Amazing interior photography by Tracey Ayton

I haven't found a site that got me this excited in awhile.  These photos really make me look forward to decorate our house once the wedding mayhem is over!

I need more carrera marble in my life.

Absolutely gorgeous home office. LOVE.

The couch, the coffee table - perfect.

 Gorgeous colors.

Check out Tracey's site and amazing blog for even more amazing spaces! TraceyAyton.com

A Touch of Mint - inspiring ways to use this pretty hue

I love the colors that spring brings, one of them being the love for mint. Here's a little inspiration for your day:

via itsadeer

via nordicleaves

via Pinterest via Fleur de Londres 

via entermyattic

Love this kitchen..we desperately need a backsplash and this one is sooo pretty!

via houzz

via Pinterest 

A Functional Office

Between tax season and spring cleaning, I've been trying to plan how I'm going to reorganize and clean out my office to make it a little bit more functional and pleasing to the eye. Here are some looks I've been loving

via livesimplybyannie

Loving this cabinet/bookshelf. Use matching decorative boxes or baskets to store receipts, paperwork and office supplies that you don't use on a daily basis.

via pinterest

Labeled drawers are a great way to keep your supplies and items organized. I love the simple look of the picture above and the labels are barely noticeable so they don't take away from the piece of furniture. The large drawers are great for keeping papers flat and not bent or rumpled.

via theglitterguide

A simple open shelving bookcase with a few baskets might do the trick for you! This can give you great places to add a little decor as well as store items. I actually have this same shelving unit in my office and love it.

via BHG
Keeping everything I need to get my task complete close by is key for me to stay productive.

I love a good inspiration board as long as it's kept somewhat tidy! Mine can get a bit cluttered and then I find them distracting...
via Sweet Home Style

Collections and archives are great as long as you are able to keep them grouped together and orderly.
via Sweet Home Style

Quick tips for making over your home office

For those of us who work from home its important to have a dedicated work space, but making it look amazing often gets pushed down on the priority list because clients come first! Here are a few tips that should only take a minimal amount of time to make your office a bit more easy on the eyes

via Martha Stewart for instructions to create this project.

Location: Your home office needs space. Without space you aren't going to be able to focus on the task at hand. It doesn't have to be a huge space but it does need to be a defined work space. If you're really short on time, expert organizer Molly Boren of Chicago-based Simplicity Works says to "define the space if possible: maybe with a curtain or even a rug, the way you would define another activity's zone within the living space." This works even if you don't have an entire room to set aside. There shouldn't be anything else in that office except for what you need to work. My "sewing nook" is just a secretary desk in the dining room. You'd never know it was there until I put the top down!

 
via Houzz.com

Lighting! Overhead lighting is extremely fatiguing on the eyes, and personally sometimes I feel like I can feel it sucking the life and energy out of me like a UFO sucking me into it's spacecraft. Under cabinet and task lighting is crucial and quick to set up. Experiment with different wattage light bulbs until you find what works best for you.

Change your perspective.  Literally.  I found I could focus better when my desk was not facing a wall.  You may be different.  Only when you are comfortable will you be able to focus.  Move your desk and see if your productivity improves within a few days.  If it doesn't, reposition and try again.

Monique Lhuillier’s office via Elle Decor

Storage and desk surface are two workspace elements that are really important to me.  These changes may take a little longer to employ, but you can't really work without them. Having cabinets and drawers really keeps the clutter off the desk and gives you a more relaxed feel to your day. Desk surface space is something I simply can't skimp on. Give yourself enough space to spread out your work instead of being cramped up and unable to visually breathe. If you are looking for great desk cabinet and counter top ideas, Corian has some beautiful options. Some storage options, like desk height filing cabinets or bookcases can double as extra desk space and allows you to keep your office better organized. I have trouble sitting down to work if my desk surface is cluttered.

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

Creativity. Feel like there is no room for an office in your home? Makeover a closet! This can be done in a weekend.  Turn your closet into a working office and when you need tuck it away you can just close the doors and it's back to the room it was before! This may take a little more creativity, but it can make a huge difference in a small home.



via HGTV.com

Authenticity. The most important thing about a home office is making sure it inspires you. It has to be a space that you love in order for it to work. Having a space that is yours with your style can really improve your mood as well as your work! Have fun with it!

Another great resource I always turn to is the 2009 Decorology post, A Room of One's Own - Creating Your Creative Space

  This post was in partnership with solidsurface.com

Office eye candy!

I easily spend at least 12 hours a day in my home office.  So what it looks like matters....a lot.  Is it comfortable? Nope, I desperately need a new chair and a keyboard try.  Is it clean? Nope.  I still have unpacked boxes from our move two months ago.  Is it functional? Meh...

So, I'm gathering up inspiration so I can turn my home office into a space worthy of spending 90% of my waking hours in.

I'm a sucker for symmetry, and white.
via Sweet Chic Events via Pinterest

A bit masculine for me, but I love the floor to ceiling bookshelves, and the large simple desk.

via Rue Mag

Love.

 Peach is one of those colors that I love when I see, but I have to see it to be convinced!  The above and two below are from a Baltimore's Stephanie Bradshaw Creative Studio

 If I had a refreshment area - especially a coffee maker - I'd never leave my office!

I adore this chandelier! Anyone know where I can find something like it?!?

I'm not a fan of white boards, but they don't look so bad here!

via Rue Mag

Gathering inspiration for my home office

As some of you know, we just bought a home and I will have my first true home office. Not in the dining room, or the nook of the bedroom, a whole separate room!

Here are some office spaces I really like:

The 4 images below show the office of Apartment 34's Erin Hiemstra

Loving those gold pendants!

This sitting area is great for flipping through magazines, sketching, etc..

via Rue Mag

The office of Maison Luxe, based in Seattle.

Great use of the nook!

via Rue Mag

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

Happy New Year! Some gorgeous spaces to inspire a home cleanse...

I ended up taking a longer break than I expected, as I had a lot of work to finish up for my web design business. But, I'm glad to be back, and I hope everyone is having a great New Year thus far. Here are some little projects I am undertaking to sort of "cleanse" my apartment and start fresh.

Clear your surfaces!  In general, I think people have too much stuff on their shelves and surfaces.  Remove all of your tchotchkes, candles, trays, vases, etc., and put them in a bin.  Then, slowly add back a few carefully edited pieces.  A few well-chosen objects are all you need. It might look sparse at first, but once your eye adjusts, you will love the clean, mind-clearing look of a more minimalistic homescape.  Keep any unused objects in a bin, label accordingly, and when you're aching for a refresh, swap out what you have on display now with another round of objects.  This method works great for me, and I make less purchases, because every 6 months or so I "rediscover" the objects I had packed away!

Embrace bright white. Leave at least one area of your home white. The best spot to do this would be anywhere you really have to focus, concentrate, write, or create.  It might seem counter intuitive, but a space of lower visual stimulus will be less likely to distract you, and foster a steadier mind for getting work done.

Hang your artwork!  Someone once said, art is like jewelry for your home.  For me, I finally feel like a room is complete, or feels like home, when I have hung my art.

Style your book shelves.  This concept is in the same vein as hanging your art.  There is more to decorating than arranging furniture, details such as arranging your books and objets d'art makes a big impact.

Carve out a permanent space for something you do often, or for something you'd like to do more of.  Do you enjoy the process of putting on makeup?  Carve out a small vanity area - and make it gorgeous!  Wish you could sew more put don't because you have to pull out your sewing machine every time?  Dedicate a small desk or table as a permanent sewing station.  If you want to do it enough, and even if it means changing the purpose/function of an already existing piece of furniture, you can make it work. Spending more time on things that make you happy will make you happier!

What are your 2013 plans for your home?

1. Adore Home 2.-3. 91 Mag, 4. Angie Hranowsky, 5. BHG, 6. Rue Mag