Redoing My Parents' Master Bedroom

My parents master bedroom has always been the dumping ground. When I was young, every time we cleaned for a gathering or party at our house, a large majority of the excess stuff we had lying around was tossed into a corner of my parents room. The Good Will pile of things to be donated sat in the long hallway to their bedroom, spilling over out of its box and onto the floor, tripping passersby. Long story short. It was, and is, a mess, and they deserve better. I am home for a while this summer and have begun planning a big redesign of their room.

It started when I saw this pillow at Cost Plus World Market:

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I instantly loved the colors, the pattern, and the over all look. I took a picture and texted it to my mom. She liked it too! The pillow works well with the Spanish style feel of her house and the colors and pattern are young and fun, also like her! She's also always had a soft spot for the color orange. Which probably explains why her house is the color of a halloween pumpkin. But in a good way! :) 

I used the pillow as a jumping off point for designing the room and embraced it's color scheme of burnt red-orange, dark teal, pale creamy-yellow, and natural California-early-summer-grass-green. These will be mixed with a large number of textured neutrals

The room will have a Spanish feel, like my parent's house and Mission style bed, but also an industrial feel that alludes to my father's race car driver past and never dying love of cars. 

I threw some ideas around and eventually came up with this board. Please excuse the unprofessionalness of it. I had little time before I needed to show her the idea. 

That should give you a rough idea of what I have planned. I know its messy. A bunch of those photos are straight off my phone and not great quality. Anyways, here's the plan of things I need to do:

• New layout with foot of bed pointing towards door
• Reusing their current cherry bed and Dad's oak dresser
• Bringing two dressers from their dining room, one for Dad's bedside table, the other for Mom's clothes
• Turing Mom's bedside table dresser at an angle, to use the space of the corner 
• Hanging a mirror with rope from the ceiling above Mom's bedside table dresser so it can be used as a vanity
• Finding a large mirror or basket to use as a focal point above the bed
• Buying two medium size chairs (one feminine, the other masculine) for a seating area at the end of the bed
• Sewing an ottoman poof for additional can-be-tucked-away seating
• Finding a table big enough for a laptop, book, and glass of water, but small enough to fit between the two chairs at the end of the bed
• Redoing the dresser inherited from my Great Aunt Alma to be used as a bedside table 
• Hanging neutral colored curtains from the ceiling at the four corners of the bed to simulate a canopy
• Creating a large gallery wall with mostly white frames, but with added color popping frames mixed in
• Using an old rake to hang Mom's necklaces
• Finding a large car inspired picture to hang over Dad's bedside table. Perhaps I could repaint this but in the colors of the room?

And here is what I'm lucky enough to avoid:

• Painting the room-- it's already the soft pale yellow
• Purchasing dressers-- my parents have one unused one in their bonus room, and the other two from the dining room will be replaced with the large dark wood stained armoir that currently resides in my parent's bedroom, but clashes with the light wood
• Buying a poof-- they seem ridiculously over priced! Plus my mother is an excellent seamstress, so I'm putting her on the job. 
• Purchasing art-- my old bedroom is full of frames and pictures/paintings that need a home, anything else I want/need I will attempt to duplicate myself (I am minoring in Studio Art, time to put those skills to work!)
• Finding curtains-- my mom is incredibly attached to the cute ikea ones she already owns
• Buying bedding-- although I will definitely purchase some orange sheets, a bunch of pillows, and possibly a throw blanket or two, the actual comforters and main blankets are already owned. My mom sewed a pretty denim duvet for her comforter a few years ago. They'll use this in the winter. They also own a lovely white blanket that they use in fall. As these both go with the color scheme, why waste money buying new ones?
• Buying a rug-- my mother inherited one from my Great Aunt Alma that contains lots of dark teal and burnt orange. We're keeping it!

If you would like to see more of my inspiration pictures and ideas, check out my Pinterest Board. Don't be shocked by some of the paintings though, my mother is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and I had to throw in a few that reference that! heehee 

I'll be posting more updates as things progress. The project cannot truly start however, until work on their master bathroom renovation begins finishes up!

Finding Your Niche

Alcoves. Niches. The use of these little spaces can make or break a design. You can either pretend they don't exist and have continuous walls with wasted space behind them (i.e. what the idiots who designed the house I grew up in did) or create usable, fun, and unique spaces. I love alcoves. I think they are awesome and oooh soooo cozy.

Here is one from a living room. I love how the black and white of the wall paper is continued over into the curtain and into the material on the pillows and bench seat. This helps make the alcove blend in; it looks intentional. The addition of the little chair and table make this corner a great spot for a quiet conversation or for reading a good book on a rainy day. What could have been empty and unused is now used for additional seating.

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Built in bookshelves? Cozy alcove? Floor to ceiling windows? Great architectural floor plan? This room has it all. But, let's concentrate on what matters: the alcove built in to the bookshelves. This is a great way to break up the endless wall of books and to create a focal point for the room. Plus, the little bench is an awesome reading spot! 

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Now I would love to have a bed in a niche like this. It's so private, cozy, warm, unique. It reminds me of brothel houses in ancient Greece.  Love those curtains. What a fabulous area for a nap. Kids would adore this design too. It can become a private little room for them. 

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Now this is a great use of space. I love that they took a square opening and added that trim to make it into an arch. It's light. It's airy. It's a great display space. Now, not all of us have 25 billion foot ceilings, but the ideas from this space can definitely still be used. I love the seating and shelving combo. It's definitely the kind of space I'd want to store my travel souvenirs. 

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This is a more realistic space. I love the wood paneling inside and the width of that bench. It definitely qualifies as a day bed. I would totally stick a few relatives in there when my house is full to the brim. This looks likes its part of a kitchen/dining room so it could also be used for seating during parties. 

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Do you have a useable alcove or niche in your home? Send me pictures! I'd love to see how you've utilized these unique spaces. 

Fireplaces in Every Room

I love fire. I love its heat, its flame, the way it looks, the rustic feel of it, its protection, the way its light reflects on everyone's face. If the names Pyro and Sparky hadn't already been taken at Camp Two Sentinels where I volunteer most summers, I would definitely have picked one or the other. I love fire. I just do. My dream house would have a fireplace in every single room. I would have a fire every single day (yes I know its terrible for the environment, I'd have to find a green way to do it, ok?!) 

Today I decided to write about fireplaces. They give such a lovely feel to every space. They can be elegant, traditional, modern, bohemian, rustic-- whatever you want. Fireplaces are unique and, in my opinion, not used enough in today's design. 

First of all, the internet loves this kitchen. It is pinned all over the place on Pinterest. I love it's bright open feel, the floor to ceiling subway tiles (or is that brick?), the contrasting cabinets, but mostly, I LOVE the fireplace. See right there in the center? It's gorgeous. It's little. It's modern. I want one. I love the wood storage below too. In fact, I love how that wood looks real and isn't all perfectly cut like most styled images. This is a wonderful kitchen with a wonderful fireplace. It seems like a novelty, but, in fact, once all kitchens had fireplaces. Because that's the only way you could cook. duh. You knew this. Now I think we should all run out and hire architects to add a fireplace to our kitchens. Or Bedrooms. OR ANY ROOM IN THE HOUSE!!

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Here is a much more rustic example of a fireplace. This room is gorgeous, like a medieval Italian castle. I love the little corner fireplace. A fireplace in the bathroom would be amazing. Think candles are relaxing? Now think about fire, it's like candles times a million. Plus it would feel so nice on naked skin as you slip into the bath. I'm serious. It would be the most wonderful feeling. Also, check out this tub, guys. Pretty snazzy, eh? Its clean lines are a great contrast with the rough cut stone of this room.

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Now for the bedroom. Here is a nice modern, traditional space. I love the incorporation of different cultural pieces of furniture, I love the large wooden beams, I love the green fainting couch and curtains, I love the four post bed, but mostly, of course, I love that fireplace. Even though it doesn't have a fire in it, the addition of candles allude back to the firey origins. They've added some nice decor to the mantel too. I'm digging the convex mirror (my Oma has one!) and those sweet twigs. This room is lovely and relaxing and slightly sexy. Just what a master bedroom should feel like.

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Here is another fireplace in a bedroom. This room has a completely different feel however. It's very bohemian. The walls appear to be from an old (Victorian, maybe?) home, but the furniture is a mix of modern and traditional with a lot of color. I love that bedding. There is also that awesome mirrored chest in the corner. I like it. Feels like someone just moved and dumped their things here. It feels very much like I'm squatting. I'm feeling the adventure here. That fireplace brings some of that warmth and danger into the space.

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Fireplace in your closet? Why not? Especially when your closet looks like this. Please someone give me this room for my birthday! I love the way this space is used. The clothes, furniture, painting, and rug all go so well, despite their huge differences in style. I would just love to get ready to go out one night with a huge roaring fire. Can you imagine it? Sipping wine with your girlfriends, or husband, or wife; the fire crackling; the music playing just a little bit too loudly, the lights just dim enough for you to see yourself clearly in the mirror? Oh my goodness. It's like a closet orgy in this space. Fireplaces make everything better

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I do have to apologize  to y'all for slacking lately. I had finals and a mess of other things going on. But I'm back! Get ready for happiness and gorgeous design! So follow me! I'm getting ready for a summer of bright happy design fun!

Colorful Kitchens!!

I collected a bunch of colorful kitchens for y'all! I am a huge fan of color. As much as I want to like Swedish design, it often isn't colorful enough for me. I could never live in an all white world. A) I'm super clumsy. Nothing white lasts more than a few months around me. I spill, I trip, I bleed, I track mud, I like big dirty dogs. B) Color makes me happy. It brightens up the day. :)

Anyways! Here is the first kitchen I have for y'all. This one's a statement, for sure! Bright pink-red. Magenta? Fuchsia? I'm bad with color names. heehee. (Also I totally just looked up fuchsia because I had no idea how to spell it, and turns out, IT'S GERMAN!! Named after some scientist whose last name was Fuchs. Which means its actually pronounced more like Foocks- ia. Funny!) 

Back to design now... I actually really like this kitchen, although it is understandably a bit too much for most people. The wood toned island in the center helps tone down the pink though. The stainless steel compliments  the color of the cabinets and also alludes to the sparkle of glass. I like the glass door cabinets, it helps tone down the color since the back of the cabinets is white and the dishes are glass or white (I think I see some steel bowls too!). The only thing I would replace is the chandelier. It's a bit too Princess-y for me next to all that pink. The green and yellow accents are nice and also removable! Overall, this kitchen rocks. The owner clearly has some balls. I'd totally buy this kitchen. I wonder if they'll ship me a duplicate for $500? heehee

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Ok, this kitchen is a tad more realistic for the majority of y'all. (How many times have I said y'all in this post? My mother's Kentucky accent is totally rubbing off on me. [except she doesn't say y'all, so really it's my extended family/ I am on crack.]) 

Aaannnyyhoo, this teal kitchen is much more subtly colorful. The color is a nice pastel. The wood counters also ground it in nature and compliment it very nicely. As always, stainless steel appliances look modern and slick (seriously does anyone renovate a kitchen and not use stainless steel these days? TELL ME IF YOU DID AND SEND ME PICTURES!). The handles on the cabinets are also stainless steel so everything matches well. I like, I like.

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So you want a sleek, modern, useable kitchen? Add a dash of yellow and this is what ya get! This is another kitchen I luuurve. Thanks to John & Sherry at Young House Love (I want to be them I swear. I just need to save up to actually buy a house of my own... Banks totally give huge mortgage loans to 20 year olds who only have $1700 in the bank and absolutely no credit right?) for house crashing this pad and posting this picture. This kitchen is hella cool. (Yeah I'm from NorCal. My slang is all over the place today.) The yellow is bright and loud and the blue and orange accent colors jump out at you to say "Hi!" It's awesome. Look! There's even a chalkboard cabinet on the left. The white counters and sink and the stainless steel appliances and shelving (on the right) help ground the kitchen. This will also help for re-sale value; buyers could paint if they aren't digging the yellow. 

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Here we go green! I like this kitchen's color scheme, though it borders on Christmas. I do not like the letters etched (or silhouetted in the etchings or... I have no idea how to phrase this. Suggestions?) into the class cabinets. I'm not really sure why one would go through the trouble of glass cabinets and then decide to frost them. Maybe different owners did it. hmmm... 

There are a lot of things I do like a lot about this kitchen however. The high ceiling and tall cabinets are gorgeous and especially useful for a tall girl like myself (I'm 5'10")! The layout also works really well. The cabinetry also included that super convenient wine rack and those cute little drawers which I would  totally use for spices. There are some really nice design aspects to this kitchen. Mad props. Also I want a kitchen faucet like that desperately. 

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Ok, maybe it's just because it's red, but I ABSOLUTELY ADORE this kitchen. I think its amazing. It reminds me of the country. It's rustic, it's modern, it's sleek. Basically, it's great. The color of the cabinets is a fabulous shade of red, not too cherry, not too blood. The kitchen could look a tad too goth with all that black, white, and red, if it weren't for that amazing table. It's wood really brings the whole kitchen together. Also I really like that rustic look. What a fabulous kitchen table. 

That white sink? Yes please. Would you call that a farmhouse style sink? Or is it just '50s? Either way it is AMAZING. Plus all those veggies are making me hungry. As in I want a nice big salad. And I don't even like salad!

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So there are some lovely, bright, vibrant, colorful kitchens for y'all! Hope you liked them. Comments? Do you like a colorful kitchen? Or do you prefer a more neutral palette? Should a kitchen be all neutrals? Or should it be a neutral background with pops of accent colors? 

Also I totally apologize for my ridiculous accents and over usage of exclamation points today. It's sunny and beautiful here in Boston for once and I am SUPER EXCITED AND HAPPY ABOUT THIS!! Also color is my favorite thing ever. 

My Dream Spanish Style Home: Exterior Inspiration

I like houses. This should be obvious. As a wannabe architect/interior designer I design homes in my head. I think about them constantly. Normal people have one ultimate dream home that they think about. I, however, am not normal. I imagine several dream homes, each fitting a separate stage of my life. I think about them all the time and find inspiration for them EVERYDAY. I can explain rough layouts to you and give color schemes. I can even tell you what plants grow around and in these imaginary homes. I'm crazy, yes, this is a fact. 

Anyways, I've decided to share my inspiration with y'all. So here it goes. This is my ideal Spanish style home. I will hypothetically build and own this when I have kids who are no older than 5. The house will reside just outside of Santa Cruz, CA in a rural area on several acres of land. The likely hood of me ever being able to afford this is 0.91892211%. But I can dream, ok!?

You will enter the estate through a large gate. Similar to this one, but bigger! As in big enough for a car or two... :) 

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It will most definitely have lanterns similar to these and be built into a strong stuccoed wall like this one.

The exterior facade is harder to explain, because truth be told, I have a hard time finding Spanish style home inspiration on the internet!

Here is the house from Modern Family. I haven't seen the show, but I do like this house. It's gorgeous! Mine will be similar, but five million times as large and with a different color scheme. 

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 The entrence will be more interesting like this one, with the tile around it. Also note the path tile: more Spanish. My home will be more like this. Also it will have a facade that is more fluctuating like this one, and less flat (ie the Modern Family house...)

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Also the arched windows here are to die for! I prefer these pointed arches to those that simply curve. I have no idea if this is more or less Spanish. Do you know? It's like a step between the plain ones on the Modern Family house and Moorish arches like these? Maybe?

Also the house will definitely be covered in ivy like this one from the second Parenttrap movie. Also the red color of the building here is similar to that of what mine would be. Ivy grows super fast right? It'll totally look like this with in a month of being build? hahah

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The exterior in the back will look a bit like this:

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Lots of verandas, doors, windows, porches, levels, balconies etc... Definitely a must. There will also be a pool, but I'd prefer mine a tad farther from the house. 

Here is another Spanish style building. I couldn't tell you exactly which of its features will be designed into my house, but I like way this one looks. Perhaps the stair step wall on the right side of the picture? Definitely a porch like this one, but much much wider. This will be a home of extravagance!   heehee :)  

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The house will definitely contain elements like this below. The chimney design is fabulous. Simple, yet elegant! And again with the pointed arch. I just prefer them. 

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The house  mansion will definitely have a tower. Or two. I can't decide. I love towers. I want to take them home with me. Originally I wanted a round one. I wanted to put a multi story library in it with a reading room on the top story and a curving decorative staircase. I've begun to rather love this tower too though. So maybe I'll have to have multiple towers. I think that's a little veranda up there. If it is, I love this even more. I want a tower veranda! Off the master bedroom maybe? I would love to sit up there, have sex relax in the evenings, and watch the sunset!

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The house will definitely have a courtyard like this one from the movie, It's Complicated. Perhaps more than one courtyard. Maybe the front of it will be laid out in a U-shape, like Versailles, in the front. They might be atriums actually. 

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Atriums  that look like this one, except for not a greenhouse. And awesomer. And bigger. 

I will probably need to win multiple lotteries to afford this house. Or I could marry Prince Harry. He's pretty cute with that red hair! 

My house will also include a lot of indoor-outdoor spaces like this one. Is it inside? Is it outside? Is it both? I love this little veranda here. The beams are beautiful, That cut out with the plant is beautiful. The textiles are beautiful. Hell, if I can't afford this house, I'll just take this veranda and be happy. 

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Also this dining room is gorgeous. The arched ceiling is amazing! I love the vines. Al fresco dining is a must for California. Especially in the summer.

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Finally, because I want want want want, there needs to be water incorporated in the home. I like this arch on the right below. Yeah, basically I want a moat for my castle of luxury. heehee

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Or even a veranda like this with a small pool! It needs to be a salt water pool. None of that chlorine for me!

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More outdoor space inspiration: FIREPLACES! I love fire, so this is especially critical. I want a fireplace like this. And I want a big fire pit that can fit a lot of people for roasting s'mores. I also need little moveable fire pits, like the ones in my favorite veranda above, for all my verandas and balconies. This is for warmth purposes as I was born cold blooded or something. I am always freeeeeeeezing!

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I love this little side garden nook. It's toooo cute. So sweet. A perfect little place to sneak away to.

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And I definitely need a covered walk way like this one. Mostly for the photo opportunities beneath it. Also it would be great for weddings and I fully expect everyone I know to get married at my house. Heeheehee

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And I want these scattered spots around my land! I love the bed and the table. Simply beautiful. Plus I love things that hang. There will definitely be some big California oaks around, so there won't be a problem finding places for these to hang. :)

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Also built in benches in the backyard please!!

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And a big pool house with a fireplace like this one! Only Spanish style. 

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Oh and my house will have some solar panel roof tiles like these! (But only in the places you can't see well, I'm not a fan of the look)

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And that's it guys. That's my idea Spanish style dream home! The one I will never be able to afford, but will continue to lust after until I die. I'll continue to show you more as I go. This was just the exterior! :) Get excited!

Oh! And of course I apologize for my extremely ridiculous and extravagant taste for what I will never afford. : /

But, hey! A girl can dream. And dream I will

Innovative Closet Ideas

Because we can't all have a closet like Eva Longoria's...

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here are some fun, creative things to do in your closet!

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HomeGoods Style Quiz

So I recently just took this HomeGoods style quiz. It was SO accurate! My color palette they recommended? You guessed it! A collection of pretty red hues. Similar to that used here on this blog actually! Here's what it said about me:

Laurel, You Are A BOHEMIAN CLASSIC

You have a refined sensibility and bring a sense of history and tradition into your decor. You appreciate how symmetrical arrangements and beautiful, well-crafted pieces create a solid foundation to a room. But you like to shake up this restraint with objects and accessories that express your personality and your love of other cultures. When traveling, you seek out unique objects that reflect what you love, and you use them in a sophisticated way. You want people to feel comfortable in your home, and cozy chairs, ethnic fabrics, unique pieces, and even a little touch of quirk or humor give your house a laid-back, Bohemian flair.

You value creativity. You are stylish and fun loving, and can be an inspiration to others. You have a natural sense of drama, and you know you have to be willing to take risks—whether with colors, finishes, furniture choices, or ideas—for your home to stand out. Your home can be happy and lively and the place all of your friends want to be.

Putting Your Style to Work!

With your style and needs in mind, here are a few tips that will help you make your home a little happier.

1. Your Design Challenge: ORGANIZEThe front hall sets the mood for your entire home. Consider how to accommodate all the room's functions as beautifully as possible. At the very least you need a console, and if you're short on storage, consider a dresser. Outfit the surface with nice trays and bowls for mail, keys and sunglasses. Keep a trash can for immediately tossing the junk mail. Closet-door or wall hooks encourage coat and bag hanging rather than dumping. If you have children, try to give each a basket in the closet for hats and gloves. It's nice to have a chair or bench for changing shoes, a mirror for last-minute lipstick checks, and a lamp or sconces for warm light.

2. Your Happy PlaceMake this room as comfortable and inviting as possible by bringing in some real furniture like an armchair or a sofa if you have the space. A little lamp on the counter or decorative hanging light can set the mood. Stools are great perches and can easily be moved around. Don't forget to bring your personality and style into this room: hang some art or display a collection of family photos in mixed frames. Consider bold, happy colors in the kitchen as well, like brightly colored pots and pans, big bowls for corralling fruits and vegetables, and trays for spices, oils, teas and pepper mills.

3. Be Party-Ready All the Time!

Scent: The first thing you notice about a home is how it smells. Use naturally fragrant cleaning products. If you find a scented candle or fresh potpourri you love, stock up on it. Any scent you like, whether perfume or linen spray, can be used on upholstery, bedding or just spritzed into the air.

Mood: Nice, flattering light makes us feel good. So nix the harsh, direct light from overhead fixtures in favor of the softer glow from floor and table lamps. Also, stock up on some votive candles and a couple of hurricane lanterns for setting around the room.

Food: Devote space in your pantry or on a shelf for go-to party essentials: crackers, dip, chips, nuts—whatever you like to serve. Keep on hand a collection of attractive bowls and cocktail napkins, and you'll be able to set a spread—instantly!

Drink: The simplest and chicest thing is to have a drinks tray or table always set up. Include a mix of pretty glasses, an ice bucket, a lovely pitcher, and bottles of soda and water. When the bell rings, just add ice and limes.

Putting Color to Use!

Don't forget that color looks best when paired with some neutrals for a little visual relief. If you go wild on the walls or with your upholstery, pull back a little on the rugs or curtains or vice versa. Each room can definitely have its own color palette, but think of your home as a whole, with each room transitioning to the next. Some tricks: go for fairly neutral hues in hallways, or add some colors from one room into the neighboring room, even in the form of accessories or fabrics.

Chalkboard Rooms

Chalkboards have been all the rage lately. I've seen them in nearly every type of room on various blogs.  I'm choosing to share a view I like with you. I find them particularly useful in kitchens. Chalkboard walls certainly bring a feeling of youth and fun into a room, no matter the rest of the decor. 

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I like this a lot. It's very simple, yet totally awesome. The colorful chalk and the child like table and chairs makes me what to color. Or cook. I can't decide. This is a great way to use an empty wall in a dining area of a kitchen. Writing up most-used recipes is a fabulous idea!

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Now, I am pretty sure this is not actually a chalkboard, but I like the idea of a large canvas or piece of wood as a statement piece in a room. The fact that this one is black and graffitied made me think of chalkboards. Anyone could do this as a large, ever changing statement art piece, you just need to paint a large piece of wood and lean it against the wall [maybe fasten it to the wall if you live in California! ;)] 

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I think chalkboard walls work fabulously in kids' rooms! This one is great, but clearly done by an adult. I like that it is a way to have an ever changing space. Something that is particularly useful in a kid's room. This is playful, colorful, fun. 

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Now this is a screenshot from the movie Because I Said So. I am in love with Mandy Moore's character's apartment. It is gorgeous industrial design. If you look carefully here though, you notice that she's painted an older fridge with chalkboard paint! What a fabulous idea! It looks amazing and is super super useful!!

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Here is another kitchen with a chalkboard wall. I like the way its broken almost into sections. The mother or another adult uses the right side for lists and such, and lets her kids draw all over the left. What a great way to use the space as a family!