Crate&Barrel and Blue Candlesticks…

March 17, 2013

Sara Silver . DIY, Inspiration . Candlesticks, Spring

Reclaiming Your Castle

I hope everyone is having a good weekend! I attempted to blog a bit last night but I fell asleep with the computer on my lap; it’s been a long week!

So feeling much more rested this morning I headed over to Crate&Barrel for a little inspiration and as always, it didn’t disappoint…see how happy I look! : )

Reclaiming Your Castle

One of the things I loved the most was all the blue in Crate&Barrel’s Spring collection. From patio furniture to cookware it was everywhere and although I would have loved to buy it all, I left with $6 worth of Spring cupcake wrappers and decided to try and recreate the look on my own.

Reclaiming Your Castle

Crate&Barrel

I had a set of cheap candlesticks that I picked up from a thrift shop for $2.99 a piece. They’re a sturdy metal and have, as I’ve heard it referred to on many a design show, “good bones.” They seemed like the perfect thing to bring all that pretty blue into my house!

Reclaiming Your Castle

I would add in the step by step here but all that it really involved was picking up a spray paint suitable for metal in a color inspired by my trip to Crate&Barrel. That’s what I did and here’s what I ended up with!

Reclaiming Your Castle

It’s amazing what a little paint can do, right?

Reclaiming Your Castle

Using spray paint is a really cheap way to bring new life to old pieces. Get a little color inspiration; find out what’s trendy and if the color fits your personal taste use it to update a few things around your house!

5 Perfect Mason Jar Makeovers…

March 15, 2013

Sara Silver . Inspiration . mason jars

Pottery Barn

What is it with mason jars…they’re everywhere! This past weekend I bought the ones you see above as part of a gift basket for a bridal shower and although I can’t exactly explain why…I love them (as does the rest of the world apparently). Pottery Barn didn’t dress them up at all other than throwing on wire handles, which admittedly makes them all the more loveable, but they’re selling them for $9.50 a piece! You can’t be mad…that’s kind of genius given their current popularity (I bought them!) but the DIY possibilities are endless and far less expensive. Here are a few of the best ideas I’ve seen for repurposing mason jars.

Bourbon & Books

Every time I see something like this I wonder why I didn’t think of it first…so cute and easy to do! These mason jar wall sconces are secured to drift wood with a leather strap. Let me first say that I love the contrasting masculine and feminine in this example; the flowers against the worn wood and leather looks amazing! Can you see these over a pair of night stands in a beach themed bedroom…or filled with flowers and lined up in a row above a bed for a DIY headboard (hey, I might do that!)?

Emily Henderson

If you’ve ever watched HGTV you’ve probably seen Emily Henderson…and if you’ve seen Emily Henderson then you can’t help but love her unique sense of style and design. She was given the task to fill a large shelving unit for minimal cost and what did she use…mason jars! Throw a little paint in the jar (Emily recommends using flat paint) and then use a brush to paint the inside. Let it dry and then do another coat or two until the inside is completely covered. To finish the look she spray painted the lids gold for a little extra pop. The gradient effect is incredible; Emily mirrored a paint chip color strip to get the look…genius!

oh-lovely-day

So, I love this idea. The fact that the pictures inside the mason jars are black and white just adds to the vintage feel the jars already have. These would look so cool lined up side by side in a bookshelf or grouped together in the center of a table. Can you see little tea lights interspersed between the jars reflecting light on the pictures…that would really be beautiful!

Esty

I love a clean kitchen and for me that’s having everything put away and streamlined. It bothers me having a hand soap dispenser sitting on the side of the sink messing up my visual zen! : ) This mason jar soap dispenser is the answer. It’s cute and functional…I love a DIY pieces with a purpose!

Apartment Therapy

How beautiful is this people, really? This is a great idea whether you’re hosting a large get together or serving an intimate meal at your own table. The various heights of the jars create lots of visual interest and in my opinion you can never have enough candle light! This is sweet…and the lack of other table decorations make it perfectly simple.

Spring Color Love Part 2…Poppy Red!

March 14, 2013

Sara Silver . Inspiration . Color, Poppy Red

Carmen Marc Valvo

I’m loving the Spring 2013 Pantone for Grayed Jade…but Poppy Red is running a close second. Red is such a richly distinct color and although it’s generally seen in association with cooler weather and the holiday season, I think little bursts of red around the house this Spring could be really fun!

Here’s some Poppy Red Inspiration!

Lex Croft

Update The Metroplex

The Bride’s Cafe

Pottery Barn

Houzz

Tom Jones

Martha Stewart Weddings

Dribble

Flora Fauna

beachbabyblues

Update Dallas

Decor Pad

LuLusWoobies / Esty

Wallpapers Kingdom

Grayed Jade…Spring Color Love!

March 13, 2013

Sara Silver . Inspiration . Color

Pantone

I’m always interested in finding out what colors are trendy for the upcoming season and for Spring 2013 these are it! You’ve seen them on the runway and that always translates itself into interior design.

Nicole Miller

From the pallet above my favorite is the Grayed Jade. Part muted green and part bright gray, it’s a perfect neutral for walls and throw pillows and would look great paired with almost any traditional Spring colors. Consider using this color on your walls…can you imagine how it would make your pinks and yellows pop? Here’s some inspiration!

Re-Do It Design

TwoBlueMunkeys / Esty

1768 thirteenth st.

Patina Vintage Revival

The Excited Bride

The Bold and the Beautiful

Adventures in Jewelry

Posy Rosy

Habitations Robert

JillianReneDecor / Esty

Pottery Barn Outlet Love…

March 9, 2013

Sara Silver . Inspiration . Candles, Decor, Gifts

Everything beautiful in the world is inside Pottery Barn…just thought I should let you know.

Chunky Necklace…Mid Week Fashion Boost

March 7, 2013

Sara Silver . Inspiration . Necklace

Sakurapink

It’s Wednesday and I need a little fashion inspiration. I wore jeans to work today (shhhh) and after cooking spaghetti, giving my kids a bath and washing dishes it’s not my home that needs sprucing up…if you know what I mean.

I love chunky necklaces…particularly the ones that incorporate fabric and jewelry. I found my way over to Etsy where they have an amazing collection of one of kind, hand-made pieces that can totally change the look of your outfit. Jeans and a tee-shirt….eh. Jeans, tee-shirt and an amazing statement necklace…much better!

Take a look at these and see if they inspire you.

KeywheatKreations

The individual strips on this piece mimic a multi-strand necklace but the fabric makes it more of a scarf. Either way…love it. $18 on Etsy.

Necklush

Hand printed and handmade of organic cotton in Brooklyn, NY, this piece is more pricey at $74. That being said, I can’t imagine any outfit this wouldn’t make look instantly more fabulous.

Vanessahandmade

This was crocheted…really. I love the chunky beads and the waves and curls of the fabric. According to the site this piece made it to the front page of Etsy; $47.50.

Letterstojane

So, this would be a special occasion piece but can you see it paired with a strapless dress to a summer wedding? Vintage inspired, gorgeous, $75.

whimsybeadsmaine

These cloth covered beads are cute and would look great for everyday wear. $28 on Etsy.

HMbySemraAscioglu

I hate to tell you that this one is $135 but does it make it better that it’s handmade of light powder glass pearls? The idea is what I love though…layers of beading and materials. So pretty!

Do you think any of these overnight? : ) Officially inspired.

The Fault in Our Stars…

February 28, 2013

Sara Silver . Inspiration . John Green

The Fault in Our Stars – John Green

I love to read a good novel and one of the best I’ve read recently is “The Fault in Our Stars,” by John Green.

I’ve been wanting to write a book review because well, if you’ve been following along with the blog you need something to read while you’re lounging around on your new throw pillows, right? : )

Seriously though, this book is so beautifully written that I can’t keep quiet about it. It’s spawned many a website full of quotes and if you read it you’ll see why.

“One swing set, well worn but structurally sound, seeks new home. Make memories with your kid or kids so that someday he or she or they will look into the backyard and feel the ache of sentimentality as desperately as I did this afternoon. It’s all fragile and fleeting, dear reader, but with this swing set, your child(ren) will be introduced to the ups and downs of human life gently and safely, and may also learn the most important lesson of all: No matter how hard you kick, no matter how high you get, you can’t go all the way around.”
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

The story is written in the voice of two teenagers falling in love and at the same time dying of cancer. Reading that brief synopsis you might ask yourself why I would suggest that you read something so depressing but here’s the thing – it’s one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. It gives a really accurate portrayal of the way love really is sometimes…fleeting and finite despite how desperately we try to hold onto it.

The author, John Green, is a former children’s hospital chaplain and was encouraged to write this book out of the experiences he had during that time. It’s received 5 stars from almost every review I’ve seen and it’s well deserved.

A few more quotes to encourage you to read…enjoy!

“You don’t get to choose if you get hurt in this world…but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices.”
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

“As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.”
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

“Much of my life had been devoted to trying not to cry in front of people who loved me, so I knew what Augustus was doing. You clench your teeth. You look up. You tell yourself that if they see you cry, it will hurt them, and you will be nothing but a Sadness in their lives, and you must not become a mere sadness, so you will not cry, and you say all of this to yourself while looking up at the ceiling, and then you swallow even though your throat does not want to close and you look at the person who loves you and smile.”
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

“I’m in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we’re all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we’ll ever have, and I am in love with you.”
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

Inspiring Bedroom Ideas for Spring…

February 28, 2013

Sara Silver . Inspiration . Bedroom

Spring is in the air! Well, technically here it’s still freezing and raining and half the country is covered in snow…but it’s almost time, right?

Well, even if it’s still chilly outside we can begin transforming our homes on the inside in preparation of warmer weather and longer days…soon we’ll be opening up the windows and letting in the warm breeze. Now, that’s a nice thought!

Serena & Lily

One of my favorite places to start transitioning into Spring and Summer is the bedroom. I like to think about incorporating colors that evoke a sense of calm and encourage rest…I try to worry less about following the color trends and allow my personal preferences to lead my color choices.

This season, maybe upgrade to higher thread count sheet set…or consider following one of these links to splurge on some luxorious bedding.

Serena & Lily

Neiman Marcus

Designers Guild

Neiman Marcus

Sherwin-Williams…Chip It Like It’s Hot

February 27, 2013

Sara Silver . Inspiration . Paint

Lowe’s Home Improvement

So, do you remember when I said yesterday that the Photo Gallery Wall Templates were like the greatest thing ever?

I have been proven wrong…by Sir Sherwin-Williams.

Let me explain.

I found myself looking for some inspirational Spring color pallets to share with you today and ended up on the Lowe’s Home Improvement site where the picture above was being displayed. Beautiful, right? Apricot and purple are huge this coming Spring season so I headed over to Sherwin-Williams online to see if they had some similar paint colors available. And that’s where I found it.

http://letschipit.com via Sherwin-Williams allows you to upload a picture that contains all of the colors you want represented in your home and, wait for it……

Lowe’s / Sherwin-Williams

Shut up.

Did other people know about this?

Can we do it again?

Sure!

Better Homes & Gardens

Better Homes & Gardens / Sherwin- Williams

Painting your walls is one of the easiest, and cheapest ways to update your home and can become the starting off point to build the rest of your room around. If you prefer white or neutral walls, use this Chip It tool to pair colors for your drapes or curtains, throw pillows, decorative pieces and picture frames for a designer finish to every room in your home.

Try it…but I’ll warn you ahead of time…you could get stuck doing this all night! 🙂

Better Homes & Gardens

Toby Fairley

JWS- Interiors

Better Home & Gardens

Better Homes & Gardens

100 Ways to Create a Photo Gallery Wall…Literally

February 26, 2013

Sara Silver . Inspiration . Photo Gallery Wall

s.a.s. interiors

If you’ve ever considered creating a Photo Gallery Wall you must follow the link above…the best templates I’ve ever seen for getting this look right! In fact, after trying this myself several times a bit unsuccessfully I’m almost inspired to print this out and grab the hammer (at 10:16 PM with two sleeping children that might not be the best idea). But really, it’s that good!

So, what you’ll find are a series of templates for arranging your photos up a staircase, over a bed, over a crib, beside a table, in a hallway…you get the point. Incredible and endlessly useful.

Photo Galleries are the answer to the big empty spaces looming over your lonely household furniture items. So many times I (and maybe you) have gone out looking for one big piece of art just to fill a space rather than exploring this option because as easy as it looks…it’s really not. It’s well worth the work though because instead of ending up with a meaningless framed picture of a prairie you can display a collague of family photos, pets, vacation pics…even small mirrors and large letters and numbers (which is very trendy now).

Try this and what you’ll end up with is a wall that’s visually interesting and incredibly personal to you. It will help turn your house into a home!