Home Decor for Him and Her

Since moving to Kansas City, I’ve been exploring the little boutiques and scoping out the best places for sales! Coming from a small town without any real “boutiques” to visit, this place is heaven. I’ve noticed that many locally owned stores and even restaurants have been adopting a neutral color scheme that attracts both men and women. Since so many of my friends have gotten married recently or moved in with a significant other, I thought it might be fitting to blog about “gender neutral” decor and color schemes for the home.

The colors I love right now that suit everyone is using soothing creams, navy, gray, and gold in main living areas. Men don’t want tons of pink in their chill out space and women don’t want anything that resembles a Star Wars color scheme either. Blending these neutral colors together is a great way to make a space both feminine and masculine.

Gender Neutral Home Decor

Let’s start with a great area rug. Some of my favorites have come from places like TJ Maxx. The Ikat pattern (featured above) is a really nice way to add interest to a space while keeping it gender neutral. Choosing colors in the rug should be a reflection of how you want the rest of the room to look. The navy and cream in this rug will allow you to branch out with other colors in the rest of your design.

Moving on to the all important coffee table, I’m in love with lighter woods like bamboo, salt oak, and drift wood. They’re not hard on the eyes and they make everyone happy. If your man is a little more relaxed about the home decor situation, a clear glass table with gold legs or embellishments would be really nice too!

Finally, let’s talk about decorative pieces. Marble is a go-to material for me. I just can’t get enough of it (even if it’s fake!) Apothecary jars are also something I look for to use in the kitchen as a pretty way of storing sugar, coffee, and flour. For the living room, I want my couch to look inviting! Throw pillows and fluffy blankets is an easy way to accomplish this. I found that cat pillow on Etsy and I think it’s a really cute way to add personality to your cozy space without making the man in your life cringe.

What’s your favorite way to make a space “home-y” for you and your man? Leave me a comment!

High End Home Decorating

Thank goodness it’s almost Friday! I’ve spent the last few days applying for jobs non-stop, running errands, and doing generally unpleasant things. It’s life, I get that it won’t always be full of fun. That’s a lesson my mom taught me; life isn’t all fun and don’t rely on other people to make it better. Anyway, weekends are meant for relaxing and enjoying life, something I plan on doing when Friday night rolls around. I did treat myself yesterday by going to a high end furniture store called Nell Hill’s (I could only afford to look) in Kansas City. Here are a few things I found!

Pretty Things for a Pretty Penny

Can this armoire get any more fabulous? I walked by it and did a double take. How can one piece of furniture sum up my interior design tastes? Because it was so big and beautiful, I didn’t bother to look at the price.

Several pretty things I saw for a living room were all very distinct in terms of style and texture. The ottoman is velvet-y and the chairs were made of a regular cotton. The styles are very distinct but somehow work well together.

Can I just say that this “study” reminds me of something that was in the Parent Trap at the British twin’s home? It’s so smart and English looking. This embodies everything “#housegoals” means to me.

Oh hello gorgeous tartan plaid and velvet monogrammed pillows! I love tartans and monograms because of how reminiscent they are of the New England prep style. This bedroom set is very masculine but has so many great feminine touches in the details.

This desk is perfect to add to the study I mentioned above. The best part about a desk is all the little things you can put on top to personalize it. Picture frames and flowers are among my favorites.

Ahhh neutral bedding! Probably one of my favorite color schemes is oatmeal, cream, crisp white, soft grays, and a hint of yellow. Before anyone says I’m boring, I’d like to point out how well all of these colors can go with little accents you might like to add to the room as well as seasonal touches throughout the year.

Last but not least is this beautiful marble table with the cute potted topiaries on top! I think marble is such a classic element to use that no matter what decade it is, it won’t go out of style unlike trending concrete or granite.

Leave a comment with your favorite piece of furniture you see here!

Channeling Our Inner Audrey

I’ve always been an Audrey Hepburn fan, and apparently so has Kim Kardashian, or so it appears. In a new ad for Hype energy drinks, Kim channels her inner Audrey Hepburn while riding a bicycle similar to the famous photos of Audrey on the set of “Sabrina”.

Quite honestly, I’m not a fan of this ad. Audrey is famous for her movies and Kim is famous for… “home” movies and her rather large bum. It was a good try on Kim’s part, but she has her own brand and it makes no sense for her to attempt a look that doesn’t line up with it. Maybe she should try for Madonna next time. It’s a little closer to her brand.

For those of us who aren’t know for our bums or anything else, we can try to recreate the adorable outfits Hepburn has been famously photographed in. Better yet, create your own classics. To do this, I’m buying black, white, and red. I’ve always believed that classic clothing is the best, most economical choice a woman can make. Having the basics in your closet is the one thing I recommend you spend a little extra on because they’ll last for many seasons. Plus, you don’t have to worry about the latest trends because you’re always in style anyway. I truly believe that “trendy is one step away from tacky.” Why do people recreate Audrey’s outfits? Because they’re still stylish and classy!

Red lipstick, fitted trousers, pearls, little black dresses, and so many other signature Audrey items are still up for grabs even now as staples for every woman’s wardrobe. Embrace them, just not in the way Kim did.

Classics Worth Wearing Again

If we were all being honest with ourselves, we might actually admit that people who incorporate at least one classic element into their outfit look substantially better than those who don’t. Classics are classics. They just are. When Hollywood was still glamorous and clothing was made for the woman to wear and not to wear her, everyone just looked incredible.

My number one classic piece that I love to wear (and would like to mainstream) is a hat. Not just any hat though, think Breakfast at Tiffany’s style hats. Sometimes rather big, but always elegant. This summer, I’ve been wearing a big black sunhat!

This brings me to my next classic: the French Twist. For whatever reason, the elegant up-do has been reserved for the elite and special occasions. I’m willing to bet if Kate Middleton started wearing her long locks in this style, it would be reborn as a go-to hairstyle.

Being a tall girl, I’ve learned what size heel is reasonable for me to wear and I always go back to the kitten heel. Forget stilettos, I can barely walk in those anyway! This heel is about 1″ thick and super easy to walk in while reducing the stress on your feet. No more ballet flats in your purse girls!

Bringing us back to the 1950s, I’d really love to see “house dresses” make a come back! These super cute dresses were made for the average house wife who had to run errands and keep up with her home. Usually they buttoned up the front and hit just below the knee. I have a peach one from Ralph Lauren and it just looks adorable. There’s nothing better than looking cute while getting things checked off your to-do list.

Finally, I’d love to see furs come back into style. No, not actual animal fur, I don’t want to kill any little creatures just to look good. However, the look of the fur can remain the same. I remember walking into my grandma’s closet and trying on some of her heirloom furs and seeing how classy they looked on me as a little girl.

What classics would you like to see come back in style? Leave me a comment!

 

 

Kate Spade 25% Off Sale!

I love summer for many reasons but probably the biggest reason has to do with the amazing sales that seem to come with the season! Seriously, semi-annual sales, Father’s Day sales, Fourth of July sales, back-to-school sales, and so many others. Right now, I’m loving the Kate Spade sale going on! An additional 25% off all items already on (you guess it) sale. Here are a few of my picks! Visit the link to find your favorites and share them with me in a comment below!