Backyard Patio Refresh with Big Lots

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MLB is back which means spring is in full gear! My favorite living space starting now and basically through the end of October is my backyard and the patio space in the backyard. There's nothing better than sitting at the pool by day and relaxing on the patio with a fire by night! I'm a firm believer that one of the best things you can do is be outside as much as possible, so making my outdoor living space as cozy, relaxing and stylish as possible is just as important to me as it is to creatively and beautifully decorate any room inside of my home. There are so many ways to update an outdoor space and honestly, it's the funnest area to makeover! The options are endless and there's so many different routes you can take - beachy, modern, rustic - the list never ends.
Big Lots has been a life saver when it comes to outdoor decorating; not only do they have really great, stylish outdoor decor and furniture, but everything is so affordable and of great quality too! Mixing and matching pieces often works the best in an outdoor space; this is when I take full advantage of fun pattern and color mixing! The seasonal/outdoor décor and furniture sections of the store are so extensive too - there are endless aisles and displays of gorgeous, high-quality pieces that are perfect for any type of yard refresh you're going for.

Decorating with Florals

Using floral prints and patterns to decorate a room can seem sort of risky in hopes of not making it look gaudy and old fashioned, but these prints come in so many different shapes, sizes and colors and is a real trend these days! Not only are floral patterns extremely stylish, but they also can bring life and light into a room that may have a before picture of being dark and gloomy.
Gorgeous floral pieces for your home:
Floral accent chair// Chanel flowers wall art// Floral table lamp// Watercolor floral throw pillow// Framed floral print// Floral wall mirror// Gray couch// Floral accent pillows// Colorful flower wall art// Watercolor floral lamp shade// Floral tassel pillow

The key to decorating with florals is to find a certain pattern that you like - the colors, size of the flowers and the style of the print - and sticking to it!
Here's some tips for decorating with floral designs in different spaces:
Floral doesn't mean ancient: believe it or not, you can decorate a space with floral prints without making it look like you just raided your grandma's attic. If you're going with floral prints on your couch or the pillows, balance the pattern out by adding bright colored pillows, a statement rug, or a stylish coffee table.

Don't overdo it: trust me, there is no time that you should ever try and decorate every aspect of a space with floral patterns! More is less. Flowered fabrics are usually bright and vibrant and are "popping pieces" - or pieces that you first notice when you walk into a room. If you have a floral patterned couch or accent chair in your living room, get throw pillows that are a solid color that matches the floral print. If you have a floral comforter in your bedroom, use matching colors for decor pieces.

Be aware of the print sizes: be sure to remember that the scale and size of a floral print can make a huge difference depending on which aspect of a room you're decorating. For example, if you're doing a floral accent wallpaper or styling a furniture piece like a couch, bigger floral prints will look better than small, cluttered floral prints. On smaller scaled pieces like a floral lampshade or an accent pillow, smaller flowered prints will stand out more.

Hanging plates: a trend that's really popular right now is decorating your walls with decorative plates. I really love this look - especially in an open concept living/dining room! Try brightening up a room by playing with different patterned floral plates to create a focal point on your walls. This is one (of few) examples where it looks good to use many different flowers - just try to stay within a theme or color scheme!

Accent walls are everything: I absolutely love the idea of having an accent wall - especially in a bedroom! Wallpaper can be tricky and seem daunting, but finding a modern, floral print wallpaper that you love may be the answer to your bedroom decorating woes. Try a monotone floral print instead of going too bold and hurting your eyes. A larger floral print that's a simple color can go a long way!

Pairing with patterns: even though floral patterns already have a lot going on in them, pairing floral prints with other patterns like chevron or stripes can really make it pop even more!




source & source The floral wallpaper (left) is absolutely stunning! I would love to find a similar wallpaper for my closet or (future) dressing room/office! It's so feminine, chic and makes a statement without overdoing it! I love the tan/gold and the colors that were matched with it! The second gorgeous room is a Lilly Pulitzer dressing room - which I could LIVE in! Every time I go into one of Lilly's stores I fantasize over the dressing rooms. The floral wallpaper is super bold with such a pretty color scheme and has larger scaled flowers versus the smaller scaled flowers in the first picture. They give such a different look yet both are so bold and make a gorgeous statement!

Floral Comforters:

Floral pillows:

Pretty floral clothing and accessories - just because : )

Would you ever decorate with floral patterns?
XOXO

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Capturing a Coastal Design

Since summer is in full swing as we reach mid July and spending endless days on the beach, there is nothing better than a breezy seaside escape. As I'm off to the beach for the day, I'm realizing just how perfect a chic and coastal look is for a home! Whether you're steps from the beach or hours away and just want a beachy look for your home - there's ways to give your home this elegant and nautical look with some simple tips!
I wish I could live here at the beach with this elegant feel all year round! Although, living in New York makes that pretty difficult in the winter months but I do grasp onto every bit of Summer that I can every year. When I think of coastal decor, I think of fresh colors and textures; whites, light blues and natural textures all give off an easy living, airy and bright vibe.

Here's some gorgeous pieces to add to your fresh, elegant and coastal look
Woven canopy bed// Chevron woven pillow// Starfish table lamp// Nautical rope sphere decor// Turquoise anchor pillow// Seashell and sand decor// Nautical rope wall mirror// Coral bookends// Coral candlesticks// Rustic Ottoman// Seahorse table lamp

White and Airy: some people consider keeping decor and furniture white to be boring, plain and something that hasn't been given much thought, but this is far from true! Most especially in a coastal themed home or room, white is a very important color! White is refreshing and clean - so keep your furniture or furnishings, kitchen cabinets, and pretty much anything else you can think of - a clean and fresh white. Pairing white with warm, wood accents in the flooring and some navy colored decor can make for a gorgeous nautical yet sophisticated theme!

Classic Nautical Decor: the timeless nautical theme is my vision of perfection for a coastal themed home. Navy, roping and white will give off the coastal feel... while adding pops of turquoise (my FAV color!) gives a room vibrant pops of unexpected color. Shimmery turquoise accents resemble the water, so you and your guests alike won't be able to take their eyes off of these gorgeous accessories!

Fifty Shades of Blue: after adding your pops of turquoise decor, go crazy with different shades of blue throughout the room(s)! This is the absolute perfect color to use in a beach home and this is easy to do since there are so many gorgeous shades - ranging from sky blue to a deep navy, you can't go wrong with balancing hues of blue! Pairing these blues with white and wood textures will also give the room depth and an extra seaside feel.

Woven, wicker details: nothing says beachside like wicker and woven furnishings! While this isn't ideal for every room, wicker furniture on a beach home's balcony or in a sun room with bright colored throw pillows will give a space an extra beachy feel! You can also try implementing things such as blinds, rugs and table decor with a woven texture.

Dress it up: the best part about coastal living with a nautical theme is that every room can look different while still giving off a beachy vibe. If you have a super casual and nautical themed living room, try dressing the bedroom of your beach home up a bit! Use things such as coral, starfish and seashells as decor to dress up a room making it more elegant! You can also add antique bottles like these for an extra chic feel!

Unfinished wood: using elements of unfinished wood and shiplap is such an elegant look for a coastal home. Aged and distressed wood is natural and a perfect element to add in decor, furniture and finishings also. I also love the way a textured wood coffee table or headboard looks!

Subtle Stripes: is it just me, or do navy and white stripes remind you of Vineyard Vines, days at the beach and endless summer nights?! There is nothing more nautical than navy and white striped decor. Throw pillows, rugs, blankets, coffee mugs, upholstery; you name it and you can likely find it in a navy striped pattern! If you're feeling super bold, try an accent wall with striped wallpaper!


Beach homes should feel sophisticated, have a cottage/inn feel - yet elegant all at the same time. Using these tips will help get you to that shabby chic and beachy look and will keep you feeling like it's summer all year long - even if it can't be where you live! P.S. I highly recommend checking your local Home Goods especially this time of year for nautical home decor! My Home Goods has aisles upon aisles of gorgeous coastal accessories!

XOXO
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Decorating a space with vibrant and bold colors!

Happy Tuesday and more importantly - happy JUNE!! It's been a couple super rainy days in New York so I've been stuck inside! But I've been shopping to find the last finishing touches to my bedroom makeover and I realized how awesome it is to have a vibrant touch to any room! No matter what color scheme or look you're going for, I think having some pieces that really pop in a room make it inviting and bring a space together. Going vibrant, bright and bold for a room is important to be done right, especially if you're going bold with your paint choice!
Gold decorative bowl// Kate Spade candle// Gold coral decor// Floral wall art// Sunburst mirror// Golden kiss wall art// Pink ikat pillow// Black/white striped accent chair// Turquoise sofa// Gold scale pillow// Gold striped pillow// Gold floor lamp// Pink/gold ottoman// Pink/gold lamp// Gold side tables
BLack, gold, pink and turquoise is one of my absolute favorite color combinations! Taking vibrant colors like these and mixing them with a more subtle color (like black) goes together like PB&J in my opinion!!

Here's some ways to decorate a room while adding some bold choices:
1. Stick to a scheme: While I've seen rooms that have a broad color scheme and look GORGEOUS, I prefer rooms that have a set scheme with a small handful of matching colors.
2. Going bold on your walls: If you have a vibrant/bold color on your walls, I bet it looks awesome! If you aren't as comfortable doing a whole room with one bright color, try doing an accent wall! It makes the room pop perfectly, just not as risky as a whole room. If you go bold on the wall(s), try more subtle accents and decor.
3. Light up a room using the floor: If you're starting from scratch, consider going graphic with your flooring! I love a herringbone patterned floor like this one especially for a bathroom. It gives depth and pattern - without making too much of a "bright" statement! Or for a bedroom or living room, try a brightly patterned area rug like this one!
4. Vibrant patterns in a small way: I think a great way to somewhat-subtly make a statement is to DIY a bookshelf to look similar to this! Making a statement while keeping it understated all at the same time!
5. Go bold with bedding: If you're looking to make a statement in your bedroom, a great way to do so is getting a brightly patterned bed set within your color scheme! Chevron, ikat, stripes and paisley prints are all great ways to go.
6. All in the textiles: As you can see above in my current dream living room, I'm all about the wall art and patterned pillows!! Having a bright (or even neutral) colored sofa, mixed with a patterned accent chair and some gorgeous textured and patterned throw pillows makes me SO happy! Bright wall art also can make a room pop - especially a floral design that matches your color scheme to a T! But for real - how gorgeous do those details look together?!
7. Last but not least, lamps: While it's important to have lamps for ample lighting in any given room, these are also some of the most important decorative items too! Try a patterned lamp shade for some real POP! I especially love a bold colored shade like this one.

I love vibrant colors and patterns, especially lately. Here's some of my favorite vibrant products to dress and fill up any room!
Lamps:

Area rugs:

Furniture:

Wall Art:

Throw pillows:

XOXO
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Tiered Cake Stands and their many uses!

Tiered stands were originally made to display cakes, cupcakes, desserts and other foods for parties. Over the past few months in the midst of redecorating, I wanted to have a better way to display my nicer bottled perfumes. Rather than displaying them boringly on a shelf or throwing them on my dresser I found a way more exciting and beautiful way to display these perfume bottles! Here's my perfume display:




There's so many different types of trays - color, material, size, finish, etc. and choosing your tiered tray really depends on what you're looking for. These trays are also usually a bit pricey and it took me a while to pick the perfect one because I didn't want to get a cheap looking one (which seemed to be the only affordable choices) but also didn't want to spend a fortune on a tray like this. I endlessly searched for months until finding the one I purchased on Joss and Main. Granted it was a bit more than I was looking to pay, but I'm SO happy with it and it was definitely worth the money! My mom also made me realize that this is something I'll likely have for a while - and when in my own home, it's a piece that I can use for other intentions also (like displaying food for parties as it's really meant for!)

Coffee Table Accessories: How to style your coffee table!

Decorating your coffee table or even side table can often times bring such character to a room. There's nothing better than having a coffee table that's filled with pretty accessories and decor - rather than a dull empty space that's just used to hold drinks!

Jupiter Bowl// Metal lanterns// Vodka pop candle// Diamond paperweight// Tealight candles// Decorative silver boxes// Silver frame// Black table tray// Canister set// Silver sphere// Silver candle holder// Chanel coffee table books

I think it's super important to have a nicely styled coffee table - and using lots of different shaped decor can help you do so! There's four important elements that should be a part of every coffee table: 1. An odd shaped object: having something like a piece of decorative coral, a pretty spherical object like this one or a pretty glass knot like this one are all pieces that stand out on a coffee table!
2. Fresh flowers: I always have fresh flowers somewhere in my house. Not only do they make any room smell fresh and pretty but they give a pop of color too! During this time of year I love having pretty peonies or hydrangeas to display.
3. Something tall: hurricane vases and candle holders are gorgeous to display on a coffee table since they're tall - they also make a room sparkle if you light a candle in one of these vases! I just purchased this hurricane vase for my table!
4. Coffee table books: when I first discovered that home decor stores and websites actually sold books for decoration, I was beside myself! My favorite decor piece for any room is having a stack of fashion/design books with some pretty flowers on top of the stack. The prettier the books, the prettier the room looks! Some of my favorites are Chanel, Dior, The Iconic Interior, The Fashion Book and The Vera Wang of Weddings. There's tons of designers who have these kinds of books - and you can even go into Barnes and Noble or your local book store to find any book of your choice as well!

Similar to any other area of your home, it's important not to rush the process of decorating your coffee table to your liking. Find the pieces you love; books you'll read (to justify some of the pricetags), scented candles that you'll actually want to light and pieces you'll want to display to your friends and family. It's also important to know what style you have going for your space. For example, classy and feminine, splashes of color or neutral and nautical.
Here's some more of my favorite coffee table decorative pieces:

Some of my favorite coffee tables:

I hope if you're looking to style your coffee table, these ideas and accessories help you! You can also check out my Pinterest board of my favorite coffee tables! Are there any accessories you've found and love to style your coffee table? I would love to hear about them!
XOXO
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