January usually means a refresh in some ways for everyone. Sometimes that means just changing up your home, cleaning up all the holiday decor, and maybe even switching up the style a bit. It’s a good time to do it because a lot of home decor companies run a sale in January. Traditionally, linens go on sale in January in a ‘white sale’ because people have white linens and I think it’s because everyone wants new linens, towels, and textiles in the new year. But use it as an opportunity to refresh your space! Especially when there are some pretty good deals!
We bought our home a little over a year ago and I would say that we spent the most money and time into renovating the kitchen. It was really small and dark in its original form, but we’ve always wanted some open, bright, and is the center of our home. My husband and I love to cook and entertain, so we wanted a large island to offer a large space to work on and people can gather around.
The process included completely removing the entire original kitchen, designing a completely new layout, reconfiguring the gas lines so that we can put our stove on the island, and putting in a free standing range hood. We had a lot of fun choosing out cabinets, hardware, countertops, appliances, etc. But it did take a ton of thought and decision-making (which I often have a tough time with). Luckily, I knew I always wanted clean white quartz countertops, natural tones wood cabinets, and a minimal style. My husband was in charge of choosing the appliances, since he’s much better with that stuff.
We are fortunate enough to have my father in law and George’s uncle help us. They are both contractors and we couldn’t have done this without them. There were some disagreements on what layout worked best, cost, etc (but what did we expect when working with family), but I just had to go with my gut and stand my ground on what I envisioned.
After all of the work and stress, it turned out much more than I could have ever hoped for. It still gets compliments and our friends and family were so shocked at the transformation. We’ve spent countless evenings making dinner together, hosting parties, and various projects just around the kitchen in the last year. And I’m looking forward to many more.
I’ll be whipping out some Christmas Gift guides in the next few days to help you out with gift ideas! I know it’s always a struggle to choose the right gift and so many categories to work with so each guide will have a specific theme.
This first guide is for home gifts. So if you know someone loves either decorating their house or apartment, is a homebody, or just needs a couple of things for their place, here are several items I would recommend. I would also love to receive any of these things…WINK WINK! 🙂
I blame it on Mad Men for the huge explosion of love for Mid Century Modern decor and furniture. The sleek and clean lines with a tinge of cool, retro accents make this style a really sought for look. I myself love certain aspects of it and I can understand the fad. I really have no idea how to define ‘Mid Century Modern’ but when searching for the definition, this was what I was able to find:
It broadly describes architecture, furniture, and graphic design from the middle of the 20th century(roughly 1933 to 1965, though some would argue the period is specifically limited to 1947 to 1957). The timeframe is a modifier for the larger modernist movement, which has roots in the Industrial Revolution at the end of the 19th century and also in the post-World War I period.
Either way, here are a few inspirational pictures below and some of my picks for pieces to add this style to your home!
Sometimes when you have a very minimal room with neutral colors, a great way to add something fun and funky is by adding really cool accent chairs or seats! The easy thing is that they can quickly be switched out depending on what look you’re going for. From cool prints to bold colors or unique shapes, you have tons of options to choose from. All you have to be sure about is that they’re comfy and sturdy enough to sit on! Can’t have a chair that you can’t even sit on!
Photo Credit: Apartment Therapy and Larnie Nicholson of Homestyle Magazine
Photo Credit: Loom and Field
Photo Credit: Pom Pom at Home
Just like any other girl, I love pillows. The more pillows, the better! I still sleep in a twin size bed and I have FIVE pillows. Not sure how I managed to fit that many on my tiny bed, but I assure you, it’s absolutely necessary! At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.
I love adding decorative touches to my bed, couch, and seats, so what better way than to add fun and funky pillows? Yes, I tend to stick to a more neutral color palette when it comes to my decor and fashion choices, but I also love a pop of color here and there once in a while. And pillows are generally where I feel more comfortable playing with that. Sure, I still live with my parents but I add my touches here and there around the house and of course, my room.
First, if you have a neutral couch or bed, adding a brightly colored or patterned pillow is a great way to give it a little extra oomph! I love geometric prints right now because of their bold print and colors which would be a great statement piece. Now if you’re like me and get intimated with bright colors, try adding a neutral pillow with fun textures like tassels or fringes. Or maybe even a furry pillow! There are endless options and so easily interchangeable!
Check out some great decorative pillows below that I know you’ll want for your house!
This Home Finds post will be centered around patterned rugs. Nothing brightens up a room like a fun rug! I love the idea of neutral furniture and accent pieces with funky patterned colorful rug! It is easily interchangeable so you have plenty of freedom to switch it out on a regular basis depending on what color scheme or mood you’re in! I’ve been loving fun Aztec prints with pink tones in it! What’s yours?!
I’m not generally a very girly girl or anything, even though pink was my favorite color growing up and the Pink Ranger was my absolutely favorite Power Ranger. I tend to steer towards neutrals like greys and whites, but I do appreciate a pop of pink here and there when it comes to home decor. But not just any pink though, I like a more subtle and soft pink. I feel like it’s the perfect pop of color in your home without being too over the top. Instead diving right in and painting an entire wall pink, you could always just start with a pink chair or throw! Baby steps, you know?
See below for a few things I think would be perfect for your house if you want to embrace your feminine side and play with this pretty color!
