Makeover Your Bedroom

If you're like us, your bedroom is the one place in your home where you feel like you can be completely unique with your design. Unlike the living room, bathroom and kitchen there's not nearly as much traffic that comes through - leaving the space almost completely to you.

If you're getting bored with your personal space, don't panic. There are plenty of ways to update your look without completely overhauling your decor. Just follow a few of these simple tips courtesy of Apartment Therapy and you'll be on your way to a revamped bedroom.



(Image courtesy of Emily May)

1. Paint the walls — or just one wall — in a really bold (but still soothing) color.

2. Add a colorful coverlet to your bed.

3. Layer rugs on rugs for an eclectic look.

4. DIY a big, puffy headboard for a super cozy look.

5. Hang an oversized piece of art above your bed.

6. Or hang a small piece off center, for a touch of the unexpected.

7. Or go one further and add a gallery wall behind the bed.

8. Choose traditional nightstands to add a little texture to a modern space.

9. Add an oversized plant.

10. If your bedroom is big enough, pull your bed away from the wall and let it be the center of attention.

11. Paint a smaller piece (like your nightstand) in an eye-popping color.

12. Hang a mobile above your bed, because why should babies have all the fun?

13. Pair two mismatched nightstands for a little contrast.\

14. Hang a rug (or a funky textile) over the head of your bed.

15. Use one or more low tables as a nightstand...

16. And lean art on top of them.

17. A simple bulb, with the cord looped a few times around a hook hanging from the wall, makes for a funky bedside light.

18. Hang a picture ledge over the top of your bed and use it to display a rotating selection of artwork.

19. Create an accent wall behind the bed with some funky wallpaper. (This one is 'Genuine Fake Books' by Deborah Bowness.)

20. Take the 'rug as headboard' look to a whole new level with an oversized sisal rug. (This one is from Eco Chic.)

21. Lean an antique ladder against the wall and cover it with string lights for some unusual atmospheric lighting.

22. Hang a metal wall sculpture above the bed. (Find one at an antique shop or on Ebay.)

23. Wrap a gallery wall around a corner.

24. Hang a curtain behind the head of the bed — it's easier than a canopy, but still gives a soft, classic feel.

25. Hang a mirror on the curtain for a little sparkle.

26. An Otomi quilt will bright up your room on even the darkest of days.

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Holiday Party Tips and Tricks

Are you hosting a holiday get together this year? You may be stressed, but there are a few things that are not worth stressing over. Your guests want to have a good time, but they do not need everything to be perfect. Here are three focus points for your dinner party, and a few things you should not worry about. You can learn more at Apartment Therapy.

What to not focus on:

Having a picture-perfect setting. We all want to put our best foot forward, but holding your home to shelter mag standards is hardly necessary. So there are some half-built shelves in the living room; string some fairy lights on them and call in a feature! Putting off a party because your house isn't up to par only results in missed opportunities. Same goes for cleanliness. While I'd never advise having guests over without at least a quick clean, focus on the things that matter: a sparkling bathroom, relatively dust-free surfaces, a clutter-free living room. No one will care if your medicine cabinet or fridge are organized, and no one will notice if the walls in the entryway need a scrub. Low lighting and the distraction of good conversation can work wonders.

Whether all the food is homemade. As someone who loves to cook and entertain, I've fallen into this trap more than once. Serving an array of finger food while guests arrive? Better make three kinds of flatbreads and homemade hummus, then. Store-bought ice cream with that pie? Not at my dinner party! This, quite frankly, is exhausting and ridiculous. If you can swing a 100% homemade meal, by all means go for it, but otherwise, cut yourself some slack. Good breads, cheeses and olives always go down a treat as pre-dinner nibbles, as does a bakery-bought dessert if you're not a natural baker. Even consider ordering in the main if that's your thing: as long as it's tasty and abundant, no one will care where it came from.
The group dynamic. When mixing friend groups, it's easy to worry about whether everybody will hit it off. Equal numbers of guys and girls, whether every guest has a "buddy" other than you: my advice is not to worry about these things, and choose your guests based on their fab and mesh-able personalities. Think about it like this: you're an awesome person with awesome taste in friends. All yours friends are thus, similarly awesome. Everyone will be friends by the time dessert rolls around, anyway.

Instead, focus your energy here:
Presentation. While I'm not suggesting Martha levels of prep are always necessary, I do think that presentation is the best way to make your guests think they're getting a Michelin-star meal (even if you did buy half of it at the deli around the corner). Toss a simple salad on a beautiful platter, arrange the cheeseboard with care. Don't ignore the table either: flowers, candles, place cards if you're so inclined— all will create the sense of a considered, yet effortless, occasion.
Abundance. It's always better to have too much food and drink than too little. Offer more dessert, even if everyone is stuffed. Bring out tea and coffee. Heck, send guests home with leftovers for their lunch the next day! I keep cheap plastic take-out containers around for this purpose, and it's a huge compliment when someone eagerly takes me up on the offer.
Enjoyment. If you're enjoying yourself, so will your guests. Answer the door with a drink in your hand and a smile on your face. If you're stuck in the kitchen for a bit, take up an offer to join you and help. They came to see you, after all.

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Houseguest for the Holidays

Are you traveling for the holidays? If you are staying with a friend or family member, it is very important to be a respectful houseguest. Hosting guests is very stressful, but you can help make it easier for your loved one. Read over these tips, and you can comment below with some tips of your own. You can learn more at Apartment Therapy.


Keep your belongings, neatly, in your room.

As someone who aspires, at least, to keep her house in order, I really appreciate it when my guests do their best to keep their suitcases and extra belongings in their designated areas. Of course, items like coats and shoes (which we don't wear in the house), are left out, and I am happy when guests take it upon themselves to notice where they belong and put them there.


Take care of your own special needs.

If your hostess asks about things you can't (or prefer not to) eat, it's okay to be honest— to a point. But if you have specific dietary or health needs, it's nice to take care of them yourself rather than expecting your hostess to learn about and provide for your needs. For instance, before I was more familiar with gluten-free diets and before gluten-free alternatives were ubiquitous, a houseguest of mine brought her own gluten-free pasta. I appreciated her foresight and consideration — and that, for the sake of my preparations, she told me she would do this beforehand.


Fit in.

Try to notice the rhythms and rituals of your hosts. If their habit is to sit and eat around the table together, join them rather than grazing, even if that's what you're used to. If your hosts enjoy conversation once all the kids are down, spend some time with them even if all you want to do is go to bed yourself! On the other hand, if you know your hosts go to bed earlier than you do, assure them that you're fine up on your own or even retreat to your space so your hosts feel comfortable leaving the common area as well.


Strip the sheets.

This could depend on how well you know your hosts, but this act, to me, shows a thoughtfulness about the practical side of having houseguests and a willingness to help however possible — and this means a lot. If you're not on a do-my-laundry-in-your-washer level of familiarity, leave the bed linens and towels in a tidy pile. Otherwise, if you can swing it, do the sheets and put them back on the bed. My mother always does this, and recent houseguests did this for me and what a relief! How nice to leave your host's place even better than when you got there.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! What are you thankful for this year?

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Put This In Your Holiday Hosting Arsenal: An Emergency Cleanup Kit

Ever spilled coffee or red wine on a carpet? The difference between a quick clean up and a bad stain can be preparedness! Check out this Emergency Cleanup Kit and make sure that you're ready should the worst happen.

It's hosting season and you know what that means: your home will soon be getting a workout. Be it parties or houseguests, lots of traffic means lots of messes. Since you know spills are inevitable, do yourself a favor this year and put together an emergency cleaning kit so you'll be prepared to act fast when someone slips up.

Having this quick kit on hand has two benefits. First, it'll help you deal with those messes quickly (and therefore more effectively) and more importantly, it lets you avoid the drama and embarrassment that can go along with an accident. Keeping these key things close means there's no need to frantically empty everything from under the sink in the middle of a party or family dinner (and make the spiller feel worse than they already do!).

The Emergency Kit

• Sponge or microfiber cloth
• Small handheld broom and dustbin
• Countertop cleaner
• Soda water (to dilute a stain but it's also handy to have on hand in case you run out during your party)
• Salt (combine with soda water as an effective natural stain remover)
• Laundry stain stick or wipes for clothing spills
• Masking tape for picking up those final, invisible shards of a broken glass

Put these things in a caddy and get ready to be the graceful host who can dispatch spills and get back to the party that much quicker.

(Image credits: Shutterstock)

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3 Ways To Get Your Pumpkin Spice Fix Without The Bad Stuff

The smells of fall are here, and one of everyone's favorite is...pumpkin! Pumpkin spice is making its way into everything this season, be it pie, beer, coffee, or whatever! Instead of buying those items and dealing with the bad stuff that comes with them, check out this article to find "3 Ways To Get Your Pumpkin Spice Fix Without The Bad Stuff"!

Photo courtesy of the author - Cassandra Bodzak





Many of you probably know that the beloved pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks (and the pumpkin syrup at Dunkin') have been exposed for the frauds they are, containing milk that barista's never warn you about in the actual syrup, chemicals like caramel coloring that are not healthy to be ingested and filled with GMO milk if you get yours with soy.

More than one friend or client has mentioned how upsetting this news was to them and begged me to tell them how to get their pumpkin spice fix without sacrificing their health. Well the good news is it's really easy and even better, you'll save a lot of money skipping out on those $5 lattes this season! 
My Go-To Tricks To Satisfy My Pumpkin Spice Fix:

Sugar & Spice

Make your own latte at home using organic, gmo-free nut milk (or making your own nut milk!) and while you're steaming your milk add in 1/2 teaspoon to a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice (you can buy pumpkin spice at trader joe's or most grocery stores by the spices). For those of you who want a sweeter taste, drizzle a little grade B maple syrup for a rich fall flavor with a healthier take than sugar.

Spice 'n Brew

This only works if you have an old school coffeemaker or french press and not so much with the keurigs unless you use the DIY cup where you add your own grounds. Simply add 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice per cup of coffee in with grounds and brew per usual. You can experiment with vary amount of spices, as you might guess, I like mine pretty pumpkin spicey! The beautiful part of this is that you can get it just right, so you can, GASP, make your own pumpkin coffee then one of those big chains that have a standard formula for everyone.

Tea Time

Yes, I know this is NOT coffee but it's my favorite option lately and you might find that when you're going on pumpkin beverage number three you may want to do yourself a little favor and give your body a break from all the caffeine. My favorite pumpkin spice tea is Harney + Sons but there are plenty of them out there so shop around and let me know if you find a favorite! I also add some almond milk to my tea in this case to make it feel a little more decadent.

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Turn Your Bathroom Into a Spa

After a long day at work, sometimes coming home and collapsing onto the couch just doesn’t help you to de-stress. But imagine if you had your own mini-spa right in your apartment bathroom! Some simple re-decorating is all it takes to turn your bathroom into your oasis. Use these tips from Apartment Therapy to get started.

"giant bathtub" by Erica Nicol is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

1. Enclose it

Part of the joy of a spa is that ability to take a break from life — to step away from the stresses and just focus on you. So consider a way to create a barrier between you, your bathroom and the rest of the world. It could be an extra lovely/dramatic shower curtain. It could be a curtain that you place over the door for an extra barrier. It could be big plants that partially obscure the rest of your bathroom from say, your tub. Get creative to think of a way you can enclose yourself to feel protected and a little bit transported.

2. Consider the presentation

As you can imagine, bath salts, yummy-smelling soaps and other treats for your body are a great way to treat yourself to a spa day. But don't just line them up unceremoniously on your bathroom counter. Think about the presentation. Put products in lovely containers you like handling. If you have a tub, consider splurging on a lovely-to-you bathtub caddy that you can slip into a warm bath under.

3. Add something surprising

Maybe it's a piece of art in your shower (or something more practical). Maybe it's a giant mirror in a weird spot. Perhaps it's just a bouquet of flowers on the edge of your tub. Just add something that will surprise you and perhaps transport you to a feeling of relaxation.

4. Consider all your senses

Start with neutralizing the things that might stress you out first. Loud noises from construction down the street or neighbors? Include white noise or soothing music to cover up sounds you don't want. Hate the overhead light in your windowless bathroom? Bring in candles.

5. Surround yourself with softness

When you're ready to leave your spa-like bathroom, take that relaxation with you by surrounding yourself with softness. Make sure you step onto a plush bath mat or into fluffy slippers. Towel off from a bath or shower with an extra cozy towel. Wrap yourself in a robe.

What would you put in your spa bathroom?

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