meet my new lover….

I met her at Anthropologie. For a cool $1000 she could be mine. So for now, she's just a dream. 

What a beauty! 

New Joss and Main bar stools...

I'm 2 for 2 in my purchase from Joss and Main. The first was a hallway rug. 

And just this past weekend, I assembled our new bar stools.  

Our kitchen flows right into our family room with a bar-height counter dividing the two. 

Whenever we have guests, we inevitably end up hanging in the kitchen, so we always thought it would be nice to have some bar stools for extra seating. Problem was, all of the stools we found were either fake wood veneer or waaaaaay too pricey for what they were. Then I spotted these puppies on Joss and Main for $80/pair. Done and done. 

Assembly wasn't too bad. It took a little elbow grease to get the screws in there securely, but they seem to be just fine. And I only sustained a few injuries.

I especially love the nailhead trim because it goes with my hubby's leather chair, and the linen seat works well with all the natural fabrics we have in the room. 

We're ready for guests, who's coming over? 

2014 Home Resolutions...

In my personal life, I don't like making resolutions. I try to create goals I want to achieve or commitments that I want to make to myself. But when it comes to my home, it's a whole different story! Because I always have a million ideas swimming in my head, I find it hard to commit to finishing any room so I end up in a holding pattern. So this year, I am making a few home resolutions so I actually accomplish some of these on-going projects. I figure if I put it out there to you guys, I'll be accountable for getting them done!

In the coming days, I'll be taking each resolution and share with you my ideas for each of them. I welcome any and all ideas to help me accomplish everything on my list. 

Happy New Year to you all! 

Christmas mantel 2013...

Mantel oh mantel, how you have challenged me over the years. This year my approach was more laid-back. I wasn't trying to emulate any Pinterest mantel, I wasn't set on DIYing every single element of the mantel and I tried to use decorations I already had on hand. Instead of stressing, I just let it happen and lo and be hold.... it's my favorite mantel yet.

When my in-laws visited, I found the cutest candleholders that had a cork on the end so you could stick them in a wine bottle. It's the only part of the mantel I DIYed this year, and I'll share the how-to in the coming days. 

I bought those lanterns two summers ago with the intention of spray painting them and using them around our deck. Yeah..... never got around to that, so there they sat in my office closet. I just bought some $1 red candles and they fill the mantel with Christmas spirit.  

I wanted my garland to look really full so I took two strands of garland, folded them in half, wrapped them around the end of the wine bottles and it gave me the look I wanted. Plus it was easier to work with than trying to manipulate it around all of the decorations. Then I added a faux poinsettia, a metal Christmas tree, reindeer stocking holders and the red/green/silver berry garland I've had for a few years. 

This year's mantel taught me to trust my instincts. Just go with what I like and not overthink it. I'm so happy with the results. It's starting to feel like Christmas up in here! 

Low-cost holiday craft: Wall art...

This weekend seems to be the weekend for holiday decorating so I thought I would share a low-cost craft that makes a big impact. In our family room we have a beach sunset canvas print on the wall. While it's beautiful, it's not very "Christmasy." So I grabbed a few supplies I had lying around the house and got to work.

I used an old canvas, craft paper and staple gun. You simply wrap the canvas in paper, staple and you're ready for decorating. As far as decorating goes, you can do whatever works with your decor. 

I added ribbon to make it look like a package, painted the word Joy in glitter glue, then add glitter. 

For a little more sparkle, I added a few snowflake ornaments and it was done. Easy peasy. This one is at the top of our stairs. The one below is the one I created to replace our sunset canvas.

You could cover the actual art you have on your walls this way, instead of using an old canvas, but I would be careful about the hot glue or glitter glue getting onto your print. You could even hit up Thrift stores for cheap canvases to cover.

Happy Holiday Decorating! 

Decorating the bedroom...

"My name is Jenna and I do not know how I lived before owning a king-sized bed."

Ok, that may be a tad over-dramatic, but man, I love our bed. We found some neutral bedding at JCPenney (who P.S. has an awesome home section) that goes really well with our new bed and frame. Don't judge my pillow game, it's a work in progress, I just used old pillows from around the house. And excuse the bad iPhone pic.

Ever since we moved into the house I have had a vision of a very calm, neutral bedroom without a lot of color. I would have preferred an almost ivory colored comforter, but my husband wanted something darker. I like the bronzey color we decided on. Compromise. It's what makes marriage go 'round. It still gives the whole space a calming feel. 

We need bedroom furniture and some seating by our window, but I need to decide if I want to stay totally neutral and just layer texture like these: 

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Or if I'd like to add in a subtle color like slate blue or muted green...

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Or a little drama with an accent wall...

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 I'd also love to do swing arm sconces instead of table lamps. 

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How to you prefer your bedroom: a relaxing retreat, a burst of color, a dark and cozy getaway? 

Lay your weary head to rest...

I won't be cryin' no more (shout out to Kansas) because we just ordered a new bed. No more jockeying for space, no more elbowing each other in the face. We ordered a KING! bed during Macy's Labor Day Sale.

I've been dreaming of having an upholstered bed and this one is so luxurious looking. 

The rolled headboard. The nailhead trim. The shimmery fabric. It's luxe without being girly. 

Now I'm on a mission for the perfect bedding. Any suggestion for bedding shops or online stores that are outside the usual suspects? 

light it up: dining room chandelier...

Now that we have our dining room table, it has become abundantly clear that it's time for a new chandelier. 

The shape is fine but the brass has got to go. So I've been cruising the internet and have found some definite contenders. 

This is my favorite...

Pottery Barn

Lamps Plus has some great options and their having a big sale right now. 

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Decisions, decisions, decisions...

piece by piece: new decor updates...

I think one of the hardest things about moving into a new house is living in it while you slowly design it. I don't have the patience for it. I want it done and I want it done now. So moving into this blank slate of a house was a real test of my patience. One of the areas that tried my patience the most was the dining room. For almost two years we have lived with a completely empty room.

My in-laws are coming to visit for a week in the fall and we decided now is the perfect time to pull the trigger on a dining room table. We visited some friends over Thanksgiving who had a dining set with a bench and we knew we wanted the same thing to create a more casual setting. 

I'm in love with it, especially the spectacular channel detailing on each corner.

Although, one thing it has shown me is that it is time for a new light fixture ASAP! That's next on the list. 

But first, let me introduce you to my first Joss & Main purchase.  

The main entrance we use in the house is the door from the garage. Unfortunately it goes right into a tiny, carpeted hallway. To avoid dirtying up our light carpet, we decided to add a runner. This one was 2'8" x 8" and gives us enough room to come in and walk right into our kitchen without hitting the carpet. 

But even more than the functionality of it, I love the look of it. The gray perfectly matches our couch, the light color blends well against the carpet and marries the color schemes of the kitchen, family room and new dining room. Plus, it is so soft. And it was only $70 including shipping. Can't beat that! 

So we're progressing slowly but surely.

Next on my list: 

• Dining room light fixture
• Buffet/sideboard for dining room
• New bed for the master
• New furniture for living room
• Front entry way rug
• Front entry way console
• Bar cabinet for living room

rat-ta-tat-tan...

Since finding these fabulous side tables at a garage sale, I've been obsessed with rattan. 

It's no longer reserved for 70s outdoor furniture, rattan is being used in all sorts of cool ways. I love how it can be juxtaposed with all different kinds of materials to add texture and interest to a room. Light-colored rattan looks great with heavy, dark wood. Intricately designed rattan can punch up a minimalist design. Unexpected items made out of rattan can also be real eye-catchers. Here are some of my favorite rattan items that I've pinned recently...

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And this number from Anthropologie is like a fairy tale bed. How cute would it look in a little girls room? Although I might be worried they would poke their eye out. 

Are you loving rattan as much as I am?