manufactured by cw.

it's friday, friends! cheers!

what's a better weekend kickoff than reading a DIY/design post? in my opinion, not much [besides having a cocktail in hand]. here is the scoop on what's going on in my personal design life..

awhile back, it was verbalized I need a new place to call home for my water: book: pens: and lamp beside the bed. if you follow me on instagram [courtneywalker_], you may have noticed a few weeks ago some antique wood shopping taking place. can you see where I am headed with this? alas, new bedside tables to be manufactured by the hands of yours truly, with some design brainstorming and production from the beau. 

my room has an industrial/chic flair so we both have been searching for inspiration via boy pinterest Tapiture and Pinterest . here are a few pieces we are loving...

[honestlywtf]

[bellaMumma]

lonny

for our project, agreed upon materials include metal: wood: and glass. marble is up in the air.

i'm so excited about these pieces, I just had to share the preliminary plans on the blog, but promise to follow up with the finished product and our process. i'll leave you with pictures from our trip to Architectural Antiques in NW Indianapolis...

what fun plans do you have for the weekend? whatever it may be, enjoy!

c.design- cw

new york, new york...

... 'i want to wake up in that city'...

and i did exactly that this past weekend. the few days there were spent visiting with friends: tasting around town [food and cocktails/brews]: walking and more walking: and doing just some good ole' New York tourist things. 

to keep it short and sweet, here are 10 things i highly recommend for your next trip to the big apple. 

1. visit a rooftop bar at night. unless it's raining, the view will not disappoint. we went here and had this spectacular photo moment. amazing, right?!

2. choose a museum and visit on a hot or rainy day. we visited the MET and loved walking around this huge house of art and history. i've also been told the guggenheim is a good one.

3. ladies, pack a pair of flats and large purse. wear the flats while walking then slip the heels on at your evening destination. trust me, it saved my feet.

4. our group of four would probably concur these restaurants were lip lickin' good.
    Tipsy Parson : make a reservation and order anything. it's all delish.
    The Meatball Shop : an excellent lunch spot. save room for dessert!
    Southern Hospitality : all you can drink mimosas for $15.00 and it's owned by JT. 
    The Grey Dog : cool ambiance, rad food. the owners are michigan fans. #goblue ?

5. walk in grand central station. not only is it beautiful, it's so organized and clean for a subway hub.

6. take a stroll and grab a cocktail in central park. it's so beautiful and for a brief second, one would forget it's in the middle of the largest US city. 

7. unless kids are involved, avoid times square. it's dirty: loud: crowded: and honestly not much to see. it's a visit once and avoid going back part of the city. sorry, times square!

8. catch the subway to the 9/11 memorial downtown. the fountains built for a memorial are breathtaking and so symbolic. that area will tug on your heart.

9. book a broadway show! we saw matilda [kid friendly!] and like any broadway show, i smiled the entire time. 

10. a few years ago i went up in the empire state building and it's totally awesome! this trip our friends went to the 'top of the rock' and had a spectacular morning view of the city. 

are you dreaming of a visit to NYC? what will you make a must-see? do tell!

c.design- cw

the list.

as i'm sitting here making to-do lists [notice the 's'], i am reminded that i have once again  neglected this poor little space of mine on the world wide web. what's new, folks? 

around here i'm not sure where the first four months of 2014 went. school: work: work II: and living life apparently took up my time. now may is upon us and maybe it's because the weather is finally beautiful or the spring flowers are blooming in louisville, but i'm feeling refreshed and inspired for the summer months ahead. as one of my new year's goals to finish projects on my house, i wanted to share specifics.

with the month of may already fully booked and planned, squeezing in time [and saving money] to start checking off these house to-do's will be a tough task, but i am up for the challenge and ready to share with you.

ready? here we go.

HOUSE TO-DO'S:
- fully finish landscaping project 2014 [recruiting my main squeeze for this!] 06.18.14
- finish the staircase
- paint all 1/4 round in my house [dreading! any volunteers?]
- paint office 06.29.14
- paint kitchen  05.07.14
- purchase and install light fixture for master bedroom 06.29.14
- purchase and install light fixture for office 05.06.14
- repaint upstairs landing
- paint touchups in master bathroom 06.17.14
- fully organize basement 

ah, home ownership.

if these things can be accomplished before july, i'll be the happiest gal on brown avenue. what projects do you have planned for summer 2014?

c.organized- cw

beyond the wine bottle.

if any readers are fellow wine lovers, you may or may not have jars: bags: drawers:... let's be honest..tubs of the plugs that keep our favorite adult beverage fresh. in my opinion, not much in life is finer than enjoying a nice bottle of wine: writing on the cork [date: location: who enjoyed with] and saving it for display or memory. not only am i obsessed with this fun little tradition, but now drooling over the material: cork. all things cork, but specifically cork flooring.

  

if looks don't completely win you over, here are the facts...

• most cork comes from a bio-diverse ecosystem in portugal called montado
• montado supports a large range of plants + wildlife over a 1.8 million acre spread
• cork farmers disperse every year at the end of may to carefully collect cork without killing or harming the tree
• a tree is only stripped at age 25 and every 9 years post initial strip
• every 9 years, a tree generates an even higher quality cork then the previous stripping
• the cork industry in portugal is huge and the people pride themselves on that reputation
• cork is 100% recyclable; all byproduct creations are 100% recyclable
• repelling dust: germs: and mold, it's a naturally healthy choice
• for you loud stompers walkers, the material absorbs vibration, therefore reducing sound transmissions
• lastly, cork is an easy DIY installation

after learning about the material's makeup and benefits in school, cork sparked a serious interest to install in my own home. after this research, i will be investigating the best brands and pricing for my kitchen. 

would you ever consider cork as a flooring option in your home or work space? is so, what room?

c.design- cw

hello, 2014!

happy new year, readers! 

yet again, my blog has failed to take priority on the list of one million, one thousand, well, really only and literally one hundred things to do [in one day]. life is full and continues to go just way too fast, but i'm in love with every day.

today will be the reveal of...the new year goals. not resolutions, because i don't like that word...but goals. 

number 1: match my socks. where it may seem silly this is not done already, it's something i always thought was not a big deal. well, when spending 3 minutes per morning looking for a match and 9 times out of 10 wearing one stripe and one polka dot sock, it's time people. it's time.

number 2: work on posture. my lower back hurts, improving posture should only help. plus, it probably looks lazy and painful from the outside staring in.

number 3: eat healthier. this past december, i was really feeling unhealthy and here's why: no monitoring of food consumption and too much beer. wine and liquor it is. cheers.

number 4: every year, it's visit one new state. already planned is colorado [an opportunity for a design + travel blog post?]. in the works is louisiana and montana. 

number 5: finish a few additional projects in my house i purchased a year ago. it's coming along nicely [i need to BLOG you all!], but much more to do towards perfection.

that wraps up some major things to work on in 2014. do you have resolutions: goals: or just make stuff happen?

c.organized- cw