A Few Things You Need to Check Out!

October 3, 2014

Greetings and Happy Friday!

Writing this blog is somewhat like talking a a girlfriend or guy friend on a daily basis and dishing about all the stuff that is going on in my life. It’s my place to share the new shopping spots I’ve found, a great bargain I’ve come across or a new restaurant I want you to try.

Since we’re friends, whenever I come across fabulous design tips, how-to tutorials or something exciting, I feel a desire to share it all with you. So girlfriend, sit back, relax and let me share a few things…

How to Paint a Sink

How to Paint a Fabric Chair

I so excited that one of my favorite stores now has a paper shop.

10 Decorating Mistakes we’ve all made.

This living room transformation is simply stunning!

Party Inspiration: UnExpected and Crafty Ways to Decorate

June 17, 2014

In my book every day of the year is a great day for a party. And when it comes to party decor, I’m always on the hunt for unique and creative ideas to add to my party planning file. On a recent Pinterest binge I came across a few images that were not only beautiful but that spoke to my creativity. These tablescapes look sophisticated and elaborate but it is the details that make them great. Details that can be achieved with a little creativity.

image via

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Custom Lighting {that’s really custom}

March 31, 2014

So, how was your weekend? I hope it was filled with all things good.

Today we are talking lamps. Unique lamps to be specific. Have you ever made your own DIY lamp or thought about having a lamp made using a favorite decorative piece? If you are looking for a unique, one-of-a-kind lamp this just might be an idea for you.

You could turn a ceramic ginger jar into a lamp like this…

The Hunted Interior

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The ‘It’ Accessories for Spring

March 24, 2014

Good morning and happy Monday. I hope you weekend was great.

We had some fantastic weather here in Atlanta over the weekend but unfortunately I only had a little time to get out and enjoy it. Saturday I made myself stay in and tackle the stack of magazines that have grown since December. OUT.OF.CONTROL! I got through most of the stack, found lots of inspiration, have a stack of project pages to file away and feel much more relaxed now that all of magazines are out-of-the-way.

In addition to all the magazines I read, I got caught up on my blog reading. So many great blogs and so little time!

One of the things I try to pay particular attention to when I’m going through magazines or reading blogs are the design elements and the accessories that appear over and over. While there are companies that forecast design trends, seeing what items people are actually using in their homes is the best gauge of whether a trend or item is really hot or not. Magazine after magazine and blog after blog I began to see several items show up over and over which is an obvious sign that they are the

‘IT’ Accessories of the Moment!

The Moroccan Shag Rug

I’ve seen this rug in photos and on blogs before but in the last several weeks I’ve seen it show up in so many rooms that designers and bloggers are styling. It’s soft, it’s chic and the classic design mixes well with just about any décor.

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Kristin from Bliss at Home recently added the rug to her gorgeous living room.

You can find the Moroccan Shag Rug at RugsUSA.com and if you hurry you’ll get it on sale too! RugsUSA is one of my favorite sources for rugs and you can read more about why here .

Ikea Black and White Striped Pillow

First it was the rug

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then came the throw

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and then fabric by the yard

and now Ikea has introduced the black and white striped pillow cover. This pillow ( Vargyllen) doesn’t seem to be available on the website yet but I did see it in the store here in Atlanta for around $9.

Just like all the other black and white items that Ikea sells, this one is sure to be a hot commodity and is sure to appear on many blogs in the coming months.

Watercolor Floral Pillows

Flowers are a hallmark of spring so it’s only natural that watercolor floral pillows are so popular now. I love the artistic feel of watercolor designs and pillows are a great way to refresh your look for the season so this is a winning combination.

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If you love this look you can find similar styles at HomeGoods and Etsy has a great selection like the pillow above.

Since spring is officially here and if you’re anything like me you want to refresh your home for the season so my question to you is, will that refresh include any of these IT accessories?

p.s. The four ‘it’ accessories I wrote about last year are still a hot trend too!

Painted Ikea Tables

March 19, 2014

The beauty of many of the Ikea tables is that they can be transformed and UpStyled with paint.

The beauty of paint is that it is the cheapest design tool you can use to transform your home.

The combination of paint and Ikea furniture can yield stunning results.

The Malm Dressing Table painted grey

via Design Sponge

The Docksta Table with a painted gold base

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The Vittsjo Table painted gold

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The Melltorp Table painted yellow

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The Docksta Table painted in black chalkboard paint

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This round side table is discontinued but the Lindved Table is similar

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The Liatorp Table with painted base

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Now I’m in the mood to head to Ikea and then paint something. How about you?

Inspiration {+ a design tip}

March 15, 2014

Happy Saturday!

Don’t you love a good DIY project? I sure do and this is one of my faves. Can you tell which pillows in this gorgeous room by Burlap and Lace are DIY and which are store-bought? I couldn’t.

Head on over to Shannon’s blog and see which pillows she created with a little DIY.

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Design Tip: Pattern mixing is an art but a sure-fire way to keep your look sophisticated is by sticking to a single color family and varying the scale and style of pattern.

Entertaining Inspiration: Spring Flowers

March 13, 2014

Don’t you just love a beautiful party table? This image caught my eye and represents the perfect blend of sophistication and fun.

If you study this image you’ll notice three things that set the tone for this table. These three elements are great to keep in mind when you build a tablescape and want it to be dynamic.

1) CONTRAST–a stylish party table brings together contrasting elements in a way that makes the table come to life. The graphic pattern of the table runner contrast perfectly with the bold impact of the flowers. The two elements balance each other perfectly.

2) SHINE–Every party table needs elements that add a bit of shine and glimmer. The silver cups are a simple touch that adds elegance while also offering another element of contrast.

3) COLOR REINFORCEMENT–when you multiply the color statement on a table the entire table setting will be more dynamic. The mass of flowers down the center of the table is a visual pop and energizes the entire table arrangement.

I loved the look of this table so much that I went on the hunt for items that would make this tablescape a reality. Here’s how to get the look…

The best part about recreating this tablescape is that it won’t cost you a ton. Creating the table runner from $7.99/yd Ikea fabric is an easy no-sew project and looking on-line for the best deals will lead you to $9.99 silver mint julep cups at Staples (Staples, not just for office supplies).

When shopping for dinnerware invest in plates that can be mixed and matched with other items you have and use decorative bowls (less expensive) to add the pattern.

And fancy glass goblets are always in style, mix great with other stemware and can be used in both a formal and casual table setting.

Your Shopping List:

Floral Mums Invitation—Paper Source /Black and White Stripe Fabric–Ikea / Nomad Flower Bowls–Cost Plus / Baroque Ogee Plates–Cost Plus

Silver Mint Julep Cups–Staples / Baroque Scroll Goblet–Pier 1 / North Satin Silverware–Pier 1 / Raspberry Flower Crochet Napkins–Cost Plus World Market

Tablescape image via

Decorating with Fur

October 24, 2013

It’s become a ritual.

Whenever I go to Ikea I start at the front of the store and snake my way through each of the departments only to find myself in the rug department “petting” the sheepskin rug they sell.

You know the rug, the white fluffy one that makes you want to just snuggle with it like you were a 5-year-old.

I can’t help myself.

I’ve picked up that rug so many times and asked myself the question that runs through my head at least 127 times a day, “what could I do with this?”

I know one, maybe two of those rugs are meant to be in my life so I had to go hunting for some design inspiration to help me figure out how me and this rug could live in harmony together.