My birthday is coming up at the end of the month, and though I have a full wish list, one item has moved to the very top — and I’d be thrilled if it was all I received! That item? A painting from my new favorite artist, Erin Gregory.

After much debate, I settled on “Birthday Party II,” above, but it was a tough call between it and my second favorite, “Efflorescence 8,” below.

And here’s a look at my painting of choice in a gorgeous room (that wallpaper!):

Photo by Kate Osborne via Style Me Pretty

I can’t believe how well it fits with our house’s colors. If I’m lucky enough to land this beauty, I’m planning to hang it above our fireplace. For a long time I wanted Michelle Armas’ famous canvas for that spot, and while I still love it, I think Erin’s flowers make me even happier (and are less expensive, to boot!).

Here are a few of my other favorites from her:

Finally, I have to give credit where credit is due – I discovered Erin via Morgan Trinker’s home tour on A Beautiful Mess. Here’s an Erin painting in Morgan’s gorgeous home!

The full tour is worth a look – super inspiring!

P.S. More of my favorite artists.

I was running an errand at the mall the other day (always a dangerous beginning to any story). The West Elm storefront happens to be on the route between my usual parking spot and the store I was headed to, and their window display literally stopped me in my tracks. Their summer collection is seaside-inspired, and it’s speaking my language.

I just… I can’t… it’s SO cute. Bravo, West Elm. You have hit the nail on the nautical head. Thankfully, our house’s color scheme does not include primary colors, or else I would probably buy one (or more) of everything. Even so, I think I’m going to have to purchase those striped salad plates for outdoor dinners – too good!! Here are the rest of the pieces:

Row 1: Beach buddies trays ($29) | Outdoor hand-drawn stripe pillow | Printed pom pom scarf ($31)
Row 2: Outdoor anchors + buoys pillow ($31) | Nautical outdoor plates ($19) | Outdoor hand-drawn color block striped pillow ($31)
Row 3: Sling chair ($79) | Multi stripe picnic throw ($39) | Nautical paper dinnerware ($4-$5)
Row 4: Nautical garland ($12) | Lobster destiny serving platter ($32) | Nautical stripe towels ($9)

Any favorites from this collection?

Well, friends, Christmas has finally wrapped up in the Ayer family! Yes, you read that right. My whole family wasn’t able to gather in December due to work and school schedules, so we declared Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend our celebration. The older I get, the more I understand that it’s not so much about when you celebrate, but the people with whom you celebrate!

The highlight of our weekend, however — beating out opening presents, many rounds of Mexican Train, and chasing my 13-month-old niece — had to be the enormous bonfire we lit in my parents’ backyard. My Dad disassembled the playground he had built 25 years prior and that we had spent thousands of hours playing on, and we sent it off in style with 20+ foot tall flames. It was a sight to see. We even roasted marshmallows in the embers after it had been burning for 12 hours!

Thankfully no neighbors called the fire department. In other news, we are making progress on our foyer! You may remember it from our house tour, when it looked a little empty:

It was sporting our beloved nautical chart, but that was about it. Over time, we hope to add a multicolored vintage rug, replace the light fixture, and add some sort of storage or seating. Many moons ago I came across a particular beauty on esalerugs.com, and fell in love:

I would click over to it multiple times a week for several weeks, until the sad notice popped up that it was being shipped to a (lucky!) client. I continued to look over the options every so often, but never saw something I loved quite as much – until this one appeared!

From my time spent browsing the site, I knew it was the one, and at 50% off, it fit within our budget. I showed John, and miracle of miracles, he immediately agreed! He must have know it was the one, too :) Here’s a peek at it in our house!

It arrived within a few days, and we’ve been super happy with the quality so far! Highly recommended. (And tip: if you’re not buying it at 50% off on this site, you shouldn’t be buying it!)

Now that we have the floor layer in place, I’ve moved on to the next! We’ve been debating whether to add a dresser…

Unknown, Seventh House on the Left, Better Homes & Gardens

a console table…

Young House Love, BHG

or a bench:

House Tweaking, Recently, Design*Sponge

John is leading toward a bench, but I like the idea of having a surface. We’d likely combine either with hooks on the wall and a shoe tray. Here’s a bit of inspiration for either scenario!

Mirror, tufted bench, boot tray, console table, flushmount light, dresser

Which would you choose? Do you have one or the other set-up in your house, and do you like it?

Neutral in color, of course, not neutral as in boring! Here are some of my favorite picks for classic, cozy gifts to give and get.

A. Tortoise tray ($40) | Perfect to corral anything that needs corraling
B. Fir + Blue Sage candle ($30) | We love giving these candles as gifts but have kept several for our house, too. Once they burn down you’re left with a beautiful drinking glass!
C. Plaid tassel scarf ($68) | I fell in love with this scarf when Lisa posted it, and can think of about 10 people who would love to be gifted it! Apparently I’m not the only one, since it’s currently sold-out online. Maybe you could find it in stores?
D. Bell pitcher ($48) | I’m glad Meredith and Michael introduced me to this company, but now I want one of everything! Perfect for holding utensils or Queen Anne’s lace.
E. Plaid throw ($20) | Festive enough for Christmas, but neutral enough for year-round use
F. Ava star bracelet ($38) | Gorgeous and sparkly, and made by women in Uganda
G. Metallic taper candle holders ($13-$18) | Would look festive on any table or mantel
H. O Holy Night print ($20) | We received the canvas version as a wedding present, and it’s the star of our Christmas decor!
I. A Heifer animal (varies) | Whether you choose a goat or a flock of chickens, a donation to Heifer is the perfect gift for the person who has everything.
J. Hot cider candle ($24) | A delicious scent for fall, plus you’re left with a nifty enamel cup!
K. Nordic candle holders ($5 and $13) | I came thisclose to buying these in the store the other day, but decided to save my pennies. They’re so pretty and delicate in person!
L. Crystal garland bracelet ($36) | Just sparkly enough. Would look great in a mix with other bangles!
M. Anchor tray ($35) | Sea-inspired storage

P.S. More neutral gift guides here:
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