Celebrate National Ice Tea Day

June 10, 2016

Today is National Ice Tea Day so I thought I’d get you in the mood to enjoy a glass of tea southern style by sharing some beautiful southern porch inspiration.

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No southern porch is compete without classic rocking chairs. No matter what type of seating you have on your porch, patio or deck, add decorative pillows for color and comfort and lots of potted plants and flowers for southern charm.

Country Living

I dream of having a daybed or porch swing one day. This porch has all the elements that create a cozy spot to enjoy a lazy summer afternoon–wispy drapes to shield the sun, a painted ceiling to add a sense of coolness and loads of pillows to add a welcoming touch.

Country Living

Just like you do with your indoor decor, develop a color story for your porch decor. This is the perfect time of year to showcase your American pride using red, white and blue decor.

HomeGoods

A chic sun umbrella and a stylish chair is all it takes to create a relaxing spot on the porch or deck. If your umbrella doesn’t have trim, you can easily add your own outdoor trim and waterproof glue.

Country Style

Keep the heat down by hanging a ceiling fan on your porch and using an outdoor rug to keep your feet cool.

BHG

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Here in the South, National Ice Tea day is something we celebrate every day of the year and our pantries are stocked with all the essentials to make the perfect glass of southern ice tea.

SOUTHERN ICE TEA ESSENTIALS

Original Mason Jar $4.99 // Decorative Paper Straws $4.99 set/25 // Paper Cocktail Napkins $5.00 set/20

Melamine Ice Tea Spoons $12 set/6 // Wood Serving Tray $19.97-$44.95 // Luzianne Ice Tea {the best tea to cold tea}

Shop my favorite ice tea pitchers here

Budget Decorating: Basket Decor

June 9, 2016

If there’s one thing you are guaranteed to find in any thrift store you shop at, it’s baskets. There is always a wide array of shapes, sizes and designs to choose from and for just a few dollars you can buy a great decorative accessory for your home. When it comes to decorating with baskets, they are one of the more budget friendly design elements you can incorporate into your home.

BASKET DECOR

Large baskets can be customized with a light kit and turned into stylish lighting. African baskets are ideal for this project because of the beautiful colors and designs they boost. Here’s a great DIY basket light tutorial.

With a collection of flat baskets you can create a really stunning and impactful wall statement. Combine different textures and weave designs to create lots of visual impact.

{it’s easy to paint baskets to create a colorful mix}

UpStyle plain storage baskets using paint and use them to hold item all around your house.

Let these beautiful painted pieces inspire you…

{painted basket DIY here}

During spring and summer, baskets can be used to hold floral stems or branches to add an organic touch to your decor.

Lidded baskets can be stacked to create a unique side table and give your added storage.

Place houseplants in baskets so they blend effortlessly into your decor.

I use baskets all over my house for both storage and as a design statement and consider them one of my essential decorative accessories.

The next time you go thrifting you might want to take another spin down the basket aisle.

image source: 1) Lonny 2) unknown 3) hgtv 4) Natalie Fuglestveit Interior Designs 5) Completely Coastal 6) Tracery Interiors 7) Far & Wide 8) The Inspired Room 9) Completely Coastal 10) BHG 11) Top This Top That

My Favorite Party Decor Items

June 8, 2016

Decorating and entertaining are two of my passions and one of the key components to a festive and stylish party is the decor. No matter what type of party you’re hosting, there are a few decorative elements that are guaranteed to add a touch of cheer and a pop of party fun.

Today I’m sharing my favorite party decor pieces, some party inspiration and my go-to sources for shopping party goods.

Party Pinwheel Decor –when you want to make a big impact at your party, pinwheel paper fans will do the trick. Hang them free-floating or anchor them against a wall to create a fun photo backdrop. Layering different sizes and patterns is the key to a lavish look.

My Wedding

source unknown

Tissue Tassel Garland –tassel garland is a great way to infuse color and texture into your decor. And the garland can be draped just about anywhere, adding a festive accent to furniture, walls, doors or hanging over the party table.

Ruby May Designs

Flowers and Folk

Confetti Balloons–when you want to add an unexpected touch to your party try confetti balloons. These oversized balloons will look great floating around the party space and when its time to make a toast or celebrate the birthday girl, pop the balloons and let the confetti fall.

Knot and Bow

B. Lovely Events

Striped Washi Tape –I’m a big fan of washi tape and use it all the time when crafting and wrapping gifts. It can also be used to create fun party decorations like festive vases, pennant flag cake topper, wall decor and you can even dress up table linens.

Good Housekeeping

100 Layer Cakelet

Wedding Chicks

Circle Garland –another way to create a dynamic backdrop for a party is with paper circle garland. Drape it around a table, hang it over head or cascade it along a wall.

Colin Cowie Weddings

Pink Pistachio

Pomtree

Decorative Balloons–along with confetti balloons, I’m also a big fan of decorative mylar balloons in party themed shapes and designs.

Ruffled

Honeycomb Decor –I’ve shared my love for paper honeycomb decor here on the blog before so it’s should be not surprise that they made my list of favorite decor pieces. With so many shapes to choose from, the ideas for decorating with paper honeycombs are endless but I love when there’s a mix of design and colors.

Minted

Sweet Lulu

The Tomkat Studio

Crepe Paper Flowers–I remember making paper flowers when I was in grade school. These days the technique has been refined and you can find some amazing flowers that are ideal for decorating.

Style Me Pretty

Wedding Chicks

Catch My Party

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SHOP MY FAVORITE RESOURCES FOR FABULOUS PARTY DECORATIONS

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Knot & Bow–confetti balloons, loose confetti, gift tags, decorative candles, paper goods and a great selection of stickers.

Geronimo Balloons–giant balloons, tassel garland, party kits.

Cute Tape–the most amazing selection of decorative washi tape ever! They also have a project gallery full of washi tape decor ideas.

Save-on-Crafts–vases and glassware, paper fans, pennant garland, silk flowers and so much more.

Pomtree–decorative mylar balloons, decorative straws, tissue paper pom poms, honeycomb shapes.

Pom Love–confetti, streamers, tissue paper pom poms, paper fans, garland.

Shop Sweet LuLu–a mega shop filed with every type of entertaining decor you can imagine including paper crafts, serving pieces, kits and picnic party items.

Sugar and Cloth

DIY Toile Tablecloth (and a Giveaway)

June 7, 2016

I saw it…I admired it…and then I decided to make it!

One day when I was surfing through the Neiman Marcus website, I spotted a beautiful green and white toile tablecloth. It had everything going for it except the price ($$$). I continued to search for more budget friendly options but the only color I found at the price I wanted to pay was blue and white.

Well, the universe must have been hearing my cries because just about the time I was going to settle for a blue and white tablecloth, Cutting Edge Stencils contacted me and asked if I wanted to review one of their stencil designs. A quick review of their collection and I said YES. They had the perfect toile stencil so I could make my own toile tablecloth and save lots of money. Plus I always love a good craft challenge.

♦ DIY Toile Tablecloth ♦

white tablecloth with a vibrant green paint color

you know I love chinoiserie

of course I had to style the table using some of my blue and white pieces

a fun accent color makes it even merrier

lots of vintage, thrifted and budget friendly treasure to give the table even more personality

So what do you think? Pretty darn cute if I may say so myself.

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If you’ve never given stenciling a try, I urge you to do it. It’s easy and a great way to create custom decor for your home. Making my tablecloth took just a couple of hours and a few supplies. Here’s how…

Supply list:

White Tablecloth –It’s best to get a 100% cotton or cotton blend which will allow the paint to absorb better

Secret Garden Toile Stencil (if toile isn’t your look, there are tons of designs to choose from)

Foam paint roller

Acrylic Paint –I used Anita’s acrylic paint in Christmas Green and purchased 2 of the large size bottles

Textile Medium–creates a soft, flexible and washable paint surface

Painters Tape, Spray Adhesive, Plastic paint tray or disposable paper plate

Gather your supplies and lay the tablecloth out on a smooth, firm surface. I used my dining room table and placed a plastic drop cloth under the white tablecloth to protect the table surface.
To ensure a clean paint application, use spray adhesive on the back of your stencil to prevent any paint bleeding. Spray the back of the stencil, let it sit for a few minutes and then place the stencil onto the tablecloth, starting in the upper right corner.
Mix 2 parts paint with 1 part textile medium and pour paint onto the disposable plate.
Coat your roller with paint and then roll the roller on the paper towel to remove most of the paint. You want the roller to have very little paint on it when you begin to reduce paint bleed.
Paint over the stencil–you may need to go over the stencil 2 or 3 times to get the depth of color you want.
Let the stencil sit for just a minute and then remove it. Move your stencil and repeat the process until you’ve covered the entire tablecloth.

Once my tablecloth was painted, I decided to add a decorative trim along the edge and added a canary yellow woven gimp I purchased on clearance at Hobby Lobby. I love the pop of color!

I’m thrilled with how my Toile Tablecloth turned out and will definitely to enjoy using it year round.

Now it’s your turn to get in on the stencil fun. Cutting Edge Stencils is giving away a $50 gift certificate to one of my readers. Enter below for your chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer : This is a sponsored post but all ideas and opinions are 100% my own.

The 60-30-10 Color Rule

May 27, 2016

How confident are you when it comes to decoration with color? Like many people, this might be one area of decorating that you find challenging but don’t worry because there’s a simple design formula that can decorating with color easier.

The 60-30-10 decorating rule is a tried and true method to help pull together the color theme for a room. The rule relates to how colors should be proportioned within room to achieve a balanced and harmonious feel within the space.

The 60-30-10 color rule is really simple for anyone to apply, even the novice decorator. Here’s how it works…

60%

The main color you selected for a space should represent 60% of the color within the room. In a family room the 60% would be represented by the wall color, large decorative pieces like a rug and in some cases the larger furniture pieces like a sofa. The 60% color should serve as the dominant impact in the room and anchor the space.

30%

The 30% should be represented by the secondary color within the room and have half the impact and presence as the main color. In a family room secondary color can come from the drapes, accent furniture or even artwork. In a bedroom, the secondary colors can represented through the bed linens or smaller accent rugs. The goal is to have the secondary color (30%) be an accent and enhance the main color (60%) within the room while adding to the overall personality of the space.

10%

10% of your color within a room should be represented by accent colors. In a family room setting your accessories will provide your accent–decorative pillows, tabletop decor and smaller pieces of artwork and lighting. In a bedroom the accent colors will come from the pillows, lamps and nightstand accessories. The accent colors that represent 10% of the overall color palette should be pulled from your drapes, area rug and larger upholstered pieces so that the overall color theme ties together.

Here are a couple of examples showing the 60-30-10 color rule in use…

Using the 60-30-10 color rule can make choosing color simple, and help you achieve balance in decorating.

Finding the right color balance within a room can be challenging but if you follow the general principles of the 60-30-10 color rule you’ll be able to create a color theme for any room in your home with confidence. And if an abundance of color is what you love, follow your gut and decorate fearlessly like actress Mindy Kaling did in her home office below.

design by Nathan Turner

image source: Country Living, DIY Network

Product + Inspiration: Cloth Napkin Pillow Covers

May 26, 2016

When we purchased our first home in Seattle years ago we didn’t have a lot of money to spend on decorating it. One day when walking through a department store I picked up a pack of cloth dinner napkins that were on clearance. The pattern was what caught my attention at first but as I opened the napkins up, I remember thinking that they would make great pillow covers. Fast forward to today and cloth napkin pillow covers are still one of my ‘design on a dime’ decorating tips.

If you’ve never thought about using cloth napkins to make pillow covers, let me tell you why it’s a good idea:

♦ Most cloth napkins are sized perfectly for pillows–18″ x 18″ or 20″ x 20″ which means standard pillow inserts will fit.

♦ Cloth napkins are already hemmed so there is no cutting on your part.

♦ Cloth napkins are inexpensive so you can make seasonal pillow changes without breaking the bank.

♦ Many big box stores (Pottery Barn, World Market, Target) sell napkins in the same prints that they sell in their pillow collection so you can have the same look for a fraction of the price.

♦ Napkin pillow covers are simple to sew or you can use fabric glue to make the pillow covers if you don’t have a sewing machine or don’t know how to sew.

♦ You can add decorative trim to your napkin pillow covers to UpStyle the look even more.

Now let’s get to the inspiration part of the post and check out some pillow covers made using cloth napkin…

View From The Fridge

Censational Girl

Southern Lady

Pretty cool idea don’t you think?

I did a little shopping for you and rounded up a few of my favorite napkin designs that I think would make beautiful pillows. Let’s go shopping…

CLOTH NAPKIN PILLOW COVERS

top--WORLD MARKET: Anita Napkin // Succulent Napkin // Pink Pip Floral Napkin // Foil Geometric Sheila Napkins

middle--Anthropologies: Caicos Napkin // Fellina Napkin–orange // Fellina Napkin–blue

bottom--TARGET: Dot Napkin // Geometric Decorative Napkin // Indigo Print Napkins

The long weekend ahead is the perfect time to whip up a few napkin pillow covers. Happy crafting!

Design Guide: The Best Black Paint Colors

May 24, 2016

Black has always been an essential decorating color and anyone that has worked with me knows that one of my design mottos is “every room needs a touch of black.” Over the years, black has gone from being used as just an accent color to being the dominant color for many rooms. I know that black walls or even black furniture aren’t for everyone but if you have a space that needs dramatic backdrop or a ceiling that you want to fade away, black just might be the color you need.

♦ THE BEST BLACK PAINT COLORS ♦

Black furniture has become a standard design statement and a coat or two of black paint is a great way to transform a vintage piece. In most cases, furniture painted black calls for a finish with a bit of shine so go with a gloss, semi-gloss or satin finish. {color: BM Black Satin}

Kiki’s List

Black stair banisters with white spindles is one of my favorite design details. If you’re looking for a quick and fairly easy update for your stairs, black paint is definitely something to consider and I recommend a semi-gloss or satin finish to make the details of the wood/design pop. One of my favorite black paint colors for banisters is Sherwin Williams Black Magic.

House Beautiful

Black require the right setting to be most effective including sufficient natural light. The black walls in this foyer space give the area a dramatic and elegant look without it feeling like a cave. {color: SW Tricon Black}

via Sherwin Williams

I think bathrooms are an ideal space for black paint. Surrounded by white surfaces and brass hardware, the black wall in this bathroom just fades away and allows the decorative elements to stand out. And since black and white tile is a hot trend these days, black walls are an easy compliment. {color: BM Soot}

Studio McGee

Black doors, both interior and exterior have almost become the norm for many homes. Black interior doors can make a hallway stand out and black exterior doors have a sophisticated feel and really pump up the curb appeal of a home. {color: BM Space Black}

Country Living

Favorite Paint Colors

Kristen from The Hunted Interior painted her living room ceiling black and boy is it stunning especially with all of the vibrant colors and metallic finishes that accessorize the room.

Hunted Interior

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Picking the right shade of black paint can be just as challenging as picking the right white paint color. Shades of black range from true, rich pigmented blacks to others that have a grey or even blue undertone. As I do with any color of paint, I recommend you buy a few sample jars and try the colors on your wall to find the one that works best with your room and decor. As a designer, I’ve tried my fair share of black paint colors and have narrowed down my top picks and my favorites to just a handful which might help you in your paint search.

If you have white trim in your home and are looking to paint your walls black, a crisp white will work best. You can read about my favorite white paint colors by clicking the image below.

Coloring Books for Design Fanatics

May 23, 2016

via

Ok, its confession time. How many of you have coloring books?

I jumped on the coloring book craze when it first starting gaining popularity. As a creative, I’ve loved coloring my entire life and the idea of a coloring book for adults was so up my alley that I couldn’t resist. My first coloring book was this one filled with Beautiful Patterns just like the title says. I was drawn to the abstract and intricate designs which are perfect for someone like me that is a ‘coloring inside the lines’ kind of gal.

Since my first coloring book I’ve been gifted several others by family and friends and now switch back and forth between books so none of them gets neglected.

Recently I read that several of my favorite bloggers (and authors) are jumping on the coloring book wagon and developing home decor themed books. I can’t wait!

John and Sherry from Young House Love have their coloring book, Color At Home coming out in October and from the looks of the cover image, it is going to be a good one. The cover image resembles many of the beautiful rooms you see on Pinterest.

And Melissa, the blogger and author behind The Inspired Room blog has a coloring book coming out in July, aptly named The Inspired Room Coloring Book.

Melissa shared a few pages from her book on her blog and it is also looks like it’s going to be a fun book. I love that there will be room environments along with individual home decor items to color. I see a whole lot of #chinosierie inspiration in my future.

I don’t know who or why the adult coloring book trend started but I think it’s only going to get bigger and home decor coloring books take it to a new level. Being able to color design a room in any color combination you want can provide great visual inspiration for someone decorating a room in their home.

For those of you that can’t wait until the Color At Home and The Inspired Room Coloring Book come out, here are a couple other home decor related coloring books I found.

Color Me Cluttered–The title and cover image of this coloring book might scare off a lot of people but I’m really intrigued by the artwork and potential transformation that can happen after a few hours of coloring. And the minute I saw the image of the gift wrap, I was hooked.

Off the Bookshelf–This coloring book contains a range of images, many of bookshelves and home decor scenes and others more random. This book was also designed using a slightly heavier paper weight so you don’t have any color bleeding if you use markers to color your images. And I like that each page is perforated making it easy to tear out the pages and frame as artwork.

Now that I’ve got you itching to purchase a few coloring books, you’ll also need to buy some great pens or markers. I switch between using pencils and markers when I color. If I want more intense color on the image I go with markers and if I’m looking for a softer effect, I tend to choose colored pencils. Here are several brands that love and in most cases own myself so I can highly recommend these from personal experience.

No. 1 Prismacolor is definitely my favorite brand for markers and I also love their colored pencils. They sell a variety of styles at price points from affordable to expensive. The Premier 24 pk. Colored Pencil Set is a great value, includes enough colors so that you have lots of options to work with and the pencils are ideal for blending colors. There are larger sets available too.

No. 2 Tomboy Dual Brush Pen Art Markers are great because of the dual brush heads and because the pens are odorless, bendable and non-bleeding.

No. 3 I’ve owned a set of Uchida Le Plume II Double Ended Markers for many years and they still work like a charm. They’ve traveled with us when we moved for Seattle to Atlanta and I’ve only had a few dry up. The extra-fine tip is great for intricate designs and the pens are easy to handle and won’t cramp your hand.

No. 4 For those of you that might want to take your coloring on the road or in the air, here’s a great set of 48 Marco Affine Artist Quality Pencils that include the roll-up case. While I don’t own this exact set, I am considering purchasing a case to hold my pencils. I like this case but if you’re looking for a great deal, you’ll want to scoop this case up.

No. 5 The 72-piece Prismacolor Premier Double Ended Art Marker set is for the serious color artist and crafter because these markers are an investment. This is another set that I’ve owned for years and just love. These markers provide a very saturated color and work great for blending. I also love them because once applied, the color is consistent with no blending or start/stop lines.

Coloring books for adults is a pretty cool thing in my book. I’m a big fan and encourage you to give it a try is you haven’t already.