Friday Favorites – Weekly Inspiration
Welcome to Friday Favorites, a series where we share our favorite decor, design inspiration, fashion finds, TV shows, recipes and more!
Well it was really feeling like fall here with cool mornings and all the leaves starting to turn, and now this week we’re back up in the 90°s. But I’m looking forward to some fun plans this weekend including a hike with friends, visiting my favorite antique store, and some wine tasting, so I’ll go with it!
Oh and I may have finalized my window coverings for the downstairs which means I’m that much closer to being done! 🙂
And now let’s talk Friday Favorites!
Happy October!
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THINGS I’M LOVING IN DESIGN/DECOR
This kitchen is utterly charming – love the wallpaper! See the whole space here.
Before we get started, let’s talk a little holiday decor! I’m not one to rush each season, but things sell out so fast these days that last year some of the things I most wanted were sold out by the time I was ordering – in early November! I’ve also noticed that most of the major online sources I shop at dropped their holiday lines last week!
So having said that, I’m ordering a couple of my have-to-have staples before they’re gone again this season, and I wanted to share them with you because I know some of you missed them last year, too!
This garland is my favorite and looks amazingly real as does this simple cedar wreath! They’re worth every penny – I’ve been using them over and over for years now. The garland now comes in 3 lengths rather than only one which is so great! I order one or two per year and now have enough for the mantel, staircase, and front door, as well as some windows if I want it.
I had someone ask me for some of my favorite kitchen decor on Instagram, so I thought why not share them here, too? Not only is it my favorite space in any house, but I’ve been very focused on ours lately! So here are a few of my absolute favorite things!
I love these wood pedestals – I use a round one to hold dish soap and brushes at the sink, and a rectangular one sits by the stove for olive oils, salt and pepper, etc.
I absolutely adore the charm of a covered cake stand – I love storing fresh baked goods there but they look equally good empty! This marble based set is a great price, as is this glass version I just got that looks lovely on our island!
I like to keep butter on the counter so a couple of years ago I upgraded our butter dish to a pretty one that I wanted to look at everyday. (Which btw, they are surprisingly hard to find!) The one I have is sold out, but this one and this one (20% off) are both so cute and give a similar look.
I love having bowls for fruit and/or decoration. My favorites are this large wood bowl (over 30% off now!) and these two floral bowls here and here. I swap them out; from counter to island to dining table, depending on the season and what I need.
A small item that makes me so happy is my brass pepper mill. It is gorgeous and will last a lifetime!
And I have a couple of fabulous clearance items to share! I’ve loved this gorgeous pillow since the first time I saw it and it’s now half off, and this perfect kitchen crock is now under $25! Love.
Last week’s best sellers: this beautiful vintage-style bread board and this pretty fall wreath.
THINGS I’M WEARING/WANTING
Speaking of favorites, when it comes to fashion a leather or faux-leather blazer is a great staple for fall and winter – I wear mine so much! It’s perfect for dinner, date night, or any time you want something a little more special than a traditional blazer. This one is gorgeous and on sale for under $100, and this one is another great option.
One of fall’s chicest trends is the ‘scarf sweater’! I loved it the first time I saw one, and now I’m seeing them everywhere. Love this cardigan version, this stunning cashmere crewneck (25% off), and this wool blend one (above).
This pair of faux leather pants in this stunning wine color were an instant crush for me! (they’re also 25% off right now!) (BTW, these are almost sold out at Nordstrom and not on sale!)
Love how flattering this zip-up denim shirt looks, plus it’s a great transitional piece!
I’m a huge fan of a dark rinse jean, especially for the fall/winter season as well as for going out, and it is a hot color in the jean world right now. This slim-straight jean gets amazing reviews and is currently on sale!
Adorable, adorable blue suede flats!! Love. (they come in other colors, too).
Last week’s best sellers: this versatile cotton/cashmere blend sweater and my favorite ankle boots!
THINGS I’M WATCHING/READING
I’ve always been a lover of fall, and the rich abundance of great movies is one of the reasons. I eagerly await seeing some actual, adult films!
A few that look promising and/or I’m looking forward to: top of the list has to be The Social Reckoning (above – coming October and written by Aaron Sorkin). It tells the story of the whistleblower of Facebook’s most guarded secrets. Along the same lines is Artificial (November) which looks past the technical creation of ChatGPT to examine what happens when immense power rests in the hands of a very small group of people (starring Andrew Garfield), and Musk (October), an intense 4-hr documentary about the billionaire.
Others coming in October are Verity, another Colleen Hoover novel comes to the screen starring Anne Hathaway, Digger, a dark comedy starring a completely unrecognizable Tom Cruise, plus a new adaptation of Sense and Sensibility.
THINGS I’M EATING/DRINKING
I’ve been very into Melissa Clark’s recipes lately – they are always so good and at least for me, they never fail. Last week we made her Crispy Mustard Chicken with Bread Crumbs which had the advantage of being not only delicious, but also easy.
I have two of her cookbooks, Dinner: Changing the Game and Dinner in French, From Changing the Game so far we’ve loved the Harissa Chicken with Leeks, Potatoes and Yogurt, the Mustard Chicken with Ginger & Tangerine, and the Cuban Flank Steak.
She has dozens more books and most are very highly rated. She also develops recipes for the NYT Food section which is where the one above is from. She rarely disappoints!
RANDOM THOUGHTS
I love following Instagram accounts that share inspiring spaces and no account shares more gorgeous interiors than this one!
Nancy Meyers Inspired Movies to Watch in the Fall
Why Doing Nothing Is So Good for You and How to Get Better at It
11 Habits I Had to Lose to Be Happy in Retirement – though I’m not retired yet I found this an interesting read.
Did you know that I’ve updated the top 5 French-inspired posts here at MdC? Links are below if you want to check some of them out!
How to Have a European-inspired Kitchen – (above)
French Fashion Essentials for Fall & Winter
50+ French-inspired Finds at Wayfair
Modern French Country Farmhouse Home Tour
How to Bring European Charm to an Outdoor Space
Shop the Post
I love sharing things that inspire me with all of you, and I hope you’ll find things that interest you, inspire you or just make you smile.
Happy Friday!
Sheila
xo
P.S.
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Oh and if you’ve missed any of the previous Friday Favorites, you can find them all here!
