Decorating with the Magic Rule of 3

I realized that in my previous post about staging your home, I might have left you wondering what I meant by decorating in "Moments of 3"
so I decided I'd better get my story straight and illustrate a little! From now on we'll call it the Magic Rule of 3. Phew, much easier!

So here we have a before and after. In the before picture, we just needed to finesse a little by adding a couple of items.

I went straight to the Magic decorating trick by arranging the accessories in groups of 3:

To style the mantel I did:

3 frames

3 pretty things grouped together (1) votive (2) orchid stacked on books (3) mercury glass vessel

Which creates the overall look:

1 mirror +

1 group of frames +

1 group of pretty things =

The Magic Rule of 3

This is not the kind of rule that is punishable by law if broken - decorating is supposed to be fun, not scary after all. Accessories can look beautiful in pairs - like matching lamps for example. Or your favorite candle sticks. Or 2 chairs side by side - always a classic look.

But when you have a ton of gorgeous things you want to display together all at once, the Magic Rule of 3 can help you every time!

So I hope that clears some things up and helps you to be confident in your decorating skills for forever more!

ps... if you want to learn how to make that awesome mirror, check out this post from Adventures in Dressmaking

5 Tips for Staging a Room

Staging is the most time consuming yet rewarding part of decorating a room.

I can blast through a store and buy a dozen things in 5 minutes flat, 

but when it comes to placing those things in a room - I'm more like a snail.

Today was a perfect example of my signature snail-stylin'

I literally spent 3 entire hours styling my friend Suzannah's living room before her gorgeous home was photographed for a feature in the Oregonian (congrats Suzannah!!!)

I brought over some accessories from my home, because her house is so new that we just needed a few things here and there.

Take a peek for yourself what an incredible difference a little staging can make in the feel of a room:

Before                                                                                      After

Adding some things, subtracting others - shelving is the ultimate opportunity to add style to your home.

Don't be afraid to place a mirror in your shelving - it adds light to a dark space.

Before                                                                                      After

This one was a toughy. I really scratched my head on how to utilize this console table. There's a pesky thermostat behind the lamp so placing a mirror or art was limited - 

so I placed a round mirror to direct the eye up to add some height to this space. 

Add some pretty books and throw in a cute handbag and voila - a useful space!

Before                                                                                      After

I made such small changes to this mantel but look how elegant the space feels after - 

just swap out dark art for a light reflecting mirror and add some flowers for color. 

When in doubt, Decorate in "Moments of 3"

I like to call accessories or groups of things a "moment"
 because it should mean something to you when you look at it.
It should make you pause and smile because it looks so good!

So for example:
 3 frames grouped together = one "moment of 3"

The votive + orchid/books + mercury glass grouped together = another separate "moment of 3" 

and lastly the mirror one it's own with the other 2 "moments" = the third "moment of 3"

Before                                                                                      After

This space just needed a few accents - this is George the dog - he normally lives in Jack's room

I went to every part of the living room and made purposeful and elegant moments through accessorizing. Each space your eye travels to should look polished.

Don't be afraid to take the time required to stage your home - here are some tips I use when decorating:

• using the rule of "moments of 3" when I'm stumped (see pic of mantel for description)
• don't shy away from moving things around - take it out, put it back, take it out, put it back
• steal things from rooms you don't go into as often so your main rooms are polished instead of unfinished
• step back from your project and walk through it several times to give yourself a fresh eye
• if you're having a party (or photo shoot...) borrow accessories or furniture from friends for the day - because then it's FREE!

Blog Update - Follow Me!

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to work on my blog, and hopefully reach out to more fabulous readers. I'm a little embarrassed to say I only have 17 followers - so let's work on that


You can follow my blog by clicking the pic below. I would most likely LOVE it if you did!
PS - THE SITE IS BEING FINICKY - IF IT DOESN'T WORK, PLEASE TRY AGAIN :)

Follow me, will ya?

I'm also simplifying the look of the ole blog - so you'll notice it looks a liiiiittttle different, no?

I noticed that a lot of the blogs I really like are all very simple - so I want to like my blog too!

And since I'm blogging about blogging - here's an super rad link to some blog planning tools
made by the FABULOUS Jenni of A Well Crafted Party.

Anyhow - I'll be tinkering for the next few days. Unless I get impatient and start throwin stuff.

What do you think? 

Living Room Inspiration

My style is becoming  so much more sophisticated lately - I feel so, ladylike ;)

It's good for my clients but bad for my own living room (which never gets the chance to rest) 

I just want to change it up every chance I get!

Anyway - Here's a peek at what I've been working on lately - I can't wait to share the finished product!

It makes me want to remove everything black from my entire house - but I'll refrain... for now.

HomeGoods shopping with a girlfriend

One of my favorite things about blogging is the friendships I have made in "real life".

I met the beautiful Suzannah of Adventures in Dressmaking almost a year ago at a Portland Bloggers event. 

She is one of the craftiest and creative people I know - there is nothing this girl can't do!

She recently bought a new home, and has been busy decorating away! 

And since I love to shop, I accompanied her on a fun trip to HomeGoods and helped her pick out these fun things.

I love this sweet little ceramic pineapple - it makes this little space so cheery! 

It's small moments like this that make a house a home.

Check out the versatility of this beaded glass bowl and pedestal - from Holiday to Everyday just by switching out decor with produce.

As simple as this round jute rug is, it makes a huge impact welcoming you into the entry way (and catching those fall leaves we have here in Oregon).

So there you go, just a few adorable things we found recently at HomeGoods. 

What's your favorite find from your home?

Preserved Flowers

OK, why did I NOT know about these? 

I love faux flowers because they obviously last - but not everyone likes a fake flower on display in their home.

Enter this phenomena - PRESERVED FLOWERS! Real - gorgeous - flowerrsssss!

Someone out there is saying to themselves, "Yeah, Adi - this is not a new thing..." but it's new to me and I'm totally stoked about it!

I mean LOOK at them! So gorge!

I should also mention that the website I found them on is amazefest as well - it's called Save on Crafts, and just as the name says they have great prices for super cute stuff. Check em out!

Woohoo!!!!

Working on my bedroom (FINALLY!)

I've noticed with myself and my clients that the bedroom is usually the last place to be decorated. 

Whenever I find cute things for my home I want people to be able to see them so they usually end up in my living room.

Well I've decided to put my big girl pants on and start working on a grown-up bedroom (with a little bit of my whimsical style mixed in).

It may seem like a small step, but buying these gorgeous crystal lamps from HomeGoods was a big deal for me. 

I've been searching for the perfect lamps for a long time now - not too feminine since my husband has to have some presence in the decor - and these were perfect!

I bought them because they look like whiskey glasses - you know, for the hubs.

Next will be changing out the bedding. Right now it's grey and yellow - here's my inspiration for an all white look:

Image via Pinterest

I just love how soft and sophisticated this bedroom looks.

I realize that the little pink gnome would probably have to go - In fact, a lot of my tchotchkes would go by the wayside. A challenge for me, no doubt.  

So I already have a cream tufted headboard - I just need some curtains and some more bed linens before I can show you an update.

iPhone Wallpaper Backgrounds from Pinterest

I love finding new iPhone wallpaper on Pinterest. 

Here's a few I've pinned as of late - Enjoy!

All images via Pinterest

HomeGoods Happy with some fellow bloggers

I've been having so much fun working with HomeGoods with my very own Pinterest board

I'd like to introduce you to three fabulous Interior Design Bloggers that are involved in the HomeGoods Pinterest project that I've been working on. 

It's been an honor, these are some seriously talented ladies!

Camila from Effortless Style  is pinning here

Image via Pinterest

Amanda from Amanda Carol at Home is pinning here

Image via Pinterest

Hooper from Birds of a Feather is pinning here

Image via Pinterest

I've been so inspired to keep working at my Interior Design career - 

I may be just starting out, but I can't wait to see what the future holds!

Check out their blogs and boards for some inspiration!

Decorating on a budget - or should I say Decision making on a budget

One day, when I'm rich and famous, I'm going to buy something I want at FULL price. 

HA - Just kidding, I LOVE buying stuff on sale! And since I've become an expert at finding good deals I wanted to put together some tips to help you while bargain hunting.

Ask yourself these 4 questions and save yourself come cash by choosing only what truly works for you!

I am VERY picky about what goes in my home so I always ask myself a series of questions when I'm shopping to make sure I'm making the right choices. 

Does it look expensive? 

Just because something is affordable, that doesn't make it worth your cash. 

Think of what that item will look like in your home to someone who can't see the price tag. 

If it looks like it cost you 3X what you paid and you love it, BUY IT! 

Is it too trendy?

I love chevron patterned EVERYTHING that I see - but it's super trendy. 

Use classic lines and neutral colors in your furniture so you can play with trends in your accessories and linens. 

Ask yourself if you'll get bored with larger or more expensive pieces like a rug or sofa in a trendy color or pattern before spending too much on it.

But of course, if it's totally you and you are totally in love, BUY IT!

Will it clash?

OK, duh right? But I've made this mistake lots of times. 

I see something I love, get it home, and it looks atrocious next to the other thing that I loved so much before. 

For example, I love shabby chic but I'm far too committed to a more sleek look throughout my home that I pass up that cutesy embroidered pillow. 

Think of your overall vision you want the room to feel like and make sure you're not changing it up too much with one particular piece. 

Grab that fun accessory if it will ADD to your overall style not compete with it.

Can I return it?

That one is simple - just think it through with all the questions above if the sale is final.

And an example of one of my latest finds that I snagged by following all my little rules:

These awesome boxes look expensive, have a classic and timeless look, go perfectly with my home's style and were from HomeGoods so they were returnable in case I didn't have a good place for them. Love!

And from my styling of my parents' house, this lovely ceramic stool - always a classic -
with some pretty flowers, both from HomeGoods so they were a steal and will never go out of style!

I hope that helps! What questions do you ask yourself before making a purchase for your home?

Decorating a modern condo

Since we live in a condo, it can be challenging to mix my classic/eclectic style with the sleek modern lines and surrounding buildings that seep in through my windows. But I'm totally up to the challenge!

If your view is already colorful outside your windows, go with a neutral color base with furniture and add pops of color with accessories. Use a crystal lamp to add seamless lighting to a sofa table.

I created several seating areas by separating this love seat from the rest of the living room. It's a nice spot for reading or taking in the view to either side.

The classic lines of the furniture done in a modern way are perfect for condo living. Play up the height of your ceilings by hanging a mirror as high as you can and adding an oversized lamp.

To make the room more cozy, switch out the coffee table with a vintage trunk or add a jute rug. Drapery would definitely help warm up this space, but we haven't quite gotten there yet ;)

So what challenges do you have with your unique space?

My Exciting Collaboration with HomeGoods

I'm so super excited to announce my recent collaboration with HomeGoods! 

They contacted me to be one of four interior decorators across the country to host my very own HomeGoods Pinterest board featuring my designs! I literally jumped up and down all over my house when I found out (Jack thought it was really funny).

Here's a little peek into what I've been gathering over the last few weeks - I love HomeGoods because there's always something new every time I go!

I love the Moroccan feel of this adorable ginger jar. The juxtaposition of the pretty flowers, elegant patter of the jar and the eclectic silliness of the elephant define my personal style perfectly.

Mixing styles of mirrors is my newest obsession. The classic look of the grain beaded white mirror mixed with the vintage looking blue and glam large mirrors is so visually interesting and tells a story about my personality.

I'm attempting to add more blue and gold into my decor - it's a challenge since I have so much grey and black!

I'm a huge fan of faux flowers - they add the perfect pop of color without the cost and maintenance. Don't get me wrong though, for special occasions, I always go with the real thing! 

There's more to come - I just have to get around to clearing out that old Christmas tree so I can take more pictures of the AMAZING things I've been able to find!