Adding Christmas Magic to Your Master Bedroom

Since we are home a lot more, there was one space that usually goes untouched most years when it comes to Christmas decorating, our master bedroom. Sure, we always switch out our bedding with some cozy and festive fleece bed sheets — but that is about it. And with our sitting area rearranged from the summer, I thought the space was in need of a little Christmas magic!

Here are three easy ways you can add Christmas magic to your master bedroom, a guest room or any other space for that matter without breaking the bank or going complete Elf in every room, and it’s how I added a little extra sparkle to our master bedroom this Christmas season, that is sure to be replicated year after year!

A Simple Christmas Tree. I had smaller 4ft. alpine tree in need of a spot. With a slanted ceiling in our master by our seating area, this height and tree was the perfect addition. I opted to keep it simple with just some circular LED lights and left off ornaments or a topper — and it adds a bit of magic, especially at night. I wrapped a circular knit scarf around the base for an easy tree skirt!

Festive Fleece Bedsheets. These are an absolute must, especially in your guest rooms — it makes a bed extra cozy and soft. We love neutral Christmas prints or some classic plaid. I always keep an eye out on the sets at Target each year — I am loving the dog print this year, and hope Santa brings it to me for Christmas! Add a few extra accent holiday-themed pillows to finish off your bed with a bit of Christmas!

Greenery & Garland. A few more finishing touches is all you need to finish up adding a layer of Christmas to your master bedroom! An extra bottle brush tree was perfect addition to our side table in our conversation area. I also added some greenery on a mirror and on top of our mini fireplace to give it a bit more of a cozy feel. Lastly, I strung up some gold and white ‘Merry Christmas’ garland over our gallery wall for a little extra sparkle.

Falling asleep to the glow of our little Christmas tree has been such a treat each night, especially since our main floor is so magical with so much Christmas — I often don’t want to leave it, especially at the glow and darkness of the night. Am I the only one like that?

If you’ve wanted to add a little extra Christmas to a guest room, kids room, or even your master — just remember to keep it simple and focus on a few areas to make a statement and sprinkle of Christmas. Like a corner with a little, skinny tree or making your bed a sugar plum heaven to rest your head!

Here’s to More Sweet Christmas Dreams!

Latest Obsessions 08.19 – Faux Plants

I’m coming clean – I may or may not have a slight addiction with faux plants, as they’ve been my latest obsession.  Ever since our bathroom remodel and adding those finishing touches faux plants have been the answer to help spruce of the space since it’s in our basement!  So, I’ve been on the hunt, looking for great deals while also finding stuff to compliment the space. The ones that didn’t find a home for in the bathroom, have found homes in our basement living room helping give it a bit more life to this darker space.
 I haven’t really been a big fan of faux plants or flowers, just greenery around the holidays, until now and that’s because I think the faux plant industry as seriously picked up their game. There are so many more options available, that are beautiful, life like and are now available in an endless number of stores, from Marshall’s, to Target and even craft stores like Michael’s.  From succulents, to cactus or fig trees you can really create a statement in spaces were these real life creatures might not survive or if you want a low maintenance option for you living space – and all sort of styles and sizes.

Guess what! There are end of season deals on some of these more summery faux plants – so I’ve shopped a few steals for you to keep an eye on when you’re out and about that I’ve taken advantage of our am about too!

Michael’s Craft Store: 6ft Dieffenbachia Tree originally $200 now $40 – style this in a fun basket and you’ve got an awesome statement.  Mini mixed cactus plant pot originally $20 now $4 or this mini succulent plant pot originally $15 now $3 (check stores for availability) I stocked up on these when I saw them severely price cut in stores and bunched them in our basement bathroom on the window sill, even one within the shower stall window! It really gives it a spa-like feel.

Target Opalhouse: 19×14″ Artificial Orbit Peacock Plant in Pot Green/White originally $24.99 now $12.48 in select stores (and other plants too!). I couldn’t pass up this 50% discount, plus it was a decent size to add a little more umph than a table top succulent.  I knew this guy would have a spot in our basement living room (pictured above).

TJMaxx: 36″ UV Proof Rubber Plant in Ceramic Pot originally $49 now $39 OR this 39″ potted cactus originally $99 now $75.  Before I settled on the stems and mini succulents for the bathroom, I REALLY wanted to get a massive cactus for that corner, but the numbers and the size I wanted to make an impact were a bit out of my budget (like this 5ft one from Target, still a hefty $129.99) – so I figured my alternate solution and maybe if I see one I like on sale I’ll go for it!

I’ve also started to have a little fun with stems and styling those with various vases or even baskets – there are so many fun ways besides the traditional planter that faux plants (and real for that matter) can be dressed up to fit into your home – plus you can find them pretty affordable, without the worry of killing off a cool looking plant. SO! I have to know, have you been on the faux plant train for awhile? Or you a new found convert like me?

Trend Spotlight – Opalhouse Spring 2019

Opalhouse joined the Target home decor collections last spring – which I was a tad obsessed with, as they introduced bold colors with fun patterns and a unique offering of styles for everyone to love.  Low and behold, I was happy to see Opalhouse stay through the holiday season with it’s own offering of stunning pieces like this gold leaf & berry (which can still be purchased for a steal of $6.49!) or simplistic red polka pillow with it’s accompanying fa la la pieces — so I had a feeling some more beautiful things were on the horizon!

Thus, the Opalhouse Spring collection (as I’m calling it) is starting to creep it’s way onto shelves and into the cyber shopping charts – with vintage floral patterns, stunning gold terrariums, natural woven baskets with a hint of fringe and woven pillows with bright colors – I’m swooning again!  The floral patterns give me a tingle of a reminder back to some of my grandma’s old dishes/home decor – especially the Apple Woven blanket below! I’ve also noticed they have a ton of new outdoor/patio decor available for shopping too… oh patio season, where are you?


Shop the pieces:  36″ x 10″ Brass & Glass Parasol Terrarium | 10″ x 6.4″ Brass & Glass Parasol Terrarium | Lumbar Chunky Woven Outdoor Pillow | Floral Doormat Natural Green | Blush Table Runner by Opalhouse | Apple Woven Throw Blanket Gold |Water Hyacinth Fringe Oval Basket Natural |Multi Floral Print Reverse to Velvet Oversize Square Throw Pillow 

So with this small tease, I can’t wait to see what other pieces drop into the Opalhouse collection.  I’m wanting more outdoor dining pieces, like new patterned plates and some new peel and stick wallpaper options, too!  You’ll be seeing plenty more of the Opalhouse collection on the bee life this year.

Happy Shopping!

House Tour – Fall Front Porch

Are you loving fall this year as much as I am? Our front porch is lined with glorious pumpkins, gourds and mums, and is the perfect welcome to our friends and family as they come visit us over the course of the next few weeks.  What I love about this time of the year is when you decorate for fall vs. Halloween, the decor can carry through from October into November, right up until we’re ready to hang Christmas wreaths, plaid ribbon and more holiday magic!  Here is a little tour of our fall front porch…

We bought nearly 70-pounds of pumpkins when we were visiting family, whoops! We dragged all these beauties back to frame our entry and line the steps.  From there all I needed was a few more filler pumpkins, gourds and of course, the beautiful mums! Since our back patio is coming to a close, I moved the lanterns up to the front for added depth and help fill in the space.  I love how it all turned out and our house feels a bit more completed for a warm fall welcome.

 

 

 

6 Budget Friendly Ways to Upgrade Your Home

We were fortunate enough to find a home that didn’t require a lot of major renovations or immediate upgrades – for us a lot of it was taking out the 40-years of style, giving it a little bit of love with easy cosmetic updates.  And because of that we were able to make a huge impact with these budget friendly upgrades, without breaking the bank which allowed us to splurge on grown-up furniture and help cover those surprise homeowner expenses!

So I wanted to share the wealth! Here are a few tips and ways you can upgrade your home without spending a ton of money.

Paint. A gallon of paint can work WONDERS!  We literally painted our entire house, including the ceilings ,and just alone from a paint perspective the house looks like a completely different place.  Another pro tip is working from a similar color palette which can help save costs and create a cohesive flow throughout your home.  Painting with lighter colors or even the ceiling can help make a room look bigger and brighter with just 40-bucks and a little bit of elbow grease.

Light Fixtures & Ceiling Fans. This was a project we worked on updating throughout the house when we first moved it.  Updating old ceilings fans, to something a little more white and modern can help make the space look larger and blend more into the room vs. a bit eye soar.  One of my favorite updates was our dining room chandelier it always gets a ton of comments and looks almost original to the home.

Blinds & Curtains.  We had 1-inch blinds throughout the house when we first moved in and gradually updated all of the blinds to 2-inches.  They look that much more high-end and help with privacy and darkening the room.  Adding in some curtain shears overtop help to add dimension and also makes the room feel cozy and inviting.  You can also help make a statement with a fun patterned curtain in a room that might be more subtle and subdued – just be careful these can sneak up in price especially if you’re shopping for a new curtain rod.

Hardware.  Although this can add up quickly, it doesn’t compare to a whole new kitchen. Updating your hardware or plumbing fixtures can be easy and a more affordable way to make a statement in rooms that need a little extra love.  We updated our faucets in our kitchen and bathroom, and although we’re still waiting for the major reno for both these spaces – it helps!  Adding different knobs in our kitchen helped getting out the old and adding in some new.

Flooring.  Whether it’s ripping up some old dingy carpet to unveil beautiful hard wood floors or buying a nice statement rug for a room – these are other ways to pull the look and feel of your room together and add a more finished look. If you’re shopping right you can usually find a good deal or discount on a rug, too!

Pops of Color.  This can be accomplished with blankets, pillows, photos or a fun tabletop lamp.  Using pops of colors in accent pieces, decor or accent furniture can allow you to update a bit easier if you are ever in need to switch out seasonally or ready for an upgrade.  One of my favorite ways to do this is with H&M’s pillow covers.

It’s easy to want to go all out and make everything perfect when you first move into a new space/home – but it takes time and money!  Hopefully these tips can help you get your home into a better place as you continue to figure out and finish your space.

Questions? Comment below!

Mood Board – Sally’s Living Room Makeover

So it’s taken YEARS, but I’ve finally convinced my mom (Sally) to let me help her redecorate my childhood home living room! I was the kid rearranging photo frames, cleaning up, or suggesting we spray paint the mirrors for an upgrade – also the kid who redesigned her bedroom; from picking out new floors, to determining a statement wall, a painted closet with new shelving for more organization and a custom desk designed all with the manual labor help from of course, my parents.

Needless to say, I’ve been pestering my mom about this for a loonnnggg time. I know the hurdles I’m up against – the space/layout limitations, what my mom likes, doesn’t like, how she reasons things,  pricing and when some persuading is needed.  But I’m up for the challenge, plus it’ll be fun and I’m SO excited!  So I’ve started gathering ideas and inspiration with a shared Pinterest board with my mom to get us started!

First things first, everything I’ll be pulling together will fall into the look/feel my mom wants for this space, I asked her for three words to describe the ideal feel of the space and she said: Cozy, Warm and Inviting. I’m adding a fourth one to the mix: Functional, because it’s a smaller space, the pieces need to be purposeful with more than one use! Secondly, I’m looking at this space in five sections; (1) window coverings, (2) gallery wall, (3) storage (side tables, ottoman, TV stand, etc.), (4) furniture and (5) lighting. Looking at these sections will help check the list of the look and feel AND function during the planning stages.  I’ll also be considering what current pieces can be used or revamped for use in the space.

This project won’t be done overnight, especially coordinating and making sure mom is comfortable with everything. Sally also likes to take time with her decisions especially if it comes with a heftier price tag (i.e. furniture)! So stay tuned for more updates, progress, and planning along the way, it is going to be a fun project!

 

Image Sources: Gallery Wall Inspiration| Curtains & Seating Inspiration | Chair Inspiration | Function Inspiration

Bee’s Tips for Organizing

With the start of 2018 being pretty chilly, there hasn’t been much I’ve wanted to do besides hit the gym, dream of running outside and slowly work through parts of the house for a deep clean! From the pantry, to the freezer, to closets and the basement this year has started with a lot of organizing and purging and it is SO rewarding.  And as much as we are clean/organized people, and have places for everything – it’s amazing when you actually go through things how much crap we really hoard away!

So if you are like me and have been purging or have been thinking about it, but just don’t know where to start – here are a few tips and pointers to help.

Start Small. If you’re just jumping in, and not one for cleaning or organizing, start small like tackling your refrigerator or freezer.  Cleaning out condiments especially can really work wonders especially once you start checking dates.

Pro Tip: Plan this around garbage day!

Downsize. If you have containers or organizers that are too big, downsize. For example we had a nice paper organize on our desk in the office – I thought it would be perfect. Well I only ended up piling more papers in each of the slots, never looking at them again. So I downsized, I got a simple 3-section mail holder to replace – much more streamlined plus it makes me be more selective with what I put in it.

Buy Tubs/Containers. If you’re working on a bigger space – like a closet, and are organizing clothes, keep sakes, crafts, gift wrap, all of the things – make a list of containers you need and go make the commitment.

Pro Tip: Label containers on the tops and sides for easy reading 

Make Pile’s.  The best way to get started with any project is creating 3-piles: Keep, Donate, Trash. Establishing these piles, will help you when it comes time to finalizing everything – what you still need space for, what you can throw away immediately, and what you can pass along to those in need.

Getting organized can be a bear, but it’s staying organized that is the real trick – so the key is to set yourself for staying organized, while you get organized. Labeling, color coding, and even just shifting were you keep things can help make a closet a little cleaner or the pantry fuller.

Happy organizing!

 

Image Sources: Right Image | Left Image 

Latest Obsessions 02.18

It’s that time to share my latest obsessions this month!  And these obsessions are all around the house, the latest trends and styles that I’ve got my eye on to help make a statement.

Floral Curtains. Obsessed with adding any pop of floral I can throughout the house, and a great way to do this is with floral curtains, especially when styled right, absolutely stunning. I haven’t worked floral curtains into our home just yet (chairs and pillows, yes!) but they’re always in the back of my mind trying to see how they might fit when I’m working through room updates. I love the vintage like patterns and bold colors these can bring to a room – I’ve got my eyes on this pair from T.J. Maxx.

Kate Spade Kitchen. We received a handful of Kate Spade goodies for our kitchen from our wedding registry and they’re some of my favorite things, from glasses, to serving platters and bowls, mugs, a rose vase, champagne flutes, oven mitts, and canisters. Not to mention, “Eat Cake for Breakfast” is basically my mantra – it’s become a thing.

Chunky Knit Blankets. These make such a statement and can be that finishing touch to a bed or sofa, and I’m completely obsessed with them (and that bedroom above).  Although I am NOT obsessed with the price tag on these beauties, but that’s another story! Etsy has a lot of these in various colors and sizes, too and I love this one from Ethan Allen.  I’ll be shopping around a bit more for a decent price!

Statement Tile. I love that patterned, statement tiles are becoming more and more popular and accessible. This patterned tile is not only affordable but classic and available at Lowes!  I hope to one day have some stunning tile like this in my bathroom or kitchen.

What have you been obsessing over lately? Any latest trends that you are dying to bring into your house?

Image Sources: Top Left | Top Right | Bottom Left | Bottom Right

Latest Obsessions 01.18

It’s a new year, but I’m still obsessing and plan to share all my latest obsessions every month with all you beautiful people – and I want to hear what you’re obsessing about too!  This months obsessions range from simple home improvements and upgrades to trying new things and fighting the post-holiday blues!

Organizing. I love being organized in general, but I’ve been on a kick purging and organizing throughout the house. It’s been so great to clean out the pantry, fridge and freezer, we’ve even been tackling guest room closets and adding shelves, getting plastic bins, labeling and just throwing crap out – it’s been great.

H&M Pillow Covers. So before the holidays I stumbled upon pillow covers from H&M… can you say game changer? I excessively buy unneeded pillows, and have been wanting to find some ways to update our living room without buying all new. Moral of the story, the H&M pillow covers are affordable, come in a variety of styles and are perfect for a mini-room makeover without blowing a budget!

Home Chef. We received a gift to try out this home food delivery service for Christmas! We’ve had three meals so far, and the shear fact that we don’t have to worry about what’s for dinner and meals are portioned out perfectly has made for some easy, yet super flavorful meals this year. I’ll be sharing more about Home Chef in another post, soon!

The Crown. We finally started season 2, and it’s SO good. Obsessed with Princess Margaret, indifferent about the Queen (but love Claire Foy), don’t like Charles and love the mini history lessons! I’ll be sad for season 2 to end, and see Claire Foy and cast transform… but love the premise, fashion, style and drama of it all!

What keeps you busy during these colder months? Any other must-see Netflix and Chills we should be watching?

 

Image Sources: Top Left | Top Right | Bottom Left | Bottom Right