weekend recap

perfect weekend to enjoy the backyard

This weekend can be summed up in one word: baby! My family has been pushing patiently waiting for us to figure out our baby registry before they can send out shower invitations. So the pressure was on for the hubby and me to decide where to register and start adding items to our list. And who would have thought something that sounds so fun would be so difficult and exhausting! First, our entire family is back in Ohio and a bit spread out. Finding a place to register that also had a brick-and-mortar store for non-internet-savvy relatives was quite a challenge. Second, I'm never around babies so I had no idea where to start.

We had a marathon day on Friday going to Buy Buy Baby, Pottery Barn Kids, Babies-R-Us and a local boutique, Firefly Furnishings. I did NOT realize how much walking and standing we'd be doing and I did not wear appropriate shoes. My feet had a pulse by the end of the day. But, we also had a registry. Check!

NOT for all day shopping

The weather on Saturday was absolutely beautiful. After spending some time in the morning shopping and getting inspiration for the nursery, I took a nice run with the pup and met up with the hubby and some friends at Cheeseman Park. We ended the day with a quiet night relaxing on the couch and renting a movie.

shoes are still a little muddy from last weekend's hike

Sunday was another gorgeous day and I started by indulging in some breakfast cravings. Scrambled eggs with Dubliner cheese, a cup of coffee and fruit salad. It's a little boring, but fruit is the only thing I've really been craving throughout my pregnancy. The cravings have been insatiable, but I suppose it's better than potato chips! Hank and I enjoyed breakfast in the sunshine on the porch.

I finished off the weekend by creating the first (of many revisions I'm sure) for the nursery inspiration board. I even snagged this rug and blanket from Joss & Main. If you haven't checked them out yet, you must. Joss & Main is a flash-sale site for home decor and one of my go-to's. Because the merchandise rotates so frequently, it's a great place to get ideas and maybe make an occasional impulse purchase.

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The best part of the weekend was that we saw (yes, I said SAW) baby kick! He's been quite active lately and the hubby can feel him move. Now we can add 'see him move' to the list of milestones. Considering I still have a couple months to go, I'm a little nervous about how much stronger this little man is going to get. It's already difficult to sleep with him dancing around!

Stay tuned for the full nursery inspiration board that I'll share later this week!

inspiration of the week: chalkboard paint

The next design project in our home really needs to be the nursery. But with finals week coming up, I just can't stop wishing for a home office to work and store all my samples and supplies. I'm pulling together an inspiration board for my dream office and I'd really like to do a chalkboard accent wall behind the desk. Chalkboard paint is not a new product and I've used it in the past for small crafts with great success. These spaces have me inspired to use it in a bigger way and what better place than an office?

This partial wall could have been an eye sore, but turning it into a chalkboard makes it useful.
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Using chalkboard paint on these cabinets adds interest and function.
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How fun is the chalkboard wall in family room?
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A small border of chalkboard paint adds custom artwork to this laundry room and won't get smudged.
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A chalkboard wall above this buffet brings charm and whimsy to any get together.
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Maybe I can incorporate the chalkboard wall into the nursery...
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I love the small chalkboard wall in this kitchen nook.
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Chalkboard paint needn't be confined to walls. This DIY Ikea chalkboard table is much more fun when you can draw on it.
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Sadly, for now, the office will remain a bit of a daydream. Today we're off to try and figure out the baby registry. Practical things first!

weekend recap

This weekend my best friend Kat came to visit me and we had an absolutely wonderful weekend. There's nothing better than a girls weekend and it meant so much to me that she made the trip to Denver for the weekend. Shameless plug for my bestie: Kat is the creator and author of Fit Girls Kitchen and has been an inspiration to me in my journey to create this blog. 

My Fit Girl kept me active with morning runs and a hike in the mountains.
Notice my first cheesy baby bump picture - I couldn't help it!

The hubby got us some great tickets from work for the Rockies game on Friday.
The best part of your best friend staying with you for the weekend?
Primping and getting ready for a night out!

Dinner at Beatrice & Woodsley (a MUST try if you haven't).
Shopping in Cherry Creek North.

I even had time to work on some design boards for a class project!

How was your weekend?

design crush: accent chairs

There are so many great design elements I run across while I'm shopping, doing research for school or even just daydreaming on Pinterest. I thought I'd start a new series to share some of the items and themes that I'm crushing on. 

One of the things on my list right now are accent chairs. It's a simple way to add a dramatic pop of color to a room. 

How fabulous is this emerald green chair?
It makes a statement as soon as you walk in the door.
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This pair of pink patterned accent chairs feel cozy and brighten up this living room.
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Mixing prints in this pair of accent chairs adds visual interest
within a neutral color palette.
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These oversized dining chairs in a colorful pattern add glamour to this dining room.
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Accent chairs don't have to be upholstered to add some fun to a room.
The shape of this wooden accent chair adds a funky element.
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This modern cowhide chair adds a focal point to the clean design of this room.
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This office nook could have been bland, but adding 
a hot pink chair gives the space a sassy personality.
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This pair of upholstered chairs adds a relaxing, welcoming element to this formal hallway.
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What about you? Are there any design trends or items that you're daydreaming about?

inspiration of the week: decorating with black

I feel so fortunate to be able to pursue a career I'm passionate about and, most importantly, to have the time to become educated and develop the skills to really succeed. There are so many projects that have already shaped the way I view design and one of those was a color theory project. 

When decorating your own home most people, myself included, tend to stay within a safe and familiar color palette. Our color theory project really opened my eyes to the psychological effects of colors - one of the most surprising being black. I used to think of black as oppressive, the color of teenage angst. But used correctly, black adds a level of formality and sophistication to a room. And although it's bold, it functions as a neutral so you can pair it with other colors from your comfort zone.

Check out these fabulous rooms that use black in both large doses and small accents.

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So what do you think? Do these change the way you think about decorating with black?

announcement!

We have an exciting announcement over here at our house...we are expecting our first child in August! We are over the moon excited and are counting down the days until we can finally meet this little one. I'm especially glad to be in the second half of this pregnancy because I was so sick for the first 16 weeks. Now I'm feeling good, just struggling with the changes to my running routine. Any runners out there have advice for staying comfortable while running throughout your pregnancy?

This is exciting news for Sunlight & Sparkle too. Now I'll have a whole new room to practice my design skills! Stay tuned to see the nursery come to life :)

Hank is excited to have a little brother too!

inspiration of the week: bedside table styling

One of the easiest ways to update a space is to focus on the styling of one of the surfaces. Coffee tables, console tables, mantles and desks are great spaces to experiment with styling. For me, I'm in desperate need of some styling in our bedroom - specifically the bedside tables. So I've been in search of some inspiration this week. Here are some of my favorites.

I love the vintage-style telephone on this bedside table. Check out the entire room by Kerrisdale Design, it's just fabulous.
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Using two different bedside tables is a great way to add visual interest. Coordinating accessories like the lamps and flowers helps to connect the two.
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Using a desk as a bedside table is a great way to maximize space and create a productive space away from the rest of the hustle and bustle of your home.
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Using a tray on a bedside table provides a pretty space to contain your accessories.
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Bedside styling needn't be confined to tables - this chair is a charming twist on a traditional nightstand.
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Styling doesn't have to mean dozens of accessories. Three simple pieces on this bedside add to the simple, serene and effortless feel of the room.
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Remember, your bedroom is a place away from the rest of your home where you come to relax. It should reflect your style and the bedside table is the perfect place to display pieces with special meaning. 

Now that I'm feeling inspired, I'll be sure to post the finished product!

cedar chest makeover

One of my spring break projects was to update a cedar chest that we have in our bedroom. This chest was a birthday present from my parents when I was young. While I didn't appreciate furniture at that age, the chest has gotten so much use in my adult life and I love it! 

But my style has grown and the chest needed a little bit of an update to coordinate with the rest of our bedroom. Although I think I may paint the piece at some point, I'm really happy with how the simple upholstery update and hardware change helped the chest integrate better with our style.

I have to admit that when I started this project, I wasn't sure exactly what I was doing. But as always happens when I go to Denver Fabrics, I was inspired by this teal fabric and walked out with a steal on an end-of-bolt piece for $4. I came home determined to figure out how to make this work. 

Supplies:

• 1 1/2 yards of upholstery fabric
• 4 drawer pulls
• heavy duty stapler
• screw driver

Step 1: Disassemble upholstered lid. When I opened up the lid of the chest there were a bunch of screws - so of course I started unscrewing them. As I hoped, the screws held on the upholstered top of the lid. 

finished corners

Step 2: Re-upholster lid. I cut the piece of fabric to the size of the lid, with a 3" overhang. I stapled the corners first to hold them in place. Then I stapled the edges, being careful to ensure the pattern lined up with the edge of the lid and that the corners were neat. Think about the corners like wrapping a gift.

Step 3: Screw the upholstered piece back onto the lid. Easy as pie!

Step 4: Add the new decorative hardware. 

And you're done! It really couldn't have been easier. I lucked out that the lid fo the chest was a solid piece with an upholstered top, so I didn't have to actually take the lid off its hinges. Here's a snapshot of the chest in it's place between our closets. You might notice that I also painted the walls - the color is Behr Tide Pools.