1 SETTEE, 5 WAYS

I LOVE a good settee, but I really find that I never use them in designs.  I'm not sure why.  I think they get forgotten about.  Usually I lean towards an accent table or console table where you can also use a settee.  This year, I am determined to use more settees in my designs, starting with this bold black and white buffalo check patterned settee.

Buffalo check is one of this years most popular patterns.  It's most popular in black and white, but also be found in gray and white and navy and white.  You will see it in pillows, throw blankets, furniture, tile flooring and even wallpaper.  It has become so popular I think because of its versatility.  It is a timeless, sophisticated print that can be traditional or modern, and go with just about any other pattern as well.   To showcase that versatility, I am showing 1 settee, 5 different ways for a client.  She has the option to keep the space traditional or a little more funky with some more modern elements.  The shiplap walls in her home are the perfect backdrop to this bold settee.  

This first look is the most traditional with floral prints with a black background to coordinate with the black in the settee.  A wood and marble accent table.  And a traditional task floor lamp in an antique gold. 

Look #2 is more fun and modern with the large cactus print with gold frame from World Market.  To keep things modern, I switched out the traditional floor lamp with a gold tripod lamp.  The side table is swapped out for this simple black one. 

Look #3 is more modern farmhouse.  Wood accents in the lattice wall decor and side table.  Yet still has a little modern edge with the gold floor lamp.  Everything in this 'look' can be found at Target, except the settee.  

The fourth look leans more transitional with some modern gold accents in the floor lamp and side table.  The traditional botanical artwork keeps it classic and timeless.  Botanicals are very popular this year as well!

For the fifth look, I switched out the artwork for a mirror.  A mirror is always a great choice to bring more light into a space.  This vignette has a good mix of modern and traditional.  

All of the looks above are easy to pull together yourself.  Every item shown above can be found at Target, World Market, and Hobby Lobby.  All of the artwork can be found on my Pinterest page WALL DECOR.  This settee shown above is from Ballard Designs.  It can be customized with any fabric and will also set you back about $1500.  

I came across this less expensive settee, similar look, at At Home for less than $300. 

I really think a settee is a good alternative to a console table or accent table and can work in a lot of different rooms.  They will run you about the same price as a table and it is such a different, unique look to a space.  Which look do you like best?  Do any of you own settees or have you been eyeing one for you home??

Most of the items shown in the Mood Boards above can be found at Target.

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Masculine Bathroom

The last couple of months have been a whirlwind for me, to say the least!  I am doing a lot more remodeling projects with a fantastic Indianapolis based company that is really keeping me on my toes.  Multiple bath and kitchen remodels, entire house renovations, decorating finished projects.  It has been amazing and a blessing to keep so busy.  I have a trip to Alabama for some design work coming up next week.  (more on that later!)  Last week, Summer ended and Fall arrived!  :(  I have a love/hate relationship with Fall.  Did you notice I changed the look of my blog?!?! Woohoo!  Thanks Dinosaur Stew for designing my new site!  So many fun things going on right now!!

Staying busy means really staying on my game!  It's different everyday.  Decisions need to be made quick.  Designs are strategially put together, with no second guessing in between.  I am more organized than ever!  And my nights are usually filled with design inspiration and research on Pinterest and Houzz!

This bathroom remodel is in a gorgeous home, with a not-so gorgeous basement bathroom for their son.  They had such a clear vision of what they wanted and the mood they wanted to capture, that it was just up to me to help them pull it all together for them.

INSPIRATION

image via Apartment Therapy

What I love about this bathroom is the sophisticated, masculinity it has.  The industrial touches, moody colors, mixed materials, all give it a manly feel.  

We will replicate the mood and colors of this space, but not copy it.  These are the design details and plan for the bathroom.

Vanity - Custom Cabinets // Mirror - Pottery Barn // Industrial Vanity Light - Shades of Light // Plumbing, Faucet - Brizo Odin Collection // Towels - West Elm // Towel Hook - Anthropologie

I chose Eider White from Sherwin Williams for the wall color because it looks great next to the subway tile, and being a small basement bathroom, it will brighten the space and make it feel larger.  It is a very light gray color.  Elements of Style used and the same paint color in her bathroom renovation, and it looks great with her subway tile on the shower walls.

Not all of the walls will be subway tile like the inspiration photo, but we wanted to incorporate more subway tile in the space than just the shower walls.

So, I designed the space to have subway tile behind the vanity sink and toilet.  It is a great design element and functional as well because it is easy to clean.

I had to find the perfect, modern and simple mirror for the space because that was going to be a big focal point in this small bathroom.  I wanted something industrial and vintage looking with just a simple black frame.

After seeing this image on Pinterest, I loved the look of the round mirror.  So, I searched for something similar and found the perfect mirror with just the right dimensions from Pottery Barn.

I chose the Odin Collection from Brizo for all of the plumbing fixtures because it is modern, masculine, and industrial with the matte black finish. 

It was important for the client to have a fun, quirky towel hook for hand towels next to the vanity.  I love this aged brass finish of the antler hook, but I also gave the client a couple of other options too.  Think outside the box when it comes to towel hooks.  There are a lot of things that can work as a hook that aren't necessarily sold for that purpose.

This masculine, industrial bathroom remodel was designed to stand the test of time.  It is a classic design that will work for their son for many years to come.  And will also be a great guest room bathroom in the future.  Can't wait to see it all come together and be completed.

2014 Christmas Home Tour {Part 2}

It's amazing what a little sunshine can do.  There was finally some sunshine here in Indiana after about a week of gray skies and rain.  So I ran for my camera and starting snapping more Christmas photos.

My dining room isn't huge.  Really it is just a extension of my living room because it is all one big space.  We eat all of our meals here, it is occasionally my work space, my craft space, and now my wrapping station during the holidays.  So it does get used a lot!  My favorite part of my dining room is definitely the buffet table I refurbished a few years back.  It is also one of my favorite areas to decorate for the holidays because it is such a focal point of the space!

I love how the neutral Christmas decor pops off the bright, cheery yellow antique buffet table!

A great tip is to use your everyday items in new ways with your Christmas decor.  Here, I used my West Elm white honeycomb vase with my Christmas decor and just filled it with some artificial greenery and some fresh magnolia leaves.

My chalkboard (made from an old window) gets moved around the house.  I love it leaned against the wall here, with a simple wreath hanging on it with just some simple ribbon.  It is the same ribbon I used to decorate my Christmas tree, so that all the decor is coordinating.

That's my dining room!  There is more to show in my home soon.  You know every room needs a little touch of Christmas throughout......

See {Part 1} of my 2014 Christmas Home Tour here!

2014 Christmas Home Tour {Part 1}

What's black and white and green all over?!?

My Holiday Home tour!!!

Welcome to my holiday home tour {part 1} because there are just too many pretty photos of Christmas decorating inspiration to show all of them in just one post!

Last year, I went with the traditional rustic red Christmas decor.  Which I loved!  But if you know me, I can't decorate my home for Christmas exactly the same every year.  That would just be way too easy.  

I love all things black & white.  So this year I have tried to add in a bit more of a simple color pallet with black & white & lots of green!  And of course a little red thrown in there too because I didn't go out and buy all new decorations.  I use the things I have in new ways and maybe not use everything every year. And lots of gold and sparkle too!! 

 Okay, so I have to admit, I did buy a few new things to add into my holiday decorating this year!!!  I fell in love with this Pottery Barn "All is Calm All is Bright" Pillow Cover but I couldn't justify the $30 price tag.  So when GroopDealz offered it online for $10.99 I was SOLD!   And it totes-adorbs!

 I also bought this For The Love of Letters sign .  It was $5 at Home Goods so I couldn't pass it up!  She is my all time FAVORITE local artist and it doesn't hurt that she is the sweetest person ever!  So I always buy her artwork when I see it.  I posted more about it here. 

I also bought this deer head to add to my collection of holiday deer head decor from World Market!  I am obsessed with it!!!  I also may be a little obsessed with deer heads in general right now!! I just have to figure out where I am going to hang this guy after the holidays.  He is too handsome to hide away in a box for 48 weeks of the year.

I also purchased this Smith & Hawken boxwood wreath from Target.  I have been eyeing this wreath for my front door for quite some time.  So when the sales rolled around and coupons came in, I snagged it up!  I have shopped around for a natural, dried boxwood wreath for a while, so I knew I was getting a great deal on this one.

 I do a lot of DIY projects for my Christmas decor.  Which saves me a lot of money -- not so much time.  But that is okay!  I think that is what Christmas is for -- fun crafts and homemade decor!!  It just makes it that much more meaningful!

My "NOEL" banner was made last year out of burlap and white ribbon.  I hand-lettered the artwork on craft paper and stapled it to the back of these rustic frames that I already had hanging here.  More on that later.

And now for the tree...

I have to admit....decorating the tree is my least favorite thing to decorate in my house.  I always leave it for last.  And this year I left it up with just the lights on it for over a week!  I was really dreading decorating it.  I don't know if it is because I am such a control freak and the thought of not being able to control the placement of each limb and each little light gives me anxiety or the fact that I know how long it takes just to decorate this little tree of mine, but I always leave it for last!

 Once the tree is finally decorated, I love how it looks!!  The twinkling lights, every special ornament hanging on the branches.  At night, it is definitely my favorite thing to see my glowing Christmas tree in the corner of our home.

What's up next on the Christmas home tour..........dining room, kitchen, entry way, guest room, and all the fun little areas in between!  

You can see how I made these DIY tree vases here.

All of the details of the DIY tree slice ornaments are here from my craft day.