Holiday decorating, Interior styling, Organization, Tips

Plan ahead for the holiday season

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The holidays can get so busy and hectic and we can forget to stop and enjoy the little things. What if you planned ahead and alleviated some of that holiday stress? After all, it is the little details that make the holidays even more magical.

So what is one of  the most important things you can do to plan ahead and cross some things off your list now?

-First things first…Clear the cluttered surfaces and piles.

(I know this does not sound fun but I promise it will be worth it!)

Once you clear the clutter from the drop zones like the dining room table, kitchen island, entryway and  you stop using the guest room as a storage area then your home will be so much easier to maintain.

What are the benefits of a less cluttered home for the holidays?

-You can entertain at a moments notice.

-You are always ready for overnight guests.

-You don’t have to stress at the last minute.

-Your home is so much more fun to decorate for the holidays.

-Cleaning and tidying up is so much easier.

-You have time to spend with family and friends.

-You can spend more time on the fun details and magic of the holiday season.

 

Closet edits, Fashion, Feng Shui, Holiday decorating, Outfit styling, Shop your closet, Tips

Fall is almost here…are you ready?

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Fall is my favorite time of year!

The weather cools off, the leaves start falling and I love the cozy feeling it all brings. If you start planning and getting your house organized now then you can have more time to enjoy the holidays.

Some ways to get ready for Fall:

-Swap out your closet and bring out your Fall and Winter pieces. Don’t forget to do a shoe swap as well!

Fall is all about layering in North Carolina so remember there are lots of pieces in your wardrobe that can be worn year round. Once you add those third pieces like cardigans and jackets then your wardrobe can be more versatile.

-De clutter to be ready for entertaining and guests.

Don’t stress at the last minute when you are hosting a party or having family come visit. Doing some reorganizing and creating household systems will make your house much easier to maintain.

-Add some cozy accents and accessories to make your house more calm and inviting.

Think throw pillows, blankets,cozy bedding,  candles and twinkle lights. All these accents can make such a difference in how your home feels.

-Create some go to outfits for Fall and Winter by shopping your closet.

Once you take inventory of what you have creating new outfits by shopping your closet is part of the fun. This will also help you make an intentional shopping list for any pieces you may be missing.

 

 

 

 

Design, Interior styling, Tips

Custom creative project for my client

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I finally finished my client’s living room mantle after months of collecting all these colored glass pieces.

I would call this maximalist design. It might be too much for some people but it’s perfect for my client and I am so happy with how it turned out.

There is a story behind this…

It all started last year at Christmas  when I surprised my client with a new Christmas decorating theme to go with her newly redesigned colorful living room. I collected bottle brush trees in a rainbow of colors and scattered in some colored glass with battery powered twinkle lights.

Once it was time to take the Christmas decorations down my client said she was sad and didn’t want a mostly empty mantle.

I knew instantly what I wanted to do…

Creative projects like this that are custom tailored to my clients are my absolute favorite thing to do!

I love bringing a creative vision to life! Could your home use some creativity? I’m here to help!

Design, Feng Shui, Interior styling, Tips

How to decorate with candles

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Have you ever looked around and thought your home might be missing something?

Maybe it just doesn’t feel warm and inviting. It lacks that calm and cozy feeling?

One of my favorite ways to add a calming cozy vibe to your home is by decorating with candles.

My husband and I suffer from allergies and live in a small space so I try to limit my real candles to one lightly scented candle.

I might be a little obsessed with adding battery powered candles around our home though! The soft amber glow reminds me of a fireplace and has an instant calming effect on me. I set my battery powered candles on timer mode and they come on at night after dinner and are perfect for setting a relaxing mood.

I am picky about the quality of my fake candles and like them to flicker and look realistic. Battery powered candles are definitely not all the same.

Another way you can elevate the look is by placing the battery powered candles in glass or metal votive. I love the way the light reflects through the metal cut outs or off the glass. I mix my real and fake candles on the same tray so its hard to tell they are not real.

How do you feel about candles? Do you have certain nightly rituals and routines that you follow in your home?

Design, Feng Shui, Interior styling, Tips

How to style your home with faux flowers

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I love decorating with real and fake flowers. They can add so much color and life to a space.

It doesn’t matter what season we are in…flowers can be changed out for spring, summer, fall and winter.

You can reuse some of the stems and alternate others depending on the time of year.

I like to choose vases that can pretty much work year round so I don’t have to store too many extras.

Flowers are perfect for decorating an entryway table, bathroom counter, dark corner… the possibilities are endless.

I truly believe if you add these extra details to your home it will make you more accountable in keeping your home organized and de cluttered. Do you really want to create a drop zone next to a beautiful arrangement of flowers?

Adding extra finishing touches to your home will help you be more intentional about maintaining your newly styled space.

I am very picky about the flowers I choose looking real. These roses are a favorite and have fooled many people from a distance! They are a little more on the expensive side but totally worth it! I get them at Michaels believe it or not.

Some tips I use when decorating with flowers and creating vignettes:

-Choose stems and flowers that look more realistic.

-Create a cohesive color palette with other decorative items. This will create a “vignette” and make things really stand out and flow.

-Selecting flowers with texture adds another layer of interest and warmth to your space.

-You are not limited by a small space. There are so many cute bud vases you can use on bathroom counters and places where space is limited.

-Get creative and play with some arrangements and you will be surprised how flowers can brighten up your space and instantly lift your mood.

Design, Feng Shui, Interior styling, Tips

Style your space for the New Year

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Have you noticed when you take down the holiday decorations you feel better without all the clutter BUT it can look a little sparse and sad?

It is a New Year after all so change some things up and refresh your space!

My favorite thing to do after the holidays is give all the surfaces a good wipe down. (get all that glitter off).

Once you have cleared the spaces and wiped them down then get creative when putting things back.

Is there any excess clutter or things that have just landed there accidentally? This is your chance to start with a clean slate.

Only put back what you love. I realize things have to be functional as well. But they can be beautifully styled and be functional. One of my absolute favorite ways to elevate a space is to add a decorative tray. We have 2 decorative trays on our entryway table. One has to be functional and holds a bowl with our keys, my husband’s sunglasses and a few other things.

But the second tray is my fun area where I like to decorate seasonally. I have battery powered candles in various styles of votives on there. And I also have my favorite scented candle and I burn it all year long.

I have a faux plant or a vase of faux flowers depending on the time of year and then I add some twinkle lights.

You would not believe what a difference these details can make. They add so much warmth and coziness.

There are so many ways to accessorize your home without spending anything or spending very little.

Some of my favorite accessories to change the look and vibe of your home:

-Throw pillows and blankets

-Candles and twinkle lights

-Faux or real plants and flowers

-Decorative trays, bowls, boxes (these are a great way to add beautiful storage and still have a practical space.)

-Display favorite mementos from travel or sentimental items in creative ways.

-Go to thrift stores and find unique pieces that tell a story. Mixing old and new gives a home some interest.

-Do not display and keep things out of guilt. (because someone gave it to you or you spent too much money on it).

Display what you love and what represents your personal style.

What do you already have in your home that you can restyle and refresh your space?

Design, Feng Shui, Interior styling

How to add Hygge to your home

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What is Hygge?

If I had to describe Hygge in one word I would say “ cozy”.

I have found that over the years my style has evolved and I love the feeling of a cozy home.

The more cozy elements I add the calmer I feel. 

Some of my favorite ways to make a home feel more Hygge are:

-Blankets, pillows and more blankets!

-Battery powered candles and twinkle lights.

-Real candles burning in my favorite scent 

-A warm dog on my lap 

-A cup of tea or coffee 

-A good book or movie 

How does your home feel right now? Could it use some cozy touches for Fall?

Design, Feng Shui, Interior styling, Organization

Living room design for senior clients

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I got a call from some clients that I have worked with for years. They are a sweet older couple in their late seventies and wanted to convert one of their guest bedrooms into a cozy den.  I was so excited to help with this project! The only things they really had in the room were 2 new recliners and a TV stand that had a fireplace insert. (Which they said they absolutely loved the coziness the fireplace added so that right there gave me some ideas.) So the design was a clean slate!

I suggested we do a cozy library feel with lots of browns and oranges. Soft glow of candles and fireplace.

They had an eclectic mix of artwork so we discussed that 3 different types of art would not work in the room. Southwest, Thai dancers and a barn. We decided to use some beautiful prints we had discovered while de cluttering my client’s office. They were beautiful brown sketches with an old world feel and would definitely go with the vibe of the room. We redistributed the other pieces of art to different areas of the house.

We started with a Pinterest board to narrow down color palette and general aesthetic. I encouraged them to order a low bookcase to go on an empty wall to add some warmth. I suggested we style it with some mementos from their travels, old books and a few new accessories. It would also be a good place for my client to keep his lap top and any reading materials he wanted near his recliner.

I took them shopping and it took us a little over an hour to find everything left on our list!

It really is amazing how a cohesive color palette and accessories can completely transform a room.

We still have a few tweaks and things to add but I love the way it turned out. It is such a cozy relaxing room. And the best part… the dog agrees!

 

Things I envisioned for the room:

-Low bookshelf in a dark wood to match TV stand

-Vintage sketches framed above bookcase

-Panoramic picture on long wall above recliners

-Faux plant to bring outdoors in (they did not want maintenance of a live plant and very little light comes in room).

-Battery powered candles in metal votive holders to create a cozy relaxing vibe

-Rug with warm colors like brown, orange and green

-Curtains in a neutral color

-Display old books and mementos from travel

-Stained glass lamp

-Wooden tray

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