Kitchen Details That Make All The Difference

Recently I've been gravitating more and more to my kitchen (not good considering I'm getting married in 7 months.)  I'm not sure if it's the cold that's making me think of baking and hot home cooked meals but I wanted to share some pretty awesome ideas for an exhaust fan.  Exhaust fan you say?  When you have one as horrific as mine - think impossibly loud but completely ineffective, exhaust fans suddenly become a big deal.

via Pinterest 
A dream kitchen

via 79ideas

No one likes a burnt smell, lingering odor, or a smoky kitchen (or not being able to hear yourself think when your's is on).  Since exhaust fans have suddenly become important in my life, you learn to appreciate the ones that function as the kitchen gods intended. If you are anything like I was, you probably spend .2 minute of your lifetime thinking about them, but I have started to learn the undeniable value of a good fan! Turns out I'm not the only one, because once I started doing some research to replace mine I fell into the rabbit hole of gorgeously designed (and functional) exhaust fans.

There's a plethora of sources to find excellent looking exhaust fans, including Westside Wholesale online household supermarket. There are so many options besides the traditional one most homes have so you can find one that will compliment your style and space perfectly.

via Pinterest via Design With Christine

For those of you who don't know there are plenty of amazing things an exhaust fan can do for your kitchen. Exhaust fans not only purify the air, but also protect the whole home. Think about what happens each time you cook, there is a significant volume of oil vapors, steam, smoke, and other substances accumulated in the kitchen air. These vapors form oil layers on the kitchen ceiling and accessories as well as on the furniture standing in other rooms. An exhaust fan can take that away which can save your furniture from staining and dirt!

via Flor

If you are like me, the second I think about an exhaust fan, I think of the amount of noise it makes. You can get an exhaust fan with minimal noise! It's an option on most exhaust fans but I'm learning now would totally be worth it! A popular option would be to get a fan that is energy efficient and obtain optimal heat transfer. This feature saves you some costs and reduces electricity bills. Additional lighting, damper, and motor lubrication are some more options that aren't always necessary but can really help the look or life of your fan!

via Pinterest

via Pinterest via Sharonsftc.com

Now I can't stop looking at all the options out there! There's more to exhaust fans then you thought, isn't there?



this post was in partnership with westsidewholesale.com

Great ideas for decorating on a teensy budget

So lately I've been entertaining a dream of mine, which is to move to a warmer climate. In particular, North Carolina - maybe Raleigh or Charlotte. So I decided to find some inspiration over at none other than Southern Living, where I found this really good article full of money-saving tips.

Jessica Duncan is a young designer whose style might exceed her budget, but she wouldn’t let it. Upon graduating from The University of Georgia with an interior design degree, she faced her toughest assignment yet decorating her first house.


Think Outside the Box

Gone are the days of buying a matching suite of furniture at one time. “For a great expression of personal style,” advises Jessica, “explore creative alternatives to incorporate ordinary pieces in unexpected ways.” In the kitchen, for example, Jessica uses two bookcases as a freestanding pantry. “Just because it’s a bookcase doesn’t mean it has to be used in an office,” she says.

Other ideas: A dining table can make a great desk. Small dressers, which offer plenty of storage, can be end or bedside tables. Armoires are the most functional of all. Use one as a closet in the bedroom, an entertainment center in the family room, a bar or china cabinet in the dining room, and even a computer center in the office.

Don’t turn it down: You never know how you might be able to give new life to an old or passed-down piece. Jessica almost declined an unattractive, secondhand dining table. But after covering the structurally sound piece with a new, funky tablecloth, it pulls the whole dining room together.


Know Where To Go

Antiques warehouses, salerooms at interiors shops, and consignment stores are always Jessica’s first stops in Atlanta for bargains. Here are a few of her favorites.

• Ballard’s Backroom (Ballard Design’s Outlet Store), www.ballarddesigns.com/retail or (404) 603-7033
• IKEA, www.ikea.com/us
• Lewis & Sheron Textile Co., www.lsfabrics.com
• Scott Antique Market, www.scottantiquemarket.com

Mix and Match

Furniture and accessories don’t have to go solo. Combine items to maximize their advantages. Jessica created the shaded chandelier over the dining room table by pairing a modern light fixture from IKEA with a more traditional shade from Ballard’s Backroom.

Extra savings: The shade was discounted for a small tear in its lining, but when placed above eye level, no one can tell.

Reupholster and reuse: Embrace all of your inherited furniture. Older pieces can give your home character and timeless charm. Paint, fabric, and even wallpaper can go a long way to taking a dated piece and making it new again. Just be sure you’re not ruining the value of a nice antique by altering it.

Two heads are better than one: More people equals more ideas. While shopping, you might stumble across a great find but have no idea how to use it. A girlfriend might be able to offer a terrific suggestion.


Buy the Bolt
The inspiration for Jessica’s design struck in the form of a 30-yard bolt of black-and-white houndstooth fabric that was on sale for an amazing $30. “I loved that fabric,” says Jessica, “and it was such a bargain. Even after the window treatments, upholstery, and pillows, I still had plenty of extra.” Leftover fabric doesn’t have to go to waste. Use it down the road as seat cushions on new finds, lampshades, and even place mats or a tablecloth.

If you can’t score a bargain on fabric, definitely find a pattern you love and use it. Get more usage out of smaller yardage by covering accent elements such as pillows, lampshades, stools, side chairs, and the backs of cabinets with it. (FYI: It takes about 1 yard of fabric to make one 18-inch pillow.)

For large pieces, such as a sofa, opt for a neutral slipcover. You’ll save your budget from reupholstery costs and give yourself more freedom to alter the look. This is always a good thing!

Images and captions via Southern Living

The new silk flowers - your opinions wanted!

Yea or Nay on silk flowers used to be obvious - you could usually spot them a mile away. These days however, the quality is getting higher, the arrangements more contemporary and elegant, and it's not always so easy to tell. Perhaps there is nothing like the real thing - but I have a hard time getting fresh flowers to last more than a few days and stopping my roommate's cats from eating them.

If you do go the artificial route, I suggest purchasing a few and swapping them out from time to time - nothing worse than dusty fake flowers, and it makes it seem like you're spending the money for fresh bouquets.

One definite reason to "yea" these bouquets is that they're all under $50 - easily what you'd spend on 4 weeks worth of these fresh. In fact, they start at $29.95. Check them out at HSN.

my personal fav...
close up







What do you think?

You'll never guess where this stuff is from!

I have a much younger sister who is 18, and in a moment of boredom I flipped through her Delia*s catalog. I was surprised to see they had a "Room" section, and even more surprised that they had a few cute things for us "grownups". Even better, a lot of their stuff is priced for those who make a living by babysitting alone.


I love these curtains, they'd look cute in a bathroom too, I think


I could see this bedding costing a lot more at CB2

Affordable, one (or few)- of- a- kind lighting, pillows, and dinnerware

I'm on the hunt for two small lamps for either side of my bed. After searching the usual suspects, I was left unimpressed, so I decided to look the hand-made way...Here are some of my favorites I now have to choose from...

From artist Yours Truly, (this is the artist's shop name, not me ;)
Awesome bottle lamps with bold and colorful lampshades. You can even chose the fabric you want for your shade!


oohhh...liquor. Love it!



To purchase or see more, go to Yours Truly xoxo Etsy shop

From Cicada Home, I love these lamps and cushions, and the textiles are so pretty. I want a pair of the Michelle Engel Bencsko accent lamps! So pretty on or off!


To purchase of see more, go to Cicada Home's Etsy shop

From Red Sonja Designs, I love how the artist has used her photography and applied it to these beautiful lamps. Now I'm trying to pick which ones I'd pair up.
I think these two are my fav's.


To purchase or see more, go to Red Sonja Designs's Etsy Shop.

Not, lamps, but I just had to share these! From nonfiction, invasive species dinnerware. I love these! Growing up the daughter of an environmental scientist, I'm well versed in invasive species, and they hold an unspecial place in my heart. So clever!





To purchase or see more, go to nonfiction's Etsy shop

Cool bedrooms from Ikea!

So, we all love ikea, I can admit it. But I also love building furniture, and it's best to read up on a certain piece for any quality issues. Taking a trip to Ikea is always fun, though it takes up the whole day-- but what else are Saturdays for--and tomorrow is Saturday!


good ideas for a small bedroom...I really like the amoire to the left. I don't know how I feel about that table though...


I love this upholstered bed...I'll have to find some reviews, grimstad $579


I have this bedding! It's beautiful, and reverses to two different patterns


anyone who knows me knows why I love this bedroom...it's white!





nice use of space in this room--they just need to find another option for those plastic containers under the bed!



I'm getting this chair for my bedroom, tullsta $99



I want a pair of theses- alseda $29




expedit bookcase--a great room/studio divider, and a new classic for $159





hemnes dressing table with mirror- $249 *love* it



trollsta sideboard, very chic, also in yellow $349


Have a great weekend guys!