Home Decor Must Have for pet owners

Happy Monday y’all! How was everyone’s weekend?

The Northeast has been pounded with some snow the past few days (not the fun kind, the annoying kind) and I’m going stir crazy! One of the worst parts about the snowstorm is having to take the pup in & out. She’s a total diva and hates the cold but does like playing in (and eating) the snow.

As a pet owner, I’m constantly aware of the impact she has on our home. Dogs come with smells, toys, blankets, etc. For me, it’s important to know that someone could walk into our home and not even know we have a dog. Here’s how I do it:

Stylish Storage

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Similar to kids toys, dog toys aren’t cute or aesthetically appealing. I keep all of Mela’s toys in a small woven basket, tucked away into the corner (easy to hide when company comes over). I also keep a basket in the hall closet with all of her necessities (extra bags, leashes, bandanas, etc). Cute baskets are so easy & inexpensive! A few I like are this, this and this.

Tip: I like to keep a blanket on each sofa that she sits on, to avoid getting a mess of dog hair all over. She like them & knows those are her spots.

Candles

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As pet owners, we often become unaware that our beloved 4 legged friend has a certain scent to others. Let’s all get a quick wake up call, do a favor to our guests and stock up on some good smelling candles. A few favorites include this, these and this.

Clean Often

This isn’t fun, but it’s needed. Part of the territory with pets is that you’ve got to clean often. I sweep and/or vacuum pretty much every day. For those of us with shedding dogs, it’s a necessary evil! Spend 10 minutes a day and I promise you’ll notice a difference. This vacuum is one I recommend!

What are you favorite tips & tricks to keep your dog friendly home looking sharp?!

Guest bedrooms: The Essentials

Well I am happy to report that our guest bedroom is about 90% completed!

(A  favorite inspiration space- and closer to our final product!)

(Love the classic simplicity of this space with the detail of this bed)

So…when I came across this awesome article about “The Cozy Guest Bedroom”, I immediately ran through a mental checklist of our guest room. I’m happy to say we covered all of our bases, minus #2 and #8. (Note: we actually want to snag a luggage rack…anyone know where I can find a cute one?).

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As y’all know, I’m a HUGE believer in making your guests feel comfortable and welcome (as evidenced here and here). After all, I was raised with that great Southern hospitality and that never dies! You seriously cannot make people feel welcome enough. So next time you have houses guests, spend an extra 15 minutes to cut some fresh flowers, pour some cold water, set out a few mags, and make them think “wow”. I promise, it’s worth it.

What’s your favorite house guest tip?!

Guest Bedroom Design Plan

I am so happy that we are FINALLY able to decorate our guest bedroom. Long story short, we had a friend (roomie’s old roomie) temporarily staying there until his new place was ready (it was also under renovation). He was originally planning on staying a few weeks…well, as with most renovations, a few weeks turned into a month turned into a few months. 4 months later, moving day is Sunday & we are all ready to feel settled.

Here’s the layout of our guest bedroom: it’s a 13′ x 13′ square with 12′ ceilings. One wall is covered with 1/2 windows and one adjacent has a huge white column radiator taking up half of the wall with a window directly across from it. So while the space is big, there is minimal plain wall space. It looks something like this:

(behind the chair is a 3′ long radiator that sticks out from the wall)

Over the months, I’ve been pinning a few inspiration pics on Pinterest, including…

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So all in all, here’s the plan:

{upholstered bed / bedding / throw pillow / ghost chair / writing desk / armoire / artwork}

**In all honesty, I had to build this room around this piece of art. The roomie is letting me do 99.9% of what I want in our home, but he requested this piece of art….so with much hesitation, I’ve decided to compromise. It will be on a side wall (above the desk) & it’s actually not that bad in person**

Thoughts on my plan? Am I crazy for using this artwork?!

New Year Revamp: Guest Bath

It’s been a little over a week since I introduced the first post in my new series, “New Year Revamp”. Now that we’ve got our home office all updated & tidy, let’s move along to the guest bath!

I find guest bathrooms to be quite an easy thing to revamp. For starters, they’re usually not used too often, so it’s easy to keep them organized! Secondly, you don’t need many updates to make a big impact. If you’re unsure of where to start, just think of the most relaxing, luxurious hotel bathroom you’ve seen & try your best to recreate it!

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While we may not all have the stunning views that come with 5-star hotel bathrooms, we do have the ability to recreate the overall patterns:

Go white

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Now you know me, I’ve never met a white space I didn’t love. White tile, white cabinets, white linens, white mirror, white shower curtain…yay team white! Think it’s starting to feel like a room in a mental institution? Keep reading…we add color, textures, warmth & serenity with the next 4 pieces. Trust me.

Keep it functional

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The three rules of bathroom function: storage, style & samples! Make sure that if you don’t have proper under-the-sink storage, you’ve got a way to display towels, TP, etc. (the ladder above is a super cute idea). Keep it stylish! No need to buy one of those ugly over the toilet shelving things you had in your college apartment. Search Pinterest, get some inspiration & keep it classy. Finally, don’t forget to have some toiletry samples for your guests- try an upscale brand of travel sized items. They’re so small, it’s worth the splurge.

Upgrade your linens

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This is key for all bathrooms, but especially your guests! I read a quote the other day that said “if you wouldn’t let your mother-in-law use these towels, it’s time to replace them”. Ha! So true…towels are an inexpensive, yet luxurious way to update your guest bath. After all, is there any better feeling than hopping out of a warm shower & wrapping your body an a plush, oversized towel? I think not. Some good options are these, these or these.

Wow with art

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Beach photo? Black & white? Oversized? There are so many options for art, yet usually so little room in a guest bath. Go for a piece that’s not bland or boring (please, no canvases with writing!). The picture above is a beautiful Gray Malin- see how it totally brings color & a pop of “wow!” to the space? Think of it as the jewelry on your outfit.

Add a touch of luxury

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We talked about towels above, but there are many ways to add luxury to a guest bath- lush linens, a gorgeous mirror, a huge soaker tub, a chandelier, or stunning fresh flowers (the easiest!). The list goes on and on. The trick is to either take something that makes your guest think “wow, that’s really beautiful”…and wa-la, mission accomplished!

What’s in the plan for your bathroom revamp?!

Anthropologie Bed & Bath

Sale alert! 25% off all full priced bed & bath items @ Anthropologie!

It’s no secret that I love Anthro for home decor. They’ve got a really great selection of items that are eclectic-vintage and I love that! They’re not items that you’ll see in everyone’s home (exception being this mug), but they are good quality, affordable pieces that will add charm & character to your home.

Bedding

Loving this, this and this duvet cover for any bedroom- master, guest, kids. They’re all available in multiple colors & sizes.

If you want a soft pattern option, this is a great option. I like how the pattern is there, but subtle. (I may use this one for our guest bedroom reno!) Also, if you need some additional layers for winter, I strongly recommend a coverlet like this– they’re thin, but provide enough warmth. Not to mention, they’re so cute for layering the bed when making it!

Need new sheets? I am all in favor of having all-white sheets (easy to clean & always look fresh!), but sometimes it’s fun to have a patterned edge or lining (especially for guest rooms). These, these and these are all adorable options.

Bath

Whether you’re doing a home renovation or looking to update a rental (like me!), Anthro is the perfect spot! They carry a lot of accessories & hardware that are way more unique than you’d find at Target, Bed Bath or Home Depot:

This mercury set, soap/lotion duo & copper accessories are all perfect options for any space.

An inexpensive way to make a HUGE difference in your bathroom is updating the shower curtain & linens.

What’s your favorite Anthropologie bed & bath item?!

Weekend WIshlist

Happy Friday y’all! I hope you guys have some fun plans & some warm, sunny weather coming your way! Here’s what I’ve got in store for the weekend…

What I’m Coveting:

After seeing these pictures via the Ballard Designs blog, never have I ever wanted an outdoor space so badly. Fingers crossed my next place has one!

What I’m Cooking:

Being of Mediterranean background, tabbouleh is a staple for me. I usually use bulgur but I’m eager to try this quinoa version, as it has more protein & fiber. Gotta get strong – summer is here!

What I’m Reading:

Those who know me know I LOVE to travel! Packing is always a challenge and this list will be helpful for my 4 day July trip & 5 day August trip, both just around the corner!

What I’m Preparing:

Everything…for my weekend house guests! My “to do” list is a mile long: clean/scrub/windex/vacuum the house…but most importantly, get the magical ingredients to make my guests feel at home! Above is a little checklist I always use when I’ve got company coming into town

Daybeds.

One of the biggest challenges about living in a brownstone/condo/urban city is space! No surprise here, but until you’re living in it, you really don’t appreciate how much each little foot counts. When I first moved from Atlanta to Boston, it took a loooooong time to adjust to these tiny living spaces….

How does one live in a 500sq ft home? Where are all the closets? Where will my shoes go? Why can’t I have more than 3 friends over at a time? What if I have out of town guests? What about the grill?

Like anything else in life, you adjust and adapt and make the best of it. Which brings me to my newest challenge: the “2 bedroom” homes that are essentially “1 bedroom + large closet”. I would love to be able to have an additional bedroom for a variety of reasons: (a) extra storage,  (b) more closet space, (b) real home office space, and (d) a place for out of town guests to stay. The problem is these rooms are so small that you can fit a double bed, at best. To me, I’d rather have a more disguised bed that flows well in the room to create a home office space. Enter the daybed.

Daybeds used to be limited to little kids rooms and your grandma’s sunroom, but they’ve come a long way since! When used in an appropriate way, a daybed can be a sophisticated, stylish solution to needing a bed in a small space. Here are some inspirational rooms to get your creative juices flowing:

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Think a daybed may be the perfect solution for you? Shop them now:

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What do you think?!