Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Another Peek at the Poole's

I'm sure that many of you will recognize this Charlotte home, belonging to Laura and Perry Poole, from the February 2007 edition of Domino. I definitely did, which is why the spring/summer edition of Charlotte Magazine's Home& Garden, featuring the Poole's and their fabulous mid-century modern home on the cover, caught my eye at Borders the other day.

This piece offers a more in-depth look into the house and its evolution from "the ugliest in Charlotte" to a stylistically appropriate marriage of mid-century modern architecture/decor and contemporary living for this chic young family. It's a treat to see new images of the house, including some "before" shots, which give us a greater appreciation for its evolution and the talented designers behind it all, including the Pooles themselves and their good friend and decorator, Barrie Benson (whom I love!). Enjoy!






Tuesday, July 27, 2010

I bet you can't eat just one...


In light of my heat & pregnancy-induced stir-craziness, I decided to bake on Sunday. I found this recipe for Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes on a design blog weeks ago, and of course I can't for the life of me remember which one now (if it was you, please let me know! And thanks for the incredible recipe!)

So I made them, they were super easy, and absolutely delicious! If you find yourself cooped up inside because of this extreme heat and get the urge to bake, I highly recommend making these. Ryan and I have been consuming about 3 a day thus far...


Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Makes 20 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 c. sugar
1 pinch salt
1 (6 oz) package chocolate chips
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. water
1/2 c. oil
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla

1. In a small bowl, combine first 4 ingredients.

2. Add chocolate chips and set aside.

3. Mix remaining ingredients well.

4. Fill muffin tins, lined with paper cups 1/3 to 1/2 full with this mixture.

5. Drop a large spoonful of cheese mixture on top.

6. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!


Monday, July 26, 2010

Ready & Waiting + The Nursery

The countdown is on. 9 more days until Rob's is "due" to enter the world. Nesting has taken full effect and all of the closets and drawers are clean & organized, baseboards have been scrubbed, and the nursery has been ready for awhile now (not surprising, I guess).

The waiting game is starting to drive me a little crazy, even though I know I should be grateful for the down time while I have it. In an effort to stay busy today, and to follow up on my nursery posts from months ago, I decided to take a few pictures of the "final" room to share with you.

You can see some of my resources & inspiration here, including the crib & rocker I used.



By the way; if you're considering the Eames Rocker (or a knock-off version, like mine) for a nursery but are concerned about the comfort level, I've been pleased thus far. Granted, I haven't spent a whole lot of time in it yet, so stay tuned for a more accurate report once the midnight feedings have begun...


I followed Erica's (at Urban Grace) great tip for making a crib skirt that will always "kiss the floor," no matter how high or low the crib mattress is adjusted. It's a smart & easy way to make a custom crib skirt and you can see her directions here. And, if your crib is up against a wall like mine, you only need fabric for 3 panels, saving $ on yardage (always a plus!).
*Side note: Once Rob arrives, the frog & blanket in the crib will find a new home in the nursery, as it's not recommended that any kind of blanket or toy be in the crib with a newborn.


Old chest of drawers + changing pad + diapers/wipes stored in top right drawer for easy access +diaper genie on the right= viola! Instant changing table. Complete with my Cole Harbert alphabet watercolor & salvaged/repainted artichoke lamps.

My favorite part of Rob's nursery are the small, sentimental items that will serve to help teach him about his family and all that is dear to us.



For example, this picture above of Ryan as a baby with his Mom and Dad...



And this one of my Mom holding me, with my maternal grandmother in the background...



Of course, Rob will learn very quickly that he's a Tar Heel, born & bred. Above is a watercolor of the Old Well (at UNC), which was given to me by my parents when I graduated from Carolina. In the picture frame on the left is a shot of Ryan and me at (one of many) college sorority events.

Does the elephant look familiar? It hadn't found a good home yet after months in the booth, and I decided it will be a perfect flower vase for the nursery. (Flowers to come...proving that there's always some detail left to attend to...)



This is perhaps my favorite piece of "art" in the nursery; it's a letter that Ryan wrote to his grandmother when he was little, along with a four-leaf clover that he had found for her. Hopefully you can read the text from my picture; it's absolutely precious.



I found these tiny trays at an antique shop when we were in Middleburg, Virginia, celebrating our first anniversary. At the time, I didn't know what I was going to do with them, but I just thought they were too sweet to pass up. Now they are perfect for holding odds & ends in the nursery!


And, here's me at 9 months pregnant. You can see that I wasn't kidding about this child being a Tar Heel right out of the womb!

Happy Monday, everyone!



Wednesday, July 14, 2010

What's New

Side Chair; $95

Cypress wood lamp, circa 1920 (newly wired) with shade. $180

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Shore Decor


As promised, I took a few pictures of my parents' beach house this weekend, to show you the end results of some of my work there. I'm pleased with these spaces because they're fun, light, durable and incorporate a hybrid of flea market finds, customization and some of my favorite lines & sources. Photographs are mine and are far from professional; sorry!

Design & Image by Anna Applegate; Wallpaper is Nina Campbell

Design & Image by Anna Applegate; Chest is Thomasville

Design & Image by Anna Applegate

Design & Image by Anna Applegate

Most of all, I love this house because it's where I've been able to share many special memories with those most important to me, in a place dear to my heart- the coast of North Carolina. What better venue is there for design work?!?

Hope you had a wonderful Fourth of July!

Friday, July 2, 2010

Happy 4th!



We're beach-bound for the weekend, friends. My doctor just gave me the green light and I'm very much looking forward to a weekend of sitting on this dock (and in the cool water) with a few good magazines and a cold glass of raspberry lemonade. (it's no Corona, but a great substitute for the 8-months pregnant!)

I've been helping my parents with some decorating projects at the beach house, so I'll try to share some pictures next week of what we've done so far. This image will give you a quick taste:

Image via Wallpaper Direct, UK

Have a wonderful holiday weekend!