Wednesday Wish List: Entryway Dreaming

Happy hump day everyone! I feel like this week is going by extra slow, but I think that's because the last two weeks I only worked a total of 2 1/2 days! It was such a wonderful break, but now that I'm in the midst of an actual normal 5 day work week the transition is proving to be a bit brutal.

This week I've been finding myself day dreaming about all the projects swimming around in my head for our new condo. Decorating and creating a cozy home is definitely a process and requires layers of work and time. Sometimes I wish it didn't take time and I could just imagine the perfect space and poof! it would appear. But then I'd have nothing to do with my time...so there's that.

Today I want to share some ideas that I have for our entryway. We have a very small entry way that opens immediately into our kitchen. There is not room for a table or hutch of any sort and unfortunately the coat rack that we love (a wedding gift from my cousin) couldn't go where I wanted it. Our fuse box is right on the wall next to where I wanted it and the screws kept on hitting the box making it impossible to hang properly. We ended up having to put the coat rack behind the door which leaves us an empty wall that people see when they open the door.

We also started to create a drop station on what was once a breakfast bar. We opted out of the breakfast bar in order to utilize the under-the-cabinet space for extra storage. But, the area of the cabinet closest to the door is a perfect place for a tiny drop station. We hung the bulletin board I made by the door to display invitations, reminders and important mail (and of course pictures of Baby D), but we have a long way to go with the space to make it more inviting and more functional.

Here are some ideas I've been brainstorming:

1. First of all, we need a better place to store wet, snowy, or muddy shoes when we first enter. Right now we have them on a door mat, but it doesn't prevent the floor from getting dirty since we don't have the door mat where it should be when you take your first step inside.

Here's what I'm thinking.

A better doormat--something like this simple, but inviting rug from Ikea.

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Then, we need a place for us and our guests to store shoes. Either a shoe rack, or this genius DIY drip dry tray by Dollar Store Crafts.

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2. In order to keep things organized by our drop station, I'm thinking some hooks underneath our bulletin board for keys would be both functional and prevent those mornings when I'm late and searching for my keys. It's also super cute!

I'm thinking a piece of reclaimed wood (or faux reclaimed wood) or even a piece of driftwood with pretty hooks like this one made with hooks from Hobby Lobby. 

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Or even just a row of simple hooks like these:

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3. The entryway need some character. I'm brainstorming some quick decorations and DIY projects that might help to make that small space feel a bit like a separate area but also welcoming to our guests. 

I love baskets. They can totally work for any season. I also would love a bench, but I'm not sure if one would fit in our entryway unless it was very, very narrow. 

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I also need to find a way to make that big blank wall less blank. I'd love to fill it with a black and white gallery wall full of family photos mixed with some geometric art. Or a nice big rustic welcome sign with a few frames with photos underneath it or even a few wood boards to hang photos or artwork casually.

 Check out these great inspirational examples. All of these things could be hung with 3M strips solving our fuse box issue. 

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I know I have plenty of work to do, but with a few DIY projects and some creativity I think I can totally make our entryway work. I'm excited to get started one project at a time. I'll definitely keep you updated along the way. 

I'd love to know how you've made your entryway a  functional and welcoming space at your home! Please share in the comments--I'd love to hear from you!

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Wednesday Wish List: Scrapbooking Storage

I'm not sure if I ever mentioned it before, but I used to be obsessed with scrapbooking. As I am typing this I am looking across the room at my bookcase where I have six completed scrapbooks. At my parents' house I have about six more!

If you've ever scrapbooked you know that the more supplies the better! And it's easy to begin collecting so much paper and so many embellishments that it quickly gets out of control and you no longer have a place to store anything. Such is my life.

I started to browse Pinterest...where else?...for ideas on how to organize my supplies. One day I'd love to have an actual room for all my crafting supplies, DIY projects, and scrapbooking, but I think that is way on down the road. But, it doesn't hurt to dream right? Here are some super neat ideas I found.


1. Use a photo album to store stickers, gems, dye cuts, etc. I love this idea! It's so doable in any space.

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2.  I tend to use a lot of ribbon when I scrapbook...a lot. Ribbon easily gets tangled and super messy. These ideas are genius for keeping everything in order and easy to find.

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3. These craft rooms are to die for! Not reality for me right now...but a girl can dream right?

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I just love the drawers! It would be so perfect to put labels on each drawer for the type of paper/supplies in each one. I also adore that stool!

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This picture is a bit more feasible. I love the use of the bookcase to hold supplies and the peg board! It's so cheery and so practical! The shelf and numbered bins below are an added plus! Swoon.

Question for you! Do you scrapbook or do some other craft? Do you have a craft space? I'd love to hear about it! 

Wednesday Wish List: Entryway

Today we're going to talk about entryways. One of the things I love about our apartment is that we actually have a small entryway (more like a hallway) instead of most apartments that open right up into living space.

Entryways are the first thing you see when you walk through the door and the first part of your home a guest sees when coming to visit. This makes entryways important and you'll want to decorate yours with bright and cozy items to welcome anyone to your home.

For now, our entryway is pretty empty aside from a great shelf we got as a gift for our wedding from my cousin and his girlfriend.

Here it is decorated for Christmas:

To the left there is an entrance to our kitchen and the door adorned with Christmas cards is our pantry.

Although it is definitely small, there's certainly room for a great bench or very slim table. I've been loving the great ideas for entryways I've found on Pinterest filled with many things on my wish list!

Entryway Wish List:

{click on pictures to view the image source}

There are so many things I absolutely love about the first picture. The gorgeous color of the piece, its versatility (as coat rack, statement and storage space), and how compact it is. If you don't have a piece like this, you could easily create the look of it by adding a mirror below or above a peg board or shelf and a bench or small table below it.

I also want to point out just how much I adore the basket on the bottom shelf that could easily hold winter hats/scarves in the Winter, flip-flops and towels in the summer, or even umbrellas.

A large basket and either a narrow table or narrow bench are both on my wish list for our hallway.

This table is too big for my space, but I love the industrial look mixed with natural pieces. I also love the idea of bringing a lamp into an entryway, if you can. Many entryways have overhead lights, but a lamp brings warmth and almost transforms the space into another room.

More artwork and something industrial-looking is definitely on my wish list for our hallway. 

One thing I have been pining for is an umbrella holder. I never seem to see them in stores, but I guess you could technically get creative using any large ceramic vase, basket or galvanized bucket.

I am definitely going to be on the look-out for an umbrella holder for our entryway. 

Entryways can also be accessorized just like any other room. Tables and shelves are great for this, but you can also hang artwork or display baskets. 

Question of the Day: Do you have an entryway? What do you display in yours?

Wednesday Wish List: Bedroom

Happy Wednesday everyone! I have been swooning over some great Pinterest links lately and decided to do a "Wednesday Wish List" post on ideas for our bedroom. We have made some big changes to our bedroom lately including our pretty paint job we did this past Winter.

We also added photos of lighthouses we've visited together above the bed and curtains.

Although these small changes have definitely added significant progress to our room, we have a LONG way to go before we achieve the romantic, beachy, cozy feel we are going for. So, here are a few things we'd love to add to our bedroom to make some significant progress towards our dream room!

1. Ambiance through candles. I love the look of a simple bamboo box or a shabby crate holding shells, rocks or other neutral pieces with a few votive candles. It's simple, relaxing and perfect for on top of a dresser or on a small table or a large window sill.

2. Clean and creative jewelry organization. I seriously need to get my jewelry in order. I cannot decide how to do this in a way that will not take away from the calm of the room yet still cleans up the mess that is my jewelry right now. I like these two examples from Pinterest.

Frames with painted bulletin boards makes the jewelry look like art.

Or, this example uses painted flower pots and trays to create a DIY jewelry holder.



3. More paint. I cannot stand to have matching furniture. It goes a long way to have mismatched but complimentary furniture in a room and makes the room unique and interesting. One of these days I am hoping to paint our night stands white or this gorgeous subtle gray in the picture below. 



                       

4. Dark stain. Along with the idea of painting furniture, dark stains are becoming more and more common. Beachy spaces usually have a mixture of washed out stains and pale colored furniture with pieces with a deep dark finish. I love the look of the dresser below and would love to give Frank's dresser this look by staining it darker and adding very simple knobs on the drawers. 

5. Mirrors. We were so fortunate to have been given a full bedroom set by my aunt and uncle when we were married. Bedroom sets can be extremely expensive and we are so lucky to have a full set that is in great condition. However, as I mentioned above, it's so nice to be able to make furniture, hand-me-downs especially, your own. Another way I hope to do this is to replace the mirror that is currently attached to my dresser with a unique one.

I love the idea of going with a dark wood with a beachy/drift-wood feel or a white-painted ornate one like the second picture. Both would go right above my dresser. I also like the idea of having a large mirror, like the ones in these pictures, that lean against the wall on the floor. It's a great new take on full-length mirrors, but we'll need a bigger room to make this idea work...



       

                    

There are other ideas floating around in my head for our bedroom, some simple and some big projects. I am hoping to tackle some of these this summer so stay tuned! And if you find me wandering flea markets and yard sales...I'm probably searching for a mirror, frames or crates for my votive candles.

Have an excellent Wednesday!

Question of the Day: What's one update you've done to your bedroom to make it uniquely yours?

Wednesday Wishlist: Office Space Ideas

First of all...Yes, I am aware it's not Wednesday. It's Thursday. But this was an entry I began on Wednesday...and due to the fact that I've once again started grad school classes (and for the last time yippee!!) I was delayed in finishing. Please forgive me! 

Second of all, let's just be honest, our desk area/office is pretty sad looking.

We recently went through and began to organize as much as we could (mostly shredding and tossing a huge bulk of the papers we had been holding on to). We also purchased that drawer organizer as well as the cork board. However, I'm still extremely unhappy with how unfinished, matchy-matchy, and just completely boring this space is. And since next week I will be working on organizing the office further for the Home Organization 101 week #4 challenge, I thought for this week's Wednesday Wish List I would show you all some of my ideas and dreams for our office space that I've found on Pinterest and around the W.W.W.

1. First, I absolutely love the look of white and greens. After we took down all of our Christmas greens the apartment felt so much less colorful. There's something about the color green that is calming--perfect for an office space. I'd love to incorporate the color green as well as actually have some sort of plant on or around our desk area. 

Pottery Barn

2. Again, the plant, though small, definitely brings life to the area. I also love the fun lamp and comfy chair. This blog, 20 Minute Mom, is definitely worth a read, by the way. Click on the picture caption to view this genius desk organization!

20 Minute Mom Blog

3. Our cork boards are functional, but need some major help. I love this idea of painting a chevron design with white paint to bring the board to life. I also love the chair. I am curious to find a way to maybe add a fabric padded seat or seat cover to our boring chair to bring in some color and add comfort. 

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4. I absolutely LOVE this desk space. The use of shutters instead of a cork board is genius! I also love the fab color combination and filing box. 

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5. In this picture, I love the creative storage solutions on the wall. Since I don't have much space around the desk, we need to capitalize on the space to the left and in the sliver of space between the corner of the wall and the beginning of the window. The short white shelving would be perfect to hold filing boxes, decorate with pictures, hold a plant, and a way to de-clutter the top of the desk for more desk space.
I also love the mix of white, black and natural tones. That's the look I am going for in our living room (where our little office corner is located). 

Source: decorating-ideas-made-easy.com via Karen on Pinterest

6. I also absolutely love the idea of switching out the boring matching chair with a cozy, comfy chair like this one to bring in some subtle color and to make the space more inviting. 

Source: ballarddesigns.com via Brittany on Pinterest

              7.  Although, purchasing additional furniture can be costly, so maybe for now I can figure out a

    way to paint the chair to make it more interesting in addition to my cushion idea above. Perhaps a color?

Like one of these?

Source: google.ca via Brittany on Pinterest

or these?

Source: letschipit.com via Brittany on Pinterest

8. And last, I'd LOVE to replace that ugly black lamp. It doesn't match any of our decor and it would be fun to bring in a bit of color or at least a different texture to the space. I love these lamps.

Source: potterybarn.com via Brittany on Pinterest

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Target 

Anyway, I have my work cut out for me in the office area of our living room.

My goals are:

1. some type of shelving

2. New lamp

3. Jazz up the cork boards

4. Re-do chair to add color or new texture

What would you do to our mini-office "nook"?

Have you had to get creative with a small corner of your home?

Happy Wednesday!