My Five Favorites - Fall Essentials - Home & Fashion

Happy October friends! Do these months fly by or what? It's time for another round of

My Five Favorites, and this month we're sharing our Fall Essentials for home and fashion.

My pals' favorites always get me in trouble, I'm anxious to see what I need! 

Our sweet friend Lisa @ Shine Your Light will be back next month.    

Kris @ Driven by Decor

Jennifer @ Dimples & Tangles

Welcome to our guest this month, Laura @ Duke Manor Farm lives on a gorgeous farm in

 the countryside of Georgia. She's created the most charming home for her lucky family!

 You can check out her beautiful fall tour here, and follow her on Instagram here.

Duke Manor Farm

#1 ~ Velvet Embroidered Crane Pillow

This fabulous little pillow made a big impact! 

Confession:  The only items I added to my family room for fall is this pillow from

 World Market and fall branches and it feels completely transformed. It's a pretty

14 "x 20" velvet lumbar, with embroidered cranes and Chinese florals, I couldn't love 

it more! 

Close up of pretty texture! 

#2 ~ Plaid Blazer

I've mentioned before Free People is one of my favorite clothing brands, and this classic

 plaid blazer is pure perfection for an effortless, chic style. I love pairing it with feminine

ruffle details and jeans, but I can think of several different looks...here's my justification

 that it's worth the investment.

Pencil skirt, pearls and pumps

Brown Maxi skirt with leopard boots

Brown leggings, cream turtleneck and riding boots

Camel wide leg trousers, lace bodysuit, cap toe pumps

White jeans, white t-shirt, white leather sneakers    

#3 ~ Leather Pants

I've been on the search for faux leather pants for a year or so, since seeing Jaclyn Smith
(of Charlie's Angels for those of you old enough to have been a fan :)) wear them at a
 presentation here in town. She looked absolutely stunning at 70!
I tried the blogger fav but felt like they looked too similar to typical black leggings.
 I found these at Banana Republic and they're exactly what I had in mind!
Flattering, sleek, and classy but not skin tight, a beautiful dark olive color, that's more
 unique than black.
BONUS!!! I purchased them online to pick up in store - when I went to the store they were
40% off! The price still hasn't changed online, so check stock at your store and you may get
 a steal! I haven't experienced anything negative some of the reviews refer to.

Four Stars **** - 56 Reviews
     

#4 ~ Frozen French Baguette @ Costco 

In my book there's nothing better for a fall dinner than homemade soup and a 

warm French baguette! You can find these at Costco in the frozen section during the fall

 and winter. They're delicious and super easy to pop in the oven and serve warm.
$10.69 for 10 baguettes - 5 twin packs

#5 ~ Tulip Bulbs

WARNING: Delayed gratification!!
I'm definitely an instant gratification girl, but if something is worth waiting for, a landscape
of pretty spring flowers after a long winter is high on my list. This is the month to plant
 tulip bulbs for a beautiful spring garden.

While you're at Costco picking up the French baguette grab a bag of their tulip bulbs

 OR

 if your store has sold out there are a few Designer Collections available to
order on their website. Below is a photo of our yard from a few years ago, I like to plant
 them in clumps of 10-15 for the biggest bang!

You should put it on your weekend to-do list because I guarantee it will make you smile

 when you see little green shoots poking through the warming ground in early spring!

Costco Tulip Collection

Don't miss these friends' favorites:

Kris @ Driven by Decor

Jennifer @ Dimples & Tangles

Laura @ Duke Manor Farm

You might like these previous My Five Favorites too:

Style A Bookcase 
Mix Old and New   
Garden, Plants, Products
Summer Essentials - Beauty & Fashion
Decorate My Porch & Patio

Home Basics I Can't Live Without

 Biggest Bang for the Buck Home Projects

Organization Room by Room

 Christmas Wish List 

Decorating a Teen Room 
Beauty Products
Before & Afters You Can Do In a Weekend

Summer Accessories

Gadgets
Paint Projects
IKEA Items in my Home
Thrifted Finds
Valentine Decor
Home Organization Tips
Christmas Wish List
Recipes for the Holidays
Entertaining Accessories
Displaying DIY Artwork
Ways to Mix Metals

DIY Projects

Fabric

Decorate an Outdoor Space
Pillow Projects
Decorating for Spring
Decorative Accessories
Home Organizing Tips
Quick & Easy Holiday Decorating Ideas

Paint    

You can also find me on Instagram and Pinterest

Bedroom Refresh with Crane & Canopy

There's nothing like spring to get you in the mood for a refresh around the house, right?

 Well, my client happened to find a fabric she fell in love with and wanted to use it as

 inspiration for a bedroom refresh. Do you remember the Craigslist Bedroom I did a couple

 years ago for the One Room Challenge? That's the one!

 We intentionally kept the base pieces in the room neutral so it would be simple to change
 up down the road. This time she wanted to incorporate some of her blue and white pottery
 collection, and tie it in with the pretty chinoiserie patterned fabric she loved,

 which we put on a custom lumbar pillow. 

 I was so excited when Crane & Canopy reached out to me to try their bedding, I knew

 the exact pattern that would pull our room together perfectly! 

We love it!

We chose the Crane & Canopy Page Blue reversible duvet cover and shams, both reverse

 from white on one side to the navy print on the other. Super easy to change up...next time!

Both feature hidden zipper enclosures and white piping for a tailored finish. Interior ribbons

 on the corners keep your duvet in place. And, they're machine washable!

Sometimes I'm hesitant ordering online because I really like to feel everything, haha!

We were pleasantly surprised, the bedding has a beautifully, silky luxurious feel. 

They use the highest quality extra long-staple cotton with weaves ranging in the 

300-400 thread count, and it feels fabulous. 

I did not know...

that 1000 thread count sheets are actually not good!

To get 1000 thread you need to use really thin threading, and the sweet spot for duvet

covers and sheets is 400, so that explains it. 

   

We added a vibrant green trim to give the shams a custom look and set off the 

pretty green in the lumbar fabric.  

Accessories for our refresh came from my go-to, Homegoods. We found the pair of tall

brass and white lamps, shell artwork, blue and white pottery, and blue ikat throw

 pillows there.

If you missed the original before and after design of this bedroom for the
One Room Challenge you might be surprised to know it was done on a budget with
Craigslist finds (nightstands, x-benches, ceiling chandelier) IKEA (drapes) and my
favorite upholstered headboard from Walmart. All sources can be found here.
Crane & Canopy is able to offer reasonably priced luxurious bedding because they
 go direct to the best bedding factories, cutting out the middle man and passing the
 savings on to their customers!  

One of my blogging besties, Lisa @ Shine Your Light, is also sharing a bedroom 

refresh today. I know we're in for a treat, here's a peek of her teen room for you:

Thank you so much to Crane & Canopy for the invitation to try their beautiful

 quality bedding, it couldn't be more perfect, and we couldn't be happier with it!  

  

One Room Challenge - Eclectic Great Room Reveal

Whew, we've crossed the finish line!  

Thanks so much for stopping by to check on the One Room Challenge reveal of my

client's great room! And, a huge thank you to Linda @ Calling It Home for creating this

event that brings our community together to share an abundance of inspiration!   

I'm sharing my client's great room. Their request was a cozy, comfortable space

for their family of four, and Stella the fur baby, to lounge, watch tv, read and hang

out together. The chic mom didn't want to forgo style for comfort and asked me to

 incorporate glam, gold, pops of color and zebra print.

They were up for using my favorite, Craigslist finds! :)

This leather chair was one of our first Craigslist scores. I knew it would make a great spot for

 reading tucked back in this corner and loved the warmth against our crisp white background. 

This photo shows the best representation of the lively color of our Zahra Caravan rug from

 World Market. 

We used two cushy sofas and several squishy down pillows, perfect for everyone

in the family to comfortably stretch out!

They owned this vintage marble top table and loved the size and sturdiness for propping

 feet up. My client covered the golden tone wood with a coat of  Rub 'n Buff in Gold Leaf.  

We reupholstered a special chair that had been in the family for years in Ralph 

Lauren zebra print, for a dramatic, yet timeless statement piece.  

We knew we wanted an antique piece in this space and originally planned to use a secretary

 they owned, but fell in love with the details of this one from Craigslist when we were there

 to pick up a console. Pairing it with a modern lucite chair gave us the eclectic style we

were going for.  

They owned this large round side table, it was an ideal size between the sofas, but it also

had a marble top. We turned the top over, painted it all a high gloss white, and trimmed 

the edge in gold Rub 'n Buff for a pretty detail (more info to come).

The ornate gold mirror was another Craigslist find, and the perfect dose of glam we

 were hoping for to pair with our streamlined sconces. 

We layered a special piece of artwork created by a family member. A a simple

 frame and large mat keeps it from competing with the mirror.   

Yet another Craigslist score was this console we used behind the sofa, it faces the 

kitchen. When I spied it on Craigslist I thought the diagonal pattern (which was originally 

wood) would be pretty if made to look like metal. My client went to town with

  Rub 'n Buff, and we love the interest it added.   

The oversized distressed media cabinet balances the the 75" TV and including the

 industrial style compliments the eclectic mix of furniture pieces.   

It's been a joy to help create this space for such a sweet family, and so fulfilling to see

 them using it exactly as they envisioned. This photo of Stella sums it up perfectly! :)

Thank you so much to my wonderful clients for allowing me to share their home with
 all of you and for enduring the six week challenge! We've been hard at work on the
 rest of their home and I'll be filling you in on more details next week.

If you'd like to start at the beginning:

Week 1 - The Plan
Week 2 - Fabrics & Fireplace Tile, Mirror & Sconces

Week 3 - Sofas & a Stool

Week 4 - Craigslist Scores & Rugs 

Week 5 - Industrial Media Cabinet

If you'd like you can follow my design and Craigslist adventures on
Instagram. 

If you're new here, you can check out my previous ORC Reveals here:

Spring 2015 - Another Craigslist Bedroom - Featured Designer

Fall 2014 - Craigslist Bedroom - Participant

Spring 2014 - My Kitchen - Featured Designer

Fall 2013 - My Master Bedroom - Featured Designer

Spring 2013 - My Bathroom - Featured Designer

Are you following along with all the other ORC participants' projects, such a crazy

 amount of inspiration from lots of favorite bloggers and former ORC designers!

 Don't miss it at Linda's @ Calling It Home.

If you haven't checked out the 20 featured designers the reveals were FABULOUS!
Check them out here.

DIY African Mud Coth Pillow

We survived a big spring snow storm over the weekend, you can check out my girl Rio,
and our yard and buried in the snow on Instagram. I don't mind it at all, it's so beautiful,
 already melting, and we're headed for balmy high 70s by the weekend!
   I feel a little silly giving you instructions because this DIY Mud Cloth pillow is super
 simple. You truly can't make a mistake! 

I googled 'African Mud Cloth' Images for pattern inspiration and combined several

designs I liked. You'll find some are more simplistic and sparse than others,
 I preferred the more detailed patterns. 

I started out with black fabric, but didn't find a pen that gave me crisp white

lines, they seemed to fade out against the black. In order to get the darker

color for my pillow I went with more pattern to cover the light background. 

 Supplies:

1/2 yard fabric - I used a heavy cotton twill

16 x 26 Ikea feather insert for lumbar here - $6.99

4 - 4" Tassels from Hobby Lobby similar - $3.99/pkg of 2 ($2.50 with coupon)

Sharpie Permanent Marker Black - Fine Point

Scissors

Ruler

Measure and cut fabric to desired pillow size:

Practice:

Play around with different patterns from your inspiration designs.
Mix and match your favorite combinations to get a feel for what you like, and how
the Sharpie marker writes on the fabric.  

Have fun drawing:

A hand drawn technique is what you're going for. Throw perfection out the window
and start doodling with a tribal vibe. You don't want anything fancy, or curly swirly.  
You can see how imperfect mine is, but when you see the overall pattern on the pillow
it's not noticeable. 

Sew together and add tassels:  
I'm assuming you're familiar with sewing the pillow together, but if not there are a
multitude of easy tutorials on Pinterest, including new sew, envelope style, zipper, etc.
under DIY Pillow Covers.
I sewed a tassel at each corner for an extra detail.  

It's a fun print that easily coordinates with other patterns, too.  
That's it friends, have fun doodling! 

My Five Favorites - Pillow Projects

Hey friends, our My Five Favorites topic this month could be my all time

 favorite ~ I'm sure some would find it a bit worrisome how much joy I get out of scheming

 and creating a combination of pillows! If you're reading this you most likely find it

 completely normal. :) In addition to our Favorite Pillow Projects, we've all created a new

 pillow and I'm anxious to check out what these talented girls came up with.

Kris @ Driven by Decor

Lisa @ Shine Your Light

Jennifer @ Dimples & Tangles

I'm so excited to welcome our guest this month, KariAnne of Thistlewood Farm.

She and the beautiful home she's created are as charming as they come,

 her inspiring 'about page' is my favorite in all the blogosphere, and how idyllic is

her back deck setting!! 

     

Thistlewood Farm 

Let's get to the pillow projects.

#1

 DIY Mud Cloth

I've always loved African Mud Cloth fabric and thought I'd try a pillow. 

It's the perfect DIY, you truly can't make a mistake, if you do, you simply change your

 plan and all is well. It's basically doodling with a tribal vibe. 

 

I'll do a tutorial later this week sharing my tools (A Sharpie!) and complicated process. Ha!

#2

Ikea Pillow with Greek Key Trim

Super simple, no sew ~ no tutorial required!  

 An IKEA Sanela Velvet Pillow, Greek Key trim from Hobby Lobby, 

and a glue gun.  

One Room Challenge Bedroom Reveal

#3

Easy way to apply Greek Key Trim 

I'm always in awe over Sarah Dorsey's DIY projects. She attached the ribbon with

 no-sew iron on adhesive and shows detailed instructions for attaining those perfect corners!  

The Easy Way to Apply Greek Key Trim   

Sarah Dorsey 

#4

Modern Tie Dye Pillow

This beautiful abstract look pillow by Jennifer @ Chronicles of Home is on my list for 

our hammock!

Modern Tie Dye Pillow

Chronicles of Home 

#5

Pottery Barn Knock Off Poinsettia

(my most pinned pillow)

Pottery Barn Knock Off Poinsettia Pillow Tutorial 

2013 Christmas Home Tour

Don't miss these ladies' My Five Favorites:

Kris @ Driven by Decor

Lisa @ Shine Your Light

Jennifer @ Dimples & Tangles

KariAnne @ Thistlewood Farm

You might like these previous Five Favorites, too:

Paint 

Quick & Easy Holiday Decorating Ideas

Home Organizing Tips
Decorative Accessories
Decorating for Spring

the power of solid pillows

It's been a couple years since I first did a post on using solid color pillows, I

 confessed it was nearly impossible for my creative side to reach for solids in lieu

 of mixing patterns. There's no denying my love for pattern, but lately I've been

 intrigued by the tranquil look of solids. 

It's truly an art to create an edited look that peaks interest and doesn't look too safe. 

I'm assuming since you're reading this you might be the type that likes to

analyze how and why these solids work. I think the color and placement are just as

 creative as a pile of patterned pillows.  

Just my observations...

The pale blue in contrast to the bold zebra print rug is unexpected, more often

a strong pattern/color that could hold its own with the rug might be used.

The asymmetrical placement of the pillows woks with the throw balancing the

side with one blue pillow. 

  

 Kate Jackson

The pink and green hues in the artwork are repeated in the pillows, patterned pillows

would have competed with the art. The rich chocolate color keeps it from being overly

 sweet and looking like a box of macaroons. :)  

(I'm sure the talented designer would love my amateur analysis!)    

The green pillow in the center is perfect addition to keep the symmetry of the windows,

 lamps, end tables and pink and brown pillows from being too much. 

domino.com

Tying the pillow color in with the accessories (throw and florals) is key, without the

 repetition of those two significant pieces it wouldn't have nearly the effect.  

howtodecorate.com

Such a brave move here, first with the lavender upholstery and second to pair it with

 the range of orange tones. My take away here is don't be afraid to think outside the box,

unpredictable is good!  

   

 nehomemag.com

Using varying tones within the same color family is pretty foolproof. 

martha stewart

Any saturated color against the white linens would pop and make a statement. 

lauren-nelson.com

I think I could get on board with some solids, what do you think?