decor

breathing space

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Hey guys, sorry I was MIA yesterday. I have been having a very rough and frustrating time lately. Among other things which I won't discuss here, being the clumsy person I am, the other day I tipped over a glass of water onto my MacBook causing it to shut down and make a sizzle sound. I've been taking the advice of friends and letting it dry for a few days. I'm pretty sure it's dead but maybe it will miraculously turn back-on again...we'll see. To those of you who have emailed me lately, sorry I haven't gotten back to you yet, I hope you understand.

In the meantime, my husband has allowed me to borrow his computer to blog (which almost always brightens my days). In an effort to lift my spirits a little, I'm posting this happy and cheery yet calm oasis of a space from the latest issue of Lucky magazine:

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The beautiful photo spread is inspiring me to surround myself with beautiful things, pour hot tea into my favorite cup, light a candle, relax, clear my mind of negative thoughts and just breathe....

Beautifully Organized Space of the Week

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It's the last one of 2010, so let's make it a fabulous one shall we?This week's beautifully organized space is from the home of fellow blogger Megan of Honey We're Home. Prior to moving into her custom built home, Megan lived in a townhouse with very limited closet space so having the opportunity to have a walk-in closet of this size was a dream come true for her.

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The closet is just off the bathroom and measures 9'4 x 13'2! It was designed to include an island with cubbies in the middle, a shoe rack, built-in dresser, adjustable hanging shelves, shelves for purses, and a fabulous chandelier.

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Pants are hung on wire hangers from Bed, Bath and Beyond and jeans are on small felt hangers that don’t bow in the middle. Before the shoe rack was built, Megan counted her shoes to see how much space she’d need. The top shelf was removed to fit tall boots which are kept upright used boot inserts.

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Scarves are hung and tied over a lower rod. Lightweight sweaters are folded over white plastic hangers from Target and arranged by color -creates such a beautiful rainbow effect don't you think?

Closet 017[3]image[58] Megan created a necklace holder behind the door using Commandhooks. She stores her purses on the side shelves. Her dresser drawers hold gym clothes, undies, sleepwear, and more jewelry.

The full-length mirror to the left of the dresser is where she plops down to do her makeup each day.

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Atop the island is a runner is from World Market, a clear bin holding her makeup from The Container Store, and a flower vase and candy jar from Home Goods. On the right side of the island, she keeps her tank tops, casual long sleeve shirts, and shorts/capri pants. On the left, storage bins from Target hold belts, bikinis, and scarves. The zebra ottoman is from Hobby Lobby.

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To see more of Megan's gorgeous home be sure to visit her blog if you haven't already!

Last week of the year!

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I'm back from spending a few days in our hometown visiting family for the holiday. How was your weekend?? For those of you who celebrate Christmas, have your started taking down all your Christmas decor or are you leaving it up a little longer? I usually leave mine up til New Years, then pack it up in large labeled plastic containers.
Are you working this week or enjoying time off lasting through New Years?

image credit: 1 via HGTV

A Warm and Cheery Living Room

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Did you know there's a digital issue of Martha Stewart Living available for iPads? I haven't downloaded it since I don't have an iPad (ah..someday!) but I've heard great things about it.

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Lucky for those of us without an iPad, some of the features are posted on Martha's website. One such feature is the warm and cheery living room of decorating editor Rebecca Robertson:

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There are so many beautiful details to love -like the trim detail on the lamp shades, the white sawn balusters that were adhered to the walls to create a graphic statement, the Ikea glass front cabinets embellished with radiator grill material, and the DIY coffee table trays she made using baking sheets, zigzag fabric, and Plexiglass.

Do you have an iPad? Have you downloaded the magazine? If so, please do tell about the other fabulous features!

A Little Inspiration...

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...or shall I say a lot of inspiration?....

Take a look at these beautiful accent walls....

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...guess what?!? It's not wallpaper! Read on...

The living room in the first set of photos is from the home of Jesse of Good Girl Gone Glad. Jesse used a stencil she downloaded from Jones Design Company and painted on the pattern using a small craft paint brush and a high gloss paint one shade lighter than the main wall color.

The master bedroom in the second set of photos was designed by Rethink Design Studio. They created an accent wall in lieu of a headboard by designing a graphic template, repeating the design, printing it on a large scale printer, and tracing the outline with a gold metallic Sharpie marker.

The living room in the third set of photos is from the home of Maria of Layers of Meaning. Maria and her husband created the chevron wall using painter's tape and three coats of paint (main color was Sherwin Williams Amazing Gray and accent color was Glidden Smooth Stone).

I think these all turned out SO great! The look of wallpaper without the cost or commitment of wallpaper? Yes please!

Have you tried (or would you try) doing something like this in your own home?

p.s. for more inspiration click here, here, here, here, and here!

Source for Affordable Art

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Have you heard of Zatista.com yet? It's a great source for original and affordable artwork. Here's a few of my favorites from their Under $250 section:

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(1) Yipes Stripes painting, oil on canvas $70; (2) Wise Math Print, digital on paper $35; (3) Sunrise Over the Peninsula painting, oil on wood panel $150; (4) You Should Think On painting, acrylic on canvas $250; (5) Scattered Light painting, oil $250; (6) Quiet on the Lake painting, acrylic on canvas $125 (7) Viola painting, acrylic on canvas $125; (8) Summer Roses painting, oil on wood panel $175

P.S. If you're an artist, you can sell your art on their site.

House of Honey

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Currently swooning over the design projects over at House and Honey. I love the way designer Tamara Kaye-Honey uses updated classics to create elegant yet very livable interiors. My favorites from her:

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photos via house of honey

Did you notice the marble countertop in the kitchen that runs down the sides of the island? That's definitely going in my dream home inspiration file! What about you, any favorites?

P.S. She also has a decor shop in South Pasadena. I hear it's filled with a beautiful selection of wallpaper and fabrics, whimsical and playful accessories, and unique pieces of furniture. I must visit!

Beautifully Organized Space of the Week

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This week's beautifully organized space of the week is from the home of fellow design blogger, Bryn of Bryn Alexandra Interiors. Bryn recently created four beautiful bulletin boards to post and organize her inspirations, sketches and fabric swatches. I love the idea of having multiple boards -one for each project. Great for us visually oriented types!

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If you haven't already, be sure to check out Bryn's blog. She's a very talented interior decorator in Charlotte, North Carolina who regularly blogs about her design projects, DIYs, inspirations, and pieces of her life :-)

Happy Weekend!

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Sorry for the absence Thursday and Friday. I was a busy busy bee and unfortunately didn't have much time for blogging. Anyways happy it's the weekend and have some leisurely moments now. I finally had a chance to sit down and enjoy the premiere issue of Rue this morning. As expected it was filled with stylish inspiration galore. My favorite home tour was Crystal's simple yet glamorous bachelorette pad.
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Her home is a perfect example of the fact that you don't have to have tons of money to achieve a chic, beautifully put together decor. Several of her pieces were from Ikea and local thrift shops. What was your favorite home tour? If you haven't checked out the magazine yet -click on over!