Preorder Move Slow & Make Things, and enjoy a collection of thoughtful bonus content created just for you!

Preorder the Book
Facebook Instagram Youtube Tiktok

Dining Room
All Things Home

green & white summer tablescape

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by .  All opinions and ideas expressed in this post are, as always, honest and my own. Last week, I shared a tutorial for some mini landscape “place cards” and here is the tablescape that goes along with them!  I was challenged by to show vintage style using some of their home products and, given that Walmart hasn’t been my go-to place for vintage style, I had to do a bit of recon before I accepted that challenge! Well, I browsed around Walmart Home and was pleasantly surprised with the wide array of vintage-style pieces that could be found both in the store and online.  I zeroed in on these beautiful .  They definitely “speak vintage” and happened to match my dining room as well as dishes I already owned perfectly.  I have a “dish” thing and I love it when I can integrate new

Read More
August 19, 2019 85 Comments
All Things Home

the rug that ties the room together

Well, another layer has been added to our dining room and it’s just perfection!  The braided jute rug that was in the dining room worked because it was neutral, but it was a little bit boring.  If you’ve been with me on this blog long enough, you know that rugs are my nemesis!  It’s so hard to find one that works.  It’s not too loud, not too boring, it’s the right material, colors, patterns, etc.  And, rugs are typically investment pieces, so there is pressure to get the decision right. This rug is from the upcoming (June 2019) Mark Sikes collection for Dash & Albert and it is the perfect solution for my dining room… (I’ll share more about Mark’s collection in another post, but everything is so beautiful.  It’s traditional without being tired and there is lots of blue & white, so it is right up my alley!) Anyway,

Read More
May 28, 2019 87 Comments
All Things Home

“week” wall clock

When I was out shopping last week, I was poking through one of the antique mall booths and spotted a pretty clock on the wall.  I’m not so much into clocks, but I think I’m attracted to them as small pieces of furniture.  Does that make sense?  I like the shape of the case or the design on the face or the patina of the wood.  I don’t care if they work, although it’s a bonus if they do.  I just like them for their aesthetic quality. So, I leaned in to admire this small, curvy clock and was surprised to see it was only $55.00.  And, beyond that, it was in working order and included a key for winding!  I thought about it for about 2 minutes and then gently lifted the clock of its nail and took it to the counter to claim. I had several ideas of

Read More
March 18, 2019 59 Comments
All Things Home

Christmas Dining Room 2018

I shared my dining room tree early last week, but it was before I really had the chance to dig into decorating for Christmas.  Last week, I took a lot of time to slowly work on our main living spaces and, in the process, I decided I wanted to rework some things in the dining room, including the tree. I decided that I just couldn’t handle the LED lights.  The glow coming off the LEDs was better when I added some vintage-style incandescent lights, but it was still there and I found myself not wanting to even turn on the tree.  So, I removed the lights from the top part of the tree (it was pretty laborious, so I didn’t do the bottom sections) and I decided to redo the entire thing while I was picking it apart.  As I sorted through my Christmas decorations, I found some vintage-style reflectors that had

Read More
December 3, 2018 25 Comments
All Things Home

plantation shutters

I’ve been “adulting it” since I was 18 years old…meaning living in a place not owned by my parents, paying my own bills, etc.  And, over those 22 years, I’ve learned the things I like and the things I don’t like when it comes to setting up house.  I don’t like wall-to-wall carpet.  I like hardwood floors.  I don’t like fluorescent light bulbs.  I like daylight incandescent bulbs and maybe some halogen and LED.  I don’t like electric stoves.  I like cooking with gas. I also don’t like blinds.  I like curtains and shutters. Ugh…blinds.  Blinds with their tangled cords and dusty slats. One thing I marveled over constantly while in Europe was their ingenious shutter designs that were a part of the house.  They weren’t an afterthought purchased at the hardware store to replace the sheets that were tacked up until something more permanent could be installed.  They folded

Read More
November 5, 2018 67 Comments
All Things Home

subtle seasonal dining room

The week after I got back from Europe, summer was still hanging onto Rochester, but it finally released its grasp.  The trees are turning fiery hues at their tips, there is a refreshing chill to the air, and I donned my favorite leather boots in church this weekend. Fall is here. Having missed a week and a half of September, it feels like autumn will be shorter this year than usual.  For that reason, I’m not going to spend too much time or money decorating for it.  I’d rather put our decorating dollars towards the work we’re having done in the foyer (painting and new tile flooring) and my time playing catch-up on work that was neglected during the more relaxed pace of summer. I couldn’t let it pass without some recognition or subtle nod in the home, though!  While out running errands last week, I bought a couple of

Read More
October 1, 2018 33 Comments
All Things Home

painting the interior of the primitive hutch

It was on my “annoying project list“, so I got the interior of the primitive hutch in the dining room painted when I was knocking out all of the other annoying projects.  Painting furniture is normally like therapy for me, but painting the interiors of hutches and cabinets is my achilles heel.  It always takes more paint and more time than one would think and it usually involves awkward angles and hand cramps. The darker wood interior wasn’t working in the full scope of the room, though.  When viewed as a standalone piece of furniture it was fine, but once I finished everything around it, it became the darkest thing in the room.  It’s nice to have a balance of light and dark and some contrast, but this was more like a black hole.  It didn’t add anything to the room, but detracted from everything else. So, knowing it wasn’t

Read More
August 1, 2018 51 Comments
All Things Home

dining table makeover

Independent of one another, two of my friends from church asked me if I could give them advice on refinishing a table.  It occurred to me that I have a table I want to refinish, too, so why not make a day of it and refinished all of the tables together?  Projects are always more fun when fellowship is involved and, as an added bonus, we have boys who are the same age and they could play together while we worked.  Projects are also more fun with the kiddos are occupied and happy! Since I was working with friends on their tables as well as my own, I didn’t take the time to do a tutorial for this one, but I’ll share links to tutorials I’ve written in the past when I used the same techniques. Here is the table before… It wasn’t in bad shape, but it had a

Read More
July 30, 2018 42 Comments

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.

Facebook Instagram Youtube Pinterest Amazon

next art sale

May 20th, 2026 at 1pm EST

Get Early access →

Now Available for Preorder

Move Slow & Make Things

A book about creativity, intention, and making things with care. Sign up to receive updates, preorder details, and exclusive bonus content.

From the Studio

Artful pieces for your home and everyday life.

From original paintings and art prints to Pup Club releases and curated goods, each piece is created or chosen to bring warmth, creativity, and character into your home.
Explore the shop →

From the Studio and Home

Shop the Feed

A handpicked collection of items styled and shared throughout posts, projects, and social feeds. Every product is thoughtfully chosen to reflect a timeless, collected aesthetic.
Shop Now →

Recent Video

Spring Posts

Explore the Shop

Explore the Blog

Categories
error: Content is protected.

Pin It on Pinterest