room idea: radiant orchid and neutral patterns.

It's official. Home residence = under a rock if this is the first time you've heard of this color. 

Everywhere in 2014 fashion, I thought it'd be fun to try and translate into a bedroom. The trick is keeping the space feeling adult and balanced vs. princess palace for a 9 year old. To accomplish, I mixed modern floral patterns with neutral geometric ones. This allowed me to use a "pop of color" (phrase courtesy of my mother) without making the room feel overly vibrant or bold. 

tip: Continue to balance bold color with neutrals when choosing artwork. Avoid competing with the patterns by opting for line drawing with a minimal color palette - like this ampersand or street print. Thank you, Society6!

headboard / duvet cover / poppy pillow / orchid pillow / floral pillow / side table / side table drawers

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

idea board: boho chic dining room.

I'm SO loving the idea of mixing finishes, fabrics and fixtures to make one cohesive look. The trick is making sure all finishes (except for upholstery and carpeting) are featured on two different furnishings within the room. For example, pulling metal finishes in both the chairs and table. Acrylic in both the chairs and chandy. And so on. 

The look feels simple and rustic with a touch of elegance. You can dress up this framework with various table runners, centerpieces and dinnerware depending on the occasion. Just be sure to connect the finishes throughout the room wherever possible.

tip:Pull color inspiration from those featured in the rug and chairs. If you're looking to add more variety, opt for lighter or darker hues of those in the rug to keep the space from looking too busy. 

table / chandy / metal chairs / acrylic chairs / upholstered chairs / area rug

happy environments: bathroom design

I saw this picture while sifting through Pinterest last night and thought it had the perfect sentiment for a Monday post.

print by jimmy marble

Yes it is, headless polka dot dress girl. Yes. It. Is.

After a couple of rough weeks, I'm ready to put the stress and frustration behind me, clear the head and get back to being my old self again. It is true that negative energy can get the best of you, no matter how positive you are. But it is also true that majority of that is picked up by your surrounding environments. Which is why I'm a firm believer of decorating around what makes you happy.

One of my favorite places to start is Urban Outfitters. The kings of kitsch, this place is chock full of odd accessories that always make me smile. Case and point: this mint green tripe decker shelf.

Isn't she lovely? Perfect for a bathroom, kitchen or bedroom vanity, this piece is the epitome of organization. Mixed with the geometric cutouts and paint job full of whimsy, this shelving unit is bound to turn your frown upside down. Here's how I would decorate with it.

recessed medicine cabinet for the not-so-cute bathroom products
bedroom dresser turned bathroom vanity to give it that lived in look
round white vessel sink so it looks more like a table top accessory
vintage looking jewelry holder for on top the dresser
colorful rug to pull in all the accessories
vintage japenese porcelain cups holding makeup brushes and tooth paste to accessorize the shelf


TIP: Check thrift stores and garage sales for the dresser and vintage porcelain cups. It's a quick way to slash your spending in half.

rugs west elm and amber lewis style.

I'm back up and running, folks. To summarize, yes, I had a fantastic Thanksgiving and no, I didn't even attempt to watch what I ate. Shoveling food. In my mouth. Nonstop. I spent most days either working on my dollhouse and eating or eating and working on my dollhouse. As a reminder, the dollhouse is for Emily Henderson's I'm a Giant Challenge, not because I wish I was 7 again. Very fun. Very exciting. Very productive.

Now that I'm back from travelling, I'm focusing on dollhouse rugs. Mainly because these teeny tiny rugs are the only things that match my teeny tiny budget.

My inspiration? Part West Elm, part Amber Lewis' private collection.

It's of no surprise that West Elm has fantastic, drool-worthy rugs that make you want to pick up one (maybe even two) for each of your rooms. Put them anywhere for an instant room upgrade. What I didn't realize is the variety of awesomeness they have going on here. I mean, look at this.

marquis rug 

the ever popular andalusia rug

lourdes sanches bulls eye

iznik dhurrie

even the simple tangle rug!

So amazing that if they made any of these in dollhouse versions, I would probably buy them immediately. Sure, they'd probably still be $40 each but I mean, who needs to eat, right?

On top of my West Elm craze, I came across this pinterest pic of Amber Lewis' home. For those who stink at names as much as I do, after some searching around, I think the pattern is called kilim. Regardless, it's Turkish. It's Tribal. I'm obsessed with it.

via so haute style

via glitter guide

via glitter guide

First of all, I'm in love with Amber Lewis' style.  Her sense of pattern, proportion and hue knock my socks off each and every time I see one of her spaces. Second, I hunted around and found some decently similar rugs for purchase on eBay, The Loaded Trunk and Overstock. Both places have a few more options in terms of colors, sizes and patterns but here are my faves.

the loaded trunk

overstock

eBay

Mark my words, I will buy one of these gorgeous numbers as soon as I can afford one. For now, I'm hoping to come across a dollhouse version to finish off my dining room!