Then and Now

Drew Barrymore has taken a major turn for the better. Teeth whitening and botox go a long way! Check out the difference:

She looks ten years younger, I must say.

Extraordinary

Black & Spiro recently opened a newly renivated office, in case you haven't heard. And my favorite part is this unbelievable "tutu" desk. It takes my breath away!

Guest Rooms

A few weeks ago when I visited West Palm Beach with my family we stayed in the most amazing condo on the beach. With only two bedrooms, I wondered how on earth all six of us would fit. However, the condo designer was very creative on sleeping options and furnished the guest bedroom with two queen beds. The couch converted to a bed as well.

I love rooms that offer a unique bed placement, whether its a sleeping nook, porch or multiple beds in one room. Here are some of my favorites.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,

For the New Apartment

Have I ever told how much I absolutely can't get enough of Nate Berkus' designs for HSN? Amazing stuff at an amazing price!

This coffee table is perfect for my living room. I'm definitely going to buy it! It's only $279, too.

Also, I've already placed my order for these cute sheets in the cobalt blue. I plan on pairing them with a white duvet and then adding a punch of navy and coral color with an accent blanket.

The walls in my bedroom will be a neutral taupe and I of course still planning on making my headboard covered is a soft linen fabric. Pictures will for sure follow

Wanna Buy It Wednesday: 2004 18th Avenue South, Nashville, TN

I'm starting to feel a little weepy as today marks the beginning of my last week in sweet Nashville. I have loved this city since the day I moved here not just for the people, but for the great food and charm of the beautiful neighborhoods I've been able to reside in. I thought it would be much easier to leave this place than it is.

So, my last "Wanna Buy it Wednesdays" will be dedicated to this fine place while I'm still here. 2004 18th Avenue South isn't too far from where I currently live in Nashville and it's no mansion by any means. I chose this home because I can realistically see myself living in a place like it in the near future. It's pretty tiny, but lacks no originality. I love the curves and nooks of the ceilings and oak hardwood floors. I also like the big deck and low maintenance yard. The asking price for this home is $425,000. It has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with 2300 square feet.

Tackling the Clutter

Recently when visiting my parents, I helped my mom do a major reorganization of her downstairs. It was quite the job! Mainly because my mom really doesn't like to get rid of things. The fact is, it's hard for most people to de-clutter their closets and shelves. We tend to get emotionally attached to our belongings and throwing away items we don't use just makes us feel uncomfortable.

But, keeping our belongings organized is so important to decorating and maintaining our homes. To make things easy for my mom, I set up a few ground rules that made the de-clutter process less stressful.

1. Be Prepared- Make three designated piles labeled, "keep", "toss", and "donate."

2. Bring a Friend- Having someone with you to help you through the process will only make it easier.

3. Follow the One Year Rule- If you haven't worn or used it in a year, get rid of it.

4. Only keep what fits or what you use regularly. Also, get rid of any duplicate items.

5. Plan for what you keep- After narrowing down your belongings to what you'd like to keep, buy accessories for your closet and shelves to store your things appropriately.

Believe it or not, my mom got rid of two car loads of stuff! I was so proud of her. She also has a better sense of what she has and where it is. Before you decide to tackle your clutter, do yourself a favor and follow these few simple steps.

Custom Roman Shades for Half the Price

When I was home last week my mom asked me to help her redecorate a few rooms of her house. Of course was glad to help! To save a few pennies, we decided to go with store bought grass roman shades instead of custom. However, we ran into a problem in the living room. Mom's windows are 25 inches x 61 inches. I searched high and low for the right size at the right price. Custom was going to cost $200 per shade so it was totally out of the question.

Then I stumbled on JCPenney's made-to measure blinds. For two semi-custom blinds, it's going to cost $83!


Moral of the story? Do your research. Roman shades are doable on any budget.

Wanna Buy It Wednesday: Kennebunkport, Maine

Summertime is the perfect season to escape away to the coast of New England for a relaxing retreat. In fact, a 4 bedroom home in Maine would be just perfect, don't you think?

This amazing 4 bedroom 4.5 bath home sits on the Atlantic coast of Maine and has everything you need to entertain a house full of guests including a huge kitchen and backyard entertaining area. I love the expansive views from every room and 10 foot ceilings on the first floor. The home was recently renovated in 2008 in a classic New England style. It's on the market for 4.875 million.

Zara Home

I'm ready to sign a petition at anytime to bring Zara Home to the U.S. I've loved Zara's clothes for many years now and feel the same about their home furnishings. They're beautiful and affordable. Here are a few of my favorites.

Balboa Island Beach House

Have you seen it? Designer Krista Ewart styled her sister's beautiful Balboa Island beach house, which is featured in this month's House Beautiful. I love her fearless use of bold color and trendy patterns to decorate the space. With an almost all white backdrop, color is used to accent the space.

Collections

I have been hunting for the perfect thing to collect for some time now. I wanted to find a versatile and classic item that would still be beautiful 30 years from now and have finally decided that silver is going to be my choice. I love the timeless beauty of silver, especially in the photos below.

via Country Living

Really pretty as a vase or on a mantle.

via Urban Grace Interiors

I love how Jenny from the Little Green Notebook display her silver heirlooms in this shadowbox.

Both elegant and practical from Simply Natural Decor.

Gorgeous against the faux brick fire place.

via Canadian House and Home

via Junk Market Style

Is there a special item that you love to collect?