting, I came across some pretty interesting stuff...

and thanks to the all-mighty GOOGLE, I found out that this little cabinet used to be an old broadcast radio that probably used to look like this:



And what's even more interesting is that these radios are dated from the years 1928-1933! Of course mine had been gutted of all its electrical innards, so it's probably not worth much. But I'm beyond excited to know that I have such a historical piece that was passed down from my great grandmother to my mother and now to me.

Knowing me, you already know that I had a good use in mind for this beauty. The wall space in between our dining room and living room was crying out for some function. And what better function to have than an at home bar!?! Now, by no means are the Mr. and I some undercover alcoholics. Three of the four bottles of alcohol on the bar have been with us almost as long as we've been married (almost six months!!!), so you know we're not throwing 'em back every day. But when the mood strikes, it's great to have the party juice on hand!

The white tray that I found at Target corrals everything, helping it all appear nice and neat. My TJ Maxx faux orchid brings height to the arrangement and the little bottles of mixers add to the blue scheme that's happening along that entire wall. Everytime I pass by it, I smile. It's the little things like a make-shift bar that makes my heart sing.

Now, my conundrum is...what do I do about the cabinet? It's in need of a lot of love considering how much damage it has. I know that I need to put a back on it, but beyond that, I'm torn. I'm afraid that if I sand it down in attempts to restore it, I could potentially ruin it's original look. I've considered painting it, but I love that fact that it has the same look as it did when it sat in both my great grandmother's and mother's homes. And to tell you the truth, the longer it sits here, the scratches and dings seem to disappear (to me, at least).

What do you guys think? Should I leave it alone? Should I restore it? Or should I make it my own and paint it a color of my liking? I'd really like to know what you think.