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Decorating

All Things Home

white on white on white

Soooo…I am really starting to love white.  I’ve been moving in that direction for a while, but lately, it’s what I’m drawn to the most. The key to whites being successful is texture and tone.  The shades of white you use in a space can either look warm and intentional or stark and bland.  It’s a fine line. I love mixing crisp whites with those that are creamy.   On the white slipcovered Ikea sofa, I layered a nubby antique hemp sheet on the back with a lace-edged runner on top.  I mixed white cotton channel-stitched pillows with a cream linen knife-pleated pillow.  The contrasts are subtle, but pretty.  Anything but stark. If you’re afraid of whites because your family and whites don’t mix well, then try using more creams and off-whites and don’t use white upholstery on the pieces your family sits on the most.  I can get away with having

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All Things Home

room reset challenge | part 2 | time to play

In part one of the room reset challenge, we took everything out of the room except for large pieces of furniture, rugs and curtains that are definitely staying.  If you were on the fence about something, it came out of the room. While the walls are bare and the room is mostly empty, it’s a good time to paint the walls, if needed, and if you know the direction you want to take the room.  If you’re not ready to paint, hold off until you’re sure.  This is a good time to spackle holes in the wall and such, though. So, now you’ve made a big mess while taking everything out of the room, but it’s worth it, because now comes to fun part. It’s time to play with your space. It’s really helpful if you have a friend who can help you with this part.  This is the time when

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All Things Home

Kim’s Coastal Bedroom | part 2 | the before

I went over to my mom & dad’s house today to take some before pictures of their master bedroom, the one that’s my next makeover project. I shared the concept for the room in part 1, but here’s a reminder… The space right now is a pretty blank slate.  My parents moved here a few years ago and my mom’s always been a little stuck on this room. (As an aside, when I first got to the house, my mom went running to the bedroom in front of me.  She said she wanted to make sure it was nice and clean.  She didn’t want to have happen to her what happened to Megan!  In case you missed it, I went to Megan’s house to work on her master bedroom and we ended up working on her home office instead, which happened to be the room where she threw all of

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All Things Home

room reset challenge | part 1 | everything out

I’ve talked about doing a “room reset” often on my blog, in my book, and in our Design Ramblings on YouTube.  If a room is feeling busy, boring or it’s just not “right”, a room reset is my go-to way to either get back on track or give the space a fresh look. I first introduced the “room reset” five years ago when my living room was starting to feel over-crowded, dark and heavy. I stripped all of the accessories and wall art… …and eventually ended up with the lighter and brighter space I envisioned. And just to show how it evolved from there, this is what the room looks like today… So, remember Leigha’s bedroom?  The one that felt heavy and dark?  Here’s a reminder… Here’s the look I put together for her space… And I suggested she start with a room reset of her own along with a

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All Things Home

2015 gardening report card

This was the first year I gave gardening a good effort.  I started strong and I stuck with it.  And I learned a lot along the way about what worked, what didn’t and what I could do better next season. First off, I’ve learned to move plants around to find the light they like best.  This plant was looking sad in the kitchen… …so I moved it to the living room where the light is brighter throughout the day.  Here’s how it looked when I first moved it… …and now…   Yeah, I’m patting myself on the back for that one. Momma’s taking good care of you, isn’t she, sweet little plant?   I planted a small baby tears plant in the living room in May… …and here is how it’s grown… And this plant is loving life.  Here’s how he looked in may… …and now… I don’t have all

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All Things Home

a harvest table, a dough bowl & succulent pumpkins

A few of the freelance projects I worked on late this summer for HGTV.com are live now, so I wanted to share a preview and links.  I love how these turned out.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…I could set tables and take pictures of them all day long.  And sometimes I do. Harvest-inspired fall table This one came together with so many rich layers.  Kriste and I were working on it together and I kept stopping and making high-pitched sounds of delight. I bought those grapes because they were so beautiful, but they were delicious, too. Click HERE for the full photo gallery and details. fall dough-bowl centerpiece This was another fun one that came together based on what I found when I was out shopping.  Wheat, yellow and green floral stems, figs, bittersweet…  It all came together in such a pretty and simple way. Click

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All Things Home

kim’s coastal bedroom | part 1 | the concept

When I mentioned that I had taken on my first design client, Megan, my mom quickly jumped in, “Well, you have to do my master bedroom!” There are two things you might be thinking right now… 1.) Your mom is the reason your business is here and she has been with you every step of the way.  This is an amazing opportunity for you to give back.  Yay! 2.) Working with your mom on a design project?  Iceberg.  Dead ahead. So, it may be crazy, but I’m going to walk the tightrope of working with my mom as a design client and we’ll hopefully end up with a beautiful room and still be on speaking terms when we’re through with the whole thing. I’ll share “before” pictures soon, but here is what she wants… She loves the beach and wants a coastal, restful feel to the room, but doesn’t want it to

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All Things Home

room makeovers | putting your money where it counts

I received a question in response to Megan’s office makeover and I thought it would make a great post.  So, here we are. The question came from Christie… “I would love to see a post on how you make your initial budget.  Did you prioritize curtains and storage ?   How do you know what things to go cheap on ?” Great question! Working on Megan’s office was a totally new experience for me, because I was working on a space for someone else with a set budget as well as a set time-frame we had in mind for completion.  There wasn’t anything it had to be finished for, but Megan wanted to be able to use her office again and I have other design clients waiting!  Both the timeline and the budget made me nervous.  My rooms have developed over years with lots of trying things out and swapping what doesn’t work.

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I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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