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Things I’m Lusting After

Before we jump into this post, I just have to say thank you for all the comments on my latest post about the book “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”. First of all, y’all are hilarious, and second of all, you proved me right beyond the shadow of a doubt. It’s funny because Adam loves to read (as an adult and a kid), reads to the boys all the time, AND my boys are familiar with the book….but somehow Adam has made it nearly 32 years without ever hearing of this book. Don’t worry, it is on its way from Amazon to rectify the situation.

 

While building and planning this house I have spent an ungodly amount of time looking for inspiration. During that time I have found quite a few items I would love to incorporate into my home. And thus, this blog post was born.

It’s important to note that most of these things are not in the budget and will never happen. I’m just dreaming out loud. So in no particular order…

 

1. Antique brick paver floor brick floor

Brick pavers are stupid expensive, but I’m on the hunt for a budget friendly (ish) source. I just want to do this in the mudroom/laundry/half bath area, which isn’t a huge amount of square footage. Adam really likes brick paver flooring as well, so hopefully this one is on the “will happen” list.

2. Glass subway tile

green

More specifically, green and only green (I’m having a major crush on green these days, and you will notice as the list goes on). I would really like to put these in the mudroom shower, which is pretty small at 3×3. Even so, to wrap it in green glass tile would be well over $1,500. If you have any suggestions of a tile that would look great with a brick paver floor and white shiplap walls, please leave them in the comments! (Same for every other item on my list).

3. Vintage double drainboard sink

sink and cabinet inspiration

This one is actually happening and I am pumped about it. After searching high and low for an original and being continually disappointed by the price or condition, I found a company that makes gorgeous reproductions. This 1920-30’s high-backed version is my absolute favorite.

double drainboard farmhouse sink

(from NBI Drainboards)

 

4. The Inheritance Collection Sofa from Stephen Kenn

Stephen Kenn

Oh my goodness, this couch is amazing. Its made of  welded steel, leather straps, and vintage WWII military canvas. It’s also like $7,000…told you this list wasn’t based on reality. It’s art though…art you can sit on. And I want to put my butt on it.

stephen-kenn-inheritance-collection-sofa

5. Hamilton leather sofa from West Elm

Hamilton

This is my more realistic alternative to the Stephan Kenn sofa. It’s still pricey at over $2,000, but it’s so pretty, not to mention leather (aka, wipeable). I can’t seem to find reviews though…does anyone have one? Tell me about it.

6. A Big Ass Fan

Big Ass Fan

This huge fan is from a company called Big Ass Fans (really, that’s their name). It’s 8 feet across and would be awesome in our living room. It’s like 3 or 4 thousand dollars though, so…no. Also, this particular model is called the ISIS. Might want to consider changing that, Big Ass.

7. Hinkley Fulton Island Pendant

Hinkley Fulton

I really want a linear chandelier for above the dining room table, and this one is my favorite so far. Although, I also can’t get this one out of my head, which is basically the exact opposite.

Regina Olive

 

 8. Black metal railing

stair railing
.
I would love to have metal railing like this (with the silver sanded joints and everything) around the loft and catwalk. Our house will have a whole lot of rustic going on, and I’d love to balance it with something sleek and modern. Adam said we can make this, but neither of us knows how to weld (yet), so we may be forced to default to something wooden.
.

9. Surya Temple Rug

rug

Admittedly, this rug only looks moderately amazing in this stock photo (from Rugs USA), but I originally saw it in a parade of homes and it’s gorgeous.

 

10. French Cow Painting

french-cow-print

These dang cows are just so cute. Also, this painting gets bonus points for not being green. (from Crate & Barrel.)

 

11. Watercolor Cactus wallpaper from anewall

Watercolor Cactus Wallpaper

The second I laid eyes on this amazing wallpaper I knew I was going to put it in my house. It’s wallpaper perfection. The boys bathroom is going rustic (the others are more clean and contemporary) and this is going to be amazing in it. It’s the first room that I have completely planned in my head and I can’t wait to start putting it together.

 

Alright, now it’s time for y’all to share….I know you have an item that you can’t quite afford but you can’t stop thinking about. Perhaps you stalk it watching for a sale, or you signed up for the companies mailing list just in case they send you a 99% off coupon or something. Or heck, maybe you have eleven of these items. Let’s see ’em.

 

 

 

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55 Comments

  1. I taught in an elementary school that had 2 wonderful covered outdoor areas that could be used as classrooms between the wings of the building. Because I live in San Antonio, TX, where it is so hot, the district bought fans from the Big Ass Fan Company to hang in the spaces. They had to have the company labels removed because we can’t have grade school kids seeing Big Ass Fans in their school! LOL

    1. I’m in San Antonio too, so I completely understand the need for a ceiling fan that WORKS. I see the Big Ass ones all over in commercial buildings and they work so well…I even sat under one at a restaurant tonight!

  2. Being an Aussie I have never heard of the Give a Mouse a Cookie book, but then I bet most Americans have never read The Magic Pudding either! Hee hee
    Sad that the name Isis is being so often referred to as the you know who’s. Isis is an Egyptian goddess who loved her husband beyond death. It’s a sad story. Totally opposite of the nasty named ones now…..sigh…..
    Having said that, I have been under a Big Ass fan here in Oz! Yes, it’s true! Probably better pronounced as Beeg Ahse Fan. (coz that’s how we speak! Hee hee) It was AMAZINGLY cool! Even on low it was superb! Being stinking hot here right now I reckon I could do with one. They use them in our Bunnings stores which is a hardware store very much like Home Depot. They even have a website here!
    I WANT a kitchen sink like the one in your pics! Honestly, do you know how hard it is here to get one that doesn’t cost a leg or an arm or any other appendage?
    I SO WANT that canvas sofa! Argh! Why aren’t I rich? WHere can I find a rich American to marry me and take me away so I can buy all those goodies you guys have! PLUS he can buy me the Mouse gets a cookie book and then I’ll understand the references in your other post! ;)
    I just realised how rambling my comments are! I shall blame the 39 Celsius (102 F) heat today on that!

    1. When I was in high school I mentored a little girl named Isis. I always thought it was such a pretty, unique name.

      Now I have to look up The Magic Pudding, because I’ve never heard of it!

      1. You should totally get The Magic Pudding (says another Aussie). It is AWESOME. It’s by Norman Lindsay and he also did the illustrations. We have a radio drama version of it on tape that is fantastic that I loved as a kid and still listen to! :)

  3. I love the cactus wallpaper, and the paver floor, that’s so gorgeous. And the glass subway tile is so beautiful, if I can ever afford to replace my shower (we won’t be in this house forever so I don’t think it will happen here) I’ll definitely be using glass subway tile. If not I’ll just have to wait till we can build our own house!

  4. You’ve got three welded items on your list, so maybe you should learn to weld! Or, you might find that it is reasonable to hire someone. My husband used old floor joists from our old house to make a dining room table and we had the base welded. It cost about $300 to get this base for a massive table. You could at least get a quote, even for the lamp AND the couch! For the couch – I’m sure you could rustle up some cushions that look similar. Here’s a link to our welded table: https://goo.gl/photos/Ebj7FzA6L1hgKgfi8

    1. That table is gorgeous, love the old wood! That seems like a great deal for that base, I will definitely get some quotes…. I would have thought custom metal work was crazy expensive. We were thinking about trying to hire one of our friends or family to make the railing, we have quite a few that are great at it.

    1. We have that fan in our game room and LOVE it. So we bought one for our living room and a smaller one for our bedroom, lol. It’s a really beautiful fan.

      1. Bree, I read your comment on my phone first and didn’t know it was a reply to another comment…I thought you had three Big Ass Fans! I was like “Dang, that’s like 10K in fans” Ha! Going to look into that one at HD for sure.

  5. For the glass tile… I think the only way you’re going to get below $10/SF is to go for a ceramic wall tile alternative in that same green color… It of course won’t have the same depth and aesthetic as glass (sad face), but I’ve seen a lot of tile reps lately bringing in that larger-scale subway tile that comes in those vintage type colors and is typically below $6/SF. Granted, it’s often imported product (Usually Italy?) and could have a long lead time… but oh so gorgeous! Some even has a bit of a “brick” type appearance and mottled texture so kind of looks like kiln-formed glass the way the glaze pools on it. I only know of local MN dfealers (Tile X Design, RBC Tile and Kate Lo), but chances are the product has dealers in TX, too!

  6. I love the sink! I found an enameled metal one that is a double sink, double drain board at the local dump for $40 and it’s been sitting in my shed for almost 2 years waiting for a someday kitchen remodel. Someday!!

  7. I have that vintage sink!…in the garage…someday it’ll get into the house, and I will stash the canning and winemaking containers beneath its gathered skirts. Love the cow art…we so need some fabulous focal point for our train station kitchen. (5 doors! Mismatched windows!)

    Re: the brick floor – do BOTH of you have experience living with/cleaning such a surface? I will not live with such a thing again, and I didn’t have children or a dog that comes inside. Nor a ‘colorful rustic’ slate floor, not inside…how to be a slave to one’s housekeeping.

    Seconding Alison D’s enthusiasm for welding, as one of those Extremely Valuable life skills. I’ve done both oxyacetylene torch and electric arc, and it’s hot, but not beyond learning if you have a wishlist stack. I’d advocate electric arc as ‘easier’ than torch-fueled because there’s no valve to misunderstand or blow out (I was extremely lucky and nothing happened, but it could have been a Bad Day).

    1. Neither of us has experience with a brick floor. Did you have one? Can you tell me more about why you didn’t like it? All I know is what I read online, which is that they are great for mudrooms as long as you are okay with them getting a patina (which I think is icing on the cake).

      One or both of us plan on learning to weld one day, but right now things are crazy and free time is hard to come by. We have lots or family and friends that can teach us…both my mom and brother weld, as do quite a few friends (I believe they all do electric arc).

      1. I housesat for two different ones in Florida, and vacuuming sand out of grout lines was a painstaking chore. Their in/out dogs liked to pee on the brick, and the odor seemed to seep in and not be easily removed (probably why they did it!). One brick was a medium color, and the traffic paths became dark. Spilled liquids (animal vomit) were more than a swish to clean up since the floor surface was a nonsmooth grid. This brick was an extended modern hearth next to hardwood, so occasional washing with hydrochloric acid wasn’t an option (as you would with a concrete surface), though I think that brick was hard enough to take it.
        Another house had a red brick with thin joints as their Florida room floor, which the children used as a playroom…except that they couldn’t play cars on the floor, it was hard on kneeling, etc.
        Here in Alabama (dirt = clay), I lived with one, and in addition to not being able to just run a broom around (wouldn’t pick up everything in the grout), the dirt seemed much more staining.
        Also we’d stub barefoot toes on the very rustic bricks, which varied greatly. Which ironically were apparently soft enough to chip or scratch if something was dropped or scooted (like a washing machine). On this floor bits of mortar would break off occasionally too, which I think was because it was laid on a wood subfloor (that flexes) rather than the slabs that were common in Florida.
        I have very good dog-crazy friends that recently put a brick floor in their kitchen…but they both felt very strongly about it, do not cry when all dropped things break, and he cleans it up too.
        If you like a rustic look and aren’t too picky about housecleaning, you’ll have one in short order…but I resented becoming the servant of the floor!

        1. Well that sounds terrible, especially the animal pee part (my boys bathroom is bad enough). Although…we don’t have sand, or clay…heck, we barely have dirt. And we don’t have pets, and even if we get one in the future it will be of the outdoor variety. And the brick will be going directly on the slab, so flexing won’t be a problem. Both Adam and I like the rustic look (dark traffic paths are fine) and aren’t overly picky about housekeeping. You’ve definitely given me something to think about, but I actually think it might work for us. (You have also given me another reason to never let animals in the house.)

  8. I have found a kitchen display with beautiful green counters at our local Loews and I’m in love with it! No money right now for a kitchen reno but man do I love that kitchen!

  9. For the railing, if you end up having to go with wood, it wouldn’t be a bad choice! My friend just did her stair railing using the metal grid with a wooden frame, which was the first place I saw that design used inside. I have to say, it hits the industrial-rustic look on the nose. Her wood is finished in a light maple color, but if you painted it black or dark brown it would look great too. I also have the same wooden grid with a cedar wooden frame on my outdoor porch, when its outdoors it looks very modern and its very very sturdy.

  10. I pretty much like everything on your list!! Idea for your shower: why not do cheaper white subway tiles through out and then an accent band of three gorgeous green glass tile? Might highlight the pretty tile even more:)

    P.s. i want that beautiful sink!! Can’t wait to see pictures of yours installed:)

    1. I think subway tile is going to be the plan…you just can’t go wrong. I have storage niche planned for that shower and will probably end up with the glass tile as an accent in the niche.

      I can’t wait to see that sink installed either…Adam has already started building the cabinets!

  11. I would recommend going with white subway tile (classic and timeless) in your mud room shower. You may be loving green now but eventually you will want a change and at $1500 for the green glass tiles you may be hesitant to tear it out at that point. Paint the walls green. Another idea is to paint an accent wall green and/or use green elsewhere in the mud room such as with towels, bath mat, plant, coat rack, etc. to add that green you’re loving right now.

    1. I haven’t ordered tile yet (it’s on the to-do list for this week), but I think the mudroom and master shower will get white subway tile. You’re right, you just can’t go wrong and will never regret it in the future.

  12. I have heard of painting the wall the color you like and then putting clear glass tiles over it. Are clear glass tiles any cheaper? I LOVE that awesome sofa. I don’t know if I could make it work in my house, but I LOVE it…add some navy pillows? swoon.

    I’m lusting after a beautiful outdoor table and chairs for our new patio…but I am not 100% sure what I want. I LOVE this: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/147281850292303642/

    1. On man, that outdoor area is what dreams are made of.

      That’s an interesting idea about clear glass tile, though I’m not sure they are cheaper. I’m about to go google it though!

  13. Have you checked Floor and Decor for your glass subway tile? They have GREAT prices, and I’m pretty sure there’s at least one location in San Antonio.

    1. It’s funny you mention that, Adam and I actually took a trip to Floor and Decor last week. It’s HUGE and has really great prices, plus everything is in stock (no lead time). I’ve actually been talking with them and they want to sponsor the tile in my boys bathroom, which I’m really excited about.

  14. I love the brick pavers, but I think I love slate even more! I like slate floors for a mudroom or laundry area. I have seen brick backsplash tile, I wonder if it is suitable for floors? Hmmm, I’ve also heard of people slicing bricks in half for tiling floors.

    1. I’ve been looking into it and we would have to do the sliced brick for our floor, otherwise it would be too thick and not line up with our other flooring. I saw a brick backsplash at Floor and Decor last week (and it was only $5 or so a square foot), but it’s in a brick pattern and too red. I’m kind of stuck on a lighter brick in a herringbone patten (because I’m a giant pain in the ass.)

    2. Please talk to someone with a 5+ year slate floor and if they love it, match their slate type/construction EXACTLY. We are about to rip out a slate floor (see my comment about brick floors, just about all of that applies) because it’s preventing sale of our old house. Those really colorful slates are super soft and fragile. The durable slates are generally gray. Don’t put any kind of masonry on a wood subfloor (which will naturally flex and thus crack the masonry.) Architectural materials are used in particular places historically for very good reasons…only recently has it become relatively cheap/fashionable to be creative about using wall or roof materials for indoor surfaces, and a magazine will not tell you what you’re signing up for. (I’m an ex-architect.)

  15. Hi Ashley, I love your blog! I just discovered H&M Home and while browsing the site for the first time just now I found this pillow that looks just like your cactus wallpaper (which I love by the way)! I know you said it was for the boys bathroom but I had to share in case you want to tie the print in somewhere else in the house. And wow H&M Home seems too good to be true, very unique items at great prices. Have you bought from them before?

    1. I’ve never shopped there for home stuff…I actually thought they were just clothes. I’m going to now though, because that pillow is cute and $9 is cheap! Thanks for the link!

  16. I love the sink and the 2nd light. I generally love your taste but I have to tease you about a couple of your choices, you don’t seem like you’d be the type to get offended about it. I bet you love good natured banter. I love when people are real and tell me what they really think. I love metal taxidermy heads (deer, rams, antelope) and to my sister, it is so random. She doesn’t get it AT ALL. She thought I’d love the lions outside of her library. haha! Not the same thing! Anyway… back on track…The fan. It’s so not-at-all-attractive. I even like industrial stuff. Maybe it just reminds me of the fans over the wearhouse area at IKEA which I am pretty sure are Big Ass Fans. I like IKEA and all. Also, the cactus wallpaper? I’m probably just a little prejudice against cactus’s (cacti?) because I once got 2nd in the Mystery Thrift off to a Cactus Side Table. (betterafter.net). Just kidding, It’s a perfectly lovely table. And it’s probably because of the table that the cactus is seeming to have their day in the sun now. (cheesy pun intended.) Actually the wallpaper isn’t that bad. I like the watercolor quality of it and it is appropriate for your region.

    As for what I’ve lusted after… I loved Pottery Barn’s sea grass sectional (it had both lights and darks in sea grass). I wanted it bad but couldn’t justify that kind of money. I got over it and am glad I didn’t get it. Now I’m lusting after a navy, leather, chesterfield couch that I have zero intention of buying. This one in particular http://www.homedecorators.com/p/gordon-tufted-sofa/ The price isn’t that bad for a couch but when I don’t need a couch then it’s pretty expensive.

    1. Ha, you have me figured out! I’m not easily offended at all, and my husband and I basically survive on a constant flow of banter and teasing. Honest opinions are always welcome.

      So the fan. I agree it isn’t the end all of attractiveness, but that’s not why I want it. With our super high ceilings we need something that moves air, and this is the king of moving air. Really, I’m just being practical (except for price-wise…that’s not practical at all). And the cactus wallpaper? You shut your mouth, that stuff is amazing. Look at it here and tell me it wouldn’t be the best thing ever in a little boys rustic bathroom – https://www.instagram.com/p/_j4fnRhNYa/?taken-by=anewalldecor

      I know exactly the seagrass sofa you are talking about, because it was my dream sofa for years. I LOVED it. Couldn’t afford it, but loved it. Now I’m so glad I never got it…could you imagine a seagrass sofa with little kids? There would be so much food and throw up in that seagrass that I would have to burn the whole thing.

      1. I love that you take the time to reply to your people. ha ha! That sounds like you are the ruling queen. Well, something like that anyway. :) I imagine you look like Rapunzel’s mother in Tangled (Her very lovely real mother, not the crazy lady) Yeah, I love banter, too. It makes a marriage so fun.

        Ok, I see your point about the fan. There are things that we need for practical purposed. Those purchases are a lot easier for me to justify than the merely pretty ones. And I concede, the wallpaper looks fabulous in the nursery. I didn’t see that coming- in a nursery! I love the brass light in the corner, too. You could probably paint that wallpaper yourself if it’s that’s pricey. I know how to do a lot of stuff… frame, drywall, tape and mud, build, tile, crafts but I am TERRIBLE at wallpapering. Someday, I am doing to post a pinterest Nailed It on my attempt at paper lined drawers. It’s SO bad!

        I know, about that couch and kids. I have 9 of them (kids, not couches). I figured I might have to scrape food out of the seagrass and it might get cracked due to kids wanting to sit on the arms, and I would probably have to wash the white cushion covers weekly but I thought it might be worth it for the beauty. LOL! Good thing I couldn’t afford it!

  17. With so many dream items being welded metal, you should explore learning to weld or hiring it done. It is common steel, not stainless or aluminum so doesn’t have the more complicated or expense of those metals and welding technique. They look like common square stock so should be a pretty simple thing to make the sofa, light and rail. Talk with your friends, get some estimates, maybe talk with a trade school or high school shop class if they are looking for a project. Get a lot of leather strapping and buckles. Duluth MN where I live has two businesses https://www.duluthpack.com/ and https://www.frostriver.com/ that make bags and other things out of heavy canvas. There are probably lots of others similar. Maybe they or another company could custom make the cushions for the couch. As far as the reviews on the leather couch, Miss Mustard Seed blogger has a similar looking couch she purchased and has blogged about, you could check those out. Good luck.

  18. A brick floor is on my possibility list for when we do our mudroom. However, I am concerned about the issues other commenters have raised about cleanability. We’re likely going to have to pour concrete in the room where the mudroom will be eventually (it’s part of an indoor pool right now), so I’m considering doing stamped tinted concrete. I’m thinking that might be smoother and easier to clean, but I’ve seen some concrete stamping that looks incredible (terracotta tiles, but that’s not far off brick, right?). Anyways, I’ve not investigated this at all, so have nothing really legitimate to share, but I just wanted to raise the idea.

  19. I love the metal railings that you show! I’m not sure if I would rather have stainless steel or another type of metal, but I love how it adds to the modern feel of the room. Metallic handrails are just such clean lines, and I am definitely going to try to find some for our new house!

  20. Hi Ashley, Your collection is quite unique and adorable, I loved the sofa and French Cow Painting. Every thing is at it’s own place which gives an elegant look to your home. Even i am in hurry to renovate my home for which i am lusting after outdoor patio heaters and fire pit because they are very useful in winter and also they can save the efficient energy as per our need.

  21. I am lusting for a woodstove! We rent, so it won’t be happening any time soon. But I SO want one, both for warmth and coziness.

    How many of your list items are making it into the new house? (Since I’m so late replying and all…)

    1. Well let’s see…I have the sink, railing, and cow painting, and am still planning the brick floor, dining room light, and cactus wallpaper. The glass subway tile, any new couch, big ass fan, or expensive rug are never going to happen. Instead we did regular white subway tile, don’t have a fan (but will get a cheap one), are getting a hand me down old (but still better than ours) couch, and will one day get a non-expensive rug. Overall, I’d say I’m doing pretty good on the list though!

      Also, growing up my parents had (and still have) a wood burring stove and that thing can pump out some heat! I spent the (very short and warm) winters huddled up next to it.

      1. Hi, I just found your blog while looking for more info on the nbi drainboard sinks. I love your style! I really want a drainboard sink in our new kitchen but our contractor is trying to talk us out of the nbi sink because it is acrylic and he thinks it would be flimsy and not hold up well to heat. I can’t find many reviews online about it. Have you installed this sink yet? Do you have any complaints about using it? Any opinions you can give about it would be super helpful! Thank you!

        1. Hi Angelo! Yes, we installed the sink been using it about six months. I absolutely love it. I was nervous about it being acrylic, (I’ve had an acrylic sink before and it was terrible), but this one is different. It IS really light weight, but I haven’t had any problems with heat or scratching, and it’s super easy to clean and very functional. I would choose it again.

  22. Just searching the internet for reviews on the NBI Drainboard Sink and wondering if you got yours. Ours arrived and my husband hates it and doesn’t want to install it because he thinks it doesn’t have the weight and heft of a cast iron. Thanks, Carraie

  23. 99% off coupon. Haha lol! You have such great finishes to every post! I think this was so funny to me because you made me realize subconsciously that’s probably why I have signed up for mailing lists, and now that you put it out there I see how ridiculously impossible and funny that is and maybe I can unsubscribe from a few and give up that dream…hahaha.

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