The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge

What a lovely way to spend the morning.  I watched the Royal Wedding in pajamas, sipped coffee, and ate freshly baked scones.  I thought the dress was breathtaking, the ceremony was beautiful. 

I'm sure all the little girls of the world (and big girls, like me) loved to watch the Princess marry her Prince Charming.  Such fun.

Happy Weekend!

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Fashionable Fascinators

With the Royal Wedding happening tomorrow(!!!), I decided to do a little research on fascinators (inspired by the future Princess).  And while they're not that popular in the United States, Miss Middleton is starting a global trend and I'm sure we'll be seeing more of these fancy headpieces in the stores soon.  I personally think that they're fabulous, and would love to wear one to a summer wedding or other such fancy occassion.  Something small and simple would suit me (not sure I could pull off some the more outlandish versions).

these fascinators from ASOS were pretty cute (and affordable)

Bonus? They offer FREE delivery, worldwide.

a few chic options from Washington DC shop, Proper Topper.

Based in London, this lovely shop Hats By Cressida will ship their products to the US.

And, there were quite a few handmade options on Etsy...

available here

too over the top?

available here

available here

available here

What do you think?  Could you sport a fancy fascinator like the future Princess?

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Wedding Fever & Fancy Hats

I'm not the type of girl that gets caught up in celebrity, or ridiculous Hollywood hype.  But for some reason, I am LOVING all of the cheesy coverage on the Royal Wedding.  TV shows like William & Kate: A Royal Love Story, Countdown To The Royal Wedding, Charles & Di: Once Upon A Time, A Modern Monarchy... People speculating: what will her dress look like?  How much are they spending on flowers?  How will Kate's life change?  I love it all. 

I even saw a show called Wild About Prince Harry (sign me up for that one, please!).

So, on Friday morning, I will be DVRing this fantasy wedding and everything that goes with it... under the excuse that it's a "historical event".  I don't want to miss a thing. 

And, while we're on the subject, can we talk about Kate Middleton's hats?  The girl looks good in just about anything, but can you believe how well she wears these fancy hats?  All of a sudden, I've got the urge to go out and buy a tiny feathered hat...

Or, maybe it's about something sleeker...  Like a beret or a fidora:

Or, maybe it's something a bit more masculine.  Like this wide brim hat (actually called an akubra)

Or, something in fur??

The girl looks good in anything.

And just think, soon she'll be wearing a diamond tiara.

(can't wait to see the wedding dress on Friday!)

Are you guys as crazy as me?  Or, are you sick of all the Royal nonsense?

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Not Your Average Cube

I hate a love-hate relationship with upholstered cubes.  In a pinch, you can use one for extra seating.  When used as a pair, upholstered cubes make terrific coffee tables.  They're soft, so they're the perfect place to rest your feet at the end of the day...  and, if you have kids?  Well, they're ideal. 

So, where does the "hate" part come in?  It's here: most upholstered cubes are pretty boring, blocky, and bland (exhibit A).  Let's just say, they're not my first pick when furnishing a space.

But, these nailhead cubes???  Well, these are AWESOME.  It's a love LOVE relationship.  I recently recommended a pair of these cubes for one of my favorite clients in San Francisco.  Upholstered in a chic microfiber (no, not an oxymoron. chic microfibers DO exist) a pair of these cubes will make the perfect living room coffee table, and they're completely kid proof. 

It's amazing what a few nailheads can do.

If you're interested in ordering these guys for yourself, send me an email at highstreetmarket (at) gmail.com.  Also, the nailhead finishes can be customized to fit your space (polished nickel, pewter, antiqued brass, etc etc). 

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Ready Go Banners!

You may remember that I am co-hosting a baby shower next month for my bestie in Southern California... and I am having SO MUCH FUN planning the tiny details.  One little online shop that I'm somewhat obsessed with is Ready Go.  The cake toppers, cupcake toppers, and graphic banners are SO PERFECT for birthday parties, bridal showers, weddings...  or in my case, baby showers:

(perfect for a wedding, yes.  but, wouldn't this banner be a cute way to announce the baby's name?)

so cute!

(also, I love this ruffled cupcake liner.  I found a similar one HERE, and you can also buy them at Michaels)

and, Ready Go has some darling "To & From" gift tags.

Visit the Ready Go shop HERE.

Happy Tuesday!

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Happy Birthday, Grandma!

grandma & my dad

My Grandma's birthday was this weekend, and since she reads this blog I thought I would take today to say, Happy Birthday, Grandma!  She is an amazing woman, and I am so proud to have her as my Grandma.

This is one of my favorite pictures: she's holding my dad, wearing a bikini on a Los Angeles beach, circa 1954.  Picture taken by Grandpa. :)

We love you so much, Grandma.  Happy Birthday!

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Carriage House (Inspiration)

We don't have a garage on our property.  And, we've come to a point where we need a garage.  We need a place to keep tools (this is especially important during a renovation like ours), we need a place to keep our lawn mower, lawn equipment, our bikes...  oh, and our cars.  While our budget will no doubt be on the lower side, these images are providing great inspiration.

I've decided I might call it a "Carriage House" rather than a garage.  Why not?  Let's have fun with this.

via Country Living

via House Beautiful

via Country Living

via Atlanta Homes Magazine

(LOVE this image.  That slate roof kills me, it's so pretty)

image found on Habitually Chic

via Evergreen Carriage Doors

via Evergreen Carriage Doors

(in my dreams)

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Philadelphia Home To "Marley & Me"

Remember the idyllic Philadelphia home from the movie Marley & Me?  Well, it's for sale.  Located in Chadds Ford (Chester County) this historic stone farmhouse was built in 1837 and is listed at $1.45 million.  It sits on 16 acres of land and includes a 6 stall horse barn with fenced pastures.  (Speaking of the barn: remember the scene in the end of the movie where Marley is lost, so Jennifer Aniston looks for him in the barn?  For a split second, we get to see the gorgeous sliding barn doors and horse stalls... I gasped, the barn was so pretty.  And, that's just for the horses).  The home has 5 bedrooms and 3.5 baths and still looks the way it does when it was shot for the movie...

exterior shot from the MLS listing

and, the shot from the movie, Marley & Me

In 2009, Philadelphia Magazine featured this marvelous 19th century farmhouse in an article called "Farm Charm." 

I love the chunky baseboards, wide plank floors, and historic details of this home.  This shot with Jennifer Aniston (below) shows off the yellow trim and built-in window seat:

Here's a shot of the bedroom (with yellow trim) in the MSL listing:

The living room, from the movie:

And the living room, from the listing:

Here's the dining room, featured in Philadelphia Magazine (I like the dark trim at the window):

And, the dining room from the MLS listing:

I particularly loved this image of an antique daybed, covered in colorful, eclectic linens...

Heres the shot of the same room (with the daybed) in the real estate listing:

The kitchen is brand new, but the homeowners built it to look original to the house (with the beam ceilings and large windows).  Nice work, wouldn't you say?  I love the windsor style barstools.  :)

So, if you're looking for a little piece of historic Philadelphia, maybe this home is for you! 

Click HERE to check out the MLS listing.

All images from Marley & Me, Trulia and Hooked On Houses

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