Snowy Days

Excited to annouce a new segment I'll be posting about from time to time. I'm a girl who loves fashion, so I thought it was important to include a little fashion in my blog. I want to show you how to style outfits, and feel glamorous in whatever you have on. Speaking of glamour this first post is all about glamour, gold, and icy weather. My boys asked if I was dressed like a Disney princess, I had envisioned that I was dressed for a romantic carriage ride through the snow with my husband. :)

Details for my outfit:

Skirt: purchased from Shabbyapple I fell in love with this skirt the moment I saw it online. My advice is if you are in between sizes, then I would size up. I think it runs a tad small.

Scarf: Target

Ear muffs: JC Penny has them

Lace top: You can find a similar one at H&M

I layered a white button down shirt underneath it, because it was freezing out. 

Thank you to my husband for helping me with this photo shoot, and braving the cold to take photos. 

I hope you feel inspired to get dressed up this holiday season. There is no better time of year to dress your best, and glam it up, then the holidays.

XO~Gretchen

Thanksgiving Table Setting

So when you think of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner table setting, what do you think of? Maybe pumpkins, mums, plates with turkeys on them, maybe some burlap? Well I wanted to design a table setting with a different twist on those themes. So I set out to design a table with eclectic elements that I already had, with the theme, "You mean the world to me." Thanksgiving is about getting together with those you love. It shouldn't be a stressful time spent looking everywhere for the perfect plates, or table cloth, how about instead you look around and use what you have, and make it special. I admit, I do have an issue collecting plates, but I generally choose ones that can be used any time of the year. I buy them in groups of six or eight. I can't always find more than six, and that's ok because I don't mind mixing from time to time. Here is my table setting, all I need are my guest. Hope you feel inspired to create an eclectic table setting, and have family and friends over to celebrate during this holiday season. Details throughout the post.

 I found the table runner fabric at Hobby Lobby. I love the wood grain design on the fabric. I think it's perfect for this time of the year, because it makes me think of stacks of wood and our fireplace. I simply glued the pom poms on the end of the table runner, and it finished it off. You can create your own table runner by simply measuring the length of your table, then getting that amount of fabric. I folded the fabric in half, long ways, sewed it up the side, then added the trim on each end. Super easy and cost effective. This is a great way to really customize your table setting.

I found the place cards in the Holiday section at Target. They are meant to be chalkboard place cards, so you can use chalk to customize them, but I chose to use a pretty gold pen instead, since I have a reoccurring gold them throughout.

The bird dishes were found at Homegoods, I was bummed that I could only find four of them. The bee dishes and tea cups are from Anthropologie. They both have a great selection of dishes and cups, and check the sale room, sometimes you can get a great deal.

The napkins were made from fabric I picked up from Hobby Lobby. I loved the design and the mustard color. I feel like they also help to make the table setting feel more autumnal. 

My cousin Natalie painted on the globe, and I love that it says "You are my whole world." I think that phrase sets the tone for your dinner. I added vintage vases, tins, and books to add a little fun and whimsy to the table. 

 You can find paper straws just about anywhere now. These gold and white ones are from Target.

There you have it. I hope you feel inspired to host a gathering at your nest for the ones that mean the most in your life. Look inside those cabinets, think outside of the box, and know that what is most important is spending time with loved ones. 

Designing a Beach Bungalow Part 4 The Master Oasis

Have you been following along? Yay, if so. Well here is Part 4 in my blogging series. I have been sharing my inspiration and design ideas for a beach house. Today I'll be blogging about how I would design our master bedroom in our "pretend" beach house. First I would have my handy hubby or a local contractor add panel molding to the walls in the room, like the mood board photo below. Then I would paint the wall color, including the trim, a really chalky, pale coral. I think one of these colors from Sherwin Williams would work really well.

I really want the master bedroom to have a sophisticated feel, with a little whimsy, and of course be comfy. I love the soft color pallet of corals, mixed with blues and grays. And I am a big fan of the brass accents. What's old is new again, and yes brass is back! 

So here are the details on the bed. You can find this one at Ballard Design. You are able to custom design this bed, with a variety of fabrics, but I just chose a simple off white linen.

I would keep the bed linens simple, and just use an off white, duvet and pillows. Then I would accent with a few fun pillows like these. The first pillow is from Williams Sonoma, and I love the coral detail on it. I actually have similar pillows on our current master bed.

I found the fabric for these pillows at Hawthorne Threads. I love the navy, with the corals and aqua. It's an Amy Butler fabric, she is one of my favorite fabric designers. 

I chose a simple throw, that has a pillow ticking feel to it. Something about pillow ticking always reminds me of the beach. 

So there is the bed, and the bedding, pretty simple, yet comfy and inviting. Just what I would invasion for my master bedroom beach house.

Here are the details about the furnishings I chose for the space. I love this tall armoire from Ballard Design. They have a great collection of painted wood furniture, with lots of color options. I just happen to adore this bluish, aqua finish. This would be a perfect place to tuck away a TV, and have additional storage.

Next I found this long dresser, that I think would be nice. I do not like when furniture all matches, I think it great to have different colored finishes, and embrace the eclectic look. 

This piece is also from Ballard Design. 

The side tables are from Layla Grace. I love the X pattern on the front. I would add two of these, one on each side of the bed. 

Oh how I love this velvet chair. I looks comfy, vintage, and modern. I think it's the perfect combination. I don't need a new chair for our current home, but I sure do love this one. :) You can find it here.

Now for all the little details the make a room. I found this rug online at Wayfair. This rug has my favorite color combination. I think it's what pulls the color story together in this room.

Another great find from Ballard Design is this tall wooden mirror. It would be great to lean on a wall in the room, or place above the dresser. Every girl needs a full length mirror ;)

This Paris map can be found at Target. I love how it looks like an old vintage map, but does not cost a lot of money. You could frame it yourself, and save some money. I always have luck with large frames at Michael's Crafts or Hobby Lobby. 

Another great artwork piece I would use in this room is this painted wooden sign. A local boutique in town Dress and Dwell carries this Sugarboo line. I think it's always great to have a meaningful piece of art in your master bedroom. You could also create a piece like the one I made here.

Here is the piece that I made :)

This is another great art piece I found online at Target. It works well in a serene beach inspired space. 

Loving this fun and whimsical lamp by Layla Grace. I would put them on a bedside table. I may try to emulate this lamp shade. I think it would be easy to make by gluing pom poms on to an existing lamp shade. 

I would use this fun little modern print fabric for an accent pillow. You can find the fabric here. 

Lastly, I saw a similar piece to this one, at Target recently. I think it is a perfect little accessory to any room. Brass accessories are really on trend. 

So there you have it, how I would design a master suite for our beach bungalow. This has been a fun series for me, because I love design, and I really adore anything beach inspired. I always say that the stork did not drop me far enough south. I think I was meant to grow up near the beach. Someday we hope to own our own little piece of paradise. I have a couple more spaces that I plan on designing and sharing with you for this home. Stay tuned, and check back. You can see the other spaces that I designed here(boy's room), here(guest room), and here(family room). :)

Until next time..

XO~Gretchen

Designing a Beach Bungalow Part 3 Boys Haven

Hope you have been following along, this is part 3 of my series, where I have been designing spaces for a beach bungalow. This room is geared towards my boys. I wanted it to have a more masculine feel, but also be fun and whimsical. I feel like I accomplished this via my mood board. 

 I'll start with the wall color, which I would paint a pale gray. 

Here is a top pick I'd use..

So let's start with the bed. The headboard can be found at Urban Outfitters. I love that it has a modern ikat print on it. 

The bedding is also from Urban Outfitters. It's the perfect neutral back drop for all the fun pillows. 

Here are the anchor pillows I would plan on making. I found the fabric at fabric.com They have a huge selection of fabric, and I order from them often.

This whimsical whale pillow came from Etsy. I think it is a fun touch. 

This next pillow is also from Etsy, and I love the map and bright colors on it. :)

The anchor pillow was from Land of Nod, but the pillow sold out. However, I think you could get creative, and make one similar. You could cut out an anchor pattern, then paint on the anchor. Maybe I'll have to give that project a whirl this summer. 

This navy chair is from Overstock.com. It's not real big in scale, and I think would be perfect for a little nook in this room. I love the tufting and the nailhead detail on it.

Every chair needs a little foot stool, and I like the pop of color from this turquoise one. And it works out well for an additional little seat, if needed. It can be found at Urban Outfitters. 

The console table works well as an alternative to a dresser. You can put baskets on it, or fill it with books and games, that would be easy for the kids to access. You can find this piece at Lamps Plus, yes, they actually sell other items, not just lighting. 

Both the table lamp and the lamp shade can be found at Target. I like being able to buy pieces separate and create my own design. 

I also would love to add these sconces to the bed wall. I love that they have the rope detail on them. It gives them a nautical feel. They will provide additional lighting in the space, and make for a nice night light. I'd love to put them on a dimmer switch. They are from Layla Grace.

The room comes together via the artwork for the walls. I recently ordered a faux taxidermy rabbit head for our home, and I love it. I ordered it from a company on Etsy, and I think one of their faux deer heads would be perfect in this space. I love how the antlers are painted a fun color. :)

I kind of love this piece of artwork from The Land of Nod, it think the captain character is so fun. You can also get this piece personalized with a name on it. It would be perfect for a boys' space.

This last little piece of art is from Etsy. Did you know there are a ton of shops on Etsy that provide digital downloads? They will send you the file, and then you just print it yourself for a small fee. You can then print as many copies as you need. 

Lastly, I loved this little boat made from driftwood, that I placed on the shelf. You can find it from Etsy. I may try to make one myself. I actually collected some driftwood from our last trip to the beach. I just need some vintage map paper for the sail. :)

So there you have it, a fun, whimsical, masculine, guest room. I think my boys would really enjoy spending time in this space. Looking forward to designing more rooms for our "pretend" beach house. This has been a fun series. I think I'll work on the master bedroom next, so be sure to stop back by and see how it turns out. :) Until next time..

XO~Gretchen