These are a few of my favorite things

A short while after we moved into our house three and a half years ago, we hired a contractor to remodel portions of our house. While I still love everything we did to the house, my favorite things tend to be in the small details. Or the comfort. Or the many photographs hanging on our walls. Here are some glimpses.

I recently snagged these Thro pillows from Haute Look for $15 a piece. Thought they would make a nice addition to our dining room's robin's egg blue walls - I've been wanting to add some orange.

One of the best features of our remodel, I think, is the fireplace surround and mantle in the dining room, built by our own contractor, Brent. I knew what I wanted, showed him some examples, and he produced! I found it so funny that he was worried the final product was too big, that we wouldn't be happy. Instead, it was exactly what I wanted.

 
Not only do I love the mantle, but I love things on and around it. The stained glass. The yellow vase with dried purple flowers.The West Elm candles from my friend Erin.

And of course the painting of Mt. Saint Michele, which I commissioned from my friend Ashley Hamm for B's birthday a few years ago. I gave her our photo album from our trip to France in 1998 for a little inspiration. She chose to paint the Abby, which sits at the very top of the Medieval city. I've climbed those steep steps a few times, and the view from the top and a walk around the cloisters is well worth it.

I love a good stack of coffee table books, like here - topped with blue pottery and seashells. (Notice my love of many things coastal? I have a love for pottery too.)

And of course a good book at my bedside (currently Just Let Me Lie Down: Necessary Terms for the Half-Insane Working Mom by Kristin Van Ogtrop). If only I had more time to read...

I mentioned that I love photographs. While I would like to add more art to my walls (preferably of the original variety), all of the photographs of my children bring me such joy. I see no need to replace them!

I love my wall of photographs in the hallway...

A few of my favorite photos above my vanity (especially that one of our baby girl at the Arboretum)...

The first piece of furniture I bought on my own dime was this antique cabinet, at a city wide garage sale in Austin. My mom found it and brought me to it. I loved the bright green with hints of blue and white paint peeking through, the french door front, the glass knob...and all these years later I still enjoy it and find uses for it (currently housing some of my art pottery collection and law books).

Our house has 5 window seats - 4 upstairs (with dormer windows) and one large window seat in our living room, behind our sofa. This one is by far my favorite - a perfect place for a Saturday afternoon nap, for the boys to read books, for V to watch her older brothers play in the backyard.

And a peek at 2 of the upstairs window seats...

And speaking of upstairs, as a converted attic it includes lots of great architectural features - slanted walls and ceilings, a brick wall, and pockets of storage wherever it would fit. I love the little bookshelves and cabinets - they certainly make great storage for a playroom. When our friend Amy showed us the house, I think the upstairs is what sold us. We are working on moving L & E upstairs where they can each have their own bedroom. Stay tuned for that transformation.

And one of my favorite corners upstairs has these growth charts - reminders to enjoy L, E and V every day because they are only growing taller and more independent.

I could probably show you more, but I think these pictures offer some good insight into what makes our house our home. While it is far from perfect and has a running "to do" list, we love our home and the comfort it provides.