Happy Thursday! First off: I've had some friends and family say that they are having trouble commenting on the blog. I know that it's not impossible because some of you have been able to comment, so the only solution I've found so far is to enable your 3rd party cookies in your internet settings. Try that, test it out, and let me know if you still can't comment! Sorry for the trouble!
Today I want to chat a little about shopping. I'm a girl, I like shopping and talking about shopping, what can I say?! I've given you our big picture ideas for the house, but I want to get into the details today and talk about accessories. I feel like accessories totally make the look whether dressing yourself or dressing up your home. Young House Love, the blog that led me to create this one, is a wealth of accessory knowledge. Sherry, the better half of the husband-wife team, is obsessed with ceramic animals. Check out some from her collection:
While I'm totally there with her on the ceramic animal obsession, I can't say that I am THAT obsessed. I love the ceramic dog and horse head. I have two ceramic elephants and two ceramic birds that say "mark" and "diana" (they were supposed to be our cake toppers but got lost in the chaos), but that about does it for my collection! Either way, ceramic animals are a fun, ever-classic way to add a personal touch to your home.
Another thing I love are throws and blankets. My parents kept their house cold in the winter and I would ALWAYS need a blanket when downstairs watching TV while living with them. I love having them draped across chairs and couches in my house or tucked away in baskets, ready to grab when it gets chilly. I think the right blanket makes a home feel cozy and warm. Here are a few I like:
Another obsession Sherry and I share is our love of pillows. OMG pillows! I think all men despise pillows, as Mark has proved by his weekly pillow complaints: "why do we have all of these?" Sherry writes about cheap ways to freshen up a space, and there's no surprise that adding pillows is number five. Here is the post. I'm obsessed! Here are some fun pillows that I would love to add to my home:
Aside from pillows, throws, and ceramic animals, I like to decorate with candles, magazines, books, pictures, flowers(favorite!), and meaningful objects. For example, Mark and I bought some postcards in Kauai on our honeymoon and they are in hanging in our bathroom. I just love seeing them in there every morning and it's something I want to make into our own tradition. I also like bringing natural wood in when it isn't already prevalent in the architecture of the home. I think natural wood accents bring more warmth into the home. I have wood shelves, picture frames, and kitchen items that help me with that. Here are some examples of what I mean:
As I said, I feel accessories make the space. How boring would that space above be without pillows, throws, art, and objects? Snooze. I like to find knick knacks and HomeGoods and Target, but you can pick them up almost anywhere. Boutiques have unique items and there is always a treasure waiting at Goodwill or thrift stores, garage sales, and the like. Just keep your eyes open! My advice is to stay away from the trendy items but go for something that speaks to you and carries some sort of meaning, or is something that you just really love and can mix and match throughout your home for years to come.
I hope to get some photos of our current apartment before we start packing up to show you more of my style and show you how I make a house a home. Stay tuned for that!
If you have a place that you like to find accessories, share it with me!
Update: Can I just say how honored I feel with Sherry's response and the fact that she read my post?!!??!!! eeeek!!!! (ignore my lame sounding comment on their post!)
Update: Can I just say how honored I feel with Sherry's response and the fact that she read my post?!!??!!! eeeek!!!! (ignore my lame sounding comment on their post!)
Ikea can be a good place for accessories too! It's pretty random (their theme I guess) but so cheap you can customize whatever you buy with a little spray paint or something.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I love Sherry's magenta rooster! I'd love to incorporate something like that in my next place for a quirky pop of personality :)
Yes, Ikea is awesome! I just discovered last month that they also sell real plants! My little succulent was only like $1.50 or something crazy cheap! Love it!
Deletevery cute, especially the colorful pillows. My biggest decorating conundrum is that almost all of our big (read: expensive) items were given to us, so I didn't really "pick" a style or look. I have to decorate around those. So maybe changing out the hardware on that entertainment center would help a little? What to do with the piano? (I like having a piano, btw.) And I desperately need to redo that hutch/secretary thing. Come help me! --your sis
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised you like my funky pillows! Yes, you got lucky and inherited furniture...are you allowed to change any of it? You could always pick something you like (like the couch) and change other things. That giant hutch would look cool in an antique white...not sure if you have the freedom to do that though. It would look good stained darker too, but I don't think your house can get any darker! Just change things as you go, one thing at a time, and eventually it will be 'your style'!
Deletei couldn't help but notice that there isn't a snuggie in the blanket section!
ReplyDeleteI am slowly depleting the snuggie supply. Would you like one? It comes with a free cat!
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