I mean, how cool is this! You guys, organizing my pantry has been life changing!! And those Swiss crosses, SO fun,
You may know me from over @thecronehome. We recently finished up our fixer upper and moved in! And things are slowly coming together. The pantry was one of the things at the top of the to-do list. I knew because of the size, it would become a mess If I didn’t get on top of it. Well, 6 months later, it’s done! And yeah.. it did become a mess before I finally did it.
Yikes. This is embarrassing, but it makes the afters so satisfying!
I started by listing categories. This helped me know about how many bins and baskets to buy. So things like; baking, chips, paper products. I measured everything, and took off to Ikea. They have the best, budget friendly bins and baskets in my opinion. I picked up some turn tables for canned food, and oils and vinegars. And those wire baskets for produce.
I’m still in the process of labeling. We came home from camping a couple weeks ago, and some of things we have right now, aren’t my regular groceries, (anybody else bring alll the junk food camping??) So as those things filter out, I’ll know better what goes in those baskets. I got a dymo embossing label maker on amazon, for $10! I want to label everything!! I think i’ll use it on my Christmas gift tags. Such a fun touch, and this will really help us put things back where they belong, long term!
And check out what I did with it in my spice drawer..
Before..
The Swiss crosses! My mom made me the stencil on the circuit, I picked up a stencil brush and some craft paint, and honestly, I winged it from there. I was not going for perfection, It’s just the pantry so we’re the only ones that see it. So I followed a pattern the best I could, and I love how it turned out!! This was really easy, it just takes time. The stenciling took about 3 hours. I’d recommend doing it to anybody. Also, so inexpensive!!
I don’t love to cook, and this has made it much more enjoyable! I don’t mind making our lunches, its easier to make a grocery list. Life changing! Such good timing too, before the holidays where there’s lots of cooking and baking!
I hope this inspires you to tackle the project you’ve been waiting to do! It can be a lot of work but the end results are worth it!
Thanks for reading friends,
Jade
Blue And Black Bonus Room
Hey guys!
We have a fun bonus room makeover to share with you! One of our favorite clients needed some updated decor in this space, She had a table in here originally but they didn’t really use it, so we opted to replace it with a bookcase, which adds storage and a really great way to fill a large room like this one.
Her is is before…
She had cool blue rug, so we went with a blue color scheme, and added some touches of green and black. Yes you can mix black and blue!! She mentioned wanting a grid gallery wall, perfect for a large blank wall, you just can’t go wrong with these! It turned out SO good behind the couch.
We get asked all the time how to decorate around the TV. We all have them and use them, but we hate the way they look when we aren’t!! We don’t want that to be the focal point in a family space. So here, we added some coordinating art, and contrasting shapes on either side! It fills this large wall, and takes your attention off the screen!
We love the way these simple changes turned out and we love when we get to use furniture and decor our clients already have!! She had the bones we just brought in some things to really pull it together.
We SO appreciate you guys being here and supporting us in this venture, We’re having the best time meeting you and helping you love your homes,
Jade
Living Room Refresh
We did a little living room refresh this week! We used a combination of what our client had, and some new decor to enhance the space, and pull it together. Little changes go a long way!
HERE IT IS BEFORE
We decided on a new media cabinet to open and brighten up the space. We surrounded the TV with family photos tucking them just a little behind making TV less of a focal point. This is a super simple and super cute solution to decorate those TV walls!
AFTER
We use plants and greenery A LOT in our designs. Fake or real, it brings so much life, and a pop of color into your home!! If you’re trying to update a space, I definitely recommend starting with a plant.
A mantle is basically a decorators dream. There is so much potential and so many ways to change it up for the seasons. Our client already had this awesome clock and we just moved some things around to add balance!
This console table lived on another side of the room, we moved it behind the couch, added some tall vases and plants to draw your eye up when you walk into the room! Just moving your furniture around can be a fun refresh and change.
We have more installs coming up, and we’re booking for fall!! You can find more information and reach out to us through our Design Services page!
Stay tuned for more before and afters, till next time,
Jade
Master Makeover
Welcome back Friends! We have a master bedroom design project to share with you. This bedroom is very big, sometimes this can be more overwhelming than beneficial. Our client just needed a hand in making it feel cozy, relaxing and pulled together. They already had this awesome upholstered bed, the size is perfect for the space. They had also recently purchased this pretty floral comforter, so we used that as the inspiration! We love to use decor you guys already have!
BEFORE
We start our process with an E-design. This includes making sure all the measurements work, working within a budget, and of course getting an idea of how the space will look.
We ran with the blues in the comforter and started with a rug. We LOVE this rug. If you want to add blue into your home, this is the piece for you. Blue is trending!! A rug is a good place to start in any design, it can be a statement, a spot to add some texture, and really makes a space feel pulled together.
AFTER
Ok you guys… These euro pillows!! I think I gasped when I saw them. They are literally perfect for the space. They have the perfect shades of blue, to match the floral comforter. And the smaller scale pattern to contrast both the comforter and the rug! So I’m obsessed. Pro-tip, the key to mixing patterns is scale.
On the opposite side of the room we did a couple accent chairs, and the darker bookcase to bring that wood tone from the headboard, to this side of the room. And now they can store and display their collection of books! It turned into a super cool space to relax and read.
We added lots of pops of greenery in the room that makes it really come alive…We love adding greenery, real or faux in pretty much all rooms. The addition of the artwork really brings all the colors together.
We had fun styling the bookshelf using the clients book(turned around to keep everything neutral and not too busy) and some decorative additions and baskets to store more books.
Our clients are very happy with how this room transformed into the relaxing and cozy space they needed. Which makes what we do, all the more fun! We’ll be doing more decor projects with this client and we can’t wait to get started!
Click here to learn more about our decor services
Thanks for tuning in,
Jade
Upstairs Landing Update
We have a little before and after for you guys, because we know you love a good before and after! This is one of those spaces that could easily be wasted, because you just don’t know what to do with it. And that is the perfect situation to ask us for a little help! It’s a small upstairs landing outside of their little boys room. We knew it needed to be kid friendly, but a space that grown-ups could enjoy as well! We ran with the idea of the books staying, and just stepped it up a notch to turn it into in a little office.
We originally thought we would remove the cubical storage, but we love to use what you guys already have!! And we really needed the surface and storage. So all we did here was organize the books by color, to create a cute rainbow! Then added some fun kid-friendly decor on top.
This is a pretty narrow space, but it needed dimension. Photo ledges are perfect for this. They’re good for hallways, small rooms, above a couch. We love them! We had them send us some of their favorite photos, and we printed them in classic black and white, in the correct sizes! Such an easy statement and personal touch.
And then we have this awesome rustic/industrial desk. The dark contrasts so good with the light walls, making it really pop. We added this canvas map, that is education for kids, and just really cool. It’s all details from here. A desk lamp and ALWAYS greenery. Plants and stems add such life into your home. Personally, I’m loving real plants in my home, but they make amazing fake plants now too, and you don’t have to remember to water them ;)
And that’s it! A really quick and simple update that adds so much value to the home.
Your home is so important, it should inspire you, motivate you, and welcome you at the end of the day. If your home doesn’t do this for you, we can help you! We truly care about your home and want to create a space that you love, any style, any budget!
Thanks for reading, friends!
Jade
Rustic Vibes In A New Home
Hey Guys!
So excited to share this project we worked on awhile back, It was such an awesome experience for us! This sweet little fam recently moved into a beautiful newly built home. They just needed a little inspiration for reworking what they brought from their previous home. This is such a common dilemma we hear. How do we work what we already have and love into our new space?
We started with the living room, as you can see in these before pictures, they already had some very cool decor pieces, So we didn’t need to add much in the way of decor, We re-worked and re-staged what they already had and just added a few key decor pieces.
BEFORE
AFTER
They knew they wanted to keep things rustic so we added organic elements like the greenery, raw wood, and metal. This chic faux cowhide rug gives us some natural inspired texture. We kept it light and bright with the striped linen curtains, and added just a few new pillows to contrast the dark couches!
We moved this console table from the hallway to create a spot for this metal and wood bench, to work the space as an entry.The little black console table ended up fitting perfectly in the corner of the living room!
We’re SO happy with how this little entry area turned out. Such a fun welcoming space with the rustic shelf, geometric rug, floppy basket and boxwood wreath. We can’t get enough of these fiddle figs!! The plant trend is here to stay and I’m not mad about it.
Here’s the initial design concepts…
As always our goal is for YOU to love your home! And to add decor and pieces that give you the vibe you want, and inspire you everyday!
Thanks for visiting!
Jade
Multi Functional Room In Shades Of Blue
This space was so much fun to create. When we first met with this sweet client, she had just become a proud Grandma to a baby boy. She wanted to have a spot in her spare room to spend time with her new grandson, but she also needed a space to work, AND a place for out of town guests to stay. So this space needed to work hard. We collaborated with our client and came up with a design plan to bring it all these together.
BEFORE
First, let me say, this alcove benefitted this plan so well!! I mean, it was perfect for breaking up this multi-purpose space.
They had already begun the process by painting the walls this lovely shade by Magnolia, called '“Emmie’s Room”. A fun color that really brightens everything up. They also had the gray/blue sofa that transitions into a bed for guests. We ran with the nearly aqua wall color and chose these curtains in an ikat pattern. This is where all the shades of blue came in.
Let’s talk about curtains for a sec. Curtains or textured window treatments will CHANGE your space. If you don’t have them on your windows, RUN and hang some up! Instantly your space will feel more home-y.
Pro-tip: Hang them as close to the ceiling as possible to make your room feel bigger visually (or hire us to do it for you). You’re welcome.
The clients also created this fabulous faux brick wall, which is wallpaper by the way, and we are loving it! Wallpaper is in you guys! In all the patterns and textures you could imagine. It adds character, and it’s a perfect way to display your personality and style in your home.
We often have people ask us how to style large walls above the couch. A photo ledge is the perfect solution. You can keep it simple or have it be a gallery like we did here. We were able to incorporate some of her photos and items she already owned, and added some fun new things.
We have the same ledges in a smaller length in the baby alcove for books. What a sweet, cozy nook to spend some quality Grandma time.
We were also able to add in this soft neutral grey with the comfy rocking chair. Which contrasted so well with the darker couch.
We chose the paint color “Oregon Sky” from our Cottage Co paint collection, to paint the cliants table and rocking chair she already had. We also painted her desk chair in Cottage Co Paint “Noah’s Navy”.
The rug, pillows and other fun accents, like the fiddle fig tree, pulled the whole space together.
We love our clients, it was pleasure working on this project. And a great opportunity for experience, being one of our first jobs. We loved the challenge of making one room a multi-purpose space.
If you feel inspired to update your home decor, shoot us a message! We want to help you out!
Thanks for hanging out friends,
Jade&Katie
Photo Grid Foyer
This was our second completed job way back in October!!
Our super stylish client and her family recently moved into a new home. Moving can be a great fresh start in decorating, and make you long for a new look but it can also feel very overwhelming.
We started with the foyer, this is an important area as it’s the first impression as you welcome guests but also important to welcome you and your family home at the end of the day, and what better way to do that than a photo grid full of special family moments.
You want it to feel relaxed as well as pretty. This entry definitely does that with the comfy bench which also adds storage. The client already had some great style in her home with some industrial elements but also a touch of glam so we tried to pair those here with the silver frames in the photo grid and the the cute little hairpin leg table that also adds function as a place she can set her purse and keys.
Here in our our before picture you can see It’s a fresh, new space with so much potential. The walls are a beautiful gray, making the options for an accent color nearly endless!
We took measurements, and photos then collaborated with the clients and came up with a plan before creating this E-Design.
This classic gallery wall will greet you as you walk into this home, telling a story, making it the perfect statement for a foyer. We added a subtle turquoise color with throw pillows to start, which would be easily changed with the seasons and holidays.
Our vision was really coming to life in this step, it’s such a rewarding feeling. The photos reflect perfectly how sweet this family is!
It’s such an amazing thing when the client loves their space at the end of a project. We got to help make this house their home. We’re looking forward to working with this client in the future!
We’re so excited about turning what we love to do into a career! Everyone should get to live in a space that feels like home, inspires them, and helps them live their best life!! We want that for you, and we’d love to help you get there, no matter what your style and budget.
Our Tiny House
Hey girl hey,
We're here to share something really fun with you, I have loved the idea of tiny living for a long time. I'm not sure what it is about it; the simplicity, the minimalism, the idea that everything must be in it's place, or the innovative ways of storing all the things.
But I never imagined owning or living in one, after all with four kids it wouldn't exactly work. But last year when my oldest daughter was planning to get married and needed somewhere to live. We came up with the idea to turn our little shop into a tiny living space.
This is the story of our tiny house...
We basically had a square building of about 500 square feet, with a little corner where our well pump is. and we needed a layout. Now, I love to plan a space but to include what is needed for an entire house, into 500 sq ft, is a little daunting. I found a pretty simple app called Home Design, we got all the measurements and basically started from scratch. We figured out the best placement of the kitchen and bathroom. Then added in the walls, and put everything else where it made the most sense. In the app you can add cabinets, furniture, rugs even house plants. So even as they were picking out furniture, we could make sure it would fit.
This was the final plan
WELCOME TO OUR TINY HOME...
Now that we had the plan, we began with the kitchen. So as the guys were framing, plumbing and doing electrical, we were making trips to Ikea to plan the layout for the kitchen, then bathroom, laundry and closet. We designed all these spaces on the Ikea planning website, which was super helpful. As was the kitchen department at the Portand store. That being said, Ikea is a little more work than going though, say, a cabinet company or Home Depot. But we were on a budget and you can't beat the price. Although I wasn't the one that had to put it together... Yep, that's our kitchen in a box.
We decided on open shelving along the biggest wall in the kitchen to keep it as open as we could. For such a tiny space, there ended up being pretty ample storage in the kitchen. Guys, If you haven't seen a kitchen with all lower cabinets as drawers, I'm here to tell you, it's incredible. No sitting on the floor of the kitchen, trying to reach to the back of a cabinet. Am I right?
Can we talk about that island though? We weren't sure what to use as the countertop. I loved the idea of butcher block but we would have needed a pretty large piece and it was more than we wanted to spend. So I mentioned it to my dad, who is super inventive when it comes to that sort of thing. He found some salvaged wood and fixed us up. I am completely in love with it.
All the appliances except the oven are from Ikea. The fridge is an apartment size and the kitchen sink is pretty small. We found the laminate flooring that covered most of the space, except the bathroom, from a flooring outlet on craigslist.
This bedroom! We did two smaller windows on each side of the room, which then, gives you the opportunity to add a cool decor piece, like these antlers above the bed. With the size of the bedroom, the mechanical closet was hard to work around in the beginning, but became a space to store things like holiday decor and luggage, making it super useful. We knew we wanted to add a cool light fixture to this project, we found this bohemian style chandelier on Overstock.com for a great deal. How good does it look with that anthropolgy duvet?
Side Note: This mid century bedroom set was a Craigslist score, we added the charcoal paint and distressing.
The bathroom tile from Overstock is one of my favorite statements in the house, a cool pattern is a great way to add character to a space. We were able to have a bathtub/shower combo by making the laundry room slightly smaller.
We have some pretty great friends in the construction and housing industry. We were given a toilet, a dishwasher, the heating and air conditioning unit, and a hot water heater. We were on a time crunch and some awesome people stepped up to help us out.
The laundry room may be small, but the organization here makes it a really useful space. We designed the shelving system in here and in the master closet with the help of an ikea professional. This wall hanger from The Container Store works for storing brooms, mops, and even the ironing board is hanging.
Do you love it?? Do you want to live the minimalistic life? Do you love the style and decor happening here and at the cottage, and want to include it into your home? We may be able to help you out with that, stay tuned,
Thanks for reading, friends!
My Trip To Waco, As A Decor Shop Owner...
This post is mostly going to be about the pictures, I took close to 1 million I think. We spent two days in Waco, and I did a lot of shopping, not only at the Magnolia Market, but also some other unique shops around Waco.
You can see that before even entering. The classic black and white with accents of light wood. The show stopper though has to be the greenery, the plants, trees and overflowing window boxes. not only were there Magnolia trees everywhere but also olive trees which I love. The theme was definitely green, not alot of flowers or color and the result was perfect. The pergola with the black iron grid and climbing vines, the wood shutters and concrete benches and string lights of course all looked amazing. I just love attention to detail and you can see it everywhere, I mean that boxwood lattice wall, I need that somewhere in my life.
The inside is just as amazing with the same color scheme, but I fell in love with the light leather of the chairs, benches, and accents.
There is also touches of matte gold details you can see in accents on the tables and in some of the lighting.
It definitely has a diner feel, but modern with some farmhouse thrown in if that makes sense. Theres miles of subway tile of course but its really the backdrop to all the fabulous finishes. Theres black iron everywhere, from the words on the walls, to the hairpin legs on those leather chairs, and some of the lighting. Oh can we talk light fixtures? I for sure have a thing for great light fixtures. This is where you can see the diner style influences, but the light fixtures throughout the Magnolia compound was serious decor eye candy. The mosaic floor tile with the wording was awesome.
There was at least a couple old signs which is another thing I love about the decorating style at Magnolia, the newness and perfection everywhere and then add an old antique element like the diner sign...Yes.
Letter boards are a favorite decor item of mine that we just happen to carry at the Cottage.
Oh ya the food was good too. but lets be honest thats not the reason I visited.
Now on to the Market at the Silos. The grounds are filled with the same attention to detail, the black and white color scheme with lush greenery everywhere, including that fabulous old truck. The lawn with corn hole and striped bean bag chairs for the kiddos, the matching striped umbrellas over the picnic tables all in a row just makes your eyes happy.
Again all the newness and perfection with the patina of the old rusted silos is the perfect juxtaposition. That is one of my favorite decor tips, perfectly paired old and new.
Inside I really tried to take in all the finishes, fixtures, and backgrounds in which they used to display all the goodness for sale. For instance the area set up like an actual kitchen complete with both concrete and marble countertops (there's that juxtaposition again), farm sink, vent hood, open shelving, all that subway tile, and giant chunky farm table complete with place settings.
Move to the other side of the Market and they have all these faux mantals all along one wall. It's almost too much for my decor loving eyes, each uniquely displayed. It's completely fabulous, I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves.
More lattice greenery and all the awesome light fixtures.
On to downstairs, check out that finished concrete floor with the typography as you enter the mens section or "Chip's Corner". More appropriately the "wives shopping for husbands section" but pretty fabulous in it's own right. Love those "Demo Day" marquee letters.
Also downstairs were these display shiplap walls with all the wall merchandise, Jimmy Dons metal signs, huge fabulous clocks, wooden signs, and check out those leather pouches on that last wall with the chalkboards, I'm not sure what draws me to those but I think they are super cool and unique.
There's a building frame right in the middle with hanging baskets and string lights with shelves filled with all the awesome merchandise. and miles of faux florals.
there's also lots of old display pieces including the repurposed check out counters.
Yes I did notice there are things for sale too, I'll let you in on the biggest trends I noticed in a moment.
Back outside we enjoyed the food trucks and the famous blended watermelon on our way to the Silos Baking Co. to grab some cupcakes. It feels a little like stepping back in time with the subway tile again, frosted glass on the labeled wooden doors. details like those old time aprons on vintage wire hooks, the black iron cupcake label holders to the hanging "pick up" sign, those brick walls and more antique signage. We enjoyed our cupcakes(Ok I enjoyed a cupcake, hubby's not so much into cupcakes, crazy right) under black umbrellas next to that fabulous photo op "Welcome to the Magnolia silos" sign.
Next was my favorite part...the gardens, I could go on and on about those gardens, I was in love with the perfection of it all, but I'll let the photos speak for themselves. the potting shed was so super cool from the hanging lavender, to the galvanized awnings, to that fabulous brick floor. The pergola, and the twig teepee with the little toadstools, I completely can't stand it, I'm so inspired.
We also made the trip to the Magnolia House, again so classic in all it's own perfection with that iron fence, the lampposts and magnolia trees everywhere.
I made my own little trip around Waco while my hubby napped, I drove by a couple of the fixer uppers, but felt a little weird taking pictures. I also made the trip to Harp Design, It's small but super cute. I actually spied a few things we carry at The Cottage, those chunky candlesticks, wood rounds and the little risers on hairpin legs.
I stopped at a couple little shops along the way, one with tons of super cute light fixtures, I told you I had a thing for those.
The Findery which is right around the corner from Magnolia. Take a moment to read their mission statement written on the chalkboard, I just love that.
So some of the trends I notices in almost all these great shops were, lots of natural wood accessories like huge wooden cutting boards, wooden pedestals, and natural wood candlesticks. Chippy corbels. large glass jars filled with faux florals, which was probably the most noticeable design trend all the faux florals overflowing in every corner of these shops. Metal letters are still big, lots of quoted tea towels, actually quoted everything, words are still a big trend right now, and of course all the fabulous lighting.
So theres my take of all the decor at the Magnolia compound. We had a great time in Waco, but I can't end without giving a giant shout out for my awesome husband for having patience with me and letting my love for home and decor be a part of our little getaway.
Thanks so much for stopping' by
Katie
The Story Of Our "Cottage Girls Collection"
We began talking about a subscription type box months ago, as we started exploring ways to expand our business and try new things. At first mention I was in love with this idea. I have always loved putting together a great gift basket. First coming up with a theme, seeking out unique items and details that all go with that theme, finally packaging it beautifully. Pair that with home decor and I'm in.
We are passionate about home here at the Cottage. We truly enjoy making our own houses into homes through decor, design, and styling. We get together each week at the Cottage to rearrange, stage and restyle. One of our favorite things to hear our customers say is how they feel inspired by just being here. Another thing we often hear is plea's for us to come to your houses and inject some of what they feel into their own homes. While we are really humbled by hearing these statements, we aren't to the point of of coming in to y'alls home and redecorating, however it would make my heart so happy if I could give you all the same warm, inspiring atmosphere you enjoy here at the Cottage in your homes. Thats what I'd love for this collection to accomplish by giving you 4-6 items that we have selected with the same feel as what we have here at the Cottage, delivered to your door. Items that will add warmth, style, and enhance your home. We believe you should love every item in your home. and so the idea of a home decor collection box was born.
What if you could have beautiful home decor items delivered to your door, and end up with an inspired, warm home, with unique touches? this is the dream of ours!! The dream is a journey for sure, but I believe we've taken the first step. Our May box is a selection of carefully curated items chosen from our favorite sources. We absolutely love supporting local makers and small businesses, so this is a really important element we want to add to each box. We also love to craft ourselves so there is sure to be at least one item handcrafted by us. there will be about 6 items for you and your home.
It took some work to get to this point and we couldn't be more excited right now. We jumped out of our comfort zone and learned about selling online, and shipping. We researched boxes, and packing material, we designed a label, and had fun coming up with a name for our box because if we understand anything its that it's all about the details. Most importantly though we searched for items to go inside the box with you in mind. In this collection we had one of our favorite local businesses design something specifically for this box. We added all the materials we feel add to a really well put together space, like the warmth of wood, cleanness of ceramic, softness of fabric, a natural element, and more. I wouldn't want to give away all the secrets.
At this point we don't have for sure plans for future boxes, but the ideas are definitely in the works. Actually the ideas are literally endless. going forward we would love to begin offering a seasonal box, four times a year. It gives me butterflies to think about putting together a fall box. Ok I know not everyone gets as excited about home decor as we do here at the Cottage but I do know most people want a comfortable, warm, inviting space for themselves and their families, and that is the very idea of this box. Let us do the work for you, let us do the shopping for you , let us scour our community and sources for the perfect pieces that will make your house into a home.