Design logic for wedding registry

Planning a wedding can be a very stressful time and many brides find some relief in the thought of the gift registry.  The day where all you have to do is go to your favorite boutique and pick out everything you want. Well hold on, because without proper organization you could just be creating more stress for you and your husband when you try to place these items in your new home. The secret is in planning, taking some time to do a little research and develop you and your fiancés' combined tastes. This is what will help your home feel more complete from the beginning.

First make a list of rooms you will have in your home. Then begin a list for the items you would like to see fill these rooms. Do you need fine china, furniture, linens, throw pillows, draperies, bedding or appliances? The list can go on and on.  This is your chance to think about what you will need.

 Second take some time to go through interior design magazines and clip out pictures of rooms that you are drawn to. Look at design blogs and save the images to your computer. Keep these inspiring images for several days or weeks before you register for any gifts. Every few days look through these pictures and narrow down which images appeal to you the most.

Next you need to evaluate the pieces of furniture or accessories in these pictures, think about how you could use these items in your home and how you can mix in the pieces you and your fiancé already have.

The final step is staying on track the day you are actually registering. It can be very tempting to scan every item on the shelf because it is pretty, but resist the temptation. Yes it is true you will not receive everything on your gift registry and some people will buy things that are not on your registry but you will receive some items that you have carefully selected. And because of the planning process, you will know what you need in each room and how you want each room to look. If you are still in need of pictures to inspire you, take a look at a few of these beautiful rooms.

Your home is what you make it

Everyone deserves to have a comfortable and beautiful home it doesn’t matter if your newlyweds purchasing your first house or if you’re the more established home owner. Filling the rooms with items that reflect your personal style helps to make your home a comfortable environment. Let me explain where you can save money on the furniture and where you should spend a little more on furniture. First you must understand that everyone has basics in each home; couches, beds, dining tables and buffet hutches. These are you "worker" pieces.  When shopping for these items it is beneficial to do your research. Look for how the its made, are they good quality, and will they stand the test of time and style, you want this furniture transition from era to era. It might cost more upfront to buy any of these items but if you follow the rules they should last for a very long time. Secondly I can give you some advice on how to save a little bit of money on other furniture pieces for your home. Garage sales, flea markets, second hand stores and my personal favorite estate sales are to be shopped vigorously by anyone trying to furnish a home. So many pieces are bought for less than $100 at these places. In order to get the look you want you may have to do some sanding and painting but trust me it is well worth it. Take a look!

Now go and explore and aways be inspired!

Exploring Kitchen Cabinet Ideas

I have always had a desire to have the perfect white kitchen. I believe it was the crispness of the rooms that attracted me. Also I thought that white would help any kitchen appear larger and more airy. However, now that I am in the process of picking out paint colors for our inexpensive kitchen redo, what I thought I wanted so badly is no longer my top choice. I now love the charcoals and dark grayish greens that are being shown in so many of the design magazines. While I have some time to ponder my decision let me show you some of the inspirations that other designers have given us.  And yes I will show the complete transformation with costs when my kitchen project is finished!

Courtesy Martha Stewart Living

Courtesy Decor Pad, Designer Chad Eisner

Courtesy of CocoCozy

It's all in the details!

Good design or design that is pleasing to the eye or eye catching is all about the details. Think about it, we all have that pair of jeans that fits us just right. The jeans that make us look at our bodies in the mirror over and over again when we wear them. The jeans that for some reason make our rears look fabulous. Well those jeans have some small detail that work for our shape. Whether it be the placement of the pockets or the placement of the stitching, that small details works in our favor and is why we love those jeans so much. So compare it to designing a room for instance. The smallest details can compliment other features in a room and keep our eyes looking around and discovering new niches. Or it could be that you have the simplest objects but with slight details it can turn them into luxury items. I have gathered a few things to look at and see if you can point out where the details help make the rooms!!

Courtesy of Decor Pad 

Courtesy of Living Etc.

Courtesy of Diane Bergeron- Decor Pad

Courtesy of Elle Decor

Courtesy of Lonny Magazine