Today’s mood board is all about using accessories to create a “quick fix” for a dull room. If you are like me, there are times when you’re just sick of your room and need to make some changes. The best way to start is by adding in some accent pieces. Accessories are the easiest and most budget friendly way to initiate change. Try swapping out your pillows for fresh new ones. Something as simple as rotating and updating the books on your coffee table or bookcase can make a big change. Plus you get to rotate and reuse the ones you already have. Bud vases are one of my favorite accessories to have on hand. I love to get fresh flowers from the farmers market and spread them out throughout the house in colorful bug vases and vintage glasses. It’s a great inexpensive way to bring color throughout the house. Now that I’m accumulating a hefty collection of both vintage and new blankets and throws, I love to swap them in and out of my living room for a different look.
throw* lamp shade*mirror*book*clock*rectangular pillow*pillow*bud vase*rug*
See how these inspirational photos come alive with addition of accessories…
When we found out we were having a baby of course the first thought was excitement, but that was soon followed by “oh my gosh where are we going to put everything!”. I guess this is where being an interior designer really comes in handy. I love a good challenge and believe me a one bedroom apartment for three is a big challenge!
The first dilemma is where to put the baby. Our bedroom is quite large, but so is our clothing collection and the bedroom also functions as part of my office (as you’ve seen here and here). That leaves no place for a crib. I thought about our dining room turned art studio. But then where would my husband work? The next logical idea was our huge walkin closet. It’s 4′7″”x 5′9″ with a 9′ ceiling. There are built in shelves to right when you walk in, shelves that line the top, and lighting. Really what more could I ask for. It was perfect. The next hurdle was convincing my husband that I could find space for everything that is was currently filling our closet. Perhaps “filling” is the wrong word (seriously it was jam packed).
The solution was simple (to me at least). Take everything from our bedroom closet and move to front hall closet. Lucky for us we have another walking closet downstairs by our front door. After some investigating I found out our building offers additional storage in the basement for free (score!).
So…
Place to put the baby? check
Place to put our clothes? check
Place to put our junk? check
Convinced husband of the switch? kinda, but enough to move forward.
Now I can focus more on the fun stuff. Nursery inspiration!
I‘ve always loved baby stuff…decor, clothing, bottles, bedding, you name it I love it. But now that the concept is hitting a lot closer to home, I’m just downright ecstatic about it. Oh in case you missed it (and you probably have, it’s been a while since I’ve written) we are expecting our first baby in October!
Greening your home and baby go hand in hand. It’s not just about choosing chemical free options for your home and baby (although that plays a big part), it’s also about cutting down on all of the excess stuff. A new baby brings about a lot of new things to buy. There’s the obvious items like furniture, diapers, stroller, etc, but also the not so obvious things that seem to accumulate over time. We don’t have a lot of extra room in our home to have baby items take over. The key here is the not be sucked into an unnecessary buying frenzy (not always easy). In truth a baby has very minimal needs. While a lot of that baby stuff is just to make our lives a bit easier, it’s not always a greener choice. Just keep in mind you learn as you go along…not all babies love the giant plastic bouncer seat. Register or buy only those essentials, you can fill in the necessities as you go along.
Here are a few green baby items I’m loving right now.
swaddle blankets* organic towels*elephant toy*sock monkey onesie*babyfood maker*growth chart*calendula cream*sleepy wrap*glass bottles*pacifier*baby soy hats*infant gowns*
So with babies on the brain you will have to excuse the all the baby posts that are soon to follow. Don’t worry I promise not to overwhelm you with them.
We are right smack dab in the middle of summer. When I initially think of the season bright colors come to mind, just take a trip to the farmers market and look at all the vibrant colored fruit and vegetables. But as the summer drags on (and the heat feels unbearable) my perception of summer begins to shift from colorful to soft and airy. This weeks mood board is all about celebrating the soft airy feel of summer with neutral colors and loads of texture. I can almost imagine myself sitting in this room, at a small cottage in the Hamptons, sipping lemonade and enjoying a cool breeze off the ocean.
armoire*floor lamp*sofette*pillow*throw*vases*mirror*curtains*bottles
Here are a few more rooms that conjure up a similar light and airy feel…
Ever get so bogged down with projects or maybe just life in general and something suffers? My hand is raised high in the air right now…forgive me for letting my blog suffer. The upside in all of this is that business is booming! Well, I’m back and I’ve decided to kick off “being back” with a series of posts (gotta love a theme!) about greening your home.
We’ve already talked about greening your bed and greening your various parts of your life. Over the next month we will go into detail about greening your home (and of course some decorating solutions) from your kitchen to your garage and everything in between. Consider it an early spring cleaning to get you motivated and well, back on track.
Before we can dive into greening specific areas of your home, let’s go over some of the basics. This can include big projects like installing solar panels (that’s not happening anytime soon) or a simple inexpensive project like switching your shower head to a low flow version.
Don’t worry greening you home is easier than you think.Green living is all about the choices you make both big and small that lesson your environmental impact. As we talk about greening your home throughout the next few weeks we will go into specifics about how the choices you make effect your home. These greener choices fall into one or more of the following categories:
1. Protecting Natural Resources.
2. Limiting Waste
3. Social Responsibility
4. Healthy Living
What better way to kick off this series than with some eye candy…
Photos are courtesy of Domino Magazine.
With winter still making it’s presence known here in the northeast, I’ve decided to put my gardening desires to good use indoors. Today’s DIY project is all about creating a simple woodland terrarium that will bring stunning-lush shades of green into your home. I’m crazy for all the beautiful neutral shades of green found in nature, they really go with just about anything. Ok, enough design talk let’s jump right into this project.
*glass terrarium*apothecary terrarium*close-up terrarium*glass terrarium*multiple terrariums*mushrooms*
Materials
It takes just a few simple materials to get started. First off, we will need air tight kitchen canisters, recycled jars, or old apothecary containers. Ikea has some inexpensive glass canisters, or if you are like me and store everything ball jars, try these from Fishs Eddy. Next on the material’s list is: moss and horticulture charcoal. The charcoal will help to absorb excess moisture as well as eliminate odors. Don’t skip that step it’s important! Choose the plants for your terrarium wisely. Plants like ferns and english ivy that thrive in moist environments are the best choice. Try and stay away from the succulents, as they tend to rot from all the humidity. Oh, and you’ll need just a bit of potting soil.
Process
1. Cover the bottom of your container with the horticulture charcoal.
2. Put in a thin layer of potting soil (no more than an inch thick).
3. Add your plants in.
4. Cover the soil with a sheet or clump of moss.
5. Lastly spritz with some water and cover. You are done!
See how easy that was and the result is just stunning. To take your terrarium to the next design level, try adding in some fun accessories. Mini mushrooms are my accessory of choice, but these doves are pretty fabulous as well.
How about you guys, what kind of garden projects keep you busy during the winter?
I‘ve come a long way; from the girl with fake house plants (embarrassing) to the girl that can now sustain a house full of thriving plants. Now it’s time to move on to bigger (or smaller, however you look at it) things like starting my own seeds. I will admit I am quite nervious but trust me if I can do it anyone can!
Here’s how to get started…
1. First off your seeds need a home to grow in. It’s important that the pots you choose allow for extra moisture to drain away. Instead of purchasing a starter kit, try reusing containers or even make your own pots from newspaper. Find out how here.
2. The mix you choose for your for your little seedlings is equally as important as where you house them. Choose a light soil that holds moisture evenly, allowing them to grow quickly. You can find a planting mix specifically labeled for seed starting. This is one of my favorites.
3. The last key ingredient to get your seeds started right is light, bright light that is. They need direct sunlight to get stated. If you are like me and lack direct sunlight try using plant lights or a floresent fixture with a cool white tube and a soft white tube (your seeds need the full spectrum of light).
Nope, your not quite done (it’s not that easy!) Now that we know “how” to get started, here’s how to plant and tend to your seedlings.
1. Proper planting is a must. The depth at which you plant them varies so take a look at the seed packet for specific depth. Save the packet. Trust me in comes in handy throughout this process. Don’t worry sowing your seeds is quite simple. Plant one to three seeds per pot and cover (or not) as instructed on the packet.
2. Like I mentioned before these guys need bright light to make it. To grow strong stocky stems, they need as much as 12 hours of bight sunlight a day!
3. As they start to sprout and grow it’s necessary to thin them out. Before they are 2 inches tall, snip off the weakest plants in each pot right at soil level. easier said than done (I always feel bad about snipping them). Water as needed to keep the soil moist.
Once you have successfully sprouted and grown your seedlings in there little home, it’s time to take them to the next level- their graduation into the garden!
1. Next step is to harden off your little (now big) seedlings. Before they can handle the wind, rain and strong sun, the your young plants need a period of gradual adjustment. This process begins about a week before the their transplant date (refer to the packet for the exact date). To start set your containers in a sheltered, shady spot outdoors. A covered porch, or under a table or even a chair is ideal. Be sure to bring the plants back in at night or any other time the temperature drops or becomes windy and rainy. As the week progresses gradually expose them to more sunlight. After two or three days, you can safely keep them in the sun for half a day, then return them to the shade. By the end of the week they’ll be tough enough to remain in the sunlight all day.
2. Once the plats have hardened off it’s finally time to plant them in your garden (sucess!). As you dig the hole to plant them in, it’s a good idea to add some compost into the soil. Plant it only as deep as it was in the pot, and don’t forget to water it well!
3. Time to preform your victory dance! They have been safely transported into your garden. To protect the plants even further. apply mulch around them to retain moisture and reduce weeds. If frosty nights threaten your plants, cover them with sheets or hot caps.
What about you guys? What are some of your garden plans for the spring?
