I’m sharing a lot of looks right now to get you inspired for all your holiday activities! And almost everything I post is ON SALE LATELY! So, I thought I’d create this little roundup of my recent insta posts with easily shoppable links to create one easy place for you to shop my posts! Simply click the “Shop the Look” hyperlink under each photo for shoppable links!
The items for the nursery are starting to arrive, but I’ve been so excited to share with all of you! I wanted to give you an idea of the design I’ve put together, so when it’s complete, you can see the concept come to life. Click on the photos in the carousel below to shop any of the items! Wall mural is Rebel Walls.
Can’t wait to show you what it looks like when it all comes together! Please tell me in the comments… what do you think?! 🙂
*Thanks to my partners at The Mine and Rebel Walls for working with me on this space. Some items linked are affiliate links, which means I get a commission if you purchase the items at my recommendation. Thanks, as always, for your support.
For the entirety of the 3.5 years we’ve lived in our home, the giant wall in our family room has plagued me. As someone who cannot stand clutter and fully appreciates minimal stuff when it comes to decor, nothing I’ve done with this wall has really worked for me. Because it’s such a large wall and the vaulted ceilings are so tall, it’s always felt either super cluttered (when I add stuff to the wall) or too blank, like we just moved in and haven’t decorated yet. For that reason, this wall is typically left out of pictures and changes CONSTANTLY.
Since we’ve been renovating almost our entire home since we moved in, this big, blank wall has always gotten put on the back burner. (We knew building what we REALLY wanted on this wall would be a costly investment.) Since we’ve completed most of the other big projects in our home, and since updating our family room this spring, I really couldn’t wait another second to bring to life the visions I’ve always had for this wall and make this room feel complete .
So, I went to my favorite trusty cabinet/countertop connoisseur Derek Adams at Adams Multicare and asked him how quickly we could get started. (If you’re in the Tampa area, and you’re looking for someone to help you with your cabinet and countertop needs, look no futher! Got questions about Adams Multicare? Just ask. I used to do a little freelance design work for them AND they’ve renovated a good majority of our home. Highly recommend.) Anyway… after a few pow-wows, we nailed down a design and were ready to get started. After much adieu, we are finally completed with the project…
I knew the number one thing I wanted to add to the wall was an electric fireplace. Living in Florida, especially the subdivision we’re in, it’s not always easy to find a home with a fireplace. So, this was something I’d been wanting to add since we moved in. After some research, I landed on this electric fireplace that I found on Amazon. The best part about an electric fireplace (especially in Florida)… you can turn your fireplace on any day, anytime and not HAVE to have it ommit heat. Honestly, there are few days in a year that we can use the heat down here. But I’ve had our fireplace on every single day since it was installed!
I wanted a VERY simple mantel. I didn’t want to disturb the clean lines of the unit, and I’ve really transitioned out of most of our farmhouse-inspired decor, so I didn’t want anything with a rustic vibe. I had such a hard time finding something that I liked! UNTIL… I stumbled upon this seller on Amazon that makes custom mantels at SUPER affordable prices in the color and finish you want. I went with the non-distressed white mantel in 72″ to cover the entire width of the fireplace build-out. Honestly, I think this mantel/ledge would be great on a wall even if you didn’t have a fireplace. It would work for so many different designs!
I also knew I wanted to add lighting to our unit. And, I’m sure it’s no surprise to you that I went with my go-to modern lighting source Lucent Lightshop. (You’ll see their light fixtures scattered throughout my home.) When we renovated our laundry room, we also went with all white shaker cabinets and chose a matte black hardware from my go-to source for unique hardware. (My kitchen hardware are from here as swell.) I absolutely luv’d the simplicity of the design and the clean look. So I knew I wanted to go with the same hardware on this unit and match the lighting with a matte black finish. These drop arm sconces were the perfect fit for the bill. I actually had them create a longer arm for the sconces than the listing called for, and I think they turned out perfect! (Want to win one of these gorgeous sconces? Stay tuned to my Instagram to find out how!)
Finally, for winter, I decided to add a super neutral rug to the room to prepare for my Christmas decorations (that are very neutral, too). This rug is ridiculously plush and soft, and basically it just feels like you’re walking on a cloud. Super cozy for the fuzzy, winter vibes I’m going for… Makes ya just want to curl up in front of a fireplace. Oh wait… I can! 🙂
Overall, we couldn’t be happier with the way the wall and the entire room have come together! The floor to ceiling fireplace with quartz-surround creates a wow-factor the room really lacked. The white shaker cabinets coordinate perfectly with the neighboring kitchen cabinets and the rest of the cabinetry in the house. And the simple black detailing really is the cherry on the cake for me.
Hope you enjoyed this little look at our most recent project. Next up… the nursery! 🙂
If you have any questions about the materials we used, the design or the companies we worked with, please feel free to leave your questions and comments in the comment section below.
Shop our Fireplace Wall Unit & Family Room:
*Some items in this room were sponsored, and some affiliate links have been used in this post. Thanks, as always, for your support!
For those of you who have followed along for a while, you probably know that my mom was a professional ice skater, and I basically grew up in an ice-skating rink. One of my fondest memories as a child was attending the big ice shows when they would come to town. My mom usually knew people, so she’d get us backstage passes, and we never took for granted mingling with the professional skaters and getting a behind-the-scenes look at the shows. As I’ve gotten older, I’m realized how lucky we were to be able to have these experiences and how much the ice-skating world has made such a mark on my heart.
Whenever Disney on Ice comes to town, we always make a point to attend. It’s kind of like going to Disney World- it’s just magical and you can FEEL the magic when you’re there. The smiles are priceless and the memories are too. So, when Feld Entertainment contacted me about a behind-the-scenes experience at Disney on Ice, there was zero hesitation! The best part… I got to bring my mom! After all of the years of her treating me to backstage passes, here I was getting to bring her! So amazing! With that, we headed down to Ellenton (a little over an hour from us) to get a sneak peek at the newest show Dare to Dream. Here’s a peek at our behind-the-scenes experience…
We first met the Feld staff and other bloggers/influencers with their kids in the hotel lobby and caravanned over to Feld Entertainment Studios. Once arriving, we started off with a little mat session of stretching and exercises with some of the hosts and skaters from the show! I believe this back area is where the staff let get to loose before a show. There are ping pong tables and some of the staffs lockers and looks like it’s a place they like to hang out (which the kids thought was cool). The kids thought the staff were the coolest people EVER! They were incredible with the kids, and the facility is top notch!
We were then treated to some Moana-themed snacks, in honor of the addition of Moana to the show lineup.
After our snack, we headed over to the costume area and got a hands-on presentation of some of the most elaborate, gorgeous costumes you could imagine. I mean, you see them from afar and think they’re gorgeous, but up close, they’re even more amazing. Corbin was stoked he got to hold “Maui’s hook” and Em was enamored by all of the gorgeous dresses.
After the costume designers answered a few questions and let the kids touch the props, we headed rinkside. There we got to chat with the director of the show and some of the skaters about what the new show was all about. We got to hear about technical aspects of the show, listen to some of the performers’ feedback and watch choreography practice! (My mom and I really enjoyed that!)
Next, we headed upstairs for an amazing, healthy Moana-inspired dinner, complete with crafts and goody bags for the kids! The coolest part… we got to chat one-on-one with Show Producer Nicole Feld. She was incredibly sweet and down-t0-earth and happily obliged to answer all of our questions.
After dinner was complete, we headed back down to the rink to watch the first ever public performance of Dare to Dream. It was amazing to experience being at this performance and seeing this incredible show before anyone else was able to see it! We were joined by families of the cast, crew and staff, and sat directly rinkside. As someone who has such a special appreciation for ice skating and the art of performing, this was an experience I was incredibly grateful to be a part of!
Included in the act were Beauty & the Beast, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Frozen and the newest addition… Moana.
(Em dancing with her new bestie! lol She and Hollie Woodward‘s daughter Brielle were inseparable from the start!)
(Em and Corbin, after the show, excited to get on the ice!)
(with bloggers Hollie Woodward and Destiney Green)
The final cherry on the cake was after the show when we got to actually get on ice and skate with the hosts and performers. For my mom & I, this was certainly the highlight of our day. It was like a flashback to my childhood to be on the ice with my mom and all of these performers, but with the added bonus of having my own kids with me. It was heaven on earth.
If you’re looking for something fun, magical and heart-warming to do with your families, I’d highly encourage you to attend a Disney on Ice show. The newest show Dare to Dream is now touring. For a list of show dates/times and to find out when this show will be in your town, head here!
I hope you enjoyed this peek at our experience behind-the-scenes. Thanks for coming along with me! I hope you’ll get a chance to check it out for yourself when the show comes to a town near you! Got any questions? Comment below, and I’m happy to answer!
For links to any of our outfit details, shop below:
*Disney on Ice hosted and sponsored this event, but all opinions are 100% my own. There are also some affiliate links in this post, which means I get a small commission when you use my links to make purchases. Thanks, as always, for your support.
Today I was live on Great 38 Tampa Bay talking easy tips to spruce up your own living spaces!
Shop my outfit details:
YOU CAN WATCH THE ENTIRE CLIP OF MY LIVE SEGMENT BY CLICKING BELOW!
http://wfla.com/2017/08/23/cheap-ways-to-spruce-up-your-place/
I’m sure you find yourself often scrolling through Pinterest, Instagram, Houzz and many other image forums oogle’ing over gorgeous photos of interiors, wondering how you can possibly make your own home look that good! Then, if I had to guess… you probably head to your local home decor store (Homegoods, most of the time, I’m guessing) and add tons of items to your cart, only to get home and scratch your head and wonder what the heck you spent all that money on and why is it doing nothing for the overall aesthetic of your living spaces??? Yep, I know that routine. I did it for years, and I’ve talked to SO many people who are all too familiar with the same scenario. I’ve finally got a few years of styling experience under my belt now, and I’ve acquired some tactics for avoiding this scenario. Today, on Great 38 Tampa Bay, I was featured on a live segment discussing 3 easy ways to spruce up your home, and even some easy tips to transition your home from spring to fall. Below I’m breaking it down for you a little more and sharing with you some of my favorite pieces you can purchase without even leaving your home. So, without further ado, here are 3 things you can do to spruce up your living spaces…
#1- ADD GREENERY
(Source: Studio McGee)
Take the room  in the photo above, for example. The crisp white walls. The rug is perfect. The neutral furniture makes the room feel bright and airy, and the textured pillows bring the perfect amount of style to this coastal-inspired space. But that fiddle leaf fig in the background… well, it definitely completes the room and gives life to this space. Fiddle leaf fig trees are all over my house. (Apparently when I LUV something, I need it everywhere!)
Below, in my bedroom, you can see how a faux fiddle leaf gives my neutral bedroom the life it needs!
Here are some links to some great fiddle leaf trees you can add to your own home:
I mentioned on the show the use of air plants, succulents and terrariums and how you can change out faux stems in a vase to change your greenery season to season, in an affordable way. I also luv adding subtle greenery to vases and bowls. Even unique items that you already have in your home can be used as vases for simple greenery and botanicals. (For instance, I like to use patterned bowls I have as planters.) Whether you use a few of your favorite vases and planters and add some real greenery or choose faux, you’ll be amazed at the difference greenery can add to your space.
(Source: Becki Owens)
Dress up a room, add gorgeous furniture, the trendy paint color of the moment, all of the best accessories… Step back and you’ll STILL wonder what the heck it’s missing until you add a little greenery. Look at ANY styled photo of a gorgeous room. I can almost guarantee it’s completed with a little greenery.
Shop some of my favorite planters, vases, plants and botanicals (faux & real):
#2- BE MINDFUL WITH TEXTILES
(Source: House of Jade Interiors)
The use of textiles can sometimes confuse people. I’ve had a lot of people ask me through the years strategies for mixing pillows/throw blankets and how to coordinate them with patterned rugs, curtains, etc. The thing to remember when using textiles is to first start with a color or style that speaks to you. Â Browse Pinterest and decide what style you’re consistently gravitating to. Once you’ve figured out what style you LUV the most, it makes it a little easier to find photos or designers to draw inspiration from. When I used to take clients, I would always tell them to start from the ground up. So, if you don’t plan to change your rug (this is obviously a more expensive piece to change than throw pillows) and/or your curtains, take into consideration their colors/patterns when choosing your other textiles- throw pillows and blankets, fabric benches or poufs, etc.
I would say to first decide whether your style calls for simple, clean lines or if you like a more dramatic style. If you prefer simple, maybe the majority of your room calls for solid colors with one or 2 simple patterns.
(Source: Michelle Janeen)
If you like drama and color, don’t be afraid to mix patterns. Some of my favorite rooms are a masterpiece of mixed patterns. But here’s the key… keep in mind size, scale and texture. Mix solids with stripes, patterns and textures. But try to coordinate a color story and mix up the scale of the different patterns so they don’t clash or fight each other.
Below you can see how Em Henderson used a base of blues with pops of pink. The blues are slightly different shades, but they blend well. Since she has a patterned rug and used the same color for curtains, the solid panels blend and don’t fight with the other patterns. Then she added in different sizes of stripes in the pillows (including the colors that she chose to accent with) and a couple solid throw pillows to ground the patterns. But you’ll notice there is a consistent theme.
If you’re going to do a pattern, try to change the size and scale. I tend to think the addition of one or two leather pieces always grounds a lot of color and busy patterns. For me, the photo below is no exception. I just luv the styles she mixes in this room. (And again, notice the fiddle leaf fig in the corner.)
(Source: Emily Henderson)
One of my favorite things to do is use a base of solid pillows, add one or two that are patterned and then one or two that are textured, for depth. Below is a photo from my recent family room makeover. I transitioned this room from a more simple, neutral space to a parade of colors by adding a mixture of patterns through textiles. The rug has shades of blues, browns and rusty hues. Even though all of the pillows are a different pattern, the underlying colors are the same as, or complementary to, the rug. I grounded the ends with a fur pillow and a Moroccan pillow to add texture, and to anchor the sides with a solid color.
(Source: me)
Regardless of whether you want simple or dramatic, my biggest piece of advice is to invest in base pieces (the more expensive pieces) in colors and/or patterns that you love and that you think are versatile and will want to keep around for a while. Invest in a large rug you LUV. I LUV the base rug I have in my family room because it is neutral. I can use it alone or layer it with another rug, like I did in the photo above, to change up the look of the space. In the spring, add bright throw pillows in whites, blues, pinks, patterns. Come fall, I LUV richer tones like deep blues and greens and jewel tones. But my VERY favorite way to add texture for fall & winter is with the use of faux fur. As mentioned on a the show, use solid velvet pillows and add in a fur pillow or blanket, like West Elm did below.
(Source: West Elm)
So, the take-away here.. make sure you try to find a way to find continuity, cohesiveness. Ground the room in furniture pieces you’re sure to LUV over time. Then, use a base of solids, with a pattern or two, and anchor with some texture. OR… if you’re going for lots of patterns, play with the scale and size and find a theme.
Shop some of my favorite throw pillows & blankets and more for fall:
#3- ADD DECOR THAT FUNCTIONS
The final design tip I mentioned on the show was using decor with purpose. PERSONALLY, I believe less is more when it comes to design. I do not like a lot of “stuff” out, so I find it’s often very important to choose decor that has a purpose. I showcased how you could use a jewelry or storage box as storage for your remotes on your coffee table.
I’m also all about using baskets. Use them for extra blanket/pillow storage…
(Source: Joanna Gaines)
Or use on shelves for all of those extra decor items that get filtered in and out of your rooms. The ones you want easy access to, but don’t want them visible. In the photo below, you can see how I use 4 baskets on the shelves in my front sitting room. In these baskets, I throw extra decor items that I don’t want to currently use, magazines, photos, puzzles that the kids and I use when sitting in this room and dog toys. I rely on these baskets to keep the room looking clutter-free AND they give a great aesthetic appeal to the room at the same time.
(Source: me)
Use a basket for a bunch of photos that you don’t have in albums yet. Use them in entryways for shoes or to hold pet bags, leashes, items you need to access regularly, like I did in my entryway shown below… (You can also see I use a decorative bowl for our keys and a cute tray for all of our sunglasses.)
(Source: me)
Have you always wondered what to do with all of those design magazines you like to keep but don’t have a place for? Throw them in baskets!
(Source: Pinterest, unknown)
Whatever you do with them. Baskets always add texture, style and function. Shop some of my favorite baskets, trays and decorative storage:
I hope you enjoyed my live segment AND all of the tips I provided above! And thanks for tuning in! 🙂
Shop the exact items I featured on my live segment on Great 38 Tampa Bay! Thank you to West Elm Tampa for lending me all of these items! xxoo
*Affiliate links have been used in this blog post. Which means, I get a small commission when you purchase any of the items I’ve suggested. Thanks, as always, for your support.