Thursday, December 27, 2012

How To Decorate With Rugs


For a room that needs a little excitement, adding a rug could be a perfect answer. I like to use rugs to complete the room or to tie everything together. Rugs had definition, warmth, and personality to a space.

Disclaimer: Before I begin this little tutorial, I want you to know I AM NOT AN EXPERT. I am only a student so what I say doesn't mean that it's right and wrong. My blog is a guide to help you create a better look for your space. If I say I don't like something or use one of my Naterisms*, that doesn't mean go throw it away and buy something new. Interior design is all about taste. Your taste might be different from mine and our personalities might be different. Do what works for you!

Back to rugs. I know you're excited. So how do you best use a rug? Glad you asked. Number one rule when using a rug in a space: it either all goes on the rug or nothing goes on the rug. However, there is one exception. Let's say you have a coffee table, a side chair, and a decorative table. The coffee table can sit on the rug by itself but the chair and the table need to both touch the rug or both stay off of it. Make sense?

Now that we've got that out of the way... That's just a huge pet peeve of mine and I've been known to move furniture if it's set up wrong. Hehe...

Use a rug when you need to split up a big room from different spaces. For example, if you have a room that provides a place of eating and entertainment, you can 1) use one rug in the living space or 2) use two in both the dining room and the living room. Both look really well. When using more than one rug in a space, make sure they are not the same size. Same size rugs cut your space in half visually. You want your space to look cohesive. To keep harmony in your space when you are using two rugs, make sure the rugs compliment each other. If two rugs are completely different, your space looses that cohesiveness.

 
 

Most people find it difficult to pick out a rug after their space is put together. The answer to that problem is to pick out the rug beforehand. Decorative rugs are like artwork. If you want your rug to impact your space focally, then choose it before you pick out paint and furniture. Use a large scaled, decorative rug if you have solid furniture. The rug will pump up the volume but just enough. Too much pattern can be overwhelming and distracting. That also works vise versa. If you have pattern on your walls and in your accessories, a solid rug will look best. The rug will quieten the room visually.



 
 

Don't assume that your rug has to be a rectangle. Let the way you group your furniture dictate the shape of your rug. There are square, oval, and round options as well. Move your furniture around and see what works best. There are also companies that sell custom rugs to fit your space. Try those too.



When you buy a room size rug, subtract 3 feet from the length and width of the room. Leaving the floor bare at the edges makes it look a little larger. Also, when laying a rug under your dining table, leave at least 24" of rug from the edge of the table out on all sides. This enables the back legs of the chairs to stay on the rug, even when pulled out to let someone sit.

A fun thing to do, but something you need to try out first, is layering rugs. Use a solid rug on the bottom and try a fun rug on top. Add some interest with different shapes.




Always use a liner to keep your rug from slipping or creeping. The rug liner should be appropriate for your floor type.

Experimenting with rugs is okay to do but whatever you do, don't do this.




*Naterism: A rule made up by me, only to save you the embarrassment,
base off of things people try to do themselves that doesn't look good at all.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

For unto us a child is born.

I hope everyone had a blessed holiday weekend. Whether you stayed close to home or traveled elsewhere to spend your break, I hope you enjoyed spending time with your family and friends. Christmas isn't about all the gifts, but it's about being with the ones you love.

I am blessed to have all of these people in my life and I didn't deserve half of the presents I got, but I am so thankful for each and every one of them. The big things I got this year were a crock pot, a Ninja blender, a Chinese garden stool, all new bedding for my room, and a pair of Toms. The presents were nice and all, but the real blessing this Christmas is having a family to come home to. I was on Facebook and I came across someone who posted a status saying he was at home alone and he wished Christmas was over. That's a miserable way to spend the holiday. I'm thankful I have a loving family to spend this season with.

I can't help but to think about what the parents from the Connecticut shooting must have felt like to not have their babies to share the magic of Santa with this year. I'm sure presents were already bought for those children and it must have been hard to watch them go unwrapped. I held my grandparents tight for a good minute or two this past weekend and my nieces and nephews even tighter. You never know if they will be there next year. I was reminded that Christmas is one of those holidays where it sucks really bad when you've lost somebody. Every year, I think of my grandmother who isn't with us anymore. It's been three years, and I miss those goodies she used to give out every year. Thinking about it now, I didn't lose a single (immediate) family member this year. Wow. That's a blessing. For all of those who did lose someone this year, I hope that you found peace this Christmas. I hope that you felt the love and joy that the holidays bring. I hope you set aside the presents and focused on family time. I hope that you felt the comfort of your loved ones looking down on you and I hope that you were able to smile knowing you'd see them again one day all because a child was born on this beautiful night. Happy Birthday, Jesus and Merry Christmas, everyone!

















Big thanks to Mommy, Daddy, Jimmy, The Meadows, The McClellans, The Simms, The Osborns, The McCarleys, The Marions, and The (other) Simms for everything you gave me this year. You were all too nice to me and I appreciate you giving me the best Christmas ever! I love you all so much!


Monday, December 24, 2012

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

Mirrors have become an important object in a room. Most rooms have one or two. Whether it's serving a functional purpose or aesthetic only, mirrors are very pleasing to the eye when chosen wisely. Balance is also something to watch for. Having a mirror that is too small over a mantle or bed can look a little odd. But then again, having one too large is overwhelming and tacky. In certain spaces a collage of mirrors can be really enjoyable. Most of the time, mirrors had that extra oomph that a room is missing. Choosing a mirror that best fits your personality and the room's look can be tricky. The following pictures are designed to give you some inspiration to find the perfect mirror for your space.

*Most of these pictures came from Houzz and Pinterest and are not intended for purchase.

Entry Way/Foyer







Dining Room







Living Room








Bedroom






Bathroom





I have to say, I'm kind of obsessed with starburst mirrors. I tried to find one for every room because they are just so lovely and they go with everything! I really need to find one for myself. I hope these pictures gave you some sort of direction when it comes to picking out that perfect mirror for your space! I know I'm excited about going shopping soon to find a starburst mirror for myself!