Making Spaces

Hello Reader, Things are in full swing over here with my home exterior getting painted this week. I'll have a whole lot more about that in the coming weeks (scroll to the end for a sneak peek). All of this transition and decluttering has made me think about items I've let go of over the years. Often we talk about decor items to add or buy for a space, but funny enough, there's a lot of things I've stopped buying. I thought it might be helpful to share the 3 decor items I've completely stopped...

Hello Reader, Can we talk about patios for a second? Because it's mid April, and the weather is finally cooperating here in Oregon, and I feel like every year I wait too long to get my outdoor space ready. Then summer is halfway over before I've actually enjoyed it. This year I'm getting ahead of it -along with new exterior paint next week! I just published a full patio decorating guide on the blog - with everything I've learned from styling outdoor spaces across several different homes. And...

Hello Reader, Recently, I began choosing some paint colors for my home exterior (dark charcoal for the win!) and I'm using a company, Miller Paint, that I'm not super familiar with. And after looking at new-to-me colors and visiting the store - it was like I was starting all over again! I had to circle back and remember all the lessons learned and all the basics before getting carried away with all the options. (When I look at Sherwin Williams, it's like surgical precision) I know that paint...

Hello Reader, Ever stand in a room that should look good… and still feel like something's not quite right? From my experience, it's usually not a major problem. Most of the time it comes down to a few small things that are surprisingly easy to fix. In my latest video, I'm sharing 4 quick design fixes I see over and over again: artwork that's the wrong proportion curtains hung too low rugs that are just a little too small lighting that is too cool or too direct These are the kinds of tiny...

Hello Reader, Have you noticed the 90's are coming back in a major way? Maybe it's because I have teen boys who both are (re)discovering bands like Nirvana and vintage collegiate sweatshirts (vintage as in the year I graduated college, 2001). You know what, we're seeing this trend in the home world as well. And while I'm not generally one to jump on a trend band wagon of any sort - clothes or otherwise - I am happy to see these shifts. Overall, I'm seeing a shift towards embracing wood...

Hello Reader, Im all about shifting mindsets - from therapy to how I approach my workday, sometimes, changing how we think about something - even slightly, can make all the difference! And that is so true when it comes to home decorating as well! I know when I stopped asking myself one question and switched to a different way of thinking - it made all my decor dilemmas easier to solve. I've also noticed it comes up a lot in my 1:1 calls so I figured it was worth sharing here as well! Ready...

Hello Reader, You know, we all have some weaknesses and mine is measuring. I tell you, I have to measure and re-measure and then measure one more time. Whether it was back in my sewing days or choosing furniture, man, I need to keep that measuring tape nearby. Admittedly, I used to order things thinking I had a handle only to realize I was wrong. Ugh. Welp. I've come up with some good strategies for deciding if something will fit in a space (like using painter's tape to visualize something in...

Hello Reader, Life is moving fast over here; two boys in high school and one headed off to college soon. Doing this alone is tough and I'm always looking for quick wins - especially when it comes to the house. During some of my 1:1 design calls with a few of this week - I realized a lot of us could use some easy wins. For me, that means low-cost, simple but with a HIGH IMPACT. I'll share a few of my favorites below along with the coordinating video I made which goes in more details. If these...

Hello Reader, Are you a rule breaker or follower? I always consider myself a rule follower - I like order and structure...but then when it comes down to home design, I throw them all out the window! (Except for some tried & true guidelines but that's another post...) Over the last few weeks during some 1:1 design calls (one of my favorite things!), I've noticed a lot of us hold onto to some home decor myths that have been drilled into our minds. And you know what? They don't stand the test of...

Hello Reader, This week, I've worked with so many of you on your spaces (yay!)- making decisions about paint and furniture layout and even creative storage options. Plus, I've had to make a lot of decisions over here with my home renovation - it made me think about this fun design game I used to play in my head... "If I could only change one thing in this room...." Because sometimes, that's all we've got. Whether, it's time or money or resources - changing one thing might be the only or best...