AND I shopped for the countertops yesterday and found THE ONE. Oh my. I dreamed about it last night, no lie. I'm so stinking excited. It will be the biggest expense in our kitchen renovation but I'm OK with that since I'm doing most of the work myself. Just gotta break it to the husband. ;)
I've mentioned lately that I'm on a purging rampage of late and it has continued even during the renovation. I am taking a good hard look at how we use things, how often we use them and if they make us happy.
Part of that purge includes my stash of magazines. I've told you before that I have a problem with magazines. I love them, I hoard them, I can't get enough of them. Magazines or catalogs -- I'm not picky. The start of the month makes me especially giddy because I know the new ones will be on their way to the stands soon.
But I have wayyyy too many. I've taken a good hard look at the ones I really love and subscriptions I want to keep up. I'm slowly going through those that I have piled up and keeping images I love.
I've decided to start sharing some of my favorite images here with you, and I'll group them in similar categories -- today it's decorating bookcases. These are actually all from catalogs, which I enjoy more than magazines. They are pure decor -- no fluff, no articles, no recipes (although I do love those occasionally too). And the best part? Totally free. Blogs and catalogs are where it's at!
This one is from Birch Lane -- I just started getting this catalog and I LOVE it. The prices are up there with Pottery Barn so I don't know that I'll purchase a lot from them, but the pages are just gorgeous and chock full of inspiration. The bookcase in this one isn't the focus of the picture but I had to include it:
So well done! I love the mix of industrial-type items and more traditional ones. Love the layering as well.
This simple one is from CB2 has a more industrial/modern feel. I love the use of plants:
They definitely add some softness to this look, right? I'm a plant lover and find that they are the perfect addition when accessorizing. They fill in spaces so nicely and add some much needed life.
I love this idea for a bookcase -- this is more of a hutch but why not turn it into a wine bar?:
I love the use of accessories and baskets in this Pottery Barn image:
They help to hide the not-so-pretty stuff. And look -- they have a magazine obsession too! Ha!
Speaking of baskets -- who's to say you can't use them on every shelf? I quite love this look:
This would be great for office storage or in a craft room. You can find inexpensive baskets at Marshalls, TJ Maxx and HomeGoods all the time. The plant in the basket is another go-to for me as well. :)
Here's another Birch Lane image that I loved:
This is more of an etagere and they treated this with a lighter look that is really well done.
I think this may be one of my favorites -- again, I love the layers. When decorating in general you want to layer and vary the heights of items whenever possible:
You want your eye to travel up and down when looking at it -- it's visually pleasing for most. :) This one is a little busy but feels right for this time of year. I showed you how I've been adding more layers to our home in anticipation of the fall season.
I shared my tips on decorating shelves here -- it took me a while to figure out what I wanted on our library bookcases but I've been really happy with them:
And when I get it the way I like it, I don't change it for a very long time. ;)
Do you have any magazines or catalogs that you love? Do you hang on to them too long like I do, or do you go through them pretty quickly? I want to be you if so.
Have a great weekend!
