It's not about where you buy it, it's how you use it
Are you like my mom and not digging decorating for Christmas this year, but have friends or family coming over and you want to deck the halls, and need some last minute Christmas decorating ideas? Well it’s not too late! With five days left before Christmas day, here are 5 easy last minute tips for you to use to impress your guest!Continue reading
Lets back up a minute, remember how I shared all of my favorite rustic Christmas ideas in my rustic inspirations and have yourself a merry rustic Christmas? I even showed you my all time fave rustic Christmas decor from I’m Mad for plaid.
Well what I didn’t tell you was that while in North Carolina for Thanksgiving, I actually did recreate that hip, cool rustic Christmas tablescape! Here’s my Thanksgiving version!
So here is how it went down. My sis and I were tasked with decorating for Thanksgiving, and we took the opportunity to have my dad help us out. He needed something to do, and rustic style is oh so his style!
My dad cut all of the logs for me. 
As soon as Thanksgiving was over, my wheels got to turning, my Christmas creative juices flowing, and my blogging ideas took over!
After a few hours of recreating and decorating, we ended up with some pretty awesome ideas for using our logs, mason jars, tea light candles, candles,and the globes from hurricane lamps for our rustic Christmas decor.
I love the staggered sized logs, they create dimension. To complete the festive look, I used fresh greenery and red ornaments.
I even used Epsom salt for snow.
Here are several ways that we used the same logs, candles, glass hurricane globes, and mason jars for our different Rustic Christmas looks!
What recreations have you made this Christmas? Where do you find your inspirations?
I was looking through Pottery Barn on line the other day, and this Fall decorated candle holder caught my eye!
I thought “oh how cute, and how easy to recreate!”
So I got my stuff out and tada! I came up with my recreated version.
I had acorns so I used them instead to layer the bottom.
What you will need:
Candle
tall glass container
acorns
small pinecones
berry twigs
I added some more berry twigs, pine cones and a small pumpkin on a wooden cutting board to add a little more texture and color.
Then I got to thinking that it would be cuter to use with an appetizer tray.
How cute is that with a cheese tray!
I’m asking myself why I didn’t layer the candle holder and cutting board in a wooden tray?
Oh well, it’s too late now, the cheese is all gone!
What have you recreated lately?
linking up to: glued to my crafts blog hop, blissfulrhythm
A few months back, I posted these pictures on facebook and asked what would you do if this was your furniture.
Some of you said you would cry, some said you would actually burn it, some said buy slip covers immediately, and only a few gave suggestions on what they would actually do to make it work!
While I was visiting England with my husband, we stayed in the Military Lodge in Alconbury. Not a five star by no means but very comfortable, clean, and very affordable! This furniture was in the lodge where we stayed. However, it was also the furniture issued to us when we were living in Korea. Being stationed in Korea is not like Europe, we could only ship 4000 lbs of our household goods. That is NOT a lot at all! Furniture was issued so you got what the Army gave you! (Well I didn’t, I took a couch and recliner to be reupholstered (affordable too) because I knew better!) Anyway many families are issued this sofa and 2 chairs. This set came in 3 colors, navy blue, burgundy, and hunter green! Talk about a blast from the past!! Yep those were the 1990′s color scheme that the dotted print came in, there were other prints issued, but trust me, you got the “pretty” furniture if you were issued this beauty! Even though it looks like you are living in a cheap hotel, there are ways to make it work. Maybe not exactly what you had in mind, but for 2 or 3 years, it can work.
So to those of you who think OMGoodness, how in the world can I have a pretty, stylish,warm, and cozy home with this ugly furniture, I am going to give you some ideas on how to use what you got and when used with the right decor ideas, you can take lemons and make lemonade!
As I searched the internet for coordinating color scheme, I kept thinking what would I use with that furniture, because regardless of how short or long of time you live somewhere, it is still your home , you still have to live in it, with it, and it still needs to make you happy when you walk in the door!
I started with throw pillows. I found several pillows that I thought would work with the hunter green color. The pictures are hunter green, even though they look navy blue. I immediately thought about the new gold color that is so very popular right now. However I would not use a lot of it! You could use navy blue with the gold, but I found some accents with red that I decided to use. 
I know many of you are thinking, why would you even use such furniture. Because sometimes in life, it is what it is. This is one of those times, moving overseas limits you in many ways and having a beautiful home is not on the top of the Army’s priority list. But you always have options to make it work! Korea style anyway! HA!
I definitely would use a print that was on a light background to contrast with the darkness of the furniture. I’m a light and bright kind of person.
Potterybarn
Here are a couple of rugs (Potterybarn) that could be used to add color, texture, and interest.
I think a neutral rug like this one from Target would be fine as well.
Hang a neutral or gold pair of grommet curtains like these linen curtains.
A colorful pattern print would bring out more colors and really add some pizzazz to your room!
Use additional contemporary home decor accessories like these mirrors that I blogged about here.
Everyone owns family pictures. Gallery walls are trending right now so why not add something current and trendy to the room? It would give the room a contemporary feel. I love this whole display from Pottery Barn.
A gallery above the sofa would look great!
You can check out gardenberger for great tutorials on arranging pictures!
Here’s a look at the whole collection that I put together.
Here are examples how to put them together.
Add a comfy, cozy throw blanket over the couch. Light a few candles. TaDa we just made lemonade out of lemons!
What accessories would you suggest to make the furniture not so “hotelish”?
We all have had and still have furniture that really is not our style, how do you make yours work?
I love Fall time! It is probably one of my favorite times of the year. I love the crisp, cool air, jeans, sweatshirts and football! And of course the beautiful colors of the changing leaves! I have always loved decorating my front door entry way for Fall. Because it is still so hot and humid , I just can’t seem to get in the fall decorating mood just yet! But that doesn’t mean I can’t share my ideas with you, right? So when I do decorate my front porch area, here are five Fall decorating ideas that I definitely will be recreating!
Remember my frugal fall find, well how cute would it be at your front door? I totally missed that idea until Pam at Simple Details left a comment and tipped me off ! Thank you for a wonderful idea! So just think how cute that rug would be at your front door? I actually went and bought it today, fingers crossed that I will get the decorating itch! It was on sale too!
I love using lanterns and candles during Fall. I wonder if this heat will melt the candles though?
And I love using the candy corn with lanterns and candles! Speaking of Candy corn, Candy corn are a MUST have during Fall! It is definitely my Fall candy of choice.
I got to have a wreath made with bittersweet.
Since these pumpkins are so dang cute, I would have to use them too! You know I heart chevron, but I would not mix chevron pumpkins with a chevron rug. I think chevron pumpkins would be adorable, but I would use the polka dots with the chevron rug!
or maybe even take the time to make my own!
Decorating for Fall with rustic items like this wooden wheelbarrow adds charm and character. Got to have rustic decor for Fall!
Maybe we will have a cool front come through soon so I can actually use these ideas and decorate myself. I just can’t seem to get the Fall itch with this heat and decorating for it just don’t feel right. Perhaps I could always fake it, huh?
I hope you enjoy my Five Fall Favs!
Let me know in the comments below if you are having cooler weather and have started decorating for Fall. Or are you like me, just can’t seem to get motivated because of the heat?
Our family room is the heart of our home. We have always made sure that as a family, this is where we hang out, watch television, play video games, and entertain our guests.
As soon as I saw this house, I knew that this home had the ultimate family room because it was an open concept including the kitchen area! Not only that, but it was the largest one we have ever had!
It took me a while to decide on the decor for this room. This was going to be a real family room furniture purchase, and I wanted it to be awesome
The one time we bought a new, quality sofa to replace the cheap one we had when we were first married, got lost during a move, thanks COVAN Moving Company, we NEVER saw it again! Oh yeah, it was only 3 months old.
Lesson to be learned, if you move often, don’t spend too much money on furniture, you never know if you will ever see it again or what shape it may be in when it arrives.
I knew that I wanted to use the newest green and blue color combination, I was so over the red, gold, and sage green!!
Living in Hawaii with all the tropical decor, burnt me out on that color combo. It was time to upgrade and update! When I saw this chair, I knew I had to have it.
Not only was the fabric exactly what I wanted, but the chair and ottoman were ridiculously comfortable. Comfort is a must!!
I looked everywhere for the right fabric and one day my mom asked me if I had gone into Lazy Boy. Lazy Boy? Why would I go there shopping for hip, cool, trendy furniture? I mean, don’t they just sell recliners for Grandpas? Oh no! I was amazed at how many current fabric patterns and furniture styles they had to offer.
Isn’t that just the cutest chair. I love it! I love how modern it is in style. I love it even more paired with my authentic kimchee pot from Korea.
In addition to comfortable seating, I knew the room had to be cheerful, warm, and inviting! It had to be a room that we wanted to be in. How can the heart of your home not be all of that? I added lamps, rugs, candles, and other home decor accessories.
I just love how this room turned out! It is definitely the heart of our home. It makes me happy. It is a great example of transitional style home decor.
Of course we still have some things to add, hopefully crown molding and hardwood floors will come next!
I used Sherwin Williams Gateway Gray at 50% to match the kitchen.
What is the heart of your home? What makes it the heart of your home? I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
Linking to:
at the picket fence, stuff-and-nonsense, serenity now, its just called spicy,
the charm of home, addicted 2 decorating, home stories, blog hop, savvy southern style, diy design,uncommon designs online, romantic home, the charm of life, the dedicated house, shabby nest
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