10 PIECES TO REFRESH YOUR HOME FOR SPRING

Today is sunny! Today is seventy-two degrees! Today is the first day of spring! I feel like I can’t even believe it, I have my windows open and my mind is on items to freshen up my home for Spring. These are some of my favorite items ever (that candle? a secret favorite that won’t set you back too much in the pocketbook!)

1. A fresh wreath for your front door

I change wreaths every season. Wreaths are friendly and welcoming. I’ve had my eyes on this olive wreath from Pottery Barn, but I’ve been known to head on down to Hobby Lobby and make my own if I can’t find what I’m looking for!

2. My favorite baskets for tidying up the linen closet

Can’t go wrong with the container store. I personally have a few of these white woven and lined baskets sitting in my linen closet holding extra sheets and towels, and a few more sitting in my online cart.

3. And the best labels

Sturdy, changeable, and they clip right onto the baskets above

4. pillows can absolutely change a room

I love this antelope print, classic and beautiful. A lumbar is one of my favorite go-tos to making a bed look perfectly put together.

5. While we’re at it how about some NEW linens

P and I received this linen comforter as a wedding present, it’s perfect. The linen is beautiful and feels so lovely. Even better its the perfect comforter for the spring - keeps you warm on cool nights and breathable as the weather warms up.

6. Fresh Flowers for your dining table

…Or your powder bath, bedside table, or coffee table. Ya’ll I can’t stress enough - if you do nothing else to your house for Spring - head on over to Trader Joe’s and grab a bouquet of fresh flowers. Fresh blooms infuse life into even the darkest room.

7. A pitcher for margs (or your flowers!)

A beautiful pitcher means you’re not running back inside to the blender as you enjoy these longer nights outside on your porch (and it’s chicer serving out of a blender - not that there is any problem with that in a pinch!). And flowers always manage to fall perfectly when placed in a pitcher.

8. My. Favorite. Candle.

Bold claim. I know. I adore candles and don’t get me wrong - Le Labo, Jo Malone, Diptyque - are great, but come on $60 and up. However this is my secret - the glass glows beautifully when lit and all of Crate and Barrel’s scents are perfection.

9. Cleanse every little corner with sage

Even better this Sweet Grass & Selenite Smudge Stick from Amber Interiors comes tied up with a stick of selenite - they say selenite increases creative energy and cleanses

10. a greener, cleaner…er…cleaner

I use Murchison-Hume in my home. The trifecta of cleaning products - good for the planet, effective, and gorgeously packaged. I need my cleaning products to look just as good as the counters they’re cleaning.

ON THE BOARDS: THE REDWOOD RETREAT BATHROOM ADDITION

To say I’m excited about this project is BEYOND an understatement. When all is said and done we will be adding a guest suite, wine closet, upgrading the kitchen, and hopefully updating the master bathroom as well (someday). This project had been an absolute joy to undertake. Nestled in the redwoods and vineyards north of San Jose, this is the dream forever home - not to mention the dream jobsite visit. I flew just over a week ago to make final selections in person - we’re on a tight timeline from start-to-finish, the contractor says once demo starts he thinks he will be done in 5 weeks! We spent three days picking tile, plumbing, the vanity, the lighting - all while the contractor was ripping the original room apart, fixing plumbing and insulation and foundation issues - so we are swinging right along!

The homeowner rode hunter-jumper when she was younger and maintains a passion for all things equestrian still. When I visited in early August, about 3 months after they purchased the home, we walked over to the neighboring property and fed the horses pastured there. Will you LOOK at these sweet faces?

And yes, it IS that gorgeous out there. This is what we started with: the house is a 3 bed/two bath with a large, open-to -the-entrance space that was added to the house by converting one bay of the garage into an indoor, carpeted, office/catch-all. I proposed breaking it up into a fourth bedroom, a secondary guest bath that doubles as a powder room, and (most importantly haha) a wine closet.

You can see from the pictures above that we had one big room with a large cased opening to the entry and a tray ceiling with a HUGE brass chandelier. Closing this off will make the entrance feel more defined instead of a rambling, open space. The only items staying in the room will likely be the pull out sofa and the coffee table. We’ll find a smaller less obtrusive desk and hide away all paperwork in the new closet. I digress though because this is about the bathroom. Design wise we stuck to elevated, warm neutrals that pull from the surrounding landscape and keep with the modern-rustic feel of the house. But then we found this stunner of a leather-wrapped mirror at Arteriors and everything came to life.

1. Wall color: Benjamin Moore Classic Gray, Trim Color: Sherwin Williams Snowbound 2. Studio McGee Gray Dipped Vase 3. Horse head hook (similar) 4. Wall Tile: Chloe 2.5x8; Floor Tile: Clive 2” Hex, 12”x24” 5. Circa Bryant Bathroom Sconce 6. Arteriors Powell Large Mirror 7. Target Hearth & Hand Grey Stripe Towel; Studio McGee Abby Stripe Hand Towel 8. Hearth & Hand Orange and Amber Hand Soap 9. Kohler Devonshire Faucet & Accessories 10. Fairmont River View 48” Vanity 11. Parachute Home Waffle Robe

Check back here in a month or so and we’ll hopefully have some gorgeous “after” shots for you to peruse!

A NATURAL & NEUTRAL HOLIDAY PORCH

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Its the Monday after Thanksgiving and hopefully your turkey and stuffing hangover is but a distant memory. Holiday decorating is in full swing in our household and now that we have a porch I’m excited to take the warm and welcoming spirit of the holidays outside. Our previous apartment’s outdoor decor maxed out at a little wreath on the door but now I have so much more room for activities! I’ve rounded up the items in my cart and included links below to create the perfect modern-meets-traditional vibe. If you’re quick you might even get in on some of those cyber-monday deals (I know I did!).

S H O P T H I S P O S T

WREATH | I love the look of this asymmetrical wreath from Target. Draped with these brass bells and a big buffalo check bow it’s the perfect updated and festive door adornment

MODERN CHAIRS | Again with Target - they can really do no wrong. I’m looking to upgrade from our inexpensive, lightweight tan adirondack chairs to something a little more substantial. The color and shape of these black, modern adirondacks is just so good, and I love the wide arms as a secure place for setting my cup of coffee (or glass of wine!)

WELCOME MAT | Unfortunately target doesn’t make this particular plaid mat anymore, this plaid natural fiber mat from wayfair fits the bill perfectly!

OUTDOOR RUG | Layering doormats is a simple way to add texture or color to your doorstep and helps a simple doormat feel even more welcoming. This black and white stripe outdoor rug is a best seller for a reason.

PAINT COLORS | This may be a long shot but if I get the chance (and a sunny weekend) I’m hoping to do some permanent updating to my porch as well. Currently we have a not-terrible-but-not-ideal brown colored porch paint and I think this grey deck paint, paired with Benjamin Moore’s Super White trim and Pratt and Lambert’s Pale Cadet Blue on the porch ceilings will freshen things up juuuust right. If youre looking for other great porch ceiling blues I did a round up here.

PRE LIT GARLAND | It seems like every Christmas there are even better and more beautifully realistic garlands on the market. To get the most bang for your buck save the spendy, realistic stuff for inside where you’ll be seeing it up close - your mantle, around your front door (McGee and Co and Ballard have great options).

PILLOWS | To keep things cozy and bring in a dash of color and pattern pillows are always a great choice. I love buffalo check during the holidays, it’s such a good fall and winter pattern that you could leave these pillows out from September to March and it would still be cute. And that lumbar from Pottery Barn is my favorite plaid of all time (why yes I do have the matching monogrammed mugs for my hot cocoa - and yes they DO make a great gift for everyone).

PLANTERS | Vintage stoneware makes the perfect pot for a mini tree. The one shown is from…of course….Target, but I plan on picking up a live 3-foot-tall tree from one of my local shops. Etsy has some beautiful options for similar stoneware crocks - search “Ten Gallon Vintage Stoneware Crock” - and make sure to check that the size works for the space you have. I love these little galvanized planters to add in another relaxed element - empty or with a few sprigs of greenery!

I hope this gives you some ideas and inspiration as you’re hauling out all your holiday decorations! I know I can’t wait to get everything up - these cold nights always feel warmer with the twinkle of mini-lights! If you think you need more than just inspiration for decorating this holiday season, don’t hesitate to reach out - I have a few spots open for some hands-on holiday decorating help!