New Obsession: RH Teen

Okay guys, I'm about to show you some serious eye candy. Just last month Restoration Hardware announced RH Teen -- and just by the teaser photo, I was already so excited. Now with the new website up and running, there is SO much to be excited about and it's no joke. These pieces can be used in adult spaces as well as teen. Pricing is less than RH Home but that's not saying too much but at least you DO know the quality is there. These pieces are truly something teens can grow into and have for years to come -- that's what excites me most. Here are some of my favorite photos from the new website ( I have to come up with a list of my favorite items). Oh, and for those of you who don't know I now work at Restoration Hardware so I can't wait to get my hands on some designs where I can include some of these items. Definitely check the new RH Teen website out for more! 

How amazing are these spaces? I'm loving it all but the decor is especially 

on point. Enjoy!

Xo,

DIY Coastal Painting

I've been in a very DIY mood lately (if you haven't checked out my last post on creating a festive fall wreath click here) and this time I'm creating an acrylic coastal painting. I came across a picture on pinterest of a bedroom with a painting that was screaming for me to recreate it so naturally that's what I had to do. The colors were just stunning. 

What you'll need:

1. Any size canvas you want (regular or gallery wrapped)
2. Smooth paint brushes with a thick tip so the bristles won't come off in the paint
3. A spray bottle with water in it (refill an empty cleaner bottle if you need one)
4. Old towel
5. Acrylic and watercolor paint (I use ones I get from Michaels -- artists loft and craftsmart brands -- and the colors I used were prussian blue, peacock blue, sand, turquoise, white and viridian) along with a sealer of some sort or a satin varnish
6. Paper plate 
7. Cup of water

Luckily for me I had an 18x24" gallery wrapped canvas in my car and all the paint colors and brushes in my art bin. The only downfall is not having my easel set up so I used an old towel under the canvas and leaned the canvas against the wall on top of some paper towel taped to the wall -- so this is what you can do if you don't have an easel set up either. Plus, I did a water dripping technique so you need something under the canvas to not make a mess either way. Or if you have a space outside in the grass to paint then that works, too!

First, flip the canvas vertical so the water drips that way. Squeeze the paint onto a paper plate if you don't have a palette. Then, spray the canvas with water to start the dripping technique. Then start with any color you like -- I started with the prussian blue to the left -- the paint will start dripping and continue to spray with water to create desired look. Continue this process for each color and don't be afraid to blend the colors a little so they fade into each other --just make sure you're either using different paint brushes or dipping them in water so it keeps them from mixing too much. Do one layer and then let it dry. The key is layers, layers and more layers of paint when doing this technique. After it's dry flip the canvas -- so it's still vertical but the other way. Continue by spraying water again and adding paint. Mix white in some spots in the sand and turquoise so you get variations in color. Continue to spray with water to create desired look. Once dried your painting should look something like this (before sealer which is why it may look a little dull)...

Once sealed and put in some very appealing natural light your painting should look more like this...

I really love the way this came out not to mention this one is for sale -- but if you're up for it try to DIY and I'd love to see it once it's done! Happy painting :)

Xo,

Our First Place: Making Our Rental Our Home

My boyfriend and I moved into our own place this past August and we love it. We fell in love with the coastal style of the development and all of its amenities (not to mention super close to work). Since it's a rental we've been trying to make it feel like home piece by piece - as far as our budget and it being a rental allows. We literally moved in with just our clothes and bedroom furniture - we had to start from scratch. Now it's a little over a month later and we are pretty darn proud of how it has come along considering our budget. My boyfriend definitely gave into some of the more feminine items I loved since he set up his media center along the main wall - it's all about compromise. We chose to place the sofa in the center facing the TV because of the recommended viewing distance from the TV and sofa. It does make it feel more cozy and we love watching movies there. Since we are loving how it has come along I had a photoshoot with my fellow west elm home stylist, Katherine Schwingel. She got some great shots and now I get to share them with you :)

Our apartment features:

West Elm

Origami Coffee Table / Quinn Sofa in Frost Gray / 

Balcony Bistro Dining Set / Antique Tiled Wall Mirror /

Parker Mid-Century Round Dining Table / Mini Abacus Lamp /

Scoop Back Chairs / Gold Leaf Gallery Frames /

Solid Silk Hand-Loomed Pillow Cover / Jacquard Leaf Silk Pillow Cover / 

Quilted Acrylic Glassware / Carla Peters Sand Glaze Vase /

Clear Acrylic Tray / Reclaimed Wood Display Shelf

Target

Threshold Windham Console Table / Threshold Basket /

Threshold Brushed Silver Linear Shaded Floor Lamp /

Black Gallery Wall Frames

Other accessories/decor from Ikea, Homegoods, World Market + more.

Xo,

Get the Look: Rustic Chic Living Space

This week I chose a living space designed by one of my favorite interior designers, Emily Henderson. Many would know her as the HGTV Design Star 2010 Winner. I especially love her for her eclectic, industrial & funky interior design style (and personality). She tends to mix contemporary with mid-century design & it couldn't work more in her favor. If you are a fan of this living space designed by Emily Henderson herself than you are in luck. I created the same look at a reasonable cost (and I even showed you where to find each item, too. Shh). Navy & gold is beautiful in many designs - throw in some chic, artsy pieces and you have a fun, inviting & stylish living space. 

1 / Martini Side Table in Antique Brass / $149 / West Elm

2 / Nate Berkus Oragami Print Window Panel 54"x95"/ $33.24 / Target

3 / Abstract Art Photo Collage / Etsy & West Elm

Top Left to Right:

7WondersDesign Print / $8 / Etsy

7wondersdesign Flower Bursts Multi Color Botanical Print / $23 / Etsy

LittlePrintPress Twenty Eight Yellow Leaves / $78.43 / Etsy

Geo Stitch Wall Art Squares / $24.99 / West Elm

Minted for West Elm Sunset / $99 / West Elm

Framed Print Theoretical Space / $129 / West Elm

Bottom Left to Right:

Framed Print  Plate LXXVII / $149 / West Elm

Minted for West Elm Amarillo Sunrise / $129 / West Elm

Framed Print Future Words / $169 / West Elm

Geo Stitch Wall Art Triangles / $54.99 / West Elm

4 / Rannka Handmade Pillow Cover / $50 / Etsy

Gurli Throw / $12.99 / Ikea

5 / Xbase 23 Pillow / $49.95 / CB2

6 / Morton Table Lamp / $169 / West Elm

7 / Entu Side Table / $349 / Crate & Barrel

Rhino Object / $29 / West Elm

8 / Dagmar Chair in Honey / $299 / Urban Outfitters

9 / Ukon Small Coffee Table Bench / $599 / Crate & Barrel

Faceted Terranium Small / $29 / West Elm

10 / Henry Sofa in Performance Velvet Ink Blue 86"/ $1,099 / West Elm

11 / Stockholm Flat woven Rug 8'x10' / $299 / Ikea

12 / White Marigold Paint Color / Benjamin Moore

Ready to be amazed?? The total of all that is pictured comes to only $4,233.83!! This total could be the price of only one high priced sofa so I'd say these are some pretty sweet finds. What is not included in price would be the amount of paint and frames for the unframed prints. Even with that included this whole living space would come to under $5,000! What is your favorite item in this space?? And feel free to check out Emily Hendersons website here for some more inspiring designs just like this one.

Xo, 

Vintage Chic Bedroom Makeover

Recently, I turned my brothers old bedroom in my parents house into a fabulous vintage chic space for when I visit or as a relaxing guest room. I love the look of dark furniture with splashes of color in this space. I chose a very relaxing, subdued shade of robins egg blue for the wall color. Remember the 60-30-10 rule where 60% of the space is the rooms wall color. In this case 30% of space is the black furniture and gray fabric within the wall treatment and bedding. 10% of the space are accent colors such as coral and turquoise. You can always play around with the rule but it is a good rule of thumb to go by.

A good way to personalize a space without making it too specific to one person is to use your own photography within a space. In this bedroom, I wanted to create a collage over the bed but didn't want to fill it with photos of friends and family - instead I framed photographs that I took from traveling and drawings of mine and cohesively created a vintage looking collage that draws your eye into the center of the space.

I chose longer curtains that fall past the end of the window because it gives the illusion of larger windows and because the curtains act as a piece of art within the space as well.

Here are some before pictures so you get an idea of how dark the walls were before which is why I chose a lighter color to open up the space especially because of such great natural light that comes through - it helps to reflect that natural light throughout the space:

After:

I really do love the way this bedroom came together by using pieces that I had and only adding a few new ones. It's amazing what only painting a room can do to a space as well. I hope you are able to take away some useful tips for your next at home makeover!

Xo,