Beautiful Christmas tree inspiration with Treetopia!

There's not many things that make your home prettier and cozier than a Christmas tree during the holidays.  This will be Chris and my first Christmas in our new home, and what better way to bring in the season then a tree?  Luckily, I was introduced to Treetopia, a company that makes ASTONISHINGLY realistic faux trees, as well as wreaths and garlands.  I chose the Brooklyn LED Spruce tree, and it's gotten nothing but complements so far.

I even put together a little video so you can watch the entire process of me setting it up:

Looks pretty easy right?!

As promised, here are some shots of our finished tree, along with some close-ups so you can see for yourself how realistic it is.

The folks at Treetopia gave me a little survey to fill out, which I'm sharing below.  I'd love to hear some of your answers to these questions!

How did you get your start? 

I was looking for ideas to decorate my studio apartment. I used as blog as a means to store all my ideas and other people started coming across it, and it just grew!

Favorite place to be for the holidays? 

On my parent's farm by the fire.

What are your favorite holiday traditions? 

Staying in and watching old Christmas movies with my mom and sisters.

How do you describe your holiday decorating style? 

Simple, but warm and cozy.

Favorite Holiday Food? 

My mom's lemon sweet breads!

Best Holiday Indulgence? 

Also my mom's lemon sweet breads!

Best Holiday Gift Ever Received? 

Managing to get my 3 sisters and I all together, even if only for an evening once a year!

Regifting - okay or not okay? 

Okay!  If you know the recipient will truly love it than giving it a new home and keeping one more thing out of a landfill or the attic is a good thing!

What is your favorite piece of holiday décor and why? 

My wooden nativity. It was passed down from my grandmother.

What are your favorite places to get holiday design inspiration? 

Other blogs.

What is the most over-the-top holiday design you've seen? 

Yards filled with inflatable seasonal characters.

Any holiday decorating tips you'd like to share? 

Sticking to a color scheme can really make your decor look chic and not just hodgepodge.

Mind sharing with us what you'll be doing for your home this Christmas?

My future in-laws are coming over, and we will also be heading to my parent's farm for Christmas brunch.

Don't forget to check out Treetopia!

My Christmas Wreath, other people's gorgeous wreaths, and Christmas mantel decorating ideas

Yup - another Christmas decorating inspiration post!  I've gathered up a bunch of wreath and mantel eye candy for you to enjoy!

Love this wreath of Noble Fir and Eucalyptus.  Love this one.
DIY here.

via Martha Stewart

A pretty glittery option - great if you're theme is white and metallics.

via Seasons of Joy

  The above is my first stab at wreath decorating.  After seeing the ones above, I can see I need a little practice, but I love the fuchsia ornaments! I also strung some fake pearls of various sizes together in little clusters, added some battery operated lights, and pinned on a few feathers I found at my parent's farm.  Yes - the greenery is fake, but it's from FMIL, so I had to make sure it was displayed...you know how that goes.

The Holiday Mantel, Demystified
from Eddie Ross for Country Living

The photo below has corresponding numbers with the tips for

1. Work what you've got. Ross started with the accessories that always sit on this ledge: the 1940s clock in the center and the matched pair of hurricanes at either end. 

2. Embrace asymmetrical symmetry. Moving inward from the hurricanes, he added objects that mimic each other, sort of.Note how the candlestick holding the textured gold ball is roughly the same height as the standing reindeer, though their shapes differ. Ditto the prone deer and the brass cup of paperwhites. 

3. Throw a major curveball. Next, Ross introduced items—the framed portrait and loving cup—that don't even pretend to parallel each other. The purpose: Infusing the whole scene with energy 

4. Fill in the blanks. The designer tucked gold garland throughout the arrangement. For a final stroke of genius, he draped glass beads from elk antlers hung on high. "The silver and gold strands help the mixed metals seem intentional," Ross says. 

 In the above photo: Ross purchased the silver-plate hurricanes at Costco, the deer figurines at Michaels, and the stockings on Etsy. The elk antlers are over 100 years old.

via Country Living

Love these canvases on the mantel , especially the one with the lights behind it!
via The Lovely Cupboard

via BHG

via HGTV

Happy Holidays

I'm heading over to my parents' farm for the holidays tomorrow, so I'll talk to you guys next week.  I wish everyone a wonderful, wonderful holiday - filled with loved ones and yummy treats!

via Country Living Mag

A fresh spin on Christmas decor...

I was so excited when I saw photos of this home for the first time. It's so fresh and coastal, but somehow still manages to be festive and feels like Christmas. The home is a barefoot style cottage in Florida.

The chair was a flea market find, now reupholstered in a modern coral print.

I didn't know there were fireplaces in Florida...

Okay - I love this banquette. It's custom made in faux-ostrich vinyl that's super kid-friendly

Woolen stockings didn't scream beach cottage, so the kids used buckets in lieu of stockings

If you can, use accents from your own backyard.  They don't look like everyone else's decorations, and they're free. This owner took cuttings of pine from her own property. Don't have property? Take a walk in a park and see if there are any fallen pine cones you can gather.

I adore how she did up her stairs with mercury glass candle holders and jumbo pine cones.

The bedroom color palette is so serene.

Does this home still feel holiday spirited to you?

via Southern Living December 2011

Ready or not, Christmas is coming - some easy decorating ideas for those with little time or motivation to decorate for the holidays

I'm a little ashamed to admit that I love other people's Christmas and holiday decorations, but when it comes to putting up my own, I really drag my feet. I let the weeks pass by, and then it just seems too late to bother. If there are any other of you out there like me, here are a few simple decorating ideas, which are easy and quick enough that you won't need to procrastinate.

Love this photo.  See how just a red throw and a pillow gives it a holiday feel?
 (aside from the snow)
via Log Home

You can always just go with a tree.  Because there are no other holiday decorations around, the tree is all the more noticeable, and really takes center stage.

A red flower arrangement or poinsettia can make a big impact on your dining room table.  Keep the other table linens white to really make the red pop.

2 images above via Lonny Mag

Okay, so I know this adorable little shed is all decked-out, but I used it to impact the instant coziness that warm light gives off. Candle light and incandescent lighting from table lamps and sconces, not overhead lighting, give off a warm glow. I know that incandescent lights are not the most energy efficient option - so check out compact fluorescents (CFLs), which give off a light more similar to incandescents than traditional fluorescents, but still give you energy savings.

via Pinterest

Candle light makes the table festive, even without green garlands and red bows.
via Rue Magazine

Simple pops of red turn an everyday room into a holiday decorated room.  A throw, a table runner, a lampshade, or a throw pillow are all accents that can be swapped in on the holidays.

2 images above via Casa Diez

I thought this idea was cute and easy. Take some glass vessels with a wide opening - a large jar, a hurricane, a glass bowl, and fill them with a simple strand of lights (craft stores sell plain strings of lights super cheap), and cluster them together in an arrangement on the table, mantle, or a sideboard.

via Country Living

What do you do to decorate for Christmas or the holiday you celebrate?  Do you procrastinate or go all out once Thanksgiving has come and gone?

Merry Christmas - some last minute inspiration!

Enjoy and have a wonderful holiday!

via Architect Design

Isn't this the sweetest mantle?


via Skona Hem






images above via House to Home

Glamorous Holiday inspiration you haven't seen before

Well, I hope you haven't seen some of these yet! Of course I love the white and cream backdrop, but these holiday decorating ideas are great too...

it looks like maybe the garland is a white feather boa - cute huh?

I'm not into binge decorating, I like small charming touches - like these lit branches on the table


The socks on the radiator are too cute

Notice the ornaments hung from the chandelier with ribbon. We do the exact same thing but from the curtain rods


A "warm" white can be hard to pull off but I think this is lovely

The tree you see in the image above this one is put up on a table - good idea!


via House and Home

Welcome weekend! These warm and peaceful living rooms will inspire you - some Christmas inspiration too!

I definitely tend to go for Christmas decorations that aren't the typical green and red




via Crate and Barrel

I adore the chandelier contrasted with the rough walls. This is actually the Jayson Home and Garden store. PS- if you like Jayson Home and Garden Gilt is having a sale on their accessories.
via Lonny Mag

via Indenfor & Udenfor

via House to Home

Beautiful chairs
Great ottoman too - providing the fur is faux...
via Doryn Wallach

Even if your fireplace is non-working you can still create a cozy fire with a grouping of pillar candles. BTW - this is a real home -not staged or professionally decorated.
via DIY Network

some minimalist staircase cheer.
via Living at Home

Have a great weekend everyone! We will be baking cookies at my house :)