Florida Living and Coastal Decor
I've made a few changes over the last several weeks to our living room! I'm trying to emphasize a little more of the "chic" side of a coastal chic style. Soft blues and neutral tones create a serene atmosphere. Pops of green from freshly trimmed palms add a little vibrancy. I don't think I can live without my palm fronds. ;)
I'm really excited about this series of blog posts in partnership with Christmas Tree Shops andThat! When I was asked to participate in a series of decor-related challenges, I of course said yes. Sometime last year I realized we had an "andThat!" store just down the road from where I worked and have loved perusing through it since the first time I went in. The first challenge is decorating a small space.
Every time we go on vacation or leave for a long weekend, I'm concerned about my plants that are sheltered under the patio or porch, since most of them need to be watered at least every other day. Recently, I discovered these awesome planters through Jackson & Perkins that are designed to hold water in a separate compartment so that the plant can get as much moisture as it needs.
Do you want to know what one of my biggest summertime struggles is? Great, I'll tell you. Balancing the inside temperature with the outside temperature - good grief what is up with the freezing interiors in the summertime? Am I the only one that struggles to find a balance the whole house can agree upon? My side of the bed at night ends up looking like a giant heap of blankets and then I wake up too warm once the sun has come up and the room has heated up (hello, large husband and giant dog) from all the body heat overnight. Tell me I'm not the only one with this problem. Alright, I’ll end my rant with some good news!
I never really thought much about having a home office until I started my blog. I began using my laptop all the time and I got tired of seeing it on the kitchen desk counter. We have a built-desk in the kitchen which just ends up being a catch all for mail, bills, etc. You know how that goes, right?
It's no secret that I love staying home. I also like saving money, so win-win for me when my husband agrees to a night in! Whether you just want to save a few bucks or you have kids and can't find a sitter, I hope you'll feel inspired to make the most out of your nights spent at home.
Since the summer season is technically arriving this week, I just had to share some of my favorite swimsuit finds with you! I've linked a ton of cute one-piece swimsuits up at the end of this post.
This "FIRECRACKER" one-piece was just too cute to pass up. It actually made me think of the Fourth of July and is a fun way to be festive without necessarily donning all red, white and blue.
When you think of summertime, what comes to mind? For me, summer is a time to kick back and relax, visit with family and friends and take part in some good, old-fashioned R&R! We are about to head off to one of our favorite beach bars for dinner and drinks, but first, let me give you a little tour! Oh, and I hope you have a refreshing beverage for the tour...some crisp Riesling is doing the trick for me. ;)
I've gathered quite a few kinds of decorative and functional baskets over the years in a variation of shapes, sizes and colors. Rather than get rid of these dark brown baskets that didn't quite match the lighter grays and driftwood hues I wanted in my home, I just added some starfish to give them a more "beachy" feel.
I never miss the chance to celebrate, in my humble opinion, living in the greatest and freest country that ever existed! Thank you to the men and women who have served in our armed forces and who have made the ultimate sacrifice to fight for and preserve our God-given rights! What a beautiful thing to celebrate, right? Many of us gather with our friends and family to enjoy the summertime weather that is now upon us and ice cold brews and American flags are surely a part of any Memorial Day festivity. So, I used them both to decorate my bar cart with a fun patriotic theme!
Living in the Sunshine State with a "sunshine state of mind", I know how important (and sometimes difficult) it is to enjoy the outdoors without looking like a fried, drenched rat after an hour of intense sun and humidity. Today, I'm sharing my favorite products that help me deal with Florida summers! P.S. I used most of these when I lived in Michigan, too. Another state with humid summers! ;)
If there's one thing I've learned the hard way, it's that all dogs don't go with all decor! I hate to put a damper on things, but wishful thinking just won't make your fluffy white rug last if you've got claws tearing into it daily. Trust me, I've been there. But do not be dismayed! I'm here to share the solution to this problem from my own trial and error over the years.
Today I'm sharing with you a super easy cocktail recipe! You know those fun and fruity drinks you get when you're on vacation? You can create your own tropical libation in just a couple of minutes with this simple concoction!
It's the most wonderful time for dining and relaxing outdoors here in Florida, so I was super excited to find out that Christmas Tree Shops andThat! has a new selection of outdoor products in the Coastal Living® collection! Have you ever been to a Christmas Tree Shops andThat! store? Let me tell you, it's like eye candy for home decor lovers, and especially coastal home decor lovers! If you haven't, you can just treat this post like your own personal shopping tour, given by yours truly from my patio. ;) Where ever there are links in the text, you can click through to shop the items I'm mentioning.
If you're like me, you can get on board with almost any reason to celebrate (and for this instance, Mexico's victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla over 150 years ago, aka Cinco de Mayo) - especially if it involves tassels, tequila and terrific weather! ;) Take a look at these fun outfits and accessories that would be perfect for any Cinco de Mayo celebration!
Our living room walls remained empty for over two years after we moved into our home. Indecisive much? Maybe. But also the "living room", which is actually just a secondary sitting space for us, was not a top priority. Eventually, I decided a large gallery wall would be the best option to fill the extra tall space and become an interesting focal point.
It's Springtime in Florida, which is my favorite time of year for enjoying our patio! So, when I was asked by Patio Lane to try out their Cushion Builder, I knew exactly what I wanted to "build"! From start to finish, the process of designing your own pillows or cushions is really fun and easy! Patio Lane is even offering all of my readers $50 off a purchase of $500 or more when using the coupon code SUMMER until May 30th! There's so much flexibility in what you can create that I took a little time to ponder over the exact shape and fabric I wanted for my new patio pillows. But, you can also create your own bench cushions or boat cushions! There are so many possibilities.
Welcome! I'm always so excited to invite Spring, and YOU, into my home, so come on in! If you're hopping over from one of the other 7 bloggers on this Loveliest Looks of Spring hop, I'm sure you've been loving all of the pretty Spring details as much as I have! I'm happy to be a part of this talented group of bloggers and I hope you enjoy this hop!
Chances are you know the power of throw pillows. You understand their versatility and how swapping them out for different patterns and colors is an easy way to decorate for the seasons. If all of that is true, then chances are, also, that you've been challenged to find new spaces to store your beloved throw pillows when they're not in use.
Give me all the palm trees! To anyone not living in "palm tree land", they're sort of a novelty and highly sought after. Since I live in Florida now, they're in my yard, but I wanted them in my house for that tropical feeling year round. The only problem was that once I bought my first indoor potted palm tree, I had zero clue what to do with it. I'm certainly no gardener and I had only managed to keep my one and only potted ficus tree alive by sheer luck and its natural ability to survive extreme conditions, such as being knocked over in a hurricane, me forgetting to water it, etc. :D So I've learned through trial and error how to keep my Majesty Palms alive and I'll share with you what has worked (and not worked) for me.
