Sunday, January 29, 2012

Grey and Pink Living

I just came across one of the most beautiful living rooms I've laid eyes on in a long while.  Stunning.  And feminine.
How beautiful?!
I love everything.  Seriously everything.  It is designed to perfection and I would not change one single thing.  Amazing.  


Friday, January 27, 2012

HGTV Dream Home: Bathroom

I'm sure you all have heard of HGTV's dream home.  Every year, they design an absolutely stunning house, and give the house away to one lucky viewer.  The house is expertly designed and decorated, and year after year, I view the house and drool.  This year, the master bathroom of the house is just to die for.
Is this not beautiful?  
I love the little decorations around the bathtub.  I could sit and soak there for hours.
Isn't that tiling on the shower wall amazing?  I'm telling you...no detail is left unturned in these houses.  They truly are Dream Houses.

Are you as in love with this amazing bathroom as I am?

Images via HGTV

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Best Baths of 2011

Every year, thousands of new pictures come out of beautifully designed spaces.  Some of these spaces totally take your breath away, while some you have to look at in wonder...how do people actually live in those spaces?  Every January, HGTV releases some images of the best rooms of the year before, and I must say, some are absolutely stunning.  Check out some of these beautiful bathrooms:
This space is HUGe, and it is so beautifully decorated.  I love the beautiful crystal wall sconce above the white vanity.  That vanity is also simply stunning.  I love the colors and the overall feel of this bathroom.  Nothing like getting ready in luxury every day.
I love pink and black together.  I think this bathroom is too cute.  One of my favorite parts is actually the flower arrangement above the toilet.  It really stands out and looks fabulous.
I LOVE this amazing bathroom.  It doesn't look huge, but it sure is beautiful.  I love the color of the paint, and the yellow on the chandelier and in the yellow flowers is a great pop of color.  And speaking of chandeliers...how genius to hang a chandelier above the bath!  Beautiful.
I love the double shower curtain in this bathroom.  It is so easy to do, but really has a profound effect on how the bath looks.  I love the color block style of the curtains too.
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Bathrooms can be a great place to experiment with color.  I love the lime green, which is toned down a bit with the white and black.  Such a fun use of color!
This is a small space that is well designed and looks absolutely beautiful.  The colors are paired wonderfully, and I'm totally drooling over the shower curtain.
How elegant is this?  That bathtub is amazing!! I love the little alcove above the bathtub, which allows placement of some pretty little accessories.  This room is just amazing.
I love how this bathroom uses only a small amount of backsplash, but the small amount really makes a dramatic impression.  This would allow you to use a more expensive tile, since you are only tiling a small area.  

What is your favorite bathroom?  Any colors that you love to see in this room?

All images via HGTV

EdenFantasys: Valentine's Day!

So we all know that Valentine's Day is slowly creeping up around the corner, right?  Even if you are not a huge fan of the sappy, mushy Valentines, you can always use it as an excuse to have an extra special night with your significant other.  And I know of the perfect place for all of your Valentine's Day needs....EdenFantasys!  This is an online adult shop that carries something for everything, whether you are looking for sex toys, lingerie, beauty products, and more.  They offer free shipping on all orders over $59, and a free gift with every order! Shipping is fast and discrete, so if you are a last-minute shopper, you'll still have time to order all your Valentine's Day needs.

This year, I'd like to do something fun for the boyfriend for Valentine's Day.  We don't see each other very often right now due to both of our crazy schedules, so our alone time is pretty limited.  I think Valentine's Day would be the perfect time to show him how much I appreciate everything he does for me.  I have been looking through EdenFantasys to try to find the perfect things to create an extra-special night, and have definitely found some favorites.  Here's what I'm thinking:
This cute little pillow to hang on the door...a small clue about the romantic night to come.
A set of massage oils for a long, relaxing massage.
A little kit to help spice up the night...
And lastly some hot Valentine's Day lingerie.  EdenFantasys has a great selection of sexy lingerie for this special day, so be sure to check it out to find just the right outfit.  

Seems like everything I would need to make an extra-special night, wouldn't you say so?  Needless to say, I am quite excited for Valentine's Day this year.  Hopefully you are too!  Check out EdenFantasys for all of your Valentine's Day supplies...and have fun! :)



Sunday, January 22, 2012

Get Organized: Bathrooms

Next stop  in our rooms to be organized...the bathroom.  This can be another tricky space depending on how many people you have using one bathroom, and how many "things" that each person has.  The amount of product some people have in their bathroom never ceases to amaze me, and it certainly can be difficult to find space for all these things.  There are some simple ideas to help maximize your storage space, particularly if you have a small bathroom.
Who says you need just one towel rack on the back of the door?  Hanging several racks allows for more space, which is particularly useful for bathrooms that are used by more than one person.  Assigning each person a specific rack makes sure that you're never grabbing the wrong persons towel.
If you have a medicine cabinet, attach some flat storage cups to the door.  This allows you to hang bulkier items such a brushes, which take up a lot of space if you lay them down.
Make use of hanging storage boxes and pretty storage jars to help maximize some space.  Use the empty space on your walls to store towels, and other toiletries that you use on a day to day basis.  Having them out in the open allows easy access, so you don't have to constantly take them out and put them away.
Insert a thin sheet of metal in the back of your medicine cabinet.  Make use of this by using magnets to help free up some space for those pesky small items.  Also, using other storage containers can help organize the medicine cabinet, making it easy to find everything you need.
Drawer dividers also make organizing your drawers easier. The organizers helps to keep them neat, so you can always easily find what you need.  Plus, they look nice and pretty when you open them.  :)
In cabinets, buy some sliding pull-outs.  This way products never get buried in the back of your cabinets, again making everything easier to find.  Using hooks on the door to keep hairdryers, straighteners, etc. also helps free up space.
If you like using all of the same color towels in a bathroom, sew different colored tags on to each towel.  This keeps people from confusing who's towel is who's.  Works great for a guest bathroom, or great for a kids bathroom where multiple people use the same space.
Don't be afraid to use all the storage space possible in your bathroom.  Adding a shelf over the bathroom door allows you to keep extra products or things that you don't use on a day to day basis.  This really maximizes all the space available in the room.
Another great way to make use of all the space available.  Hanging cabinets high allows you to store towels or other things that you don't use day to day, but keeps them available for easy access when you do need them.

All images via Martha Stewart









Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Getting Organized: Office Spaces

Office spaces are another hard are to keep organized.  Many people simply don't have the space to dedicate an entire room to an office, and even when they do, the mass amounts of paperwork and files contained in these rooms is easy to get overwhelmed by.  Keeping a desk organized and efficient is a chore all in itself, as well as keeping mail organized, bills up to date, to-do lists in order, etc.  It can be a nightmare.  Some of these fabulous organizations tips are easy to do, and can make your office space a whole lot less of a headache.
Clean out old paint cans, and turned sideways, these can be used as wonderful storage.  You could easily attach labels, and have each can designated specially for bills to be paid, bills to be mailed, mail to be sorted, etc.  Having a designated day to sort through all the cans each week would really be helpful too.
Keep the closet in your office/storage room well-organized.  Carts with wheels make it easy to take supplies in and out of the closet.  Have labeled containers and all the supplies you need in one place makes you more efficient, and allows you to get those tasks done easier.
Dedicate one wall to a chalk-board calendar.  Making it large like this allows you to have room to write activities for every member of the family, and allows quick glances.  Bet you'll never forget another doctors appointment again.
If you're like me, throwing away magazines is nearly impossible to do.  Instead, keep them neatly organized by buying magazine holders.  You can label them and tuck the magazines away neatly inside.  This looks better than staring at a stack of them, and really maximizes your storage space.
Build a pegboard frame, and you it to store all of your essentials.  Elastic across pegs can easily allow you to store mail and bills, and different hooks allow you to keep your most used office supplies in easy reach.
Going with the same theme as above, you can make an entire pegboard wall.  This ensures that everything is in plain sight, and if you can keep it organized, really can make your office space super organized and efficient.
Maximize your storage space.  Having a bookshelf as the legs of the desk double your storage space without taking up any more room than what the desk would love done.  Buying pretty boxes and labels maximizes your space, and gives some major visual appeal.
Glue envelopes into the inside of your notebooks, which allow you to have easy storage for receipts, recipes, ticket stubs, or anything else you don't want to loose.  Just make sure you go through and further organize these every once in a while, or else you'll just amass a pile of paper clippings.
Office space for a pair?  By placing your desks along the same wall, you really maximize the space and give your office a cohesive feel.  Additional file cabinets and drawers are definitely a plus.  I think this room would make a beautiful crafting area, no?
Cover a bulletin board with some pretty fabric, and hang using a large ribbon.  This gives your office space some visual appeal, and easily allows you to tack up important papers or things you don't want to lose.
This is a great idea anywhere you have a lot of cords running together.  LABEL THEM!  So simple, and then you never have to worry about unplugging the wrong item again.
I love how this space looks.  To do this, wallpaper some free-floating shelves.  This gives them some visual interest, and easily allows you to decorate the office area without having to paint the walls.  You could use some really bold paper for a dramatic look, and keep it more simple and subtle.  Either way, I think it adds a beautiful pop of pattern and color!
Cover a variety of clipboard in different paper or fabric, add labels, and hang on the wall.  This allows you to easily visualize everything at once, and you won't ever have to search for that missing paper again.
Use a chest as a hanging file folder area.  This maximizes your storage because the chest can be used as additional seating.  
Make friends with chalkboard paint.  This allows you to easily label drawers, boxes, jars, etc. and can be changed as easy as 1-2-3.  I LOVE chalkboard paint!!

What about you...do you have any favorite office organizing techniques?

All images/ideas via Martha Stewart

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Getting Organized: Those Annoying Spaces

You know those places I'm talking about...the linen closet, the hall closets and those darn utility closets.  The places that seem to fill with junk so quickly, and are so hard to organize.  Let's check out Martha's great ideas for organizing these difficult places.

When folding extra bedding, fold the fitted sheet, flat sheet, and extra pillowcase, and place everything inside the other pillowcase.  Easy to keep everything for one bedding set together, and simple to see the different sets that you have.  Plus, this is super easy to do, and doesn't require any money.
Use hooks on doors and walls to help clean up your utility closets.  Hanging brooms, mops, dust pans, etc. really clears up floor space, and multiple things can be hung on the back of one door.  
How smart is this?  Make the most of your basement stairs by adding shelving to store excess products on the other side of the basement railing.  Don't forget about that ever-important storage under the stairs as well.
Hang pictures of what is stored inside garment bags.  This prevents you from having to search through bags to find exactly what you're looking for, and also prevents you from forgetting about what you already own.
Store your winter garments in style.  Hats, gloves, scarves etc. should be wrapped in tissue, and can be stored within cute decorate craft boxes.  Attaching little labels makes them easy to be seen, and keeps them protected for the next year.
Keep tools easily accessible by attaching them to the back of a door.  You'll never have to search for that screwdriver or wrench again,
A great way to store your Christmas ornaments.  Buy plastic storage containers, and cut a piece of corrugated cardboard that will easily slide in and out of the boxes.  Glue Styrofoam cups to the cardboard, allowing you to place the layers of cups on top of one another.  Wrap ornaments in a piece of tissue paper (or toilet paper like we do in my house), place in the cup, and wa-la...protected ornament storage!
Placing a deep bench with a lifting lid allows for easy storage of hats, gloves, coats, shoes, etc. when you walk in the house.  Also allows an easy place to sit and put your shoes on as your heading out.
Store excess pain in airtight plastic storage containers.  These stack easily, and are much smaller than keeping bulky paint cans.
Rolling storage bins under benches or shelves in the basement or garage allow easy access to storage.  The possibilities of what to keep in these bins are endless.
Organize your linen closet.  Buy some decorate baskets, and get ready to separate, organize, and beautify.  Don't forget the labels, so you don't forget whats actually inside these cute baskets.
Use hooks to hang umbrellas inside your hall closet.  This allows super easy access, and ensures you won't forget this necessity when the rain begins to fall.
Another way to organize that hall closet.  Get creative with shelving to maximize the space.  Buying some baskets allow you to keep both winter and summer supplies, all while keeping you organized.  Hooks on the door work well for bags or umbrellas.

All images via Martha Stewart