How to Use a Bar Cart

Bar carts are an attractive way to offer unique storage and display opportunities within the home.  They can house anything from decorative pieces to glassware that can’t be stored elsewhere, to linens in a guest bath.

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Bar carts can be used to corral actual bar items (glassware, alcohol, and garnishes), or used as an occasional table in living space. We have even seen them creatively posed as guest room nightstands or bathroom etageres. The carts offer great versatility with the tiered shelving and are easy to move given their wheels. We use bar carts the most frequently as a console table to display books, photographs and decorative accessories.

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 We like to find carts that have unique detailing such as a metal frame that mimics the appearance of bamboo.  This small detail adds sophistication to a simple piece. Mirrored shelves are another great detail. The mirrors reflect light and make everything on the shelf look sparkly and bright.

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If you are placing drinks and glassware on the cart, be sure to have plenty of napkins on hand. We also recommend placing the cart in an area where a sink is easily accessible. This makes it easy to dump out any unwanted liquid before making a fresh beverage.

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How to Update your Front Entry

Swap Out your Wreath

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One of the first things people see when they come to your home is your front door. So why not dress it up with a seasonal wreath? Spring is actually one of our favorite seasons for wreaths because you can go with something simple and green like a boxwood, or incorporate seasonal flowers like peonies or tulips! 

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Update your Plants with the Seasons

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Other great go to items for your front entry are plants and flowers. Potted plants on the ground or on plant stands make for beautiful additions to your entry because they can bring beautiful color and life to the area. You want to make sure you are maintaining your plants well and incorporating appropriate options for whatever season you are in. For example you wouldn't want to put out mums in the spring because they are more of a hearty fall plant. 

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Freshen your Welcome Mat

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These days, there are entry mats in every style imaginable. You can find mats that range from beautiful intricate designs, to funny phrases, to classic and simple. Whatever your style, you can find one that suits you and your home perfectly. This is an item that will need to be updated about once a year due to the heavy wear it will receive. 

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How to Update your Patio

Update or Add an Outdoor Rug

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If you have an outdoor rug that has taken a beating for multiple years it may be time to update it. On the other hand if you don't currently have an outdoor rug on your patio, consider adding one. You will be amazed at what a transformation simply adding a rug can do for your space. The goal of any outdoor living area is to make it feel as warm and inviting as your indoor living spaces. The addition of an area does just that!

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Refresh your Outdoor Pillows

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Outdoor pillows are easy items to update almost every season if need be. If your patio is covered you have a better chance of stretching the life of your pillows. If your patio is uncovered however, there is a good chance you'll need to update your outdoor pillows almost every year. Places like Target or Ikea are great options if you are not wanting to invest a lot in items that may only stick around for the season.

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Add in New Accessories

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Outdoor accessories can really make the space. These include items like lanterns, string lights, and planters/plant stands. One fun addition that can really create a nice ambiance while also combating mosquitos is putting citronella candles in lanterns. Lighting like candles and string lights can add great warmth that your outdoor space may be lacking. 

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How to Choose the Right Paint Color for your Space

Think About your End Goal

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What do you want the space to feel like? Are you shooting for light and airy, or rich and masculine? Are you trying to evoke whimsy in a kids room or drama in your master bedroom? Once you decide on the overall feel you are going for, you can easily narrow your search for the perfect color. Once you have a good idea in your mind of the direction you want to go in, start to do a little research in places like home decor magazines and Pinterest. This will allow you to picture how different colors actually work in different rooms of the home. This is much more effective than looking at a wall of swatches at your local paint store. 

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Work Around What you Have

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When choosing a paint color, you of course want to keep in mind the pieces that will be going in the room. If you have a lot of dark furniture, consider staying lighter on the walls. If you have mostly neutral furniture pieces, consider a muted color like a blue gray for example to add in color that way. You don't want to paint you walls something that wont make sense with the other items in the room. 

When in Doubt, Go Neutral

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If you are really struggling to decide on a paint color, neutrals are always a good idea. Some popular neutral paint colors include greiges which are combinations of beige and gray paint colors. This keeps your walls up to date while also staying warm and inviting. This will allow your walls to be a nice base for you to build on from there. You can then add color in things like art, rugs, and accessories!

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How to Create a Gallery Wall

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Start by laying out all the pieces you are planning to use in the gallery wall, on the floor.  Once you find an arrangement you like, measure the overall height and width of the grouping to make sure it will fit on the wall where you plan to hang it.  If it is too large, make adjustments as needed.  

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Brown craft paper can be a great tool for hanging gallery walls. You can use it in a couple of ways:

1. Roll out the paper on the floor and place your pieces on top.  Arrange the pieces in whatever way you want them to hang on the wall.  Then outline the pieces on the paper.  Once you have your outlines drawn, remove the pieces from the paper and hang the paper on the wall.  This will show you if you need to adjust any spacing between pieces OR if you need to adjust the group’s placement on the wall. 

2. You can trace the outline of each piece you are including in the gallery wall on the craft paper.  Then cut out the shape and tape to the wall.  You are then free to move the shapes around as much as you like until you land on an arrangement that pleases you.  If you want to take it a step further, you can mark on the paper shape where the hanging mechanism is located.  That allows you to nail right through the paper and eliminates the possibility of placing the nail in the wrong place.

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As a rule of thumb, start with 2” between pieces in a gallery wall.  Depending on the size of the pieces, you may need to adjust this to be more or less than 2”. Hang smaller items close together, while spacing out larger pieces. This offers good balance.  

The center of an art piece, or a gallery wall should fall around 60” from the floor.  Again, this may be adjusted if your ceilings are exceptionally high, or if your family members are tall.  Start at 60” and adjust based on what looks right with the scale of your room.

Your design aesthetic will dictate the style of your gallery wall.  A minimalist may prefer black and white photos in black frames with white mats arranged in neat rows.  Someone with an eclectic style may hang oil paintings in ornate frames next to abstract prints in simple frames.  The most important thing to remember is that the wall should reflect YOU and your style.  What do you want the space to say about you?  That should be what guides your choices for the grouping.

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