Kriste and I are still at the Haven Conference in Atlanta, thoroughly enjoying our time here… a chance to connect to other bloggers, to recharge creatively and to have a little bit of girl time.  I’ll share more about it when I get home and have a chance to gather my thoughts. So, in this episode of Design Ramblings, Kriste and I answer a fan’s e-mail about pet-friendly decorating… (Kriste’s cat, Carli) So, does anyone have a catio?!  I thought that was so funny, but I know that cats love hanging out on screened-in porches, so it does make sense! Anyway, since I don’t currently have pets, I thought I would refer you to a couple of my blogger buddies who do and sometimes share solutions to common issues like pet hair and stains. Sarah from Thrifty Decor Chick has a whole collection of furry friends…   And Melissa from

In this episode of Design Ramblings, Kriste and I answered a viewer/reader question about the challenge of decorating when you love a variety of styles… I am, admittedly, not very eclectic.  I like and appreciate other styles, but not for my house.  I think the most out-on-a-limb I get is the industrial cart I use as a coffee table in my living room… I just love old things and that is reflected in all of my furniture, fabrics and accessories.  Whenever I stray from that, like with geometric fabric or a piece with modern lines, it doesn’t sit well with me and it never lasts long! As I said in the video, I really do think it’s an art to balance styles that contrast.  It can end up looking like a bad thrift store or college dorm arrangement pretty quickly if you’re not careful.  Here are some bloggers/designers who I think

In the last episode of Design Ramblings, Kriste and I brought up the question, “Who are we decorating for?”  I was talking about my sons’ decorating their Christmas tree and how I had to restrain myself from trying to “fix” it…to make it “photo-worthy.”  As I jerked my hands away from the tree, I thought about what kind of message that would send to them. What you’re doing isn’t good enough.  Step aside and let mommy make it the way SHE wants it even though she said it’s YOUR tree. Ouch. Marian, back away from the tree. And I did.  I let them weigh it down until the branches were sagging under mis-matched garlands, Lego pieces, blinky colorful lights and three toppers.  And I cross my heart that I didn’t “fix” the tree the entire holiday season. I’ve had a lot of moments like that throughout my life as a

I turned the camera and mic on and then I sat down on the sofa next to Kriste.  “So, what are we going to talk about?”  We sat in silence, thinking.  Sometimes we have topics or pictures lined up to talk about.  Other times, we just press record and hope inspiration strikes.  After a bit of toe-tapping and finger-drumming, Kriste suggests, “What about transitioning your decor from one season to another?”  I thought that was a great suggestion, so that’s what we talked about…How do you approach seasonal decorating?  

I’ve heard it said that, if ever you’re stuck in your decorating choices, you can look to your wardrobe to get a sense of your style.  Do you agree with that?  Kriste and I chat about that subject in this week’s Design Ramblings… Help me out a little here.  Did anyone else dress like the movie Clueless in high school?  Contempo Casual?  Wet Seal? Anyway, I was thinking about this a little more since our conversation and I do think I’m drawn to similar things in what I wear and what I buy for my home.  Just in a general sense. For example, I think my very favorite pair of leather boots (from LL Bean)… …have the same the same feel as the leather sofa in our family room (Pottery Barn). It’s not that they are exactly the same, but they have the same feel…casual, warm, a bit of detail, neutral,

Yes, I know it’s not Friday, our usual Design Ramblings day, but our week was pretty out-of-whack with our trip to Wisconsin!  I was planning to edit and post the video on Friday, but… 1.) I was totally exhausted and had a 4:30 wake-up call the next morning, 2.) iMovie wasn’t launching, and 3.) I was using my hotspot, which isn’t high speed enough to upload a 1080p video to YouTube.  So, it didn’t happen.  I’m back home now and was able to get some rest, get iMovie working, and I have my lightning-fast WiFi again! We were hoping to film a Design Ramblings or two on our trip, but we weren’t sure what the topic would be.  As soon as we saw our host’s home, we knew.  Brenda, of Harvest Home, has an amazing gift with plants and plant decor.  She doesn’t just take good care of them, so