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The New Year New Room Refresh Challenge Week 2 Update

January 17, 2017 by CORINNA HENDERSON

Last week I’d said I wanted to have the wallpaper put up by this first check in. And… it didn’t happen. I guess to give myself credit, I did pick up some slack off the other weeks.

Friday evening I started to exhibit the signs of a friendly stomach bug. Yeah… All the time I’d thought I’d be dedicating to wallpapering turned into recovery time. But I am better and I’m ready to get this task done!

Progress on My Global Boho Dining ROOM Refresh

The wallpaper I’m using for the space is Descano provided by Wallpaper Bohlevard. If you’ve been here for a while, you may vaguely remember my trying to narrow down what wallpaper patter. I wanted in this space. Yes, this same space. Haha.

Instead of putting up the wallpaper, I found myself collection accessories from about the house. And I picked up a few treasures from Amazon and Cost Plus World Market.

I plan on using these really reflective and boho mandala tapestries I bought through Amazon as the curtains in this space. I really don’t need curtains, but I feel like they add a layer of coziness to a space that is unmatched with any othere decorating.

From World Market, I picked up some picture frames, a lamp, a pouf, a pillow (that may already have found a home elsewhere in the house ?), a lantern and some hanging decor.

And the main three pieces that are really pulling the color scheme of this space together is the Idalia print by Juniper Briggs on minted.com, the pink and green Ghanaian handmade basket I picked up at the Virginia coastal home and Garden show, and the ceramic bowl I thrifted… some measure of time that’s a while ago but I can’t remember specifically.

The chairs you’re getting a peek of are from LampsPlus. I love that they’re upholstered yet still very in vibe with the mid-century feel I wanted some of the pieces in the room to have.

Am I on schedule? Ehhhhh…. I’ll know better next week ?.

In between updates, I did share a collection of lights that are perfect over a dining table in a bohemian style space. If you missed that:

If you don’t already know and are just jumping into things, this progress is part of the New Year New Room Refresh Challenge. Hosted by Stephanie of Casa Watkins Living, the challenge has a group of bloggers/stylist refresh a space within 4 weeks. The other participants are links here:

Casa Watkins Living // A Designer At Home // Bigger Than The Three Of Us // Domicile 37 // Fresh Crush // Iris Nacole // Monica Wants It // Pocketful of Posies // Seeking Lavender Lane // Sharon Joyce Interiors // This Is Our Bliss // Up To Date Interiors // Vintage Romance Style

And a thank you to the sponsoring companies of this annual challenge:

Bohemian Dining Room Lighting

January 13, 2017 by CORINNA HENDERSON

When aiming to add bohemian flair to a dining space through lighting, it can be hard to pinpoint what styles will enhance this design goal. Bohemian encompasses such a large array of styles and that in itself makes choosing a particular direction to go in kind of difficult. When I think bohemian lighting, I think of a couple different separate categories: Rustic, Romantic and Vintage vibes. So depending on what all you have going on in your space, one of those categories will hopefully find you the perfect light.

Dining Table Lighting for the chic bohemian: rustic, romantic and vintage vibes courtesy of ADesignerAtHome

I kept all of the lights I chose to feature under $500 because it feels like a good kind of high but not extravagant budget. Lighting really sets the tone for a dining space so it can be good to budget a bit more of the budget for it’s impact. That’ll totally be up to you, but know that none of these are over $500.

Rustic:

rustic

Antique Chandelier | Drum Pendant | 6-Light Chandelier | Brass Pendant

Romantic:

romantic

Olive Bronze Chandelier | Antique Gold Pendant | Brass And Crystal Chandelier | Bronze Pendant

Vintage:

vintage

Bronze Pendant | Brass Cut Out Pendant | Industrial Farmhouse Pendant | Gold Leaf Pendant

What do you think? What comes to mind when you’re thinking of bohemian lighting? Especially for a space like a dining room. Since they can be such a formal space, it makes infusing the relaxed vibes of bohemianism a bit more tricky. But that’s why I’d love to hear your thoughts! Chime in, comment section below 😉

Eclectic Bohemian Dining Room Plans Going Forward

January 10, 2017 by CORINNA HENDERSON

It’s New Year New Room Refresh Challenge time and I am so freaking excited. If you’ve been around for a minute or two here, you’ll know I’ve started and stopped my dining room project more than a couple of times. I finally, finally have a clear vision for the space and it’s happened perfectly in time for this challenge hosted by Casa Watkins Living. Envision a bohemian space with tropical and global elements woven throughout. The image in my head is perfect. And seeing it here in the design board has me giddy. Plants, pinks, wicker- what’s not to love?

As with any space in my home, I like to have a little nod to the home itself. It’s a 1950’s build brick ranch, so I’ve opted to bring in a couple of midcentury pieces. I like to balance the stiffness of mid century with the casual vibes wicker furniture has. On top of those two elements, I’m a summer loving, self proclaimed crazy plant lady. It was natural to let a bit of that slip into the space with the color scheme and fabulously tropical wallpaper. As always, my undying love for the mediterranean, middle east and south asian has an influence in the pieces I gravitate towards. Here’s the design board:

Global Bohemian Dining Room Design Board

global-bohemian-dining-room-design-board-pops-of-pink-and-wicker

Products featured in design board:

Weekly To Do List:

week 1:

Clear Room

Wallpaper

Thrift Furniture and Accessories

Rehome/Donate/Sell whatever isn’t staying

week 2:

Touch up Paint

Refinish Table

Hang Curtains

week 3:

Hang Artwork

Assemble Furniture Placement

week 4:

Reveal!

future work:

Complete Trim Work Project

Restain Floors

Built In Half Walls

Past posts from this space:

Moody colorful eclectic bohemian thanksgiving tablescape

And now I’ve got to get working on this space! Don’t forget to check out the other blogger/designers partaking in this event:

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10 Places to Infuse Your Style in a Bathroom

January 3, 2017 by CORINNA HENDERSON

Renovation, redesigning, and redecorating the only bathroom in our home has taught me so much about what options I have in all those areas, as well as what I do and don’t like in a space that’s mine. Since adding personal style to a bathroom can daughniting in any budget. You may ask yourself questions like, “What are my options?” “Where should I start?” “What can I do and what can I buy?”

Never fear! Here are:

The 10 places I’ve found where you can infuse your style in your bathroom:

Wall Treatments

Your options are only as limited as your imagination with the things you can do to your bathroom walls. Shiplap, wallpaper, paint colors and stencils. There are products that make all of these options safe for bathroom use.

Paint

Looking beyond the walls, paint can make a cool impact in a bathroom in other ways, too. From spray painting accessories to painting a bathroom vanity, choose a color in a hue that expresses the vibe you want for the space.

Tile

While the line between “your style” and “good for resale” can be a thin and heartbreaking line to tread, it’s still a really great place to look into infusing your style into a space. Even the classic subway tile comes in a few variations that can add just enough interest to be more than basic.

Shower Curtain

Don’t be afraid to look beyond traditional shower curtains. Washable materials in a well ventilated space can be perfect for bringing the unique look your space deserves. From lace curtain panels to vintage fabric you’ve retrofitted, the shower curtain is one space you can make big, inexpensive impact.

Fixtures

Lighting, faucets, curtain rods, towel bars and toilet paper holders are available in so many finishes and styles nowadays. We chose to go with old world bronze fixtures from Moen in our bathroom to fit in line with the mediterranean vibes I wanted to infuse in the space. And sconces in an oil rubbed bronze with seeded glass from Lamps Plus. Whether you want cozy, vintage, spa-like or farmhouse, look into all the available options. While it may not be the cheapest change you can make, upgrading the fixtures changes the whole experience of the space.

Mirror

Get out of the “bath specific” mirror section and explore the styles of mirrors available in the home decor sections and online. Keep measurements on hand so you can be sure the proportion is right. If you don’t need, need, need a medicine cabinet, don’t go for the boring style of mirrors displayed for bathroom use. There are interesting shaped mirrors and mirrors with frames that will better suit your space. Working with what you’ve got and what you’ve got is one of the large slabs on mirror on the wall? Don’t fret! You’re in luck. The internet has so many DIY frame solutions for those mirrors you’ll wish you were mirror shopping instead 😉

Towels

From fringe to embellishments to patterns and color, let your towels stand out or blend into the rest of the space. If you’re going for a calmer space, basic fluffy white or muted color towels can be the perfect touch. When going with a globally inspired space, look for patterns or styles that incorporate elements from the culture you’re emulating (or support small artisans by buying towels made by fair trade artisans in those places). Love eclectic and/or colorful spaces? Let the towels add a punch of interest to the space.

Rugs

Traditional bath rugs from the big box stores are out. Don’t use them. Check out retailers that sell merchandise in the style you gravitate towards and see what they offer. Or go with smaller area rugs. As long as your bathroom is well ventilated and you don’t get the rug unnecessarily soaked, area rugs work well in this space like they do anywhere else in the home.

Art

Yes, you totally should add art to your bathroom. Treat this space like any other space in your home. Thing about all the layers you can add. And how much art makes sense for the style you’re after. You can go with inexpensive prints from Etsy or custom framed art prints from minted. Either way, you’ll find an endless supply of options to enhance the design of the space.

Storage

Baskets, acrylic containers, wire baskets, wooden containers, metal bowls, toothbrush holders in every style, towel bars and makeshift towel storage, cabinets, shelves. And then the placements of all these things! If you’ve got to work with what you’ve got and can’t budget much money to adding “you” to the bathroom, the way you store your things is definitely the route to go. Look at bathrooms decorated the way you want your decorated and look at how the things are stored and displayed.

As always, I hope you’ve found this post helpful and interesting. Let’s discuss! What are the ways you’ve added your style to your bathroom? Or tell me some things you’ve seen done to a bathroom that you loved. If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to ask!

A Reflection On 2016: Top and Bottom 5

January 2, 2017 by CORINNA HENDERSON

Well, my sweet friends, we made it. Our toes are officially fully dipped into the experience of 2017. If you’re like most of the people I’ve come across, 2016 wasn’t a very great year for you. But we can’t simply dwell on the negative. And it also doesn’t do us much good to mentally block it out. Today’s post is a focus and reflection. By looking at the top 5 most popular posts of 2016 and the least popular posts of 2016, I hope to get a better understanding of what it is you enjoy seeing here.

A Reflection On 2016: 5 Faves & 5 Flops

I’ve joined in on this reflection with a few other bloggers. So once you’ve perused what 2016 looked like for A Designer At Home, make sure you stick around and check out the other posts at the end.

Let’s get the bad out of the way first, shall we?

10 Ways To Save On Summer Utility Costs

One of the biggest disappointments on this list was my series that included our hot water heater replacement journey, tips for utility cost savings, before and after cost comparisons, etc. I had high hopes for the series. If you missed it and want to hear more about how we explored comfort beyond the pretty things in our home, here’s the list of posts.

Holiday Gift Guide For The Homebody

I’m not going to write off shopping guides entirely, and you’ll see why when we get to the top 5 ;-), but maybe an eclectic assortment of things I’m personally jonesing for isn’t what you guys care to read about so much. To be fair, I wasn’t here much in December. I was spending more time with my family. And you guys probably were, too. And a post that recent isn’t likely to out rank posts that are months old anyways, right?

Art From Other Cultures: Get The Global Boho Look

Another post I’m not happy to see do so poorly. I loved partnering with my two good friends to bring you loads of tips and advice for creating a globally inspired boho look in the home. This particular post focused on using art inspired by and from around the world to add a global flavor to the home.

Dog Best Friend Essentials

Okay, that’s fair. Everyone always things the world is obsessed with their beloved pet. And I find pet care to be a very, very personal subject. Dietary needs vary from dog to dog just like with people to people. And some dogs love fetch while others would rather chew on a squeaker. The next time I chat about my sweet pup, I’ll be sure to avoid those kinds of topics.

Gypsy Maximalist $1000 Living Room E-Design

I’m personally not really willing to give up this series I took on. I love creating affordable, stylish imaginary spaces. This particular space is so full of color and fun, bold design choices. So far, it’s my favorite space I’ve shared. If you missed them, or want to look back on them, here’s the previous $1,000 room designs.

And then what you DID like…

How & Why We Removed Our Shower Doors

This post wasn’t even from 2016. But for the second year in a row, you guys were enthralled with the nasty mold situation that we uncovered when we removed our shower door frame. I can’t really blame you. I oftentimes find myself in the weird part of YouTube. I’m not really sure how to kind of thing could be applicable to future posts, but if I run into something gross and it leaves me feeling like I’ll never have something installed, I’ll be sure to share that!

My Biggest Bathroom Remodel Regret

You guys like the gross… And you like it when bad things happen? ¡Bromeando! But really, I think the real life ups and downs are something you guys find relateable. And guess what? I love that stuff, too. So when I’ve got a story or two like that, please make sure you’re chiming in with your experiences in the comments. It helps us all when we’re not feeling alone and crazy.

Free Watercolor Download

Everybody loves free things. Even myself. So again I’m not surprised that for the second year in a row, this post is in the top 5. Between craziness with my old job, mom life, and a printer/scanner that just abso-freaking-lutely refused to cooperate, I didn’t get any more of these fun freebies up. 2017 is a new year though and I hope to have more goodies for you! Let me know what kinds of downloadables you’d like to see in the comments, capisce?

Where To Buy Bohemian Pillows

Amidst doing some shopping and research, I found a gold mine of fantastic bohemian style pillows. And I had to share what I found. This guide breaks gorgeous pillows down by color and they’re all super affordable. When you’re in the market for new pillows, don’t forget to reference this guide!

Eclectic Bohemian Summer Home Tour

Spoiler alert: Next week my favorite challenge comes back and I have big plans for a space I’ve gone back and forth on a lot last year. If you like tours, before the end of the month you’ll have a brand new one. I especially enjoyed this tour and I’m glad you did, too. My summer home is my favorite because I just love summer!

Well my friends, that wraps up my first post of 2017. Looking back on 2016, I can tell you there will be more full room and home tours. I’ll be sharing more “Where To Buy” guides when I find a great source for something I and you will love. To the best of my non graphic design having abilities, I’ll bring you printables and downloadables in line with the style you’ve come to expect here. And as much bad news as I can- hopefully I’ll disappoint and won’t have any bad news but rather experiences that maybe we all could learn a little something from. I’d like to get back into some of the old favorite crafts, too. I did see many of my macrame posts hit pretty high on the list. Let’s bring that back!

Macy’s Rwanda Path to Peace ornament

December 21, 2016 by CORINNA HENDERSON

I was gifted a product from the Macy’s Heart of Haiti line however all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I find the holidays to be the perfect time of year to introduce my friends and family to something I feel very passionately about. And that’s supporting fair trade. Too often, manufacturers take advantage of skilled artisans in countries without labor laws like those in the USA. Supporting companies that support sustainable income instead of the bottom dollar is a great way to give with purpose. This year I’m partnered up with Macy’s to help spread the word on the Rwanda Path to Peace ornaments.

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There’s an entire line of home goods from the line. These goods have meaning for the women of Rwanda. If you aren’t aware of the history of Rwanda, in 1994 a massive slaughter occur, killing 20% (close to a million) of the nation’s population in just three months. The women left behind sought out purpose and income and their basket weaving became just that.

While I would absolutely encourage you to make a donation to one of your favorite reputable charities, it’s also really important to support the whole world’s economy by supporting trade-not-aid programs like this one. When people can support themselves economically, they are independent, confident and self-sufficient. Don’t we all want to feel those things?

So at this point you’re probably anxious to know where you can buy some of these items for yourself and/or to gift, right? Well, I was anxious to know where I could buy these items when I first heard about them, so I’m going to assume you are too. Visit the Macy’s website here.

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If I’ve still got your attention, I wanted to share the ornament that they sent to me in exchange for sharing this line with you. By now you must know that I am enamored with goods from other cultures. Woven baskets and plates are some of the most beautiful pieces you can bring into a home in my opinion.

the Rwanda Gold Ornament

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If you remember my colorful, global bohemian Christmas tree style post, you’ll remember that I love to incorporate ornaments from and inspired by cultures around the world. How much more perfect does an ornament get for a tree like that, right? The ribbon has 2016 printed on it and it’s a limited availability ornament. Mine is #199 and came with a signed card of authenticity. It’s beautiful, bohemian, and Uwimana (the artisan who created my ornament) received compensation that helps “feed and educate her children, gain access to healthcare and assume leadership in her community.”