Home Sweet Home

Creating Your Home Sweet Home!  Give Your House A Little Refresh! 

When we draw the curtains and open the windows to let the light and fresh air of spring flood our homes, we’re often greeted by layers of dust that have been hiding under blankets piled high…and since taking down our Christmas trees, we also realize that nothing green is really thriving!  One way I like to celebrate the energetic mood of the spring season is with a little house refresh!

“Home should be a refuge, a happy place in which to dwell, a place where we are loved and where we can love!”  Marvin J. Ashton

5 Fun Ideas For A House Refresh:

 

Make a good first impression!

There’s nothing that welcomes visitors and says “come on in” more than a pretty entryway.  Putting in a little elbow grease and cleaning away winter’s grime from your front porch and adding some pretty flower pots are easy ways to give your house a fresh, spring curb appeal.  I love the front door challenge page that is a regular feature in HGTV magazine where they share easy, inexpensive ideas to help give your home’s entry a fun, happy look!

I find that just adding a few fresh flower pots to my front porch is a great way to give it a fun punch of color and immediately lift your spirits from the winter blues at the same time!  (Get great tips for planting pretty flower pots here.)

Portulaca are hardy, vibrant flowering plants that withstand a variety of weather conditions and need minimal watering.

 

Pile on the pillows!

Anyone who knows me, knows that one way I like to give my home a seasonal refresh is to add some novelty pillows to my existing decor.  After vacuuming or cleaning your upholstery as needed, it’s amazing how just placing a few decorative pillows around the room will give it such a fun and colorful vibe.

My daughter’s cute, colorful pillows from World Market give the perfect touch of spring to her home come this time of year!  

Pottery Barn’s spring pillows are a fun addition to everyday décor. 

 

Spiff up with some spring accessories!

Bookshelves and tables are a must-have multipurpose mainstay in our homes.  Put them to work by organizing spring necessities and your favorite accessories!

(via Better Homes and Garden)

Spring is the perfect time for layering all the color!  

(I love the idea of painting the back wall of a bookcase a bright color.) 

(via Lush Home)

Organizing a functional yet colorful play space can be a great spring activity, and good therapy for winter weary kids and parents!  

 

Soothe the senses!

Spring is not only a colorful season, but a fragrant one too!  Scents also have a profound effect on our mood…that’s why come spring we can’t wait to open up the windows and let the fresh air in!  Infusing spring scents into our décor with fresh flowers, diffusers and candles is a simple way to change the overall feeling of our homes this time of year!

Trader Joe’s always has pretty spring flowers at such a great price! 

Pier 1 carries spring scented diffusers!  My favorite is Citrus Cilantro! 

 

Add a little whimsy!

Springtime seems to call for a little whimsy to brighten up our everyday lives.  A happy bowl of cereal to start the morning or a bright spring blanket to take on an afternoon picnic makes my favorite season that much better!

I saw these darling cereal bowls at TJ Maxx, of all places.  They had some cute flower pots with springtime greetings on them too.

I’m so tempted to commission the Etsy shop EnaHarmony to make me this crocheted blanket!  I love the colors and the pom-pom detail! 

Along with giving my home a little refresh, I’m also excited to refresh my soul as I welcome spring!

“No matter how long the winter–spring is sure to follow!”  Proverbs

What’s one way you give your house a fun spring refresh?

Happy spring, everyone!  ♥ Mary

Creating Your Home Sweet Home!  Outdoor Living!

Summer and outdoor living, along with patio potluck picnics just seem to go hand in hand…cozy backyard spaces have become peaceful havens to help us escape the busy schedules of our everyday lives!

Much like the rooms indoors, an outdoor living space evolves to accommodate our family’s needs…but it’s sure to be a popular place to gather if a few key things are taken into consideration.

♦  Include comfortable seating! 

Nothing says come stay awhile than a comfy and inviting place to sit.  My husband and I always look forward to some special gatherings with family and friends out on our patio during the summer!

“Come sit with me on the patio…the drinks are cold and the friendship’s free.”  Tribute Journal

I fell in love with the quaint, inviting outdoor living spaces of the south when my husband and I visited my son and his family in Augusta, Georgia last year. 

♦  Make it cool and shady!

I think you’ll agree that one of the main purposes of outdoor living is to provide a cool and shady retreat from the glaring sun and hot summer weather.  Nothing can cool off a space quicker than a ceiling fan–and believe me, there’s a wide assortment available depending on your style and the mood you want to create.  An electrician can add one without too much hassle.

“It’s always a good idea to take a smallish nap or two in a nice summer breeze.”   Winnie the Pooh

For added circulation, I put this vintage floor fan on my patio.  It has various speeds and turns from side to side.  It is from www.oaktreevintage.com. 

♦  Set the mood with fun lighting!

Not only is good lighting integral to setting an inviting mood to your outdoor living space, but it also extends the hours of use well past the time when the sun sets.  String lights give you the most bang for your buck and add a festive feeling to your patio too.  My daughter recently added these lights to a pergola they built last year; it becomes a magical place to get together with her family come nighttime!

“Outdoors is where you realize…what is beautiful, what is rare, what is true!”  Ben Okri

How fun are these unique lighting ideas to give our patio’s the perfect ambience!

♦  A grill is a patio must-have!

Good food always adds to any outdoor living experience, and summer food cooked on a grill is everyone’s favorite, it seems.  Whether it’s a fancy grill with all the bells and whistles or a simple briquet barbeque, I think a grill is an outdoor patio must-have!  For large groups, my husband especially loves his Black Stone gas grill.

“Grilling takes the formality out of entertaining–everyone wants to get involved.”  Bobby Flay

My husband knew he had taught our son to keep his priorities straight when he saw that he got a nice grill for his patio when he moved into his new house!

I would say that my son also firmly solidified his “man-card” when he purchased these cute grilling accessories for my grandson, Elliot’s backyard swing set!  

♦  Have some kid friendly spaces!

Whether you have young kids of your own, or grandkids who come to visit like I do, kid friendly spaces for your outdoor living areas are a necessity to give them a place to play and make them feel welcome!  It’s as simple as getting a small table set that they can eat at and special dishes that you use just for them.  This was one of the most fun areas to create on my patio.

“At the end of the day…your hair should be messy and your eyes sparkling!”  Shanti

You can’t beat the fun water table or playhouse that my daughter has added to a corner of her patio, they’re perfect for extra summer creativity for her girls! 

♦  Add your special touches! 

Just like our inside home décor, I think our outdoor living spaces should be a fun reflection of our personalities–filled with things we love; it should be a place where we automatically feel we can sit down and relax and take a break from our daily grind…a little escape from reality!

“Taking time to do nothing, often brings everything in your life into perspective!”  Doe Zantamata

My patio is a nod to nature and simplicity…I love being surrounded by plants and flowers.  I go here to recharge and remember that I am very blessed!

I hope everyone is having a fabulous summer! 

What do you love most about outdoor living?

–Love, Mary

Creating Your Home Sweet Home!  Love At Home!

We’ve probably all got a few Valentine decorations adorning our houses for the month of February…..but I think it’s fun to have a few love and heart themed design elements in our homes that we can leave up all year-long!

In this crazy world we live in, it seems like a good idea to have some little reminders around our homes to help us remember that love will always be the stabilizing factor that helps us through the ups and downs of everyday life!

A canvas sign like this sat on a hall table of my parent’s home for many years, and served as a timeless reminder for me to embrace all that life has to offer! 

I like the updated version of this message via Zazzle, hung in such a clever way.

Home Décor With Heart!

As I’ve mentioned before, my oldest daughter, Malia, is an interior designer, so it comes as no surprise that she has a flair for including unique love and heart design elements in her home that make it warm and welcoming…..I can attest to the fact that it feels like you’re getting a big hug as you enter her cute house!

This sweet greeting is the focal point of a collage Malia hung on a loft wall by her girl’s bedrooms where they play and do homework.  Her daughter, Makena, told her she loved reading it when she ran up the stairs to her bedroom after school.

The double-sided glass of the white frames makes it easy to change-out photos.

I have a neat friend, Hayley, who has been remodeling her home over the past year, and she has one of my favorite love quotes hanging in her cute kitchen.

(via Hobby Lobby)

These are a few other heartfelt signs that I love!  No matter your home décor style, there seems to be a unique framed love quote that will fit in perfectly!

Decorative pillows are an easy and fairly inexpensive way to spread a little love around your home. 

While it’s definitely fun for getting into the Valentine spirit, Malia likes to leave this pillow out all the time…..a subtle reminder to always have love at home! 

(via etsy)

I like to decorate with pillows too.  I especially love these fun flour sack pillows!

Oftentimes, it’s the little accessories or sentimental items from loved ones we place around our houses that have the biggest impact on giving it a special, personalized feeling of warmth and love!

My sweet hubby gave me this wood love plaque several years ago when we first moved into our house.  While I may add some Valentine’s decorations during the month of February, it sits on our living room table all year to help us remember that first and foremost, we want to create an atmosphere of love in our home!! 

Again, my friend, Hayley, shared this special flower heart that is on her 13 year old daughter’s dresser to remind her every day that she is loved.  Next to it sits a bunch of pink peonies, her grandma’s favorite, who had over a dozen bushes in her yard.  Whenever it’s possible, Hayley likes to have fresh ones in her home.

While I’m not one to invest too much on home design trends that seem a bit fleeting, there are a few out there that are fun additions to any love at home décor!

(via Pinterest)

I love the trend of blending design styles that is so popular now…..like the look of this vintage chair with the more modern, geometric pillow.  Such fun love décor.

Cutting boards in different shapes and sizes stacked on your kitchen counter are definitely on trend now, so why not add a heart one to the mix like this one from Sundance catalog.  Also, how fun are the variety of letter boards available these days where you can change the quotes depending on the holiday or your mood.

Even when gold isn’t as trendy as it is now…..I will always love it in my home!

(After Valentine’s Day, you could swap out the heart card for another fun photo.)

Share Love!

There are so many décor options available to showcase love in our homes, but let’s never forget that the best part of love is to sincerely share it with others!

“It’s beautiful to express love…..but it is even more beautiful to genuinely feel it!”  Dejon Stojanovic

I hope you always find ways to surround yourself with love!

What special décor do you have in your home that inspires you to love better?  Comment about them below and you’ll get a chance to have one of the gold love clips sent to you!  

–Love, Mary