View Your Walls Differently

Trays, mirrors and plates. What do these three things have in common? They all look great hung on your walls! A simple concept of taking something other than picture frames and arranging them on your wall will create a little bit more interest. It's a fresh way of bringing color, pattern, texture, shimmer and shine. Here are a few eye catching examples:

Well, why stop at just those three options?! Branch out, anything is a possibility!  Check these out...

Now that your creative juices are flowing, go nail something different and unique to the wall and see what you think! Be sure to share with us too! What do YOU have on YOUR wall?!

Photo Credits: Houzz, Pinterest

Designing Your Foyer or Entryway

The foyer/entryway is the first thing people see in your home, leaving a bit of pressure to have it looking its best. First impressions after all, are only given once. I personally like every room I design to serve two purposes, to be functional and beautiful. 

Entry areas can vary mostly in size, which will determine how everything will play out.  A typical starting point is adding a table.  This table may be up against a wall or freestanding if room allows.  If space on the other hand is very limited you can even mount a tabletop to the wall and still save floor space. This table can serve functionally for holding mail or keys and purses.  It can also build a gracious display for those first impressions.  

Artwork or a mirror may hang on the wall above the table.  Mirrors are a great way to make a smaller space seem larger and will reflect light.  A floral arrangement is a seasonal aspect  you can change throughout the year and adds freshness and life to a space. If that isn't your taste, find a large charger or unique accessory to build off of. 

When adding to that main item, consider whether you want a symmetrical or asymmetrical look. Balance is important in creating a cohesive display.   Keep in mind size and proportion, height and visual weight will play a key role.  Think of a triangle, the tallest (and usually the largest item) creates the top point and then two points at the bottom, these possibly begin additional accessories or lamps. From here, adding a few accessories on the table will finish up the table space. Like the triangle has three points, accessorize in odd numbers.  Odd numbers tend to be more pleasing to the eye.  There may be space on either side of the table to add a topiary, greenery, or a vase with reeds. This is an easy filler to occupy additional space if necessary. 

A second option may be a small seating area, a chair, possibly two or maybe a bench. Again, serving functionally for a comfy spot to take shoes on or off or set down a tote or purse while you shed a layer. Pillows or possibly a throw are easy ways to change up colors, texture or patterns throughout the year. A mirror or artwork may still be applicable or a lamp if there is room to have a small accent table beside the chair.  A bench also provides an opportunity to add some storage whether it opens or having baskets under the bench.

If there is a very limited amount of space and there is no room to have furniture at all, move to other surfaces. If it is a small area and use it to your advantage! You can paint a bold color on one or all walls, same goes for wallpaper, the bolder the better! Hanging wallpaper on the smallest wall space can create a focal point. After all the entryway is a pass through, make an impact and then lead into other areas of the home.  

Don't forget the ceiling, again paint can create visual interest. A painted pattern can be used on the ceiling or trim can provide a similar effect. Trim can make a border around the space, helping to define the area. Think of it as a rug for the ceiling. Trim can be more decorative as well if space allows.

Lighting is an important aspect too. Lighting can set the mood for arriving guests as to what kind of energy the gathering will hold. The opportunity for a chandelier may or may not be present, this can add a lot of personality. The table may have room to host a lamp or two or wall sconces may find a home here too.

The floor is another surface to play up. Rugs can bring in tons of color or pattern and texture, and are very functional. If the space is large it will ground the area and evoke a more intimate feeling. Rugs will add warmth, a sense of coziness and a welcoming feel. 

 

There are many options to consider in the foyer so use them all wisely and you will be able to pull together a beautiful space. Assess the size of you area, determine if you want a table and/or seating area. Accessorize your table considering the triangle and using odd numbers. Move on to walls, ceiling and floors. Maximize paint color, utilize your lighting to set the mood and bring in a rug for texture and pattern. Think of these elements and you'll be well on your way.

Photo Credits: HGTV, Houzz, Home Depot

Favorites Friday: January

Allison and Ann here! We're so, so excited about this first monthly blog post.  YAY!  We've decided to do something a little different this time and once a month, we'll post our top ten favorite things from the previous month.  Our favorites are whatever we choose, so topics include pieces we got in store, rooms we fell in love with, fashion, beauty, decorating, music, you get the point...basically whatever we wish.  So, for our first, here are both of our favorites from January!  We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together!

Ann's Top Ten

1. The most amazing furniture item we got in was this bright green, tufted and studded chair. I may or may not own it.

 

2. My favorite accessory item that came through the store was this large, red charger. It's a great piece but I don't have red anywhere in my home or a place to put it. :(

Modern Dining Room design by Boston Interior Designer Rachel Reider Interiors

3. My favorite room I found on Houzz.com this month is this dining room from Rachel Reider Interiors. I love the variety of color, the texture of the chandelier shade, the artwork, centerpiece, and the aysymmetry of the banquette and chairs. 

4. January's best piece of jewelry is this necklace. It is great, adding a little bling to your outfit and can be worn casual or formal.

 

5.  I will more than likely ALWAYS have a pair of shoes on my top ten.  I have always been a shoe girl and this month, these cobalt blue peep toes take the cake!

6.  This outfit I found on Pinterest is my favorite for January, very classy and no one would be surprised to find it in my closet.

7.  My favorite quote for the month is, "The creative adult is the child that survived".

8.  I was stuck on a color combination of purple and grey.  Here are some great examples:

9.  January's best event I attended was the Ice Festival in the Delmar Loop.  The weather was gorgeous and warm, although not good for the ice.  A great day to walk the Loop with family and friends, see the ice sculpures and live demos.

10. My best recipe that, yes, I did successfully make was this creamy tortellini soup. I pinned it on Pinterest and only omitted the mushrooms. :) Still yummy!


Allison's Top Ten

1. My favorite piece(s) of furniture that came in this January. Alright, so I loved the green chair Ann posted equally as much, but I can't get over these amazing detailed chairs. The curved/scroll back, the tufted arm, chenille fabric, vintage feel, just love, love, love.

2. My favorite home accessory that I came across this month is this handpainted Mexican tequila box. The details and colors are awesome and it is definitely a piece you don't come across every day.

 

 

3. Sequin wall wallpaper from Tracy Kendall. Enough said.

4. Alright, so they had my attention at "cake batter". If anything contains those two sweet words together, I'm more than likely going to attempt creating it. I made these Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies, and I must say they were deeee-lish. Nomz. Want now.

5. I am a bit of an OPI enthusiast and probably have more polishes than one should ever admit to owning...Throughout January, Russian Navy was my go-to color. This deep blue shimmery color makes a dark, bold statement without appearing too goth. Also, navy pairs well with just about any color so it makes for the perfect staple polish.

 

6. Sephora's Long-Lasting 12HR Wear Eye Liner in black. Honestly, this has been one of my makeup staples for years. In January, I made an attempt at being adventerous and tried out a few different eyeliners.  Bottom line, I ended up coming back to this one. It stays put ALL day, the shorter stick makes the application much easier than others and it is highly pigminted. I love trying new things, but some things are better left alone.
(A bit of advice for liquid newbies: Use a dampened q-tip to clean up the messy parts so that it creates a more precise, consistant line, and makes those pretty peepers pop)

 7.  Outfit Picks.  I'm loving the military-inspired look right now and this green is awesome.  It's looks stunning with the whites and metallics.  I can't wait for our chilly STL weather to go away so I can wear the casual-chic outfit on the right...perfection. 

Then this photo above...the girly white dress paired with the bow belt and oversized sunnies just makes me happy :)

8.  So if you know anything about Midwest weather, it's what most of us like to refer to as "bi-polar".  One January day may be 65 degrees and sunny then 2 days later, there's 4 inches of snow on the ground.  During those freezing, possibly snowy days, I would dream and wish for a tropical Mexican-inspired lounge pictured above.  Add in chips and salsa, delicious spicy chiptole fish tacos, and some margaritas and we'll be set.  Dream escape right there.

9.  One of my New Year's resolutions was to attempt at least one of my Pinterest pins per week.  A few weeks ago, the Victoria's Secret Model Ab Workout seemed like a great choice.  Boy, oh boy...Although it was a struggle to get through the entire workout (not to mention it hurt to laugh for a few days), it was well worth it...in the good kind of pain way.

10.  Music.  It was really difficult for limit it down to just 3 songs that I could listen to on repeat all day, every day, so picking choosing just one would have been impossible.  That being said, here are my top 3 music picks from January: