house and home Archives - Page 38 of 155

December 21, 2015

Rebecca Atwood’s Wallpaper Collection (+ a Quick DIY)

This fall one of my favorite designers, Rebecca Atwood, released her first wallpaper collection. It features three designs – Marble, Dashes, and Petals – in several color options and I’m smitten with every single one. Much of Rebecca’s inspiration came from her childhood growing up on Cape Cod, crisp fall days with swirling ocean waves and petals falling in the garden that mark the end of summer.

I was especially taken with the Marble Clay Blue pattern and decided to use it in a simple fireplace update. This design started when Rebecca experimented with marbling papers using India ink in the suminagashi technique. The irregular marbled designs reference the coastal elements – small rocks, swirling ocean pools, and the landscape itself. I just love everything about it!

My fireplace needs a new liner to make it usable once again, so I fill it with prayer candles. When lit the result it warm and bright, which makes a decent stand-in on cozy nights. To give the box an update Rebecca sent me a length of her new wallpaper in my favorite pattern. I measured the back of the box up to where it narrows into the chimney and down along the bottom and trimmed a piece of paper before cutting it to the proper width. It was a bit of trial and error in finding something that would attach to the super old painted over masonry, but after a few tries double-stick strips from 3M did the trick nicely. I attached three on the top edge and three on the bottom edge and applied. Voila! Yet another super versatile way to use wallpaper. I’m quite happy with the results and am even more convinced that I need to paint those tiles black asap.

Posted In accents, house and home, living, make it

December 17, 2015

10 December DIYs

Click on each image to go to the project.
All photos copyright of their respective sites unless otherwise noted.

Posted In accessories, accessories, create, furniture, kitchen, living, make it, office, round up, series, storage, style, walls, wear it

December 16, 2015

The Coffee Lover’s Gift Guide

To put it simply, I adore coffee. I started drinking it when I was a kid, and as I grew older the ratio of milk to coffee changed drastically. These days I happily switch between French press, pour over, and drip depending on my mood and how much time I have to brew. One of my vices is seeking out the newest technology and products in the world of coffee, and a slew of the latest is from none other than KitchenAid. That’s right, the brand that’s responsible for one of the most iconic mixers is also fluent in coffee beans and modern design. I pulled together a few gift ideas for the coffee lovers in your life, depending on their preferred brewing method – have a peek below.

Brew Milk Pan // Merienda Flatware // Pottery Tumbler

I know what you’re thinking – that looks just like a drip coffee maker. But it’s not. For the coffeehouse experience at home, the new KitchenAid Pour Over Coffee Brewer precisely heats and pulses the flow of water, then steeps like a manual pour over which allows the grounds to bloom. The result is bright, clean, and full flavored coffee without diluting.

Salt + Sugar Spoons // Sugar + Creamer Set // White Kam Mug

The science and flavors of siphon brewing come from vapor pressure pushing the water up through the siphon tube. After that vacuum suction and gravity draw the coffee down through the grounds. The dramatic KitchenAid Siphonbrew has simplified this process to extract a cup of coffee that showcases all the flavors of your favorite beans. The brewer is made of high quality glass and stainless steel to be a true thing of beauty.

Enamelware Pink Spouted Milk Pot // Form Brass Milk Jug // Pink Everyday Mug

A French press brews a bold, full-bodied, robust cup of coffee. KitchenAid’s Precision Press was developed to ensure the best French press coffee can be brewed conveniently at home through simple technology and sleek, functional design. It even features an integrated timer and scale that measures brew time and the precise ratio of coffee grounds to water for the perfect brew.

Apothem Bronze Coffee Scoop // Rounded Canister with Leather Tie // Hasami Brown Porcelain Mug

Each of these three brewing methods demands a specific grind size to extract the proper flavor. Grinding your beans to the precise size just before brewing is a key element in brewing the best possible cup of coffee. KitchenAid’s Burr Grinder offers a level of precision and consistency with its fifteen different grind sizes.

This post sponsored by Single Edition Media on behalf of KitchenAid. All words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Design Crush creating fresh content! Follow KitchenAid online at Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter for product updates and discounts.

Posted In behind the scenes, christmas, holidays, house and home, kitchen, living, sponsored post

December 11, 2015

A Few of My Favorite Things in 2015

I always struggle when explaining just what I do for a living to others. You’d think after 8 1/2 years of Design Crush I’d have nailed down an elevator pitch, but nope. Usually I resort to saying something about the site being a reflection of my aesthetic yadda yadda yadda. That is until a few months ago when I came across this quote by Maira Kalman and it resonated like no other. I feel like this is the absolute perfect way to describe my day to day and if I could use it as the entirety of my bio I would.

I share things I love daily with you, but of course I don’t own all of them. Not even a fraction. One of my favorite posts each year is this one, where I get to share the things I use day in and day out that have stood the test of life. So in my best Oprah voice, herewith are my faaaavorite thiiiiiings for 2015!

1/Artifact Uprising’s Wood Cleat – This sleek reclaimed wood cleat has a magnetic closure system, making it super easy to swap out whatever art/photo/etc you want to display at any given moment.

2/Casper – You’ve surely heard about this startup that’s changing the mattress industry. I got mine back in March and haven’t woken up with a sore back or hips since. I really cannot recommend it enough! (Hit me up if you want a coupon!)

3/Cold Gold – This line of hand-crafted geometric and leather jewelry has become my go-to for daily wear and gifting. It doesn’t hurt that the owner is super sweet either!

4/Neoflam – Cast aluminum cookware that’s non-stick and seamless is perfect for making dinner every night. Because when something is this easy to clean up it’s way less likely to end up sitting in my sink for a week.

5/Urbanears Plattan ADV Wireless – I’ve worn this line for years, but they recently released the first Bluetooth headphones in their lineup and I’m completely hooked.

6/Parabo Press Risograph Prints – Really all of their personalized print goods, but especially the pink risographs are amazing. The app is also super easy to use which says a lot in this day and age.

7/Treat Collection – Since trying out this non-toxic line of nail polishes and remover I haven’t used anything else. Great coverage, no odor – what else could be better?

8/Nest – I first plugged my new learning thermostat in this past spring. Not only is it interesting to see it learn your habits, it’s also fantastic seeing the difference in your bills.

9/Canary – Quite simply the easiest all-in-one home security system that’s ever been. You control it all from your phone and there’s zero setup.

10/Frederick’s & Mae Playing Cards – Some of the most eye-catching I’ve ever come across, they even make solitaire that much better!

Posted In beauty bag, features, house and home, jewelry, kitchen, living, music, paper goods, prints, round up, series, style, wear it, wood

December 10, 2015

Design Crush x Umbra

I’ve teamed up with one of my favorite design brands, Umbra, to share how I’m using some of their clean-lined products this holiday season. Their wares are extremely well-designed and versatile, making them an especially good fit for small spaces where they can pull double-duty.

I’m starting with my favorite, the Hub Ladder. I wrapped the expandable beech wood and rubber-coated steel clothing (or towel) holder with 200 white lights for a sculptural Christmas tree alternative. Right now it’s my bedroom lending some festive and functional flair to the chaos.

I always have fresh flowers (usually from the grocery store) in my home, so for Thanksgiving dinner I wanted to get extra creative. I used three Touch Toothbrush Holders as vases that formed a modern arrangement when clustered together. (Tip: It’s always a good idea to keep florals short so that guests can see one another across the table.)

I took down two large pieces of art that hang in my entryway and replaced them with wreaths. Each one got decorated with half of a brass Prisma Wall Decor set, which couldn’t have been easier because the pieces could be hooked around the branches.

I use the Gazette Magazine Rack year round in my living room, but for dinner parties I give it a different job – as a utensil and napkin holder. When you’re short on space you can carry it around until everyone is set to eat, then set it down someplace out of the way.

My Toto Storage Box usually lives on a bathroom shelf holding lipstick and nail polish, but during December it becomes a corral for some of my gift wrapping supplies. Sanity and patience are in short supply and this guy helps me out so I don’t lose it wondering where the pen/scissors/tape disappeared to.

Every year I inevitably end up saving a few of my favorite holiday card designs. For what? I had no clue until now. I picked up a few Corda Photo Displays to make some seasonal art that I actually like. And because you hang this frame either vertically or horizontally I can swap out favorites every year.

It’s nice to be able to stick to your style and aesthetic no matter the time of year, and when you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to do it that’s all the better.

Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Design Crush creating fresh content!

Posted In accessories, behind the scenes, christmas, holidays, house and home, living, sponsored post

December 9, 2015

4 Recipes for Winter Simmer Pots

The weekend after Thanksgiving I started swapping out the candles I normally burn with stovetop simmer pots. I was surprised at how easy they were to put together as well as just how good they made my home smell! Just keep adding water as the burn down and one can last for a few days. Pop over to eBay to check out the four simmer pot recipes I’ve had on rotation – Cranberry + Orange + Cinnamon, Lemon + Bay Leaf, Apple + Clove + Cinnamon, Citrus Peel + Eucalyptus.

Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Design Crush creating fresh content!

Posted In holidays, house and home, living, recipes

December 8, 2015

Christmas Wish List

This is maybe the first year I’ve had a tough time coming up with a Christmas wish list. I’d always heard about reaching that age where you just buy yourself all of the things you want and/or need, but I thought it was probably one of those adulthood myths. (You know what I’m talking about.) But after combing through my Pinterest boards I realized there were a few things on my list after all…

1/Howell Short Canvas Parka 2/Glass Water Kettle 3/Big Shampoo 4/Signature Flannel Bedding 5/Cowboy Coffee Kettle 6/Decked Out Pink Stone Coasters 7/Ebony Stripe Planter 8/Merengue Merino Wool Blanket 9/Newen Days Opal Ring 10/Metal Framed Round Mirror

Posted In accessories, beauty bag, house and home, jewelry, kitchen, living, round up, series, style, wear it

December 1, 2015

A Minimal Mantel

My holiday decor game plan goes something like this:

Work around what you already have.
Stay true to your style.
Don’t do a lot of rearranging.

It’s a plan of action that’s served me well in the past, but when Pier 1 challenged me to do a mantle refresh I knew it was time to try something new. Their holiday collection revolves around several styles this season, a little something for everyone, and it was fun to pull from a few to create a look that was 100% me.

The starting point was this amazing Peacock Ombre Wreath. My tree is full of jewel-toned ornaments, mostly in different variations of pinks and reds, so this piece on the other side of the room just made sense. It’s colorful and saturated and a great focal point to build my mantel off of.

Christmas is all about sparkle, so anything I did wouldn’t be complete with some sort of lights. I fell for these Ornament String Lights in a heartbeat. The ten shimmery ornaments are handblown and have a mercury glass finish, something that’s always been one of my holiday staples. I stretched a strand along the mantle and tucked about half into the lower part of the wreath. It ended up feeling very abstract and modern, which I love! And they’re operated by a battery pack, a total bonus.

To add some extra height I pulled in the Glitter Ice Pine Tree Set. They’re such a great touch with those silvery bases, but manage not to compete with the brilliance of the wreath. Decorating with threes is something I always do – in this case the tallest of the three trees was offset on one side by the middle and smallest sized. My mid-century rocking bird is the only piece I left from the usual mantle setup because it just added something special.

The last touch was a pair of LED Birch Tree Pillars that tie in nicely with the all-encompassing tree theme I ended up with. They have two settings – one for a steady light and one that flickers like a real candle! I’ve been turning them on every evening and the yellow tone of the lights is just so warming.

This post is brought to you by Pier 1 Imports. All words and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Design Crush creating fresh content!

Posted In behind the scenes, christmas, holidays, house and home, living, sponsored post

November 30, 2015

Louise Gray

Way back in August I met the ladies behind Louise Gray – Alexandra Gray Bennett and Jocelin Johnson. So now not only do I want to find one of their amazing geometric quilts under my tree Christmas morning, I also want to go to happy hour with them the day after. Through Louise Gray they reinterpret the art of quilting using modern design to keep the traditional craft alive. Each one is handcrafted in the USA from 100% cotton, and looks just as good on your bed as it does adorning a wall as art.

Posted In accents, create, house and home, living, textiles

November 25, 2015

Censer Incense Burner

I haven’t burned incense since college, but Censer makes it look so chic that maybe I need to give it another try. The chalice base and porcelain dome are most definitely not the wooden ski-like incense burner I once owned. But it’s functionality doesn’t stop there, place a votive inside and the dome lights up transforming the piece.

Posted In accessories, house and home, living