Aurelia Butler

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    in Style Tips

    Traditional & Collected Coastal Style: Get the Look Mood Board

    Cozy and Inviting (Get the Look!) is a fun periodic “mini-series” on The Inspired Room!
    To get that “cozy and inviting” mood many of us crave for our home, in this series I share a variety of inspiration rooms that feel cozy and inviting to me (for a variety of reasons!). Then I quickly brainstorm a list of whatever elements I see that I think help create that mood. We will also feature items or tips to “get the look” into your own home.
    Today’s inspiration rooms are all from a beautiful home I found in New England Home Magazine. It is a traditional look with a bit of a coastal vibe, it feels so cozy and collected! Enjoy the inspiration images below and then you’ll find some design observations and get the look sources below.

    Wallpaper – KASAI Wallpaper at Thibaut

    Here are some of my observations and notes on what stands out to me about this home. At end of this post you’ll find a design mood board and more pieces I would consider including in the design if I was styling a similar space!

    Rattan accent pieces
    Antique looking dining table and bed
    Soothing paint colors
    Fun pops of green
    Accessories and furniture with a collected look
    Fun patterns used in the window treatments, garden stools, wallpaper, artwork, pillows and furniture
    Warm wood in every photo
    Unique accent lighting
    Twisted taper candles
    Natural rugs with subtle patterns
    Books (I have a fun post full of rooms decorated with books here)
    Interesting details on furniture and accessories like fringe, tassels, trim
    Fun pattern lampshades (gingham, scalloped woven, pleated with pattern)
    Landscape paintings and chinoiserie botanical artwork
    Decorating with collections (blue and white pottery, books, baskets, the green cabbage dishes, books etc)
    Inviting seating areas (window seat, plenty of dining seating, conversation area in living room)
    Lively plants and flowers

    See more photos of this home here: New England Home Magazine

    Mood board sources (click links below):
    Turquoise twist taper candles
    Green and white geometric ottoman
    Gold metal adjustable wall sconce
    Framed landscape summer mountains artwork
    Round rattan wall mirror
    Green and white floral vine curtains
    Green ceramic lamp
    Blue and white ikat pillows
    Taper turned wood candlesticks
    Green ceramic cabbage plate
    6 light brass round chandelier with white shades
    Taper turned wood candlestick set
    Blue and white ceramic garden stool
    Teak oval wood stool
    Blue and white ginger jar
    Blue and white ginger jar with lid
    Striped jute sisal rug
    Cane back wood dining chair (and here is a woven wicker dining chair with blue velvet seat)

    More similar sources below (click thumbnails for details):

    You can find other posts in the Cozy & Inviting Get the Look series below!
    Cozy & Inviting: Dining RoomCozy & Inviting: Coastal Living RoomCozy & Inviting: Kitchen More

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    in Home Ideas

    3 Dream Bathrooms You’ll Want to Recreate

    Here’s a dirty little secret: Bathrooms don’t always get the attention they deserve when it comes to renovations. While homeowners are busy drooling over their fantasy kitchens — or, as WFH becomes the new norm, creating a home office space — the bath can start to slip down the priority scale. And yet fewer things are more impactful than transforming the room where you start and end your day into a jaw-dropping retreat.Looking for a little inspo? We’re here to help. This trio of bathrooms — brought to life by The Home Depot — show how nicely your own space can clean up with just a little bit of effort. Maybe it’s adding some eye-catching tile or a bold pop of color, or finally scoring the freestanding tub you’ve always wanted. No matter the project, it’s time to jump right in. Bold and Beautiful

    The Home Depot

    If you’re the type who loves to live in color, this rich-looking room, which melds three vibrant shades, is your ideal. Thanks to the grounding emerald green and white Carrara polished porcelain tile carried up from the floor, the glossy blue scalloped mosaic shower panel and gray-hued subway tile accent wall complement each other instead of competing for attention.Keeping most of the other elements neutral or natural (a white vanity, a teak shower mat, a garden seat hand-built from reclaimed wood) helps the focus stay on the vibrant walls. Hang a few favorite pieces of art and — voilà — you’ve got a masterpiece.A Crisp Classic

    The Home Depot

    Gleaming porcelain flooring, a subtle herringbone backsplash, and sparkly chrome fixtures give this airy space luxury-spa vibes. And with double vanities in blue (a soothing color that’s been shown to help calm your mind), you’ll get an extra dose of relaxation every time you step inside the stainless shower enclosure beautifully accented with aqua glass mosiac tiles.And while this space doesn’t come with its own personal masseuse (if only!), it does offer endless chilling-out opportunities in the form of a standalone acrylic flatbottom tub.Picture of Bliss

    The Home Depot

    Who ever said that neutrals were boring? Case in point: This gray and white space that’s anything but blah with its elegant wainscotting (painted Behr Ultra’s Natural Gray) and polished marble mosaic tile allow the geometric backdrop to be the star by pairing it with quieter pieces. Think timeless Carrera marble-topped vanity, polished brushed nickel and chrome fixtures, a frameless shower door, and white porcelain flooring.Every bathroom’s made better with a freestanding tub like this acrylic flatbottom pick just made for bath bomb-filled evenings in. Add a wooden caddy, your favorite scent, and a good read, and you’re all set to soak to your heart’s content.

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    in Home Ideas

    12 Small Updates With Big Impact in a Bathroom

    Leveling up your bathroom might sound like a huge undertaking, but the truth is, giving this space a new look you love doesn’t have to mean a major reno — or maybe even any reno work at all. (And how nice would it be to get ready every morning with better lighting or an uncluttered countertop?)The key is to focus on little switch-ups that make a surprisingly big difference and to rely on a solid all-in-one source, like The Home Depot, where you can find all the elements you need to pull it off: vanities, cabinets, lighting, hardware, accessories, and more. Still not sure you’re ready for a revamp? These 12 easy ideas will inspire you to spruce up your space.Go for the BoldYour vanity is the visual focal point of any bathroom (and key to your grooming and storage needs), so it deserves to be a truly standout piece. Consider a sleek floating version for a modern, boutique-hotel look, or choose one with a brightly colored finish as an unexpected statement piece in the room.Get ReflectiveHere’s a no-fail way to add instant sparkle to your space: Trade out your tired medicine cabinet for a pair of clean-lined mirrors above your vanity. (The supplies you stored there can find a new home in the cabinet below, in stackable organizers to max out that space.) Keep the room’s look cohesive by opting for mirrors with frames in the same finish as your lighting fixtures and hardware.Brighten Things UpSconces on either side of your medicine cabinet or mirror will illuminate your vanity and mirror area evenly — no unflattering overhead shadows! — and give the bathroom an updated look too. If you want to avoid electrical wiring, go with plug-in versions.Refresh Your WallsWant the chic look of tile but not the tricky DIY work that goes with it? Bring in peel-and-stick wallpaper that looks just like tile but takes a lot less time and effort to install. Bonus: It’s a simple element to switch out later if you decide you want to change things up.Get the look! Perfect picks for a wow-worthy bathroom.

    Sandon Vanity

    Home Decorators Collection
    homedepot.com

    $2,199.00

    Modern Mirror

    Home Decorators Collection
    homedepot.com

    $129.00

    Carisa Gold Bath Light

    Progress Lighting
    homedepot.com

    $60.00

    Peel and Stick Chrome Tile Wallpaper

    Tempaper
    homedepot.com

    $34.60 More

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    in Style Tips

    4 Important First Steps to Take When Designing A Room

    Do you ever feel overwhelmed with where to start when designing a room? If you want to give a room a refresh, here are the first four steps I usually take to get started, to organize my thoughts, needs and style preferences so I can move forward with a plan!
    1. Assess the Space
    First I look at the space I have. What do I like about it? What do I not like? Do I like the colors, the arrangement, the furniture? Most importantly, how does it feel to be in here? Consider the current mood and what you’d like to change about it. Are there any cluttered spots that need to be addressed? Are there certain corners or particular angles that don’t inspire you? Do any initial ideas come to mind? I don’t have to solve it all…I just use this time to observe what’s working and what isn’t. You can write down your observations in a notebook if you’d like!
    2. Gather Inspiration
    Next I begin to gather inspiration! I start by looking for anything and everything that inspires me. I don’t worry too much yet about the practicality of the idea or the why behind my inspiration…I’ll get to that next! If an image, idea or art or piece of furniture speaks to me in any way, I save it. If I use books I flag them with little sticky notes (I shared my favorite home design books HERE). If it’s online inspiration, I will pin them to a Pinterest board, or if it’s on Instagram I use the little flag button on the bottom right to save them to a specific folder.
    3. Observe and Find Takeaway Tips
    Now that I have some inspiration saved, I try to analyze my photos and take note of what elements I like (I’ve done several posts about this called Takeaway Tips, see all here!). Sometimes I find I will save an inspiration photo but don’t know why it was that I gravitated toward it. Look closely and observe what specifically you like. Maybe you saved a photo of a kitchen that looks nothing like the style of your home. Upon observation, you note that it is a bright white kitchen with colorful cookbooks on built-in shelves. The takeaway from that might be that you feel inspired by bright white spaces with pops of color on open shelves.
    4. Look for the Patterns
    Next I look for patterns in the inspiration photos I chose. It could be literal patterns (like stripes or plaid!) but I’m mostly looking for color schemes, furniture elements or room styles that I seemed to choose repetitively. Did I save lots of photos with moody dark walls? Do I seem to love the look of a room full of antiques? Do I like the streamlined look of built-ins? I also refer back to the takeaway tips, because that can help refine the specific elements I want to incorporate. I might have saved several photos of white rooms, but once I look for patterns I realize what I really was inspired by was the architecture of white paneling, or maybe I really like the way vintage wood furniture looks against the white walls, for example.
    Also I find it helpful to ask myself honestly if any of the patterns are mostly driven by current trends, rather than what I actually like for my own home. I might save a lot of moody earthy toned rooms, but it’s helpful to remind myself that while I might love them in photos that doesn’t mean they will be the right choice for my home. It’s OK to discover that you love a certain look in photos and yet not choose it for your home.
    After completing those four steps….I start to feel much more equipped to begin making the specific plans and design decisions for my own space!
    In my next post I’ll share some of the inspiration photos I’ve started to gather as I brainstorm ideas for my new kitchen remodel!
    I’ll also give you an update on my bedroom and plans for that for “A Lovely January”. If you missed the details about that challenge, you can catch up and join us here.
    More inspiration on The Inspired Room:
    How to Find Your Style (+ My Favorite Home Design Books) – VIDEO
    How to Get Inspired and Find Your Decor Style
    How to Decorate with Inspiration Room (Takeaway Tips)
    More Takeaway Tips Posts

    Find decor advice in my books The Inspired Room, Simple Decorating, and But Where Do I Put the Couch + Answers to 100 Other Home Decorating Questions.
    Check out my “How to Decorate” page to find decor inspiration room by room.
    You can also follow my new Instagram @theinspiredroomstyle for style advice and our thoughtfully curated selection of timeless furniture and charming accessories! More

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    in Home Ideas

    10 Insider Bathroom Remodeling Tips for DIYers

    Remodeling a bathroom is one of the most satisfying home improvement tasks because of its multi-pronged payoff: It’s your chance to combine all the practical features you need with a personalized style you love — and create a relaxing retreat in the process.If you’re taking on this project yourself (or even a part of it, like installing tile), it’s helpful to have a go-to source for practical guidance — and with its DIY project guides, how-to workshops, and project calculators to help you figure out how much material to order, The Home Depot is a smart bet. And when you’re ready to get started, you can shop for everything from tubs and vanities to showers, tiles, and finishing touches, all from the same spot. (You can even More

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    in Home Ideas

    10 Cleaning Tasks You Can Totally Tackle in 5 Minutes

    1. Fill your dishwasher with everything but dishes.Plastic toys, soap dishes, plastic hairbrushes and more can get clean in dishwasher — zero effort required. Take a lap around your house and gather the stuff you rarely (err, never?) clean and run an everything-but-plates load.2. Sprinkle and suck up.Toss a bit of baking soda onto carpeting, upholstered furniture, and even your mattress, and let the stuff work its de-stinking magic for 15 minutes. Then, vacuum it away for an instantly fresher space.3. Walk around with a lint roller.This portable, versatile closet staple is a master at lifting dirt, crumbs, and dust from all of those spots you’ve let languish. Run it over a lampshade, the bottom of your purse, stuffed animals, and other hard-to-reach spots to spiff them up.

    Getty

    4. Pick up pet hair quickly.A pair of damp rubber dish gloves is all you need to finally get Fido’s fur off your favorite pillow or armchair.5. Banish dust from baseboards.You can tackle dingy spots without stooping. Lightly spray an old sock with some cleaning solution and run your foot over the baseboards to whisk debris away in a flash.6. Give your gadgets some attention.Your cell phone probably harbors more germs than your toilet seat (um, ick), and you probably never clean it. Run an alcohol wipe over the surface of your often-handled electronics (that includes your TV remote). 7. Wipe down your purse.It’s kind of remarkable how some things we touch daily are the ones we rarely clean — your purse is another one of those spots. About half all women’s bags have fecal bacteria on them, so give it a swipe with a disinfectant wipe.

    Getty

    8. Freshen your garbage disposal.Got kitchen stink you just can’t kick? Try running a couple of lemon rinds through your garbage disposal, and follow with cold water to dispel the smell. 9. Clear dust from ceiling fans.Before the first hot day makes you flip your fan’s switch, make sure it won’t fling dust all over the room. An old pillow case makes quick and tidy work of making your fan blades sparkle again.10. For goodness sake, just toss that pile of catalogs.There are certain things you just don’t need to think about before you get rid of them. Recycle that stack cluttering your nightstand, no questions asked, and feel the lightness of free space in seconds.

    Lauren Piro
    Senior Web Editor
    Overseeing all things home for GoodHousekeeping.com and HouseBeautiful.com, Lauren swoons over midcentury design and employs tough-love approach to decluttering (just throw it away, ladies).

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    in Style Tips

    Introducing: The Inspired Room Style

    I am a big fan of creating your own authentic style. Rather than just going with what is trendy or popular or what someone else says is in style, I have always stayed true to what I love. While I no longer do personal design consultations like I did before I started blogging, I have spent the past fourteen and a half years teaching others how to use what you have, to collect things you love over time, and to surround yourself with pieces that tell your stories in order to create a truly meaningful home.
    I’ve been asked for years if I would consider doing decorating courses or hosting private education groups, but right now I teach through my books, this blog, and social media. I also have a fun new way to help ya’ll with your homes. Introducing The Inspired Room Style! It’s a brand new Instagram destination where we are offering our thoughtfully curated selection of timeless furniture and charming accessories so you can create your own “inspired style.”

    The Inspired Room Style is a completely free design service that is so simple to use! You’ll be able to scroll through our favorite daily finds in Instagram stories, click to shop any item that interests you, as well as browse the categorized highlights to inspire and help you find just what you’re looking for! 
    Tip: be sure to watch our daily stories at @theinspiredroomstyle because now and then my daughters and I will post one-of-a-kind finds or items you can buy from our own homes, too!
    We’ll also occasionally post simple design tips for how to create your own unique and authentic Inspired Style! It’s going to be so much fun to share this new resource with you and we hope you love it as much as we do.
    If you’re ever looking for inspiration for your style, or even want something new or vintage to add to your home, I hope you’ll find this resource helpful.
    Follow @theinspiredroomstyle for more!
    Happy decorating! More