Showing posts with label Decorating. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Decorating. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

{Decorating} Big Boy Bedroom


The BIG BOY room is finally complete! We originally had a goal of finishing and getting our son settled in his new room and bed by early July. We soon realized that was not going to happen and settled on mid August -- haha. It took a lot longer to move the entire office up to the third floor, which is not nearly as big of a space. There was a lot of purging and organizing of the office materials, and I still feel like we have too much stuff! It felt like an episode of Hoarders over here...


Dean's bedroom set has been in my mom's family for years and years. It was her grandmother's sister's furniture as a young girl, then was passed on to my grandmother, my mother, and myself, who all slept in that bed {the dresser is part of the set too as well as a vanity, which I will use one day if I have a little girl}. I painted the dresser and vanity white when I was in high school, and my husband painted the bed just this summer before we put Dean's room together.

I kept the wall color exactly the same and just touched up where there were marks or holes from pictures taken down and moved. It's a neutral color and it worked, so why bother repainting? The curtains and rods also stayed from the office. Again, the white worked just fine and is probably what I would have purchased anyway.


I have wanted to do a little book nook in Dean's new room for the longest time. I found a lot of inspiration from Pinterest and because this room is much bigger than the nursery, there was plenty of room to do one. I bought the shelves at IKEA -- they are actually photo ledges that I just sat some of his books on. The little table and chairs were hand-me-downs from my friend Mary. The top of the table was originally yellow, which was adorable, but just wouldn't have quite fit in with the color scheme, so I spray painted it navy.

I will also be adding the letters "R.E.A.D" on the small angled wall next to the shelves -- just haven't gotten around to that yet!


I added two navy knobs to the top drawer of the dresser and some fabric in an IKEA frame on top.


On the wall opposite his bed, I kept a small bookcase that was already there from the office. I filled it with leftover books and some toys. My dad also gave me a map of Philadelphia that he had framed in his home office....my hubby still has to hang it above the bookcase.

The closet is bigger in Dean's new room than in the nursery, so he has half, and I have half -- lol. For now, he has plenty of space for his clothes, shoes, etc.


My little boy LOVES tractors, diggers, mowers, trains, etc. so I created this fabric wall art of a tractor for above his bed. Again, my inspiration was Pinterest. All I did was purchase a canvas from Michaels and find some tractor clipart on Google Images. Then I hand drew a pattern, cut it out, and traced it on the fabric. Pretty simple.


This shelf was also something we transitioned from the office to the big boy room. I decorated with some simple decor:

~Old-fashioned clock radio -- HomeGoods
~Lantern -- Pottery Barn Kids
~L.A.U.G.H letters -- Target
~Suitcases -- Land of Nod


I found this airplane at HomeGoods for a steal this spring and put it away for Dean's new bedroom. I just noticed in the new catalog that Pottery Barn Kids is also selling wire hanging airplanes that are adorable but a lot more expensive than what I paid. Gotta love HomeGoods.

SHOPPING SOURCES:
Navy & white rugby bedding -- Pottery Barn Kids {I just spotted this SAME bedding at Target yesterday and for about 1/2 the cost of PBK....grrr. They also had it in a light gray & white...very cute.}
Lime sheets -- Target
Decorative green bed pillow -- HomeGoods
Jute & navy stripe rug -- Pottery Barn Kids
Baskets -- HomeGoods
Lamps -- Target
Navy dresser knobs -- Pottery Barn Kids
Bedside table -- IKEA {a few years ago}


So where did the office/craft room go? I introduce you to my third floor attic. We had this finished when we moved in, and I'm thankful we did now. It's not really a usable space because it's not heated or air conditioned but it's a place to store our overflow. There are two small rooms with clipped ceilings. One holds my craft table among other things.


It's a little tight, but it works for now {or until we move into a more spacious home}.


The other room is my closet. It's nothing fancy but thank goodness we {my hubby & father-in-law built this} decided to convert it into a closet because I have NO IDEA where all these clothes would go!

**Dean's had FOUR successful nights in his bed so far...PHEW. Naps? Not going so well, but we're working on it and it's getting a little better. I have a few weeks left to get this boy of mine straightened out before returning to work....BOOHOO.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

{Decorating} Spring, Spring, Spring


I'm ready for spring, and when I think of spring, I think of green. So, this year, I choose to add some springy greens to my mantle. Simple and well, green.

I've been collecting these potted greens, which I also added to the floating shelves in my kitchen, from places like HomeGoods, TJ Maxx and JoAnn's for the last month or so.

As an aside, some of my pics, like the one above, have been fuzzy lately. It happens when I'm not shooting in auto. Karen Carpenter Photography? Help!


I also added some very simple Easter decor to my buffet. Nothing crazy, just a touch.

**I'm ready for the "spring like" weather we will be getting this week!
**Have a good day!

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

{Decorating} Valentine's Mantle


Just a quick post showing a picture of my Valentine's mantle. It's so ridiculously simple....just pillar candles {one of them is pink for V-Day}, a homemade bunting and a sparkly heart. That's it.


I also added some dark pink and white hearts and XO that I cut out from felt to the shutter that leans against the mirror on my dining room buffet.

**Off to work on my mid-term presentation & paper for grad school and grade about a bazillion essays -- AHHH -- fun times :-\ Wish me luck -- I need it today!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

{Decorating} FALL


A few weeks ago I did a little fall decorating at my house. My mantle is usually the area I concentrate on since the fireplace and built-ins that surround it are a big focal point in my home. I had an "anything goes" attitude this year as I layered berries, twigs, twinkle lights, and other little fall goodies on my mantle. **I kind of cringe when I look at this pic b/c it looks so much nicer in person!


The sideboard in my dining room is my other area of focus. This year it was lanterns with candles and pumpkins of different sizes and colors. I also added a few sparkly spiders for a little pop of Halloween. When it's all lit at night, my dining room looks so glowy and pretty. Candlelight...it gets me every time ;-}

**Is October flying by or is it just me?
**Enjoy the GORGEOUS fall weather we will be getting for the next few days!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

{Decorating} Lanterns


Although not official yet, fall feels like it's in full swing, and I'm feeling very ready to decorate my home for the season. I started with the outside this past weekend. I lean toward a simplistic decorating style, so mums and pumpkins usually do it for me, but this year I was on the hunt for something else -- lanterns.

Home Goods is my go-to store whenever I am looking for home decor. I found a HUGE lantern that was perfect for my porch steps for $29.99. You don't even want to know how much very similar lanterns were going for at Pottery Barn this past weekend....


Then I bought some large pillar candles and sat them atop upside down vases to give them even more height {this lantern is very tall!}. Lastly, I added some fall leaves and twirled them around the candles to hide the upside down vases.

It looks really cute and festive at night when it's lit, and it adds a whole new element to my front porch and compliments the mums and pumpkins without being too much. I plan on using lanterns at Christmas too since I'm having a love affair with them at the present moment ;-}

Monday, June 20, 2011

{Decorating} July 4

I recently added a few more simple Independence Day touches to my home. The best part? It cost me $4 total. Yup. How? Target dollar bins.

I love the traditional look of American flags, so I was thrilled when I found some at Target so reasonably priced. I bought two packs of small flags {3 per pack at $1/pack} and one pack of medium sized flags {2 flags per pack at $2}. I put the smaller ones in a small glass bottle and placed on top of my cake plates {I have another bottle with flags sitting on windowsill above my kitchen sink.

The larger ones decorate my twig tree and one of my flower baskets on my front porch.



The picture I have leaning against my mirror on the buffet is something I found in my basement. I bought it years ago when I was renting my first apartment {Target}. I thought it looked cute and festive for the 4th.


-------------------------------------------


In other news....someone discovered Mommy's iced tea and LOVES it. Not good...especially since it contains caffeine and is an "adult" drink AND it kept someone up half the night ;-/

**Hope you had fun celebrating all the wonderful dads in your life!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

{Home Decorating} Patriotic Mantle


I always have and always will LOVE Independence Day. It's one of my favorite holidays, and rapidly approaching, so I did a quick mantle makeover in the name of red, white & blue.

It's just the way I like it -- SIMPLE.


I used some sparkly stars from Target's dollar bins {last year} and some sparkly star picks from Joann's {this year} to add some patriotic flare.

**Check out my Fourth of July Flair board on Pinterest to see more adorable Independence Day ideas {and I'm still adding to it}!
**BRING ON SUMMER!!!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

{Decorating} Easy Spring/Easter Touches


A few weeks ago I added some very simple spring decor to my home. First, I collected branchs from my backyard and arranged them in this pretty pitcher from IKEA. Then I added some sparkly hanging Easter eggs, clip-on butterflies, and crystals to the branches. Curly willow is my favorite and would have looked much better than branches but this decorating was done on a budget!


Next up? The mantle. I used candles, moss, and a vase with springy branches to decorate. Then I added more sparkly eggs in an apothocary jar and the only two knickknacks I own, Mr. Bunny and his wife.

Pottery Barn inspired my branches with pink florals {theirs are MUCH MORE BEAUTIFUL than my simple recreation}. They caught my eye the second I saw them in the catalog, but I wasn't quite sure how to make my own. Then I came across my friend Kara's post about her spring branches on her blog, Tizzilish. All she did was use the blooms from silk flowers and glued them onto her branches. Brilliant! I used old flowers I had in my basement, pulled some of the blooms off and just slid them over the branches. No glue. No mess. Easy.


My favorite wall in my home is the wall that holds the fireplace, mantle and these charming, "old looking" built-ins, which provide me with some great storage {behind each door is a deep cabinet with shelving}. I say "old looking" because I could have sworn they were original to my 125 year old home; however, we learned they were actually added to the home by the previous owner within the last ten years and made from the old, original closet doors from the bedrooms. Ahhh...old charm...it gets me every time.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

{Decorating} Bargain of the Weekend!


I find so much inspiration from PB, and I LOVE whoever the stylist{s} of their sets are {Side Note :: I'd like YOUR job ASAP, please!}. They do such fabulous work that everytime a new catalog arrives on my doorstep, I'd like just about everything inside. And if my husband and I ever have the opportunity to build our own dream home one day....many of my plans would be built around the style of the homes they feature in their catalog {that old charm but updated and modernized...LOVE it!}. Even though I adore PB, I'm just not willing to spend THAT much money on their products, as beautiful as they may be. And I've found that I {and YOU} don't have to!

Take these lamps for example. They just happen to be on sale in the catalog right now for $100 each.....YIKES....that's a lot for a lamp {and that's only for the base}. Well, on a little weekend shopping trip, I just happened to stumble across a set of great lamps, inspired by PB, but purchased at TJ Maxx. {Please excuse the poor lighting in the photo below as I took it late at night}. I don't usually broadcast how much I spend on items I buy for my home, but this bargain is too good not to share. Are you ready?!?! TWO beautiful cream bubble lamps INCLUDING the drum shades for $30 TOTAL {$15 each}. They are part of the little facelift we are giving to the family room.

See, you don't have to spend a fortune to get your favorite looks...you just have to keep your eyes peeled for look-a-likes that won't break the bank!


Careful out there today!!! Ice and rain....YUCK!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

{Decorating} Christmas Balls


I love decorating for Christmas. One of my favorite looks is brightly colored and sparkly Christmas balls in different glass vessels. It's so simple and understated but at the same time looks so pretty. I probably have at least one glass hurricane, apothocary jar or vase filled with Christmas balls in almost every room! Even Dean has a small one in his nursery {bottom right picture}.

What are your favorite Christmas looks?

Sunday, November 28, 2010

{Decorating} HELLOOOO Christmas!


Thanksgiving is over, and I didn't waste any time moving on to Christmas. Fall decor down, holiday up! One of the things I look forward to most is decorating the mantle above my fireplace. It's not very big {and I would secretly LOVE a great big one some day in the future}, but it suites me quite well for now.

In addition to some greens with twinkly white lights, I also decorated my mantle with some silver candle holders I found at IKEA for a pretty reasonable price. Shimmery candles and a big sparkly Christmas ball adorn the holders. Also on the mantle are an old tree topper {snowflake} and a shimmery red Christmas tree. I'm fairly traditional in my color choices and decorate with mostly red, silver, and white {and throw a little lime green in the mix because it's my favorite color}.


Shopping Guide:
Lighted greenery, sparkly Christmas ball, snowflake tree topper, mirror ~ Target
Silver candle holders ~ IKEA
Candles ~ PB Outlet & Bath & Body Works
Red Christmas tree ~ Bath & Body Works

BY THE WAY...I LOVED HEARING ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY COLORS!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

{Decorating} With Lamps!


I've been on a mad hunt lately for lamps. Sounds silly but since I decided to keep my wall colors, furniture, bedding, and window treatment choices in my home neutral for the most part, lamps are a great way to throw in some pizzazz! I satisfy my need for vibrant color pops by decorating with pillows, throws, pictures, and fun lamp shades.

Just found this beauty on a little shopping spree to Home Goods with my favorite shopping partner, Dean. Every time I enter that store, I'm in TROUBLE. Or should I say my wallet....

It sits on my craft table and provides much more light than the lamp I had previously. Bonus: it compliments my patterned accent chair {you can see the chair in the background}!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

{Decorating} With Pictures...


How do ya'll decorate your homes with pictures? I'm curious because I myself tend to find it challenging at times. I love pics scattered around the house but sometimes too many frames all over can add clutter. I have a lot of pictures of my son that I've been dying to enlarge and display, so I purchased these photo ledges from IKEA along with some nice frames....all very reasonably priced. The photo ledges in PB are much deeper, which allows for more room to display leaning photos, but for the price, no thanks.


If I had a little more wall space to decorate, Dean wouldn't have to sit among the wine bottles :-}

Saturday, July 31, 2010

{Decorating} Guest Room Bedding


I'm working on my guest bedroom, which used to be our third floor attic. When we bought the house last spring, we had it dry-walled, taped, spackled, and Bo painted it. Then we added berber carpeting. Next, my father-in-law and Bo took one of the rooms and made a huge walk-in closet for me...nothing fancy, just a place for all of my clothes. There is another small room that I'm now finally converting into a guest room. My parents recently gave me my old bedroom furniture, which was also my mom's bedroom furniture when she was a little girl. I plan on painting it and using it for Dean's big boy bedroom in the future. For now, it'll go in the "guest room."

I found this pretty quilt for a steal at TJ Maxx! Love that store...hit or miss but it was definitely a hit last week when my mom and I were there...I had to restrain myself so my husband wouldn't kill me for spending too much money!

I will post pics of the finished space when it's done! Lots to do up there :-}

Sunday, May 9, 2010

{Decorating} Latest Purchase for Office/Craft Room

My office/craft room was in need of a little "something," and I've been on the lookout for that "something" for a while now. I finally found it! Target, my fav, once again came to my rescue. I spotted this cute runner the other day while on a little shopping spree with my sister and our boys. The light turquoisy blue and taupy tan color complement the color of my walls and my accent chair.

Loving the look of the runner!

Monday, April 19, 2010

{Decorating} Fresh Flowers

Aren't these lovely? I love fresh lilacs...they smell so good and their color is gorgeous. Actually I love flowers in general. They make me smile. If I were rich, I'd have a fresh bouquet of flowers delivered to my home each day. Make that several bouquets.

I put these lilacs in a teacup from Anthropology my friend gave me one year for my birthday. They sit on the window ledge above my kitchen sink. I'm starting to really love the look of flowers in unique "vases". A teacup, a masons jar, or maybe even a coffee can with a ribbon tied around it....anything different.

And of course I love the monogram on this cup. I can't get enough of monograms....or flowers. Two of my favorites things....

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

{Decorating} Color Inspiration!


I love the colors used in this room....they are so bright and cheery! A perfect color combo for spring! I think this looks more like a little girl's bedroom, but wouldn't this color combo be cute for a little boy's room too? I am starting to gather inspiration pics for Dean's big boy bedroom and this is going in my file (I know, I know...I'm a little ahead of the game!).

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

{Decorating} My Baby Boy's Pictures

I finally choose the newborn pictures of Dean that I wanted to purchase, received them in the mail on disk last week, made my prints at Target the other day and FINALLY found a few minutes to get them in frames and scatter them around the house so I can see my boy's sweet face in whatever room I go! Check them out below!

All pictures taken by Melissa Stottman Photography.


{Giant frames in the dining room}

{Family room wall ledges}

{Belly pic in my office}

{Shelf in the kitchen}

{Dean's nursery. I used the old frames as a backdrop for the pictures instead of as frames.}

{Aren't these cute? I ordered three of these little accordian books from Melissa - one for me and one for each of the grandmoms. I gave them as Easter presents this year. They are tiny little brag books for your purse.}

Saturday, March 27, 2010

{Outdoor Decorating} Patio Space


{Loving the green! So fun!}


{Bench and green umbrella from Lowes}


{Table and chair set from KMart. All pillows from Kohls for a steal!}

What a beautiful Saturday! It's not that warm but the sun is shining, and it's a perfect spring day for a little yard work. My hubby cut the grass and put together our new patio set. In between feedings of my little one (my boy likes to eat!), I have been outside sweeping off the front porch and back patio, watering the pansies, and decorating the patio set with the new outdoor pillows I bought. Bring on the summer bbqs! Now, I'm off to finish making the lasagna and salad for our little dinner party with both sets of parents tonight...

COMING SOON!
~ Jamie & John's wedding invitations
~ Dean's Birth Announcements
~ My hubby's birthday party invitations (it's not a surprise...I know he checks out my blog....wink*)
AND MORE!