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Pleated Lampshade // Similar Lamp // Tulips // Find a ‘get the look’ mood board with more sources at the end of this post!
We’ve been working on our bedroom in simple ways since last year (just after we moved in!). We’ll be changing out the carpet for wood floors soon, so that will be a more significant project. But mostly I find it fun to make little changes that start to make a room our own.
So far we’ve added plug-in wall sconces, buffalo check curtains, and art along with our furniture. I’m always evolving spaces and finding new pairings of old and new, but that is how I keep it feeling fresh and personal.
A couple of weeks ago I shared that I had been switching out a few lampshades in my house for patterned shades. I love the cottage look! Recently I updated another lamp with a patterned shade in my bedroom. You might remember that I bought the lamp originally at Walmart. It’s currently unavailable but if you are looking for a similar lamp, I found this floral lamp on Amazon that reminds me of it!
Pleated lampshade // Similar Lamp
The lampshade that came on the lamp was a fun teal color but it was feeling a bit bold for the mood I was after. I love the subtle leaf pattern on this soft blue patterned shade, it makes such a pretty pairing with the botanical bird lamp!
Putting a new lampshade on my original lamp helped it to blend in more with its surroundings, yet it still makes a really fun statement! Style is often just personal preference, if you wanted the lampshade to POP rather than blend in, you certainly could do that!
Most of what is in this room were things we already had, and the wall color was already there as well (Bunny Gray by Benjamin Moore). The accessories we’ve added help to tie the whole look together and make it feel more “finished” even though we’re always updating it in some small way.
Don’t be afraid to use what you have and then add new pieces to freshen things up! If you like an eclectic cottage look as much as I do, nothing really has to match perfectly. The goal isn’t to make everything match, but you can make some things go together even in a less obvious but intentional way.
Buffalo check curtains (chambray color) // Similar Lamp // Pleated Lampshade // Rattan planter basket
Once you know the mood you’re after, you really can tie a room together with just a few elements. Decorating this way will definitely save you money over time (because you aren’t always buying new furniture) and you can update a room for a new look or season with just a few new pairings, changes or additions.
For example in our room the bit of brass on the curtain rods ties in to the brass on the bottom of the lamp and the wall frames as well as the mirror. We have a few brass accessories on the shelves. Does every accessory need to have brass on it? No! But as you repeat some elements or colors around the room, your eye ties them together and the rest of the room feels pulled together and intentional.
It might seem hard to pull random pieces together, but it will become more intuitive as you do it! Decorating is one of the many homey topics that we’d love to talk about in our new HomeBody Gathering Place! We’ll be opening the doors soon for a limited time, I hope you’ll join us (click HERE for information on this new community!).
Hope today’s mood board inspires you to try some new pairings in your home!

Sources:
Gold metal bamboo style wall mirror
Sisal patterned rug
Faux Fern
Pink tulips // Coral tulips
Rattan planter basket
Bird art – I have mine in these gold Amazon frames
Buffalo check curtains (mine are the chambray color)
Floral chinoiserie lamp
Block print pleated lampshade
Gold framed seascape painting
Navy 6 drawer dresser (similar to mine)

Looking for more decorating ideas and advice? Check out these “Style Tip” posts! More

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White Slipcover Chair Details // Blanket on Couch Details
Whenever I look online or in magazines for how to decorate a mantel for fall, I run across lots of ideas that feature tons of seasonal specific decor! Mantels can be so beautiful with bundles of wheat and piles of pumpkins lining the surface and seasonal garlands and wreaths hanging! But you’ve probably noticed (if you’re a long time follower here!) that I tend to mostly decorate with just a touch of any season and then use a mix of non-seasonal specific items I already have.
That’s just how I’ve always done it (check out this fall mantel blog post from 2010). The decorating advice I share here has stood the test of time and been used effectively through many homes, so I’m sticking with it :). I hope you find it helpful.
I love to set a mood with pieces I already have, while incorporating mostly gentle nods to the season. Now and then I might go a little more crazy with decor if I’m feeling inspired, but a bit more restrained is my preferred vibe. I get easily overwhelmed by too much.

For this mantel, I brought over artwork that had a palette that felt “fallish” to me. It is of a coastal town we happen to love nearby, so it feels appropriate to the season, to our home and tells a bit of our story. The frame played nicely with the rustic framed mirror, so I loved the two together. By leaning it in front of the mirror, it created a pleasing “stair step” layered arrangement that keeps it feeling connected and more interesting.
I had some “not necessarily fall” branches in a deep green that helped set the right mood for how I want my home to feel in this changing season. By putting them in a blue glass vase, it still retained a bit of summer as it felt lighter and airer. The height of the branches filled up some of the space, too, so it balanced the mirror out and didn’t feel dwarfed by the size or shape of mirror. Then I just tucked in a hydrangea from our yard as a gentle nod to the season.
Here are a few thoughts on how to decorate a fall mantel using what you have (and some touches of the season!):
1. Gather items you already have. To decorate an early fall mantel, I don’t necessarily start with a traditional theme (like fall pumpkins, for example!). I just start pulling together items I already have around the house. I think of this process as fall nesting! It’s about honoring the current season in your home while preparing yourself and your home for the next season.
Even if the weather where you are isn’t the same as ours, the seasons will be changing in one way or another. What inspires you right now? What combination of elements or a color palette would feel inviting for this season in your home? You don’t even have to use “fall colors.” Maybe you will keep your existing palette but just incorporate an item or two in a deeper hue than you did in June. What textures feel cozier and more inviting, but not too heavy for this transitional season?

2. Consider the mood you want at home in this season. As you are preparing for fall, I encourage you to read my book A Lovely Life. It will help you feel inspired and motivated by a purposeful and meaningful perspective on each of the seasons. The items you use to decorate your home or mantel right now will help you set intentions as well as create the atmosphere of your home. Have fun with decorating and by all means don’t take it all too seriously! But it is true that how you decorate your home can nurture your family in unique ways in each season. It’s not a waste of your time to decorate for the seasons. In fact, change can be therapeutic and so beneficial.

3. Pace yourself to savor the present season.
I have always felt my best when my home flows with a gentle rhythm for the seasons. That’s why I embrace subtle changes in how I decorate. I want my home to reflect the current season and always be inspiring to me, so I will likely update my mantel as the season evolves, too. For example, I might switch out the branches to ones with a golden hue. Or add pumpkins in October!
With that said, I don’t mind decorating for fall or Christmas a little earlier in the season than some might, because it can inspire me to feel prepared! When my home is ready, I am able to give my full attention to other more important things (like hosting gatherings or spending time with family!).
But if I were to decorate with Christmas trees on October 1st just to get it done, rather that feeling extra prepared I’d for sure feel burned out on it all too soon. I’d want to take it all down by the time the season actually arrived. I like to decorate for Christmas to create a festive mood for our family. So I will decorate for Christmas early enough that we can relax and focus on the meaning of the season, but not so early that we are bored of the decor when Christmas arrives.
That’s why I like to pace myself with in any season, such as the addition of pumpkins, or any other really specific seasonal decor. I want to fully enjoy and be present in the season we’re in rather than tire myself (or our family) of a future one before it even happens. That’s just how I approach seasonal decor! You do you — let your home be a reflection of you and your family!

See more of our Fall Nesting 2022 Series:
Start here > > A Slower Rhythm Through the Seasons
Fall Decorating: 7 Simple Tips to Slowly Transition Your Home
Reversible Blankets for Sofas, Chairs, Beds and More! (our mud cloth layering blankets)
Affordable White Washable Slipcovers: Ikea Ektorp Chairs
How to Be Intentional in Planning for Fall and Holidays
Savoring the Last Sunsets of Summer from Our Porch!
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Cozy Fall Shop
Shop My House & Latest Decor Finds
Our Amazon storefront More

A room always seems to feel more fresh and alive to me when there’s a plant in the room. Better yet, when there are several plants! I bet if you study photos of rooms you like, you’ll notice how many of them have at least one plant. Using faux plants in a room or a mix of real and faux is often a designer secret for more lush and beautiful spaces.
But plants are not just a designer trick for staging or beautiful photos, I think plants make a house feel more “homey.” While I always recommend trying real plants whenever possible for their health benefits and natural beauty, there are certainly times and spaces where faux might be the way to go.
I recently bought a couple of faux plants for our basement! Our lower level gets a good amount of natural light so plants can be quite happy down there, but sometimes I forget to water them. Faux plants were a great solution. I love this artificial potted jade plant, and these artificial potted moss plants. They need hardly any care, can be moved around anywhere, they always look green even when I neglect them. They make this room feel happier and more welcoming, and that makes me happier, too!

Artificial potted moss plant

Jack likes them too. 😉
PS. If you missed the full tour of our cozy cottage basement, click here!

Scroll and click the images below for details!

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More Sources:
Navy paint color: Hale Navy Benjamin Moore
White brick paint: Simply White Benjamin Moore
Flooring Details
Faux jade potted plant.
Faux potted moss.
Neva Sofa from Sixpenny in Jasmine Rice. Read more about our sofa here.
Blue and white patterned rug
Similar coffee table.
Similar leather pouf.
Our Leather Sofa
Similar blue and white pillows.

Want to know more designer secrets?
Click HERE for the secret ingredient every room needs!
Click HERE for my How to Decorate page (decorating inspiration room by room).
Click HERE for a post in my “Take Away Tips” series, sharing ideas from a charming home on Martha’s Vineyard.

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Today I wanted to answer a great remodeling question a reader asked me last week!
* Reader Question: What is your favorite design book for getting ideas for a remodel?
I carefully study a variety of design books to find ideas for our remodel. Today I’ll show you a few of my favorites and how I used them to make decisions for my home!

1. Not So Big Remodeling
On this first one I’ll give you a disclaimer, I don’t look at it for design photos as much as I like to read the tips. I have several of her books (she’s an architect) and they are helpful for thinking through what she calls the not-so-big house concept. She covers ways to make a home more livable and inviting as well as adding character without necessarily making it larger. This one is specifically about remodeling.

2. Timeless
This book is a long time favorite. It was well worth the investment for me as I often pour over the photos to pick out details that I love as well as read the text. It often gives me more confidence in choosing what I like, or will spark a new idea or confirm an idea. The homes in this book are so beautiful, they have really amazing architecture! They are also huge compared to my small home haha. Even so, I still feel so inspired by the design elements that I enjoy looking at them for classic ideas that I could incorporate them into my own home.

The author is Patrick Ahearn, I really respect his sensibilities and expertise as an architect.
Another thing I love about studying books is that it is an education! They can help you become discerning so you incorporate good design sensibilities and concepts into your own work or projects at home.

3. A Pattern Language
Speaking of books as an education, this book is totally different from most design books as it has no photos! It has some drawings and sketches and a lot of words. It’s a classic book, it’s been around for a long time! I find it so interesting to read, although in full disclosure I really have to concentrate to understand some of it. 🙂 But that’s a good thing as it stretches my mind!
If you like to consider why certain architectural choices or spaces in a home work, or why some feel right and some don’t, this one might spark your interest! The concepts he shares give you a lot to think about. Reading his ideas help make sense for why I’m drawn to certain homes and spaces and why others just don’t speak to me in the same way.
It also talks about communities and neighborhoods but I particularly enjoy the parts on homes. If you are like to study, or are remodeling, or building a new home, I recommend this one! For some reason it’s expensive on Amazon but maybe you can find it at a library or used!

4. The Great American House
This is a neat one for your coffee table! I think I might get more inspired looking at architecture books than decorating books when I’m remodeling. I just love looking at all the details in classic homes, from woodwork and ceilings to plumbing and floors.

5. A Place to Call Home
Of course, I can’t leave out this one. It is one of my all time faves. Gil Schafer is the architect and author of the previous book and this one. All of the homes/rooms featured aren’t my style, but I drool over so many of them that it’s always a joy to look through.

Do you like studying design books for inspiration? Hope you enjoyed a peek at a few of my favorites!
See more home and garden inspiration books I love HERE. More

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Sources for above — click here
Styling shelves can feel daunting, but it can be fun and less stressful when you know a few designer secrets for selecting the right items and how to style them.
Here are some of my favorite tried and true tips for selecting items to display and how to style open shelving in a kitchen (or anywhere!).
Botanical Plates // Brass Bells // Blue and White Chinoiserie Ginger Jar
Pair practical and pretty
I like to use both practical and pretty items decorate a kitchen. This philosophy is true of shelves, too. Often some of what I choose to display are pieces that are stored on the shelves because they are practical. They could be brought down off the shelves and used, such as a stack of plates, a pitcher or a basket.
Seascape Art Print in This Wood Picture Frame //  This art print and others are in my Amazon Art and Frame Storefront // Blue and White Plates // Stoneware Crock
Set the mood with a palette
Determining a mood for your shelves will help you narrow down what you want on the shelves and ultimately brings everything together. The mood can be built around your style or the items you have to work with. It can be altered through the selection of colors and textures to give your shelves a more intentional, cohesive, streamlined look.
A cohesive palette doesn’t mean everything has to match, or stay neutral or that you can’t use your favorite colors.
Pick a mood word or two to describe the overall feeling you want to achieve. Do you want your shelves to reflect a certain season? What word would help you to describe the overall vibe? Moody? Happy? Colorful? Serene? To establish a strong mood, be intentional with what you add to the shelves. If something doesn’t contribute to the mood or is a distraction, it can go.
Sources: Blue and White Chinoiserie Ginger Jar // Botanical Plates // Brass Bells // Favorite Cookbooks // Artificial Artichoke // Seascape Art Print in This Wood Picture Frame // This art print and others are in my Amazon Art and Frame Storefront
A formula I use often in my home:
A few shades of two colors + a wood and a white tone + a metal tone. Any additional hues are included in small doses.
On the top two shelves you can see I used shades of blues and greens with mid-tone woods and whites. Then I included a few very small pops of reds and yellows only within the dishes on the plate rack.
Blue and White Chinoiserie Planter Pot on Shelf // Seascape Art Print in This Wood Picture Frame
Use unmatched + unexpected
While you certainly can style shelves with one kitchen collection for impact, such as a matching set of dishes or all cookbooks, you can also mix pieces that don’t necessarily match or are unexpected in a kitchen. This makes it easier and more affordable to change the look through the seasons and show off smaller or growing collections in fresh ways.
Mismatched pieces can look pleasing together because they all contribute to the mood and color palette you’ve selected. While it can be nice in a kitchen to display every day items on my open shelves I like to include pieces that aren’t necessarily just “kitchen related.”
I use various collected or vintage items, interesting textures, a few plants, books, faux or real organic elements like florals, vegetables or plant stems, as well as artwork and vessels.

Blend a mix of sizes and shapes
Rounds, cylinders, rectangles, spikey or feathery shapes … blend together elements with opposite or unique shapes to add interest! Don’t use too many small items, but a couple of smalls will make the overall look more pleasing, interesting and natural.

Pair, Lean and Layer
To make mismatched pieces look more intentional and cohesive on shelves, practice the pair, lean and layer techniques. Start in the back. Depending on the length or height of your shelves, you may be able to lean a piece or two against the back wall of the shelves. Artwork and large platters or plates work well for this. Then layer / slightly overlap some pieces in front of others. Pair different heights, allowing some breathing space. Try to style three items together at least once for a cohesive grouping. Combine textures and colors for style and function — for example, placing apples in a basket.
Kitchen Hardware // More Kitchen Details
Step back and look
Does the overall look feel natural and pleasing? Step back to look around the room, too, not just directly at the shelves. If it’s too cluttered or crowded or not interesting enough for your taste, nudge items around, add or take away colors, sizes or shapes, until you like the way it feels!

Would you like to go behind the scenes of my home and be a part of a community of like-minded home lovers? Join me in real time each week to get insights into creating a sanctuary you love. You will learn my simple homemaking and decorating tips, be able to ask questions and get help decorating your home! Join us in HomeBody Gathering Place!

Click here for mood board sources (and see more below)
Botanical Plates
Brass Bells
Blue and White Chinoiserie Ginger Jar
Seascape Art Print in This Wood Picture Frame // I ordered this art here because I wanted a specific size but you can also get these prints (and others) HERE on Amazon in a variety of sizes and some already framed as well!
Blue and White Plates
Stoneware Crock
Favorite Cookbooks
Artificial Artichoke
Kitchen Hardware
Blue and White Chinoiserie Planter Pot on Shelf
Basket plant is in (pineapple lidded basket)
Paint color: Classic Light Buff Sherwin Williams
Kitchen Tour and Details
Shop More of My House and Style
Shop My Amazon Favorites More