Hey friends and happy Wednesday! Whew... these past 2 weeks have been a whirlwind. Never did I expect to be this busy in my first 2 weeks of opening my business but here I am! I have several projects that are happening with Babble House, but also in my personal life! This week I am introducing you to our new office renovation. I will also be talking more about some garden projects, as well as a recipe to our favorite garden cocktail!
For those that don’t know, I moved back to Mississippi from Atlanta back at the beginning of the pandemic. I am now living with my fiancé Michael in West Point and I am loving it! One of the things we are doing this Spring is updating the office/guest bedroom. This is one of the last spaces in the house to be renovated and updated. One of the biggest hurdles was figuring out how to combine the many functions of this space into one tiny 11'-6" x 11'-6" room. So these are the functions:
FUNCTION ONE: storage
Michael is a filmmaker and videographer and let me tell you the equipment is flowing over everywhere. So storage is one of our biggest hurdles. Needless to say we got a storage unit to keep some equipment in, but there is still equipment we need stored here.
FUNCTION TWO: office
This is also our office so it has to function for both of us to use. Luckily, we have multiple spaces to work throughout the house (and coffee shops once we are fully vaccinated), but we still want a singular space we can touch down to work.
FUNCTION THREE: guestroom
It is also where guests will be staying, but we didn’t want a giant bed taking up most of the space. So that added the task of finding a sleeper sofa that doesn’t look like a giant block, but also doesn’t cost a pretty penny.
FUNCTION FOUR: lounge
We also wanted this to be a space we could hang out. If Michael is on a zoom call, I can come hang out and read in the new space and not disturb him and vice versa. We want it to be cozy and somewhere we can relax, read, and entertain.
With all of this in mind, we have decided to call this space “The Dark Room”. In photography and film, dark rooms are where film and footage is developed. Since both of our jobs are in the photography/videography field we decided it was appropriate! We are going for an eclectic, moody, and dark “library” with lots of artwork and “found” furniture. I think one of the best ways to add character to a room is through antique furniture that you find that really speaks to you. Your house and space is representative of who YOU are! This week we are covering holes, priming, painting, and polishing the floors. Check out my mood board for the space to get a taste of the direction we are running in! Tune in over the next few weeks to see how we have tackled the space and see how it all comes together!
I guess renovating the office wasn’t enough for the both of us? Michael is a master at gardening and he is getting the back yard ready for the season! I don’t particularly have a green thumb... but I decided I can try this year! We went shopping for flowers and decorative plants this weekend, and spent most of Saturday gardening. Getting into nature and spending time outside is one of my favorite ways destress! Michael is currently on a work trip in San Diego, but is planning on starting all of the veggies when he gets back this weekend! I cannot wait to be able to go pick fresh veggies for lunches and dinners this Summer. Stay tuned because I am working on a big mural project in the back yard in the coming weeks, and I can’t wait to show everyone! Stay up to date by following my personal Instagram here!
There is nothing better than a cocktail after a day of gardening! So I decided to share with you our favorite spring cocktail! This is super simple and we get to use some fresh mint from the garden as well. Yum!
PINK LIMEADE MARGARITA
2 OZ. TEQUILA
1 OZ. TRIPLE SEC
1 OZ. FRESH SQUEEZED LIME
1 TBS. GRENADINE
SPRIG OF MINT
TOPO CHICO LIME
DIRECTIONS
Combine tequila, triple sec, fresh squeezed lime, grenadine, and mint in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a glass and top with Topo Chico lime or another soda water for a little spritz. Add a fresh sprig of mint for the added aroma
Thanks for tuning in to this week's blog! Come back in two weeks for an update on how the “Dark Room” is going, and to see more about the garden mural! Next week I will be introducing you to some of our favorite candles that your guests will be dying to know where to get! Make sure to give us a follow or like on Instagram and Facebook! Have a wonderful rest of your week!
Love the Dark Room mood, especially the green wall! The cocktail sounds sounds delicious!