2/100 days of sunshine: garden inspired living room decor.

While parking at work today, this fence and overgrown greenery caught my eye. I love the horizontal planking with muted coloring and defined wood grain. The bright greenery adds a fresh and vibrant contrast which is what I tried to do with the bold, graphic pillows in this living room idea. Balancing the chunky wood coffee table with metal and bamboo components keeps the space looking airy and whimsical. I also added a textured lamp to create visual interest without drawing too much attention away from the planked coffee table centerpiece. 

This living room design makes me want to kick back, relax and pour a cup of Earl Grey. Or gossip with my girlfriends over a few Pimm's. DELISH!

couch / side table / lamp / coffee table / mirror / graphic pillow / striped pillow / bird pillow

tip: Don't stress about pillows matching exactly. Find a few colors in common, a similar subject (in this case birds) and they'll compliment without being identical. 

BONUS: These pillows also happen to be reversible so flip them over when you need a change.

three ways: using an ottoman as a coffee table.

We have an ottoman instead of a coffee table. It's nice because - given the way our furniture is positioned - we can use to rest our feet on, Ruby can take a nap on it and we can even eat quick dinners on there. 

So while we love having an ottoman instead of a coffee table, it would be nice to have the leather version to avoid staining. And I wish it was large enough to be able to rest our feet on while holding a tray for decor and resting drinks on.

tip: Limit tray to 2-3 objects, making sure one is relatively heavy to weigh down the ottoman padding.

ottoman / gray vase / white vase / yellow tray / watercolor vase

ottoman / owl vase / planter / blanket / mercury glass jar / raffia tray

ottoman / ceramic bird / tealight holder / mirrored tray / it / unbored

room idea: a dazzling blue bedroom.

Intrigued by the 2014 colors of the year, I thought it'd be fun to design a room around them. This week: dazzling blue. A bright - albeit loud - blue is a color that requires a lot of grounding to make work. 

For this look, I paired with white and tangerine. Focusing only on patterns, I was able to prevent this blue from overpowering the room and even added touches of natural stone and fibers to keep from feeling too modern.

tip:  Look to the color opposite the featured hue on the color wheel to tone down the space.

art / wall sconce / duvet cover / square pillow / rectangular pillow / side table / rug

trend alert: navy blue sofas.

I've always wanted a navy blue velvet chesterfield sofa. There's something so chic the deep blue hue and when paired with a tufted back it makes me want to invite all my girlfriends over and drink copious amounts of wine.

tip: Balance the ornate upholstery with simply structured accent tables and pendant lighting to keep the space feeling modern. Mix patterns like ikat and floral with embroidery to create the perfect casually layered look.

sofa / table 1 / pendant light / table 2 / pillow 1 / pillow 2 / pillow 3 / pillow 4 / rug

new use for a china cabinet

I am 100% IN LOVE with this vintage China cabinet. As in, if it were human, Jim might have some competition. What?! Who am I kidding? Jim competes for my love against this China cabinet on a daily basis. 

Sigh. My heart be still.

We found it an an antique shop here in Sacramento (Midway Antiques) and I knew the second I saw it, we had to have it. For what? I didn't know. We don't have any China. Or linens. Or anything else to fit in this adorably small cabinet. But still, I NEEDED IT. Scouring my brain for ideas on how to justify the purchase, we finally ended up on using it as record player storage. PERFECT.

So here he sits in the corner of our dining room. I'm still on the fence about refinishing but for now, I'm liking what the wear and tear brings to the space. 

To keep the piece from looking drab, I added a modern vase and planter to the top of it. Then, to balance new with old, I added a few thrift store gems to mix until I got the combination I was looking for. So, so, SO happy with the end result.

OTHER OPTIONS: Using furniture in a new way adds an interesting twist on room decor. Cabinets, credenzas, dressers and bookcases can be used for all different types of storage, keeping your space feeling eclectic and less cookie cutter. Here are some other ideas for record player storage. 

(Or anything else you might need to contain.)

room and board

world market

room and board

cb2

world market

Couch potato.

Lately, I've found myself sitting on the couch more frequently thanks to one sudden, unexpected event. Then, I got to thinking about what makes a good couch. Personally, I like an extra deep, super comfortable couch that is dog-friendly (Ruby has no boundaries) and easy to clean (neither does my food). This however, does not mean that the couch needs to be over stuffed or slouchy or made of plastic. To celebrate my new-found love for the couch, I give you some of my faves. If you're really lucky, you may be able to find one at a thrift store that may need a little reupholstering or some studier back cushions but clearly I am too comfortable to look :)

top to bottom: pottery barn, cb2, red polly, macy's (my friend Jen totally has this one)