Your Guide For Stylish Living
I love conceptualizing beautiful tablescapes and finding the unique elements that bring my vision to life.
For my fall table this year, I’m dreaming of blue and white decor with pops of orange and accents of wood. I want the table to have a rustic but elegant feel with a vintage vibe. Here’s how I see the table coming together…
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I hope everyone had a great weekend. I got a lot checked off my to-do list and also managed to fit in some downtime with a Sunday drive.
One of my favorite things to do on a sunny weekend is drive through neighborhoods and check out the exterior decor of homes. I enjoy looking at the details that give homes their character like shutters, doors and corbels. Traditionally corbels are used as a support feature to hold up a structure but more and more you are seeing them as both functional and decorative elements.
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Some styles of home like Spanish or Cape Code are just meant for corbels and large, oversized designs like these really make an impact along an exterior bank of doors and windows.
They can be simple or elaborate in design and a trend you’re seeing a lot of now is the use of reclaimed or weathered wood to give the home an old-world look.
I love corbels as an accent framing the door to a home. They are a great alternative to columns or pillars and add so much style to a porch overhang.
On a true southern style home like this, they add to the charm of the exterior.
If adding corbels to your exterior decor is not an option, look at adding them inside as a beautiful architectural detail. They are a great way to frame and visually anchor a room, window or doorway.
Corbels are a quick and easy way to add style to your home, both inside and out.
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This is a great example of eclectic style. I love all the color in this home.
I loved checking out this bloggers top interior design pins from Pinterest. So much eye candy.
p.s. tile from ceiling to floor is a good thing!
This was such a cute video and now I’m even more excited about the book.
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I’m not a gin drinker but this peach and gin tonic have me rethinking that.
This beautifully styled cheese board and the how-to tutorial are great.
I love the organic look of this fall floral arrangement and the oranges are a fun touch.
This beautiful image from House Beautiful kinda makes me want to go out and buy a red sofa.
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This is a great time of year to shop all of the end of summer clearance sales and snag some really good buys. p.s. H and M Home has some great items worth checking out.
If you have an extra $5.00 lying around, you might want to pick up this black and white pillow cushion. #chiconashoestring
Eating a bowl of cereal every morning out of this gold stoneware bowl would make me feel like royalty. Or you could use this bowl to hold flowers or succulents.
And how about sipping tea out of this leopard print cup! There are also salad plates to match.
If you’re looking to UpStyle your organizing game, this black and gold storage box will do that in a flash. #iwant
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Enjoy your weekend friends. I’m going to be housebound all weekend getting a ton of work done and starting to pull things together for our upcoming cruise. I’m so excited with the thought that in just seven days my view will look a little like this.
I’m so excited to share the latest installment of my Behind The Blog series because it features one of my favorite design and style bloggers, Kristin from Bliss At Home.
I started following Kristin shortly after she started her blog in 2012 and quickly became a fan and admirer of both the blog and Kristin’s design work. Over the last four years, Kristin has developed Bliss At Home into one of the more recognizable and followed design and lifestyle blogs out there. Her work has been featured in both print publications and online media outlets like Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, HGTV magazine, One Kings Lane, Style Me Pretty and Domino.
Most recently, Bliss At Home was named to Domino’s Top 10 Up & Coming Designers to watch which is an honor well deserved.
Recently I posed a few questions to Kristin to get an inside look at how she has grown the Bliss at Home brand and what inspires her. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy this chat with Kristin.
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First let’s start by telling me a little about the Bliss at Home blog. When did you start blogging and what inspired you to start the blog?
I started B@H in June of 2012 to start to explore design more and connect with other creative.
Running a successful blog isn’t easy. Any advice you can share with someone wanting to build their blog into a business?
Be willing to go the extra mile. When you want to turn your blog into a business, you have to look at working with brands and publications as budding relationships. Only work with brands that you are 100% behind and make sure they are happy with the terms of your partnership.
Investing in a blogger is a really big deal for a brand as it is for you to work with them. Be selective. When you are working out the terms of your partnership, be transparent and honest about your stats, other companies that may be involved in the project, and what they will get out of working with you. Be willing to be an “over-sharer” on your blog and social media. Tag them and continue to cultivate that relationship. A lot of times, these partnerships become long-term relationships and lead to bigger projects. As the brand sees your quality of work and has the knowledge that they can trust you on a business level you will continue to work.
How would you describe your decorating style?
This is always such a hard question for me to answer, ha,ha! Well, does ever-evolving count? For the moment I would say I am a modern traditionalist who loves Mid-century, Parisian flair, and Chinoiserie touches.
Your home is beautifully decorated—how did you approach decorating and transforming your childhood home?
Carefully. We went room by room, but before we touched a space I knew the story I wanted to tell. I had my surfaces, colors, finishes, etc. all decided on before we started the remodel.
Many people are inspired by your design style—tell us five home decor essentials you can’t live without.
Like me, I know you love to shop vintage. What vintage items are always on your shopping list?
Mid-century pieces, bamboo furniture, brass anything.
What is the most treasured piece in your home?
Probably the vintage Italian bar cart Dave surprised me with for Valentine’s day. **You can see how Kristin styled this gorgeous cart here.
When it comes to decorating with color, what’s your go-to color palette?
I always lean towards black and white foundations in my home. I’ve worked in grays, mustard, and blush into our home…but the next space I am working on has a huge emerald moment. I can’t wait to share that one!
Where you do you go to get new ideas and inspiration?
Travel is a big one. Old buildings, interesting restaurant design intrigues me. I also like to look to the past. Color schemes that seem out-dated always can cycle back in a new modern way.
If you could lunch with any famous woman, who would it be and what’s one burning question you’d ask her?
I’m obsessed with Jane Austen’s novels. I would love to meet her and ask her what her greatest love is.
Tell me one or two things that are on your bucket list?
I want to learn how to ski. I’ve only been once and I just want to do it and do it well. When we move out East, I am excited to learn. We are all going to learn as a family.
It’s time to share a few of your favorite things…
Favorite Color: Yellow
Favorite Movie: It’s A Wonderful Life
Favorite Flower: Rose
Favorite Food: Seafood, lobster, crab, scallops, fish….all of it!
Favorite Summer Vacation Spot: Cape Cod
It’s been exciting see she Bliss at Home blossom over the years and I know that Kristin designs style will continue to inspire me and others.
Thank you Kristin for sharing your journey with me. I know you have exciting things planned for the future and I can’t wait to see how the new chapter unfolds.
You can follow Kristin at Bliss at Home and connect with her on Instagram and Pinterest for even more inspiration.
To see more of Kristin’s beautiful home check out her recent feature on The Everygirl.
Besides thrift stores, Ikea is one of the best sources for DIY items. If you follow any DIY or craft bloggers, I’m sure you’ve seen them transform an item or two from Ikea.
When I got the 2017 Ikea catalog in the mail last week, I filled through the pages. While there didn’t appear to be a lot of new items, I did spot quite a few pieces that would make for great DIY projects.
The Gladom Tray Table is just begging for a DIY UpStyle. I envision this piece painted gold, black or even Hermes orange. And if you love color, you could paint the removable tray one color and the stand another. $29.99
Th $35.00, the Lixhult Cabinet is a super affordable way to add storage to any room. Those doors a begging for some Overlays and I’ve even consider adding brass leg caps.
The Knotten Standing Desk is a great catch-all piece to place near the front door or in a mud room. And to Upstyle it, I’d paint it grey and add a marble slab top. $149.00
There are many creative ways to DIY this StenStorp Kitchen Island. I’d start by staining the top darker and painting the base. Then I’d add this brass towel bar to one side to hold kitchen towels. $399.00
The Vesken Shelf Unit is a great buy at $12.99 and would be perfect for a small bathroom that needs extra storage space. I could see this piece painted and the trays lined with beautiful paper.
The Norraker Bar Stool would be easy to paint or stain and then I’d Upstyled it with an upholstered seat cushion and a cup pull mounted on the back. $99.00
I can easily envision the Flisat Children’s Stool painted primary colors for a kids play area. But then again, it could also be painted a more sophisticated color and used as a small plant stand in a living room. $14.99
Have you had time to flip through the new Ikea catalog? I’d love to know what great pieces caught your eye.
If you’ve been reading the blog for a while or follow me on Instagram, you know I love beautiful stationery. I’m a sucker for the boxed notecards at HomeGoods and I’ve been known to handcraft my own monogram notecards.
As a business owner and lifestyle blogger, I make it a practice to send cards and notes to all my design clients and to new friends that I meet through blogging. I also love to give beautiful stationery as gifts.
Today I’m sharing a fun and stylish gift idea that’s easy to pull together, Monogrammed Stationery Suite!
The first thing you’ll need to do to create this stationery set is to compile an assortment of notecards. The perfect stationery suite should include thank you cards, blank note cards, blank or decorative tags and maybe even some decorative or monogrammed stickers.
Here are the items I included in my set:
DIY Monogram Notecard // Personalized Notepad // Monogram Stickers // Personalized Thank You Cards // Gift Tags (similar)
DIY Monogram Notecards // Personalized Notepad // Monogram Stickers // Personalized Thank You Cards // Gift Tags (similar)
Next, head to the store and pick up a small acrylic drawer unit. I purchased this one from HomeGoods for less than $8 but I also love this one from the Container Store.
Once all the items are pulled together, arrange them in each drawer so all the cards and stickers can be seen.
To personalize the top of the box, use these embroidered iron-on letters and simply glue them onto the top of the box.
If you’re looking for unique stationery products, here are a few of my favorite sources:
Notecards, Thank You, Blank Notes
Stickers
Zazzle (the best source and prices for monogrammed stickers)
Washi Tape
A personalized stationery suite is a creative gift to give for any occasion. And it’s a great gift for men who usually don’t keep stationery items on hand.
With the Christmas gift giving season just a few months away, get a jump on your gift giving and make up a few of these boxes for the special people in your life.
Happy Gifting!
Jenny Wolf
Do you love looking through the portfolios of interior designers as much as I do? Recently I came across the work of Jenny Wolf, a New York based interior designer and was utterly impressed with her design work. Jenny grew up living in New Orleans and on the coast of South Carolina and eventually made her way to New York where her design career began. After landing in NY, she worked in retail development for Ralph Lauren (dream job) where she managed visual merchandising and shop installations for RL women’s shops. After a 5 year stint at RL, she left to attend Parsons where she earned her degree in Interior Design.
Flipping through Jenny’s website, is it clear that her design aesthetic reflects a co-mingling of southern flair with big city style.
Here’s a look at one of my favorite projects from her portfolio.
As you tour this home, you’ll notice simple and classic styling infused with beautiful detail. The trim on the curtain panels and the nail-heads on the sofa are little touches that make the decor special.
I love the cozy arrangement Jenny created in this the living area and the eclectic mix of materials and design styles. The accessory mix is perfection.
The ‘X’ benches are to die for.
Throughout the home, Jenny combined different textures with the furniture, rug, textiles and accessories. All of the textural elements in the dining area bring the neutral palette to life.
The bedroom is soothing and fun at the same time. Pattern mixing adds color and personality. I love the combination of red and navy mixed with khaki and white.
A textural statement was also added in the bedroom through the linen lampshades, bamboo chest, natural woven rug and linen curtains.
And throughout the house, you’ll see accents of black which help to add that city sophistication.
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Another one of her projects that really stood out to me is the Hudson Street project. This decor in this home is the perfect mix of cottage, boho and traditional design. You can tour the entire home here.
I’m so glad I discovered Jenny’s work. The spaces she creates are beautiful and inspiring and she is definitely one to watch.
You can view Jenny’s entire residential portfolio here and her commercial work here. And be sure to follow her on Instagram for more design & style inspiration.
all images via Jenny Wolf Interiors
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This past weekend was a big back-to-school shopping weekend here in Atlanta. It was a tax-free weekend and most school are starting back this week or next so shopping had to get done.
Even though I knew the stores were going to be crowded, I ventured out for a few hours to see if there were any deals to be had. And boy or boy were there.
I never really took note of it before but shopping during the back-to-school season has its benefits. Most of the big box stores like HomeGoods, Target and Macy’s had beefed up their inventory levels and had some great decorative pieces to decorate dorm rooms. Not only were the prices good, but many of items could work just as easily for home decor.
p.s. if you haven’t noticed, dorm decor has really become style statement these days. Far from the posters I hung on the wall.
So I know you’re asking yourself what does this mean for all of us that aren’t going off to school.
It means back-to-school season is a great time to shop for home decor items.
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Shop these looks:
Did anyone else find any great home decor deals while school shopping?
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