Rope! Summer-Inspired Decor

Doesn't nautical rope just say "Summer"?

Everywhere I look, people are finding terrifically creative uses for rope in their decor.  It's the most perfect decor element, especially for the summer - neutral in color but textured so it's interesting to look at, and it also adds a touch of whimsy:  

{ Via Little Nudge }

{ Via Apartment Therapy }

I absolutely love this look, but I have to admit I might lay awake all night worried that the bed would break!

{ Via Pinterest }

{ Via Pinterest }

 { Via Apartment Therapy }

This rope banister is one of my favorites, by interior designer Thom Filicia. How clever to put a big piece of rope where he could have just installed a boring old banister:

{ Via Pinterest }

This is one of my all-time favorite DIY projects, by Mandi of the blog Vintage Revivals.  Her "Rope Curtain Rod" for her friend Hailee's complete living room makeover has all the trappings of a perfect DIY project - aesthetically beautiful, clever, easy and cheap!

{ Images above via Vintage Revivals }

Isn't that last shot just fantastic?  The way they pulled the rope down the wall and looped it around like that? 




Here's another fabulous DIY project idea from Design*Sponge - the "Knotted Lamp Cord".  I thought it looked pretty easy!  I love that it's just a perfect mix of "industrial" and "artisanal":

{ Via Design*Sponge }

Of course, you don't have to go DIY crazy to incorporate some fun, fabulous rope into your home.  All kinds of retailers are getting in on the action, so you can just buy your way to instant gratification.  


Here's a rope knot door stop by Ballard Designs; it would also look great as a cool accessory on your bookshelf:

{ Via Ballard Designs, $45 }

Would you ever guess these mirrors are from Pottery Barn?  I think they are just great:

{ Via Pottery Barn, $349 }

If you caught my blog a few weeks ago, you already know how much I love a good pouf! Here's one I spotted on a recent visit to interior design store Haus Interior in downtown NYC:   

Another version you can purchase online:

{ Via Nautical Luxuries, $325 }

Hope you are as inspired as I am to incorporate some fabulous rope into your home!  

How is the summer treating you so far?  We visited friends of ours upstate and spent the entire weekend in the pool, followed by grilled hamburgers. Now is that *summer* or what?  

Do-it-Yourself Floorplans

We are gearing up to move into our first house at the end of the summer - super exciting!  

{ Home sweet home }

Yes, I am excited to embark on this new adventure.  BUT I'll also be 8 months pregnant by the time we move, so you can imagine how much work I'm trying to do NOW while I still feel pretty good. One thing I'm doing is planning out our new house as much as possible - I've become nuts about online floor plans. 


I've been spending massive amounts of time researching and testing different online floor planning tools, which have been helpful in determining what furniture (and accessories) should go where.  It's been really satisfying!  I love getting a good feel for the layout of each room and preparing ahead of time.


When searching for online floor planning sites, my primary criteria was simple - it had to be free!  I was also looking for something user-friendly and relatively pleasing to the eye. 


Here are some great options I found:


Homestyler
One of my favorites is Autodesk's Homestyler, created by the guys that also sell AutoCAD, which is what many if not most professional designers use.  Homestyler is their free version and I'm told it's pretty similar in feel to AutoCAD.  


I like this program because you can build a room, easily adjust its dimensions, and then add windows, doors, furniture and even accessories.  I also like that you can use generic furnishings or you can drag and drop specific products from a few different retailers.  You can even paint the walls and hang art!  

{ Via Homestyler }

Then, when you're done, you can opt to see your creation in 3D and watch it come to life.  Pretty cool. 

{ via LA Times }

MyDeco
I truly love MyDeco.  It is super pleasing to the eye and really easy to use.  Not to mention, the list of furniture and accessory items you can select is seemingly endless!

{Via cool hunting }

Just like Homestyler, you can quickly create a room, add doors and windows, and then the fun part starts. You can choose from thousands of furniture and accessory items that are actually available for purchase through over 650 retailers and independent designers - the creative options are endless. Word to the wise, however - MyDeco is UK based, so much of the stuff you see is not necessarily readily available in the US. 


Just like Homestyler, you can also look at your room in 3D.  Check out these fantasy rooms, created on MyDeco:

{ Via Apartment Therapy }

{via mydeco.com}

I think the 3D function and aesthetics of the site are better than on Homestyler, but Homestyler does let you play with generic furniture more, which means you can include stuff you already own more easily. 




Google SketchUp
SketchUp is a 3D modeling tool that designers use but is also free to anyone, and it's pretty user-friendly. 

{ Via FaleHippo }

SketchUp's ability to create literally anything is awesome.  You're not limited by pre-determined furniture choices, for example, that you find on the other programs. 

{ Via Cormiertech }

 { Via Contractor Talk }

I like SketchUp because it's so accurate - great to use if you are needing to envision exact dimensions and exactly what something will look like.  If you are fairly tech savvy and you need to draw up plans that are accurate, then you'd probably love SketchUp.  


A great way to get started is to check out the plethora of video tutorials online - they really helped me figure out what the heck I was doing. 


Paper Grid Room Planner

Last but not least, this "Paper Grid Room Planner" is totally old school and I love it.  When I took an interior design class last year, the instructor had us buy architect rulers and grid paper and create floorplans the old fashioned way.  It's great, because you really get an appreciation for scale and measurements - the guts behind a floorplan. 

{ Via Copenhagen Furniture }

This is much more hands-on arts and crafts, as you're cutting out pieces of furniture, laying them on a grid, and moving the pieces around manually. 

I actually used this method when helping my friends Kassia and Chris change up their master bedroom - we moved the pieces of furniture around the grid paper into different configurations and it worked beautifully.  The one big drawback is the lack of 3D!  Hard to envision your room coming to life with a 2D piece of paper. You do get really spoiled with all these 3D online tools. 

I'll be sure to share my ideas for the new place as things come together.  Happy planning!

The Two-Toned Kitchen

I've long noticed that many people paint their kitchen islands a different color than their kitchen cabinets (and sometimes the lower cabinets a different color from the upper).  But this trend seems to be gaining even more traction - everywhere I look, I seem to see a "two-toned kitchen".  I love this look and I want it in my own house!

Here's a shot of our kitchen in the house we just purchased  (yes, it's true - our kitchen! Our new house! Moving in September...). 

This kitchen was totally remodeled in the 90s. There's lots to like about it - the layout and the abundant natural light are just terrific.  But there are some cosmetic changes I want to make. Stay tuned for all the details!  But for now let's talk cabinet color.  



See that middle part jutting into the center of the kitchen?  I have visions of painting it a mossy green, and the rest of the cabinets white.  OR all the "below cabinets" in a mossy green and all the "upper cabinets" in white.  Sort of like this kitchen which is a terrific before-and-after story:

These people really inspired me.  Here's the before shot (yowza!):

And another shot of the after.  Pretty nice transformation!

{ Via The Virginia House } 

And now let's take a look at some other "two-toned kitchens" done right. 


I don't know how you would ever cook in this kitchen, what with all the hydrangeas and chinese pottery laying about, but isn't it so beautiful to look at?  Loving the stark white cabinets and the stained dark wood island:

{ Via Pinterest }

The same color concept below, but a more contemporary look:  

{ The "Needham Kitchen", Via Venegas and Co }

Isn't this kitchen so bright and lovely?  I think the blocks of charcoal, grey, white and chrome work together so beautifully:

{ Via Urrutia Design }

This is a classic, clean look:

{ Via Home Bunch }

I just love this kitchen below. It reminds me of so many restaurants right now in New York.  There's an industrial element, but also this old school "apothecary" vibe.  Another great example of a kitchen island standing in stark contrast to the cabinets:

{ Via Kitchen Lab }

This is such a far cry from our modest house in the 'burbs - what would our new neighbors think of the lucite drawer pulls, the chrome chinoiserie lanterns and the marble up to the ceiling?? But I do love it.  So glamourous, and love that dove grey island: 

 { via Pinterest }  

This kitchen is open and bright and airy. Playing it a little safe, but the cornflower-navy blue island really adds some great interest to the room: 

{ Via home bunch }

This is a little more "kitchen in the country".  The minty green is an unexpected choice - really punches up the room:

{ Architectural Digest, via Pinterest }  

Speaking of punching it up, look at this bright yellow island!  I pinned it onto Pinterest recently and I couldn't believe how many people re-pinned it within minutes.  The colors must really speak to people!  Or maybe it's that folks want something new and fresh for their kitchens:

{ Via House of Fifty }

Any particular "two-toned kitchens" here that speak to you?  I'm so curious to learn what appeals.  And what do you think of my mossy green and white plan for my new kitchen?  Any ideas and thoughts are most welcome...!

38 Acts of Birthday Kindness

I'll warn you right now, this isn't a design post!  I promise after today we'll go right back to normal.  But I just had to share my excitement over last weekend's "38 Acts of Birthday Kindness".  

About a year ago, I stumbled upon a blog that touched, moved and inspired me. A young mom decided to make her 35th birthday special - by performing 35 random acts of kindness.

I decided that I was going to do the same for my next birthday.  Using the internet as my guide (and a ton of great ideas on Pinterest!), I brainstormed a list of 38 random acts of kindness for my own birthday.  

Most of my acts turned out to be more like "planned out acts of kindness"... It took me the whole weekend (and then some) to complete the whole list!

Talk about one of the most special birthdays I've ever had.  I had no idea how moving and inspiring this whole process would be!

Here's the list:

1) I sent my parents a birthday card.  I sent a simple Hallmark card to my mom and dad, wishing THEM a happy birthday on my special day.  I was moved to tears as I wrote from the heart, thanking them for all their sacrifices and for loving me no matter what. 

2)  I gave away gift cards.  I have this mini stash of gift cards (from Target, Best Buy, etc.) that are old stocking-stuffers and I simply have never used them!  I just loved the sparkle in peoples' eyes as I handed them out - one young guy was like "whoa!  COOL!"  The cards had like $5 on them.  Not a ton of money but the point was just to spread the love...

3)  I bought a coffee for the lady behind me at Starbucks.   

4)  I picked up trash in our local park - just walking along, a few pieces, nothing big.  But I felt so empowered taking ownership and doing doing my small part to make our park more beautiful. 

5)  I dug up some old photos and sent them in the mail to two of my oldest, dearest friends.  I laughed and cried looking through the photos and writing captions for each. It was so nice to sit there and ponder how much those girls mean to me, how far we've come and how long ago that all was.  

For Jennie:

For Alexa:

6)  I drafted my 2-year-old Charlie's artistic talent and together we created and delivered "thank you" cards to the doormen in our building:

7) We delivered a card covered in guitar drawings to Charlie's music teacher. "Thank you, Bill, for being such a great music teacher and a positive influence in my life!  Love, Charlie"

8)  We gave Starbucks cards and a note of thanks to Charlie's soccer coaches.

9)  I collected a bunch of books off my shelves and left them in my building's lobby for my neighbors, so someone else could enjoy them.  

10)  We brought a dozen donuts (and a colorful note of thanks) to our local fire station:  

 High five!  Sorry for waking you up at 8:30am, Mr. Fireman!

11)  We delivered donuts and a card to the police precinct in our neighborhood.  The sergeant came out to say thank you so much.  I just wish I had a picture of this nice man who also gave Charlie a high five.  


I have to admit, in all my interactions with people through this process, it's hard to "be in the moment" and also whip out the camera.  It's just too awkward!  Hence, more pictures of "stuff" than of people!!  

My amazing partners in crime, Alex and Charlie.  It was so much fun to spread the love with them!  After visiting the police station, we did a big group family hug because the whole thing felt so good.

12)  I did nice things for my husband.  Isn't it amazing how we take for granted the people who are closest to us?  In the spirit of birthday kindness I wanted to do "little things" to make Alex feel special.  On my birthday, I woke up early with Charlie while Alex slept in, I made him coffee, and let him take a shower first (!).  


13)  I invited a non-local friend over for dinner.  


14)  I left a chocolate bar and a note for our postman. I figure these guys never get any appreciation!

15) I sent a card and flowers to my grandmother.


16)  I found my 6th grade teacher (on Facebook!) and sent him a letter, telling him thank you for the impact he had on my life.  


17) I paid for someone's subway ride. 


18) I snuck into our building's basement laundry room and filled every washing machine with quarters.  I totally giggled to myself like a crazed elf - it was so sneaky and so fun!!

19)  I brought muffins and fruit to my office and sent an email around to everyone, thanking them for being such great colleagues and as a small token of my appreciation, breakfast was on me!

20)  I brought donuts to the maintenance and security guys in my office building and wrote "thank you for your hard work, keeping us safe and protected"

21)  I gave two movie ticket gift certificates to our receptionist.  Her eyes popped out of her head she was so excited!  Then I whipped out my iPhone to take a picture and I'm certain she thought I was crazy.  Hence her confused looking smirk below.  I decided afterwards that maybe I should just enjoy the moment and not take a picture of every interaction I have!

22)  I planted trees in memory of my dear, departed grandparents.  I think of it as an act of hope and caring for our planet.  

23)  I really took the time to give directions to some tourists on the street.  We took out google maps on my iPhone, and there was lots of hand gesturing and lots of smiles.


24) We gave our delivery guy a HUGE tip!

25)  I left some stamps at the post office for someone to find. Another moment where I giggled to myself with glee!

 26)  I gave something really cool away on Craigslist.  I inherited this venetian glass mirror from an internship I once had.  I thought, "wouldn't it be nice to just give it to someone that could either make money selling it or really enjoy its beauty in their home?"  It was claimed by someone within two hours - and the guy seemed so thrilled!

27)  I gave balloons away to children on the playground.  There is nothing like a balloon to light up a child's face!

28)  I gathered supplies for a female soldier to send to Afghanistan.  I did it through an awesome website called AnySoldier.com - the soldiers themselves list what they actually need and want.  

29)  I dropped off a bag of gently used baby items at a local health clinic that serves moms and babies.  

30) I gave a "free coffee" gift certificate to a security guard at the health clinic (pictured above).  He leapt up from his desk and was all smiles.  It filled my heart to see how grateful he was. 


31)  I left a book that means a lot to me on a park bench with a note explaining how I hope the person who picks this up finds it as moving and inspirational as I have.  This was one of my favorites - such a simple and easy gesture of connectedness.

32)  I gave flowers to our elderly neighbor.  They were actually birthday flowers from my awesome friend Laura. With her blessing, I decided to "pay it forward" and left them at my neighbor's door.  I wrote to my neighbor, "these were simply too beautiful to keep for myself. I hope you enjoy them".   

33) I spontaneously gave someone a hug who needed it.


34) I really listened to a friend of mine, giving her my undivided attention.


35)  I smiled at strangers and purposefully gave out compliments.


36)  I let someone else in front of me in line.

37)  We bought books from some young neighborhood girls who were trying to raise money for their school.  And we over-paid them!  

 38)  We bought breakfast for someone at a restaurant... and scurried out of the restaurant before she could find out who it was!  

And there you have it!  A run-of-the-mill 38th birthday turned into a weekend of fun, kindness and love.  I have to say, my few days of flurried action left me feeling humbled and inspired, and connected to others in ways that I haven't felt in a long time.  I have a feeling we'll be doing this again next year!


Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness ~ Seneca