Home Repair Improvement and Decor

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Unexpected Summer Bedroom

Tue, 26 Jun 2018 11:32:47 -0400

Summer is here and to welcome the new season I decided to give my bedroom a little makeover. When you think of Summer, what comes to mind? Bright and vibrant colors. In my case, it’s always the opposite. I like to be different then everyone when it comes to my designs, whether it’s for myself or for a client. The color black has been one of my favorite colors since I can remember. I love it because it’s dramatic and always looks elegant.

The color black is very in style now which is awesome for me. Back in the day, it would have been odd to use so much black in your designs. The color blush also made an appearance in my bedroom and lucky me that my husband likes the color! I absolutely love this color.

Photo by Home & Fabulous

Since I was using black, I wanted to use fresh and light colors for my bed sheets to give it the perfect touch. Using a white comforter is perfect because you can combine it with any color. As you can see, I combined it with blush and it looks spectacular!

Photo by Home & Fabulous

Behind the bed, to make it pop, I decided to use my juju in the color cream. I wanted to make sure the wall was clean and crisp. The juju looks perfect against the dramatic backdrop.

Photo by Home & Fabulous

Black on black. The bed is already black but that didn’t stop me from painting my wall black as well. I thought about adding wall paper inside the squares but in the end I liked it without it and I think it looks fantastic.

Photo by Home & Fabulous

This Chandelier is something that I bought about 20 years ago in HomeGoods, a long time ago. Originally it was for the garden but I saw potential in it and with a little paint it looks like new and perfect for my Bedroom.

Photo by Home & Fabulous

The lamps were something I already had in my room, another HomeGoods find. Originally they were a light brown color. I decided to paint them all white. I then put some tape diagonally to add the pink color I love. It gives them a more mid century modern look. I love to mix styles. As long as it looks good, that’s all that matters!

Photo by Home & Fabulous

At the foot of the bed, I put two chairs. I used to have a bench but I decided to mix things up and go with these pink chairs. Add a table in between and it gives the bedroom a perfect touch.

Photo by Home & Fabulous

Greenery and flowers always give any space life, that’s what I always say. They’re always a great accessory and against a black wall they pop. Opt for adding plants, real or fake (HomeGoods has so many great plants or garden tools if you are up for growing your own plants!), in any room in your house to give it a fresh feel. Flowers can add a romantic touch.

Photo by Home & Fabulous

I hope you all enjoyed my post and don’t forget to follow me on all my social media channels for more ideas and inspiration. Wishing all the dads in the world a wonderful fathers day! See you next time!

Lizbeth is a paid blogger. She writes Home & Fabulous. She’s a mother, wife, grandma to an adorable puppy, and an interior designer. Whether it’s building a gallery wall, styling a tabletop, or picking out the perfect accent pieces, she loves to show her readers how to do it with glamour and flair.

Festive Ideas for Your 4th of July Party Decor

Mon, 25 Jun 2018 10:04:22 -0400

It is almost July which means that all things red, white and blue are just around the corner. The 4th of July is a colorful holiday filled with bold and beautiful – it brings the smell of cookouts, the sounds of laughter and the sparkle of fireworks to celebrate America.

And when it comes to 4th entertaining- it doesn’t have to be complicated. Some of the best decorations are ones you might already have on hand- like a vintage flag or fun colorful stemware that brings in a bit of blue. Today, I am sharing a few ideas for decor (and more) for your 4th celebration.

#1. Stars and Stripes

American flags are quintessential for 4th of July decor. They are placed lining streets for parades and on houses and porches as buntings and colorful celebrations. And in your own home- it is easy to add a bit of Americana with a flag as well. Whether you pick up a brand new flag- or have a vintage one on hand – get them out and show your red, white and blue style. I have displayed them on old ladders when the pole was missing or simply in a favorite soap bottle from HomeGoods on the side table. Be creative!

Photo by French Country Cottage

#2. Striped linens

A favorite find from HomeGoods- these pillows wearing the most lovely red ticking stripes and fringed trim. I knew they would be perfect for the 4th stacked on the sofa.

Photo by French Country Cottage

And paired with florals- you can enjoy them long after the holiday wraps up.

#3. On the porch

Photo by French Country Cottage

We don’t have a front porch to accommodate those gorgeous flags and buntings- but we do have a rock fireplace that is perfect for displaying a flag on for a dinner party. With lanterns and dishes from HomeGoods- it was easy to turn a plain table into a festive one. I also added a simple drop cloth rug to echo the red stripes and placed a vintage flag proudly on display above the mantel.

#4. Dessert

4th of July party decor doesn’t have to be all about the decorations- you can also bring in those festive colors with a delicious dessert like this fruit topped cheesecake.

Photo by French Country Cottage

Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and more are all in season in summer time- and what better way to add those pretty colors than to top a cake, create a fruit bowl or set out a platter on the table to enjoy.

Photo by French Country Cottage

#5. Blue and white dishes

On the table- bring out those white dishes and bring in a few blue wine stems to pair them with.

Photo by French Country Cottage

#6. Blue and White Ginger Jars

Another option is to use blue and white containers (all from HomeGoods) marching down the center of the table as a centerpiece. While I normally would fill them with flowers-

Photo by French Country Cottage

for the 4th – add a few flags to bring in the red and white.

Photo by French Country Cottage

#7. Ambiance

Of course, I always like to think of ambiance and ways to bring that in. String lights, led candles for the paths (both at HomeGoods) and a flag on the greenhouse or garage are perfect ways to set the stage for your 4th of July party and welcome the guests as they arrive.

Photo by French Country Cottage

What are your favorite ways to celebrate the red, white and blue at your house?

Courtney is a paid blogger and writes the blog French Country Cottage where she shares lifestyle and design inspirations, DIY projects and the ongoing renovations of her 1940’s cottage. Connect with Courtney on her blog, French Country Cottage.

Decorating a Dorm – Create a Unique & Productive Space

Fri, 22 Jun 2018 12:00:49 -0400

Every year the excitement of dorm shopping always gets me in the mood to create a new space! It’s truly amazing how a single room can contribute to your success while at school. After just finishing off my sophomore year at college, I like to think I’m somewhat of a decorating pro when it comes to put together my dream dorm. Here’s how I brought life, personality, and productivity into my room all while staying on budget:

Start with the Bedding:

Photo by Kiara Green

Experts say a good nights sleep is a must for scoring those good grades, but regardless of if I’m actually sleeping or on a Netflix binge, my bed is defiantly my most used space in my room. It can be overwhelming to start decorating a space without a vibe or any certain colors in mind. I find it best to always start by choosing cute bedding and decorative pillows to inspire my aesthetic and get me thinking about the room as a whole. HomeGoods always has a HUGE selection of the cutest pillows and bedding options in legit every color you can think of! It’s the first thing I look at when I go into the store and it always draws me in (you can never have too many throw pillows lol and HomeGoods’ prices make it too easy to buy a ton). I’m not afraid to mix patterns and pull in different colors with my bedding because I use neutral solid colors as a base, then just keep pilling on the pillows to bring it all together.

Keep Productivity by Your Side:

Photo by Kiara Green

It’s so important to maintain functionality in your room, while also keeping things attractive. My bedside table is the ideal place to set down my phone, plop down a snack plate, and keep my weekly to-do list. I always find the absolute cutest notepads at HomeGoods, which are perfect for helping me manage my busy schedule. I would go crazy if I kept all the things I had to do in my head, and I actually prefer to visually see my list rather then have it hidden in my phone. I write even the smallest tasks on there so I am fully aware of each step I need to take to stay on track. My other favorite part of my bedside table is the adorable acrylic picture frame that holds a pic from my first college football game with my best friend.

Provide Seating for Friends:

Photo by Kiara Green

Having a dorm room where my friends always feel welcome to stop by and hang out is super important to me. It’s so nice to have a place for my guests to sit if we are studying for midterms, or just want to catch up in between classes. This fuzzy stool from HomeGoods is a hall favorite and is used by all my friends! It also helps me out when I need to grab stuff from the top shelf in my closet, and acts as a mini window seat when I want to study with a view!

Make Sure Everything has a Home
Photo by Kiara Green

I always get compliments on how neat my room is and people constantly ask me how I maintain cleanliness in a small space. Well here’s the secret: make sure every little thing has a place where it belongs. To do this, I use every available part of my room and utilize storage. I found these grey fabric bins from HomeGoods, which allow me to separate my hair products, skincare items, and knickknacks into their own home. Plus it makes getting ready at my desk a breeze when everything is within arms reach!

Supply Yourself With All the Necessities:

Photo by Kiara Green

Many of my friends found tons of cute décor items for their rooms, but forgot to pick up the most important college necessity: school supplies! I love looking around HomeGoods at all of their adorable office supplies and desk organizers to spice up my study space. They have adorable planners in every pattern, style, and size so you can find the right one to keep yourself organized throughout the school year.

Don’t Forget about Friends from Home:

Photo by Kiara Green

I printed SO many photos of my friends and I from home to decorate my dorm! It’s comforting to look around and be reminded of the people who are supporting you while you’re away on your own adventure. The hardest part for me was incorporating the photos into my décor, until I found this letter board that also hangs up pics! I love that I can write messages to myself, and switch up the photos whenever I want to change aspects of my room!

Find Decor the Speaks to You and Serves a Purpose:

Photo by Kiara Green

My final piece of advice is to seek out items that add to your room’s personality, but are also useful for you in your everyday life. This is honestly why I love shopping at HomeGoods. It’s so easy to “go finding” and see what pieces you can discover that bring out what you love (and of course at prices you love)! In the weeks leading up to school my friends and I always take routine trips to the store to see what’s new and exciting to add to our room! I found this adorable jewelry tree that matches my color scheme perfectly, and helps me keep my necklaces from tangling too. It’s so important to keep searching at HomeGoods for the right item because you never know what you will find that can help bring your dream dorm room to life!

Kiara Green is a paid HomeGoods partner. Kiara is a sophomore attending the University of Oregon majoring in human physiology and has a passion for all things media! When she is not in biology lab you can find her lounging on my bed watching TV, or planning out my next video for my YouTube channel Kiara Madisen.

Creating the Perfect Outdoor Evening Party Space

Fri, 22 Jun 2018 10:26:36 -0400

Now is the time for warm evening parties, and I have some great ideas to help you create the perfect nighttime atmosphere, outdoors! We recently welcomed friends over for a party, so we got two of our outdoor patios ready for the occasion.

Photo by Crazy Chic Design

In the backyard, I wanted to create an extension of the indoors. To start, I used two key pieces: an outdoor lounge, and a coffee table. The coffee table was something I bought at HomeGoods last year, and I used to have in my living room. I gave it a black paint job, and brought it outside to pair with my outdoor sofa. Next up, I searched for an outdoor area rug. I wanted to create a classic black and white look, so this rug was the perfect choice for me.

Photo by Crazy Chic Design

I chose a couple of different pillow options for the sofa. I repeated the black and white look in two of the pillows, with a different pattern. Tip: Don’t be afraid to mix patterns, especially if they are in the same color family. Next, I threw in a bright pop of color with the pink and green outdoor pillows.

Photo by Crazy Chic Design

I added white pillar candles to these great white washed wood lanterns that I also found at HomeGoods. The glow they create is perfect for setting a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Photo by Crazy Chic Design

Planting beautiful white iceberg roses in these ceramic pots from HomeGoods adds a romantic feel.

Photo by Crazy Chic Design

Don’t forget a place to display your beverages or cocktails! This is a bar cart I found last summer at HomeGoods. It used to be a natural wood color, but I decided to give it a coat of black paint for a new look. Tip: Don’t be afraid to give an old piece a new life with paint! You’ll create an entirely new look for next to nothing!

Photo by Crazy Chic Design

Another very important part of creating your nighttime party is lighting! My husband I strung LED light strands back and forth across the backyard. We didn’t buy new lights, we just hung our Christmas lights out here for summer! I also love how they are casually hung, which creates a relaxed and comfortable feel.

Photo by Crazy Chic Design

As the sun goes down, the candlelight and string lights shine!

Photo by Crazy Chic Design

Our Ranch Style home is laid out in a “L” shape, and this backyard is right in the middle. But, we also have another, smaller patio on the other side of the “L”, which we call the Side Yard. I carried the same design ideas over there for our evening party.

Let’s take a look:

Photo by Crazy Chic Design

By day, this space is used for swimming and barbecuing, but at night it’s perfect for hanging out by the fire and snuggling up.

Photo by Crazy Chic Design

I was lucky enough to find this gorgeous furniture at HomeGoods last summer (we have already gotten SO much use out of them). For this party, I dressed it up a bit with blush pillows and blankets. Again, as the sunlight goes down, the candlelight gets turned up! I believe you can never have too many candles!

Photo by Crazy Chic Design

Outdoor cafe lights are hung on along the fence for added glow!

Photo by Crazy Chic Design

Do you think you’re ready to host your own outdoor party with these tips? I hope so! Now it’s time for you to “Go Finding” your own outdoor treasures!

Amy

Amy is a paid blogger for HomeGoods. She loves to share all of the affordable finds she uses to create a beautiful and comfortable home.

Welcome Summer with the HomeGoods Bloggers

Thu, 21 Jun 2018 12:20:52 -0400

It’s the first official day of Summer! With the warmer weather finally here, our bloggers were inspired to #GoFinding at HomeGoods to welcome the season.

No matter what your style or budget is, we hope their take on Summer style sparks your creativity and shows you how easily you can upgrade any space with your unique HomeGoods finds.

See below for a sneak peek of the Home Tour or click the link to read more about each space.

Photo by Know How She Does It

Photo by Crazy Chic Design

Photo by Inspired by Charm

Photo by Home & Fabulous

Photo by French Country Cottage

Photo by Four Generations One Roof

We hope you enjoyed this quick look into our bloggers homes. Be sure to click on any of our names above to see more of our spaces decked out for spring. We’d love to see how you style your newest HomeGoods finds for Summer! Share your finds on social media using #GoFinding #HomeGoods.

Happy Summer everyone!

Bedroom Refresh with Indigo Artisan Patterns

Tue, 19 Jun 2018 14:11:27 -0400

From time to time, I like to give our master bedroom a refresh. And there’s no better season to do so than Spring or Summer to help create a welcoming and fresh feeling. I normally opt for neutrals when I’m updating any room in our home. But another color that I turn to is the indigo blue. For this bedroom refresh I’ve chosen this color as the main character.

Pick your Inspiration

I’ve always found block printing patterns to be so interesting. Either by hand or machine, the beautiful patterns created by this technique can be easily considered a work of art. In one of my HomeGoods visits I found a set of two amazing decorative pillows with this type of pattern and I couldn’t resist the urge to put them on my cart. At the time I wasn’t even considering a room refresh but I knew that these would be the inspiration and base for a future project.

Photo by Know How She Does It

Photo by Know How She Does It

Mix and Match Patterns

From those two pillows I started building my idea. Later on I found a comforter set with a similar artisanal pattern but in a bigger scale. While I don’t mind the use of various patterns in one space, I balanced out the look by adding pillow shams in a darker blue tone. I also added two bigger pillows with a denim-like fabric (another amazing find at HomeGoods – I still can’t believe the price for how nice they are!).

Photo by Know How She Does It

Keep the Rest Basic

After I finished dressing up the bed, now it was time to style the rest of the room. Because I wanted it all to feel light and airy, I kept the rest of my accessories basic.

Photo by Know How She Does It

I added a wall mirror with a soft wood frame above our dresser. This piece was another treasure I found at HomeGoods! The size was perfect and yes, it’s okay to mix different types of woods!

Photo by Know How She Does It

The table lamps and ceramics were also kept to a simple white but with a rustic aesthetic to go with the handmade look of the block pattern pillows.

Photo by Know How She Does It

Photo by Know How She Does It

At the end this bedroom refresh fulfilled its mission, to create a welcoming and fresh feeling. The new accessories (aka treasures) that I found at HomeGoods made this all possible. What HomeGoods find has recently inspired you to refresh a space in your home?

Gloribell Lebron is paid blogger. She’s an interior stylist and designer with a strong background and knowledge in graphic design. View more of her work at Know How She Does It. (Find her on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook.)

Created a Seated Patio Area

Fri, 15 Jun 2018 10:54:58 -0400

Do you love to decorate your patio or deck for the Summer months? If you have been following me for a while, you know that we moved into our new house this past February and when I tell you we have been literally living in our yard, cleaning and restoring our patio area, pool area and flower beds, I am not exaggerating. Today I am sharing our back patio which has three different seating areas.

Photo by Four Generations One Roof

First, I decided to create a gathering area in the center of the patio area. This area is in the center of the house and if you look closely, you can see the front door (through a vase of flowers) through the windows.

I hit my local HomeGoods stores in late May and picked up these amazing throw pillows and gorgeous tall bronze planters. The metal planters are so unique and honestly when I bought them, I thought I would use the as trash cans (lined with a bag) for entertaining but then I got them home and decided to use them as planters. I really love how they balance out the large chairs and sofa. By placing them opposite each other, they help create a cohesive look.

Photo by Four Generations One Roof

The large faux tree from HomeGoods also adds additional height and greenery to the area.

Photo by Four Generations One Roof

HomeGoods also has a tremendous selection of melamine dishes, glasses and serving pieces. I love having a set of dishes that are high quality when entertaining outdoors that will not shatter and break.

Photo by Four Generations One Roof

The next seating area across from here is a cute little bistro set that I also picked up at HomeGoods. I tiled top lends weight to the table making it solid and very sturdy. This rod iron set was perfect for our patio staying with the sophisticated European look I was going after.

Photo by Four Generations One Roof

Rod iron seating can often times be uncomfortable but these chairs are actually not that bad but my mom thought they felt better with cute throw pillows. Paired with the outdoor blue rug from HomeGoods, this little spot stole my heart. I think it’s super cute ;).

Photo by Four Generations One Roof

A little story behind the wicker chaise lounge chairs. I went into HomeGoods looking for a vase for a different project and told myself, “this is a 5 minute trip and just for a vase.” When I walked into the store, I immediately saw these chaise loungers and got so excited that I found a store associate, we carried them to the register, I paid and left with them. I totally forgot the vase.

Photo by Four Generations One Roof

The bistro set seemed a little lonely so these two chaise lounge chairs not only created another seating area on the patio, but they helped fill the space next to the bistro. The landscaping encompasses a lot of large trees and shrubs so filling the space with appropriate scaled furniture has been a bit of a challenge for me. I should have taken a picture of the bistro without the loungers next to it so you could see what I mean. The gap just seemed to big and the bistro needed something large in scale next to it.

Photo by Four Generations One Roof

The turkish towels and throw pillows are also from HomeGoods.

Photo by Four Generations One Roof

The patio overlooks our pool which is currently in the middle of a clean up and landscape makeover. I spent 19.5 hours power washing this patio and the pool area and boy, what a project that was.

Photo by Four Generations One Roof

Here is the view from the pool. Depending on how big your patio or deck is, you may be able to create 2 or 3 (or even more) seating areas. It’s always nice to have more than one place to gather if your space allows for it. Often times if your space is small, you could consider smaller scaled furniture in order to fit two different seating areas.

Jessica is a paid blogger. You can find more of Jessica’s projects and multigenerational family at Four Generations One Roof .

Reading Nook Revamp with Vanessa Antonelli

Thu, 14 Jun 2018 10:12:29 -0400

As a mom of two (Nixon who is 5 years old and Everlee who is 3 years old) and a kids’ space designer, I’m always looking for the best kid’s décor and HomeGoods is my go-to stop! When I head to HomeGoods, I start with the perimeter of the store to tackle the larger items, and then work my way to the kid’s department to explore the fun, kid-sized décor, bedding, toys, books and more!

With summer camp and pool parties around the corner, there is one less-frequently thought about activity inevitable for almost every child once school lets out – summer reading lists. How can we get our kids to enjoy reading this summer? The answer is easy. Create an awesome reading nook that they can’t resist!

My vision for each reading nook was inspired by my own children’s favorite reads and the trends I’m obsessed with right now – like turf mats for the flooring of a safari, travel-inspired fort (which doubles as a floor-saver for spilled snacks or drinks!), vibrant llama-print pillows with pompom frills to show how fun reading can be outside, and a magical, unicorn pillow fort for those rainy days inside.

Below are pictures of four reading nooks I styled in partnership with HomeGoods and some tips for creating a reading nook in your home that will inspire kids to get lost in their books this summer.

Photo by Matt Harrington

Don’t overlook the floor space!

Photo by Matt Harrington

When decorating a room, I like to layer area rugs in different textures to give the space a cozier feel. Unicorns are all the rage right now with little girls (and their moms), so I created a magical and comfy area to hang out and read – using oversized pillows, an area rug and stuffed unicorns in dreamy colors from the HomeGoods kid’s department.

Bring to life what your kids love. Right now, my son is really into books about camping adventures, so this summer I look forward to making a “campsite” for him and his friends by creating a faux fire pit and heading to HomeGoods to grab benches and blankets where they can read under the stars. Since my kids’ tastes (and reading lists!) always change, I love that the items are affordable and interchangeable.

Use kids books to bring the nook together.

Photo by Matt Harrington

The kids section at HomeGoods goes beyond mini furniture and cute lamps – it also has a ton of quality books to keep the reading going, including many of the classics even us parents enjoy, including new releases and very reasonably priced coffee table books, too! Pull ones your child will enjoy, or stack the bookshelf with books of the same color to visually bring the space together.

Make your child’s surroundings as creative as they are.

Photo by Matt Harrington

On a gloomy day our go-to family activity is building a fort! We grab various sets of sheets, blankets and other cozy items and make a comfy spot where the kids can “escape” into a good book. Whenever I take the kids shopping with me at HomeGoods, we always stop by the blanket / pillow section and let them pick out something for our next cozy day – the quality is great, so I know the product will last long past their fort-building days!

Don’t be afraid to use unexpected materials.

Photo by Matt Harrington

My clients love when I use unique materials like fabric, leather or even turf on their walls. Turf is one of my regular go-tos. I was SO excited to find turf squares at HomeGoods – it’s perfect for indoors and outdoors, and the squares make them easy to move around. I used it on the floor in a travel-themed reading nook because it brings to life that outdoor element, without all the mess.

Tap your child’s design eye to truly spark inspiration.

Photo by Matt Harrington

On a recent trip to HomeGoods, my daughter found a blue llama pillow in the kids department that reminded her of her favorite book – I brought it home and created a fun llama fiesta reading nook for her! Having her as a part of the decorating process for her own space has gotten her even more excited to read.

I hope these tips gave you a little inspiration to revamp your kid’s reading nooks and to Go Finding at HomeGoods! Happy summer and happy reading!

Vanessa Antonelli is a paid HomeGoods Partner and premier modern kids gear expert and sought-after Playroom, Nursery and Kids Space Designer with an extensive roster of celebrity clientele.

Tips to Create a Functional Entryway Space

Thu, 14 Jun 2018 09:16:41 -0400

My mom recently downsized from a house in the suburbs to a condo in the city of Chicago. We’ve slowly been helping her decorate every inch of her new place and I even shared my mom’s new blush bedroom here on the HomeGoods blog.

Photo by The DIY Playbook

So dreamy, isn’t it?! Even though her bedroom was looking good, we still had plenty of work to do for the rest of your new home.

Photo by The DIY Playbook

When you’re transitioning to a smaller space, every square inch needs to work hard for you and your life. We try to view every nook and cranny as an opportunity to get organized and make your house function well for you. So when we saw that she had a long hallway right when you walk into her space, we were determined to make the most of it! With just a few easy changes, we took that plain hallway and made it into this functional drop zone.

Photo by The DIY Playbook

It only took about 6 feet of blank wall to create a space that makes a world of difference in my mom’s daily life. She now has a spot to drop her keys, a spot to check herself out in the mirror before heading out the door, and a spot to hold her mail when she comes in after a long day. And the best part is there is still plenty of room to walk through this hallway! If you want to create a similar space, here’s what you need to get the job done.

Find Big Items First
After finding a slim console and lamp, we headed to HomeGoods to gather most of the basics for this space. We stumbled upon this large wood and white mirror and immediately added it to our cart.

Photo by The DIY Playbook

We could have done a piece of art or frames over the console, but the mirror actually comes in handy! It’s a spot to check your lipstick as you head out the door, and it bounces light around this slim hallway making it look a lot bigger and brighter. Make sure you don’t hang your mirror too high. 4-8 inches over a dresser or console is the way to go!

Add Secret Storage

Photo by The DIY Playbook

With the big items in place, we had fun shopping for accessories. Since the console is two levels, we added a basket to the bottom shelf. This holds hats, mittens, and scarves…a must for the chilly months here in Chicago! HomeGoods has tons of baskets to choose from, but we suggest going with one that has a lid on it. That way the items inside will be concealed and it won’t look messy when guests enter your space.

Corral your Keys

Photo by The DIY Playbook

I don’t know how people function without a spot for their keys! We’ve both always had “key bowls” in our homes, and knew that this entryway needed a spot for these essentials too. We spotted this little white dish amongst the accessories at HomeGoods and knew that it was the perfect size for car and house keys.

Photo by The DIY Playbook

You don’t want to buy a bowl that is too big, because then you may find yourself dumping change and other random items in this important spot. Instead, find a small dish that fits a few sets of your everyday keys!

Keep Mail Organized

Photo by The DIY Playbook

When designing an entryway, you need to think about how you use the space day and in and day out. When my mom gets home from work, she checks her mail and comes into her condo. Now she has a spot to corral her mail with this mail sorter. You don’t just need to keep desk organizers in your office space, but use them in your entryway too. Now she has stamps and envelopes on hand for sending mail, along with a spot to keep important bills and letters for when it’s time to sort through them.

Make it Pretty

Photo by The DIY Playbook

The entryway is usually the first area that guests spot in your home, so it’s important to keep this area well-styled and clutter free. Adding a few pretty items helps too!

Photo by The DIY Playbook

Because there was a wall outlet right when you view this console, we decided to add a large vase in front of it to cover it up. That way your eye is drawn to the curvy shape of the vase, instead of the outlet and lamp cord it’s trying to conceal.

Photo by The DIY Playbook

Some faux greenery (or real if you can keep it alive!), also spruces up this space. Just make sure you don’t put too many objects on your entryway console. You want it to stay neat and organized so it functions well for you every single day.

Bonus: Extra Seating!

Photo by The DIY Playbook

On the other side of the wall, we were able to add a little bonus entryway spot! We found this storage bench, a large piece of art, and pillows all from HomeGoods to complete this space. The bench is amazing because it holds (and conceals) all of the toys that my mom’s grandchildren play with when they come visit.

Photo by The DIY Playbook

A bench is also a great idea in an entryway because it gives you (and your guests) a spot to sit down and take your shoes on and off. If you can find a slim bench for your entryway you won’t be sorry!

Photo by The DIY Playbook

Mudrooms and grand foyers aren’t just for large houses. With a few feet of space, some creativity, and a quick trip to HomeGoods, you too can create a functional entryway in your home!

This is a paid guest blog post by The DIY Playbook.

Get Ready for Summer Decor

Thu, 07 Jun 2018 16:11:54 -0400

Summer in the living room might sound like an interesting title for a novel. But instead is where I’ll be spending most of this new season because sincerely, Miami weather is too hot for days outside. Creating the perfect breezy atmosphere just takes a trip (or two) to my nearest HomeGoods store to claim my spot on the best decorative pieces for summer.

Photo by Know How She Does It

My mission for this space was to make it feel warm but casual but at the same time to give the impression of Summer without being so literal. The first piece that I found that sparked my imagination was a fossil-like Nautilus seashell. It’s porous surface and the bleached color was perfect for my space. This piece made its way into the entryway along two golden color palm trees that I also found at HomeGoods.

Photo by Know How She Does It

I also found a set of ceramic gray lamps that give the appearance of sea urchin shells. Their texture and size were perfect for this area.

Photo by Know How She Does It

The top of the coffee table brings another great opportunity to make Summer in the living room. Besides the inspirational books, accessories like a string of rough wooden beads, another golden palm trees, and a bleached ornamental seashell, all speak of a sultry beach shore.

Photo by Know How She Does It

Photo by Know How She Does It

Photo by Know How She Does It

Sand colors and a mix of crude and soft fabrics are also part of the new decor in this area. One of my most precious found treasures were the decorative pillows on the sofa. The weave of the largest one brings back memories of the fabrics used for those hammocks hanging between palm trees and it’s fringed remind me of a beach floppy hat.

Photo by Know How She Does It

Another area I love to style through the seasons are the shelves on the wall. Over them, I used a muted decor that includes whites and some wooden colors. A driftwood piece makes a great summer statement along some of the rough textures on the vases.

Photo by Know How She Does It

Over the fireplace, a serene boardwalk picture complements the rest of the decor.

Photo by Know How She Does It

Recreating a subtle summer vibe in your home will make you want to start a staycation tradition. Keeping the accessories simple and casual will also serve as a transitional decor. Now all you’ll need is to lay back and raise your feet. A cold margarita wouldn’t hurt either in imagining your favorite summer spot right at you home.

Photo by Know How She Does It

Photo

Wed, 21 Sep 2016 23:27:28 -0400