Author: Jenna

World Market Store Opening in Chelsea NYC

Written by Jenna on August 17, 2015. Posted in Decorating.

Happy Monday my friends – I hope you had a fabulous weekend!

I have very exciting news to share with you today… World Market, one of my favorite decor stores, is opening a new store in New York City later this week. You see, this is a BIG DEAL. Why? Because there is no World Market in the Northeast area. Until Now. You Southerners out there know what I am talking about, right? If you’ve never been, you are in for a treat!

So the 2nd part of this fabulous news is… I am going to their sneak preview party TOMORROW. How lucky am I? I totally know you want to be me right now, hehe. No worries though because I will sharing pics on instagram & facebook throughout the event AND I will have a full recap of the event + lots of pictures of the new Chelsea store to share when I return – pinky promise.

I’ll, of course, take my own pictures when at the event, but here are a few to gawk over in the meantime…

crushing over that table. AND the mirror!

so many rugs. so many options…

lighting galore…

And this chair with the lucite legs… OMG goodness!

In the New York area and want to check out this awesome + gorgeous new store?

DETAILS.

GRAND OPENING – CHELSEA (18TH & 6TH – 620 6TH AVENUE), NEW YORK

> The World Market Grand Opening is this Thursday, August 20th and there will be several events, special giveaways, and offers through Sunday

> Free tote bags for the first 100 customers in store each day + 10 lucky customers will find a $50 World Market in their tote each day

> 20% off Coupon —–> Click here to print

> On Thursday – grand opening day – Cost Plus World Market will be decorating 3 TOP PARK LOCATIONS in NYC adorned with their products. Snap a picture of yourself with their products using #WorldMarketNYC for a chance to win a $50 gift card (50+ cards @ each park location – don’t miss it). Follow along with World Market on IG, FB, and Twitter for hints on the locations…

Who’s as psyched as I am??

I’ll circle back with you later this week when I return from the event!

THIS IS A SPONSORED POST BY COST PLUS WORLD MARKET. THEY HAVE REQUESTED I SHARE INFORMATION ON THIS STORE OPENING AND RETURN HAVE BEEN COMPENSATED FOR MY TIME. ALL THOUGHTS + WORDS ARE 100% MY OWN.

Work Space Revamp: Creating an Office Command Center

Written by Jenna on August 11, 2015. Posted in DIY, Office, Organization. 7 Comments on Work Space Revamp: Creating an Office Command Center

THIS IS A SPONSORED POST THROUGH NATIONAL HARDWARE. ALL OPINIONS ARE 100% MY OWN!

Last week I hit a breaking point with my office niche. I just had enough with the clutter, piles of paper, and disorganization.

Since I’ve given up hope on keeping the rest of the house tidy while the kids are still out of school on Summer break (still a month to go till school starts in our neck of the woods…), I thought it’d be best to put my time + attention + energy on my little nook in the home, my desk…

For a while I’ve been thinking about saying adios to my beloved large inspiration board. As much as I love it, I knew the large span of wall could be better utilized. It was a bit sad to take down all the pretty + inspiring pictures (no worries, I didn’t toss them but instead stuck them in a folder for now), but once the board was removed, a world of ideas came fluttering to my head.

In no time (well it did take some time), I had a plan of action, my desk space was spruced up, and a new command center for my office supplies was created…

The command center all came together around the new pegboard.

I have wanted to work on a project using pegboard for a long time. From the garage to the office to the laundry room, pegboard is great for organizing any nook & cranny of the home and there are a plethora of peg hooks in a range of shapes and sizes to hold and hang whatever you need! For my project, I got my pegboard from Lowe’s and all the hooks came from National Hardware.

When working with pegboard, it needs to have a frame surround to create space behind for the hooks to connect in the holes. For the pegboard in my office, I had the kind people at Lowe’s cut me a 2′ x 4′ piece. Then I painted on a stencil design + created a frame around the outer edge – click for tutorial (I have an alternate pegboard frame tutorial coming soon too).

Before I decked out my new pegboard with all the organizational hooks, this is how it looked…

Let’s get started…

Organizing jars and small trays were the ideal solution for all the smaller necessities in my office. I found the jars perfect for holding pins, paper clips, erasers, labeling tags, etc. And the trays are just the right size for post-its, business cards, and larger tags + labels. As I was laying out my new command center, I was astonished at how much I had to fill these organizational tools!

Another need for organization was a home for my growing washi tape collection. The angle hooks and the hanging bar (from the assortment pack) gave me enough room for all my favorites + space to store more in the future (room for expansion – bonus).

I love that everything is so accessible and easy to get at, yet has a designated spot. And it really is all so pretty to look at too, don’t you think?! I love all the color & patterns.

Also on the new organizational pegboard, I was able to add a hook for my scissors (using a curved hook), hole punch (using a pliers holder), and clipboard that I take with me to client meetings. Above I was able to add a small shelf using shelf brackets.

My revamped work space feels so fresh and new, even though all the elements, with the exception of the pegboard, were here before. It’s amazing how a space can take on a new life with a few simple moves + freshening up!

My work space was freshened up 2+ years ago, and then got an overhaul when it was photographed for Storage magazine (which was on the cover). The stylist brought in the white console table and other organizational items like the baskets, white desk caddy, and orange boxes. I’ve lived with them + loved them for the last years, but found my office wasn’t functioning anymore as my needs have changed.

Over the years, I’ve collected many samples which I’ve organized nicely in the orange boxes which sit on the console top. It is so handy to have them right there to grab and go. And if I want, I can easily put the lids on the boxes for those moments when I want them hidden. I do feel though I am more accountable for keeping tidy + neat when things are open and visible – my laundry room is still looking good since the doors were removed.

These 12″ x 12″ boxes, which were purchased from Homegoods, are ideal for storing all the office supplies. From business cards, to envelopes, to receipts, to paper, everything has a spot!

In the box on the bottom shelf, I store all my camera supplies + cables…

I am a bit bummed not to have my large inspiration board anymore, so I added a small strip of cork (used from a 1/2″ thick sample) about 2″ wide X 24″ long under the pegboard frame to pin special, striking images that I can’t live without… I have another spot that I am thinking of to add more cork panels – my office isn’t complete without having inspiration surround me.

And there you have it. My complete revamped work space. Here’s another overall…

What do you find keeps your office organized?

A few other blogger friends have been hard at work organizing too. Come check out what others have done using pegboard…

Jessica – Four Generations One Roof
Back to School Homework Station

Becky – Organizing Made Easy
Office Organization

Karianne – Thistlewood Farm
Garage Organization

Emily – Decor Chick
Garage Organization

disclosure: This post is sponsored by National Hardware. They reached out to me about sharing organization tips using pegboard with their many organizational components. They did not tell me what to create or what to say – the project + my words are all 100% my own!

Creating a Meaningful Home: Jennifer Rizzo

Written by Jenna on August 10, 2015. Posted in Creating a Meaningful Home.

Todayâ€™s guest post for Creating a Meaningful Home blog series: Year 3 is Jen of Jenniferrizzo.com.

Welcome Jenâ€¦

I want to thank Jenna so much for having me as a part of this amazing series. My name is Jennifer Rizzo and I blog at Jenniferrizzo.com. I am an artist, home decor designer, and author of the book Creatively Christmas. I’ve been blogging for over 8 years and it has been fascinating to look back and see how my home has been created over time. That’s the thing that I think is the hardest about a home… I am very impatient, want everything done at once, and to look like it comes from a magazine. The truth is, creating a home you truly love takes time, and should evolve for the needs of your family. It’s not a static thing. Your home should be forever changing in a dynamic way and filling it with what you love and what means the most to you.

When my kids were little, our eating area was more of a breakfast nook style, which was perfect in keeping them corralled during meal times. As they grew, we realized that the confines of a bench seat just didn’t work anymore and we ended up pulling the table into the center of the room to make space for growing arms and legs.

It was liberating and a little sad at the same time. I loved our little nook, and while it was nice to change, it also made me realize how much the kids were changing and how flexible I needed to be with how our home changed.

When we had the opportunity to gut and redo our living room in the sub-level, I wanted to use it as an opportunity to make it feel less like a cave and more like a real living room. Basement rooms and sub-level rooms share their own lighting challenges and it can be hard to make it feel like an above-ground level room. In fact here’s a peek of how it looked in 2009, very cave-like.

I took the opportunity to add layer after layer of family photos. I think there is nothing more meaningful than to be surrounded by family, even if it’s only the memories.

And I keep adding photos as I go. I am grateful I have family photos from when my grandparents were little.

For us, our home has meant changing the kids rooms as their tastes changed. It was easy when they were little to make the decisions for them, but now, I want them to have their own say in the space they live in and fill it with what they love, so when they have their own homes, they will be able to do the same.

Thank you so much for having me here today. You can see more before and after images of our home here, and please feel free to stop over and visit my blog here for home decorating and inspiring craft ideas.

Thank you for sharing your eclectically styled + meaningful home Jen! “The truth is, creating a home you truly love takes time, and should evolve for the needs of your family. It’s not a static thing.” Perfectly stated.

I adore the many furniture makeovers that Jen tackles. For a recent entry makeover, she transformed this thrift store vintage dresser with a quick coat of light gray paint and then used a wet paper towel to wipe off the excess for a distressed look. What a great trash t treasure project…

Head on over to Jenniferrizzo.com, and give Jen a BIG HELLO!

Check out all the Bloggers that have contributed to this series on
Creating a Meaningful Home

Plus donâ€™t miss out on all the previous Bloggers who contributed to this series in 2013 and 2014!

Creating a Meaningful Home: The Blissful Bee

Written by Jenna on August 5, 2015. Posted in Creating a Meaningful Home.

Todayâ€™s guest post for Creating a Meaningful Home blog series: Year 3 is Amy of The Blissful Bee. Welcome Amyâ€¦

Hi guys! Iâ€™m Amy of The Blissful Bee and Iâ€™m so super excited to be guest blogging today on Jennaâ€™s blog! I am so passionate about home design and I cannot wait to share with you the meaning behind my home.

(Formal Living Room Makeover)

(Kitchen Makeover)

So I donâ€™t know about you, but there are so many times where I ask myself one very important question. What in the world makes a home special? Such a complex question, right? As a gal whoâ€™s moved around quite a bit over the last 7 years, itâ€™s hard for me to answer this question with walls or floors or furniture or doors. For me, a meaningful home means so much more.

(Formal Living Room Makeover)

A meaningful home isnâ€™t about the furniture or dÃ©cor you throw into it. Of course those pieces help, but in my opinion, itâ€™s more about the feeling you have when you walk into a room or walk up your front porch. Itâ€™s that initial reaction you have to your home when you pull into your driveway. Itâ€™s that feeling of happiness when you come home to greet your loved ones; and in my case, my two little fur balls, Bailey and Bella.

(Back Porch Makeover)

Itâ€™s the smell of your favorite candle burning in your kitchen or the lamps you for some reason always have to keep on. Itâ€™s the throw that is strategically placed next to your favorite spot on the couch or your favorite coffee mug waiting for you every morning.

(Den Makeover)

(Mini Office Makeover)

(Kitchen Makeover)

As much as I love designing and decorating a space, the feeling that home provides and whom you fill it with is so much more important to me. What about you?

Thank you Amy!

Goodness, I can not get enough of Amy’s home. Every nook and cranny is engaging and filled with beautiful, unique layers. As Amy has moved many, many times over the years, decorating with meaning has been a bit of a challenge, but with her thought of “the feeling of happiness is most important when you come home”, a space that reflects her style shines through!

One of Amy’s incredible makeover projects is the back porch garden center she created with a great potting table, garden necessities, and the most adorable seating to relax, reflect, and enjoy. Wouldn’t you love to do some potting in this cozy spot?!

Head on over to The Blissful Bee, and give Amy a BIG HELLO!

Check out all the Bloggers that have contributed to this series on
Creating a Meaningful Home

Plus donâ€™t miss out on all the previous Bloggers who contributed to this series in 2013 and 2014!

Creating a Meaningful Home: Decor Adventures

Written by Jenna on August 3, 2015. Posted in Creating a Meaningful Home. 1 Comment on Creating a Meaningful Home: Decor Adventures

Todayâ€™s guest post for Creating a Meaningful Home blog series: Year 3 is Jessica from Decor Adventures. Welcome Jessicaâ€¦

Hello friends! Glad to meet you, I’m Jessica from Decor Adventures. Blogging about the fun I have at home is my creative outlet and opportunity to have fun with my power tools, not to mention paint something new every once in a while. My husband, baby daughter and I live in a 115-year old home in the city.

This is our first house and we’ve spend 5 years so far making it our own. We have amazing wood trim and floors, stained glass and 4 floors of old house quirks where nothing is square and I love it that way.

It’s easy to move into a place, set up your things, paint the walls, and get to living. But it’s hard to figure out what meaningful means to you and how to create a home that’s special, organized and function for your family and life.

Here are a few simple ways I bring meaning and life into my home.

INVOLVE YOUR FAMILY

Although one of my family members is only 8 months old, she is is a big part of how I now design and decorate my home. And she’s my super cute mini assistant. I made this constellation art work for her room and this fall I’m about to start baby-proofing everything. If you have any tips, I’d love to hear them.

My husband Dan and I make joint decisions on our home. It didn’t always used to be that way. I used to tell him an idea of what I wanted to do and he’s offer a counter opinion to try something different and I hated it! It was hard to compromise about things but I have cooled my heels a lot and now we talk about what kinds of things we’ll BOTH do to our house.

Involving your family in designing and decorating your home will make you all feel a part of the process of creating a meaningful place to live and there isn’t anything more important than having your family feel loved, important and valued.

USE WHAT YOU GOT

Using items in your home to redecorate and renovate a new space is not only fun, it’s challenging and exhilirating. These days budget is a major factor in my decor projects and who doesn’t want to save money anyway they can? After turning into a blog-at-home mom from a full-time professional, making items for my home for little or no money is what I dream about at night. I do! See all of the things I’ve made for free here, including this poster I painted over with supplies I had on hand including trendy hot pink.

Other ways to use what you’ve got are by rearranging your furniture, shopping the attic or swapping items with friends. It’s a great time to switch a room around or make something from the leftover supplies from that last craft day. I love recycling, and these are all easy ways to do that and bring a special meaning to your rooms and decor.

HAVE PEOPLE OVER

Even if the living room isn’t as pretty as you’d like it, or the grass needs cutting, schedule that dinner party you’ve been wanting. You’ll wonder why you didn’t spend time with friends or family sooner. The one thing I believe most about creating a meaningful home is that you have to share it with people you love. Dinner parties, Friendsgiving, which we regularly host, and even a casual dinner after the baby goes to bed all count. So who cares if the floors are dusty, open up some drinks and have fun with the ones you love.

I hope these tips help you create a meaningful home in your space. Please visit me at Decor Adventures and find me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram too.

“It’s easy to move into a place, set up your things, paint the walls, and get to living. But it’s hard to figure out what meaningful means to you and how to create a home that’s special, organized and function for your family and life.” Absolutely! Incorporating ‘meaning’ takes time; it doesn’t come together overnight. I am in love with her 115-year old home – goodness, the stories it could tell. And the woodwork… I’m drooling. I love the updates Jessica has been making to her beautiful, aged homestead!

A favorite project of Jessica’s is the recent master closet makeover she created for the Buffalo Decorators Show House. Check out this fun + vibrant space… Who wouldn’t love this part of the home?!

Head on over to Decor Adventures, and give Jessica a BIG HELLO!

Check out all the Bloggers that have contributed to this series on
Creating a Meaningful Home

Plus donâ€™t miss out on all the previous Bloggers who contributed to this series in 2013 and 2014!

Creating a Meaningful Home: Emily A. Clark

Written by Jenna on July 31, 2015. Posted in Creating a Meaningful Home.

Todayâ€™s guest post for Creating a Meaningful Home blog series: Year 3 is Emily A. Clark. Welcome Emilyâ€¦

I love this series. Because if your home isnâ€™t meaningful to you, whatâ€™s the point? As weâ€™ve moved into different houses and our family has grown over the past ten years, Iâ€™ve come to realize that itâ€™s about really living where you areâ€”whether (you think) itâ€™s permanent or if (you know) itâ€™s temporary. Thereâ€™s something to be said for really making a house a home.

For me, that means surrounding myself with reminders of the blessings weâ€™ve been given, Who we believe in, and how faithful Heâ€™s been to us. My favorite example of this is a spot in our house Iâ€™ve never officially blogged about. No huge DIY project or amazing design. Just a small wall in our hallway and a black Sharpie.

The â€œgrowth chart wallâ€ has become a famous Clark birthday tradition. And, it makes me happy every time I look at it.

The kids like to regularly check their progress throughout the yearâ€”with the occasional â€œreenactmentâ€ for the blog. Ha! 🙂

So, what if we move? Itâ€™s the question people always ask when they catch a peek of this wall on Instagram or somewhere else. I know there are lots of portable growth charts you can buy and take with you. But, Iâ€™m a firm believer in not living for your next house or even for the next buyers of your current house. And, I like that this part of our lives in this house is documented on this wall. Thereâ€™s something that feels specialâ€”and meaningfulâ€”about that to me.

How true?! You can’t live for your next house. Embrace today. Enjoy what’s most special and meaningful! Emily’s blog was one of my first to follow 5+ years ago and it’s still one of my favorites. Her simple, yet sophisticated design approach is so fresh and effortless. The spaces she creates feel luxurious, yet welcoming. I just can’t get enough of her style!

One of Emily’s favorite projects (which I am still in awe of today) is the fabric wall installation she created in her daughters room. She used a gorgeous oriental style fabric and adorned the entire bed wall. How gorgeous?!

Head on over to Emily A. Clark, and give Emily a BIG HELLO!

Check out all the Bloggers that have contributed to this series on
Creating a Meaningful Home

Plus donâ€™t miss out on all the previous Bloggers who contributed to this series in 2013 and 2014!

Creating a Meaningful Home: City Farmhouse

Written by Jenna on July 29, 2015. Posted in Creating a Meaningful Home. 3 Comments on Creating a Meaningful Home: City Farmhouse

Todayâ€™s guest post for Creating a Meaningful Home blog series: Year 3 is Jen of City Farmhouse. Welcome Jenâ€¦

Hi there JBD readers! My name is Jen & I write the blog City Farmhouse. I started my blog a little over 3 years ago as a way of chronicling our new home, with little time and money for decorating we decided to take it one project at a time. What I found was, it was more about the journey in creating a meaningful home and less about the destination.

After 4 years of living in my home I still have spaces I need to tackle but for me that is the fun part, knowing there are still projects ahead. My little guy heads off to kindergarten this September, I am not sure what I will do with all of the time, I suppose tackle some of these projects:). Jack being home with me is a big part of why I chose to take decorating my home slowly. At the end of the day, I will never get that time back & that is way more important than anything I could create.

I have always decorated my home with my family in mind. Of course I want a pretty home, but I want it to feel comfortable as well. By adding cozy pillows, meaningful details, texture and layers my boys {husband included} feel that it is their space as well.

This is our Summer Front Porch, we spend tons of time out here in the summer, it overlooks the bay and it is quiet & peaceful. It is a place that feels good for everyone. It is functional, comfortable and stylish. Everything is washable and the outdoor carpet is a dream! Our coffee table is actually an old kids table from PB and it is the perfect height. My boys play Legos out here, draw and it is ideal for afternoon picnics and evening snacks.

Jack comes out here is in the mornings with me with his action figures and cars & I can’t tell you how much I treasure this time, hearing his little voice and listening to him pretend play is what home is all about.

Our Master Bedroom is a place I have layered vertically lots of moments and memories from our time spent seaside. The mirror above our bed was made from driftwood found with my boys. Everyday it’s the first thing I see when I wake up and it reminds me of our little adventures together and how grateful I am to live coastally.

This piece of art I made for my husband on our 10th anniversary. It’s a little DIY graffiti art from the words of our wedding song.

And feathers found at the beach one summer.

I am one of those people that firmly believes that gratitude goes a long way. Sayings like this {below} are all over our home.

Numbers that represent the BEST days of my life, the days my boys were born and our wedding day.

Every year at Thanksgiving I add gratitude notes to our table, so we can hold on to them as keepsakes. In a day where technology has taken the place of most handwritten items, to be able look back on these notes & see all the things we were grateful for that year, what a sweet bit of family history to hold onto.

Layering your walls with DIY art is a great way of personalizing your home. There is a sense of pride when someone says, “I love that, how did you make that?”

You can check out my Dining Room Reveal HERE.

DIY Abstract Art

Thank you so much for spending some time with me today. I would love for you to follow along, I still have tons to do & ideas to share:).

You can fins me here BLOG/FACEBOOK/INSTAGRAM

Have a beautiful week,

“I have always decorated my home with my family in mind. Of course I want a pretty home, but I want it to feel comfortable as well.” Balance is key when creating a home with meaning and Jen’s home is not only beautiful, but it is also cozy, warm, and inviting for her family & friends. Jen is also a sweetheart and I believe her decor style reflects who she is! We met last year for the first time and will be seeing each other again in the Fall at a conference. To me, she’s not only a fellow blogger, but a friend!

Jen has some great projects + printables on her blog. A favorite is this rustic TV cart that she upcycled into a modern white bar cart. How creative?!

Head on over to City Farmhouse, and give Jen a BIG HELLO!

Check out all the Bloggers that have contributed to this series on
Creating a Meaningful Home

Plus donâ€™t miss out on all the previous Bloggers who contributed to this series in 2013 and 2014!

Creating a Meaningful Home: Just a Girl and Her Blog

Written by Jenna on July 27, 2015. Posted in Creating a Meaningful Home.

Todayâ€™s guest post for Creating a Meaningful Home blog series: Year 3 is Abby of Just a Girl and Her Blog. Welcome Abbyâ€¦

Hi there, friends! I’m Abby from Just a Girl and Her Blog, and I am so excited that Jenna has asked me to participate in her “Creating a Meaningful Home” series this year! This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart, particularly because my journey to creating a meaningful home hasn’t always been a smooth one. You see, when it comes to creating a home we love, I tend to be the queen of excuses…

This is just our starter house; when we move into our dream home, then I’ll make it meaningful. I have little kids, so there’s no use wasting time or money on decorating right now. Our house is functional; it doesn’t need to be beautiful. I’m not a professional decorator, so I don’t know how to create a home that’s meaningful.

But, after telling myself excuse after excuse, what I realized– and what I still have to remind myself of often– is that creating a meaningful home isn’t the same as creating a picture perfect home.

Now as a type-A perfectionist, it took me a while to come to grips with that distinction. I would see all of these gorgeous home pictures all over Pinterest and get frustrated, thinking, “My house will never look like that!” And you know what I finally figured out? That’s a good thing. Because the people who own those Pinterest houses aren’t me. They don’t have my family. They don’t have my exact style. And they aren’t in the exact phase of life that I’m in right now. So while that home may be meaningful for them, I could copy the look exactly, but it wouldn’t be meaningful for me or for my family.

That realization hit me like a ton of bricks. It also brought a lot of freedom. I was no longer on a mission to create this Pinterest perfect house. I was on a mission to create the perfect home for my family where we are at this moment– with two wild little boys running around, in a house that’s not our “forever” home, which has fixtures and finishes that may not have been my first choice, with my less-than-professional-level decorating skills. A meaningful home is so much more than the furniture or fabrics or finishes. It’s the people who you create that home with that matter. And I love that.

And all of those excuses, those reasons I was seeing as negatives? It turns out that there’s a lot of good that comes out of them too.

Since our house is on the smaller side, our boys share a room, and they wouldn’t have it any other way. Not only are they brothers, they’re best friends.

Since we don’t have an unlimited budget, we make things ourselves, which not only makes things more meaningful but is incredibly satisfying as well!

{our DIY headboard, board and batten wall treatment, and lampshades, all part of our master bedroom}

We also give new life to old, worn out pieces, like this $40 Craigslist dresser-turned-TV stand…

…or this dresser that was part of my childhood bedroom set…

Those builder-grade finishes that aren’t our favorite? Paint can go a long way with those, too.

And my little home office/craft room may never appear in a magazine, but it is the perfect getaway for this girly girl in my house full of boys!

So what makes a meaningful home? We do. It’s far from perfect, but it’s perfect for us. {Although don’t tell my husband that I said that. I still have a long list of DIY projects I need his help with… 😉 } Someday my boys will grow up and I won’t be stepping on toys every time I turn around. Someday we’ll move into our forever home and I might even get to pick all of the fixtures and finishes I want. Someday I might be satisfied with my decorating skills. But that won’t make me any happier. What truly brings me joy is sharing home with the people I love most, and there is nothing more meaningful than that!

Thank you so much to Jenna for having me, and thank YOU for reading! I’d love to catch up with you over at Just a Girl and Her Blog or on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter! Have a wonderful day!

“It’s far from perfect, but it’s perfect for us.” What truly makes a home meaningful is what is meaningful to you! Thank you so much to Abby for sharing such a beautiful home story. Abby has such a fresh, clean, and crisp style. It’s effortlessly chic and reflects what she loves most + is important to her and her family!

One of Abby’s recent favorite projects are the beautiful coastal shelves she designed for the Summer season. Filled with beachy pieces + natural elements, these shelves are the perfect warm-weather vignette.

Head on over to Just a Girl and Her Blog, and give Abby a BIG HELLO!

Check out all the Bloggers that have contributed to this series on
Creating a Meaningful Home

Plus donâ€™t miss out on all the previous Bloggers who contributed to this series in 2013 and 2014!

Creating a Meaningful Home: Jenna Sue Design

Written by Jenna on July 22, 2015. Posted in Creating a Meaningful Home.

Todayâ€™s guest post for Creating a Meaningful Home blog series: Year 3 is Jenna Sue of Jenna Sue Design. Welcome Jenna Sueâ€¦

Hello, friends! I’m Jenna (you can call me Jenna Sue) of Jenna Sue Design and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to share a bit of my home and how I create meaning in it with you today.

It has been such a learning experience since we purchased our first home in 2008 (we’re now on our third) and through this journey I’ve learned a few key principles that always keep me on track when making design & decorating decisions.

1. It’s all about the atmosphere

How do you want to feel when you walk into a space? Relaxed, energized, calm, uplifted, motivated, cozy, safe Close your eyes and visualize the ideal scene that plays out when you walk into the bedroom/kitchen/living room/bathroom etc of your dreams. Is it curled up by the fire in a snowed in cabin sipping wine and reading? Is it a large kitchen with family and friends cooking and chatting? Is it a quiet, organized workspace to help you stay focused and inspired? Maybe a relaxed beach house with natural woods and soft colors to reflect simpler living. No matter what your dream scene is, you can recreate that feeling in your own home.

Determine your key descriptive words to achieve this atmosphere. They don’t necessarily have to belong together. For our latest guest bathroom renovation, my words were “natural romantic vintage boho”â€”terms that aren’t always grouped together, but they nicely blended to create the environment I had envisioned.

Always keep that vision in your mind when making plans or purchases for the spaceâ€”ask yourself if you could see the item existing in that scene, and if it doesn’t fit, move on.

The mood that a space creates when we enter is always the most important factor, I believe, and one that is often overlooked when people get caught up in small details like what “matches” or “looks like the magazine”. Let the environment be your guide. Remember the Maya Angelou quote about how people will forget what you did and said, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel. You want people to remember the experiences and how they felt when they’re inside your home.

2. Get Inspired & Creative

Before starting any new home project, I load up on inspiration to get a clear sense of what I want. My favorite way to do this is Pinterest (I’m constantly pinning for the future!) where I take mental notes of the mood that is evoked from each photo and decide what I want my environment to be. It helps me piece together those details and gets the wheels in motion for the many different ways I can make the space work.

I dreamed of a laundry room overlooking a lavender field in the french countryside, but only had a dark, awkward storage room to work with. After gathering up enough inspiration and a little creativity, we ripped out the walls, floor and ceiling and made our own vision come to life:

And on a DIY budget. That’s where the creativity comes in. Even if I had unlimited funds, I’d always find a way to sneak in some DIY or handmade elements because there’s so much satisfaction knowing you physically had a hand in building this home you love. Even if it’s small and looks funny or didn’t turn out how you planned (see our DIY barn door above? it’s crooked. But it has character and a story and we love it).

I love finding ways to add elements to our home that reflect our personalities and tell a story (as inexpensively as possible!). Like these Roman Numerals. I found someone on Ebay selling thin wood cutouts, asked him to customize them to our wedding anniversary, painted them the same color as our wall and nailed them up. Instant (yet subtle) impact for little cost and effort.

Inexpensive creativity can come in any form… handmade art, repurposing objects in new ways, even simple floral arrangements with native plants in your yard. I always try to find a way to work with what I have.

3. Do it for the people

Whether it’s just you, your family, or anyone who enters your homeâ€”you want it to feel welcoming. We love to entertain so we modified our home to fulfill this by knocking out our dining room wall, reconfiguring our kitchen and building a huge table for friends and family to gather.

It has become the heart of our home and allows us to continue to host important gatherings and celebrationsâ€”and we love knowing that our guests enjoy themselves and feel welcome.

Even if you’re not entertaining a crowd, this is the place where your family will create lifetime memories so you want to facilitate that as much as possible. Create a safe environment where your family feels comfortable and loved. Designate fun areas so children can express themselves and explore their creativity. Make other spaces a retreat so you can unwind at the end of the day, feel calm in the present moment and regroup for tomorrow.

By designing your home to work for you, life becomes easier you’re able to focus on what matters most. Home looks different for everyoneâ€”for some it’s a deeply rooted place that’s been around for generations, for others it’s a constantly changing place filled with new faces and experiencesâ€”but deep down, it should always be that safe, familiar feeling within us that can’t be replaced.

So many beautiful thoughts + words that Jenna Sue shares… “Create a safe environment where your family feels comfortable and loved.” Her home is beyond gorgeous + so inviting. A favorite project of hers that she recently shared is this $30 sofa console table. I’ve shared this narrow table idea with many clients (I still want to make one for myself) and LOVE how Jenna Sue’s came out!

Head on over to Jenna Sue Design, and give Jenna Sue a BIG HELLO!

Check out all the Bloggers that have contributed to this series on
Creating a Meaningful Home

Plus donâ€™t miss out on all the previous Bloggers who contributed to this series in 2013 and 2014!

Creating a Meaningful Home: Just Destiny Mag

Written by Jenna on July 20, 2015. Posted in Creating a Meaningful Home.

Todayâ€™s guest post for Creating a Meaningful Home blog series: Year 3 is Destiny of Just Destiny Mag. Welcome Destinyâ€¦

Hello!

My name is Destiny and I blog over at Just Destiny Mag! I believe that whether it’s through a smile, laugh, fresh flowers, bike rides, hiking in search for the sun rise, chocolate chip cookies, a made bed, or a painted wall, being authentic, genuine and loving are all ingredients to a meaningful life and home!

I’m so happy + honored to be guest posting here today and that Jenna asked me to be apart of this yearly series with some other amazing bloggers.

Here are a few things that I intentionally do make my home meaningful.

COMFORTABLE

Comfort is the number one thing I think about when designing any room in our home. It can look as pretty as a magazine but if it’s not comfortable then it’s not live able. Comfort just doesn’t come in the form of pillow and blankets. It’s familiar pictures of vacations past, it’s having a place that says “come sit down” instead of ” do not touch” it’s having a place for everyone to sit and read, watch tv, or have hard conversations.

Our family room is definitely the heat of our home. It’s were we invite friends over, have movie nights, laugh, cry, relax and play games. I used a big sectional for tons of seating with the extra luxury of down filled cushions so we can really sink in on those hard days:0) Plus pillows, carpets floors and drapes add to the overall coziness to the room. I also love using neutrals because it keeps things in our home quiet. If you know us personally we have enough personality to fill these walls with all types of colors! SO I think the neutrals balance out life out very well.

BUT, I could never not have any color in my home so I always add a pop of color to each room. In our family room it’s green…

In our guest room it’s blue…

COLLECTIONS

I don’t have many collections in my home right now but I feel like in the future we will have plenty. We are still a pretty young family but that doesn’t stop me from collecting some of my favorite things.

Below is a small collection of green glass from Goodwill. It goes so well with the green in our family room!

In my kitchen I have this fun collection of cake plates. I just can’t resist a pretty cake plate as you can see! Displayed on these open shelves in my kitchen helps me show them off instead of hiding them in a closet!

Collections are so wonderful because it’s something that you can pass down from generation to generation! I hope one day my little girl will want to have some of my collection in her home!

INSPIRATION

I love using inspiration in my home by using gallery walls! It’s the perfect way to let your family’s memories and personality shine in the home. Plus you can incorporate gentle reminders, including bible verses and family mission statements so everyone can be inspired daily.

FUN AND FUNCTIONAL

You can have all of the things above but if your home isn’t fun and functional then you’re missing out on one of the best part of designing! Like I said before my home is pretty neutral. That’s they way I like it. But when it came to my office I wanted it to be FUN but FUNCTIONAL! So I experimented a little and came up with a space I LOVE to be in. Boxes and painted dressers house all of my crafts that I do on my blog plus it’s a place where I feel motivated and inspired to create, which lead to a meaningful life for my entire family!

Thanks so much for having me Jenna! Fall and Winter seasons are big for us over at Just Destiny Mag! SO, I would love for you to hang out with us for some inspirational crafts and home decor >>> www.justdestinymag.com

“A smile, laugh, fresh flowers, bike rides, hiking in search for the sun rise, chocolate chip cookies, a made bed, or a painted wall, being authentic, genuine and loving are all ingredients to a meaningful life and home!” How true is that?! Destiny always has me in awe with the creations + rooms she creates. Her style is so fresh + crisp, yet comfortable + inviting.

Along with the gorgeous spaces she creates, she also has a great sense + style for making beautiful printables for the home. She recently made this fun pineapple printable (that can be printed free) for Summer…

Head on over to Just Destiny Mag, and give Destiny a BIG HELLO!

Check out all the Bloggers that have contributed to this series on
Creating a Meaningful Home

Plus donâ€™t miss out on all the previous Bloggers who contributed to this series in 2013 and 2014!