I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite home decorating books. Not only do they have amazing decorating advice and lots of photos of beautiful interiors, but they look great on the coffee table, too. What books are you enjoying now? I would love to know!
Joanna, the queen of decorating, has created a wonderful guide to encourage you to find your style. The book includes inspiration from different styles of homes that she has designed on Fixer Upper, including traditional, rustic, modern, farmhouse, industrial and boho.
Sarah shares the beautiful homes that she and her husband design and build together. In addition, Sarah tells stories about faith, family and motherhood. She encourages us to find beauty even in the chaos.
I love Liz Marie’s neutral farmhouse inspired style. It’s a beautiful mix of vintage and repurposed DIYs; plus warm wood tones and creamy whites. I have followed Liz Marie’s home decor and DIY blog for years, and was happy to meet her at Silobration in 2018. It’s exciting to see her work in print.
4. But Where Do I put the Couch by KariAnne Woods and Melissa Michaels
KariAnne is one of my favorite bloggers and has written four other home decorating books. In this book, she teams up with another popular home decor blogger to answer some of the most asked decorating questions. I love that they provide beautiful, and very doable, examples from their own homes. Their style is very attainable and family friendly.
The reason that I love this planner is that there is lots of room to write. There is a monthly and daily schedule to prompts for prayers, daily gratitude, goals, appointments, lists and more…
Thanks for stopping by the blog today to find out what home decorating books that I am reading!
Today, I am sharing five different ideas for kitchen decor that you can easily implement in your home. This includes how to decorate the kitchen island, sink, countertops, stovetop and even the floors.
When decorating the kitchen, I like to use trays to group items and make cleaning the countertops easier. Lastly, some kind of greenery to make the space feel alive! And if you know me, it’s probably faux!
Combine Form and Function on the Island
Display a wooden bowl filled with fresh fruit or a large vase of flowers on the island. Or, get the best of both form and function. In other words, display the two together.
On the side of a kitchen island, hang a rail hook system, like this one from Ikea. Therefore, you can hang cutting boards, tea towels or plants in a hanging bucket.
Keep Things So Fresh & So Clean Around the Sink
Next to the sink, keep pretty soap dispensers filled with dish and hand soaps on a small tray. I love to use a pedestal to display a favorite seasonal candle, plants and a plant mister. In addition, cute containers like a ceramic berry basket or olive bucket can hold dishwashing tools, like brushes and sponges.
Lastly, hang a seasonal towel over the sink or dishwasher handle. Read this blog post to find out how I made DIY pedestal stands with thrift store finds. They are perfect for candles or plants next to the sink.
Add Cooking Essentials near the StoveTop
Next to the stovetop, store wooden cooking utensils in a crock or white pitcher. Keep containers of oil and vinegar or salt and pepper nearby for cooking.
Then, layer cutting boards or a simple artwork behind the cooktop.
Create Clutter Free Counter Tops
Keep counters clutter free by only decorating with items that are often used in the kitchen. For example, show off a collection of stacked cookbooks and a coordinated recipe box. Or display a set of vintage canisters filled with baking ingredients next to a bread box.
Basically, display the prettiest tools in the kitchen and store the rest. Often, I style my cookbooks on the bottom shelf of my kitchen island rather than the counter tops to keep them clutter free.
In addition, you can easily create a coffee bar by placing your coffee maker, a few mugs, & a canister for coffee filters or K cups onto a decorative tray. Add fresh or faux plants to the tray to create a simple vignette.
Don’t Forget the Floors
Add a pop of color or pattern to your kitchen floors with a decorative rug. I like to add rugs in the most used spaces in the kitchen. For instance, near the sink or oven add a layer of comfort while washing dishes or cooking. However, working rugs need to be easy to clean, so use a washable rug from Ruggable, or try an outdoor style rug.
5 Way Wednesday
Remember when I started 5 Way Wednesday last Fall? It’s back by popular demand! So, if you are new to the blog, 5 Way Wednesday is where I share 5 different ideas to style one piece of furniture, decor or even a space! Meanwhile, I usually share these tips in my Instagram stories if you want to watch weekly !
Being a decorator, I get asked to do a lot of different jobs from staging houses for sale to decorating homes for the holidays. Recently, I staged a beautiful, local Parade of Homes house in Waco, Texas. My husband loves when I stage for jobs outside of our home, because that means that I am less likely to move our own furniture around the home for the 15th time. Okay, 50th time!
However, staging homes to sell and your own home are a little bit different. The key to staging is to show off the features of the home, while making the home feel inviting for buyers. Often, I see homes for sale that are overcrowded, overdecorated and overly personalized. This is not the time to show off your decorating skills or your personal collections! Therefore, I have rounded up a few of my best home staging tips.
Let’s get to home staging!
1. Know what rooms sell when home staging!
The master bedroom suite, kitchen and living room have the most selling power, so focus on these areas in the home. Therefore, these are the most important rooms to stage. Worry less about guest or kids’ bedrooms, offices, playrooms and small bathrooms.
If there is a room that is shared, stage it with one function in mind. For example, don’t allow the guest room to function as an office and a home gym, too. This will make the house feel crowded and tell buyers that there is not enough space to enjoy. Plus, it will be harder for buyers to imagine how they would use the space with so much happening in one room.
Fill a pitcher with wooden serving spoons, add a vase of fresh flowers or a bowl of fruit in the kitchen.
2. Deep clean, declutter and depersonalize!
When staging a home, ensure that the house has received a deep cleaning. Dust, scrub and sanitize everything! It may be a good idea to hire a cleaning service to do a one time professional cleaning.
Then, declutter all the spaces including counters, closets and garages. You want the house to feel like everything has a place and that there is enough room for the next owner. If you have lived in the home for years and acquired a lot of stuff, you may even consider renting a storage unit to store personal items or extra furniture.
Keep the tops of kitchen and bathroom counters and furniture free from clutter. Use decorative risers, trays or stacks of books to group smaller items so that they appear visually as one item. Thus, making the space feel less busy. Baskets are great to gather objects in kids rooms, closets, and bathrooms.
Lastly, depersonalize the home by removing large collections, memorabilia, most family photos, posters from walls, excess stacks of magazines, themed or seasonal decor, etc…
Instead, use classic design elements for coffee table vignettes like plants, books, candles, or pottery. Then, create a simple tablescape by grouping dishes in a decorative tray on the kitchen island or dining room table. This will allow potential buyers to see the home as inviting and yet livable, too.
3. Rearrange furniture as a home stager!
Create open spaces. Place the furniture so that it looks open and inviting when you first enter. For example, you should not see the backs of sofas or chairs upon entering a room. Doing so will make a room feel closed off. In addition, you should place the bed in the center of the wall opposite the main door when entering a bedroom.
Create easy to navigate spaces. It is important to not block traffic flow when home staging. Less furniture is better so that the room doesn’t feel over crowded. Remove furniture that is too bulky or even too small for the space.
Create intentional spaces. Float furniture in the middle of the room (off the walls) and use rugs to ground the space in order to create intentional areas in the home. Furniture, like sofas and chairs, should have the front legs placed on the rug. Often you can group smaller furniture into conversational areas.
4. Keep it fresh!
You want the home to look, feel and smell fresh! Focus on removing bad odors rather than masking those smells by using cleaning products without harsh chemicals or artificial fragrance like those from Grove Collaborative. However, do not use strong seasonal or sweet smells. Think light, airy, clean scents like fresh linen, citrus or lavender when staging a home and allowing buyers into the home.
Plants make a home feel alive, so bring in plants or a bouquet of fresh flowers for the kitchen island.
Let the light in. Open window curtains and blinds so that the most natural light is allowed in.
A lit candle creates a cozy feeling, but again, avoid any strong scents.
Place scented liquid hand soaps & room sprays in the kitchen and bathrooms.
Toss a charcoal air purifier bag in closets or dryer sheets in shoes…stinky shoes are no joke.
5. Neutralize the home when staging.
From the paint on the walls to the furnishings, keep it neutral when staging a home. This will allow buyers to better picture themselves and their belongings in the home. In addition, it will showcase more of the house itself and less of the items in the home.
It is important to make the house feel bright, open, and airy. Mirrors are a great way to reflect light back into the room, so place them across from large windows or light sources.
Neutral linens from bath towels to bedding are preferred. For example, make bedding feel luxurious by using crisp white, plump comforters. Then, add a pop of color, pattern or texture in small increments like a throw pillow on the bed or sofa.
A can of neutral paint can go a long way from updating the room to give it a fresh look to painting a few touch ups where the house has been well lived in.
I hope that you find these home staging tips helpful. Whether you are getting ready to sell your home, interested in starting a home staging business or a realtor looking to spruce up a few homes that you have listed, happy staging!
A few months ago, I had the chance to decorate my daughter’s friend’s room! It is an amazing space with great bones, new floors and neutral paint! I had the fun job of decorating the space. Now, I want to share my ideas for a teenage girl’s bedroom with y’all. Most importantly, these suggestions work for almost any space.
Decorating a teenage girl’s bedroom: Function versus Form
The first thing that I ask when decorating for a client is ‘how will this space be used?’ Once I figure out how the room will be used, then I can design the room into intentional spaces! Certainly, I think about how the room will function to decide on everything from furniture layout to storage space.
Then, I ask the client, ‘what is your style?‘ Often, it is hard for others that are not in the design world to talk about styles. Therefore, I ask what they like from color preferences to favorite hobbies. Once I get an idea of what they like, I share a few pictures of that style to confirm that we are on the same page. In addition, a Pinterest board to gather inspiration is always a good idea. At this point, I will start thinking how to personalize a space with color or personal possessions.
Next, I assess what is already furnished in the room to determine what items can go or stay, and what will need to be purchased. For this room, the bed and a papasan chair could easily be updated with new linens and pillows. Therefore, I created a budget based on what additional items were needed including small furniture like a bench, desk and chair, a rug, bedding, curtains, peel-n-stick wallpaper, and an allotment for wall and table decor. After that, I create a budget and shop for the specific items on my list!
Before of Teenage Girl’s Bedroom
Goal: Create intentional spaces, ground the space with a larger rug and draw the eye in with an accent wall.
After of Teenage Girl’s Bedroom
Success! Spaces are well defined, yet the room is pulled together so that everything looks like it belongs.
Teenage Girl’s Bedroom Ideas
Create Intentional Spaces
Most rooms are multi-purposeful, so it is important to create intentional spaces in a teenage girls bedroom. For example, this bedroom will serve as a place to sleep, lounge, study and dress. If reading, video gaming, or a makeup area are important to your teen, consider how you can create a space to accommodate those hobbies.
The area to lounge and sleep are defined by two different rugs.
Use additional seating like ottomons and a bench.
Clearly define spaces by using a variety of rugs in one room or creating separation into each space. I found this reversible grey and pink woven rug, here. It is perfect for a teenage girls bedroom. In addition, I layered a smaller grey shag rug nearby to separate the two areas.
As you enter the room, there is a place to hang coats, then the television followed by the desk and chair that make up a study space. The bed and nightstand are for sleeping, which is flanked with an area to lounge or watch tv. Additional seating like an ottoman and a bench are placed in the room to be moved around as necessary. On the other side of the room, is the bathroom, closet, and a tall dresser with mirror to be used as a dressing area.
Study area with chair and desk.
Dressing area with mirror, dresser and closet entrance.
Make it Personal
Teenagers are probably too old to get too ‘themed’ when decorating their spaces. However, you can certainly decorate with a particular style or color scheme in mind. For example, I went with a modern farmhouse chic style using lots of textured creamy whites and pinks in this room. I tend to use more neutral colors, then add color through pillows and throws, rugs, wall art and inexpensive decor.
Add personality with wall decor, favorite colors and personal items. For instance, add pictures of friends and family, inspirational quotes, letter boards or decals on the walls.
Accent walls are a great way to give a custom look to any room, too! If you haven’t seen wallpapers lately, check it out. I found this faux shiplap peel and stick wallpaper at Wallpops.com. It is easy to install, and creates a big impact in a space. Consider an accent feature on the wall that you initially see when you walk into a room.
Bed and lounge area with cozy papasan chair.
Y’all, the beautiful white ruffled bedding is from Beddy Beds. The zippered bedding includes the sheets to make it easier for kids to make their bed by zipping it up. In addition, there are lots of color and styles to choose from to style your teenage girls room. Plus, pillows, too!
Provide Great Storage
Teens are messy; at least mine are. Therefore, set them up to successfully keep their room clean and organized by providing lots of storage opportunities. Similarly, don’t decorate every inch. Specifically, leave open spaces on desks and dressers to place items that they collect from school or afterschool activities. For example, this pretty Magnolia Home basket by the bench is great for hiding shoes.
Pretty containers from baskets to canisters in the bathroom are great to gather toiletries and hair tools. Wall hooks, near the entrance of the bedroom or in a bathroom, encourage teens to hang up jackets or towels. Lastly, other places like under the bed or the bottom of the closet can hold plastic containers. I love to search stores like Homegoods, Marshalls, and Hobby Lobby for baskets, wall hooks and containers.
Thank you for stopping by the blog to read my best ‘teenage girl’s bedroom’ ideas. If you are in Waco, Texas and are looking to update your space, just email me at amy@cutertudor.com! Most importantly, follow me on my instagram page, CuterTudor or Pinterest page!
Fill a pitcher with wooden serving spoons, add a vase of fresh flowers or a bowl of fruit in the kitchen.
Bed and lounge area with cozy papasan chair.
