Watercolor Paintings from Etsy

by RoxanneK, in category Home Decor

Projects around my house have been on hold the last few weeks, we have been really busy getting my daughter prepared to leave for school. Once things settle down we will get back to my living room project, we still haven’t added any moldings after finishing the floors. In the meantime, I’ve been loving all things watercolor. Have you noticed this trend everywhere lately? I wish I could paint my own watercolors but until then I’ve been browsing around Etsy and I’ve found some beautiful watercolor paintings. Here are some of my favorites, and they’re all super affordable coming in at under $30 (except for one)!

This cottage watercolor painting speaks to the farmhouse style that I love.

White Poppy watercolor – If you like minimal decor, this pretty set is for you.

Ocean City boardwalk – Summer is just around the corner (though it doesn’t feel that way at all!) and this pretty watercolor painting just sums up those lazy boardwalk days.

Set of Four Peony watercolors – These are so pretty, the peonies are the perfect shade of blush pink. They come in a set of four but I like how they are displayed here with a set of three.

Nantucket Watercolor-This perfect depicts that New England charm that we all love.

Beachy watercolor – This simple abstract would make a good base for a room’s color scheme.

Cotton art watercolor – This one is so creative, look at the detail of the flowers.

London watercolor – I’m more of a homebody but this one is for you world travelers out there.

Stunning hydrangea – The artist behind this one is seriously talented!

Greenhouse-I wish this were a real space in my house, so charming!

Wisteria -Similar to the hydrangea painting above and just as beautiful.

Watercolor paintings are such a great way to brighten up a room. As I mentioned above, all of these would make a great starting point for a room’s color scheme. Which one is your favorite?

Apr122018Apr 11 2018

Custom Framing and The Property Brothers!

by RoxanneK, in category Home Decor

You guys may have seen this picture of me with the Property Brothers that I posted on Facebook and Instagram. Today I wanted to tell you how that all came about. I’m still pinching myself to be sure it really happened! The Property Brothers have a new line of custom framing available at Michael’s, and the store was having a media event to announce this new line. I’ve attended media events before and you really never know what to expect until you get there.

This one was held at a gallery in NYC. The Property Brothers were already there when we arrived. They were every bit as personable and energetic as they appear on tv, maybe even more so.

They introduced themselves to us and we had the opportunity to interview them along with the other media people that were there. The gallery was filled with their new line of custom frames.

Of course, I had to try one of these custom framing options for myself. My oldest daughter recently graduated college and I wanted to frame her diploma. This diploma means more to us than you know, so I wanted it to be special. I have to also share the backstory on that with you.

Scott Living Black leather frame with rivets* at Michael’s Store

When my daughter was little, she always said she wanted to be a veterinarian. I thought it was just the usual kid talk but as she grew she never wavered on that and never once said that she wanted to be anything other than a vet. Looking back now, she did show signs of an extraordinary love for animals. I remember visiting a friends house who I hadn’t seen in years when my daughter was around 4. At one point, I realized my daughter had disappeared. After searching, we found her under my friend’s bed trying to coax her cat out from under it.

When she was in grade school I subscribed her to Cat Fancy and Dog Fancy magazines. One month Cat Fancy had a pull-out poster showing the anatomy of a cat. My daughter loved that and it hung on her wall for years. While in middle school she applied to go to a specialized animal science program for high school and was accepted. In freshman year she started volunteering at a local vet, which later turned into her part-time job, where she still works today. I remember her coming home from there and telling me that she felt like this is where she really fit, it just felt right.

Deciding on my custom framing layout in-store

In senior year of high school, she applied to another specialized program for college at Rutgers University. It was a tough one to get in to and I shed many tears when she was accepted. My husband and I did not go to college, it wasn’t even on our radar in those days. We are not very academically inclined and were not really able to help her with her studies in high school. Most kids in our area go to extensive SAT tutoring, but that wasn’t in our budget.

Steel Rivets with Black Leather Frame by Scott Living

Moving on to Rutgers, academics became much more challenging for her. The pre-vet curriculum at Rutgers is known to be one of the toughest around and it was a struggle. There were many a tearful phone call home. At one point she failed chemistry and was placed on academic probation. If you know anything at all about applying to vet school, then you know its the toughest of them all to get into, it’s even more difficult than med school. Especially for NJ students, because there are only a few vets schools in the country (none in NJ) and they will accept in-state students over out of state first. Her chances started to look bleak.

Many people tried to dissuade her from wanting to go to vet school. Even myself at one point, purely for financial reasons (the cost of vet school is outrageous) and not because I thought she wouldn’t make it. She never gave up. She suffered through her studies and brought her grades back up all while also working part-time. She would get up early on Saturday morning after working and studying all week and attend open houses being held by universities for prospective vet students in NYC.

In-store computer mach-up for custom framing

Even though she suffered academic setbacks, bouts of anxiety from the stress and roommates from hell, she accomplished what she set out to do and graduated with a degree in science from Rutgers University.

Custom framed diploma

Finally, it was time to apply to vet school. When my daughter asked her mentor from Rutgers for a recommendation letter, the woman said: “Yes, but I don’t think you’re ready for this”. That was a huge blow to my daughter’s ego but she didn’t let it stop her.

She applied to only one school.

After several months of anticipation, she got the call. She was accepted! She will be leaving in just a few short weeks.

Shadowbox custom frame

As you can see, this diploma is much more than a piece of paper to us. It represents sheer determination and a passion to follow your dream! As Joel Osteen says, “When God puts a dream in your heart, nothing can stop it!”.

Even if the odds are all against you.

*This post is in collaborations with Michael’s, all opinions are 100% my own. The Scott Living collection of custom framing from the Property Brothers is available exclusively at Michaels stores. You can find the desk chair shown above here. This post may contain affiliate links, read my full disclosure here.

If you’d like to follow along with my daughter’s journey through vet school, you can follow along with her brand new blog here.

Mar292018Mar 28 2018

Home Accessories to Pull A Neutral Room Together

by RoxanneK, in category Home Decor, interior design ideas

I like to keep all of the major elements in my rooms neutral. Mostly because I like a soothing color palette but also because that allows you to change out smaller home accessories seasonally or when trends go out of style without having to replace big-ticket items. You can completely change the look of a room by simply switching out a few items, such as curtains, throw pillows and wall decor.

I put together several design boards* featuring home accessories that will pull together any neutral based room. The idea is to have coordinating colors and textures without it being too matchy-matchy.

For the first board (which is my favorite of them), I started with the curtains and based everything else from those. The blue pillows and wall art distribute the blue around the room, letting the eye travel. The basket, candle holders, and lamp all bring out the tan in the curtains while also adding texture. The texture of the basket and lamp also works well with the hint of coastal vibe in the canvas wall prints.

wooden candle holders/curtains/lidded basket/patterned pillows/solid pillow/throw blanket/sisal lamp/canvas wall art/canvas wall art

For this next board, I started with the floral pillow. I wanted to use the pink and blue tones without it looking too childish. The ice blue tone of the curtains works because if it were too vibrant it would appear juvenile. The soft throw has just a hint of pink and the cool silver in the lamp, mirror and candleholders add an elegant vibe.

wall art/mercury glass candles/curtains/floor mirror/throw blanket/blue pillows/floral pillow/table lamp

Have you noticed the trend toward botanicals lately? For the home accessories here, I wanted to use those as well as mix patterns. Even though there are several patterns going on in this space, they are all understated and work well together.

botanical wall art left/botanical wall art center/botanical wall art right/picture frames/curtains/floor lamp/area rug/floral pillow/solid pillow/table lamp/throw blanket/lanterns

I just discovered this area rug and plan to order it for my living room. I love the muted pattern on it, and how it goes so well with the soft stripes of the curtains. The curtains felt slightly coastal to me, so I went with that. That blue pillow has the word “home” embroidered with jute rope, which is just a touch of coastal, and the white pillow has a very subtle pattern that looks like starfish. The wooden bead chandelier goes well with the wood end tables (I have these and love them) and the art and the throw blanket tie the deeper navy tones together. The varying shades of blue help give this space a layered look.

beach wall art/coastal wall art/lighthouse wall art/picture frames/chandelier/curtains/throw blanket/side tables/table lamps/area rug/blue pillow/white pillow

All of the wall decor featured on these boards is available in my new digital art shop. I haven’t yet announced this shop on the blog yet because I’m still working on stocking it and getting it organized but it is up and running so check it out! If you’d like to see some other mood boards I’ve put together check out the design board section of my project gallery page.

Would you like to see more of these boards featuring coordinating home accessories? Any color scheme in particular that you are drawn to?

Pin it for later:

*This post contains affiliate links, you can read my full disclosure here.

Mar222018Mar 22 2018

Removable Wallpaper Ideas

by RoxanneK, in category Home Decor, Inspiration

Dandelion Removable Wallpaper

I love the look of wallpaper but I don’t like the commitment. If you’ve ever tried removing wallpaper, you know what I mean. It’s not a fun project! There are so many great designs in removable wallpaper now that you can get the look without worrying about the trends changing in a few years. I don’t know why any companies would make non-removable wallpaper anymore. Not to mention it’s SO much easier to put up!

Here are some great designs in the peel and stick wallpaper that I’ve found while browsing around. I have ideas for a few of these!

A few weeks ago I asked on my Facebook page if you guys think shiplap is a passing trend or if it’s here to stay. I was surprised the majority of the comments said it is a passing trend. I disagree, but if you want the look without the commitment, this peel and stick shiplap* wallpaper is a perfect solution.

A neutral botanical wallpaper will add a bit of elegance to any space.

I love floral prints and this pink floral peel and stick wallpaper is no exception. Perfect for, but not limited to, a little girls room.

Buffalo plaid prints are trending right now. Get the look without the commitment!

In the house I grew up in my mother added a wallpaper with leaves in the main hallway. We loved it so much that she kept it up for years. We still talk about how much we loved that look. This botanical wallpaper has a similar look.

Removable wallpaper isn’t just for walls. Think outside the box and use it on furniture, I like the look of this weathered wood.

Grasscloth wallpaper will add the most beautiful texture to a room. Or use it to line the back of bookshelves. This will make even inexpensive shelves look high end!

Framing pieces of wallpaper makes for easy, inexpensive wall decor (you can see how I framed fabric here and burlap here), this dream big wallpaper would be beautiful framed and added into a gallery wall.

Another idea is to use it as a backdrop like I did with my vintage mantel surround. Everyone that comes over asks about the backdrop on this fireplace and they’re always surprised when I tell them it’s brick wallpaper.

Which one is your favorite?

*This post contains affiliate links, you can read my full disclosure here.

Mar152018

Mudcloth Pillows & A Giveaway

by RoxanneK, in category Giveaways, Home Decor

I not only love design, I also love the process of designing. Maybe even more than the finished project. Mudcloth is a fabric that is centuries old and used an interesting process in the design. It’s hand woven (giving it lots of texture) and hand dyed. It’s been popular in design for years now, and I think that popularity is growing.

Mudcloth is one of the best known African cloth traditions. Bogolanfini (as it was originally called) is a handmade cotton fabric that was dyed using fermented mud. The mud was collected and then hand painted onto wet fabric in patterns that would stain the fabric as it dried. This process was repeated again and again until the desired shade was achieved. The patterns and symbols had meaning and the cloths were passed down to the next generation. You can see a chart of the symbols and their meanings here and here.

These days it’s embroidered, but it’s still full of texture and interest, which is why I love it. My friends at One Fine Nest have given me this beautiful mudcloth pillow cover* (shown below) and will also be giving one away to one of you!

They come in a variety of colors and patterns, and a few solid colors as well. Here are some more of my favorites mudcloth pillows from my friends at One Fine Nest.

Blue with Fringe

African cover in black

Black and White

Striped

Laguna Rust

White African

And there are so many more I love, you can view them all here. They even make mudcloth Christmas stockings which are so cute and original. Enter below for your chance a mudcloth pillow cover of your own. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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*This post contains affiliate links, you can read my full disclosure here.

Mar122018Mar 11 2018

My Favorite Indoor Plants

by RoxanneK, in category Home Decor

Let me start by saying these are my favorite indoor plants because I haven’t killed them yet. If I can keep them alive, you definitely can too! I’m sharing this for another round of the Back to Basics series (you can see last month’s furniture makeovers here). Sometimes we get so caught up in design and DIY over here that we forget to talk about the basics. We already know that plants are good for purifying the air, I like them because they add a natural element to a room which every space needs.

I try to stick with small house plants so they don’t overpower my small rooms. I love plants but I don’t want my house to look like a jungle. This peace lily is one of the largest plants I have. I had kept this alive for years but last summer I put it outside and it burned in the sun. Oops. It never recovered, but ironically my niece gave me another one for my birthday not even knowing that story. I guess they’re called indoor plants for a reason.

I have two Pothos plants and these are my favorites because they are the easiest to maintain and I love the trialing leaves. They seem to do well anywhere I put them and can tolerate drought well. 😉

I like to use different plant pots than the plain ones they usually come in. I turned this basket into a planter by using a liner under the dirt. You can find plastic plant liners* here, they come in a variety of sizes.

This succulent plant (I don’t know the technical name of it) has done really well, I have had it for about 2 years. It also seems to do well in any light and if I forget to water it.

This string of pearls succulent is another of my favorites. Sadly, it doesn’t look this healthy anymore. I’d say he’s on life support right now. Even though it’s hanging on by a thread, I’m not giving up on it. Hopefully I can bring it back to this state.

Another of my favorite indoor plants that is tough to kill is the Aloe. Obviously it’s good for burns, but I was surprised when I read this article about how many other things it’s useful for. I might need to get a few more of these now.

If you have tough time keeping indoor plants alive, I would definitely try one of these. If I can’t kill them, noone can. I read somewhere recently that plants also help to lower high blood pressure. I’ve heard that about pets too. So if you have high blood pressure, get a plant. And a dog.

An InLinkz Link-up

*This post may contain affiliate links, you can read my full disclosure here.

Mar52018Mar 4 2018

Mixing Antiques with Modern Decor

by RoxanneK, in category Home Decor, How-to, Inspiration

via BHG

Hi guys, I have a treat for you today. My friend Hannah is guest posting here today. You may remember she popped in here once before with 9 Easy Ways to Freshen up Your Living Room. Today we are talking about Mixing Antiques with Modern Decor. Here’s Hannah.

Did you just move into a modern home or apartment with a load of antique items in tow? Conventional wisdom will have you believe that old-style furnishings and modern decor don’t mix with a contemporary interior. This is not true at all; you can absolutely adorn your home with antiques from any period. The antiques, though, have to be displayed in a certain way; otherwise, your home runs the risk of looking more like a museum than a living space.

1. Concentrate the Antiques in a Specific Spot

Ballard Designs

As we just mentioned, it’s important that you achieve a harmonious look and don’t turn the interior into a museum. For this reason, it is better to keep the antiques concentrated in a single area as opposed to having them scattered. Plus, by having them in a single location, that area becomes the room’s focal or accent space, or the area you want to draw eyes towards.

Some good spots for antiques include:

● In a living room corner

● Behind a sofa (where you may normally place a coffee or halfmoon table)

● The fireplace mantel

● Where the entertainment center would go (use an antique secretary for your TV, game consoles, etc.)

2. Group Items by Color

via

In museums and exhibits, antique collections are usually grouped according to antique type, geographical region, time period, etc. Since your home is not a museum, you do not have to group according to any of these parameters. With that in mind, though, we do recommend grouping by color. This helps create uniformity; it strains the eye and creates chaos when the room is dominated by non-matching hues.

When it comes to color grouping, you can also take into consideration non-antique décor. In other words, feel free to put that brown antique candle holder on the contemporary brown coffee table you purchased from Pottery Barn.

3. Make the Most Use of Leather

via Pottery Barn

Leather goods often don’t come to mind when it comes to antiques. People often think more along the lines of ceramics and wooden items or furnishings. Leather, though, has such versatile use when it comes to display.

Leather especially goes great in a home office. Concentrate leather décor and accessories around your desk. This is quite easy to achieve using everyday office items. Consider a leather mouse pad, leather blotter, leather document case, etc. This takes away some of the white-collar and corporate vibe and more of an elegant yet adventurous appearance.

Leather is also great if other antiques around the home are of the rustic and country variety, such as cottage and distress-style cabinetry. If country living is the theme you’re aiming for, then certainly incorporate leather for a western or outback ambiance.

4. Keep Them Accessible

via Honestlywtf

There’s a natural instinct to keep valuable antique items out of reach. Common areas include the top of a shelf or behind a display case. This is reminiscent of how collections in a museum are displayed. This gives off almost an “off limits” look. Since we are trying to move away from the museum look, keep the antiques close by. By close, this means on a coffee table, in the center of the living room, or even use an antique rug. Of course, this means you’ll have to take greater care and exercise more caution to keep the items in good condition, but this helps retain a homelier appearance.

5. Mix Old and New

via Design Sponge

This was touched upon briefly, but it warrants more analysis. Just because you have antique furnishings doesn’t mean you can’t have modern decor style items as well. In fact, it makes sense to include modern items since the home interior is based on modern architecture. Seemingly incompatible items can complement each other. If you have a 17th-century floral or portrait painting, for example, feel free to place it next to a work from a contemporary artist. This works well because it shows the evolution of the different types of art.

If you have antiques, don’t be afraid to proudly display them even if you have a 21st-century home. Blending past with present is in fact a creative way to decorate your home and create immense visual appeal.

Thank you Hannah for this inspiring post! Learn more about Hannah below!

Hannah Hutchinson is an interior designer based in London, currently blogging for Westland London. She’s always chasing new ideas and likes thinking outside the box when it comes to incorporating fresh ideas to her clients new homes.

Feb262018Apr 9 2018

Spring Tablescape with Pink Hydrangea

by RoxanneK, in category Home Decor, Inspiration, Spring Decorating

We had a little taste of Spring here last week. It only lasted for one day, but it was a nice break from the cold! I can’t wait for warmer weather, daylight savings time, and blooms to start budding in my hydrangea garden.

Once we change the clock the earlier sunrises will make it a little easier to get out of bed each day, which got me thinking about our morning routine. We usually grab our breakfast on the go, but how nice would it be to take a few minutes and enjoy a nice breakfast together? I created a Spring breakfast tablescape, inspired by this gorgeous pink hydrangea bundle, to set the scene.

I had been eyeing these blush pink plates* from Wayfair and finally broke down and got them. My hydrangea centerpiece is a perfect match with these pretty plates.

I placed the blush plates over my mismatched white dinner plates. I like collected textured white plates, it adds character and is far less expensive than buying a new set of dishes! And if one gets broken or chipped I can buy one more as opposed to a whole new set.

I added contrast with this gold flatware. This is a little fancier than my silver set and works with every setting I can think of. Why should we save our fancier dishware and flatware for only special occasions? Here is a better look at my vintage chairs that I reupholstered and painted last weekend, a total score for only $75!

I found eucalyptus at the grocery store where I found the hydrangea cuttings and can never resist buying that. I also picked up those pink flowers (not sure what they’re called) and tied them in bundles to my blanket ladder.

I used a sisal charger under my centerpiece for more texture and contrast.

I’m thinking a make-ahead breakfast would be ideal for the morning rush. Something we can reheat quickly and spend 10 or 15 minutes eating before running out the door. Do you have any quick and easy breakfast suggestions?

Have a great day and think Spring!

Congratulations to Phyllis from Michigan who won the $50 Target gift card from our survey giveaway and also to Michele from California who won the $25 Target gift card from our Facebook giveaway!

*This post was sponsored by Wayfair. All opinions are my own. You can read my full disclosure here. Linking up with BNOTP.

Feb192018Feb 18 2018

Living Room Ideas

by RoxanneK, in category Home Decor, Interior Design Tips, Room Makeovers

You may remember last summer I worked with Cost Plus World Market on a living room makeover. I never really shared about that here on the blog so today I wanted to show you some living room ideas and a little more of what I did in this space. I’m calling that makeover Phase One. I’m currently working on Phase Two of this space.

World Market was having a small spaces campaign and my living room fit the bill at only (12 X 14 sq feet). My main goal was to have furniture that fit the floor plan and that was functional for our family while also being beautiful. My favorite design style is rustic by far, but I do appreciate boho design as well, so I thought I would merge the two. I decided to get brave with color in this space by incorporating pink! This was my design board for the space.

The chesterfield sofa* is a great size for small spaces. I also love the that cushions are fixed to the couch, so they never get messy looking. I rarely show this view for a few reasons. It’s hard to get a decent photos with a window directly behind it. Also, I have been wanted to change out the window treatments here. I love these curtains but they are actually too short for this window after going through the washing machine & dryer. Why don’t they make curtains pre-shrunk??

Here is another view of the space. One of my living room ideas was to create a foyer even though we really don’t have one. I did this by placing a small side table next to the door with a mirror above it. The table has drawers which are perfect for storing keys, sunglasses, etc. I also painted my front door gray last summer which made a huge impact in the space.

My favorite thing in here is the rustic mantel I found at a flea market. That big blank wall was in need of a focal point, so my husband built a surround for the mantel. After the makeover, I swapped out the candlesticks for this decorative metal filigree arch piece (which is actually intended for wall decor). Now this makes an impressive focal point in the room and is the first thing you see when you walk in my front door. We are going to take that up a notch in Phase Two.

I took down the macrame pendant because it really wasn’t working in here and gave it to my niece. The cute button tufted chairs I originally used were swapped out for these wingback chairs instead. I had one of these chairs already in another room, so I sold the button chairs and used the money to purchase one more of these. The button chairs fit the small space really well but were really too small for my 6’4″ husband. The new chairs still fit the space well but are roomier for lounging.

I also switched out the gold end table (I gave that to my niece as well) for my rustic DIY side table, which better fits my style. The sofa, TV console table, and coffee tables are all staying. The jury is out on whether this rug stays or not. The plans I have for this space now are to backtrack. I’m happy with all of the furniture and the layout, but what we didn’t have the time or budget to do last year was to replace all of the flooring so it is more cohesive (a must in a small space, or any open space) and update the moldings. We also plan to add board and batten to the walls and above the fireplace. Starting with the floors and walls is always recommended, but in this case we are working backwards.

I’m so excited to get started on this and will share the process as we go along. Do you have any living room ideas to share? If you see anything you like here, you can shop the look below.

*This post contains affiliate links, you can read my full disclosure here.

Feb82018Feb 7 2018

Valentine’s Day Mantel

by RoxanneK, in category Home Decor, Seasonal

This post is sponsored by Cost Plus World Market, a brand I love. All opinions are my own.

When my girls were younger, I used to go all out decorating for every holiday. Now that they’re older I don’t do as much for smaller holidays. This winter has been so snowy and gray here in NJ that I’ve been craving a little color inside so I thought it would be fun to do a Valentine’s Day mantel this year.

I still wanted to keep it simple, using mostly things that can be reused after Valentine’s Day. It started with these super stinkin’ cute hearts from Cost Plus World Market*. I love the laser cut wood, it almost looks like a sweater pattern on each heart. My local Cost Plus World Market in Shrewsbury was out of stock on these hearts, so a big thanks to my friend Rachel from Craving Some Creativity for sending me these!

To add the color I was craving, I used pink. I have an aversion to the color red. I’ll use it outside in the garden but not at all inside. I’m really loving the blush decor trend and These pink candles were just the thing I was looking for.

The bundles of heather are even nicer in person than they look online, I will definitely be reusing this for Spring and Easter decorating.

I also picked up this Eucalyptus and Juniper wreath that I’ve had my eye on forever. It’s so pretty in person! I was going to use it on my front door, but I ended up putting it above my sideboard which you can see here.

I’m happy with how this turned out, it feels so much brighter in here and is refreshing change compared to the gray skies outside. And why shouldn’t we celebrate the small occasions too?

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you will look back and realize they were the big things”

You can find the links below for everything I used for this Valentine’s Day Mantel. Visit Cost Plus World Market for amazing Valentine’s Day gift ideas as well!

*This post contains affiliate links, you can read my full disclosure here.