Today I was live on Great 38 Tampa Bay talking easy tips to spruce up your own living spaces!

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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.  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.