Daily Dose of Design: February 2015

Friday, February 27, 2015

10 Spring tops under $20!!!

TGIF! I could not be happier that it's Friday. At the beginning of every season, I like to shop online to see what kinds of things I want to wear for Spring. It's hard to find super cute shirts that are this cheap but I picked 10 tops to share with you guys that are so perfect for Spring time and they are all under $20! I hope you like them as much as I do!

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1. Old Navy Boyfriend Tee $16.94 $15
2. H&M Lace Top $29.95 $20
3. Old Navy Knit Floral Tee $12.94 $11
4. Old Navy Boat-neck Top $14.94 $14
5. Forever 21 Peasant Top $19.90
6. H&M Jersey Top $17.95
7. Express Lace Top $49.90 $19.99
8. Forever 21 Baroque Lace Top $17.90
9. Lord and Taylor Accented Lace Pullover $58 $18.84
10. Forever 21 Woven Tee $15.80

Here's some sales going on now to check out!
Lord and Taylor 20% off almost everything
Express Mystery Offer
Forever 21 21% off one item with e-mail signup (plus 30% off sale items with code EXTRA30)
H&M 20% off with e-mail signup!
Old Navy 30% off EVERYTHING! With code PREVIEW


Happy Friday and happy shopping!!! XOXO

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Oscar's 2015 Best Dressed!

Happy Oscar Sunday! I was super excited for the red carpet this year and I wanted to share my favorite looks from this years awards with you guys!

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Dakota Johnson - Saint Laurent

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Cate Blanchett - Maison Margiela by John Galliano

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Kerry Washington - Miu Miu

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Jennifer Hudson - Keveza

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Rosamund Pike - Givenchy

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Jennifer Aniston - Versace


XOXO

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Paint Colors: The do's and the don'ts

As if doing a bedroom makeover wasn't enough, I decided I wanted to redo my bathroom as well! I've been going back and forth on paint colors because the pink I have now just really needs to go, but I still want something fun! Trying to pick a color scheme inspired me to do a post all about paint colors!
Going into Home Depot is always overbearing and trying to look at their paint sample sections takes it to a whole new level. I get sucked in every time I walk into the store and always seem to find colors I am OBSESSED with - except for when I'm really there to buy paint! I think my number one tip in picking a paint color (especially for a bathroom like I am now) is to go light to make the room feel airy and fresh. But if you're going to go bold, make sure you have ample sunlight so the room doesn't feel dark! I've also found it easier to pick the bath accessories before the paint color, since it's easier to pick paint color than it is finding a shower curtain you love.

Here's my list of do's and don't for paint colors:

Do's:
1. Do pick a natural paint color if you have detailed/patterned or busy room and wall decor
2. Do pick your color palette and furnishings before picking a paint color
3. Do get paint samples and try them on your walls; look at the walls at all points of the day so you can see the different shades it'll look as the sun hits the room
4. Do take the time to tape the edges of your walls - trust me it'll be worth it in the end!
5. Do keep your extra paint - trust me you will want it if you need to touch something up! Chances are you'll never be able to match the color exact again if you need to
6. Do consider an accent/patterned wall if you have the space!

Don'ts:
1. Don't choose a paint color based on someone else's room - instead, try looking at multiple shades of the color you like
2. Don't go white; at least make it interesting and do a light gray if you want a light and super neutral color!
3. Don't paint your ceiling any color other than white in a bathroom - not good for lighting!
4. Don't paint a room in odd strokes - painting the whole room using one stroke (usually vertically) will allow the color to dry better and give you a nicer end product!


You can view some of my favorite bathrooms on my "dream bathrooms" Pinterest board!
Here's a sneak peak at the color scheme of my bathroom redo:

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Happy Tuesday! XOXO

Friday, February 13, 2015

Trend Alert: Distressed & Boyfriend Jeans

TGIF!!! With NYFW starting and Spring coming up, I've been on the hunt for Spring time trends/favorite looks for the upcoming season! (can you tell I'm sick of winter?) While it's not something you see too much on the runway, one of the few things I've seen over and over is distressed, boyfriend styled jeans. I know they've been around for a while but they seem to be so in style this upcoming Spring and Summer - perfect timing for the endless humidity! They're perfect to wear casually or to dress up; try pairing them with flats or even sandals if it's warmer out. To dress up, I'm obsessed with how jeans like these look when worn with some pretty wedges or pumps! My favorite thing to do to these jeans if they aren't already cropped is to cuff them up making them into a capri length. Say goodbye to skinny jeans this season because it's all about the boyfriend jeans!

Here's some of my favorite pairs I've shopped so far:

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Left to right: Nordstrom, Nordstrom, American Eagle, Old Navy, Nordstrom

Are there any boyfriend jeans or looks with them that you love? I'd love to hear them! XOXO

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Luxe Living Decor

As you may know if you've read previous blog posts, I'm in the middle of re-doing/designing my bedroom! I've been collecting things for my room for about two months now and I've finally started to put it together - which I'll be showing you guys in the next few posts! There are so many amazing home decor websites but lets be honest, decorating elegantly can be SO expensive! In the past month I've been to Home Goods every single weekend... I'm not sure whether I should be embracing this or embarrassed that my weekly trip to Home Goods is literally a little slice of Heaven for me! The best part is they always have different things because they get new shipments in during the middle of the week. For anyone who hasn't heard of or been to Home Goods (is that possible??) it's a chain retail store that sells things such as furniture and decor from top name brands at a much more reasonable price! In going so much and shopping online so much, I've noticed that they get a majority of their decor from my favorite website - ZGallerie! There are some things that are worth paying the price for when it comes to home decor but I strongly suggest checking stores like Home Goods first!!

Here's some of my current favorite home decor products that I want/bought/have something similar to!

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1. Radiant Mirror: I've been dying to buy this mirror for weeks now and thinking about buying it since I haven't found a similar one anywhere else!
2. Table Lamp: I bought a very similar table sized lamp at Home Goods last week for my dresser! I love how the top looks like a chandelier; even being discounted on Joss and Main, it's still pretty pricey! So elegant and simple though :)
3. Decorative Canisters: these canisters are some of my favorite decorative pieces I've gotten! I actually found the exact same ones in Home Goods (but in silver instead of gold) and got the pair for $40!
4. Fashion Painting: this is one of the few items I've gotten for my room so far that I've had to splurge on! But let me tell you it is SO beautiful in person and so worth the price! The artist Oliver Gal creates pieces similar to these and they are pricey, but I've noticed so many of his pieces in Home Goods lately! This particular one isn't Oliver Gal, it's from ZGallerie and I am so excited to have it hanging on my wall!
5. Candle Holders: these candle holders are the cutest I've ever seen - and retail at an affordable price too! I'm putting these on one of my shelves next to a stack of decorative books and it looks so classy!
6. Sequin Patterned Pillow: while it's still expensive for a pillow, I love having one or two accent pillows that pop! I have a similar sequined pillow purchased from Target last month. I have so many old pillows that no longer match my color scheme so I went to the fabric store, picked some fabric colors and patterns I liked and covered the old pillows - now it looks like I spent hundreds on all new pillows!
7. Two Tiered Tray: yes, I know this is made for desserts but I am using one of these for something TOTALLY different! I saw someone on Pinterest using a tiered dessert tray like this to display perfume and I fell in love! It's super hard to find nice quality tiered trays that don't totally diminish your bank account - and I still haven't had any luck! Home Goods has tons of trays like these but I haven't yet found one I love... Might be another splurge item!
8. Decorative Bohemian Rug: I bought this exact rug from Joss and Main because it's a serious steal at $37! I love the pattern and the color is my favorite! Rugs are one thing that I've found to not be such a great deal at Home Goods; they usually only have super large ones that are way too big for the space I'm decorating. I also regularly check Target for rugs too because they have such cute ones!

Anyone have any good home decor websites? I'd love to hear from you guys! XOXO

Monday, February 2, 2015

Spinach Artichoke Cheeseball

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Whose ready for game day?! Every Super Bowl Sunday I'll be honest, I'm usually more interested in the commercials, half time show and of course the food. Finding new appetizers and finger foods to make for Super Bowl is so much fun and one of my favorites that I've been making for years is a Spinach Artichoke Cheeseball. This is super easy to make and it's a perfect food for any party!