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How I Organize My Bathroom

February 21, 2017 by CORINNA HENDERSON

Renovating a bathroom is a lot of fun. But when the process is over and you’re actually living in it, that’s when you truly discover what kinds of things make your bathroom work for you. For me, discovering our best storage and organizational needs took some time. I teetered back and forth on some solutions I’d thought up. But, for quite a while now things have been unchanged. Now that our bathroom functions well for us, I thought I’d share just how I organize my bathroom to give you some ideas to try for yours.

If you’ve got any good bathroom storage tips, be sure to leave them in the comments below. I’m always looking for new things to try to make living life as enjoyable as possible.

Vintage Rug to Bath Rugs

February 20, 2017 by CORINNA HENDERSON

One relatively small problem I’ve been putting off solving is that the gorgeous vintage rug I’ve been using in my bathroom in slightly too wide. And doesn’t provide any rug coverage by the toilet. But it’s so perfect in the space. It’s the perfect amount of depth to ground the brightness of the vanity.

But it’s too wide.

Do I cut it? Is that some big offense in the world of design? In the world of vintage rugs? In the world of this rug is freaking fabulous and I don’t want to get rid of it ever but this is the one room it has to be in.

If I don’t cut it, it stays a trip hazard and I still have no rug by the toilet. Which isn’t exactly a must but it’s nice not putting cold feet on cold floor while taking care of those things.

I could get a different vanity. But my husband would kill me. We don’t have the money for a different vanity. And at 18 inches, this is pretty much the smallest depth you can find. Also could go wall mounted, but again, money.

It wouldn’t cost me anything to cut the rugs. Except maybe my self respect.

I took a look at the rugs. It looked like it could be cut without the whole thing unraveling. It wasn’t woven.

Cutting a vintage rug into bath rug shapes for a unique one of a kind boho look

I grabbed my supplies:

Sharp Scissors

Liquid Stitch

How To Cut A Vintage Rug Into Bath Rug Shapes

I first folded the rug into the length I’d need for the toilet rug to see if I’d even have enough to do both rugs. It left plenty.

So I took my sharp scissors (Fiskars brand is my favorite when I need a pair of sharp and strong scissors), found a line to follow, held my breath and cut. And I had two pieces of rug.

Cutting the shape around the toilet base was a tad tricky. I first found the points that would sit on the sides of the toilet and the point that would meet the front and cut a “V” from each of those three points. I then felt around the base of the toilet for the point in between each line of the “V” to a broader “V.”

Hopefully that makes sense with the drawing.

And it looks a little something like this.

The other rug was simpler to cut since it was just a smaller rectangle to fit in the space.

I sealed the edges with the liquid stitches, allowed it to dry and…

If you hate it, I’m really sorry! There’s probably a group of people out there who feel the same way about this as I do about painting good wood furniture. But everything fits now! I’m really happy with it and if you’ve wondered if it can be done, I’ve done it!

13 Vintage Must Haves For Your Boho Bathroom

February 17, 2017 by CORINNA HENDERSON

So far you guys have seen bits and pieces of my bathroom. I haven’t shared the whole space yet because there’s still a few final touches I’m dragging my feet on but the bathroom is functioning and all our things are organized. As I put away my toothbrush and deodorant away each day, I have a small spark of joy because even the small things in the space are beautiful. It may seem shallow or you may totally get it, but being surrounded by beautiful things makes me happy. In case your bathroom could use some beautifying in it’s storage, I’ve got you covered with my favorite ways of storing all the bathroom things.

Bohemian Style Bathroom Accessories

Lidded Woven Basket Hamper

Opt for lidded woven baskets instead of plastic or dinky metal frame with linen bag hampers for tossing your laundry into. If you keep a laundry basket in your bathroom, use something cozy and fitting with the decor. It’s a space you see frequently and shouldn’t be reserved for “utilitarian” visual clutter.

2. Matchbox Storage

Do you utilize the whole light a match for number 2s? Kick boring match boxes to the curb and put the matches out loud and proud in a match holder. They come in a variety of materials and designs. A perfect whimsical touch that’ll match your decor.

3. Vintage Bathroom Accessories

Speaking on whimsy, I love using “bathroom” specific items in their vintage form as decor. Like vintage perfume bottles. I figure some farmhouse style bathrooms manage to use vintage laundry boards and old buckets for hand towel storage. And it looks cool and enhances the decor. I think the same can be done for a boho bathroom, too.

4. Hang Your Towels

Hang your towels in style. Enough said.

5. Beautiful Vintage Mirrors

I shared an array of rustic boho mirror options the other day, but here are some beautiful vintage ones to consider as well! Tiles, carvings, and ornate details are the key to a fabulous bohemian bathroom.

6. Chic Magazine and Book Storage

Try instituting a “no phone in the bathroom rule” and encourage book or magazine reading instead. I know my house with it’s one bathroom could benefit from speeding up the amount of facebook scrolling that happens and maybe yours could, too 😉

7. Soap Dish

I love to use bar soap. They’re so easy to change out and there’s a billion ones to choose from. I love that it’s super easy to find really great handmade bars of soap, too. So a unique soap dish is necessary for my bathroom design.

8. Hanging Planters

And while we’re at it. Plants are necessary to any space I design. But since bathrooms are generally notorious for little surface and floor space, use brass wall mounted planters for some plant babies.

9. Stylish Tissue Boxes

Can’t forget to make our tissue boxes blend in with the space as well. We’re all advertised enough to already, wouldn’t you say? I don’t need my bathroom to be a *insert name of tissue brand here* ad.

10. Deck Out The Space Above The Toilet

If you’re lucky like myself, a linen closet, large vanity and free standing storage cabinet is enough storage for your bathroom. Go decorative above the toilet with pretty shelves and cabinets instead of the bulky cabinet.

11. Display Life’s Daily Necessities

Display life’s necessities on vintage trays.

12. Trinket Boxes

And we always need a place to put little things like jewelry, incense, lip balm and the like. I personally love using small brass “cricket cages” to burn incense cones in!

13. Bath Rugs

Oh, and whatever you do, avoid cheap bath rugs at all costs. Really, there are so many other options and they’re beautiful, have history, are interesting and have lasted for longer than a bath rug from the department store will last.

Let me know what your favorite bathroom accessory is in the comments below!

Rustic Boho Bathroom Mirror Sources

February 14, 2017 by CORINNA HENDERSON

Making over a bathroom can be a lot of fun. If you’re working with a budget that allows you to change out cosmetic stuff, either just that or in conjunction with other changes, it opens up a whole world of possibilities in channeling your style into the space.

Going with what you love can be scary when it comes to things like tile because resale value lingers in the back of most renovating homeowners’ minds. But a mirror? You can swap out your mirror for something basic that you won’t mind leaving behind when the time comes to move.

Because of that, you should choose to buy a mirror in a style you’ll love. That compliments the rest of your home and that will really make your space feel custom to you. That’s what I did! And I don’t regret it. I can take my gorgeous mirror with me wherever I move and it can work in multiple rooms.

That’s the key to investing in decor. But that’s not the point of today’s entry. Today, I want to share with you mirrors I’ve found that would look right at home in a rustic boho bathroom.

Provided you have a bathroom ventilated the way it should be, you don’t (and shouldn’t) use a mirror labeled “bathroom.” Just avoid that section. Those mirrors are basic and overpriced. You’ll find many more styles in the decor section of home improvement stores.

under $100

$100 – $200

over $200

How To Start A Room Design

February 10, 2017 by CORINNA HENDERSON

I’m not an interior designer. If you are, I envy you! It’s been a lifelong passion and I am so hopeful I’ll join your ranks one day. Until that happens though, I still want my house to be aesthetically pleasing to myself, my family and to others. I know there are things I don’t yet understand about the design process, but one thing I feel like I’ve mastered is starting a room design.

I feel confident in saying this process has served me well twice. I still have a few rooms in my house that aren’t quite finished so I won’t claim yet that it worked in every space (soon though, I’m sure of it!), but in the two spaces I’ve designed that I love and look on with adoration that I did that, the way I started the process was the same.

Are you starting on designing a room? I love browsing Pinterest for ideas and inspiration. So many gorgeous spaces are out there and there’s likely to be many that fit your idea of “perfect” for what you want in your home. Unless you want to mimic every single detail, like seeking down those paint colors, sourcing out the same rugs, knick knacks, art and furniture, how do you translate it? How do you get to that end result?

Of course you can do some basics. Like clearing the room out, decluttering, and searching out spaces that inspire you. But there’s something deeper you can do that will really inspire your journey through the design.

If you’re a home junkie, you’ve maybe heard this suggestion before. I’ve read articles written by interior designers and watched shows featuring stylists and many of them suggest finding an inspiration piece. Something that speaks to the essence of the space you want to end up with. Sometimes it’s a rug you can pick colors out of. Sometimes it’s a piece of art in a style that inspires the type of furniture and decor you’ll buy. Other times it could be a bowl, lamp, or fabric. It’s the piece that pulls the whole room together when it’s complete and pulls it together when it starts.

For my bathroom, that piece was the rug. I bought a vintage rug in navy and dark red. I knew going into it that I wanted metallics and teal in the space, but this rug set the tone for the space. I used global accents since the rug was Afghanistan in origin. I also bounced the color blue around the space and let the red be a contrasting pop.

See more of the bathroom here.

Then for my dining room, it was a bowl I’d found at a thrift store. The colors were exactly what I was starting to think I wanted for the space. Again I used global accents because the bowl is made in China. I chose to pull in lots of plants and tropical elements like rattan because of the botanical paintings on the bowl.

See more of the dining room here.

It’s really an easy way to start a space no matter what your style preference is. And while this helps most when starting from scratch with a space, it can also help bring direction to a space you’ve simply been stuck on. Give it a try!

“Greenery” Home Decor: Work The Trend

February 8, 2017 by CORINNA HENDERSON

Amidst the chaos of the holidays, Pantone always releases the next year’s “Color Of The Year.” And I don’t pay much attention to it until everything dies down because I’m a normal person with priorities. Just kidding, I’ve just been busy with other things, like watching YouTube. But now that things have simmered down and I’m metaphorically treading in the ocean that is 2017, I’m taking a look around. And by taking a look around I mean I’m looking at “Greenery” and wondering if it’s something I can work into my existing aesthetic. If I were to go on a shopping spree for all things “Greenery” in color for my home decor, these are the 25 things I’d try out.

25 Home Decor Picks inspired by Pantone’s “Greenery”

I kept the picks loosely inspired by the color since pinpointing exactly what shade a color is by pictures online can be impossible. Hopefully these items inspire you to take a look at how the color may or may not be the next big thing to hit your home style. From yellow leaning, to apple green to blue hued greens, there’s a little bit of greenery here for everyone.

So now that you’ve seen all the green, are you feeling green? I have to admit, I started feeling a little envious that some of these green picks weren’t already perched in my home. My faves? The rugs, tassel shower curtain and blanket and I could never have too many lanterns, even if they were all green! Which of the items I shared here are your favorite? Are you already incorporating the trend? Tell us how in the comments below!

Find yourself considering one of those fabulous green sofas? I’ve got a free $1,000 e-design living room board that features a bright green sofa. Come check that out here!