Hallway Nook / Foyer

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Good Morning! How was everyone’s weekend?

Last week felt very hectic, and I’m so sorry to have left you all hanging. I feel much less chaotic after a nice relaxing weekend, and I’ve got some good stuff for you this week.

Today I’m bringing you yet another design board. My husband and I have always used our back door (coming in from the garage) as our main entrance. It’s a long hallway that passes the laundry room, bathroom, office, and then finally spits you out into our main living space (kitchen, dining, living room). We don’t have any designated space for setting down keys, mail, etc. so they all end up on the kitchen counters, dining room table and it creates a mess. I despise clutter. I also hate that we have such a bare “entry way” that doesn’t reflect the rest of our home.

In an attempt to create a more organized space, I designed this “nook”. A console table, two x-benches, a place to set our keys and mail, and an area that rises to meet us when we come home. That’s what your home is supposed to do, right? Be functional, and also beautiful.

Our walls are a light cream color, so I wanted whites and vibrant colors to brighten the space. There’s a large window, so curtains are a must. Layered art and books are throughout our home so I had to add some here as well. (In all honesty, I just have an addiction to art, pillows, and coffee table books….) :-)

I purchased the benches from target, which were also featured in this post. The console is from Overstock, but hasn’t arrived yet. I’ll let you know if it’s of good quality and provide links after it arrives.

I’m DIY’ing some art using scraps of Camryn’s new wallpaper, and using art that I already own. You can check my Instagram for pictures! I’m also using trays, bowls, and accessories that I already own. Do all of you “shop your home” for decor? I’m constantly stealing bits and bobs from different rooms of my house and rotating accessories. It keeps things constantly changing, and evolving. (I might also have closets full of decor, because like I said before, I have an addiction)

What do you think of my work-in-progress space? Leave me any ideas or suggestions you have in the comments! I love hearing your opinions and advice!

I’ll continue updating with progress pictures, and links to all the products (if they’re good).

XO – Samantha

Nursery Design: Pink & Chic

Girls Nursery

My pregnant friend, Alyssa, is struggling to design her little girls nursery due to the green wall color in her current rental house. She could paint, and then re-paint in a year when the home they’re building is done, or leave the green walls and work with them. Together we designed this mood board which incorporates the green walls into the color scheme rather than fighting them, and will also look beautiful in the new house (with lighter walls). She’s not afraid of a good DIY, so I added in a tassel garland and map letter, and some pom poms for her to work on. How lucky is the little girl that will soon call this room home?!

Here are the items we chose:

Elephant Print (size 60×40″)

Crib

Elephant Stool

Faux Fur Shag Rug

Candy Kirby Designs Crib Sheets OR Target Mudhut Sheets

Herringbone Throw OR herringbone minky baby blanket

Mirrored Heart Art

LOVE Art

Brushstroke Art – Commision pieces are available if you contact Jen.

Gold Polka Dot Pillow

Dreamer Pillow

DIY Tassel Garland Tutorial courtesy of Linen Lace and Love

I am off to Washington this morning for my sister-in-laws babyshower. My tiny lady and I are flying solo, so it will be quite the adventure, as always. She’s actually a great little traveller, so I’m not very worried, but I do get anxiety when flying ever since becoming a mom. I’m not good at having zero control over situations, and well, flying is kinda out of my hands. Wish us luck! First stop when I get in town is the Bagelry, my favorite little bagel shop in the entire USA. Mmmmmm! It’s one of the things I crave year round, and binge on whenever I’m home. My MIL usually has a bag of them waiting for me when I arrive. I’m an addict. Sad truth. :-)

I’ll be posting as usual, as well as updating the Camryn Daily page.

XO – Samantha

A Simply Beautiful Home

Your guys know I’m a sucker for beautiful interiors. It’s my thing. Nothing inspires me more than a well designed room, or a beautifully styled table. Even a bookshelf done perfectly makes me stop in my tracks. It’s an addiction people. I’m the girl that visits Home Goods 2x’s a week, and squeals in Target when I find black lamp shades with gold leafing inside, and has 10+ interior design coffee table books on my Christmas wish list. My dream day would be to lay around (kidless of course) while skimming through all my favorite design books and drinking coffee in peace. Ahhhh!

One of my pet peeves about most interior design photos that I come across on Pinterest, in magazines, or in books is that they’re nearly unattainable. Not because the decor can’t be bought, replicated, DIY’d, etc. but because the space is unlike the homes that many of us actually live in.

Image Via

Image Via

Image Via

What’s the matter? Don’t you have intricate marble flooring, a palatial winding staircase, and enough room in your hallways to have a row of orange trees? Ya, me neither. So when I came across Jessica & Scott’s East Coast Nest I immediately fell in love. Their unassuming, 2100 sq. ft home, is a wealth of beauty.

Jessica is an interior designer, and creator of Nest Studio (Her drawer pulls are literally my favorite on the market. The gold and lucite…DROOL!)

That’s a hand stenciled floor…HAND STENCILED!! I’m just so in awe of what she’s done with this house. I also really enjoy seeing items from places like Target, and Ikea; places we all shop.

If you want to check out more of Jessica’s home, visit her blog here.

Today’s giveaway is one of my very favorite coffee table books, and a source of constant design inspiration and enjoyment for me. I flip through it at least once a week. It’s perfect for anyone starting on their home from scratch, or even someone who’s just looking for a change but doesn’t know where to start. It looks pretty sitting on my coffee table too. :-)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck! XO – Samantha

PS…I was sent a fun game called “How Do You Shop Style?” that I thought you guys might enjoy checking out. The quotes are hilarious, and no surprise, it figured out that I have a shopping addiction. Oops! Here’s the link if y’all want to play too. You can also win a designer handbag just by playing. http://bit.ly/psssjgame

Weekly Lust List

Lust List Image

1.|| This delicious baked oatmeal casserole. I am making this tonight!

2.|| Serena & Lily are having their 20% Friends and Family sale. Use Code HEART20

3.|| These new Freshly Picked Moccs for Camryn (Walnut & Platinum). I absolutely love these moccs, they are such high quality, and so durable.

4.|| Gulliana and Bill Rancic’s home tour in Traditional Magazine. I could move right in to this dream house!!

5.|| Tory Burch just launched her new fragrance, with notes of peonies, and the most beautiful packaging. Add this to my Christmas wish list!

6.|| I just received this cookbook in my monthly Pop Sugar Must Have box. I love her “Deceptively Delicious” book, so I have high hopes. I’ll let you know how we get along. I’ll be giving away a November Pop Sugar box, so stayed tuned for how you can enter to win!

7.|| Febreeze Spray in “Falling Leaves and Spice” smells amazing!

8.|| This quick and healthy treat makes my mouth water!

9.|| All of my favorite shows are coming back. Are you watching Greys Anatomy, Scandal, Sons Of Anarchy, and Homeland? My hubs also got me to start watching Blacklist with him, and I can’t lie, it’s pretty good if you like action and suspense. I’m also get my once-a-week trashy TV fix with the Kardashians. What are you watching lately?

10.|| This beautiful bedroom makeover done on a serious budget, by the incredibly talented Kirsten of 6th St Design School. I’ve been reading her blog for years, go check her out!

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