announcing: mens week

The world of design is largely dominated by women. Of course there are the standout men (like... ever heard of a guy called Nate?), but most designs seem to be geared toward what would make the lady of the house happy. 

If I were still single, you bet my house would be decked out in ruffles, pink, and sparkly things. My husband is awesome and lets me decorate however I want without complaining, but I try to throw him a bone and make spaces that will fit his needs, too.

In the spirit of designing for both sexes, I have an awesome group of bloggers visiting next week to share their tips for designing with men in mind:

M O N D A Y

T U E S D A Y

 

W E D N E S D A Y

T H U R S D A Y

F R I D A Y

S A T U R D A Y

I am really excited about the series and I hope you enjoy it!

And another fun little piece of news: 

I have a fantastic giveaway coming after Mens Week. So join the fun by clicking on the little "Follow" button up there on the right, because you definitely want to be in on this!

mirror gallery

the style files

I love a good gallery wall.  Evenly sized or haphazard, color-coordinated or a mixed bag... and I like when the display isn't just picture frames. I especially like the idea of a little gallery of just mirrors.

Diane from In My Own Style had a great idea for an all-mirror gallery, and took it one step farther and added layers of mirrors.

 Isn't this genius? She used little blocks of wood to give her display added dimension.

I think this is a really cool departure from the usual large-mirror-over-dresser scenario.
Check out the full instructions here.

Tour: The Wright House

I stumbled upon the blog and beautiful home of photographer Natalie Wright this week, and you'll be happy I did! Her house is full of good ideas and a lot of fun DIY stuff.

Let's begin at the front entry...

This entry vignette has basically everything I love--neutrals, gold, nature, and interesting furniture. Natalie has created cool little vignettes all over her house. Love them.

How cool is the chalkboard? And the totally indestructible painted concrete floor?

 These two little spaces are probably my favorite images from Natalie's home.

You know that awkward nook cutout by the stairs? Not awkward at the Wright house. No dusty faux ivy on this ledge. (thank you!)

LOVE the mirrored sideboard. Like REALLY love it. 

And Natalie clearly had more luck with her chevron painting skills than I did!

Ahhhh, to have such organized kitchen cabinets! The labels are beautiful and so functional, and I love the idea of handing measuring cups and spoons inside the door. Such a good use of space.

This vintage mail sorter is just perfect for the collection of vintage cameras.

Perfect laundry/mud room. The wainscoting, the whitewashed floors, the curtain ties, and that door. 

The re-purposed old window hides the breaker box? This is genius.

Check out the rest of Natalie's house, before-and-afters of her projects, and her beautiful photography at The Wright House and Middle Gray Photography!

Photos courtesy of Natalie Wright.

Feature: Drop Cloth Curtains from In the Tweeds

This beautiful, classic living room belongs to the talented Leila from In the Tweeds. Would you believe she made her curtains out of $20 Home Depot drop cloths? She says the process was so simple, there's no need for special DIY instructions--just wash, cut, iron, hem, and hang!

The panels are subtle and perfect for framing the beautiful bay window. And I love her choice of custom, wrap-around hardware. I think it makes all the difference.

13: My Holiday Haven

Today, I am so excited to be guest posting at A Thoughtful Place about my "holiday haven" and my best tip for keeping your sanity through the holidays. 

Check it out!

Oh hey, that's me!

I'm featured on 6th Street today, hooray!

Check me out.