You Might be Wondering where I've been...

No I haven't quit the blog... but I have been on a break... it's not you... it's me...

No really.

This happened...

WOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO!!  We're engaged!!!!

It's been SO exciting, and SOOO fun, and we literally could not be happier.  Kris has already taken to calling me wifey which makes me laugh every time, and I've been trying to remember to introduce him to people as my FIANCE (so fancy) -  not my "boyfriend".

A gratuitous ring shot for you guys...

While the excitement around being newly engaged is reason in itself for me to be taking a little break from the blog world... this is also happening...

No... not a baby - despite what the box says - our apartment has become a little storage facility, filling up slowly with boxes on top of boxes.

We're moving.

Soon

I'm a stressed out little bunny.

With every box that gets packed, I look around and feel like I've hardly made a dent.  I mean, seriously??  How did we get SO MUCH stuff?!

To add to the excitement of the engagement, and the craziness surrounding our impending move, I also had to head to this hideous place for work last week...

The weather was terrible too.  85 and sunny - how can people in LA live like that?!

No but really, it was pretty incredible, I'm not going to lie - this was the view from my hotel room. You have permission to be jealous for a minute.

So to recap my travel schedule for you this month, it's SF >> LA >> SF >> NY >> SF.  Yep, next week I'll be here....

Freezing my patootie off most likely, but for New York I'll make an exception...

So in between celebrating, packing, traveling, and of course coming to grips with the fact that in less than a month, my best friend moves to Chicago, I've been trying to do as much actual living (and not blogging) as possible, with as many afternoons as possible spent like this...

I'll be back after the move - I promise.

But until then, one more shameless hand-selfie that I can't seem to stop snapping.  It's bad.

I'll be back soon my dears... with more projects and more inspiration soon.

xoxo

Splurge or Save: Glass Coffee Tables

It's time for another installment of one of my favorite games... splurge or save. This week, we're talking coffee tables.  What is it about this week??  The theme here seems to be "living room inspiration"... I just can't get enough!  Well I'm going with it, to let's talk about glass topped coffee tables, shall we?

I love a good glass top coffee table - super elegant, and simultaneously modern and traditional.  Clean lines, but a bit feminine at the same time...

Can you guess which is the splurge and which is the save??

I think these are perfect if you have an amazing rug you don't want to hide, or a smaller space that you want to visually open up... since you can see straight through them, they sort of fade away and let other elements in your living space shine...

They are also really easy to clean which is a bonus (Windex and a paper towel), but not ideal for a house of kids (cracked head anyone?) or for a pack rat.  You've got to be able to keep it clean and orderly for it to work in your space so if you're looking to store 3 years of Pottery Barn catalogs on the lower shelf, go for something with concealed storage.

Are you ready for the reveal?

Admittedly, if you are looking to really save, a glass topped coffee table isn't going to be the least expensive option out there, but cut glass never is... if you're willing to put a little elbow grease into a DIY project though, there is an amazing tutorial by Kristen of The Hunted Interior.

She recreated a VERY similar coffee table, using gold leaf, and an Ikea coffee table. Who doesn't love a good Ikea hack too?!

Gorgeous, right??

Happy Wednesday my friends!
xo

Animal Print Rugs

Sooo... yesterday we talked about the look of worn rugs acting as a neutral background for a slightly more traditional living space...

While we're on the topic of rugs, let's talk about animal print... kind of the opposite of "traditional"

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I'm a fan.

My favorite pair of flats are leopard print, and I wear them like a neutral - literally with everything.  Could I do a leopard print rug??

Or antelope??

Contemporary Staircase by Houston Interior Designers & Decorators Sally Wheat Interiors

Or cheetah??

Contemporary Entry by Ballwin General Contractors Terra Nova Construction

Modern Living Room by Burlington Interior Designers & Decorators Cynthia Taylor-Luce

Eclectic Hall by Burlington Interior Designers & Decorators Cynthia Taylor-Luce

I mean if it's good enough for the editor of Real Simple...

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And it's good enough for Erin Gates...

It's amazing, right??

Well, I came across this bad boy... and it really got the wheels turning...

Could I do leopard print in a big dose like this??? I mean, I am pretty sure that this is the same rug as was used here...

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Dark teal walls, simple clean lines, and light furniture... it's only $341 right now for the 6'x9'....

It could happen... what do you think???

Grey and White... and a worn rug

Ok people - the tree is down, the holidays are over, and I'm back from my short hiatus - ready for some fresh design inspiration for 2014.  

Let's start with this living space...

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I love, loovveee, LOOOVVEEEE this space. Everything about it is perfection.  The wall color, the mirrors, the white tufted sofa, the rug... oh that rug.

Traditional but worn.  Quiet, neutral colors so it tones in with the wood floors and wall color.  It's a soft background of pattern, and isn't the focal point of the room.

It totally reminds me of the rug that Jenny from Little Green Notebook got for her Brooklyn flat living room.

Right??

Amanda Carol also used this same rug in her dining room... I'm just totally obsessed with it...

This rug ended up being discontinued, but I found it's evil twin online, and want to pull the trigger on it SO BADLY.

The bad news?  Kris isn't sold.  He thinks it looks old, worn, and is not a fan in general, but I'm determined to change his mind...

I mean look how pretty it is?!

And it looks SO GOOD in so many different kinds of spaces...

This contemporary, lightly industrial dining room...

This rustic living space with the pretty wood beams...

Rustic Living Room by Scottsdale Architects & Designers Don Ziebell

This amazing master bath with that claw foot tub I'd scratch someone's eyes out for...

Rustic Bathroom by Charleston Media & Bloggers Charleston Home + Design Mag

This uber traditional - but sleek - monochromatic bedroom...

Transitional Bedroom by Greenville Interior Designers & Decorators Linda McDougald Design | Postcard from Paris Home

This inviting dining room / breakfast nook...

Farmhouse Dining Room by Denver Architects & Designers Chalet

Again... it looks so great with raw, light wood, and an open weave linen...

Farmhouse Kitchen by Denver Architects & Designers Chalet

Over the last several years, I've started to hone my style, and while I've really embraced some more modern textures and lines in furniture, I still like a bit of tradition in my space.

To keep this rug from looking old, I think the key is to be sure that the overall feel is polished, use lots of white, a dose of bold color, and some modern elements (like stripes, abstract art).

I see this rug playing a neutral role in the background of our living room... working well with rustic wood pieces (possibly a worn wood coffee table), a big overstuffed white sofa, a brass floor lamp, black and white pieces here and there (art, pillows, throws) and some color like a vibrant green in a luxe fabric like velvet to cozy things up.

Something like this...

What do you think?

Do you think this rug is too worn looking, or perfectly shabby chic?

Hello 2014

We're 3 days into the year, and so far so good!  I'm a little late to put pen to paper and actually write down my resolutions for the year, but better late than never...

I saw this resolution list on Pinterest and thought it was an amazing place to start... some simple, easy, attainable goals (drink more water, which I desperately need) and some aspirational but still easy resolutions (hug the ones I love, find the best in others).

It got me thinking about what I want 2014 to be...

This year, I want to simplify.

Refocus.

Be less stressed.

Enjoy the little moments.

Be happy.

Do something active. Every day...

...and not beat myself up when I miss a day.

Focus on making time for the people I love.  Quality time.  Reaching out.  Being proactive about making the people closest to me know how important they are to me.

I want to get a dog.  I will get a dog.

I want to focus on trying new things...

Try one new restaurant a month. Plan small weekend trips with friends and my honey.

Be Grateful. Every day.

It's going to be a good year... I just know it.
xo