Last March, we introduced the feature, “Bloggers’ Homes- UNVEILED!” where we spotlighted nine homes that belonged to some of our favorite design bloggers.  Some of these guys and gals were practicing interior designers, while others were general design enthusiasts who had a knack for design.  We soon realized the one thing that every blogger had in common- a passion for interiors and making a house into a home.

We are so thrilled that another set of our blogger pals have so kindly invited us inside their beautiful rooms (and what can I say? I’m a snoop! I love this feature!)

Here is Part I of Bloggers’ Homes unveiled.  Hope you enjoy viewing their homes as much as I did!

MRS. BLANDINGS

Patricia Shackelford’s charming blog, Mrs. Blandings, (the adorable moniker based off of the 1940’s movie) has become one of the most beloved design blogs out there. Patricia’s Kansas City home is equally delightful and its warm colors and cozy seating would make anyone feel right at home!

Living Room-

This is one of the first rooms we painted after we moved in.  I knew what I wanted in here – this glowy glazed yellow – but we started with a base coat that was way too strong.  Once the glaze went on, it looked like “school bus yellow” had been the inspiration.  Fortunately, my painter is incredibly patient, and we started over.  It was definitely worth the effort.

Office-

I spend a lot of time in this room and it has become the spot where many of my most personal stuff seems to land.  I stitched this pillow for my husband for Valentine’s Day; he’s the fourth, you know, William Harrison, IV, and I’ve recently been picking up 4’s wherever I find them.  He would say this is more my collection than his.

Kitchen-

This is where we spend most of our time with the boys.  I know it looks a little bare, but the tables are usually piled with Legos and books and sporting equipment.  I decided a long time ago that I wouldn’t have things out that it would make me crazy if they were broken.  It may look a bit monastic here, but it is usually a jumble.

CHIC COLES

I was recently introduced to Chic Coles– a fabulous blog that features design and style tips from a mom and her daughters.  I can certainly identify with them as I am very close with my two sisters and mother.  I love how Melissa, Cassandra, Leslie, and Wendy have all teamed up as a family to create such fantastic eye candy.  The Chic Coles sent us photos of their fresh and stylish Connecticut home.  If you want more of their style, visit their online store, Shop Chic Coles.

Living Room-

We used the Imperial Trellis Pillows in a home we had worked in and loved them so much, we decided to have some made for our sofa.  We live in CT near the water, so we wanted a Nantucket/beach feel and achieved this through blues and whites and corals.

This is the master bedroom.  These pillows are our absolute favorite.  They are by Travers and the two bedside lamps are by Robert Abbey from Shop Chic Coles .  We were continuing with the nautical feel and brought the blue into the downstairs bedroom to tie in with the living room.

SURROUNDINGS

I am constantly amazed by the talented and hard-working Linda Merrill of Surroundings.  She does it all, I swear!   In addition to the successful Surroundings blog, this New England interior designer is also the founder of The Skirted Roundtable, the Silver Screen Surroundings blog, and her own design firm, Linda Merrill Decorative Surroundings.  Somewhere in the midst of all this, she found time to renovate her kitchen too!  Here is a photo tour of her stunning Massachusetts condo.

I live in a townhouse condo in a small seaside town in Massachusetts. The living room/dining room are open floor plan, the kitchen is very small. The bedrooms are on the lower level and they get very little natural light.

Kitchen- (shots taken by Michael J. Lee photography)

I recently re-decorated the kitchen. I repainted all the cabinets and ceiling. The walls were beadboarded and painted. The skirted counter along the wall is new (made from a narrow door). It provides lots of new counter space and hidden storage underneath. A friend and I did all the work ourselves and I made the counter skirt and window treatment.

Living Room-

Bedroom-

The bedroom set is actually the one I used growing up in my parents house. My bedroom doubled as the guest room (yes, I got booted out and into a cot in my parents room!). Years after I moved out, my parents didn’t need the set anymore, so I got it again! I made all the pillows, the bedspread is from Brocade Home.

LA DOLCE VITA

Paloma Contreras, the brains and beauty behind La Dolce Vita blog, is constantly inspiring the Material Girls with her daily entries, so it’s no surprise that her house is equally inspirational.  Her stylish and modern abode is just the type of place that you would imagine Paloma living in.  I love how most of her home is neutral, but with added pops of color.  What a lucky pup, Tate is, to live in such a fun space!

I’d like to start off by thanking Emily and the other Material Girls for inviting me to be a part of this fun feature.  Last year’s peek into blogger’s home was fantastic and I am sure I will be in great company.

My family room is where my husband Fabian, puppy Tate, and I spend the most amount of time together.  During the day, I can usually be found in my office, but come night time, we like to hang out and watch TV together in the family room.  My coffee table is stacked with magazines and design books.  I have actually accumulated more since I took these pictures!  I really like having the starburst mirror as the focal point of the room.

The color palette in the room is pretty neutral, but I have added color through accessories, like my collection of Penguin Classics.  The chairs in the background are vintage from the 1950s.  Fabian and I bought them last year, painted them, and had them reupholstered in this great, chocolate cane print.

You’ll probably notice that I have used a restrained palette in most of my home, but add color through accessories and pillows.   I love our white bedding.  There is something so soothing to me about crisp white sheets and a fluffy white duvet.  The sunburst mirror is from West Elm and the zig zag pillow is from Target.

A couple of Fridays ago, I featured my bedroom on my blog and showed both of our end tables.  Mine is shown here and is styled in a decidedly more feminine fashion than Fabian’s, which I really love.  The bedside lamps are from Target.  We added chocolate silk shades to add some warmth.  The “For Like Ever” print is from Village, the Bruer chair is vintage, and the floor lamp is from Circa Lighting.

Lauren, of Pure Style Home featured a before and after of my guest bathroom which was done on a tiny budget of around $300.  I think the difference is pretty remarkable!  Again, I like crisp, white linens, but wanted to keep the space from looking too sterile and designed the space around the banded shower curtain.  The monogrammed towels are from Pottery Barn.  We painted the cabinetry a high gloss black to add contrast with the countertop.

We framed several photos from our travels to London and Spain and hung them in the guest bathroom.  I chose to print the photos in color so as not to overdo the black and white theme.  My crafty husband made the frame for the mirror with inexpensive trim from Lowe’s and painted it black to match the cabinets.

We just painted our formal living and dining rooms this lovely shade of mocha and love the warmth and polish it added to the room. On the left, you see a hint of my dining room behind my puppy, Tate. I love the color the plate wall adds to the space. Tate is sitting in one of the two vintage Knoll Brno chairs that are sitting side by side, only separated by a small table. The chairs divide the formal living from the dining room. On the right, you have a little nook in the formal living room. I have a second Bruer chair in here along with some Rothko prints in gilded frames, a convex mirror, and Pharmacy Floor Lamp from Circa Lighting. I posted about this room last week, if you’d like to see the full thing. Hope you’ve enjoyed a peek into my humble abode!

MATTERS OF STYLE

Matters of Style blog, a “guide to gracious and glamorous living”, was co-founded by Sarah and Allison (who originally met in law school).  These smart cookies created the blog on the fly after they found themselves calling each other constantly about design ideas.  In April 2009, MoS was born, and the rest, as they say, is history.  This week, we are featuring Sarah’s little boy’s room and next week, Allison’s home!

Sarah unveiled her little boy’s nursery on MoS last November.  She tells us that his room was done on a budget.  But who could tell? It looks amazing!

That navy wall color is delicious!  I love the contrast it provides when paired with the crisp white furniture and graphic accents.

Her color scheme of navy, green, yellow and coral was done on purpose (so it would work for either a boy OR a girl).

She painted the bookcase white (one that was passed down through her family) and lined it with the striped drapery fabric.

Look at her adorable elephant accent table and her fabulous white chandelier!

Be sure to return next Monday where we will feature Part II of our Bloggers’ Homes Unveiled series!