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      Designer Decorating Secret: Realistic Faux Plants

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      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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      3 Common Decorating Mistakes with Displaying Art (+ Mood Boards + Buy One Get One Free Art Prints)

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      Choosing artwork to hang on the walls can be intimidating, especially if you want to create a grouping with art. How do you know what “works” together on a wall? How do you pull the look of a room together, including art?
      I’ve shared posts here on the blog with tips for artwork, like these two posts: How to Choose Art for Your Home (+ Favorite Art Sources), and 10 Helpful Guidelines for Decorating Walls (more in depth on why I choose certain art and placements).
      Because it’s a question I get often, I wanted to share 3 common decorating mistakes or challenges when displaying artwork (and will show you a couple of fun art mood inspiration boards, too!).
      Of course, art is so personal and there is not a “one size fits all” rule for decorating, if you ask me. I’ve seen amazing gallery art walls that break all the rules and I LOVE THEM! I hope you find these tips helpful as guidelines, but above all, do what you love! Find what works in your home and makes YOU happy!
      Also in this post, don’t miss the buy one get one free art print sale and mood boards with pretty art combinations!
      Here are 3 common decorating mistakes people often make with displaying artwork:

      Using all small artwork

      Choosing art in varied sizes, shapes and scales and including larger pieces will provide more visual interest than many small frames. If you feel like your room is too busy, look for oversized art that can make a statement without adding visual clutter.
      2. Displaying too much artwork with quotes or words
      Art displaying a quote or words can make graphic statement in a room. But too many quotes or words displayed on every wall can make you feel like you’re being shouted at from around the room. Many words in a room (on the wall or even pillows, for example) also can create a frantic mood because your eyes won’t know where to land (they are busy darting around the room trying to read all the things).
      I prefer a room where art and design contributes to the overall mood but doesn’t overwhelm you with too many thoughts or competing elements. Words can be so meaningful though, so if you feel like you should pare down, pick your favorite piece and make that message a focal statement on the wall.
      3. Not creating a cohesive design and color palette
      Art can be a wonderful complement to your entire room and color palette, or it can make the room feel very disjointed. Think about your room as a whole, using the artwork as an opportunity to pull the room’s design, mood and color scheme together. Or use art to punch up the impact of one favorite hue to make a bolder color statement. To make a color splash, start with a palette that feels cohesive and pleasing through your accessories, furniture, and even plants/flowers. Then choose one favorite color from your palette for a statement art piece that will bring the room to life (and help bring your eye around the room to where that color appears in smaller doses!). Ideally, repeat your statement color three times around the room in smaller doses.
      Be sure to consider the design of each of your art pieces for a wall or that you plan to have around the room, too, so you can pull together groupings that will make a pleasing statement overall. Varied pieces of art can be tied together with a unified color scheme.
      We made a couple of art mood boards that you can see, below!
      Learn more of my decor guidelines for hanging art here.
      By the way, I stumbled on a wonderful art sale going on right now! Buy one get one free Rifle Paper Co art prints — ends 3/24.
      Click HERE to shop!
      I thought it would be fun to create two mood boards that show art pairings that I think work well together in a room (using some of the Rifle Paper art prints that are on sale right now!), as well as share a few tips on why they work.

      For the mood board above, there are varied subjects with the botanical print, a portrait with the words “C’est la vie”, a landscape (Paris), and a print with small simple objects (bobby pins). The color palette of black and white with pops or red/orange tie this varied grouping together. The statement phrase sets a whimsical mood for the art and space as well! Note that red/orange is also reflected in the rug, so this palette will have a pleasing effect in the room.
      Sources for above: Dresser // Faux Potted Rubber Tree // Poppy Botanical Floral Art Print // Paris Sketch Art Print // C’est La Vie Art Print // Bobby Pin Art Print // Patterned Rug // Rattan Lamp

      For the mood board above, we paired a floral, quote, a detailed house landscape/pattern print, and a simple ostrich print. The house/landscape print pulls together a color scheme for the room. The sage green color, blues, black and tan work well together. The light green pillow on the sofa pulls out a statement color from the art and helps bring the eye around the room in a pleasing way. The rug and sofa are neutrals that let the art in this space be more in focus!
      Sources for above: Sofa // Faux Green Leaf Tree // The World is Your Oyster Art Print // Sage Green Daisies Art Print // House Pattern Art Print // Ostrich Art Print // Green Pillow // Leather Storage Ottoman // Gold Shade Floor Lamp // Indoor Outdoor Natural Stripe Rug //
      Buy one get one free Rifle Paper Co art prints — ends 3/24. Click HERE to shop!

      Click here for a recent post with MORE pretty art for spring!
      For more decorating tips, see my book But Where Do I Put The Couch? And Answers to 100 Other Home Decorating Questions.
      How to Decorate (Room By Room Inspiration) More

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      The Secret to Finding Your Style and Feeling More at Home Where You Live

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      Source (20% off EVERYTHING with code! Click HERE to shop!)
      What’s your decorating style? Do you feel at home where you live? If you ever feel conflicted about your style or the next decisions to make in making your house your home, you’re not alone! Maybe you’re just feeling stuck, or your current style isn’t working for you. Perhaps you’re living in a home that wasn’t custom designed for you or even close to your style to begin with. Maybe you’re wrestling with how to update it. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the options, especially with the abundance of ideas and inspiration online!
      So how can you find your style when there are so many directions you could go? What if you feel limited by the current style of your home or your budget?
      Here’s the secret: finding your style takes patience and experimentation. It takes time. You don’t have to have a perfectly designed home to love where you live. You just have to find ways to feel more at home! I don’t think most of us can make the best decisions until we’ve had a chance to get to know the home we live in over several seasons. You need time to learn the quirks and personality of your home so you can play up what you love about it and learn to minimize, downplay or fix what you don’t.
      It takes time to gather style or remodeling inspiration specifically for your home over a few seasons. Once you’ve collected ideas you can start to narrow down the options that not only consistently speak to you, but also make the most sense for your budget, lifestyle and your house.

      It’s easy to lose our focus when we get swept up by a new idea, or if we are looking only at current trends or just following along with what everyone else is doing right now! Impulse decisions or following the trends might bring some immediate joy through a those indecisive seasons, but it’s a wonderful feeling when you are finally able to settle into your own style with confidence.
      Your style is not just the one you like the most online, but it’s what makes you feel the most at home where you actually live. That’s how you’ll know you’ve found your authentic style.
      When I’m struggling with my own style, it can be helpful to collect inspiration photos of rooms or features that I really love, such as the images I share in my posts (these photos in my post today are from one of my favorite shops for furnishings and style inspiration for my home, Serena & Lily. I’ve written about it before in this post).
      But I don’t want to rush permanent or expensive decisions or make a lot of changes based on an inspiration photo until I’m certain that look or item will feel right in my own home. I like to take a bit of inspiration from dozens of rooms and ideas I’ve collected over time so my style won’t be an exact replica of anyone else’s style.

      It can be a slow process to figure it all out, but it’s worth it to me to be as authentic and comfortable in my home as possible.
      Sometimes to move forward you just need to make ONE design decision you know you feel good about. That decision will lead to the next. We remodeled our kitchen four years ago and the decisions we made during that project continue to inspire me to make our little house all she can be 🙂 I’ve often said the old house I live in was ready for a new spring in her step. She may have been born in the 1950s but she doesn’t have to stay there.
      You don’t have to stay stuck with what you have! I’m so glad I didn’t let myself be discouraged or swayed early on by voices that told me this house had to stay in a certain era or style. I didn’t want to feel limited in what I could or could not do to make it my own. It’s certainly helpful to ask for opinions from trusted sources when you’re in doubt (or if you’re dealing with an historic home that needs to be preserved), but often creating a home you’ll truly love means you have to be brave enough to listen to your own voice so you can design a home that will feel right to you. After all, it’s your home and you’ll be the one living there!
      Lastly, it’s OK to make mistakes along the way. Rarely is a decorating mistake fatal! In fact, in some cases what might appear to be a “mistake” can actually give your home and style more character and personality. Other times it confirms for you what your style ISN’T. But even if it is a big mistake you need to correct, just learn from it and move on.
      You’ll never feel truly at home with your style until you get to know yourself and your home better. That process takes time, but it is all a part of the journey to making a house truly feel like home.
      Speaking of Serena & Lily, they have an amazing sale on right now, but it ends today!
      Scroll down for inspiration, sources and ideas for this fresh breezy look!
      20% off EVERYTHING with code! Click HERE to shop!

      How cute is this bench! You can customize the fabric–there are so many cute options! I love this toile.
      Nautical Round Rope Mirror Source // Toile Wallpaper

      Everything at Serena & Lily is 20% off! Click HERE to shop the entire sale with discount code!
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      The Most Regrettable Decorating Mistake You Can Make

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      There are plenty of opportunities to make mistakes in life. And yes, many that *could* be made while decorating your home.Maybe you’ve made a few blunders yourself! I know I have.So what is the most regrettable decorating mistake you’ve ever made?Painting a room the wrong color?Ordering a sofa that is too big or too small for your intended room?Buying a free standing cabinet that won’t fit up the stairs?So many possibilities.
      I happen to think one of the most regrettable mistakes we can make in our own home is simply not following our heart.
      Maybe we aren’t inspired in our home because we:
      worry too much about what others will think of our choices.
      followed the style or advice of someone else and chose things that didn’t really speak to us.
      make choices for our room based on what we think is the safest option
      fear making a mistake
      don’t know how to pull together what speaks to us.
      stay paralyzed or stuck in a rut and don’t make changes at all.

      When we make decisions based on peer-pressure, fear or worry, our home probably doesn’t speak to our heart.
      Sure, even when we follow our heart it’s possible to make mistakes. And maybe lots of them! Hahah! BUT THAT IS OK! Most design mistakes aren’t fatal. PRAISE HANDS! Having fun with our home and trying things is how we can discover what works for us, what we love and what speaks to us. Mistakes could cost money, so definitely on major purchases, it’s wise to give it some good thought before you place an order. But most mistakes are not impossible to correct, so don’t fear!
      Oftentimes misstep turns into a happy accident. Mistakes can give us the opportunity to get creative or try something unexpected that we end up loving even more than our original idea.
      Taking a risk or trying something different can lead us to have a home that speaks deeply to us.
      When we put our heart and soul into being creative and not worrying so much, it brings us more JOY.
      A home you love takes time, but let it be an enjoyable process.
      A home that sparks more joy and connection is worth taking a risk on, don’t you think?
      A couple of things for you today:Speaking of sparking joy, the beautiful wood and glass diffuser you’ve seen in my home (the ARIA) IS BACK in STOCK for new members. It’s only while supplies last (and won’t return for at least a month due to Covid limitations) so you’ll want to grab it quick if/while it’s still available! I’ve got fall oil samples to send to new members, too!! Get the Aria Diffuser premium starter kit here.

      If you’re already my YL member and you didn’t get my fall recipe cards recently, let me know in the comments and I’ll send you some happy mail!
      What are some decorating mistakes you’ve made? Did any of them turn into a happy accident? I want to know!
      PS. I’ll share a happy decorating story with you in a week or so, it was an unexpected situation but but I LOVE IT!
      Photos: House & Home
      Related blog posts:
      Make Your Home Your Own
      How to Decorate: The Slow Process to a Style You’ll Love
      Catch up on my 2020 Fall Nesting Series:
      Tips to Decorate Your Fall Living Room
      Cozy Fall Throw Blankets
      My Favorite Fall Decor in My Cozy Fall Shop
      14 Ideas for a Cozy Fall Kitchen
      Make Your Home the Coziest It Can Be (3 Take Away Tips)
      Fall Puttering Playlist
      Cozy Self-Care Corner Must-Haves
      Four Essential Home Making Practices for Every Season
      Fall Nesting and Doormats
      How to Dwell Well This Fall
      How to Decorate with Faux Fall FoliageTimeless Pieces for Your HomeHospitality and Joy are Not Cancelled (Decorate your Porch)How to Make Your Home Smell Cozy and Inviting
      How to Create a Memorable Fall Home + Cozy Diffuser Blends More

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      {Inspiration} Fillable Glass Lamps

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      Remember when I said I was having trouble finding large glass lamps, so I resorted to my DIY glass bottle lamp? Well, HomeGoods surprised me recently and had tons of pretty and large lamps, including these lovely glass lamps I put on my console cabinet! YAY! (Similar Lamp Source, and more options HERE) They aren’t as huge […] More

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      Rustic Fall

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      1. West Elm Market 2. Liberty Ross’s Home in C Magazine found via Design Manifest 3. Ariele Alasko’s studio found via Design Sponge 4. Claire Archambault’s home in Canadian House & Home 5. Martha Stewart Natural Elements + Warm Colors = Rustic Fall Room When I think of Fall decorating, simple and understatedcan be a refreshing change from the expected. 31 […] More