Starfish Cottage

Happy Thanksgiving from Starfish Cottage

Wishing you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving...I will be taking a little time off while I get the cottage decorated for Christmas (as well as finishing up a few client projects- this is an interior designer's "busy season" you know!)  Starfish Cottage will return on Monday, December 5th with tons of coastal-inspired holiday decor and entertaining ideas, so please check back!

Silent Auction Vignette

My daughters school is having it's annual silent auction fundraiser, and as an interior designer, I always donate a "vignette" (a grouping of items) to be auctioned off at the silent auction. 

 

This year, I went with a coastal theme- imagine that!?

 

The vignette includes a vintage sailboat print, a nautical lamp, nautilus candleholder and scented candle, 6 yards of decorative fabric, a seashell frame, bunch of silk fern stems, a conch shell and a seashell garland.

 

It also includes suggested paint color swatches and a complimentary 1 hour design consultation...everything you would need to get started or finish off a room!  Last year's vignette helped raise several hundred dollars for the school, and I hope to do the same this year!

 

Gratitudes...

Today I am grateful for...

Beautiful sunrises over the water,

The laughter of little girls (is there any better sound in the world?)

My hilarious husband-who still makes ME laugh after 11 years!

Chocolate.

Work that I love.

Coastal Living Magazine.

Steamy hot bubble baths.

The fact that we can go to the beach in November...and not freeze to death!

Long morning walks.

The never-ending grace of God.

 

What 10 things are YOU grateful for today?

 

 

 

Contemplating Christmas...

'Tis the season to start contemplating Christmas decor.  And this year, I find myself torn- while I absolutley adore the simplicity and calm of a "white" christmas color scheme...

An all-white Christmas is soo coastal!

My seashell and starfish collection fits right in with an all-white holiday.

On the other hand...who can resist the classic colorscheme of red...

it also looks great with greenery and seashells and starfish.

Red can also look totally "coastal"...

So much inspiration, it's hard to decide which direction to go!?  You will just have to wait and see...I love Christmas time- cooking and decorating and entertaining, so stay tuned to see what happens here this holiday season at Starfish Cottage!

all images courtesy Coastal Living

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Browns and Creams for Starfish Cottage...

 
As I have mentioned before, "traditional" fall colors: rusts and oranges look a little out of place in my all-white coastal cottage, so I thought I would try the more muted and neutral colors, browns, golds and creams this fall...

 

The coffee table holds my latest discovery...WHITE SUNFLOWERS!  Mixed with brown cattails, they couldn't be more perfect for my fall color palatte!

 

Here's my favorite corner and chair...where I love to sit with a cup of coffee...

 

Another view of the room...

 

And my kitchen which opens onto the Family Room...

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and Between Naps on the Porch's Metamorpheses Monday

Souper Sunday...

I love a good soup...and here in Florida, when it's SO hot for SO long, it's a welcome day when it's finally cool enough for a big pot of soup.  So in honor of fall, this past Sunday I made a big pot of Pumpkin Soup!

Here are some of the ingredients:

I just love the color of this pumpkin soup... 

after cooking everything in a big pot, you run it through the food processor to blend it into a wonderful texture...

Yum!  Perfect with a simple salad and vinagrette.

Bon Appetite!