Just Melancholy

Living in luxury is less about big ticket, expensive items than it is a state of mind.  You can live lavishly without breaking the bank and what woman doesn’t like the sound of that?

• Splurge on just one set of luxury linens to have the best night’s sleep ever.  My favorite? Valentino 1200 thread count Egyptian cotton sheet set (yea, I really splurged - 300 bucks for one set, but sooo worth it).
• Go for the plush towels.  You may think there is not much of a difference between the $5 towel and the $20 one…but trust me there is.  Treat your skin to the best with micro-cotton or Egyptian cotton towels…the more plush the better.
• Fresh flowers in your home is the perfect way to create a relaxing and luxurious ambiance - and they’re free!  Take a walk out in the garden or along trail, pick the wildflowers, and create a beautiful arrangement to adorn your home.
• Fill your home with candles - they can create a romantic and relaxing setting and make your rooms smell great!
• Splurge on bath goodies - from essential oils to bath salts to opulent body wash, treat yourself to the best.  You can always find great steals for high-end bath products online and at discount stores, such as TJMaxx.
• Small architectural details such as crown molding or tiling, are relatively easy and inexpensive to install.  Do one project at a time to give your home the look and feel of luxury.
• Install a new shower head.  It may seem silly but installing a new, updated, modern shower head will make showering a much more pleasant experience.  These days, they have shower heads that control water pressure, temperature, and flow.

At the end of February, I mentioned how I was insanely jealous of my step-sister because of her amazing kitchen and living situation. Well, I’ve unleashed that monster again because she got a killer deal on some plumbing supplies. And not to mention, the landlord said if she bought the plumbing supplies, he would remodel her bathroom. How can one person be so lucky?! So not only does she have an amazing kitchen, but her bathroom will probably be bigger than my bedroom!

My fiancé and I recently purchased a new home, which I will march into and inhabit in nearly three weeks after the wedding.  We have already started painting, furnishing, and decorating, which, let me tell you, is quite the project! I am not sure which is more exhausting…painting the entire house or dealing with my “domestic” sweetheart.

Bless his heart, my dear future husband thinks he is Martha Stewart’s male counterpart, complete with decorating skills and color matching abilities.  Well, frankly, I don’t exactly agree but have decided to humor him and give free reign.  One of the extra bedrooms he is making into an office, and apparently he is enjoying it much more than I thought.  He came home from Benjamin Moore with “the perfect shade of toasted almond” and a cherry wood bookcase to “nicely complement the mahogany desk.”  Say what?  Where is my fiancé and what have you done with him?!   Further more he purchased a brand new Mac complete with a 24 inch screen and an Avaya 5420 phone – mind you, he does not work at home.

I have decided to keep my mouth shut…I simply smile and nod and listen “adoringly” while he animatedly tells me about his boring new plans and purchases for the office.  I figure once the time comes, I will stake my claim on the second bedroom…maybe a craft room.  I am sure he will be just as delighted as I was about his manly retreat.

I have a gripe to write about…I have the most beautiful cherry armoire I inherited from my Grandmother. My only complaint is I can’t find anything to match it! I have scoured every furniture store in the state, internet retailers, even garage sales and eBay and have yet to find matching furniture in the exact shade of the armoire.

I know it sounds silly…how hard could it be to match cherry wood, right? Harder than you think! It has a deep, almost burgundy finish with just a hint of gold. I can find a rare china replacement piece, match the exact paint color from a magazine clipping, and find a matching vintage teacup missing from an old tea set. So what gives?! More rants and frustrations to follow…