Decorating the nook

Our kitchen has a little nook with some built-in shelves and a built-in seat that overlooks the patio.
This is what it looked like when we moved in. Empty! 

Since then, I've done some decorating to make it feel more like home.

I tried to pick pillows that complimented the white cabinets and granite counters as well as the cushion that was already there. The bigger pillow in the middle is from Home Goods and I have had it for a while. The other pillows were all made by my very talented mother!

The two big white ones in the back are our version of these Pottery Barn ones:

 I couldn't come to grips with spending $39 each on a pillow cover ( it doesn't even include the insert!). I can be a little...thrifty. 

If you can see in this picture, she lined the back of the flower pillows with burlap. 

I seriously need to learn how to sew from this woman.

The bench below is a garage sale find. 

I think we paid $5 but doesn't it look way more expensive than that? 

We rubbed it down with Annie Sloan's wax to soften it up a bit.

This coffee table cookbook was a gift from my sister-in-law. I think the cover is pretty cool looking.

Ad Hoc was the first place we had dinner on our honeymoon in Napa.

 Styling the built-ins is a work in progress. Every time I walk by them, I end up re-arranging and moving stuff around. Would you believe that none of the items on the shelves were purchased in a store?

All of it is from garage sales! 

It just goes to show you, you don't have to pay top dollar to make your home look nice.

I retract my statement above. 

All of it is from garage sales except for the Pellegrino (of course) and this rusty grate. 

We found it in the garage of the house! 

A little dusting off is all it needed and there you go...rustic chic.

 More pictures and updates on the rest of the kitchen will come soon!