Creative Office

Most of us don't have a room dedicated solely to a home office. Or at least I should say "We Don't Anymore". You know--as the the little ones come along rooms and space get turned into "other" spaces. In spite of our limitations, we still want our homes to be attractive, personal and inspiring. So, if we are short on space and want to keep our expenses low, how do we manage to have a well-organized office and still have our homes look great? In doing some photo research, I came across a few photos of some clever home office organization ideas I thought I’d pass along for inspiration.

Desks can be expensive, but you can make your own to suit your needs. My own personal desk is actually two file cabinets with a desktop for a surface.

Like this one below 

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(Picture from Potterybarn-Desk from Potterybarn)

I find that works well for me, and is definitely something you could make on a budget. Even old ugly file cabinets can be spray painted to give them a fresh look. Another suggestion is to buy or find table legs to attach to an old door. Or, use an old table fixed up with a new paint color. Instantly personalized desks!

 Like this one

(Better Homes and Garden)

Similarly, you can take several old file cabinets and give them new life with paint and new knobs. Instant credenza! Or, find an old dresser and give it a fun new paint job. Dressers are perfect for extra storage just about anywhere, including your home office! Frame a white board with wood to create your own custom message area.

With a little color coordination and creative storage containers, you can store office supplies right out in the open in just about any room of the house. You can cover storage boxes or even shoe boxes with paper to coordinate to your decor. Baskets also work well to corral papers and supplies.

Or, use tables with skirts or curtains that coordinate with your decor to help hide some of the clutter. Find wasted places under counters, shelves, or tables to claim some space for storage. Perfect “creative concealments!”

In small quarters, you can utilize any corner to hide some supplies! A skirted table in a dining room can hide file cabinets or shelving, and a coffee table can be topped with cushions to create both a charming seat and a place to stash supplies. You can also organize a closet to contain your home office needs.

Finally, I wanted to share an adorable space I found. This was the ladies personal and functional office in a little nook next to a laundry room. She infused the space with her own personality, including a pretty accent wall in spring green and storage boxes and baskets that complete her look. She packed a lot of punch and usefulness in what could’ve ended up as wasted corner.Very cute!

photos: Pottery Barn

Better Homes & Gardens

Visit here for more of my post on decor. Visit here for more of my post on organization.

Pretty In Pink

Since I have not had to opportunity to create a little girls nursery for myself (due to not having a girl) I decided I would turn to a lady designer in the San Fransisco Peninsula-based area named Melodie Rubin, owner of House of Ruby. 

This is a whimsical, chic and opulent design. It is such a darling nursery that I couldn't pass up from sharing it with you. 

The beautiful yellow, pink and white color palette is not typical, but yet still feminine and shouts, "It's a girl!" The sunshine yellow wallpaper by Nina Campbell is a nice backdrop to the nursery's focal point and inspiration, a white Sutton Canopy Crib . The crib with a four poster bed look converts to a toddler bed and is dressed in crib bedding custom made from Serena and Lily Ruby Sunshine Mosaic Fabric.

An antique, hand painted side table handed down from a proud grandmother was placed next to the custom glider - arm chair by Patricia Edwards {available through the trade or Posh Tots}. A throw pillow by Trina Turk pulls the color scheme together nicely and mixes in a modern touch.
The rug diamond pattern area rug is made from 100% New Zealand Wool Berber and is by Masland Carpet Mills.

The exquisite round tufted ottoman is worth a closer look. Like the chair, it is covered in solid bubblegum pink and contrasting pastel pink dot fabrics both by Designers Guild {available through the trade at Osborne & Little}. The cord and trim add a touch of whimsy and are both from Fabricut.

I love this nursery design by House of Ruby because it has range and can easily evolve into a toddler and little girl's room. What do you love about this sweet nursery room?

If that doesn't tickle your fancy then check this next room out.

 This nursery was designed to fit the character of a 1926 home. The muted pink wall color is an ideal backdrop paired with touches of black toile.To keep with the classic style, the walls were painted pink and white furniture with traditional charm was chosen. A chandelier ties this French-Traditional theme together. The tree-branch wall graphic (by the left wall window) was found on etsy.com and the birdhouse (in the top left corner of the room) was bought at a flea market and painted to add a whimsical element over the crib. A sheepskin rug softens the hardwood floor but leaves plenty of it uncovered for a classic yet sweet space. 

These are both different styles of room but are both charming and fit for a "girl." Hopefully these two choices will give you an idea or inspire you if you are planning to decorate a little girl's nursery.

Oh Boy!

You are probably wondering when I am going to be done with this room by room interior design idea, right? Well my plan is to go room by room and show you ideas (whether they are over the top=expensive- or just simple=affordable.) Hopefully you can take something from each of these post and I won't bore you with it in the process.

Now onto today's post....

Do you remember the movie Father Of The Bride II? 

It is a classic in my book. My husband and I sat down one night and started flipping through the channels and we landed on this movie. We had seen it a hundred times before but it is one of those movies you can watch over and over again and laugh at every time. When it came to the nursery scene I just loved it. I thought the room was great for either a boy or girl and the light yellow/neutral tones were calming.

If you haven't guessed yet-- the room today is a babies nursery. But not just any baby room, I am specifically talking about boy rooms.

This post is for moms-to-be who haven't settled on a design for there baby-to-be.

The design of the beautiful modern nursery above was inspired by the Alphabet crib bedding by Dwell and created by the homeowners. The walls were painted in soft shades of blue - Cumberland Fog, Little Dipper and Silver Strand. My favorite element in the room is the wall mural. It was created on the computer, projected on the wall and then hand painted. The white & espresso crib and dresser are by Babi Italia Scandi style. The chocolate brown rocker and ottoman are by Wendy Bellissimo. 

 

Do you recognize these names?Trista and Ryan Sutter - yep, the couple from the Bachelorette reality TV show . They  worked with Green Nest to help them create an eco-friendly nursery for their baby boy. They selected no VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, carpet, furniture and bedding. The large vertical striped wall with baby blue horizontal accent is really striking.

This darling beach inspired nursery for twin boys (if you can see the beds next to each other on the left hand side) was designed by Little Crown Interiors out of Southern California. Custom Serena & Lily bedding was created for the two white cribs. The chocolate brown double-width rocking chair by Little Castle Furniture is perfect for a mom with multiples! It also coordinates nicely with the custom drapes and changing table by Newport Cottages.This collection of colorful sand shovels and starfish pillow is perfectly beachy, but not over the top.

 I love to pull inspiration from Pottery Barn Kids, and usually I choose bolder or brighter colors for my boys rooms but this sheep nursery was just too sweet to pass up. It's a wonderful neutral color scheme that would work for either gender. I particularly like the PBK Larkin Fixed Gate Sleigh Crib that was inspired by the beautifully carved beds of French royalty. The whimsical Camilla Goldleaf Chandelier adds another natural element and warm light to the room. The appliqued Sweet Lambie Nursery Bedding is not only cute, it's made of organic cotton. Love that.

Hopefully these ideas will inspire you if you are in the process of decorating a baby boy's room. Stay tuned for next weeks inspiration room: baby girls....

Previous design inspired rooms: So Serene, Sitting Cozy, Decorating Bathrooms, Functional Kitchen

Functional Kitchen

 When you think of a Kitchen, well when I think of a kitchen... I think of a space/room I am practically in all day. Cooking 3 meals a day plus snacks for 4 people plus sometimes visitors isn't always easy. Don't get me wrong, I love cooking and I love having people over but sometimes I run out of ideas. Yes, Even I run out of ideas. I could write an entire cook book but when it comes to doing something for my family I can't decide on what I want to cook.Which then I turn to my husband and ask, "What would you like for dinner this week?" But I bet you can all guess what he says.... the infamous words from husbands about food, "Whatever you want." And then you are back at square one.
That got me thinking, If I had an in home chef and they asked what I wanted for dinner, you better believe I would be giving them all kinds of things to cook. I would want something new everyday for lunch and dinner. So why is it that I can't make up my mind for my small family of 4?
Well honestly most of the time I can, it is just those few days here and there that I can't decide.... I think we all have those. Where we wished someone would come in and cook and clean up and leave us to enjoy a quiet dinner.
Maybe that's what it's like after the kids leave home...huh....but I don't think it is reality for most of us!
But back to what I was saying about kitchens--When you spend so much time in a room you want it to be functional. You want to be able to find everything and have a spot for it all, right?

Guess where everyone always ends up? You got it---in the kitchen.

Work on taking the space you have and making it workable. Clean the clutter, organize your pantry and just give your kitchen a new and improved look for FREE.

Because I have different taste and designs for rooms it differs from day to day with what my favorite choice would be for a kitchen. I tried to find a picture to give you an idea of what my "ideal" kitchen would be but I couldn't find it. I think that's because it's in my head and I haven't seen it anywhere.

So if you get a chance this week write and tell me what room in your house is your favorite and which room you spend the most time in...I can't wait to hear.

Decorating Bathrooms

 If you haven't guessed yet, bathrooms is the topic today....

This bathroom below doesn't scream kid friendly or realistic for me or anyone I know. Even though you might love to have one of these on a vacation or occasionally dip into the tub for a nice long bath it just isn't going to be seen in most homes. It also appears somewhat sterile but yet serene. I mean honestly who would sit in a tub anywhere in Jacksonville with windows that big looking out to the entire world? But as you can tell there are mountains in this picture. So maybe that's why this bathroom worked for the owners.

Thornton Executive Bathrooms

 Bathrooms can be somewhat expensive to fix up and the last thing on the to-do list for most homeowners.  But why wait so long to fix up a room that you go to every-time you get ready? Bathrooms can be sproused up without spending alot of money. All you have to do is any or all of the following options: paint cabinets, change the fixtures, add a decorative curtain, or add a splash of color. If you really want to make a big change fairly easy then take out the old cabinets and add a classic double sink console.If your bathroom is small add a single console. It will make a big difference.

Pottery Barn

Now this picture looks a little more realistic. Do you agree?

You could also find consoles at garage sales, or stores around town and have a hole cut out of the top for your sink. Which means you would get to pick the sink out. Note: you would also want to check the back of the furniture and make sure you can cut an area out, allowing room for pipes, but a handy man 

(aka-husband) could easily do that.  

Southern Living Picture

Yes, this bathroom is yellow but adding a splash of color makes small bathrooms look bigger. It also shabby chic. 

Cruisckshank Remodeling Company

This is the normal layout of most bathrooms these days. These owners took a standard bathroom and kicked it up a notch by creating a natural and calming bathroom. They added a dark custom framed mirror, cabinets that look like a piece of furniture, and a pinch of color on the bathroom wall.

Remember bathrooms can be a source of decorative inspiration, making them the place that people prepare themselves in the morning and rejuvenate at night. So the next time you walk into your unfinished bathroom think about the simple inexpensive things you can do to create a space that you will enjoy. Something that will give you more storage and be functional for you and your family. And of course you can always e-mail me and I would be more then happy to help you out! I love to decorate!

Easy Fixes

Do you ever wonder how you can get your entryway or back door organized? 

Well today I am going to share with you some easy fixes.

Shutter Organizer

Wooden shutters can be just as functional and good-looking indoors as out. Refinished a set of shutters and hang them on the wall over a table or over bench storage.

Do you notice that cute little mail organizer above? You can easily make one of these.

Here's How:

 Paint or stain a pre-cut plaque, available at crafts stores. Paint hooks to desired color. Secure the hooks side-by-side with 1/2-inch wood screws. Repeat to form additional rows to separate your mail.

This is the end result

Mudroom Organizer

Now these are just pictures for you to get ideas from. Don't feel that your space has to look like this but just use some of the things you see to add a new touch to your space.

If things that are constantly underfoot in your home, give everybody a separate space. Assign a sturdy metal storage bin to each member of the household. Slide the bins underneath a bench in the front hall, or line them up in a mudroom. Use magnets or a photo to mark who each one belongs too. You can also do this in a closet if you like to hide odds and ends.

This is another choice for storage. Put your storage low and add a bench or sitting area for small spaces.

 Pin Boards

 Keeping clutter at bay starts the moment you walk through the door. Use square fabric covered pin boards, secured with staples on the back, to pin activity dates, a menu, grocery list, mail, etc.

Sitting Cozy

 Last week I posted a room called So Serene and this week I am doing a continuation but I am going to show you a cozy spot today.

As I was thinking about the next room my mind starting thinking about cozy and comfortable places. I was really wanting to share the kitchen with you but that doesn't scream cozy or comfortable so I will have to save that room for Functional Kitchens.

This was taken from HGTV's Green Home 2008.

It is a perfect room to describe cozy, comfortable, and relaxing. It makes you want to grab a book (if you have time to read) or magazine and sit and relax.

 

 

This is actually a sitting area but you could take this idea and use it in your living room.

The easiest way to add change to a room without spending alot of money is to buy some accent pillows (or make them) and paint. That is it--plain and simple. Although if your budget allows it never hurts to add some little decorative items here and there.

So Serene

Isn't this room a doll. I really like this look for a guest bedroom although it is really a master bedroom. I have been thinking about some different designs lately and want to share with you some room ideas. They will all be different because I have different kinds of taste for decorating, meaning, if I had a bunch of rooms to decorate I would do them all differently. Some would be chic, sophisticated, romantic, warm and fuzzy, modern, etc. You get the idea.

 

I think this master bedroom or guest room exudes a calming and serene quality.

The light turquoise walls, shiny blue bedside Parson’s tables and patterned pillow gives the room a layered look. Color doesn't have to be loud to make a statement. If you want to add color to a room then don't be scared. Add in your color with your fabrics, wall paint, and accessories.

You don't have to spend tons of $$ to get this look but you do want to enjoy the rooms that you live in.

This room has a simple fabric covered headboard that you could easily make yourself. Some bedside tables that you could find at a garage sale, wood shop, etc and paint. And the list goes on.
If you want specific ideas comment, e-mail me or join my community where I can chat with you about it.