Making Your Home a Haven of Self-Care

We know, life is stressful. Your home shouldn't be. But how do you curate a home that makes you walk in and immediately drop all your stress and burdens? That's what today's blog is all about. Here are five ways to help your home become the place you always want to be:

Diffuse essential oils: Even if you don't believe in the medicinal properties of essential oils, they smell delightful and can really lift your mood. We recommend lemon or lavender oils for a very relaxing feel. They are also less toxic than some candles, which may be great for those with asthma or who are sensitive to strong candle scents. 

Source: Budget Decorator 

Mix up textures: We like the idea of mixing up textures in your living spaces, especially with pillows and throws. It's no secret that we love a good throw blanket, because they add instant coziness to a space. Plus, little ones love making forts or beds with them, and they're great for curling up with a good book or a movie! If you need a new throw, try this affordable, machine washable twin blanket from Target. It's bigger than a traditional blanket and extra warm. It comes in plenty of pretty neutral colors.

Get some fresh magazines and books to read: In the digital age, it can be hard to step away from your phone and laptop, but a good book can be just the ticket. Check out Oprah's book club for some great reads that will keep you inspired and expand your mind. A magazine like Real Simple or Southern Living is a relaxing read for a long bath, and you don't have to be too worried if the pages slip into the bathwater!

Source: Craftatholics 

Try a bath bomb: The bath bombs from LUSH are our absolute favorites. They are cruelty free and made with organic ingredients that are good for your skin. They are definitely a pricey luxury, but you will love the way they instantly relax your muscles and make you feel capable of handling anything that comes your way!

Change out your photos: Studies show looking at photos can improve our mood and make us feel more energized! Swap out old photos in the frames and shelves in your home for newer memories, and make your home a place where your family can always look around and feel loved! Order fresh canvases or framed prints for photos that have been languishing in drawers or on your computer or smartphone...they will definitely make your home feel more personal and relaxing!

Simple and Easy Valentine's Day Decor Tips

Valentine’s Day is coming up fast, and love is already in the air… but is it in your home? Sometimes, decorating for holidays can be stressful, since we feel like we need to change up our whole house to meet the standard. But there’s no need to be extravagant unless you’re in an extravagant mood, and you can create a wonderful atmosphere in your home with simple accents and additions in your decor. All of this applies very well to Valentine’s Day, as it just takes a pop of pastel pink here and a bouquet over there to make the whole house more romantic! Here’s a few easy ways to celebrate this holiday in your decor:

source: freshome

•Splurge on a fresh bouquet

Faux flowers are timeless - at least, when it comes to their shelf life. But for such a holiday as this, it’s not just about the look, it’s about the atmosphere itself, and a bouquet’s wonderful fragrance is a big part of that. Visit your local florist and spend a little extra just for the smell of it. The pops of color in your kitchen or on the coffee table will lighten up the whole room and get everyone more excited for the special day!

•Pillows are the perfect festive accent

Speaking of pops of color, pillows are great for shifting the mood of a room from everyday to holiday. They’re small, light, easily throwable, and they fit just about anywhere, which leaves a lot of creativity available to you. Mix and match shapes and colors by picking out some heart pillows to go with the regular squares, and create a palette in your living room by playing around with the Valentine’s color spectrum.

source: stylemepretty

•Light up the room with colored candles

There’s something so romantic about a candlelight dinner. The dim light, the intimate conversation, and the gourmet food that’s become the holistic Valentine’s dining experience is one of the most wonderful ways to spend the holiday, no doubt. But you can bring that whole experience home with you if you want to skip the crowds, and you can start with the candles. Even in the bright light of day, rose petal pink candles can give off a festive shine to any room in your home. Take it easy this year and recreate that intimate atmosphere, from the candles up.

•Say ‘I love you’ with a lovely banner

There’s something truly wonderful about being able to hold the proof of your special one’s love in your hands, or to see it on display. Stringing up a banner that does just that not only lifts the mood, but is a wonderful accent piece to your Valentine’s decor. Nothing says ‘I love you’ like the phrase itself hung across your mantle! Keep the conversation going by hanging up a few banners across the house, and the romantic atmosphere will follow.

Keep things simple this Valentine’s Day by focusing on the accents instead of a whole room makeover. Trust me, you don’t need the stress! Keep the focus on your loved ones, and really make them feel truly loved on this special day.

Warming up your Decor

photo: timelesswroughtiron.com

Like clockwork, December’s rolled around again, and with it came the bitter cold. I don’t know about you, but I love the snow, and the whole season! One of my favorite things is a landscape covered in a perfect blanket of snow. But I can only handle the cold for so long, until I have to retreat back indoors to warm up by the fire. During the winter months, our homes become our heated safe havens, but heating them can be incredibly expensive. Instead of turning up the thermostat, I like to use some of these inexpensive but warming decor styles to help me deal with the cold.

Farmhouse decor has this style integrated very well. Every time I walk into a house boasting the style, I feel so warmed, surrounded by the woodsy interiors and the rustic color schemes. The style has been making a comeback for a while, but its roots are in the rustic cabins and lodges out in the woods, and those that built them knew just what they needed to shield themselves from the cold. Today, we’re not in a fight against the cold as much as a century or so ago, but we can take some cues from their decor and translate that into modern style. The most obvious one is wood itself! It has an insulating effect, keeping in the heat, and the woodsy look has an ambient effect that just warms you up from the inside out.

photo: havenly.com

One of my go-to’s when the snow starts to fall is an age old solution: a warm blanket. Turns out, just the sight of an afghan or a knit has a warming effect in the home, cozying up the whole room. Spread around a bunch of cozy blankets to warm up your decor instantly, and having a knit close by means you never have to be chilly again. Pair it with a nice reading lamp and a comfy chair in your favorite corner, and you have the coziest place to snuggle up with a good book. Work on the whole room by layering fuzzy or warming rugs, if you have a hardwood floor, and use pillows to lighten up the room and give it a very inviting, snuggly feel.

photo: havenly.com

Leather is another one of those farmhouse staples. Back in the day, it was entirely practical to furnish your home with natural leathers, as farms were often self-sufficient and used every part of an animal. Today, there’s many options for those who have qualms with leather, and you can still get that heart-warming look no matter what you go with. A leather furnishing inherently has a sense of character to it, and that brightens up any spot it’s put in. Pair the rich color of the leather with a cooler gray or neutral palette, and you get a great mix that’ll warm you to the core. It’s easy to use some pops of green to really pull it all together, if you like having plants around the house. If you like a more southern rustic theme, use some cactus or desert flora to really sell the mood.

Lastly, take a look at how your home is lit. If you have access to a lot of natural light, either through your windows or through a skylight, utilize it! Light, of course, is naturally warming, so keep those curtains open during the day to heat up your house for free. Also, take a close look at your windows to make sure no air is escaping through them. You want to be able to retain as much heat as possible, and it’s no good if all of it is being sucked out from cracks in your window frame or a door draft. You wouldn’t expect it, but you can really feel the difference when you make sure your home is leak-proof. If you don’t have a lot of natural light, use some warming, brighter light fixtures, and make use of candles. Not only will your home smell great if you use them, but you’ll feel cozier just gazing at the flicker from across the room.

The winter season is one of my favorites. Snuggling up with my family around the fire is one of my favorite pastimes, it makes my heart so warm. Coming in from the snow when your whole home is full of cozying decor makes life so much easier, and adventuring out in a frozen wonderland much more enjoyable. Here’s to snow outside and warmth inside!

Holiday Baking with Peggy Porschen

You may remember me writing about my favorite bakery, right in the heart of London. I wrote about it in THIS POST about Europe, and her amazing confections always make me festive around the holidays! I dream of being as incredible as her in the decorating/baking department, and each year, I love making these delicious cookies with my children. Baking holds special memories for me, and I hope it also creates new ones for my girls! (All images via Peggy Porschen website, 2017)

Sugar cookie recipe
via Peggy Proschen's cookbook, "Cookies"

Makes about 25 medium-sized or 12 large cookies

• 200g unsalted soft butter 
• 200g caster sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten 
• 400g plain flour, plus more for dusting

Optional flavours

• For vanilla cookies, add seeds from 1 vanilla pod 
• For lemon cookies, add finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• For orange cookies, add finely grated zest of 1 orange 
• For chocolate cookies, replace 50g of the plain flour with 50g cocoa powder

1. Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar and chosen flavouring until well mixed and just becoming creamy in texture. Don’t overwork, or the cookies will spread during baking.
2. Beat in the egg until well combined. Add the flour and mix on low speed until a dough forms. Gather it into a ball, wrap it in cling film and chill it for at least 1 hour.
3. Place the dough on a floured surface and knead it briefly. Using marzipan spacers, roll it out to an even thickness.
4. Use cookie cutters to cut out the desired shapes and, using a palette knife, lay these on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Chill again for about 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 180C/160Cfan/350F/gas 4.
5. Bake for 6–10 minutes, depending on size, until golden brown at the edges. Leave to cool on a wire rack. Wrapped in foil or cling film, they will keep well in a cool dry place for up to a month.

Tip Always bake equally sized cookies together to make sure they cook in the same time. If you mix different sizes, the smaller ones are already cooked when the larger ones are still raw in the middle.

Royal Icing Recipe via Peggy Porschen's
"Pretty Party Cakes" cookbook

• 25g merriwhite (dried egg white powder)

• 1kg icing sugar, sifted

• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Equipment
• Sieve

Kitchen Aid / electric mixer
spoon
sealable plastic container
j-cloth
Method

Mix the merriwhite with 150ml water and pass through a sieve to get rid of any lumps.
Place the icing sugar in the clean bowl of an electric mixer, add about three-quarters of the merriwhite mixture and the lemon juice, and start mixing on low speed.
Once the sugar and the merriwhite are well combined, check the consistency. If the sides of the bowl still look dry and crumbly, add some more merriwhite until the icing looks almost smooth but not wet.
Keep mixing for about 4-5 minutes, until it has reached stiff-peak consistency.
Spoon into a plastic container, cover with a clean damp j-cloth and the lid. Store at room temperature.
Royal Icing Consistencies

Simply thin down your basic royal icing with water, a little bit at a time, mixing with a palette knife, until you have the right consistency. Keep your icing covered with cling film or a damp cloth when not using it, to stop it from drying out.

Stiff-peak consistency: for piping sugar flowers and leaves
Soft-peak consistency: for piping lines, dots and borders
Runny consistency: for filling in the centres of spaces

How to Choose the Perfect Farmhouse Paint

If you know me, you know that I keep moving all day long. From planning our meals, to taking my girls to and from activities, work, or date-night with my husband, I so often seem to come home exhausted. Don’t get me wrong, I love to stay active! But some days I need to just come home and relax. That’s why I love the farmhouse aesthetic. When I walk into my living room, it’s like walking through a time machine to a simpler time. It’s a calming nostalgia that instantly relaxes me.

Source

It takes a beautiful pairing of muted, natural colors and rustic furniture style to achieve this restful, cozy feel, but with some planning it’s becomes an easy process! The pros use paint that costs upwards of sixty dollars a gallon, but you don’t need an expensive hue to look professional!

Here are a few colors that will transform your home without breaking your bank.

Off-white: I love the dining room above! The modern furniture perfectly compliments the rustic architecture, and the off-white tone pulls the room together beautifully. Just look out for the undertones, otherwise you can end up with a white that has a darker hue than you’d like. There are many variants of whites - like Cottage White or Simply White - that won’t run up the bill, and each have that unmistakable farmhouse charm. I can just imagine the delicious smell of a homemade apple pie fresh from the oven on that table!

Comfort Grey: Above is a beautiful example of a farmhouse grey. This grey goes perfectly with the brilliant white furniture, a staple of the modern rustic style. While more expensive than a gallon of off-white, it immediately creates a soft, cozy atmosphere where you can snuggle up on the couch to enjoy some herbal tea and a good book.

Svelte Sage: If you need a pop of color, this fantastic green will look wonderful paired with a white trim, as in this photo, and black or brown accents against the wall tie it together neatly - and professionally - and makes you feel as if you’ve just come in from tending your peach orchard. This cool, calming green instantly soothes me when I see it.

Source: Magnolia Home

If you need a bit more of a relaxing atmosphere in your home, natural farmhouse colors are your best bet! Not only does it have that fixer-upper feel to it, it has that down-to-earth quality that always seems to slow down life, even if it is just relaxed at home. But that’s where we need that most, isn’t it?

Creating More Space in Your Home

If you walk into your house after work and find yourself experiencing a strong sense of claustrophobia, it may be time to de-clutter. Your house is your respite away from all the stresses and pressures of life, a place to unwind yourself after your day’s wound you all up. Here’s a few tips to reclaim the calm in your home:

Get Rid of All of Your Stuff

Okay, so maybe you don’t have to get rid of everything, but another honest look at all the things you own, and whether they're really necessary or beneficial in your life would be a good place to start. As we’ve all heard time and time again, there’s a big difference between want and need. Often, it’s the things that we actually use day after day that are necessities, and most of the stuff we have we hold onto because we spent money on it once, and just can’t part with it. Maybe we bought something we don’t need, and that’s fine. Everyone does that, trust me. Or maybe you purchased something you needed for a while, but now it just sits around and collects dust. If you’re like me, you don’t like to see things go to waste. So rejoice with me that there’s so many options for giving things away to people who actually need them, or in repurposing stuff that can’t really do any good by itself. If you want to avoid the hassle of a yard sale, or if you’re living rural, then look around a bit on the internet or ask some friends where you can donate your clothes, your furniture, or anything else that you don’t use anymore that you think someone else could use.

Stock up on Baskets

There’s an awesome trend going on that involves wicker baskets. Lots of wicker baskets. What’s awesome about it is wicker baskets look great, and come in tons of shapes and sizes to suit your style and storage needs. Of course, if you’re not much of a basket person, there’s other options. For example, you could get (or make!) a couple of fabric covered boxes to use. There’s as many styles as there is of fabric, and they usually go for a good price. You can always mix and match, depending on your decor. If you get your hands on some cubby shelves, the decorative boxes can be just the pop of color you need in your home. Wicker could be just the accent to your room to give it a more rustic, or a more personable feel. You never realize the power a box or a basket could have over you until you change the mood of an entire room with it. HERE’s a great guide to wicker baskets; and HERE’s a great guide to your own DIY decorative boxes.

Get Multi-Purpose Furniture

It’s not just the cabinets, or the closets, or the dressers that should have all the fun of storing things. The whole idea of multi-purpose furniture is taking something that’s known for one use - say, a couch - and redefining it into something that can accomplish many things at once, while still retaining its original purpose. Minimalism is trendy lately, and I think it’s one of the best trends to come around. Or, really, come back around. It’s an age old practice, and one that brings a lot of calm and restfulness into your home, due to all the open spaces and organization. There’s so many different styles and types of multi-purpose furniture to choose from, and a lot of them are very well made and look fantastic. They’re valuable, so the price tag may go up, but remember that what you’re getting is essentially two or three pieces of furniture in one. It may just come out to be quite the deal. And you’ll feel better about conserving the space, too.

Hopefully this small list has helped you in some way. I know for me, de-cluttering has helped me unwind much easier, and it’s been so nice to be able to come home and start to relax the moment I walk in the door. Even on days spent indoors I feel more peaceful seeing everything organized and spacious. It makes me happy, and what’s better than that?

Dreaming of Europe | Inspiration

The dreamy feel of European style has me conquering the winter doldrums these days! I dream of returning there someday to gather even more inspiration. The cool thing about the style across many European countries is the way it incorporates so many elements; decor, art, gardens, and architecture. I once talked my husband and kids into flying across the country just so I could indulge my senses at the Peggy Porschen Parlour in London! I don’t know if you’ve heard of this delightful little shop, but it’s a boutique bakery (yes, that’s a thing!) rich in lavish tones and feminine pinks. I was actually caught running my hands over the vintage wooden floors (whoops!), and smelling the caramel tea! It truly was a feast for the senses. 

Source

These places also inspire my wedding planning! When I plan feminine weddings with rustic touches, I find myself incorporating touches of my travel into the ideas. Another great place to find european style inspiration is Pinterest, of course! You can find tons of home decor ideas by searching “european style homes” and looking through the unique tile details, paint colors, and lighting fixtures that are the hallmark of the chic style. You don’t have to go all-out with a european style, but you’ll likely find that most modern trends carry just a little bit of european flair already within them. I love the european farmhouse style!

Farmhouse Source

Want to schedule a personal consultation for your wedding or home? I’d love to share my travel inspiration with you and help you design the day/event or room of your dreams! 

Fall Goodness for your Home | Recipes and Inspiration

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My adorable family 5 years ago.  Photo by Tonya Poitevint Photography

As someone who loves community, family, and togetherness, I love when the seasons make their way into my kitchen. There is something so beautiful and rich about family gathered in the kitchen. It’s part of what I love about my home...the people in it, and the memories we are making. Today, I want to share just some of my favorite items for the kitchen, and one simply fabulous recipe for pumpkin scones! 

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Photos: Left Olivia Leigh Photography | Middle Williams-Sonoma | Right Nikita Lee Photography

Williams-Sonoma Home is always one of my favorite places to find beautiful, lasting pieces for my kitchen. This season, you’ll find plenty of ivory and white pieces, anchored with plenty of fall colors like orange and sage green. I love this antique white platter for something like Thanksgiving, piled high with stuffing or rolls! I also found this gorgeous hemstitch tablecloth in the ‘pumpkin’ color, just right for putting all those lovely dishes on!

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Photos:  Williams Sonoma

Of course, you’ll need some baked goodness to pile into your new dishes, so here’s our favorite recipe for pumpkin scones. Their slightly spicy, warm and crumbly texture will be just right for any fall gathering, and guess what? They taste pretty darn close to their Starbucks counterparts (shhhh...we won’t tell!). Here’s the easy recipe, courtesy of Food.com

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Pumpkin Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour
7 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons cold butter
1⁄2 cup canned pumpkin
3 tablespoons half-and-half
1 large egg

Powdered Sugar Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Using a pastry knife, fork, or food processor, cut butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, half and half, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Form the dough into a ball.
4. Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1-inch thick rectangle (about 9 inches long and 3 inches wide). Use a large knife or a pizza cutter to slice the dough twice through the width, making three equal portions. Cut those three slices diagonally so that you have 6 triangular slices of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes. Scones should begin to turn light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.
6. TO MAKE THE PLAIN GLAZE:.
7. Mix the powdered sugar and 2 tbsp milk together until smooth.
8. When scones are cool, use a brush to paint plain glaze over the top of each scone.

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Enjoy!