V and V (Vacation and Volunteerism)

I'll be going on vacation again...yipee!!! Even though I just recently returned from Spain, I'm thinking, I owe mon cheri a vacation since he was not able to join me then. I'm very thoughtful you see, and I do not want him to feel neglected (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!).

Our travel destination: New Orleans, Louisiana!
I've only been to NOLA once and that was maybe 18 years ago. I remember how fun and vibrant this city is! Their gardens and architecture are so beautiful, with so much French and Spanish influence. And although NOLA has been going through tough times this past few years, I'm pretty sure it's allure remains in this inspiring city.


The balconies in the french quarter reminds me of Paris



The doors, the shutters...European charm





Even the street signs are French...


...and Spanish




Can't wait to visit the lovely gardens...



...the mansions....



...the plantations...



I remember riding this streetcar named St. Charles

(most photos above courtesy of planetware.com/louisiana)


This vacation though is not all sightseeing and pleasure. Part of this vacation will be mixed with the opportunity to participate as volunteers in the oil spill clean up. My fondness of beach living and appreciation for the beauty of the ocean and its creatures is so great, that it deeply hurts me to see how careless and stupid human beings are. Isn't it the saddest thing that what's happening in Louisiana's gulf coast is not because of natural disaster, but because of mankind's greed for money, power and politics??? I don't want to turn this post into a melodrama, so I'll stop now and just look forward to giving back through volunteerlouisiana.gov.

God loved the birds and invented trees. Man loved the birds and invented cages.
~Jacques Deval, Afin de vivre bel et bien

Au revoir for now...see you in two weeks!

Master Bath Remodel - Before and After

Hello all! I'm linking up to Ms. Cielo's Show Off Your Cottage Monday again. I'm also linking to Susan's blog Between Naps on the Porch, called Metamorphosis Monday. This time, I wanted to show my master bath remodel. When we bought Marie's Maison, there was only one bath and really no master suite. However, in my mind, I took it as an opportunity that I could customize a master suite with a master bath according to my style. So although it took six months for this project to complete and living with only one bathroom, all that waiting is simply worth it!


Here's the entrance to the master suite now, pardonnez moi, but no shoes allowed




First, here are the before photos. I converted this 10 x 10 bedroom into my master bath. Remember this window which you'll see below, and that door has been removed.



This was the entrance before



This is during construction




Notice that the door now opens to a hallway that leads to the master bedroom. The master bath is to the left of the hall. I bought these salvaged doors and attached them using a rail system which slides to open.






When you walk in, the vanity space is the first thing you'll see. I converted this antique drawer into a sink base. If you want to know how I did it, click here.



To the right of the vanity is this half wall. It separates the toilet from the vanity and most importantly, I cannot see the toilet while I'm in my bathtub (a pet peeve of mine).



Here's the toilet space (remember this window from the before photo above?).




This before photo was the closet in the old 10 x 10 room.




That closet is now gone and the walls knocked out to make room for my clawfoot tub.



This is what I'm looking at when I'm sitting in my tub



By the way, this clawfoot tub also has a shower system attached to it




Some trinket items that keep my bath smelling so good



Another shot of my bath from a different angle



There she is...hope you enjoyed the tour of my master bath. Thanks for viewing!

My Style in One Picture

Today, while browsing through some of the blogs I follow, this post caught my attention: What's Your Style in One Picture Challenge. Ally's fantastic blog, From the Right Bank is hosting this challenge. I thought well, this would be such a challenge for me, coz my style is so eclectic that usually it's hard for me to decide how to decorate a particular room in my home. Then I remembered this photo from my favorite interior wholesale company, Eloquence, Inc. This vignette sums it up for me!

What's your style in one picture? Click on this link if you want to join in.

Conservatory in a Cottage?

When I imagine a conservatory, I usually picture a huge high ceiling room made out of glass, like the one inside the Bellagio Hotel in Vegas.

The lovely images below show that even mon petite maison can have a conservatory if done right. After all, what is a conservatory, but another word for a sunroom. I can't wait to add a charming conservatory next to my kitchen!
































(Images above from House to Home)



(Images below from Country Living)

Before and After - Remodel Project

Lots of improvements have been done here at Marie's Maison since we purchased it almost two years ago. The first part of this major remodel is the living and kitchen area. Here are some before and after photos.


AFTER

You will see that I painted the house Tiffany bleu, replaced/removed some trees, removed/replaced grass, added window boxes and my favorite was adding the picket fence and entry gate.



BEFORE




Come on in...I can show you more




BEFORE (Living room as listed on MLS from previous owners)




AFTER

Major changes are repainted walls, refinished and lightened wood floors, replaced ceiling light, replaced entry door, added crown moulding throughout.


I also reversed the furniture placement



And the placement of the flat screen TV (it's hidden behind the wall cabinet with shutter doors)



I like to place furniture so that they can stand alone and look like vignettes like the two photos below







I don't have a before photo, but here's mon petit dining area. It's tiny but I like that cozy feeling



My coffee/tea station




BEFORE (Kitchen area as listed on MLS from previous owners)




AFTER

Replaced top cabinet doors, replaced laminate countertop with silestone, replaced sink and faucet, painted bottom cabinets white


Upgraded all appliances, and I don't believe that all kitchen appliances should be the same brand and color. I have a stainless steel KitchenAid microwave oven, a JennAir stove/oven...



...a black Samsung vintage style fridge, and a black KitchenAid double drawer dishwasher



I also removed the top cabinet over the sink and replaced it with open shelves




This is kind of the breakfast nook. Eventually, I want to replace these windows with french doors so that the kitchen will open up directly to the patio



The second part of the remodel is also finally done (thank goodness!). This is where I focused all of my attention and tested my patience. I'll be sharing some photos next time.

I'm linking to Show Off Your Cottage Monday! Cielo, the lovely author of one of my fav blog, The House in the Roses is the hostess of this post. It is my first time participating and quite enjoyed it. Thanks for viewing!

Finally, my sincerest appreciation to Julia from Hooked on Houses (a must follow blog), for featuring mon petite cottage on her daily posts!