Tis the season for shopping so follow along with me as a shop my little heart out, getting my home holiday ready. As I continue on my holiday prep journey, we'll be shopping, we'll be decorating, we'll be organizing... all the things that go into making the holidays merry!
Read MoreWherever you are in your design journey, there are some key basics that you need to know to get your dining situation situated, especially when it comes to measurements so that you get the appropriate pieces that fit the space as much as they fit your lifestyle.
Read MoreWe are just about halfway through November & I thought it high time I stop denying that the holidays are here. Ready or not, they're coming!
For the next 2 weeks-ish, I'll be walking you through all kinds of holiday prep from #pinterestgoals tablescaping to creating a cozy, comfy guest ready abode. You'd be surprised how much decor styling & interior design goes into the holidays -- and most of us don't even realize it!! So to help you out, I'm kicking the fun off with my curated Holiday Shopping Guide -- for the home, of course -- featuring some of my fav finds for the holiday season.
Read MoreIt's the time of year for lots of hosting & entertaining, so naturally you want your place to look the best it possibly could. I know lots of people who take this opportunity to finally work oh home upgrades, not only for guests, but also to start the year off with a fresh look!
So if you read my space saving post on cribs, then you already know I’m a proponent of the mini crib. Saves space and money, and as a first-time mom, that’s all we ever really need more of (well that and sleep, lots and lots of sleep).
Even though we know we wanted a mini crib, we had no clue which to choose. We decided on the DaVinci Alpha for one main reason — it rocks (literally and figuratively).
It was amazing to me how not a single one of my family members, friends, acquaintances, or even co workers had ever heard of it. Admittedly, I can’t even remember how I stumbled upon this wonderfulness (you google enough, I guess you’ll find anything) but I’m glad I did.
It’s exactly what its name says — a small crib, measuring about a foot (give or take) shorter than a standard size crib, making a great long term alternative to a bassinet and space saving alternative to a standard size crib.
New York City living is practically synonymous with small space living, so whenever I tell people that we used to live in a NYC studio apartment, in the heart of Manhattan no less, the expressions on their faces tend to alternate between amazement, confusion, and pity. But for 16 months, my husband, daughter, and I all comfortable fit in our c. 500 sq. ft. studio.
I feel like I JUST did my September favorites and yet here I am already doing October. It's as though God sat on the remote, and is speed channel surfing. Not that I'm complaining, but I don't know that I've ever seen a year fly by the way 2017 has.
No matter how fast it goes by though, I still found some time to stop and think about the things -- great or small -- that made me happy.
Read MoreSo last month, one of the things that made me happy & made my favorites list was H&M's new fall kitchenware collection, Food & Friends. Even the dangone name sounds awesome, so in hidnsight, I shouldn't have expected anything less than epic happiness delivered to my door when I ordered some of the collection items.
When I first saw the launch email, the first thing that excited me about the collection was the palette -- woon tones, rich navy blues, and lots of gold ✨ it was like someone from H&M snuck into my home & decided to create a collection curated around my actual palette...
This half bath was a renovation of a closet -- yes, closet! This really excited me because this closet was flanked by her daughters' bedrooms, and so the new bathroom would be for them to use.
Although I'm not against mixing metals, as they've grown in popularity, I've noticed people using them haphazardly without any regard for how they'll play off of one another. This has been especially the case when it comes to rose gold, copper, and gold. Albeit similar, these are all very distinct metals, and when used in decor, these distinctions can make or break a design. Use correctly, they can absolutely elevate a design to something elegant and timeless; however, done incorrectly, and it'll be a piping hot mess!
For a lot of people, the school of thought is that designing your kitchen means doing a full remodel and renovation and all the hoopla you see on HGTV.
Not.
True.
Not only are renovations costly, not everyone has that luxury -- for example, in a rental. I doubt your landlord would take to kindly to you deciding to knock down a wall. But whether you own or rent, there are a number of things you can do to turn up your kitchen. Some can be small purchases that you make and others can be larger cosmetic upgrades. Check out 3 of my favorite easy peasy kitchen upgrades.
I love working on projects where the client knows early on what they want for the simple fact that it feels more like a collaboration than a job; and this remodel was, from start to finish, an awesome collaboration! She had a great vision in mind for updated their kitchen. We weren't making any changes to the actual foot print -- this was all cosmetic, and all fun.
The initial mood board was inspired by their style, as well as the style of the house, since th the kitchen is part of an open concept floor plan.
This fall, Target decided to take a new approach to their home assortment -- being more intentional & curated -- and so when I saw the announcement of this new collection, my curiouslty was peaked. I like to shop Target for my own home & also for design projects because of the affordability & accessability, and over time I did start to notice a shift in the way they were showing up in the interior design space -- more designer collaborations, wider style assortments, and just a slew of new offerings constantly being churned out.
September was definitely filled with a lot of shifts in my professional, personal, and academic life -- I find myself really trying to focus on very intentional & specific launches; both my husband & I were now both in school again (I had the summer off, he didn't), so managing our time was a lot of trial & error; and just being back in school, although taking 1 less class than I usually do, really forced me to adjust the rest of my life to make sure nothing fell to the side of the road.
Maybe you're completely brand new to who I am so you have no idea what this is all about.
On April 1st of this year, I decided to start a one year challenge & go social media free. I got tired of mindlessly scrolling through feeds, judging, comparing, and just wasting time, and craved a way to feel more present in my biz, family, and overall life.
Today is all about celebrating all the wonderfulness that is coffee -- from the taste to the aroma -- and I will be the first to raise my hand & join in the jubilee. I don't pretend to be a coffee connoisseur, especially since my preferred java of choice is Bustelo, through & through; BUT now that I live in Seattle [adjacent], I know that there is something to be said for just an amazing brew. Here are some of my fav swoon worthy coffee finds to help you elevate your next coffee experience.
