Decorating Cents

I'm a big fan of Apartment Therapy .  Right now they are having a Small Cool Contest.  Readers are submitting photos of their small homes for a chance to have theirs voted as the coolest.  These homes are all under 1000 square feet but are very stylish and well designed.  There are five categories: Teeny Tiny (under 400 sq ft), Tiny (400-600 sq ft), Little (600-800 sq ft), Small (800-1000 sq ft), and International (under 1000 sq ft).  I picked my favorite from each category to share with you.   Teeny Tiny : This apartment is 210 square feet in Washington, DC.  It includes a swiveling table that functions as a kitchen island, desk, dining table, and desk.  It is all open with no walls.  The bed also folds away to make more floor space when not in use.  I love the floors and even though the space is small, it stills looks very open.   Tiny : New York is known for it's small living spaces and this one comes in at 500 square feet.  I love the exposed bring in th

Do you ever wonder what to do with all your kids' artwork?  Now that the school year is ending, the teachers are sending all of my daughter's artwork home.  I really appreciate the art coming home, but now I have a huge stack on paper building up on my kitchen counter.  I don't want to toss it but I need to come up with a way to store it.  Yes, some does get tossed because I can't keep everything.  I've been caught where my daughter goes to throw something away and one of her masterpieces is on the top.  Oooops.  I have a folder upstairs with art from the last few years and it's getting pretty full as well.  The side of the refrigerator has also begun to get cluttered with art pieces. I decided to look for some ways to display some of her art pieces.  Displaying them in an organized manner will not only look good, but will also make her feel good that I took time to actually display them.  I want her to know her creative efforts are recognized. Gallery Wall

A while back I showed you some dining rooms turned offices .  They were great ideas on turning that un-used dining space into something usable.  This time, let's talk about play spaces.  My kids like to play downstairs in the evenings, and some of their toys end up downstairs as well.  I often see photos of play rooms and wonder what it would be like to have a dedicated play space for the kids.  I wouldn't have to pick up toys or clean up behind them because that would be a place for them to play.  I wouldn't be so intent on picking up the room.  Right now, I like them to have clean rooms when the toys are not in use. With a playroom being downstairs, the kids are still within reach and you can keep an eye on them while they are playing.  My only issue would be seeing those toys on the floor as I walk through from upstairs to the family room.  Here are several ideas for changing that dining room into a playroom for the kids. source source source

Just wanted to pop in and wish everyone a restful and peaceful day. source A big thank you to all those who have served our country!

I think my inbox is going to explode!  I don't realize how many email lists I'm on until there's a sale and my inbox floods.  Just wanted to let you know of some home sales going on this Memorial Day weekend. West Elm : Up to 25% off entire purchase RugsUSA : Up to 80% off rugs Home Decorators : Free Shipping   Kirkland's : $20 off purchase of $100 or more JC Penney : 15% off entire purchase   Pottery Barn : Up to 60% off Pier 1 : All Outdoor on sale Z Gallerie : 20% off Accessories and 15% off Furniture Furbish : 15% off everything Hurry because most sales end Monday!  Here's to a long, fabulous 3 day weekend!

I absolutely love looking at nurseries.  Maybe it's the thought that some precious baby will sleep there.  While browsing through photos of nurseries, I noticed one popular trend, accent walls. I remember showing this photo to hubby while we were designing our nursery and he really liked it.  The plank wall behind the crib is stunning! The most popular accent wall trend is probably stripes.  I painted gray and white stripes in my son's nursery . I toyed with the idea of doing a blue and white stripe like this.  In this nursery, the blue and white add a pop of color to the otherwise neutral palette. I love this herringbone wall in this nursery.  The coral, gray, white, and turquoise all coordinate so well together.  Ever wonder what your nursery would look like had your child been of another sex?  These may have been my girl colors. Check out the plaid wall in this nursery.  I can only imagine how much time it took to tape and paint that.