The first impression of a home is the entryway.  It can be a completely separate entity or an extension of a room.  It may be big or small, open or closed in.  But no matter what size or shape, it is important to create a memorable space.

This entryway tells a lot about this home.  The moment you step through the door you are greeted with warmth and charm.  The shiplap walls, whitewashed cobblestone floor, and antique wood door speaks to the rustic character of the home.  The ample hanging storage and a farmhouse inspired bench says come in, take your shoes off, and stay awhile.  This homeowner wants its guests to feel comfortable and cozy.

Here is another example of a rustic inspired entryway.  The homeowner has chosen a weathered bench with handmade storage boxes to provide plenty of hidden storage for shoes and accessories.  A few simple pieces of shiplap anchor a chunky wooden shelf, large metal hooks, and family keepsakes welcoming you to their home.  Even though this is not a large entryway, the homeowner has still managed to create a space that serves its purpose and sets the mood for the rest of the home.

This entryway is uncluttered and full of personality.  The clean modern lines of the bench and neutral walls provide a backdrop to the simple southwestern furnishings.  This homeowner shares a little of their personality without being too much in your face.  The subtle blue in the rug with the pop of orange provides just the right amount of color to play off the natural basket and simple black and white photo.  And, finally the bull head hooks give a sense of whimsy.  These owners like their home neat and clean, but are always in the mood for some carefree fun.

A black and white Scandinavian inspired entryway is clean, organized, and full of modern artistic charm.  I love the use of light wood accents to warm the black and white palette and subtle artistic touches.  The simple round mirror reflects the homeowners modern black and white photograph collection and continues the theme of clean lines used throughout the space.  The entryway is completed with just a touch of greenery bringing a hint of nature inside.

Weather it's paint or wallpaper, nothing says personality like a bold first impression.  This entryway intrigues you.  This homeowner is not afraid to play with color and mix different styles. ​ From the blue walls to the modern light fixture to the traditional mahogany banister you know this home is filled with eccentric charm.  

Corners are an essential design aspect of any room.  They often house coat racks, floor lamps, plants, and many dust bunnies. But, when you have the right space, a corner is ideal for a cozy reading nook. 
  The other day I transformed my living room simply by moving one funky black and white modern chair to the corner of the room.  This simple move opened up my entire space and created an extra special seating area. 
​  Before long I was roaming around the house finding vases, candle holders, and anything that would add more personality to the once empty space.  
  First I tried the herringbone vase, some glass bottles, a newly purchased black and white sphere and a stack of books, which I loved but decided they took up too much of the tables surface.

Bathrooms are our own personal sanctuary.  They are where we decompress after a long day and refresh in the morning.  And, to many moms and dads they are an escape from our loving rambunctious children even if only for a few brief moments.  Bathrooms need to be more then four walls and the basic necessities, they need to be our own personal oasis.  My favorite way to create a bathroom oasis it through the use of clean white, warm wood accents, and a bold geometric print.  This combination creates a spa like atmosphere with a bold twist.   Below are some of my favorite inspirations I found on Pinterest and Instagram.

A Geometric Escape!
The simple white subway extends to all walls, floor to ceiling, creating interest and a crisp backdrop to a warm wood vanity, black accents, and the bold black and white geometric tiled floor.

Modern Rustic!
​Here a bold geometric tile is used as a feature wall, which is then accented by a rustic wooden vanity, rich wood inspired tile flooring, cooper accents, white sinks, and gorgeous wood mirrors.  This is a bathroom I could wake up to everyday.

Bold and Relaxing Spa!
Here, the home owners chose a dark grey flooring and light grey walls with white moldings to play off the grey and white geometric tiled wall.   Also, through their use of chrome accents and lighter wood round mirrors the bathroom appears softer and more spa like when compared to the more rustic look of the above bathroom.

The perfect powder room! 
​I love the mixed grey geometric wall paired with the clean lines of the warm wood vanity, black metal fixtures, glass pendant lights, and simple round mirror.  This bathroom is tranquil, fresh, and bold.

A true tranquil spa inspired bathroom. 
The use of this mixed grey hexagon tile on both the floor and shower wall allows the eye to travel the full length of the bathroom creating a sense of space.  The white walls, long white stone like counter, clear glass shower, and simple accents contrast the bold flooring creating a perfect sense of balance. 

The other day when looking through my boards on Pinterest I stumbled upon this inspiring image I pinned long ago and it got me thinking.  The stairway isn't just a pass through space in the home.  It is where we hang our treasured family photos and showcase vacation memories.  But, instead of simply hanging them on walls why not create a statement piece.  After all, we take the time to redo the stairs and add a fresh vibrant coat of paint, so why not go one final step further and create a work of art.   Here are some of my favorite and most inspiring ways to freshen up the stairway.  

Instead of pictures, a simply framed mirror, exotic vases, and a plant freshen up the white walls and rich wood and metal stairs.

I absolutely love how this classic stairway becomes more modern and eye catching with the geometric gold diamond wall hangings and the few touches of greenery.

Keep it simple.  Display only a few items from the same collection.  This creates an artistic harmony.

Lastly, try a bold statement with a bright and exciting wall paper, vibrant accent lights, and lots of character.

Each season a new trend emerges onto the interior design scene inspiring home owners to make dramatic changes to their home.  But, do you have to change out everything in your space in order to make a big impact or can you simply introduce little touches of the trend in order to freshen up the room?  The answer is yes to both.  Every so often you need to freshen up your space by changing out a large piece such as a chair or area rug, but most of the time you can simply add a few new trendy pieces to make enough of an impact to make the space feel fresh and new.   So, this season freshen up your space with metallic.  
      Mixing metals is a great way to add depth and character to a room without introducing bold colors you may regret later down the road.  Don't be afraid to mix a galvanized metal farmhouse bucket with a shiny rose gold vase.  Here are my top three tips for introducing mixed metals into your space.  

1.  Determine your color palette.

​If your home is filled with cool tones such as blues, purples, and greens then lean more in the direction of silver and chrome.  But, if your home has reds, oranges, and pinks (warm tones) then seek out a few stunning gold, brass, and copper pieces.    Now, when it comes to neutrals (white, cream, beige, and grey) you have the option of any and all metals, even if you have little pops of color throughout. 
For example, a kitchen with white walls, a white backsplash, grey countertops, and blue cabinets can be accented with any metal.  Now you may be saying, "but blue is a cool tone so you should stick to chromes and silvers."  But in all actuality majority of your space is a neutral so a rich gold will warm up the space  or a matte nickel will keep it light and airy.  Either way both metals bring their own depth and personality to the room.

2.  Choose a dominate metal. 
Once you have determined your palette, the next step is to decide which metal will be the dominate.  Then use that metal on a large and impactful piece of furniture or home décor and allow the other metals to keep the eyes moving throughout the space.   An example would be having a rich shiny gold coffee table and table lamp, but copper and brass picture frames and trinkets.   Or a large silver bookcase with pops of nickel, chrome, and black metal décor amongst the books and family heirlooms.  ​

3.  Mix Metals

Finally, don't be afraid to mix a dull or antiqued metal with shiny metals.  This subtly will create depth and keep the eyes wondering.  The shiny metal initially draws you in while the antique metal keeps you intrigued.  The use of mixed finishes works particularly well in a farmhouse style home

With the ease of the internet, our world has become a click, buy, and ship way of life, but what if you want to experience the product before purchase.  What if you want to sit in the chair before buying?  Where do you go?  
First, you get up off the couch, put on your comfy walking shoes, and journey out your front door to the neighborhood garage sale or hop in the car and drive to the local thrift store.  But, if you can't find what you are looking for at either of those destinations or are in search of something new then visit your local home décor or furniture store.  Most towns have at least one home décor store, but if your town does not then drive to the nearest city and enjoy some much needed retail therapy.  
I personally love the thrill of the hunt and always want to see in person before I buy.  Some of my favorite stores to find just the perfect piece for my home are Home Goods, World Market, and Pier 1.   And, when time permits a day trip to IKEA.  Each one of these big box stores has something for everyone and some great deals if you take the time to look.  Now, I will share some reasons why they are my favorite.

Home Goods offers an always changing inventory, which makes each visit new and exciting.  They carry home decor, kitchenware, towels, linens, curtains, pillows, furniture, and even items for your pets.  Their sister stores also carry clothing and shoes at deep discounts.  My only disclaimer is that Home goods is organized chaos so be prepared to hunt through the shelves, but trust me the hunt is always worth it.  You never know what treasured gem you are going to find.
Sister stores - TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeSense.

World Market is a unique store with so much to offer.  They carry  products for every room in the house.  You will find furniture, wall art, candles, kitchenware, dining collections, lighting, pillows, rug, toys, coffee, food, wine, and beer.  The store is easy to shop and spacious.   The staff is usually quite helpful and knowledgeable.  And, they offer  free store pickup if you order something online

My big recommendation to get the most out of your visit is to first and foremost join the loyalty program. 

• It costs nothing to join
• You receive a bonus coupon upon joining 10-15% off your first purchase
•  Special member only coupons
• Coffee Perks - buy 6 bags of coffee and the 7th is free
• Shopper Reward- spend $200 you get a $10 reward certificate (no credit card required).

Pier 1 offers an enjoyable shopping experience from the moment you enter the doors.  You are greeted with inspiration and wonderful fragrance.  You will find a large candle and home fragrance section filled with a great variety of scents for every room in the house.  Their next largest section is dining, which offers dinnerware, serveware, beautiful dining furniture, and a nice selection of table linens.   The remainder of the store consists of wonderful home decor pieces, beautiful lamps, and more pillows then you could ever dream.
My Pier 1 Recommendation is to check out the clearance section and apply for their store credit card.  You receive 15% off (sometimes 20%) when you apply and get approved for the card plus $10 for ever $200 you spend.  Also, they offer double and triple point days so you can get those rewards quicker.

Ikea is my happy place.  I don't get there often because it is a good 3  hour drive, so it usually requires an overnight excursion, but it is so  worth it.  Ikea is an entirely different shopping experience which I  highly recommend experiencing at least once.  From the moment you  enter you know it will not be a quick in and out visit.  You need to allow  a good 2-3 hours, maybe 4 if eat some of their delicious Swedish  meatballs, mash potatoes, and always changing dessert from their crazy affordable food court.
Now, when it comes to shopping it is important to experience the store how it is designed, which means following the arrows on the floor (or you will seriously get lost) to each of the different locations.  My favorite and my kids favorite is to visit all the little specially curated rooms.  This way you are able to see all their products showcased in a realistic setting.  You will see kitchen layouts,  living rooms, bedroom, bathrooms, and even an entire apartment.   
Along you journey be sure to write down any products or snap pictures of the tags so when you get downstairs you are able to find just what you are looking for.  This process takes a little to get use to, but really helps you to enjoy "window shopping" experience hands free.  Once you get downstairs, grab a cart and start filling it full of all their wonderful goods and trust me their is something for everyone and in all price ranges.