Ready for Spring

Happy Monday (or we can at least pretend)! I'm actually pretty happy today because it's warming up in NYC and all the little spring touches around my apartment actually are starting to feel like spring :) I want to share my top tips with you that I like to do to start to get ready for spring. I'm still working on the rest of our apartment but I am loving how our bedroom is coming together! So here we go...

1) Switch up your textiles - I think it's important to keep your main furniture somewhat neutral so you are able to switch up the feel of your space with decor and textiles. The throw on my bed from Anthropologie has a darker blue stripe on one side, so to make it feel brighter I now fold it with the lighter stripe showing. I also recently purchased lighter gray pillow covers from Motif Pillows on Etsy that I am loving and work perfect with my more colorful handmade kilim pillow from Blue Salvage. 

2) Flip your mattress - It's not all about the way your room looks. Just like you may flip your sofa cushions for even wear, you can do the same with your mattress (if not a pillow top) to improve comfort and longevity. We've been thinking about getting a new mattress and have had our eye's on the Leesa Mattress - we've heard great things about the comfort of the memory foam which is what our current mattress is lacking. The perfect time to do this is the start of a new season!

3) Add fresh greenery - I love shopping for new succulents and plants at the farmers market in NYC, usually in Union Square. I recently just purchased this planter from West Elm for our living room and trying to figure out what type of larger plant would work best. For our bedroom, an assortment of smaller succulents is the perfect touch to make it feel more like spring. I like to place them on different areas on my desk shelving like below.  More to come! 

Those are my top 3 tips to make your bedroom get ready for the warmer spring weather. I'd love to hear what you do to get your home ready! Stay tuned for my next post on how to style your shelving....here's a peek :)

xo,

Lauren

Terrarium Workshop

As some of you may know, I am a home stylist for west elm. West elm is one of those company's that love to be involved with the community and give back. Working at one of their stores, I get to help plan and be a part of their events myself. Not only displaying and selling my own artwork at their local vendor fairs but hosting workshops, too. 

Recently, I made my own terrarium which you can check out here. If you don't have a green thumb, that's quite alright. Terrariums with succulents are perfect for first time planters (or people whose plants end up dying on them -- it's okay, it happens) because they are super low maintenance but you do have to make sure you give them a fair share of sunlight. I will be bringing my own terrarium to the event and will be showing others how to create their own. West elm will provide the soil and rocks, snacks and beverages. They will be selling their terrariums and succulents for a special price for those who are participating in the workshop. I've never done a terrarium workshop before but I'm sure it will be lots of fun! {Tuesday, 2/10 6-8pm, west elm south coast plaza}

Xo, 

DIY Terrarium: Before & After

A couple of months ago at west elm I fell in love with their new wood and glass terrariums -- I had to get one! The base is natural wood and the top is handblown recycled glass melted against the base -- each one is completely one-of-a-kind so when I saw one that I loved I knew I had to scoop it up because who knows if I could of found another just like it.

I've never created my own terrarium before but I new I wanted to include unique succulents, rocks and sand. Succulents are great because they retain their moisture so they don't need to be watered as frequently as other house plants -- when the soil is dry to the touch you can water them which is about every 7-10 days. You really can do many different things with a terrarium but this is what I purchased to create the look I wanted:

- 1 small succulent 

- 1 medium size succulent

- 1 bag of potting soil 

- 1 small bag of white sand

- 1 small bag of small rocks

I was able to find my succulents at west elm, sand and rocks at Michael's, and potting soil at Home Depot. Click the links above for actual product.

1) To start, I filled the glass (just the bottom layer) with the rocks. 

2) I then added the sand (I ended up using the whole bag of rocks and sand but you don't have to use it all. I wanted my terrarium to fill up the inside so I used all of it.

3) Then I added just enough soil to plant the succulents on top. I pressed the soil down and made sure soil was all around each succulent to hold them in place. 

4) I added some water and DONE....

If you have made your own terrarium I'd love to see how it came out! It really is super easy and inexpensive. I splurged on my terrarium which ended up being around $50 but all of the materials came to around $25. Plus, Michael's always has coupons, too. 

Happy Terrarium Making :)

Xo,

Moments I Love In My Home

I brought a few items from New York back to my apartment in Cali and realized I had to shuffle some things around to make it work in my apartment. What's pretty awesome though is that most of the things I do have are able to work in different rooms or areas. I'm not talking big pieces of furniture either - just smaller items like candles, frames, and succulents. I really love having versatile decor because then if and when I move I know it will have a place. Here are some pics I took around my apartment of all these items in their new homes. Hope you like them as much as I do :) 

Air plant and framed art on a reclaimed wood display shelf.

{shelf - west elm, white frame - ikea}

Framed art I purchased in Soho and Union Square in NYC 

when I used to work there before I moved.

{gold leaf frames - west elm, black frames - target}

I love being able to move my pillows around the sofa

and still having them work with everything else.

{pillows and sofa - west elm}

This print is one my sister had made in art school and I just

had to bring it back with me since she was giving it away. I love it.

{lamp - west elm, candle - target}

An angled yet full view of the top of my entryway console. The 

clear, acrylic tray is perfect for catching my keys and sunglasses 

when I walk in. The framed print inside is a post card I got from NYC.

{tray, mirror & accessories - west elm}

These are just some moments in my apartment that I just love. I don't see this decor moving any time soon.

Xo,

Decorating with Succulents

I remember when I first heard the term succulent years ago watching an episode of HGTV's Design Star where a contestant planted succulents on top of a tree stump which also was used as an accent table. The judges loved it and so did I. Since then, and especially now, I see succulents used in design that provides a rustic feel & I can't get enough - I just love the way they look. You can either buy any succulents you'd like & any terrarium or pot to plant them in or you can buy them already planted. If you have children, creating your own succulent terrarium would be a fun project to do together! 

Now you may be wondering what exactly is a succulent & why use them in design? Succulents are plants, sometimes called fat plants, that have parts that are thicker than normal usually to retain water in arid climates and soil conditions. Because of their low maintenance and how they retain water, they are perfect to use in interior design - they provide a lush and beautiful look year round. Here are some of my favorite places to buy them & how to use them in design. Enjoy!

1. Placing succulents in planters on the wall creates an 

eye-catching piece with a rustic look.

 

 Shane Powers Ceramic Wall Planters / $19 - $69 / West Elm

2. Hanging a glass terrarium with hemp rope and

adding sand creates a fun, beachy look.

 

YYCustomizedGlass Succulent Terrarium Kit / $12.99 / Etsy

3. You can order pre-arranged succulents just

like this one as a gift for friends, family or for your own home.

Succulent Garden / $24.99 / 1800Flowers

4. These faceted terrariums have such a fun look,

perfect to place atop a coffee table, console or on a shelf as decor.

 

Faceted Terrariums / $29 - $39 / West Elm

5. This set of 3 geometric planters are cute & fun - 

I picture them scattered around a coffee table or atop a desk.

 

ShadeonShape Geometric Mini Planters Set of 3 / $45 / Etsy

I know you can order a variety of succulents from West Elm or from a bunch of 

Etsy shop owners here - I hope I gave you some good ideas for planting just in time 
for spring!

Xo,