It's All in the Details

I love walking into someone's home for the first time and seeing the décor. In my opinion the way someone decorates their house is a huge reflection of their personality and style...you can immediately walk into someone's house, take a look around, and think to yourself "this is so them." Some people like bright colors, others bold prints, some stay neutral throughout...the possibilities are endless! I'm personally a bold prints mixed with neutrals kind of gal. I have chevron curtains in our living room which are a big statement piece, but for bedrooms I like really soft and neutral colors. Our bedroom is currently beige with all white bedding and light blue accents throughout...so peaceful. I'm still trying to figure out how I am going to cope with all the bright colored walls and fish décor that comes with the typical Florida living that I will be experiencing next year...I foresee lots of neutral paint and whites in my future for a clean and chic coastal living look.

I really enjoy decorating even though I feel like it is always a work in progress. We've been living in our house for over a year now and I am still decorating  and rearranging things everyday even though I am basically finished...all that is left to do is get a new couch. As soon as we are able, I am marching my bootie down to Z Gallerie and purchasing a neutral sectional. The great thing about a neutral colored couch is that you can add some great pillows to add a pop of color and just change them out whenever you want to re-decorate or are just plain tired of the ones you have. I made this mistake of convincing my mom to buy me red couches for our college house. Granted I was 18 and it was cool back then, and honestly they are great couches, extremely comfortable, and in great shape, but at 25 I'm just over the red which is why they have been under slipcovers for the past 2 years. Slipcovers...ugh. I hate slipcovers. When I think of slipcovers I think of trashy old furniture in a boy's college house. vom. I've even tried looking into getting them recovered but for the amount of money its going to cost its not worth it. One time I even thought I had found furniture/fabric paint via Pinterest...but that turned out to be an epic fail as well. When the time comes hopefully I can find my trusty college couches a good home because they have certainly treated me well...if those couches could talk I'm not quite sure we would want to hear the college secrets they have to share...

I have my eye on the lovely Tate sectional. Swoon. One day hopefully sooner than later you will be in my living room.

My house is my little safe-haven from the world and I think that is why I love decorating it so much. My house is where I come home after a long day to unwind, it is where I lay my head down at night, and it is where I spend time with my little family so why shouldn't it be my version of perfect? it should. I love spending time pouring over design magazines, browsing Pinterest or Houzz, or watching HGTV. My house is a mix of old and new, expensive and inexpensive.  I have pieces from Horchow, Z Gallerie, Pottery Barn, and Wisteria as well as pieces from IKEA, Target, Tuesday Morning (believe it or not our head board is a gem from this place), and Home Goods. In the end I think it is all about how you put it together and tie in with the details that makes the overall look complete and polished. I'm all about the details. Coffee table books, trays, picture frames, candles, flowers, etc. I feel like a home without details just looks incomplete, but at the same time you have to be careful not to over do it and have your house end up looking knick-knacky. I've definitely been at the knick-knacky stage before and had to dial it back.

 

 So I am not a huge of built-ins but my house has two built-ins on either side of the fireplace that needed some lovin' so that is when I perfected the art of built-in/bookcase/shelving styling. It actually took me shockingly long to style these the way I wanted but I finally got it done and I'm pretty happy with it! My absolute favorite part of it all though was getting to display one of my most treasured possessions compliments of our Thai honeymoon.

 

I got this portrait of three young Buddhist monks at a market in Bangkok doing the beloved speak no evil, see no evil, hear no evil poses. I carried it with me on every flight on the way back home to make sure it didn't get bent just because I am that obsessed with it. That is one of the beauties of the details in decorating your home...you can use little treasures you've collected throughout your travels or that are special in some way, and I love the idea of displaying something that has a story to it...it could be a conversation piece!

I also love love love the chevron curtains I had made! Window treatments make a world of difference in my opinion and my house was screaming for some! I picked out the fabric, decided to buy some cheap white sheets at Target to use as the lining since it is less expensive than buying white fabric at the store to use as a liner, and then after tirelessly searching for a seamstress that would make them for a reasonable price in Dallas I caved and just mailed all the stuff home to McAllen and had our life-long Mexican seamstress do them...hello cheap labor! I kind of felt like I was ripping her off since I knew how much the ladies in Dallas wanted to charge me but I just couldn't bring myself to pay so much for a home project. I wish I knew how to sew...that is one womanly skill that I did not acquire from my grandmother. The only thing I know how to do is sew on a button, and one time in High School I miraculously sewed a pair of pajama shorts for a class, but besides that my sewing skills are non-existent.

This little gem is also a product of one of my travels, and I love being able to pour sugar into my coffee from it every day. I bought this sugar bowl at the store next door to The Ivy, which sells the pottery they use at the restaurant. It reminds me of our annual LA girls trip and our obsession with eating at The Ivy every time we are in town. It just brings good memories of carefree, lovely California days with my family.

 

 

 

Coffee table books are just fab. They make great décor pieces, guests love to pick them up and browse through them, and they make wonderful gifts! Coffee table books aren't necessarily something you buy yourself everyday which is why I think they are such great gifts...everyone loves them but they are not necessarily on the top of our must buy lists so gifting them is perfect! I've acquired a couple of mine as gifts, others I've purchased myself on Gilt or Amazon at a discounted price! Can't get enough of them. I also love the use of trays to get clutter out of the way! I got the one on our coffee table from the Neiman Marcus for Target line and I am so glad I purchased it. It keeps all the ugly controls out of the way, stores the coasters, and is so easy to just pick up and move to clean the table or if we are eating at the table (which we do a lot!).

I was so honored when the Valley Social Events Magazine decided to have us on the cover and do a spread on our wedding! I just had to frame it and display it because it is such a neat little keepsake from such a special time in our lives! The succulent in a jar is the finishing touch to this little table in our guest room/my office. This succulent arrangement has shockingly survived...I already killed one in our kitchen which I thought was impossible to do since they are so sturdy, but apparently not for me. Maybe one day I'll be able to keep a plant alive...

This is by far my most favorite "detail" in our home. This Tiffany's vase was a very special wedding gift from one of my most treasured friends, and so I decided to fill it with something that I treasure just like our friendship and that is the crystal flowers I wore in my hair the day of our wedding. I love walking by this everyday and I love how the old phone nook in our old house is the perfect little home for such a special detail. P.S. sorry for all the pic designs but I'm currently obsessed with using A Beautiful Mess app.

I loved the idea of a cute bar display from all the blogs I follow so I decided to create one of my own and it honestly makes our bar area look so much more inviting. Cocktails anyone?

This little guy is hanging up over the bar area...I decided that if it fit anywhere in our house it was over the bar. It makes me a little sad that Lucas killed him, but he is pretty on trend with home décor so I guess I can get past the fact that Lucas shot Bambi and just relish in the fact that I didn't have to spend $ on a faux one at Z Gallerie and again it has a story to it!

This piece was an attempt to distract the eye from that hideous cable cord and fill up the mantel with something besides a tv and xbox. mission accomplished...I think?

Thank you Home Goods for my little horsey book end. I actually wanted a horse table lamp, but Lucas put a stop to that one really quick...sometimes I forget I can't make things too feminine. So this book end was the next best thing! I love Home Goods...they have the best finds and especially lamps! If you're in the market for a great lamp this is your place!

 

This table is actually Lucas' college table from IKEA! I just added a bench and some new chairs from Pottery Barn, a table runner from Williams-Sonoma, and Mackenzie-Childs centerpiece and voila! By dressing up the table you can't even tell its from IKEA...the details make all the difference!

And last but not least one of my favorite yet ridiculous details in my house are Miss Lilly's Mackenzie-Childs bowls and place mat. This little diva got these as a wedding gift (yes I registered for these don't judge me). She has a set in the kitchen as well as a large matching water bowl and mat in our bedroom just in case she gets thirsty at night she can climb down her little steps from our bed and take a sip. I know. Most spoiled dog ever but I can't help it.

 

There you go...my humble, no decorating background take on home decorating! Doesn't matter where you buy your things since you can mix high end and low end pieces and make them look fab! It's all about how you arrange them together and it is all about the details! Happy decorating!

Xoxo