This past weekend we got the Christmas tree out. I cannot believe it’s already that time of year. The months have just flown by!

Trimming the tree and decking the halls helps me make the transition to the holiday season but have you thought about what a difference your trim makes to your doors and windows?

I just ran across some before and after photos of the wall of doors/windows in our living room. It really is amazing how the trim either adds to or takes away from the decor of your home. So since this is the trimming season, take a look and just what a difference your trim makes.

BEFORE – our house was built in around 1992 – sadly for us that seems to be the time when everyone was in love with oak. It. Is. Everywhere in this house. Ugh! And if that wasn’t bad enough, it was the honey stain!

So, little by little we have been replacing it. What we haven’t been able to replace yet, we have painted (for the most part.)

I am embarrassed to admit that this is how the living room looked for the three years we have lived here. We have been updating other rooms but because this one just was what it was.

DURING: The first step was to pull out those window grids. WOW what a difference! Kind of like getting braces off your teeth!

Since privacy is not an issue and there is a deck right outside with lots of rails, removing the grids should have been a no brainer! The Before was really  such a visual mess!

AFTER: We replaced all the trim and painted it. Another option would have been to have just painted it. However, we are slowing replacing all the standard trim with 1×4 and 1×6 trim like you would see in homes built 100 years ago.

I love the character it adds to a house. Best of all, it’s not something you see in every home you go in to.

I hope this picture makes you smile.

This beautiful home in Cooperstown, New York was featured this past March in Country Living magazine. The house just makes me smile {and there is a make-me-swoon metal roof again!}

You can check out a behind the scenes video courtesy of photographer extrordinare, David A. Land.

More lovely photos from this photo shoot {including the exterior of this house in its entirety} can be found on David’s website. While you’re there, make sure to check out his fabulous work!

In addtion to beautifully photographing homes for shelter magazines, his profile work of the rich and/or famous is teriffic. He completely captured the ebullient personality of the amazing Michael Simon, local chef here on the North Coast and a Food Network star.

If you don’t subscribe to Country Living, check out your local library for the March issue.

It’s day two of our beach house remodel here on Pawley’s Island, SC. Today it is raining – that takes away the distraction and temptation of the beach! Despite the rain it is still a nice place to be.

I snapped this photo above of the wavy sand yesterday morning during my sunrise walk on the beach. Since this is a working trip, I brought my paint decks from both Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore. Before I leave, I plan on creating a “Pawley’s Island” color palette from one of the decks. The paint colors will be inspired by the beautiful seaside. 

When I was walking on the beach this morning I noticed that even the sand has many colors! Who knew?

Here is progress on our kitchen thus far. This first photo is from yesterday. They had just started work on removing the cabinets.

 The last picture is from today. . . these southern boys really do know how to demo!

I know I typically write about “home things” but when you have a minute, hop on over to my sister’s blog, “Living the Life,” and read her post on “showing love.” It is very sweet and will bring a smile and a tear, to your face. Have a great day & hug the ones you love.

Today I was interviewed by a reporter from our local newspaper for a feature article about design and decorating trends – where we’ve been and where we are going. Jean was such a sweetheart and we had so much fun talking – she’s one of us!

The interview got me to thinking. I go into many homes where people are just struggling to get out of a rut - they want to get their home into this century when it comes to the way they should decorate.

Well, recently I came across a post that beautifully showcases ”where we have been” and shows how simple it can be to get to ”where we are going” when it comes the current trend in design and decorating.

How better to show the difference between the two than with pictures? Here are two from her post that really say it all.

Where We’ve Been

Where We Are Going

Amazing yet so simple. Today’s design trend is to the fresh, clean line tempered with a touch of vintage which adds character and history to a space. For the not-so-sure-do-it-yourselfer, a bathroom is the perfect place to try your hand at making a change. It’s easily done in a weekend and for not a lot of money. How “devine!”

Pop over to Susie Harris’ blog to see more of her fabulous bathroom makeover!

I hope you enjoyed Christmas!! So I have GOT to ask, “What did Santa bring you????” What was your favorite “home” gift that Santa left under the tree or in your stocking?

My favorite home gift from Santa is this fabulous Bamboo-scented candle from Nest Fragrances! Santa got it from beautyexclusive.com and it came beautifully wrapped in apple green tissue paper.

Nest Fragrances is the new line of candles from Laura Slatkin {of Slatkin & Co. fame}. I had come across Laura’s “Bamboo & Jasmine” candle from her Slatkin & Co. in Charleston this past fall. The scent was amazing so I hunted it down online and discovered it was no longer available. {She had sold the line to Bath & Bodyworks who apparently ended up changing it – so I read.}

Thankfully, she has created this line of home fragrance candles and “Bamboo” smells just as I remember the one in Charleston.

While she says the scent is “flowering bamboo mingled with a variety of white florals, sparkling citrus, and fresh green accords,” the scent to me is really more jasmine. If I close my eyes and take in the scent, it reminds me of the wonderful confederate jasmine that grows in my beloved southeast.

So, that’s my favorite home gift from Santa. What’s yours??????

Today Mr. DH and I went on the annual fall tour of century homes in Geauga {pronounced gee-aw-ga} County. It’s the third year we’ve gone on the tour and since our Cleveland Browns are 0-3, {now 0-4} it was a no brainer!

The Geauga County Panhellenic Association organizes this annual event. It’s always so neat to be able to go inside some of these historic beauties.

This year’s tour was of four homes and a church. There were a couple of Victorians on the tour and two saltbox homes.

Each year that we tour, I am always amazed at the craftsmanship of these 100-year-old homes. Ah, the good ole days. I mean look at the molding detail on that Victorian {above}.

This year’s homes were in the Burton area. It was a crisp fall afternoon. The skies were gray but thankfully the rain that we had all week long was no where in sight!

This Victorian had five fireplaces and so many wonderful transoms above the doors. Both my hubby and I wish our house had at least 10-foot ceilings so we could have transoms.

This tree was out in front of the Amariah Beard house built in 1824! We were not allowed to take photos inside any of the house but I can tell you that this house was pretty authentic inside. It even smelled like it was a century old! White plaster walls with colonial blue trim – very true to period. The floor boards were 14″ wide – amazing!

The front door of this house along with the windows were all original. I snapped a photo of this tree that was on the property of the Beard house. What stories it could tell if trees could talk!

On the tour we parked at the Geauga County Fair and then walked to the two Victorians. I snapped this photo with the flag flying there. Love the board and batten siding and trim detail on this building {and just look at that wonderful roof line – ideas for our house when we reside it!}

The last home we toured was actually not a century home – in fact, it was built in 2002. However, the owners/builders used authentic building practices, chopped down the trees on their property and made all their own lumber to build the house. They didn’t use any electric-powered tools in building it! Amazing.

It was a lovely walk back thru time . . . we’re look forward to next year’s tour!

“Sometimes the most real things in the

world are the things we can’t see.”

{ photo David Grunfeld: Seaside, FL from the book: “America At Home”}

Enjoy the beauty in life . . at The Beautiful Life on Melissa’s blog!