Things move at an exceptionally fast speed during the holiday season, especially when it comes to decorating. Case in point – Saturday my porch was covered in pumpkins for my housewarming party and today it’s nearly ready for Christmas! I’ve teamed up with Boscov’s to share with you how the transition of my place is shaping up.
The necessity of good curb appeal is preached the real estate market over, but it also can be taken as a way to make your home feel welcoming before guests ever step foot inside. I wanted both sides of the semicircular set of stairs leading up to the front door to mimic each other, so I chose pairs of everything. Two 10-inch tall white LED lanterns, two 14-inch tall red LED lanterns with timer, and two 2-foot tall Northampton LifeLike Shrubs. I’m really drawn to the three different types of lighting each piece uses – candle, traditional string of lights, and mini twinkle lights – because they add so much visual interest. And though I’m not normally someone who’s drawn to glitter, I love the touches of silver on those shrubs!
This Camdon Fir diamond shaped Christmas wreath is my favorite touch. You’ve seen other photos of my home and know how I love mixing my own modern pieces with the older charm of the place, so this really couldn’t be a better suited piece of decor. The diamond shape fits just perfectly into the large leaded glass window of the door! I simply added a simple bronze prayer bell to show off the new entry set and give everything a bit of bohemian flair.
Just inside the entryway I did a little something as well. Some miniature Lemax decorative trees lined up on the mirror’s shelf are an unexpected touch of simple decor. I plan on adding to this little collection with a few bottlebrush trees I have in other colors as well.
Did you see this illuminated Bethlehem star?! It was super easy to put together and plugs in right under the bench for the prettiest glow. You can also use it outdoors under cover, which would be a real showstopper. I have a feeling this is one of those pieces that I’ll move around a few times – in the entry, near the fireplace, maybe on the landing of the stairs. Whatever corner could use a little extra glow at any given moment.
I hope your holiday season is off to a fantastic start! We’ll be sharing plenty of inspiration, projects, and recipes over the coming month so stay tuned.
This post sponsored by Boscov’s. I received product and compensation in exchange, though all words and opinions are my own as always. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Design Crush creating fresh content!
Ladders specifically for holding your blankets – did you know that’s a thing? I did and yet I didn’t. After taking down my string light-covered Hub Ladder last Christmas, I relocated it to my bedroom where I hung some blankets to get them out of the way. A few weeks later I began seeing similar things online – or perhaps they’d been there all along and that’s where I got the idea? Who knows. It’s a sweet way to show off your blanket collection as well as keep them close at hand as winter approaches. Check out these ten for some inspiration, click on each image to go to the ladder link!
This is big, you guys. My front door no longer opens with a knob meant for the interior but an actual entry set! If I lived anywhere other than this sleepy little suburban town it would have been the first thing I replaced after closing. Now not only is my front door deadbolt safe but the rest of the doorknobs in my home are something other than boring builder’s grade, all thanks to Nostalgic Warehouse. (Oh, and ignore that staircase full of carpet, that’s on the project list as well!)
I painted the street side of the front door black to play down all of the gingerbread detailing in preparation of installing this gorgeous Fifth Avenue C Grip Entry Set in vintage brass. The house side is in dire need of a new coat as well, and that’s going on this week in preparation for a very belated housewarming party I’m throwing this weekend. (More on that to come.) But just look at that brass!
For the past two years it’s been a bit of a thorn in my side that the door hardware didn’t match the character of the rest of the house. (Get a peek of the befores here and here.) For the downstairs bath that’s directly off the dining room I wanted something with a little added pop, so I chose the Soleil Rosette with Georgetown Lever in vintage brass. I went back and forth with the finish because it doesn’t match the shiny nickel in the rest of the room, but in the end I decided it didn’t matter. The brass picks up on the other warm tones and it all pulls together nicely in the end.
On the flip side, I chose the Rope Rosette with White Porcelain Knob in satin nickel for the pantry door in the kitchen because it does match the fixtures and hardware. The white porcelain knob manages to look both classic and modern at the same time which I notice every time I open the door.
Upstairs there are six doors in a relatively small hallway so it made sense to make all of the knobs the same, and I have to admit that these Rope Rosette with Black Porcelain Knobs in antique brass are my favorite in the house. I can’t. Stop. Staring at them. There’s just something so sleek about these beauties and their super smooth touch. I also chose this design knowing that eventually I may paint all of the doors black and they’ll still look just as amazing.
I fibbed a little though because there is one exception. The third floor attic is finished though lacking ductwork, and one day I hope to remedy that and move the master bedroom up there. For some reason I felt like that door needed a little something special, a denotation of sorts, and the New York Plate with New York Knob in antique brass was calling to me. By sticking with the same brass finish as the other five knobs the doors still feel cohesive as a group.
This particular upgrade has been oh so satisfying! Door hardware pulls together a space like few other things can and I’m so thankful to Nostalgic Warehouse for partnering with Design Crush on this project.
This post sponsored by Nostalgic Warehouse, you can shop their entire collection through ATG Stores! All words and opinions are my own, as always. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Design Crush creating fresh content.
When I’m sad, anxious, uncertain – any number of emotions really – I reach for a blanket. Being swaddled in warmth and comfort makes us feel safe and protected, it goes all the way back to being in the womb. Some of us prefer a favorite that has any number of its own stories to tell while others like a refresh occasionally.
A mortar and pestle is the ultimate example of form meeting function. It might seem like one of those kitchen gadgets you buy only to have it sit on a shelf gathering dust, but trust me when I say it’s one of the most versatile tools in your culinary arsenal. A few quick ideas – grind sesame seeds for homemade tahini, crush up nuts, grind herbs to infuse salts and make flavored butter, pulverize steel cut oats – the list really does go on. Mine is a dark green marble mortar and pestle gifted to me by my mom, but I definitely have crushes on these thirteen.
Thanks to Michael Anastassiades‘ Floating Forest, you can turn just about any glass into a vase. Watch a seed reach its full potential by placing it in either the polished brass Cone or Disk, then watching as it grows roots. Or place a few small stems in each.
Antonio Aricò designed the Water Pitcher Block by playing on the ideas of purity and simplicity. The end result is this – an organic, beautiful vessel that resembles an ice cube with rounded corners. It comes with six cubic glasses that mimic the same look and feel as the handblown pitcher.
