Decor – The Artesian Project

(easy holiday decor + tour)

Just sharing a few pics and tips from our Christmasfied home for anyone that may be hosting this year and looking for some quick and easy inspo. If you are a procrastinator like myself or just too busy watching all those horrible yet addicting Netflix Christmas movies (hey, they’re not going to watch themselves), these tricks are all easy enough that you can get them done in a few minutes – and still have time to finish The Princess Switch.

Without realizing it, I went mad for plaid this season. I picked up the red plaid ribbon on the tree from Costco last year and haven’t stopped using it since. It easily adds the perfect amount of classic holiday flare where ever you may need it.

We rearranged our living room to make the tree the focal point – although our little engine that could fiddle leaf in the corner refuses to be ignored. Our living room typically looks like this…

Absolutely love this sofa from Birch Lane via Wayfair; the white fabric (has miraculously stayed clean) and makes the perfect backdrop for holiday pillows and throws, which really cozies up the room. For me, the more layers the better when it comes to holiday decor 🙂

TIP #1:

Use velcro to hang garland along your staircase railing. See that green strip under the ribbon? That’s the velcro. Wrap the garland and railing together just before a baluster post to keep it from slipping. Then take that fabulous ribbon you picked up and tie a pretty bow around it. It easily covers the velcro and adds that extra flare you’ve been looking for.

TIP #2:

Easily add some festiveness to your powder room by cutting off a small branch from your tree and hanging it from your sconce with that same pretty ribbon. I wrapped a rubber band around the stem and then pulled the ribbon through the loop to keep the branch hanging properly. Side note: photographing a powder room ain’t easy – these pics don’t do it justice.

TIP #3:

For instant holiday glam, fill a bowl with shiny ornaments and put on display – DONE! I recently bought these ornaments (and bowl!) at Target for $5, but you can use whatever you like – even add some lights for extra pizzaz. Is it socially acceptable to say pizzaz?

TIP #4:

Lastly, the instaworld has been set atwitter with wreaths hanging from the back of stools. If you don’t feel like making that investment/hassle, take that same pretty ribbon from before and tie a bright bow on the top. Super easy, gives the kitchen a fun touch, and ties all your decor together (pun absolutely intended).

Now go get that ribbon and get on your ~~horse~~ reindeer!

Wishing you a merry, merry Christmas, happy Holidays, and happy New Year! xoxo

https://giphy.com/embed/MEtSuIu6qu0HC

Decor, Home Tour, Kitchen

(breakfast nook)

I am very excited to share the newest corner of our home – the breakfast nook. Now that we are a family of four, eating dinner at the counter Cheers style every night just wasn’t going to cut it. Well, that, and our two year old would threaten to kick his stool back every night causing heart palpitations every time he would do so.

This corner of our kitchen was formerly where my desk lived…and where all my clutter collected. Mail you don’t know what to do with? Throw it on the desk! Old candy from your Christmas stocking three years ago? Throw it on the desk! Your kid’s artwork from school that isn’t his best, but you don’t have the heart to recycle? You get the drift. It was an eyesore that I didn’t know how to tackle…until now!

In just the few weeks that we’ve had this area, we’ve used it for so many purposes. Besides dinner, it is the best spot in the house for a cup of coffee, a great table for play-doh and art projects, an easy spot to display the cheese board on Thanksgiving, and a comfy spot to get some work done (yes, I am sitting in the corner of the nook while typing RIGHT NOW).

I had always drooled over the banquette sets from Ballard Design and thought I might go that route (they were having a huge sale), but our dimensions didn’t quite work. Then I got a quote from a local carpenter, but it seemed unreasonably high – so, I decided to browse on Etsy.

After digging through pages of shops, I came across Great Lakes Designs LLC out of Michigan and knew they were the perfect fit. The customer service was outstanding, the turn around was very quick, and they even used the same paint color and hardware that matched our kitchen cabinets. WIN!

Since I was trading my desk in for this nook, I still needed a place for my laptop to live (a place for everything, and everything in its place!), so I decided to go with the drawers on the ends in order to dock my laptop. This has been a game changer. If you are thinking about doing something similar, I would recommend going with the end drawers if you need to access the contents frequently. I knew that if I went with the storage bench or drawers at the foot that it would become a hassle because of the table and cushions (and bc I’m lazy).

Next up was finding custom cushions, so I went back to Etsy and found Jessiya’s shop. Another win! I sent Jessi the same drawing I sent for the bench and picked out the fabric. Originally I wanted to go with a more white-based pattern, but then had a “you’re an idiot” moment when I saw my 2 year old eating spaghetti/smearing it all over himself and his surroundings. I chose outdoor fabrics for both the seat and back cushions so they can be easily wiped clean (a godsend) and put a few coats of scotch guard on them just in case (ok, very much necessary).

Then came the table. I am a Wayfairaholic, so I was pumped to find a round extendable table in black in juuuust the dimensions I needed – (Wayfair really does have juuust what I need!).

Lastly came these gorgeous bistro chairs from One King’s Lane (mine are black, link is for similar navy). I had been wanting to use bistro chairs since, well forever, so I was excited that they worked so well here. The black and white weave against the cabana stripes is just enough pattern mixing to keep it classy, yet fun.

We then rehung our artwork from the Chicago Neighborhoods Shop to round out the space. I love these posters as they are both beautiful and personal – and there is one for just about every Chicago neighborhood. Hint to fellow Chicagoans: these make great gifts!

Now the very last thing to do is add a wine glass, pour, and repeat. Happy weekend!

PS Please check out my new instagram page @ArtesianDesigns

Decor, Home Tour

(boys baseball bedroom)

Now that the World Series is over, I thought I would extend the season just a bit by sharing my son’s baseball bedroom. Our son, Luke, bleeds Cubbie blue (takes after his Dad), so it only made sense to create a fun, bright space where he can pay homage to his favorite team. No joke, he replaces the names in that annoying “Mommy finger” song to “Kris Bryant finger, where are you?” and cried the day we took down our W flag.

Now in Luke’s room, the season goes all year long! It has quickly become one of our favorite rooms in the house; it hosts daily train play and nightly batting practice. The huge windows overlook the beautiful fall foliage and allow the sunlight to pour in, making it a cheery space even in these windy Chicago days.

It wouldn’t be a proper Cubs room without the Wrigley Field marquis that we ordered from FatHead. The red helped to counter all the blue in the room and added the perfect focal point above the bed.

This little book nook is where Luke picks out his bedtime stories and keeps his “buddies” when they aren’t hanging out in his bed. The cubbies (pun intended) and striped baskets were an easy and affordable storage solution (love that free shipping from Target!) to keep that area organized. The navy blue chair is vintage from my grandmother that I recently had refinished and the grey star chair is a Pottery Barn Kids Anywhere chair.

The iron headboard is from Wayfair and helps to tie the vintage nightstands together with the more current pieces in the room. The comforter and sheets are both from Target’s PillowFort line.

The blue lamps are from HomeGoods and add the perfect amount of height to the wall – and the perfect amount of light for bedtime stories.

The area rug is what really makes this room. It is super soft and a fun play on a baseball diamond. Luke loves to hit home run after home run on it or use the trellis as train tracks. I have ordered multiple area rugs from RugsUSA and have yet to be disappointed! They are always running great promotions and offering free shipping.

My husband had fun getting in on the Cubs decor and ordered this special signed scorecard from Kerry Wood’s 20K game that benefits the Wood Family Foundation. I was very happy to find this cool hanging frame that perfectly fit the odd-sized scorecard from Heath and Hand by Magnolia at Target.

Luke loves all forms of transportation, so when I found the vintage-looking fighter plane at HomeGoods, I knew we had to include it. We used fishing wire to keep it in constant flight. The ceramic hot air balloon actually hung on the wall in my childhood bedroom as well as my mom’s! Fun little heirloom.

It probably doesn’t look like it, but this Fiddle Leaf Fig tree has made a huuuuge comeback and is very happy in this room. Before we moved it, there was only one leaf remaining – and now it is growing a second plant at the base of the trunk!! Highly recommend Lechuza’s Self-watering planters for house plants. The drainage system keeps the roots from rotting out – and have saved two Fiddle Leafs in our house!

This is how we are currently positioning the room while our little guy gets acclimated to his big boy bed.

Wicker storage basket is from Target (similar here).

Our happy guy jumping on the bed while singing “GO CUBS GO!”

And now we begin the countdown until opening day…

Decor, Home Tour

(gender neutral nursery)

Luke’s Nursery Tour

It’s been a minute since I’ve posted here… I became a mom to the world’s cutest little boy (IMO) last March and things have been pretty hectic around here for the last 19 months. We have had so much fun and happy memories in Luke’s nursery that I wanted to share some photos and details just in case there are any parents-to-be out there looking for inspiration.

When I designed the nursery two years ago (?!), we didn’t know the sex of our baby and I was rather put off by stereotypical very girly pink or the trucks and sports themes intended for a boy’s room. I also knew that I wanted to create a calm environment that would foster sleep, but could also kick back and play. The white furniture and grey walls are the perfect serene backdrop to the fun pastel pops of color and patterns throughout the room. We love this room and hope you do, too. Source list below.

Tip: We didn’t want to put nails in the dresser top, so we attached one strap of the changing pad to the back of the dresser with hardware and then put a small square of a rug pad under the changing pad to keep it from sliding. Works well!

Please take precaution when hanging anything above the changing pad or crib. When Luke was just a few months old, he figured out he could swing the mirror from the corner (!!). That was pulled down for a few months and recently rehung. We also had a ceramic hot air balloon where the shark is now; to my astonishment, he could also reach and pull that down. Finding the soft shark bust was the perfect solution – and a great focal point for diaper changes!

Also featured: Luke’s favorite book “Don’t Push the Button!” by Bill Cotter.

Paint color: Sherwin Williams Passive
Crib: Pottery Barn Kids
Dresser: IKEA
Chair: Crate and Barrel Outlet
Ottoman poof: Homegoods
Rug: RugsUSA
Reading lamp: Homegoods
Mirror: Homegoods
Curtains: Homegoods (are we seeing a theme?)
Hot Air Balloons: AliceandPeter via Etsy
Shark head wall decor: Target
Artwork:
– Paris painting above reading nook: LauraAmiss via Etsy
– Ice cream & popsicles over dresser: Watercolor Paperie via Etsy
– Elephant: Boundless Joy Studios via Etsy
– Flamingo: Ollie and Bird via Etsy

Decor, DIY, Inspiration

6 Tips for an Easy Gallery Wall

For months, every time I would walk past the giant blank wall in our living/dining room, I would grumble to myself “I should do a gallery wall.” I kept putting it off because a. I didn’t have enough pieces and 2. I thought it had to be a very complicated process. I scrolled through Pinterest for inspiration and was intimidated by the pin after pin of paper cutouts of different sized frames on the wall – I knew I would never do that, I just don’t have the patience. BUT, as it turns out, it doesn’t have to be that complicated. Here are my six tips for an easy gallery wall.

Collect your art

Use pieces that make you happy
- Obvious, yes, but initially, I was tied to the idea that all the frames had to be the same color (I, of course, wanted all gaudy gold frames), but then I found some sketches in black frames that I really loved. So after much deliberation I finally said “eff it, who cares if it doesn’t match as long as you like it and it makes you happy. You’re the one who lives here…” So don’t restrict your wall to a certain color scheme or theme. Instead, take the “more the merrier” approach and pick pieces that will make you smile whenever you see it. Be original.
- Hot tip: if you have an odd-sized piece you need framed, try ArtToFrame.com – I used it for the Musee d’Orsay piece on the far right. I went rather basic, but you can input your size, frame color/material, and matting colors for an extremely reasonable price- this was $60! Can’t beat that for a custom framing job.
Pairs create balance
- The above being said, it doesn’t hurt to have a few pairs of the same frame to help create a visual balance. I filled the two 8×10 gold frames with wedding photos and then used the two black-framed sketches to create some uniformity amongst the rest of the wall.
Include 3d objects
- Incorporating interesting, 3d items will add an extra dimension and texture to your wall and bring that flat wall to life. My husband had a bust of a Springbok collecting dust in a box for years. It was from a hunting trip he went on with his grandpa as a kid. Not only does it hold a lot of sentimental value to him, but it is also quite a beautiful animal that even a non-hunter can appreciate. We paired the Springbok with a cool, metal-caged mirror from Homegoods to offset the flat art. I realize not everyone has a Springbok in their basement, so try a mirror, wall-planter, or sculpture to add some depth. Go shopping in a realtive’s basement or try Homegoods – my go-to source for these types of pieces (and frames).

Hanging the art

Lay it all out on the floor before you hang anything
- This is my version of the paper cutouts and it is even better (imo) because you can actually see how the colors play against each other. Balance is the goal here, so just keep rearranging until you get there.
Use anchor pieces
- I used this vintage buffet passed down from my grandparents as the main anchor on this wall. It offers some structure for the gallery wall and acts as a good first focal point and allows your eyes to move up and wander from there.
Don’t be an exacto
- There is no need to measure each piece out when you actually start hanging – that defeats the idea behind a gallery wall. Just be consistent with the spacing between all the pieces to create a sense of harmony.