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Tag: bedroom storage

  • Decorating Country Style

    Decorating Country Style

    Country style is making a comeback, and it probably isn’t what you think it is.  Generally when we think of country style, we think of our grandmother’s house and very old fashioned colors and clunky furniture.  Today’s country style has changed a bit.  You can decorate in a “modern” country style and still have a home that looks very elegant.

    The modern country style is quite varied, but is generally characterized by a room that is grounded by neutral colors, and comfortable furniture.  I tend to be a visual learner, so we will go room by room and look at elements of country decor.

    Let’s start with the foyer.  What makes this look country instead of modern?  The console table could be either, but the vintage style mirror and the light fixture give it just enough hint of the past to look country yet still elegant. Also, the little bench has what is known as “shaker” style legs, which means they are square legs that are a little larger at the top and tapered slightly toward the bottom.  Notice that there is a pillow on the bench to make it look more inviting.

    Here is an example of a living room.  Notice that all of the seating is upholstered, although solid wooden rocking chairs would also fit into this style.  Country decor leans toward practical items.  The console under the TV, for example has tons of storage space.  Since country decor tends to give a nod to bygone days, it remembers that farm homes 100 years ago tended to be more for practicality than showing off.

    In this room, every seat looks very comfortable.  The table, and cabinets are not fancy shapes, but very practical.  I especially like the ceiling fan in this room.  It is almost industrial, and brings a bit of modernity to the room.  Small touches in this room make a big difference as well.  Take a look at the little green lamps.  They have decoration on them, but very little bling.  Just enough to be noticeable.

         

    In the dining room, country decor generally calls for a tablecloth.  I honestly can’t tell you what my grandmother’s table even looked like, because I never saw it without the iconic red and white checked oilcloth tablecloth on it.  The more modern country style leans more toward soft colors and cotton tablecloths, so you aren’t tied in to red gingham.  The room is still practical and not overly decorated. The curtains have an understated check pattern, and the only art on the wall is one canvas.   The only furniture in the room other than the dining table is the cabinet.  This cabinet in the room is just right for storing things a dining room needs; napkins, tablecloths, charcuterie board, serving platters, and these days, charging cables. This one has charging ports built into it.

     

    In the bedroom, comfort continues with soft fabrics and soft colors.  You don’t have to be a fan of blue to see the country cohesiveness of this bedroom.  The soft, comfortable bed is made with a thick comforter to give it rounded corners.  The relief pattern on the bedside tables is a floral pattern reminiscent of the outdoors.  The two chest of drawers add old world charm by being side by side instead of one large piece.  Again, notice that all of the pieces of furniture in the room are geared toward practicality and storage.

              

    When putting together a country style home, go for pieces that you find attractive.  They don’t have to all “match” in order to look good together.  In the end, whether you want to go full country, or a little eclectic, remember that you are not decorating your house for others, you are decorating it for you, so pick what you like, and love where you live.

     

     

  • A Place For Everything

    Many of us grew up hearing our grandmothers say, “A place for everything, and everything in its place,” and we wonder how she seemed to be able to do it so easily.  Here is why.  Most of our grandmothers didn’t have nearly as much STUFF as we have today.  If I close my eyes, and can still see almost everything in my grandmother’s house.  There were very few things that she owned that she didn’t use daily.

    But when I look around my own home, I see tons of things that I don’t use regularly.  There is no way that I can have a place for everything, because there simply aren’t enough places.

    The obvious next step here, would be to get rid of half of everything I own, but that is not what this blog is about.  Not everyone is ready for a major cull, and a lot of us have children, who come with their own stuff.  So lets look at one solution that can help in almost every room in the house — the lowly corner cabinet.

    When it comes to storage and space utilization, the two most overlooked aspects are corner space and vertical space.  This little beauty covers both.

    They don’t look like they would hold much stuff, but they have more room than you might imagine.  Let’s see how this item could work in literally every room in your home.

    Let’s start in the kitchen.  Do you have an empty corner?  Think about the Crock pot or the stand mixer. They take up a major chunk of real estate on the counter, especially for items that  are generally not used every day.  A corner cabinet would be a nice place to store those.  What about the open shelves on top? You can place decorative items there if you like, or you can use it to display a favorite teacup or tea pot. Perhaps a favorite flower vase that you use regularly. If you aren’t afraid for people to see your real self, you can store kitchen towels on these shelves or large mixing bowls.

    How about in the dining room.  If you don’t have an empty corner in the kitchen, a corner cabinet could be of the same use, except we probably don’t want the kitchen towels on it.  The bottom could still hold the mixer, or large serving dishes or napkins and table cloths.  The open cabinets on top can hold your best serving platter or some crystal to display.

    Living room? It works wonders there, too.  You can have a place to put the tv remote where everyone can find it, but little fingers can’t reach it.  In the bottom you can store lightweight blankets or afgans for curling up with a movie.  You can store knitting or crochet projects to keep them out of the way when you aren’t working on them.  It can hold a changing pad with diapers and wipes, because if you are like me, you don’t see the need to run upstairs every time you need to change a diaper.  Keep those things in the living room where you can reach them.  In the open shelves on top, you can display a few favorite photos, kids’ latest trophies, and perhaps that wooden bowl you couldn’t resist in the Bahamas.

    Bedroom? Of Course! If you have an empty corner, this is a great place for what I call “pocket vomit” — you know, all that stuff that men seem to pick up during the day for no apparent reason.  Put a bowl on one of the shelves to catch all those things. You can use it to hold your Bible and devotional book or something special you may have inherited that you like to show off.  We have my husband’s grandfather’s glasses. They are precious to us, but we don’t actually use them. In the cabinet doors you can store extra sheets, or a heating pad to use when you worked out too hard.

    Bathroom? Yep.  There is no end of possibilities here.  The top is perfect for all those Bath and Body Works body washes and sprays and lotions.  Also for the kids’ bubble baths and bath bombs.  The bottom is just right for hand towels and extra soaps.

    Let’s not forget about the laundry room.  You can, of course, just leave your laundry detergent on top of the dryer, like a lot of people do, but why do that when you can tidy it up a little.  It also gives a space for dryer sheets. The bottom is the perfect place for the iron (because that little demon likes to be in the way all the time) along with its friends starch and iron cleaner.

    No matter what room, where you have an empty corner, a corner cabinet will help you have a place for many of those things that don’t seem to have a real home.

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