A Properly Attired Front Porch

Home ownership has a good deal to do with the American dream.

My home dreams and fantasies tend to run to the grandiose and southern, but you already knew that, right?

Remember, this is my DREAM HOUSE?

Remember, this is my DREAM HOUSE?

Our front porch, errr, the postage stamp that we affectionately refer to as a front “porch”

is now properly attired in cabbage palms and new bronze urns.

It is my HUMBLE opinion – (and you know what opinions are like…)

that no respectable southern front porch should be without cabbage palms and HUGE urns.

That assumes some things about me that are mostly true. You decide what’s what on that topic.

Porch Fantasies & Deck Dreams- Ubiquitous Potted Palm

Ubiquitous Potted Palm


Read on for more ‘Gumbo goodness…

That Certain Shade of Green

Catch me, I’ve Fallen in Love with Emerald Green

Green door loveliness

Green door loveliness, Source

Lately, my eye is caught by this color of green.  

Isn’t this door just an amazing, knock your socks off shade of green?

The color just pops right off the picture for me.

It makes me want to paint my house a putty-ish beige with black trim so I can rock a green front door.

Everywhere I Look, All I See is Green, Green, Green

A few weeks ago, my consciousness started to take notice of this color, when a colleague at work wore a beautiful jade green linen sheath dress with a black and white zebra cardigan. The combination seemed so fresh and new. And she looked awesome.

From that moment on, I started to notice the jade/emerald color all around me, in clothing, nature, furniture and furnishings.

Usually, at this time of year, the color of green that catches my fancy (and really all year) is a light yellowish – spring green.

Spring Green Le Creuset Dutch Oven

Spring Green Le Creuset Dutch Oven, Source

2013 Pantone's Color of the Year - Emerald Green

2013 Pantone’s Color of the Year – Emerald Green, Source

However, this year, I seem to favor Pantone‘s 2013 color of the year, Emerald.

It’s no surprise that the color trends take a while to reach the mainstream,  so that the manufacturing cycles to catch up with the forecast cycle. Is it just me, or are you also experiencing a delayed reaction to the 2013 Pantone color of the year?

Versailles Planter in Jade

Versailles Planter in Jade, Source

I just adore this Versailles Planter in Jade Green.

I’ll have to save my pennies to afford two of these for the front porch.

OR perhaps I can con, err, I mean convince, no sweet talk, Tim into making these for me…

Follow Carollynn @designGumbo.net’s board Green, Green, Green! on Pinterest.

Show & Tell

A few weeks ago, I teased you with some spring accessories that I had acquired but not yet received.

They’re finally all here AND my house was clean

AND

I was out of excuses for not revealing the small, but significant tweaks to the living room.

Its important to note, too, that the Grrr Girls refused to post again until I made good on my promised reveal to you.

So without further ado…

The Leopard’s Fabulous Spots

First up, I procured these velvet leopard pillows, which everyone now knows is my favorite print of all time, since I was 5 or 6 years old:

velvet leopard pillow from Arriana Belle

velvet leopard pillow from Arriana Belle

As I hoped, the the orange, brown, black and cream spots really pops against the linen fabric and Golden Delicious walls. It also adds some needed pattern to a solid piece of furniture.

New Velvet Leopard Pillow

New Velvet Leopard Pillow

The Other (i)Kat in the House

My inspiration piece:

Raspberry Ikat pillow with pom pom fringe

The idea I’m stealing from Simple Details blog

The not quite finished product (missing some fun pom pom trim)

Raspberry Ikat Pillow

Raspberry Ikat Pillow

Come See the Sea Life

Behind the pillow on the buffet is another little piece that came together by adding the large finger coral and sponges, sea fans and shells to the black carved urn.

Finger coral and sponge, sea fans and small Florida fighting conchs in a black carved urn

Finger coral and sponge, sea fans and small Florida fighting conchs in a black carved urn

All in all, I’m happy with these small updates. Next on the agenda, adding furniture to the deck and new plants to the front porch.

Treat me like a Queen

I freely admit I am a sucker for exceptional customer service.

I could wax poetic on the number of times I have received outstanding customer service and just how good that made me feel, right down to my toes.

You might think I’m exaggerating, but I’m not.

This is IMPORTANT stuff, people.

Customer Service Tag Cloud

Customer Service Tag Cloud

Yes, that means I want to be treated like the queen I think I am inside my brain.

Especially if I’m paying for some service or product.

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Wild Wisteria Surprise

A World Within Walking Distance

Northeast Branch Trail

Northeast Branch Trail

I really like the small city we live in, its large enough to be diverse and small enough that you are known. In the eight years we’ve lived here, the growth and change has been slow, but steady. New restaurants, shops and housing have arrived, making the city even more attractive to its residents. There’s a great city park with baseball, soccer and football fields, tennis courts, a playground, nature trail and a skateboard park.

One of our favorite aspects is the city park links up to miles and miles of walking/biking trails.Our daily walks with the Grrr Girls on the Northeast Branch Trail provides a different nature story with ever-changing wild life and flora.

Northeast Branch Trail

Northeast Branch Trail, another view


This winter, we shared the trail with a pack of young male deer going to and fro from the woods and the levees.

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Newsflash: Spring came late this year.

I know its spring when my Water Oak has allergies and starts snotting on my deck

I know its spring when my Water Oak has allergies and starts snotting on my deck

Shifting the schedule for all sorts of stuff — spring time flowers, new leaves on barren skeletal trees, warmer weather, and not the least — a delayed pollen and allergy season.

Baseball season started on time, though. That’s something, right?

Over the years, my allergies changed with where I lived: in Florida, it was cats and an occasional pollen issue. Migrating northward, suddenly there were a whole SLEW of new allergens never before imagined.

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