Bring in green (and clean air) with houseplants!

As we struggle to make it through this long winter and prepare for spring to come, bringing some plants into your home may be just what you need!

DesignSponge

There are some great indoor plants that not only bring a little life into your space but also give you a little extra something to brighten up your day. Plants improve the air quality in your home by filtering things like dust, allergens, and toxins and release oxygen.

I don't know if this little lotus is easy to grow - but how gorgeous is that?

If you are the kind of person that struggle to keep plants alive , there are some great choices that need little attention! Some examples are the kentia palms, spider plant, myrsine, and bamboo. These plants make it carefree and easy to have plants indoors. The only plants I've managed to keep alive are spider plants and palmes.

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Smaller plants can add a little something to the room without being too distracting. If you are starting out with plants in your home, this may be the way to go so it's not too overwhelming! 

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Working from home just got a little more pleasant. Plants are said to reduce stress and create a calming work environment which can produce productivity! Having a dedicated space to work is amazing but having a place that is going to enhance your work day is a great plus!

 via Apartment Therapy

The biggest issue in my home is not having the windowsill space for plants that need sun, so be sure to do a bit of research so you know what will work best in your environment.

If you have an empty space in your home your not sure how to fill, pulling in a plant could be a great way to complete the room! There are plenty of choices to choose from to fit your needs and very beneficial to a home.
via Apartment Therapy

Are you a fan of indoor plants? Any green thumbs out there?

Lovely Eye Candy

To get you in the mood of falling in love today, here are some rooms I'm falling for these days:

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via habituallychic

via laurenconrad

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Make the most of a snow day with some of these projects

Four great ideas of things you can do to change your decor while your stuck inside (since we are snowed in with over a foot of snow here and it's still coming down!). Might as well have fun - and if you're like me I can only watch so much TV before I need to get up and do something!

1. Rearrange your furniture:

via BHG

I get so excited rearranging my furniture.  It is really refreshing and can make old things seem new again. It takes some trial and error to get things just right, and don't forget that you can "shop" furniture from the rest of your house!

2. Clean out your drawers:

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In your kitchen, bathroom, pantry, bedroom, and more! Clean out those drawers by creating three boxes: throw away, give away, keep. Sort your items and when you get to the keep, figure out if you have any good trays, shoe boxes, or containers laying around that would keep the items corralled.  It looks like the drawer above is using small jelly roll pans, which is really clever.

3. Make that gallery wall you've dreaming about

I like Design Crush's tutorial, but there are a lot of great ideas and step by step instructions online i you just search for something like "create your own gallery wall."  Even i you don't have all the art you want to use yet, gallery walls can be flexible and expand over time, or you can at least decide where you want it and start composing it in kraft paper.

4. Style Your Bookshelves

2 images via DesignSponge

You will be surprised how many compliments you get when you thoughtfully arrange your shelves.  Thinking of a bookcase or set of shelves as a composition really lets you show off your favorite accessories and books while also serving a purpose. I'm not going to lie, it's not always easy to strike that perfect balance, and you'll likely always be making little tweaks.  I would start by pulling a few images that I really like to use as a guide.  Next, collect the items that will be on the shelves.  You may have to omit some items or add some along the way.  You will want items with a variety of heights and widths.  Other than that, a lot of the process is just "feel."  Step back from the shelves from time to time to make sure you are happy with how your "composition" is taking shape.

Show Your Decor: Lisa D'Amato's Modern Nursery

Lisa just had her baby Daxel, and about 3 months ago Vanessa De Varges was hired to decorate her baby's nursery. Her and her husband live in a castle located in the Hollywood Hills - doesn't sound to shabby...

For the room Vanessa chose four basic colors red, gray, black and white - perfect for a little boys room! She wanted the room to have a modern feeling to it with out all the cutie baby stuff. This way the room can be used for years to come with out having to move things out or replace the look. She chose art that was more modern and vintage circus prints that they blew up and framed for the room. 

The walls are all black (its got a slight purple tone to it so its not too harsh on the eyes) and the ceiling and upper walls are painted bright white. Because she chose so many bright colors in the room and accents in white, including the rug, the room doesn't appear to look small, if anything her decorating tricks make the room feel bigger and more spacious. 

All the furniture, bedding and storage came from Land of Nod, the paint from Valspar and the flooring from Lumber Liquidators. The window treatments came from The ReRack Gals and the lighting came from Ikea (they did not donate), fabric from Premier Prints and most of the artwork came from different designers on Etsy were all sponsored for the Lisa's baby's room. 

Don't forget to submit your own show your decor and get your showcased on Decorology!

Necessary Nooks

Everyone needs a spot in their house where they can "get away" from it all. My favorite homes have little nooks and cranny's where you might not originally know what to do with the space, it may just become the perfect oasis!


via heltenkelt


via tatertots&jello

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A Step in the Right Direction: Ideas for Updating your staircase

Although stairs aren't something you would think would be part of your home decor, there are ways to bring it to life! As much as I'd like a second floor, we don't have stairs, but I do have plenty of ideas for when I do!  Changing up the stairs to fit within your style can really finish off the view and create a focal point.

via houseofphilia

I love the subtle gray stripe on these steps that tie into the room beside it. A painted runner can add a little something extra to your steps without the cost and installation process of an actual runner.

via houzz

Two toned steps really make this staircase so elegant. I love the dark and light that flows throughout the house and making the stairs match really ties it in with the rest of the decor. 

via Adore Mag

via Southern Living
A staircase is a great way to showcase art too.  Gallery walls have an especially big impact.

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Another option would be to change out the railings for something new! This can really change your view of the stairs depending on what you choose like these thinner railings above really make the stairs feel more open.

via Lonny

If you're really ambitious, consider wallpapering the stair risers.  I love this look, but I wonder how durable it is.

Keeping Rooms Bright with Dark Paint

In the past, I have always gravitated towards white interiors, but more and more I am being drawn to dark, luxe colors. I still need some light though, and there are a few tricks to using a dark color and still having the room feel bright and spacious.

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Using light colored fabrics and upholstery are a nice and soft contrast to the dark walls. They also reflect the light that's coming in from the windows which keeps the room from not having any depth.

via Pinterest via Interior Collective

Consider sheen and patina too.  Metallic gold bookcases reflect light.  Also consider the "visual weight" of your furnishings. The desk, while large - has minimal visual weight because it is clear.  A thick blocky wood desk would add a lot of visual weight to the room.

via Pinterest via La Dolce Vita

Here is another example of using light (in both weight and color) textiles, and reflective surfaces. Getting a semi-gloss or gloss paint will reflect light.

 

via Pinterest

I actually think that small spaces done in dark colors feel extremely rich.  The herringbone floors, moulding, and large window don't hurt either!