A fantastic surprise home makeover for a soldier returned from Afghanistan!

What caught my eye in this home makeover was the casual, "collected-over-time" look. What I loved way that newly wed Meg Stein surprised her Army sergeant husband with this home makeover when he returned from Afghanistan! How sweet is that?

I love the cozy but clean design of this dining room.  Wood chandelier - $50 at a garage sale...vintage Duncan Phyfe table - great deal on eBay.

It's all about white kitchens for me.

Meg already had the flat file coffee table, so she designed the room around it.  I really like the file as a coffee table.  It's unexpected, and what a great way to store mags!!

What do you think of this charmer?

via HGTV Mag June/July 2012 issue

Make your walls beautiful! Inspiring ways to hang art.

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED!

A mid-weekly reminder to everyone to enter to win an amazing Change of Art frame!  I'll announce the winner on Feb. 6th.

Here are a handful of very cool ways to display art in your home, and a Change of Art frame would really help you do it!

One of my favorite salon style walls, I love how the artwork even extends to the floor!

Add even more textural interest to a brick wall by hanging some framed art and mixed-media pieces.

Different color mats can make a gallery wall less formal.

1. Angie Hranowskyh 2. Heart Homec 3. Covet Garden 4. West Elm 5. Sweet Home Style 6. Bolig magasinet

Unusual and fun ways to add a little flair and personality to your home

It's tempting to always play it safe when decorating your home - I know I will try something a bit off-beat, but then doubt myself and try something more traditional. And while safe can be beautiful, it doesn't usually have that "WOW" factor. Here are a few ideas, some drastic, some not, for getting a reaction when people step inside your home...

We've all seen or used our own fridges to showcase photos, but how about covering the ENTIRE fridge in photos that make you smile?  Especially when contrasted with the super sleek lines of this kitchen, I think it looks pretty cool!

Hang something BIG not typically used as art in an artistic way.  Lying in a rubbish pile you may not see the potential of a worn plank of wood, but hang it like an expensive piece of art and it can make a beautiful impact (at low cost).

Use one oversized print in an oversized way!  This sofa is beautiful, but would I ever have the guts to put it in my home?  I don't know... maybe if you're nervous, try a big print in just one or two colors... 

You've seen inspiration boards, well how about an inspiration WALL?  Love it.

Fancy yourself a wordsmith?  Chalkboard paint a piece of furniture otherwise in need of TLC, and practice your craft!  This would be helpful anywhere you need to make a lot of notes, too.

Put your furniture on diagonals.  This may sound weird, but I think furniture placed diagonally can really add movement to a space, and open it up and add a welcoming feeling.  Maybe start by just putting your bed at a diagonal in the far corner of your bedroom?


So, what do you think?  Any of these you love? hate? tried before?

1. Interiors Porn 2. Covet Garden 3. Home Spun Style 4. Interiors Porn 5. Sweet Home Style 6. Small Space Style

Stunning Prague! More from my summer backpacking around Europe.

Oh amazing Prague.  Touristy, yes...but very much worth it.  The architecture and history is so inspiring.  It's the largest city of the Czech Republic, 14th largest in Europe, and historical center of Bohemia.  It's population is about 1.3million.

 The lively and beautiful Old Town Square.

A view from the Charles Bridge, a big tourist spot in Prague.  It spans the  Vltava river.

All of the red rooftops are so beautiful.

One of the bridge towers of the Charles Bridge.

The gothic St. Vitus Cathedral

The Cathedral's exterior.

Sadly, the Golden Road was closed, and I had really wanted to see the tiny historical houses.

Beautiful facade's abound in Prague

Prague's Astronomical Clock was first installed in 1410.  It's the oldest one still working.

These pictures don't begin to give justice to the beauty of Prague.  Definitely put it toward the top of your list of places to visit!

Thanks to wonderful future hubby for all of the fantastic photography he did during our trip!

Here's that list again of all my posts from our travels that I've posted -

Spain
•Introduction to my European backpacking trip and a list of places we visited
• Galicia - Baiona and Isle de Cies
• Galicia - the coast, some charming vineyards, and Pontevedra
• Santiago de Compostela and gorgeous hidden beaches
• Gorgeous mountain lakes of Picos de Europa
• Stunning mountains - Picos de Europa
• Bilbao and San Sebastian
• Beautiful Barcelona
• The amazing Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona
• Art Nouveau dream house by Gaudi in Barcelona

Italy
• Not to miss - the gorgeous rocky coast of Italy's Cinque Terre
• More from my summer traveling Europe - amazing Rome
• From my summer in Europe - amazing Pompeii
• Turquoise ocean and vineyards on cliffs - the amazingly stunning Amalfi coast
• My Summer in Europe: Pictures from lovely Florence, Italy
• Enchanting Siena
•Venice
•Lake Como, Italy

Switzerland
•Jungfrau region, Switzerland, Part 1
•Jungfrau region, Switzerland, Part 2

Germany
• One of my favorite cities from my European backpacking trips - Ulm, Germany
• Lake Constance
• Cute HOUSE Overload - the charming medieval homes of Germany's Romantic Road
• Regensburg, Germany, and Salzburg, Austria  

Austria
• Salzburg
• A charming lakeside village, Hallstatt
• Beautiful Vienna
• Kunst Haus Wien in Vienna

Hungary
• Budapest Part 1

• Budapest Part 2

Seriously the best and easiest way to frame your art! And a giveaway!

CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED!

For some reason, unless you have a bottomless bank account, framing is such a HASSLE. Hence why I still have so many prints still rolled up in tubes under my bed. Framing my art always ends up costing more than the art itself, and then if you try to buy the frame unassembled matting and backing and hanging makes you realize that maybe it's worth the money to have a professional do it!

However - I was just introduced to Change of Art - and wow am I impressed.  The frame is probably the nicest one in my home, it's eco-friendly, and made in the USA!

Here's the rundown: "Our EasyGallery® frames eliminate all the usual hassles of matting, framing and hanging. Prints slide in & out – no taping, no taking the frame apart, no fussing with the glass. And you can store a dozen (+) prints in back. Best of all, everything's changeable – in seconds!"
- Change of Art

Check out how easy it was for me to finally frame and hang a few tiny prints I had bought in Alaska back in 2012 when I ran a marathon.

Slip the art in the slot in the back of the frame.

 Put other prints for display later in the pocket behind the frame.

Use the GENIUS template and easy-peasy button and nail to plan the placement of the frame and tap in the nail.

Align the divot in the frame with the top of the button...

TADA! How amazing is that!

I felt so accomplished afterwards and barely did any work! 

Now, lucky for you guys, the awesome folks at Change of Art are offering one lucky reader a trio of Change of Art frames!

If you want to enter for a chance to win, leave a comment below (or email me) telling me what for or how you would use this genius product.  

The winner will get to choose from white, black, or brown medium-sized frames, and will be announced by random-draw on Wednesday, Feb. 6th.  

Good luck!

Change of Art on Twitter
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Change of Art on Pinterest

PS: The art is by Alaska artist Gail Niebrugge

To comment on this post (scroll to the bottom of this post and right above "Labels" you will see a number followed by the word "comments." Click on the word "Comments." Or, you will see a link, "Post a Comment," which you click on to comment. If you receive posts in your email feel free to respond to the email noting that you'd like to be entered in the drawing.

disclosure*: I received the Change of Art Frame as a sample.

My visit to the Wisteria outlet in Dallas!

While on business in Dallas, I got to experience a little bit of design junkie heaven: the Wisteria outlet.  It was in transition for the end of the winter season, but even though it wasn't styled perfectly, it was still a gorgeous and inspiring site to see.

Behold!

I was loving all of the table-setting inspiration.  

Aren't the walls covered in book pages cool?  And the intricately carved arches reminded me of my adventures in Morocco!

Soft-goods and upholstered items donned pretty pastels like lavender and periwinkle.

Look yonder! The Wisteria "flea-market" corner, full of treasures you never knew you wanted needed!!

A Texas-sized thanks to my friend Susan, who was an awesome host during my stay in Dallas, and for taking me to Wisteria-wonderland!

If you aren't lucky enough to live near Wisteria in Dallas, you'll have to do with beholding Wisteria online like the rest of us. *sigh*

Bright, Beautiful, and Bold Dining Rooms

It's so dreary hear today. I definitely needed a little eye-candy pick me up!

How heavenly would that sun be while enjoying breakfast?

An oldie, but goodie.  I've featured the above before, but I figured it's good enough to show twice.

1., 2., 6.  BHG, 3., 5. Adore Mag, 4. ?