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Summer Staycation? How to Create the Perfect Outside Oasis!

June 19, 2020

Chances are the summer of 2020 will be nothing like previous summers. A global pandemic has many of our favorite theme parks, concert tours and any large gathering activities closed cancelled and shelved. But before you go and get all bummed out, this could be the year of the epic staycation!

If you can’t or are unwilling to brave the usual summer fun times this year, why not invest in a sweet outdoor space instead?

Take a look around the yard and see where you might put down some paver stones or have a small cement pad installed. Maybe you already have a small patio space that’s been neglected or under used over the years?

If there was a year to put a little elbow grease into that outside space, this is that year!

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In Decorating Advice, Green Interior Design, How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design, Small Space Tags staycation ideas, staycation at home, staycation ideas 2020, staycation ideas for couples, ultimate staycation ideas, staycation ideas quarantine, inexpensive staycations, staycation ideas covid, staycation ideas for families, staycation tips, planning the perfect staycation, outdoor oasis patio furniture, outdoor oasis ideas, outdoor oasis gazebo, outdoor oasis tent, backyard oasis, outdoor furniture, patio design, small backyard patio ideas, small patio ideas condo, small patio ideas apartment, simple patio ideas, narrow patio ideas, outdoor decorating, small townhouse patio ideas, patio privacy screen, how to make a small patio space, decorating small patio with potted plants
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11 Amazing Hacks to Create Space You Didn’t Know You Had!

June 12, 2020

Ah, the small house… It’s often described as charming, cozy and quaint. But what you don’t hear it described as roomy, accommodating or versatile. That’s because unlike larger homes with space to spread out and grow, smaller homes are finite, and you have to work with what you’ve got.

There’s no “bonus” room that lacks definition, or a great room in addition to the family room and living room. Nope, the small house is purposeful. Bedroom(s), kitchen, living, and bath are all exactly what they are intended to be with little wiggle room for any other purpose.

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In Decorating Advice, Do-it-Yourself, How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design, multi-purpose furniture, Small Space Tags Creating More Storage Space in Your Home, how to create storage space in a small house, how to create more space in your home, unique storage ideas for small spaces, clever storage ideas for small houses, how to maximize wall space, where to store things in your house, space maximization, same house more space, storage in the home, 100 amazing storage hacks you have to see, savvy storage ideas, how to create space, space saving tips, how to organize a small house with no storage, how to make an extra room in your house
2 Comments
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Hate Your 12 x 18 Living Room? Here’s 10 Flex Layouts to Make you Love it Again!

June 5, 2020

Small living rooms can be a P.I.T.A. Especially long narrow ones. It often feels like you’re playing Tetris; trying to maneuver a beefy couch next to a an even beefier chair. You lug and push until you’re too exhausted to care and you just leave your furniture any old way to avoid more stress. After a couple of weeks of “living with it,” you look at it and you know there’s a better way to arrange it so, on you go again, lugging and pushing, micro-positioning and tweaking angles ever-so-slightly…

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In Decorating Advice, Interior Decorating, Interior Design, multi-purpose furniture, Small Space, How To Tags How do you arrange furniture in a small living room?, How should furniture be placed in a small living room?, What is multifunctional furniture?, How do you furnish a small space?, How do you fit a sofa and dining table in a small living room?, How can I make a small living room look bigger?, 12x18 living room layout, very small living room ideas, living room furniture arrangement examples, living room plan with dimensions, living room layout with tv, flex room ideas, living room dining room combo with fireplace, space saving furniture
27 Comments
The 5 questions designers ask before buying furniture and why you should too pin.png

The 5 questions designers ask before buying furniture and why you should too.

May 29, 2020

Maybe you’re fed up with the lumpy sofa and you can go through one more Netflix binge on something that feels like you’re sitting on a bag of sand and rocks.

But, if your room has a tricky layout or architectural obstacles, you may be hesitating to pull the trigger on new furniture.

Whatever the case, furniture shopping has changed for the moment and making the right decisions from home, when you can’t see or touch furniture, is more important than ever for determining a good experience from a bad one.

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In Decorating Advice, Do-it-Yourself, How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design, Small Space Tags Sofa buying checklist, how to buy a couch, sofa construction, what to consider when buying a sofa, furniture reviews, well-constructed sofas, down wrapped sofa, coil spring furniture, sofa cushions attached vs loose, Questions to ask before buying furniture, How designers buy furniture, Questions to ask when purchasing high end furniture, Furniture questions and answers, Should you buy a furniture protection plan, Furniture dimensions, High quality furniture, Low quality furniture, is furniture a good investment, is expensive furniture worth it, Furniture cleaning codes, fabric cleaning symbols, cleaning upholstered furniture, Furniture warranty, What furniture is right for me
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Master These 5 Essential Ways to Mix Scandinavian & Bohemian Like a Pro

May 22, 2020

What happens when you mix the relatively minimalist Scandinavian design aesthetic with the maximalist Bohemian look? Well you get Boho-navian or Sandi-hemian. Whatever you call it, it’s a pretty distinct pairing that’s as unique as you are.

You get to have all the color and whimsey of Boho with the restrain and curation of Scandinavian. And that can fit delightfully well in small homes.

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In Decorating Advice, How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design Tags boho-navian, scandi-boho, scandi boho rugs, lived-in interior design, maximalist personality, scandi living room, White walls, Curated accessories, Minimal, Layer décor, Layer textures, Layer accessories, Mismatched furniture, House plants, Colorful accessories
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5 Quick Tips for Mastering the Art of Mixing Modern Classic & Rustic Like a Pro

May 15, 2020

When a modern house is paired with rustic touches, there’s this phenomenon that takes the edge off the starkness of the modern style. Rustic’s texture and warmth contrasts modern’s simplicity and coolness by mixing in history with aged materials and worn in vintage charm.

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In Decorating Advice, How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design Tags modern rustic furniture, modern meets rustic, modern rustic color palette, modern rustic interior design tips, modern rustic decor ideas, modern rustic interior decorating inspiration, rustic modern décor, old world with contemporary, rustic charm and warmth with modern, rustic modern living room furniture, modern sofa, rustic wood wall paneling, modern chandelier, mix modern and rustic interior design, what is modern rustic style?, modern rustic interiors, how to make a modern house look rustic, natural wood, neutral palette minimal pattern, cozy, texture, straight lines, modern chair, opposites attract
5 Comments
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5 Key Tactics the Pros Use for Mixing Mid Century Modern & Farmhouse Design

May 8, 2020

Throughout the years one of the most common stumbling blocks I’ve come across with clients is not knowing how to define their style. Many times I’ll hear, “I’ll know it when I see it” or, “I like different things form different decorating styles and it’s too hard for me to narrow it down.” I totally get that. You’re not a one-dimensional being and you don’t live in one-dimensional home.

Good design, just like a good partnership, requires give and take. You can take elements from one design style and mix it with another to give that combination a distinct look that everyone can enjoy. The same goes for one person with an affinity towards different design styles. A little from one style sprinkled into another makes for a dynamic and interesting combination.

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In Decorating Advice, How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design Tags how to get the modern farmhouse look, mid century farmhouse coffee table, what does a farmhouse look like, modern farmhouse living room, modern farmhouse decor, world market, Can you mix mid century modern with farmhouse?, Marry mid century and farmhouse, Mix mid century and farmhouse décor, mid century modern chair, mid century modern furniture, living room sets mid century modern, wayfair mid century leather couch, new mid century style furniture, tan couch
30 Comments
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9 Ways to Flawlessly Decorate Your New House with Old Furniture

May 2, 2020

Congratulations! You just moved to your new house! You’re thrilled to finally be in after months of jumping through hoops and standing on your head for banks and lawyers. Now, the house is finally yours, just in time for the stay at home orders… You’re spending loads of time on your furniture, looking at it day in and day out. As you look around, you’re beginning to feel bummed because it doesn’t quite look like the Pinterest board of your dreams. Maybe you’ve just been cooped up too long lately and you are just plain sick of your old furniture.

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In Decorating Advice, Do-it-Yourself, How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design, multi-purpose furniture Tags decorating with grandmas furniture, how to decorate with hand me down furniture, how to decorate with old furniture, decorating with inherited furniture, old furniture new house, dated furniture, mismatched furniture living room, mixing old and new furniture, slipcovers for sofas, loveseat slipcovers, sofa slipcovers ikea, slipcovers for chairs, custom slipcovers, how to make short curtains look good, how to add length to ikea curtains, how to renovate old curtains, making curtains with borders, ribbon trim for curtains, how to make your curtains longer, curtain edge trim, no sew curtain trim, eclectic style living room, eclectic style bedroom, eclectic design style characteristics, how to mix decor styles, vintage eclectic decorating
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Don’t Just Sit There! Create a Vignette with Stuff Around the House

April 17, 2020

Here’s my 7 step process to easily and creatively get a new vignette styled with stuff from around your house. Now, this process can be applied to small spaces or big spaces, in any room of the house. There are no rules for where it should be.

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In Decorating Advice, Do-it-Yourself, How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design Tags How can I Makeover my room without buying anything, How can I make my house look elegant, Do it yourself decorating ideas, How can I decorate my house cheaply, Low cost decorating, No cost decorating, Quick and affordable decorating, Quarantine décor, Decorating with plants, Decorating with houseplants, Decorating with books, Decorating with stuff you already have, Decorating with old stuff, Style your home with plants, Style your home with houseplants
2 Comments
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How to Plan a Gorgeous Room Makeover Online, Step by Step

April 10, 2020

This week I’ll show you my step by step method for tackling a room refresh in your home. You can use these steps to update your current décor by adding in a few new pieces or you can start from scratch and get a whole new room planned while you’re social distancing.

If you’d like to go a bit further than just planning, then this post is the perfect chance for you to roll up your sleeves and get to work.

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In Decorating Advice, How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design Tags room makeover ideas for small rooms, living room makeovers on a budget, How do I make a room makeover?, Aesthetic room makeover, Room transformation, How to pick a rug for a living room, Pick rug pattern, Pick rug color, How to pick furniture that goes together, How to choose furniture for the living room, How to choose sofa color, How to choose couch color, How to choose chair color, How to choose furniture color, Tips for choosing the right furniture, Living room furniture & décor, Furniture return policy, How to choose wall décor for living room, How to choose wall art size, Art for your living room, Art for family room, The perfect wall art for your space The perfect wall art for your home, Choosing a style for your home, Home décor ideas, Home interior design ideas, How to decorate when you like everything, What order to decorate, How to decorate your house, How to style a room, How to decorate in layers, How to decide what color to paint a room, Picking wall color, Choose paint color, How to choose lighting for a living room, How to coordinate light fixtures, How to choose the right lamp
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How to Get a Small Entryway Styled for Under $100

January 31, 2020

My journey from cluttered catch all space to a welcoming and styled front entry. I’ll show you step by step how I completed the project for a mere $100.

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In How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design Tags front door entrance decorating ideas, front door entrance ideas, small front entrance decorating ideas, inside front door entrance ideas, house entrance design ideas, small front entrance ideas interior, front entrance ideas for small houses, decorating ideas for entry hall, entryway living room combo, what to put in entrance of house, entryway ideas for small spaces, foyer decorate, how to style a front entryway, how to decorate foyer on a budget, how to design front entrance on a budget, $100 makeover, Spruce up front entryway, How can I improve my front entrance?, How do I make the foyer of my house look nice?, How much does it cost to decorate my front entrance?, Freshen up front entrance, Budget friendly entryway transformation, Instant makeover on a budget, Upgrade front entryway
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Stressed Out Over a Queen Bed in a 10’ x 10’ Bedroom? Here’s 8 Hacks to Help

January 24, 2020

It doesn’t matter if you’re making over a small bedroom or downsizing from a large bedroom to a smaller one, there is always going to be some give and take in order to make that space work the best for you. So, it’s no surprise to me that the most asked question I get is how do I make my 10’ by 10’ bedroom work? The second most asked question is how do I make my 9’ x 12’ bedroom work?, followed by 10’ x 12’ room…

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In How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design, Small Space Tags queen bed against wall, what size room for queen size bed, 10 x 10 room, Queen size bed size, Big bed small room solutions, Small room ideas, Queen bed dimensions, Very small bedroom layout, Small bedroom ideas, 10 x 10 bedroom floor plan, How to fit a queen bed in small room, How to arrange a queen size bed in a small room, Ways to make a small room feel big, Decorating ideas for a small bedroom, Space saving ideas for a small bedroom, Queen bed against the wall, Minimum room size for a queen bed, What is the smallest room for a queen bed, Best furniture for a small bedroom, Cleaver storage for a small bedroom, Hacks for a 10 x 10 bedroom, Plot out a 10 x 10 bedroom, What fits in a small bedroom, What fits in a 10 x 10 bedroom
30 Comments
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Budget Decorating Refresh; How to Fix Up Your Living Room in 7 Simple Steps

November 8, 2019

It’s your turn to host Turkey day and your living room is blah. You’ve been meaning to give it a mini makeover for a while but the weekends have flown by like a like Phil Collins skipping across the pond for Live Aid in ’85. Time is not going to go slower and before you know it, Thanksgiving Day will be upon us and everybody will be at the door ready to get their turkey and pie on! Now is not the time to panic. There’s still plenty of time to get your living room Pinterest ready so that everybody gushes over it they won’t even notice if the bird’s a little dry. Here’s How to Fix Up Your Living Room in 7 Simple Steps.

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In How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design, Decorating Advice Tags house decorating ideas, simple living room designs for small spaces, how to fix living room, how to update your home decor, living room makeovers before and after, how to fix up my living room, update home decor, quick room makeovers, room refresh, what goes in a living room, living room color ideas, step by step decorating living room, how to give your room a makeover, how to decorate your room diy, living room updates, living room ideas on a budget, home decorating ideas on a budget
2 Comments
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Don’t make this expensive common mistake in your small space.

September 20, 2019

I could hear it in her voice, total disappointment... My good friend, Anna had planned out and budgeted for her small living room makeover for months. She created Pinterest boards and visited showrooms for 3 Saturdays in a row. She moved all her old furniture into the adjacent dining room and painted the living room walls and trim. There was no going back now, the new paint colors didn’t go with the old furniture and so to keep things moving, Anna purchased her furniture and was thrilled that she was going to realize her makeover plans in a few short weeks.

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In Interior Decorating, Interior Design, How To, Decorating Advice Tags Floor plan mistakes, bad floor plan examples, reconfiguring house layout, floor plan tips, how to choose a floor plan, home layout mistakes, home design, small house layout ideas, good floor plans, furniture arranging, help with interior design, bungalow layout ideas, floor plan mistakes and how to avoid them, room layout mistakes to avoid, common layout mistakes and how to correct them, simple house plans, big furniture small living room, living room with three entrances, living room too small for sofa, sofa too big for living room, tall furniture small room, how to arrange furniture in a small room, very small living room ideas, small narrow living room
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11 Fool Proof Ways to Make Your Space Feel Bigger Than it is

September 13, 2019

Small space living can be tricky. If it’s a new space, it can be tough to figure out what to bring and what to leave behind. The last thing you want for your small space is to pack everything into it like Tetris and just live with it. A few times scooting past a sofa arm blocking a doorway or having to walk around a wide table in a narrow space will get old fast. With small space living, you must consider how you’ll use the space every day.

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In How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design, Small Space Tags How do you design a small living room layout?, How do you layout a small room?, How do you design a floor plan?, How do you make a small living room look bigger?, How do you make a small living room cozy?, How do you maximize space in a small bedroom?, How can I get a floor plan of my house?, What makes small rooms look bigger?, How do I furnish a 12x12 room?, How can I make my living room look nice?, How do you organize a small bedroom with a lot of stuff?, How do you fit furniture in a small bedroom?, How do I make the most of a small room?, How can I organize my small bedroom without a closet?, How do you organize clutter in a small house?, How do you use small spaces?, How can I make my small bedroom beautiful?, How can I declutter my house fast?, 12x12 living room design
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5 Essential Ways to Make Your Home Puppy Friendly

September 6, 2019

Getting a new puppy is exciting! If you’re like me, you’ve planned and searched for your new fur kid for a while. As soon as I saw her face I knew she was my baby. Those wrinkles, her coloring, the floppy ears, she was exactly perfect and I knew it. I’m pretty sure she knew it too! When I got to meet her in person, she walked right up to me, hugged my leg and wanted to be picked up right away. A few short days after that first meeting, she and I were in the car going home to our new adventures together.

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In How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design, Decorating Advice Tags bringing home a new puppy, bringing home a new puppy tips, feeling overwhelmed with new puppy, new puppy tips, bringing new puppy home tips, puppy tips and tricks, tips for new puppy owners, introduce your puppy to his new home, new puppy essentials, new puppy checklist, what do you need for a new puppy, what to buy before new puppy comes home, must have puppy products, puppy essentials list, must have items for dog, ultimate puppy essentials, really cool dog stuff, what to do when you get a new dog, new puppy advice, new puppy shopping list, what do I need for my new puppy, new puppy resources
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5 Proven Techniques To Arrange Furniture In a Small Living Room

August 30, 2019

Small living rooms can be tricky. You have a limited amount of space and you also want to have a room that looks great and functions the best way possible. I’ve lived in many small spaces and each one had its challenges and limitations. I’ve had lining rooms with multiple doorways, rooms that need to have dual functions: living and dining for example. No matter what, I’ve always used these 5 proven techniques to arrange furniture in a small living room and they work great every time. And, these techniques also work just the same for bedrooms, offices, dens and any other small space. Let me show you what I mean.

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In Interior Decorating, Interior Design, How To, Small Space Tags small living room design, living room ideas, small lounge, small living room, small space design, tiny house, small house design, home inspiration, home sweet home, home style, living room styling, living room interior, living room designs, living room details, diy home, diy house design, elegant living rooms, small family room, virtual interior design, online interior design, edesign
2 Comments
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5 Simple Ways to Create A Sacred Space After A Life Change

August 23, 2019

Our lives are busy, and we’re not meant to grind our days away without a chance to recharge. And, it’s not realistic to think that you’ll remember to slow down and recharge in between work, meetings, care giving and everything else you do to keep the world spinning and the lights on. The fact that you’ve found a few moments to ponder this really means that you are at least interested in a slowing down for some self-care and it’s important to pay attention to that. Having a personal, sacred space, doesn’t have to be elaborate, it just needs to support you for a few moments so you can re-energize yourself.

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In Interior Decorating, Interior Design, How To, Self Care Tags Create a sacred space, sacred space 2019, mindfulness meditation, meditation benefits, design a meditation space, meditation techniques for beginners, mindfulness meditation benefits, what is meditation used for, spiritual benefits of meditation, physical benefits of meditation, self inquiry meditation, advantages of mindfulness, meditation room essentials, meditation space small apartment, ideas for meditation, office meditation room, Zen corner at home, how to create a meditation space, how to make a space Zen, how to make a space peaceful
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How To Make A Photo Grid Collage

August 16, 2019

It’s been a while since I’ve created a DIY. I can tell you that I’ve missed the creative process immensely. I’ve been thinking about this one for a while and trying to figure out the best way to make it happen. It’s easy to put together a photo collage of different pictures but I thought how cool it would be if I could take one picture and blow it up to a large picture photo grid format. I liked the idea of square frames, so I took the concept of a Instagram post and made my grid 9” x 9“ x 9 frames. I had already found the frames at my local dollar store. The great thing about this concept is that you can do it with any size picture frame: large or small. It will work with any shape picture frame as well. The thing I found out was that it was quite easy to bring this idea together using One piece of free software that is net based.

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In How To, Interior Design, Interior Decorating, Do-it-Yourself Tags Photo grid collage maker, photo grid collage maker online, free photo grid, download photo grid maker, photo grid for pc, photo grid for mac, photo grid for pc online, free collage maker, free online photo collage maker, photo collage template, how to make a photo collage, how to make a picture grid collage, diy wall art, diy photo collage gallery wall

5 Quick Fixes To Improve The Feng Shui Energy In Your Home

August 9, 2019

If you’re feeling tired or stressed or unmotivated, indulge in this read because making a few very easy changes can help you achieve positive energy flow and a better understanding of how the arrangement of your stuff could be negatively influencing you. It’s about to get woo up in here but I promise you, if you keep an open mind, you’ll benefit greatly from these 5 quick fixes you can easily make to improve the Feng Shui energy in your home.

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In How To, Interior Decorating, Interior Design, Decorating Advice Tags Feng Shui, Feng Shui Love, Feng Shui for home, Feng Shui lifestyle, Feng Shui designer  Feng Shui deco, Feng Shui living, interiorsmh, Michael Helwig interiors, Online interior design Edesign, Feng Shui basics, Learn Feng Shui, The Secret, loa, Law of Attraction, space energy Clean and clear, Chi energy
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