Hurry Home, Honey : July 2012

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Dinner at Eight

I love throwing dinner parties. This weekend I had The Lumberjack's family over for dinner and the six of us crowded into my apartment for pot roast. When hosting a dinner party it's fun to have a theme to inspire the evening. For this weekend's dinner my goal was a refreshing summer vibe. To keep things simple but also bright and cheery, I folded fuchsia linen napkins over classic white porcelain plates. A simple mercury glass vase held a bouquet of purple daisies in the center of the table. Sangria served from a mason jar dispenser added an extra touch of summer whimsy.

Think of throwing dinner parties as an extension of your home decorating style. What a great excuse to have family and friends over to show off your home.

A recipe for Sangria:

1 bottle of Merlot
1/2 cup brandy
2 cups berry lemonade
1 liter ginger ale
1 lemon
2 tangerines
2 tbl spoons sugar
In a large pitcher combine all liquids and add sugar. Slice fruit into quarters and squeeze juice into the mixture. Add fruit and ice to the pitcher. Stir and enjoy!

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Bracelets and Baubles

Where do you keep your bracelets and baubles? Recently I decided to re-do the way I store and organize my jewelry. What I had before were left over pieces from my college dorm. I bought the below gold stack-able set from Bed Bath and Beyond last weekend which is much more sophisticated.

Display jewelry in a fun and easy way so that when you are getting ready you can find exactly what you are looking for. Cases with compartments are great because they will keep your pieces tangle free. You could also hang your jewelry on the wall or delicately arranged on a cake pedestal. There are so many cute options out there right now. I'm loving the below shadow box frame with inlaid hooks from Cost Plus World Market.

Bracelets and Baubles by hurryhomehoney on polyvore.com

Ampersand Gold Stackable Jewelry Trays
bedbathandbeyond.com

Rose Mallow Reflection Jewelry Box, Rectangle
anthropologie.com

Whitewash Elizabeth Wall Jewelry Storage | Wall Art and Decor| Home...
worldmarket.com

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Do it Yourself: A Dresser Drawer Makeover

An easy fix for an old dresser is to update the drawers with contact paper. Adding some color or a new design to the inside of your drawers will keep you delighted each time you open them.

These drawers are just calling for a makeover

Supplies:

I found this drawer lining paper at Home Goods for $3.99 for 5 sheets..not bad!

A friend gave me these scented sachets just in time for the DIY :)

Step 1: Thoroughly vacuum all the drawers

Step 2: Begin to line the contact paper in the drawer. You may need to overlap two sheets depending on the size of the drawer. If you can’t find contact paper you can also use a thick sheet of wrapping paper. A lot of craft stores sell single sheets of paper in dozens of darling designs.

Step 3: Tuck in your sachet under the paper towards the back of the drawer. In place of a fragranced sachet you can also use a pouch filled with dried lavender. If you are really in a pinch try scented tea light candles or spray the paper with your favorite perfume.

Step 4: Use scotch tape to secure the paper to the drawer so it doesn’t move around.

It’s that easy! And look how cute! Can’t wait to open my drawers tomorrow to the new motif.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

The Magic Number

One of my favorite parts of home decorating is all the final touches that go into making a room come alive. Searching for the items that are going to rest on the top of a vanity or line the rows of a bookshelf takes a lot more work than it sounds. A simple trick for getting it right: group items in odd numbers. Three and five are generally the magic number

A lovely way to make a house a home is to incorporate vintage family photos, display a collection, or use meaningful dishes as catchalls. Tell a personal story.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Small Space, Big City

After The Lumberjack and I got back from New York, my company flew me back so I could work for a week out of our office in the Empire State Building. I had no idea I would be going back so soon! Swiss Miss came down from Boston and we got to play for a few days (i.e. mostly drinking and shopping).

This trip to New York gave me a little taste of what it was like to live in a big city. When I got back home it got me thinking about living in the city and I started researching apartments in San Francisco. As amazing as it would be to move to the city, I can’t get over the sticker shock. For twice what I pay now I would have less space and no parking. I really feel for those out there who are living in cramped quarters so I’ve decided to dedicate this post to home design in a small space, big city apartment.

A beautiful New York City studio apartment by Nate Berkus:

Move your couch up against the foot of the bed. This works best when the couch is the same size as the width of the bed. It will also help the “bedroom area" to feel more obvious.

If you want to have a free floating couch in the center of the room, think about placing a desk behind the couch to create your work station. This is much more interesting than having a desk up against a wall.

Place a focal point over the bed to draw the eye up. Since your bed will most likely be the largest piece of furniture in the room, you might as well make a statement. Think: over-sized sparkling mirror or an elongated mural.

The coffee table should be on the smaller side. If you can’t find a glass table then try placing two identical square tables side by side.

Remember, you want to create defined living spaces while still allowing the room to feel open. You’re basically trying to fit a living room, bedroom, kitchen and more into one room. Everything in your apartment needs to be functional and shouldn't take up very much visual space. Minimize clutter and keep in mind that a lighter color palette will work wonders.

Mix it up! When space is limited you have to get really creative. Keep moving furniture around until you feel you’ve gotten it right.