Great Storage Solution For a Small Space.

Living in the city definitely has its perks, but one of the drawbacks is definitely a lack of storage space.  In our home, we have plenty of space for us, but for all our stuff?  Well, that can sometimes be a different story.  As much as I try to limit what we buy, and purge often, I still sometimes find myself overrun by our possessions, and there is no where more in need of storage than in our kitchen.  Our kitchen is an open concept, and it's small.  Really what that means is that we have just about as many cabinets as you possibly can have, and what we have is no where near enough for food, dishes, glasses, and all the "kid stuff."  (Those of you with kids know exactly what I'm talking about.) A few years ago, we purchased sideboard, and that was a game changer... finally our stemware, my grandmother's china and silver, and the kids board games had a home (lucky on opposite sides) and that worked great until the new kitchen countertops were put in.  In short, there is just no way I'm storing anything on them.  No cookbooks, no bowls, no toasters, no crap.  I keep my Nespresso machine out and a sweet little woven bowl I picked up in Costa Rica and that is it!  I know, I know, what great idea to get countertops that you actually want to see, when you are already lacking storage, but c'est la vie, I love them and I want to see them.  After cleaning out as much as I could from the existing cabinets, I realized what was left over really wasn't that much,  and I had a great little space by the kitchen that would be perfect for some shelves.  Originally, I wanted wood but I figured with all the butcher block and the wood sideboard, that would be too much.  I didn't want to spend bucks on this after just re-doing the kitchen so when I stumbled upon these inexpensive little shelves from CB2, I knew I was in business.  

Yes, that is faux brass and marble and yes, they are awesome.  I picked these guys up during some Christmas sale, and I pretty much squealed with delight after they were installed yesterday.  (They may be faux, but they sure are heavy as real marble so I had them professionally installed.)

 Now, all my favorite cookbooks and bowls have a place of their own, leaving the countertop clear and clutter free.  This is the first time EVER that has happened and let me tell you, I won't be turning back anytime soon.  I absolutely adore these shelves and think they would be perfect in a kitchen, home office, bathroom, or side by side in a living room, with leaning photos on top.  They look like the real deal, and even my husband didn't believe me when I told him they were only $50 dollars each.  If you are looking for a simple storage solution, this is it! 

Kitchen down, now if I could only get the clutter out from under the bathroom cabinets (just say no to free samples!!!) 

... to be continued. 

YM Gift Guide 2014: For The Home.

After taking a quick glance at my list of favorite house and home gifts to give this year, I finally accepted that yes, I am most definitely am drawn to things that are 1) navy, 2) gold/ brass, and 3) leather.  As much as I try to find things in other color palettes, I always seem to go back to these three things, and you know what?  This suits me just fine.  I'm a girl who knows what I like, and everything on this list I like... I like a lot.  For those of you out there looking for a little something to spruce up your home this holiday season, here are a few of my favorite things.  The beauty of buying for the home this time of year, is that you can get your every day items for a song.  It's what I like to call the real magic of the season!

No spoiler here, since she already knows, this is what I'm getting my sister this year.  I've seen this amazing bar cart on pretty much every blog out there, but it was only when I picked it up that I realized just how awesome it is.  Made of brass and wood, it's stylish, functional, and impressively sturdy.  Cheers to that! ($130)

I am obsessed with this gold basket.  Like, I want one in every room.  I could see using this for holding blankets, towels, toys, even as a waste basket in the bathroom or office. So, so good. ($20)

Brass + Planter, is there anything more I need to say? ($50-65)

This is my favorite candle on the planet.  Initially, I bought one for our guest room, but very quickly decided that I needed to see it every day, and put it out front and center in our living room.  It smells incredible, and is large enough to use as a planter when it burns down.  You know I'm all over that. ($88 with 25% off with code GIVEGLAM)

These coasters are on the tip top of my wish list right now.  So simple, and so beautiful. Oh, and they are also navy. Sold! ($48)

Even though these sheets are technically made for kids, we have them in our guest room, and I get so many compliments on them.  The gold dots add just the right amount of whimsy, and these would be great for a holiday inspired room paired with a red plaid throw. (From $79)

The one and only thing I wish we had in our home is a fireplace.  Mark my words, if we do ever move, that is going to be on the top of my list.  For those of you who are lucky enough to have one, I'm loving this personalized canvas/ leather bag for storing wood by the fire.  ($99)

This leather magazine rack is so elegant and would be great for those of you who live with a magazine hoarder, and may also sometimes exhibit hoarder tendencies as referenced by her extensive Cookie collection that will forever live with her shoes.  I'm not naming any names here. ;) ($138)

The single greatest item we have ever bought for our home was the Nespresso machine I gifted myself last year.  We use it multiple times a day, and it still works as good as it did the day we took her out of the box.  While aesthetically I wasn't sold on this one, I took my salesperson's advice that this was the easiest and best machine they have.  Almond milk lattes are my jam, and with one push of a button, and about 1 minute of waiting, I have the most perfect one in my hand while running out the door for school.  The milk can stay in the container which is refrigerated, and then the whole piece can be put in the dishwasher.  Never ever having to wait in line at Starbucks again... game changer. ($399 with 100 dollar club credit)

I absolutely love every single piece from Heather Taylor, but if I had to choose, this pillow is my favorite.  Simple and beautiful, exactly what I want my home to be.  Her tablecloths are equally as awesome. ($112)

Just when I thought I couldn't get any more Navy in to my home, a girlfriend of mine turned me on to this new line available at Macy's.  Love, love, love.  (Prices vary)

Finally, how great is this copper tray which comes with free monogramming?  So great for those holiday parties, this also would make a great gift for those on your list who love to entertain.  I'm filing this one away for future wedding gifts! ($175)

Sadly, this is the end of the gift guides this year.  I hope you found them helpful, I also have a great time making them! Happy Friday!

Master Bedroom Makeunder.

 Okay, so remember here, here, and here when I said I was totally "done" with my master bedroom.  It turns out that actually wasn't true, because our master bedroom has once again undergone some minor changes, and this time I swear it's finished for real.  I know, I know, boy who cried wolf, yada yada, but seriously, after 6 years I finally, finally LOVE the way our bedroom looks, and since it's the room I spend the most time in, this is a good thing.  As you'll see in the final pictures, there aren't any  major changes, just the bedding, art, and lights, and I think that's important to point out.  As I always tell my sister, make sure you love the (pricier) big pieces of furniture you buy, which in this case is the bed, dresser, and chair, and the rest don't go crazy on, because in a few years you may be completely tired of it. Or in my case, 6 months, but really, who's counting?

Here's the thing about our bedroom, from the beginning I just wan't sure what I wanted it to be.  At first I wanted it to be spa and zen like, so going to bed felt like a retreat, but after about a year of that I realized that it just wasn't my style and I like color, and drama, and well, that's about the opposite of zen, so out went this room. 

Then, we had the big basement flood, which required a repainting of the whole room, and once I went dark, that was a whole new ballgame. I wanted color to pop against the dark walls, so I basically went as bright as I could. 

... and then a few months later even brighter. 

 This was great for a while, especially while the rest of the house was still being worked on, but over the past year I found myself longing for a calm and neutral space, one that really blended in with the darkness of the room, without trying to compete with it.  A few months back, I ordered a new duvet (although that orange and white one above will definitely still be in rotation in the warmer months) and found a simple piece of art that popped against the dark walls, and some much needed sconces for reading at night.  Most of the accessories were moved around, and the previous bedding found some new homes.  I have to say, I absolutely love the finished product, and this is one room that I won't be changing for a very long time to come. Seriously.

Here are a few pictures from our bedroom makeunder. 

The whole room is kind of dark and moody, which normally isn't my style, but I have to say I love how great it is for sleeping.  These pictures don't really do the room justice, but in person the space looks very simple, but layered.  There isn't too much clutter, and most everything in this room serves a purpose. I still have my little pops of color, but the majority of the furnishings are gray and I think the whole room really flows together well.  I keep telling my hubby that in our next house I'm probably going to rebel and make everything white after living with so much gray, but for now dark is where it's at... and where it's going to stay. 

Oh, and yes I lost a little drama when the skateboards over our bed were moved to the hallway, but don't worry, they were replaced with something equally as awesome in our master bathroom. 

I'm not going to lie, I made a pitch to put Kate over my bed, but my husband thought that was a little weird, so now she watches us from the other room, which is luckily still visible from my bed, #smokingkills #but90ssupermodelsneverdie

So there you have it, the final makeover of our home. I'm hoping to get some "real" pictures to share with you all in the next few months, but for now these will have to do.  I have to say I'm at a loss, without any more little "projects" to do, but I'm also really looking forward to living in this space, rather than planning on how to change it.  Designing a home is a tricky thing, your first instinct is to get it all done, to make it presentable, but I feel like a person's taste and style grows so much over time, that there really is something to be said about waiting to find something that you absolutely love.  I feel like the way our house is now, is such a true reflection of our family, and myself, and I really couldn't be happier to call this space my home. 

Now Accepting Visitors.

Our guest room is finally done, and I'm so excited to share a few pictures of the final room with you!  I mentioned before, that I wanted to keep some of the existing elements that used to live in the nursery (the curtains and lighting) but create more of a grown up feel, that would mimic what you might expect from a beach house in Malibu, or a weekend getaway in Palm Springs. (Yes, always a California girl at heart.)  I think the finished product achieved just that, and I love how clean and light the space feels.  This room was definitely a labor of love for me (meaning I did all the labor) and even though it's pretty tight on space in there, the lightness of it all really makes the whole house feel so much bigger.  For a city dweller, you have to love when that happens. 

Here are a few pictures of the room, if you'd like to see.  We are currently in the middle of a monsoon 'round these parts, so the lighting wasn't agreeing with me, but soon I plan to get some "real" pictures  taken, and will definitely be sharing those as well. 

As I mentioned, the room itself is tiny, but I was able to squeeze in a bed and a dresser (yes, those drawers have room to open, as does the closet.)  Those sconces were meant for my room, but I decided to put white ones down there instead, and I love how the black anchors how light the rest of the room is.  This was a lucky accident for sure!

You know I couldn't get rid of those yellow stripes.  It's funny, with the new decor, they actually look a lot more gold, and that makes me love them even more.  Gray's light stayed and adds another layer of pattern, because you know I can't have enough!

The print was an affordable find, and the bedding is a mix of Land of Nod, and Serena and Lilly.  The pillow was one we have had floating around without purpose for years, and I'm happy it finally found a home.  See also, more pattern. ;)

My absolute FAVORITE part of the room is this Slim Aarons print that I have been obsessed with for years.  My husband and I went around and around arguing over what should go on the wall opposite the bed, and finally he gave in.  I had it printed very inexpensively on acrylic, from Getty images, and was floored when I went in Jonathan Adler the other day and saw that they were selling these exact same piece for about $1300 dollars.  This baby was less than 300 and it has the effect of clear glass, so when you are laying in the bed it looks like you are looking out the window and this is your view! 

A few little details. 

A ring dish for guests, and a stack of my favorite magazines for browsing.  I'm still trying to figure out which pictures to put in those frames, but I can't get enough of that porcelain stud detail!

I read somewhere that if you have a small space you should try to decorate each room similarly, so it looks like they could be in the same space.  Inadvertently, I did that here (aka I love navy and will put it in pretty much every room, every where) but it really does make the whole house look bigger and more cohesive, because it mimics our living room and thus looks like an extension of that space. Another lucky accident, but one I thought I'd pass on!

 There you have it! Our lovely new guest room, now accepting visitors. So far, just my sister has slept in there, but next week my MIL is coming to town, and will be our first official guest to try it out! Now, for all my friends who live far away (you know who you are) we are officially open for business, and no longer will you be banished in the air mattress in the LM's room! Book those tickets now! ;)

P.S. To put it in perspective, the room used to look like this! 

Small Space? Put up a Gallery Wall!

 Our upstairs bathroom is one of the first places that you see when you walk in our home, and given our open layout, it is pretty much visible throughout our entire top floor.  A few months back, on a whim, I started a little gallery wall on the wall you see first, and have been eagerly awaiting Gray's move to his brother's room to steal all of his artwork to complete my dream of having one room that is essentially one big gallery wall (don't worry, his brother still has enough for the both of them ;)) 

 I wasn't quite sure exactly how to lay it out, but just like last time, I realized that once you jump in and start hanging, you can start to see a clear pattern (or actually the opposite which is what you want) emerge.  Given all the "projects" we've had going on around here, this was not something I wanted to throw money at, so rather than buying new frames, I collected what we already had, hit the clearance basket at target, bought a few mini cans of spray paint, and got to work. 

 I'm not sure how the experts tackle a gallery wall, but I've found that the easiest way is to hang the frames first, sans artwork, just eyeballing, and try not to have too similar of a color or shape near a similar color or shape.  90 percent of these frames started out white, which made things a little easier, and as I hung, I would swipe a little q-tip of spray paint on the frame, so I knew what the end color would be.  Using, gold, navy, and bright blue, I painted all the frames at once, and when dry put them back on the wall.  I then collected all the random artwork and pictures that we had around (mostly in Gray's room) and filled in what fit by size, again trying not to put too many of the same medium side by side.  Finally, I saw where there were holes, and ordered a few of my favorite prints in the sizes needed from shutterfly, and grabbed an inexpensive print from etsy to fill in the one remaining frame.  In the end, this little project probably took about 4 hours, and $40 bucks, and for the visual impact it provides, I'd say that is quite a bargain!

I'd like to say that this room is "done" having painted it white a few months back to try to get the art to "pop" but no sooner was the last nail hung, when I declared that I think another color underneath would actually make everything stand out more (insert my husband's eye roll here.)  Initially I thought it should be navy (no surprise there) but the other day it hit me that this would be a perfect room to try out one of my favorite colors; mint.  I am a firm believer that mint is the perfect shade to paint any room, because basically everything looks better when paired with it.  Given all the random colors in the gallery wall, I think this would really make what once was a boring 'ol bathroom, look really special.  Now of course, finding the right shade of mint is my new mission, and luckily the internet is not short on inspiration. Here are a few of my favorites the prove what a great neutral mint really is. 

I'd like to say I'll wait a few weeks before taking everything down and painting the walls (leaving every nail of course) but knowing how I work, I'm already plotting how I can enlist my sister to get this done by the end of the weekend.  Final results to follow...

If you have a small space and are looking for a BIG impact, trust me when I say you will not regret a large gallery wall.  Who knew our little upstairs bathroom would actually become my favorite room in the house? 

Nursery to a Guest Room.

 Right now, I'm beginning the process of moving the boys in to the same room.  I say beginning, because other than talking about it (ad nauseum) and ordering a bed, we have done very little as far as the actual move goes.  As much as I'd love to have them in the same room, between travel, illnesses, and newly discovered nighttime fears, the actual move-in date still seems pretty far away.  However, knowing how we operate, I'm sure that one day soon I will just decide it's happening, and that will be the end of that.  The band-aide approach, which pretty much sums up my parenting philosophy. 

The great thing about the boys moving it together (when it actually happens) is that we will finally have a real, adult guest room.  Gray's room is pretty small, but with a little tweaking, I think I can get a queen sized bed in there, and around that make a little oasis for our guests.  I've been so torn over concept, because the last thing I want to do is switch out the current lighting, curtains, and my beloved ceiling stripes.  Lately, i've been giving it some thought, and I've decided that the best way to incorporate those features is to keep everything very clean, and white, with a few pops of color and pattern.  What I've dubbed "California cool."

Here is a little of what I have going on in my head as far as inspiration goes.

... and what I already have for the room. (click to enlarge)

I think the end result is going to be fantastic, and I can't wait to finally be able to have our family and friends visit and be able to give them a space of their own! So long air mattresses, hello Malibu Beach House... or something like that! ;)

Now, I just have to rip off that band-aide!