When optimizing space is a crucial task, it’s important that you make not only aesthetically pleasing choices, but also functional decisions when decorating. Take our home, for example… Our garage is in the back of our home, but our front entryway is where we come in every day. It’s home to bookbags/purses/shopping bags, keys, sunglasses, bags (for the dog), jackets, shoes, mail and other misc. items. So… how do I keep all of this in one small space, organized AND looking clutter-free? Here are the 5 things I added to our entryway with both function & style in mind…

1) A console table/chest with drawers: For all the miscellaneous items that we need to store in this open area, drawers and baskets are crucial. If I had an entryway that we didn’t actually enter through, I wouldn’t necessarily need the drawers and would consider a console that was without them. But for our home, a chest with drawers and baskets is really useful.

2) A rug. Again, since we enter through this area, a rug under feet is crucial. This rug we have here may be light, but with the tan and brown shades, it’s actually masked stains pretty well. It’s faded over time because it’s gotten a LOT of traction. But the look is meant to appear vintage, so the fading hasn’t bothered me. I switch rugs around frequently, but this rug has been in our kitchen (under our table), in our bathroom and now our entryway, and it’s lasted us a pretty long time. You could also consider a natural fiber rug, if you’re worried about stains, but want something light and neutral.

3) A basket for shoes. (Ours is always over-flowing. But we couldn’t function without one in this space.)

4) A mirror. I’ll be honest. I like to check myself before I walk out. Plus, mirrors create the illusion of a larger space. So this mirror serves a purpose AND I think it makes the space appear larger. This mirror is really large and rustic. I, personally, favor circular mirrors. I LUV LUV LUV circular mirrors. Whatever shape you choose, consider a variation of shapes amongst the larger items in the space. If you have a rectangular console, a nice circular mirror (or opposing shape) can give a great contrast to the space.

5) A bowl and/or tray for small storage. We put our keys in a small bowl and our sunglasses line a tray on our console table. A tray can also be used for mail or other small accessories. The bowl really becomes a catch-all for small things you don’t want to lose.

Other things you may want to consider adding to a foyer/entryway:

a bench

hooks

a coat rack

a chair

an umbrella holder

a boot tray

the right lighting (possibly a lamp on a table, as well as overhead lighting)

and DEFINITELY add some floral/greenery.

Get the look of my entryway with these options:

Here are some great options for console tables, in many different styles and budgets:

Here are several options for mirrors that I LUV:

Some other items you might consider:

Hope this has offered you some sort of inspiration! Don’t forget to share whatever has inspired you (from any of my posts) on Instagram with the hashtag #luvbecinspired! I LUV to see what you guys take away from my posts and how my designs/fashion finds have inspired you! Thanks for stopping by!

{I’M GIVING AWAY $200 TO RUGSUSA!!!}

Hey y’all! So the most amazing thing happened recently, I hit 20,000 followers on Instagram! Which is just absolutely AMAZING, HUMBLING, EXCITING and I’m ever-so grateful! I can’t believe that over 20,000 of you are invested in this journey with me. That 20,000 of you have supported me through this journey of channeling my passions and doing what I LUV! That I have 20,000 friends to share the things I LUV with! I’m humbled. I’m honored. And I am ever so grateful. Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

To honor you and thank you and show you how much I appreciate YOU, I’ve teamed up with the first company I ever collaborated with… the awesome RugsUSA! Head to my Instagram now and see the photo above to enter!

Here’s my newest RugsUSA rug I’ve added to my collection. I’m LUV’ing the neutrality it brings to my dining room and the fact that I can move it around and use it in other spaces when I get the itch to move things around (which I do often). I really LUV neutral rugs (beige, gray, black and white, navy blue) that I can switch from room to room when I want to create a new look in a space…

Here are links to some of the rugs currently (or previously) in my home:

And here are some other affordable rugs I LUV:

So, again, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart for investing in this journey with me and showing me your constant LUV. I hope you’ll continue to stick around to see what the future has in store for Luv, Bec! I’d LUV to hear more about what you’re enjoying, what you want to see more of, maybe even if you aren’t LUV’ing something (respectfully, please). This journey isn’t just my own. It’s for you, too. So I hope you’ll reach out and share with me anything. And don’t forget to post your own photos on Instagram with the #LuvBecInspired, if you’ve found inspiration in any way from my social or blog. I’d LUV LUV LUV to see how you’ve translated it and all of your talents!

Now don’t forget to head to my Insta NOW for all the details to enter to win a $200 credit to RugsUSA.*

*This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by Instagram or any of its affiliates. By entering, entrants confirm that they are 18+ years of age, release Instagram of any and all responsibility and agree to Instagram’s terms of use. Open to US residents only.

Disclaimer: Some of the product links on this site are affiliate links. That means that if you purchase something from these links Luv, Bec receives a commission. Also, Bec occasionally receives free products and payment to feature items on this site. I take a lot of pride in endorsing products I love and I hope you trust that I would never let that get in the way of sharing my favorite products with you. Thank you again for reading and hope you enjoy!

I’ve been telling you guys for quite some time that I was working on modernizing my kitchen. I guess I picked one of the most popular kitchen tables out there, because when I went to order it, I realized it was majorly on backorder. But it’s the table I’ve been eyeing for over a year, and no other was going to compare… so I set in for the wait.

The table (and new chairs) have finally arrived, and we’re in LUV with the outcome! Over the last year or so, I’ve been slowly transitioning a lot of my home from rustic to more modern. Don’t get me wrong… I LUV to incorporate both styles, but as the farmhouse craze continues, my desire to do things a little differently has kicked in. So, the girl who thought she’d never be a “modern” furniture kinda gal has transitioned to the dark side. And lately, the more modern the better. Maybe it’s the clean lines. Maybe it’s the unique styles. Whatever it is, I’m LUV’ing incorporating modern designs into my transitional spaces. Without further ado… my modern kitchen update…

You may remember I had a farmhouse table in this area. It was a rustic barnwood-look tabletop and I painted the turn legs (with Annie Sloan chalkpaint). You can find the old table here. I decided to go with a round table this time, with hope that it would open the space a little more. Which it has. Plus, I LUV the feel of family sitting around a round table.

I’ve wanted a marble top table for as long as I can remember, but the desire intensified when we renovated the kitchen and put in a marble backsplash. I’m so smitten with the look of this table, without having the maintenance of a real marble table. (If you’d prefer real marble, this table does come in a version with a real marble top.)

The next task at order was to order new lighting. Since I was so happy with the lighting in my dining room, I decided to go back to my favorite lighting source who had just happened to release these new bucket lights, and immediately I knew they were for me. I also added a new runner, and the entire space felt new.

I hope you enjoy the updates and they inspire you in some way! Let me know… what do you think?

Shop the items in my kitchen:

When we completed our renovations last summer, I turned our front “formal living” room into my girly “sitting room”. I replaced the leather sofa and chairs with 4 identical oversized, modern armchairs (which are the one of the best deals I’ve ever found, btw!) and a circular coffee table. Mine has since been discontinued but it was replaced with this one and this one. I added a soft rug and minimal decor, and I’ve been LUV’ing it ever since. I hung my beloved juju hat on the wall and have really enjoyed the fact that the room has felt very minimal and clutter free.

However, the designer in me really felt like the room needed some varying heights, so I’d been itching to test out some height on one of the walls. I decided I would wait until after the holidays, as I was looking forward to my Christmas tree being on that wall, and readdress the desire after I took the tree down. The thought resonated, and soon after taking down my holiday decorations, I bought some shelves.

Needless to say, I’m EXTREMELY happy with the result! I honestly don’t know why I waited as long as I did, because I think the shelves are the perfect completion to the room.

Here are some options of different styles and for all different budgets to get you started:

My main goal of the shelves was to ensure that I didn’t fill them with clutter and create a bunch of noise in a space that felt really serene to me. So, I filled the shelves with touches of nature and neutral designs, like wood decor, white ceramic vases, clear candle vases, my favorite books and of course… greenery.

When styling shelves, the goal is to use objects of varying height, style and texture, but do NOT overdo it. Use pieces that make sense with the space. Don’t just throw a bunch of stuff you have lying around on the shelves and expect a desirable result. It will most likely just feel cluttered. Add simple pieces and try to stick with a color theme. And my suggestion… when you use color, try to be harmonious with it. Stick with a certain color theme and ground that/those colors with lots of neutral pieces. Add framed photos or art of height to break up all of the lower pieces. And always, always, ALWAYS add in some greenery (IMO). My final suggestion is an easy one because it’s something almost everyone has laying around. Find some hardcover books not being used and remove the covers. Face them backward if the color doesn’t work with your design. Books are the best, most accessible form of decor in shelf styling by almost all of your favorite designers.

And here are some of my favorite design books I LUV to read AND style with:

Here are some of my favorite decor items to inspire you in styling your shelves:

Shop the items in my room (or very similar):

I hope this post has inspired you in any way to decorate in your own home! I’d LUV to hear what you took away from this. What did you LUV about this post? What do you want to see more of? Let me know in the comments, and as always, thanks for stopping by.