how to decorate & keep the peace

combining style

What’s more challenging – moving in with someone or deciding on a decor style for your home? How about doing both? Combining and compromising on style when you move in with a significant other can be quite the task. It can be super rewarding and fun to find a style you love together..but how about when your styles clash? Or you both has strong taste opinions? Don’t let that be something to fight about, and don’t let clashing styles hold you back from creating a beautiful home! There are many ways to combine styles, compromise, and find a happy balance for decorating your home with your partner (and contrary to what HGTV might show you – it doesn’t have to be one sided! My Story Let me start with how Brian and I did it. I, of course, felt like I needed 100% control over the design of our home. I was in fact the one with the design degree, however I quickly learned that that’s not the answer to a harmonious house. He didn’t have a strong opinion on the furniture or decor, as long as it was comfortable and functional, I got the green light. For instance, we went shopping for sofas together and tried them all out! If Brian thought it was “lounge-able” and I liked the style, it was a winner. It’s been that way for everything, and it’s worked great in our home. We also both have our own spaces to do with what we […]

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DIY Beaded Chandelier

If you don’t think lighting is important in your home’s decor – think again. Especially in entryways, lighting makes a first impression, and you want it to be good! I have been eyeing up beaded chandeliers for months now, trying to find one that wasn’t going to break the bank – to no avail. That’s when I decided to DIY one (okay this is a partial DIY!) Entryway design My entryway was like the rest of my 1970’s house – bland and beige. Wood trim, brown doors, peachy-brown walls and brown carpet. Makes me itchy just writing that! I have big plans to brighten and lighten the whole space – but at this stage, I am working on the lighting. I love mixing elements – smooth and textured, light and dark, etc. That’s why I LOVE beaded chandeliers. They work with a lot of styles as well – eclectic, coastal, boho, even classic. Since my house is a little bit of everything, I figured this was a style I could live with even when I change out furniture and decor. Inspiration My inspiration was this $299 beaded chandelier from Pottery Barn Kids. I loved the flush mount style – which is perfect for a room with low ceilings where you still want to create a dramatic impact. I also loved the twine and tassel – it makes it a little more casual and bohemian. However, my budget for my entryway is only $400, so spending $300 on the light fixture […]

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DIY Wood Desk

At I sit here, writing my blog post at my newly built DIY wood desk, I’m so excited! Maybe it’s the fact that I worked from home from a 30″ child’s desk for 2 years or the fact that this crate desk turned out better than I ever expected it too! Sometimes I go into DIY projects just hoping for the best, because i’ll be honest, as many DIY wins i’ve had equals how many DIY fails I’ve had too. Live and learn baby, right? I am the kind of person who spreads out all my papers, has about 10 mugs on my desk, and two monitors going at all times, so I need a desk that was long. I scoured the stores and online sites, only finding cheap looking computer desks that spanned over 60″ OR desks ranging in the $3 – 5k range – so I knew I had to get crafty. Crates & Old Wood? I’ve always loved reclaimed wood, crates, vintage wooden items, industrial things, etc. You get it! One day as I was mindlessly shopping at Michaels Craft Store (so just another Monday) I came across their crates, $10 a pop, and thought, those would make great shelves. A few more trips to the thrift door and salvage yard, and I had enough crates, lumbar and hardware to craft a desk that would work for me. The way I constructed the DIY wood desk was all through trial and error, but now that it’s been in […]

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My favorite rental kitchen ideas!

rental kitchen upgrades

After living in quite a few rentals, I feel like i’ve done it all when it comings to sprucing up a rental kitchen, so I wanted to put together a list of practical and chic rental kitchen ideas. This is also one of the top requested blog posts I’ve gotten from viewers, so I decided it was time to give the people what they want! But really, there are so many ways to spruce up a rental kitchen, and it doesn’t have to break the bank. The cool thing is, you can apply any of these tips to your kitchen even if you aren’t in a rental. It’s a quick and inexpensive way to spruce up your space without having to do a total makeover!   Peel & Stick backsplash You all already know my love affair with peel and stick tiles. I put them in my rental kitchen and loved them so much that I put them in my kitchen (part of my $400 kitchen makeover). They are relatively inexpensive for the impact they have. A lot of people are afraid to use them because they feel they may damage the wall – I am here to tell you, if you do it right, they will not damage the wall. To remove them simply apply heat from a hairdryer, and they peel right off. I’ve tried a lot of brands – but my favorite is Tic Tac Tiles – Premium Anti Mold Peel and Stick Wall Tilefrom Amazon. TIP: If you […]

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