Dream Home–My Favorite Rooms From The 2016 HGTV Dream Home

February 24, 2016

Have you had a chance to check out the 2016 HGTV Dream Home? Every year HGTV decorates a beautiful home and holds a contest to give the fully furnished home plus a car and cash prize away to one lucky person.

Every year I look forward to see the beautifully decorated home and every year I enter the contest and cross my fingers that I’ll win.

Every year my sweet husband who happens to be a tax man reminds me that if we did get lucky enough to win we couldn’t keep the house because of the enormous tax liability that comes with it!

And every year I continue to dream. This year was no exception.

p.s. it’s reported that only one winner in the history of the giveaway has kept the house. Most winners have sold the home or taken the cash option which allows them to pay the tax debt and still have some mad money left over.

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Let’s go on a mini tour of the home and check out my favorite spaces in the home…

For the first time ever, instead of building a brand new home, HGTV decided to remodel an existing one for the 2016 Dream Home. Located in Merritt Island, Florida, this years home has undergone a total transformation thanks to designer Brian Patrick Flynn and has a style and vibe perfect for its Florida setting.

OUTDOOR POOL & LANIA

I love a beautiful outdoor space and this outdoor patio and pool area of this home are gorgeous. The area was designed for entertaining and lounging, all centered around a gorgeous pool.

BACK LANIA

I love that multiple seating areas were created which make it ideal of large gatherings. The paint color on the windows and doors is a perfect match to the outdoor furniture creating a harmonious feel between the indoor and outdoor space.

LIVING ROOM

The living room has a causal vibe because of the soothing colors and abundant seating. I love the trio of light fixtures that serve as a focal point for the room and mirror the details or the coffee table.

KITCHEN

I’ve written about using furniture pieces in a kitchen before so you know I love the cream cabinets that were used in this space along the windows. What a unique was to incorporate storage and a serving area into a functional kitchen space.

MASTER BEDROOM

While the coastal colors used throughout the home are not my style, I love that Brian painted most of the ceilings in the home. The master bedroom was dressed in a bold aqua color and along with the white furniture the room really pops. You gotta love the beaded chandelier and the gallery wall which was designed to incorporate the TV.

GUEST BEDROOM

And the last area of the home that I love is the guest bedroom. Again, dressed in coastal colors the peach + neutrals is really pretty. I’ve always liked the idea of a desk as a night stand alternative and love the accessorizing that was done in the bedroom.

The entire Merritt Island home is stunning but these are the spaces that really stood out to me and where I’ll be spending all my time if I happen to win!

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You can hop over to HGTV to check out the entire home and see all of the before pictures. You won’t believe what the exterior of the home looked like before they started the transformation.

Other facts about the Dream Home:

The home is 3,100 sq. feet and has 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms
Ethan Allen is the primary source of furniture and décor
All of the paint used in the home is Glidden
The entire second level of the home is the dedicated to the master bedroom retreat
The prize package also includes a 2016 GMC Acadia Denali, $250,000 provided by national mortgage lender Quicken Loans, and a brand new boat
The winner of the giveaway will be chosen in March

Kitchens–Easy Ways to UpStyle Your Kitchen

February 23, 2016

EASY WAYS TO UP-STYLE YOUR KITCHEN

Given the amount of time we all spend in the kitchen, it’s one of the rooms in your home that you should love. Loving your kitchen is more that liking how it functions for you and your family, it also involves how it looks and feels. After years of use, a kitchen can sometimes become dull and lifeless and before you know it the space has lost the style it once had.

When it comes to the investment you have in your home, kitchen remodel are one of the best investments you can make but they can be expensive. So what are you to do when you want to add the life and energy back into your kitchen but want to do that on a budget? You employ one or more of these design tricks.

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Paint Something

Paint is definitely the easiest way to change the look and feel of any room in your home and there are several ways paint can transform a kitchen. Your kitchen island is a prime candidate for paint and painting it give you a great opportunity to infuse a color accent into the space. If you want to go one step further, consider painting your cabinets. You don’t have to paint all of them, paint just the uppers or lowers which will add a dramatic design contrast. And a final and easy paint option is to paint the walls.

Better Homes and Gardens

House and Home

This Old House

Open Up The Shelving

The trend of open shelving is still a hot one and for good reason. Open shelving creates visual depth and can make your space feel larger while providing visual impact and interest. Open shelving can be achieved by taking the doors off of cabinets, replacing solid doors with glass front doors or installing floating shelving in place of traditional cabinets. The only downside of open shelving is that you have to keep the shelves looking neat and tidy.

Better Homes and Gardens

Re-Accessorize Your Countertops

I know kitchen counters can become a drop zone of all types of things and that combined with small appliances, your kitchen can easily become a hot mess. The easiest way to keep your counters neat and organized is by creating groupings of items at key spots along the countertop instead of allowing every inch of counter space to be filled. Store what appliances you can behind closed doors and then use baskets and tray to corral tems out on display. As you go about re-accessorizing your counters, think about the types of accessories you use. Use items that create a style or color theme which will add style to your space.

Simple Details

Shabby French Cottage

Better Homes and Gardens

Accent With A Rug

Don’t limit your rug shopping to traditional kitchen rugs. Look at fashion rugs as an option for your kitchen. Rugs are a great way to infuse pattern and color, and they can add energy and style to your kitchen. And don’t skimp on the size of rug you use–where the space allows, go big or use multiple rugs to anchor and define different zones within the kitchen.

Emily Henderson

Coastal Living

My Domaine

Up-Style With Lighting

Lighting is one area where you can really have fun when decorating your kitchen. Go big and bold, hang a unique fixture and consider a countertop lamp to add accent lighting. If your space can accommodate a larger light fixture, look at outdoor lighting as an option since many outdoor lantern styles have the heft and scale that can work in a larger space.

Brooke Berry

Style Estate

Home Bunch

When is the last time you gave your kitchen a facelift?

Designer Closets–The Details You Can Use In Your Own Closet

February 19, 2016

p.s. it’s reported that only one winner in the history of the giveaway has kept the house. Most winners have sold the home or taken the cash option which allows them to pay the tax debt and still have some mad money left over.

OUTDOOR POOL & LANIA

BACK LANIA

LIVING ROOM

KITCHEN

MASTER BEDROOM

GUEST BEDROOM

Other facts about the Dream Home:

EASY WAYS TO UP-STYLE YOUR KITCHEN

Paint Something

Open Up The Shelving

Re-Accessorize Your Countertops

Accent With A Rug

Up-Style With Lighting

When is the last time you gave your kitchen a facelift?

DESIGN DETAILS FOR YOUR DREAM CLOSET

“To create something exceptional, your mindset must be relentlessly focused on the smallest detail.” – Giorgio Armani

“Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication. ” – Leonardo Da Vinci

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“Personal style is about taking classic pieces and reinterpreting them to make them your own.” – Frida Giannin

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So, which of these designer closet details do you love the most?

As in any decorative situation, an animal print always works to add a sophisticated and elegant look to any space.

Patterned lampshades on a brass lamp can create an old-world feel which it totally in style.

I love the idea of a patterned lampshade to match the theme of the decor.

It’s aways good to have a variety of patterns within a room design and a patterned lampshade is an easy way to incorporate a fun pattern.

A patterned lampshade that fits the color theme of a room just gives the room more visual depth and interest.

A patterned lampshades can add color and energy to a neutral room.

Patterned lampshades can unify the colors within a room.

Patterned lampshades can add an unexpected twist to the decor of a room.

Seedling–available in 16 colors / Watercolor Floral / Giclee Greek Key Lampshade–available in tons of colors

Northern Lights / Animal Print / Diamonds Giclee

Teal Bamboo Trellis / Birch Blonde /Jigsaw Drum Shade

Scrabble Pieces

PINECONES

ALPHABET BALLS

DOMINOS