Home Decor Accents for the Holidays

Thanksgiving is over and I have finished cleaning up/putting away the last of the decorations and tablescape pieces (whew!).  While Christmas preparations are the obvious next step (today is Cyber Monday after all!), we are technically still in the month of November, so I wanted to share some initial holiday decor pieces that have helped to create a festive space without going full blown "Merry Christmas" just yet.  

Fur Throw Blanket

I love creating a warm and cozy space during the cold winter months.   I have had my eye on these fabulous luxe fur throw blankets from Restoration Hardware for some time now and over the weekend (thanks to Black Friday) finally pulled the trigger and bought one for my living room.  OMG so worth it and am kicking myself that I didn't get this furry piece of heaven sooner!  This throw blanket comes in an assortment of colors and is the perfect cozy addition to any space during the winter months.  

Nest Fragrances Birchwood Pine Candle

Nothing beats the smell of pine at Christmas!  Since we aren't getting our tree until next weekend, I am filling my pine void at the moment with this Birchwood Pine candle by Nest Fragrances (*Currently on sale at Bloomingdales today for $30!).  This candle is almost a dead ringer for that delicious pine tree smell and definitely the best pine fragrance I have found on the market.  A current obsession of mine and a must try for anyone who loves the smell of winter pine. 

Poinsettia

Poinsettias are the quintessential holiday plant and a staple decor  item in my home every Christmas.  I am dreaming of the day when we have an outdoor space and I can flank my front door with giant planters filled with poinsettias, but until that day my window sill will do just fine.  I found this poinsettia at Safeway for $3 and outfitted it in my CB2 Bennie Low Vase Planter.  Home Depot also has a great selection of Poinsettias for sale and here are a few additional planter options I happen to love (option 1 and option 2).  **Tip- if your plant is too small for your planter, you can place aluminum foil in the base of the planter to help your plant fit the space.  

Wreaths

There are so many types of pre-made wreaths available right now, making it extremely difficult to pick just one.  For a traditional pre-made wreath, I go to Costco.  They are large, fresh, fragrant and cost $15.99.  If you are in the market for a boxwood wreath, like the one pictured above, Trader Joe's has boxwood wreaths for $9.99.  I chose to embellish my boxwood wreath with a few gold berry picks and a homemade red bow.  If you haven't tried making your own bows, I strongly encourage you to give it a whirl.  They are actually super easy to make and I think they look 10-times better than the store bought equivalents.  More to come on holiday bow making in an upcoming post so stay tuned! 

In all honesty, we are going to get our tree this coming weekend and I am counting down the minutes.  I love the look and smell of a fresh Christmas tree during the holidays and waiting hasn't been easy!  While these festive touches have certainly helped to bring that bit of holiday cheer into my home, I am ready to get rolling with some serious holiday decorating!

New Den/Guest Room Reveal

When my husband and I first moved into our current home, one aspect that took us a while to wrap our heads around was what to do with all of the additional square footage we had gained.  Initially the focus was on fixing up the high traffic areas (living room, dining room, kitchen and bathroom).  Once those areas had been addressed we went on to tackle our master bedroom (see this post).  In essence, the first floor was the immediate priority and we decided to put a hold on addressing the upstairs until our downstairs was taken care of. 

Around the middle of July, with the reveal of the finished living room, our downstairs areas were pretty much done.  It was finally time to move onto tackling the upstairs.   To give you a little background on the upstairs layout, it is technically a loft space with one half of the floor opening up to the downstairs and the other half of the floor containing walls, closets and a half circle window (which I adore!).  This side of the upstairs was the obvious choice for the second bedroom.  

I know you are probably looking at these pictures and thinking, "where's the guest room?"  Well, the couch is actually sleeper sofa that pulls out to a queen sized bed.  Reason being, we plan to be in this house for at least 5-7 years, in which time we will most likely be adding a new family member to the mix (and no, not another bulldog much to Dolly's disappointment).  When that happens, we still want to have a place for guests to sleep, but won't have the space upstairs to accommodate a traditional adult sized bed.  Therefore, buying a sleeper sofa was a perfect solution.  It gives us a great sitting area and guest room all rolled into one.  

We all know that I have quite the ginger jar habit, so naturally I wanted to create a space that incorporated a splash of chinoiserie.  My overall vision for this space was inspired by the ginger jar, but morphed over time based on items I would come across while perusing various home stores (best decorating lesson- you've got to be flexible!).    White, gold, green and various shades of blue became the color story for my new guest room.  Below is a list of everything used + sourcing for each item. 

Details:

• Sleeper Sofa- Pottery Barn Buchanan Square Arm Upholstered Sleeper, White Twill
• End Tables- West Elm Terrace Side Table, Antique Brass
• Lamps- Ralph Lauren Farrah Crystal Lamps, purchased at Home Goods (similar here)
• Throw Pillows- Northern Parker Interiors
• Throw Blanket- Sferra Brushed Cotton Herringbone-Weave Throw, Moss
• Coffee Table- Vintage Find (similar here)
• Accent Chair- Restoration Hardware Professor Chair, Indigo Belgian Linen
• Chair Pillow- Kelly Wearstler Bengal Bazaar Lumbar Pillow, Indigo
• Coffee Table Books- The Houses of Veranda, India Hicks: Island Style, Domino: The Book of Decorating
• Green Coasters- Holly Stuart, Saxon Green
• Coffee Table Tray- West Elm Small Rectangle Lacquered Tray, Gold
• Hurricane- Simon Pearce Revere Hurricane
• Star Burst- Target Sea Urchin or Small Spike Decor Sphere

 We plan to build a wall with double french doors in 2016 to turn one half of the upstairs into a true guest room, but until the space still affords a degree of privacy to anyone staying upstairs.  I love the way this space has come together and dare I say, it might even be my favorite room in our house.  It is so bright, cozy and the perfect spot to enjoy my morning cup of coffee while watching my morning dose of Robin Roberts on Good Morning America.  

I will keep you all updated as we continue to fine-tune this space.  But for now, I am pretty ecstatic with the way everything has come together and am looking forward to having our first house guests staying up here for Thanksgiving (my sis and brother-in-law).  The nightstand water has been set out along with the fresh flowers, so now I just need to get working on making up their bed.  Now it's time to get back to prepping for Turkey Day!   

How to Make a Beautiful Holiday Wreath

 Over the weekend I spent some time working on seating and tablescaping for my upcoming Thanksgiving dinner.  It sounds crazy, but logistics for hosting a dinner party of this size and complexity requires lots of prep work weeks in advance.

I am in the final stages of fine tuning my Thanksgiving tablescape (sharing the big reveal on the blog next week!), but have been struggling with one major component...the centerpiece!  One concept I had been strongly considering was a fresh wreath made of mixed greenery encircling a big hurricane with a three-wick candle in the center.  In my mind this sounded like a great idea, but I needed to test it out before committing.

The results?  Let me just say that I am so glad that I took the time to test out this concept. It was obvious as soon as I placed the wreath on the table that it most definitely was not going to work as a centerpiece for this tablescape, however it did look fabulous on my front door.  

Why am I sharing this DIY?  The holiday season is pretty much here and wreaths tend to be a decor essential.  While I am constantly wishing that I could buy one of the many luxe wreaths sold in some of my favorite home stores, there is no way that I can justify spending $130 on something that will be dead in a few months.  DIY wreaths are not hard to make and cost a fraction of the price of those fancy store bought wreaths.  In addition, you have the ability to customize your wreath to meet your exact aesthetic specifications.  Here is how you can make your own beautiful wreath to adorn your home this holiday season. 

Materials:

• Trader Joe's Grapevine Wreath for $3.99! (Similar here)
• 22 Gauge Paddle Wire
• Wire Cutters
• Sharp Scissors or Branch Clippers
• Greenery: Myrtle, Eucalyptus, Fern, Pine, etc.
• Wreath Embellishments (Similar here)

Instructions:

1. Gather approximately 4-5 pieces of an assortment of greenery that has been trimmed to between 6-8inches in length
2. Using a piece of 6inch green wire, wrap the base of the greenery bunch tightly
3. To secure the greenery onto the wreath, cut an additional 6 inch piece of green wire and weave it through the grapevine wreath, then place your greenery bunch base over the piece of wire that has been woven through the wreath and use the wire to secure the bunch by twisting it tightly on top of the bunch (see image below).
4. Continue steps 1-3 until the entire wreath is covered with greenery bunches, making sure to overlap each bunch as you go around the wreath in order to hide the wiring.  
5. Once your wreath is covered in greenery, insert desired embellishments.  My embellishments did not require additional wiring to secure.  I merely inserted them into the desired locations and both the greenery and grapevine base held them in place.  
6. Your wreath will only last a few days, however, if you mist it every other day with a little water, a wreath of eucalyptus will dry beautifully and last for a few months.

Preparing Your Home for the Colder Months Ahead

The colder days of Fall and soon Winter are upon us, so for today's post I wanted to share a few ways that I am getting my house prepped and ready.   These tips are some of my essential check list items for ensuring a warm, cozy, safe and healthy environment during the chilly months.  

Have your heating system serviced

Heating and cooling systems should be serviced twice a year, once in the early Spring to make sure your air conditioning is in tip-top shape and then again in early fall to ensure that your heating system is ready to go.  This was a lesson that (of course) I had to learn the hard way in the dead of summer when my AC shut off due to a clog in the condensation drain pipe.  I spent the day sitting in an 80+ degree house waiting for maintenance to show up.  It was miserable and totally avoidable had I just been on a regular maintenance schedule.  Learn from my mistake, it is not worth it to wait until something breaks to have it serviced.   Get on a regular maintenance schedule.  When you heating/cooling is running problem-free, you will be so happy that you listened to this advice!

In addition to your AC/Heating unit, you should also plan to have your chimney serviced annually (early Fall) as well.  As a safety precaution I am a major advocate for Carbon Monoxide detectors.  They are inexpensive and most importantly, LIFE SAVING!  Every home should be equipped with these detectors, so please go out and get one if you haven't already.  

Get a Crock Pot and/or Dutch Oven

Colder weather means that Soup Season is officially here!  I am a huge fan of soup during the colder months.  In addition to soup being warm and comforting, it can be extremely affordable to prepare.  Every soup recipe I make/create starts with a either my Crock-Pot or Dutch Oven.  Whether it's a slowly made soup, like my recipe for Slow Cooker Lentil Soup, or a faster soup recipe, like Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup, both the Crock-Pot and dutch oven are kitchen staples/essentials and pieces that I highly recommend for any soup cooking enthusiasts.  

Outfit All of Your Sinks with Hand Moisturizer

Last week I had my annual check up with my dermatologist (having grown up in South Florida, annual mole checks are a must).  Anyway (sorry, TMI), at the end of the visit the physician's assistant gave me a list of the doctor's "Best Practices for Keeping Your Skin Healthy During the Winter Months."  Umm…Brilliant idea!  LOVE IT!!  One tip from the sheet that I especially loved was keeping hand moisturizer by all of your sinks.  When you think about it, this is such an easy tip and seems so obvious, however many people suffer from dried or cracked hands during the winter months.  Williams Sonoma makes a fabulous Hand Soap/Moisturizer Kitchen sink caddy that I am a huge fan of using because it not only meets my need for clean and hydrated hands, but they also have the most delicious selections of scents! 

Rotate your Wardrobe

Take time reorganize your wardrobe.  Pull out all of your spring clothes and store them away for the season in order to create room for those bulky winter sweaters and boots.  Since closet space is at a premium in the city, I am a huge fan of using Ziploc Vacuum Seal Space Saver Bags and under the bed plastic storage containers.  Not only are they great ways to efficiently use space, but they serve as great forms of protection for your clothes while being stored.  **Tip- before storing away your clothes for the season, take time to wash/launder all garments.  It will keep them in good shape and ready to wear for the next season.  

Winter-Proofing Your Dog

This is actually an area that had been initially overlooked the first winter we had Dolly.  It didn't occur to my husband or me how important it was to properly outfit our dog for winter until it was too late.  Yes, that first Winter with Dolly, she ended up suffering from some terribly cracked paws.  Terribly painful for her and of course Chris and I were beside ourselves seeing her in any sort of discomfort.  In a panic, I immediate ran to the pet store and spent way too much money on all sorts of winter gear that was necessarily the best for her either (i.e. like the set of $50 snow boots that she refuses to walk in…see below).   

After the initial fire drill with Dolly's cracked paws and trying to figure out how to protect them from any further pain/damage due to street salt and cold weather, I got to researching.  One of the most helpful resources actually came from watching this Martha Stewart Show segment (of course Martha would have the answers!).  Below is a breakdown of Dolly's list of winter must haves that I would recommend for any dog owner looking for the best ways to protect their pet this Winter. 

• Pawz Rubber Balloon Boots- these boots are both protective and comfortable.  
• Musher's Secret- all natural wax-based paw balm that is both protective and moisturizing. 
• Paw/Nose Balm- don't forget to moisturize your dog's nose!  Dog's noses are equally susceptible to chapping/cracking during the winter months if not properly moisturized. 
• Water Resistant Winter Coat- There are those days where the dog's natural fur coat is not going to cut it.  Having a good winter coat that is warm and water resistant is essential for keeping your pet healthy during the cold months.  
• Bag Balm- a product used for years by farmers to keep livestock from getting chapped skin is also a great product for moisturizing and healing your dog's paws. 
• Opie & Dixie's Healing Paw Balm- another great healing paw balm that I personally think smells the best (eucalyptus).  Very soothing and an excellent moisturizer.  

Today's list of winter prep tips are the essentials on my list every year.  However, if you are looking to go above and beyond with your seasonal preparation (which I typically do), here are links to Martha Stewart's Fall Homekeeping Tips and Winter Homekeeping Tips.  Both are fabulous resources, but of course feel free to email me with any questions not answered in today's post at redefiningdomestics@gmail.com. 

My Fall Decor Picks

Over the weekend I spent some time reviewing all of my Instagram posts since the start of the Fall season.  As I was reviewing the images, I noticed that certain seasonal decor pieces made repeat appearances in the various photos I had posted over the past few months.   For today's post I wanted to share a list of those top Fall decor picks that have been front and center on my Instagram account this season and have helped to transform my home into a cozy and inviting space that is appropriately outfitted for the Autumn season.  

Tortoise Shell Coasters

Whether it's a splash of cheetah, leopard or zebra, I love incorporating a splash of animal print into my home decor (always faux of course!).  When we moved into our current house, I decided to add a splash of unexpected texture to our living room wall with a pair of these Tortoise Shells from Restoration Hardware (and am still totally obsessed with them--see here and here).  Fall is all about the warm and earthy tones, so when I came across this set of tortoise shell coasters from Caspari, it was a no brainer!  Of course the biggest surprise when I first came across these coasters was the fact that they are actually just laminated cardboard, thus very inexpensive (double win!).  Stylish, functional and affordable, makes these coasters the perfect fall decor addition to any living room. 

Twine Balls

I came across these twine balls while perusing the aisles of my local florist/garden center.  When it came to fall decor last year I totally went pinecone crazy, so I was thrilled to have discovered these fab little natural twine balls.  They make for fabulous table accents, vase fillers and can even be spray painted (say…gold or copper?) to coordinate with any decor scheme.  Unique, versatile and inexpensive are all reasons why I am loving these twine balls this season.   

Glam Pumpkins

Glam pumpkins are still going strong in my house!  Initially I had been incorporating an assortment of metallic colors into my seasonal decor, however as the season has rolled on I have found that the white pumpkins with the gold painted stems have quickly taken over as the favorite.  Whether I am decorating my bar, creating a centerpiece for my dining room table or simply coffee tablescaping, these "glammed up" pumpkins are a decor must have for me this season.  

Hearth by Nest Fragrances

While on vacation in North Carolina a few weeks ago, my husband and I spent a day perusing the shops of the most picturesque town in the mountains, Blowing Rock (definitely a town worth seeing if you are ever in the area).  One of my favorite stores in this town has the most fabulous selection of Caspari products, entertaining accessories and NEST Fragrances (naturally, this was my favorite store in Blowing Rock).  The reason for regaling you with this bit of background, is because it was at this store that I first smelled Hearth, by: Nest Fragrances.  I started out by purchasing the votive, in order to test it out and see if I liked it.  Well, within a week of purchasing the votive, I found myself online ordering the 3-wick.  OMG, this candle is absolutely to die for! Reminiscent of a wintertime fire with delicious notes of rich wood, frankincense and smoky embers, this candle is the perfect cozy accent for any home on a cold fall evening.  

Greenery: Carnations, Chrysanthemums & Eucalyptus

We all know that I love fresh flowers in my home.  I mean every room has at least one, if not multiple flower arrangements at all times.  I am a total flower junkie.  What I love about the Fall months is that my repertoire has consisted of a lovely array of inexpensive florals/greenery that just so happen to be in season.  Carnations and various types of Chrysanthemums have been trending in my house since September.  Why?  They are voluminous, pretty, inexpensive and last for weeks!  Yes those red flowers pictured at the top and bottom of this post are carnations!  So fabulous!  

As for greenery, I have loved incorporating an assortment of eucalyptus into my arrangements, not only because they come at a price tag of $2.99/bunch (ala Trader Joe's of course!), but also because they are extremely fragrant and I am in love with that shade of eucalyptus green.   Carnations, chrysanthemums and eucalyptus are all fabulous floral additions that have helped me to transform my house from a bright and breezy summer space into a cozy fall abode.