How to set up a room for a dinner party

A dinner party is a fantastic way to invite your friends into your home for some delicious food and great conversation. Now that I finally have a real dining room and a patio, I suspect Chris and I will be doing some more entertaining. Setting up for the party is half the fun!  Tablescaping and lighting often take the backseat to food, drink, and music, but can make just as much impact.  Picking out great accessories like table runners, pillows, and lighting is nice way to change up your scenery without breaking the budget!

Tablescaping

I love tablescapes but don't yet have the dishware and serveware to really stretch my tablescaping legs (bring on the wedding registry).  Here are some tablescapes that make me swoon from my fabulous friend Monvi Drona

via Manvi Drona

Lighting

Intimate dinners can get by with soft lighting in the form of luminaries, candles, and lanterns.

via Pinterest

For a large party you can always go with extravagant lighting! Outdoor lighting is always fun and there a lot of different options. I would love to do something like this for my barn wedding. A dimmer switch would be perfect for this occasion so the lights aren't too bright to throw of the mood!

via Pinterest from Finally Famous

Even a gorgeous chandelier can make any simple table stand out and feel elegant. If you need some lighting ideas Visit Downlights Direct to find the perfect pieces for your next party!

via Houzz.com

This post in partnership with Downlight Direct.

Creating a space for entertaining

More and more, Chris and I were finding our small apartment tough for entertaining.  One thing on our "To Do" list for our new home is to knock down the wall between the kitchen and the living room to create a breakfast bar. That would give us a little more space to entertain, but mostly it would vastly increase the flow in our home, making even our modest space more conducive to guests.

via Angie Hranowsky

This seating area isn't particularly large, but the open concept layout and variety of seating makes for plenty of ways for guests to mingle.

via BHG

This kitchen bar can be a great addition to more seating.

via  Houzz.com

Sometimes the bar stool itself can make a big difference. Having backless bar stools still gives you the visual space you need but allows for guest seating. 

via  Houzz.com

I love this "campy" industrial wheeled cart turned bar.
via Country Living

This post in partnership with barstools.co.uk

Make it yours - bring your style into your home!

Most of us would probably like to be described as stylish, though not everyone has the same opinion of what is stylish.  All the same, here are some ways to bring out or attain your style in your home.

The Entertainer
 Some people earn the title of a stylish person by throwing unforgettable dinner parties, backyard soirees, etc. We’ve seen in movies or real-life examples how someone hosts guests in their amazingly stylish dining room with such grace, it’s impossible not to admire them.

When we break their skill down into separate elements, we realize their success lies in smart choice of their styling their home, wardrobe, music and conversation. It takes a talent to juggle all that successfully!

via Ariel Yve Design

via viage


It tends to be little details that make an event memorable, like berry and herb infused ice cubes for guests' glasses!

The Bold 

Brave use of bold color is a great way to make your stamp. Vibrant colors can detract from what might otherwise be considered a shabby (and not the good shabby) piece of furniture.  Painting a distressed chair or dresser in a bold shade is a great way to express your fabulous eye for color and your bold style!

via Accent on Design

An otherwise okay console table make stylish with coral paint. via Picklee

Likewise, if you don’t have the means to redecorate your home to look like it fell out of a fancy home decoration magazine, you can paint your walls with bold colors can make them fun, cheerful and attention-grabbing.

The Creative

Sometimes your creativity dictates how stylish you are. Consider yourself worldly, cultured, or a connoisseur of something? Why not decorate your home to reflect that fabulous brain? Your space, after all,  should reflect your personality and your imagination.

via Apartment Therapy

via Zar Studio

Create a gallery wall of your favorite paintings, or paintings you've seen in person.  Can't forget your trip to Morocco?  Bring Moroccan tile and woodwork into your bathroom...you're sure to get compliments!

The Modern Vintage

Since vintage has become fairly popular and trendy as of late, make sure that if it's your aesthetic, that you carefully edit your choices so your home doesn't look haphazard. Since a lot of people are decorating their homes in this way, maybe you want to to stand out as the expert "vintage" eye that you are.

via Glo

via Adore Home


Instead of having whole sets of vintage furniture, you can have one charming vintage detail to draw attention to itself. Check sites like Shop 4 Furniture for elegant furniture collection.



Feel good in your home

Remember that being stylish is not only about the appearances, but about feeling good in your own skin and your own home. There is no point in impressing others if you are not comfortable with what you have. You should decorate your home with what impresses you! There is nothing like returning home from work, to a warm place that is both beautiful and gives us a sense of belonging.

This post is in partnership with Shop4furniture.net

How to design the perfect guest bedroom

When you have guests staying in your home it’s important to make them feel comfortable and welcome. If you have the space, a dedicated guest bedroom is a perfect way to ensure that you always have a suitable space to make visitors feel at home. Decorating and furnishing a guest room should be simple if you follow a few basic rules of thumb.

The key to an effective guest bedroom is simplicity. Too much clutter will make a guest feel like they are intruding on your personal space. In terms of furniture a comfortable bed, and pair of side tables and a wardrobe or set of drawers for clothes is all that’s really required. You may also wish to install a television, but this isn’t essential.

There’s nothing more likely to leave a bad impression on your guests than an uncomfortable bed. Make sure you’ve invested in a top-quality mattress. A really luxurious choice, such as memory foam or latex, will really wow your houseguests. Specialist sleep experts, Silentnight in the UK have a range of quality beds and mattresses to suit your needs. The only downside is that they may never want to leave!

Super comfy mattresses by Silentnight.

When it comes to decorating it’s always advisable to stick to a neutral colour. Your guest room may entertain a variety of guests over the years, and anything too bright, dark or garish could be quite off-putting, and make it difficult for your guests to relax. Stick to light colours and simple patterns, if you’re wallpapering.

To really make your guests feel welcome consider buying a small toiletries set. If there’s an appropriate space then a mirror will also complement this nicely, but remember the rule about clutter. If your guest room is only small, stick to the essentials – a bed and some storage space.

Similarly, it’s important to think about the size of the bed in the room. A double or larger is obviously ideal, but if it’s going to be so large as to overwhelm the rest of the room then it might be better to stick to a single.

Overall the best approach to furnishing a guest room is to imagine the things you’d like to see if you were staying with somebody else. We all need a few home comforts to be able to truly relax. Follow your instincts and your hospitality will be the envy of the neighbourhood.

Here are some more tips - and things that I always appreciate when staying as a guest.


• A water glass and carafe (or easy access to a sink for drinking water).  I really like to hydrate before bed, and while I try to bring my water bottle with me everywhere, I always appreciate a glass.

• Maps, books, or brochures with local information.  Even if I'm there to visit you, it's fun to learn a little bit about the town where I'm staying.

• An extra blanket - lightweight and heavy.  During the day I'm typically cold, but for some reason at night I get warm.  It's important your guests are able to choose from a light blanket or a heavy blanket.

• A small fan, especially if it's summer.

• A spot other than the bed to unpack.  Putting suitcases on the bed is a big no-no.  Think of what those suitcase wheels have been though! A folding luggage rack or trunk serves this purpose well.

• Extra pillows.  I always need atleast 2 pillows.  If I have a stuffy nose, 3.

• Bedside table with a lamp, even if it's small.

Thoughtful Extras:

• A clock with easy to set alarm.

• Easy access to outlets for charging phones, laptops, etc.

Here are some examples of great guest bedrooms - from grand to modest.

2 images above via BHG

3 images above via marthastewart.com

 Have you decorated a guest room recently? Please leave your tips in the comments!

disclosure: This post brought to you by Silentnight.co.uk

Pool Party Prepping

Not my pool, but I wouldn't mind if it was!  Russo Designs

OK, every year I say I am going to entertain more, and every year I get busy, time marches on, and I don't do it.  This is the year!  Some of my husband's golf friends and their wives will be joining us by the pool next week, so I am gathering my ideas and inspirations for a casual get together ~ Carrie style.

I love these cowhide towels.  A few splayed over the lounge chairs sets the mood.  Seriously, why has no one thought of this before?

Maslin & Co.

Not enough seating?  Pull up a rope pouf.  Part of the Privet for Target collection.  Pool parties need to be fully coordinated, just like anything else!

Also part of that collection, and on sale by the way, Privet House has these great melamine plates, serving dishes, glasses, and other coordinating items.  I am going for a bohemian, chic, global, retro, rustic vibe.

A few striped pillows in outdoor fabric on each of my two benches round out the look nicely.

On the buffet table, I am totally putting these fruit/branch arrangements together.  So easy, and they look like a million bucks.  I also have a thing for succulents right now.  Maybe I'll throw a glass cloche over it.

Pinterest

These paper lanterns will look sensational clustered together in the trees.

lanterns

I consulted a mixologist and will be serving sparkling white sangria with extra mint (my latest obsession) and Parisien Mojitos with Elderflower liquor (my other obsession), not to be confused with truffle oil (my all time obsession) ~ which I unapologetically put on everything!

Now, if only coming up with a menu was that easy.  Any suggestions?

Celebrating the 4th in style!

This is a guest post I did for my good friends over at Bae - a fab home decor boutique in SF. Visit their blog at Bae Home & Design


You don’t need to clear out your local Hobby Lobby of everything with a star or a stripe this month to give your home or 4th of July celebration a patriotic sparkle, you can show your pride this Independence Day in a less is more approach with style, sophistication, and a little bit of fun.

The opening of The Pledge of Allegiance in a bold modern graphic print is a great way to show some spirit.

via eighteen25 download art here.

What is more decadent than cheesecake? Individual jar servings make it special, strawberries and blueberries make it festive.

via The Tomkat Studio Recipe: My Baking Addiction
 

Show up to the cookout in this chic and pretty sweetheart dress.

Available at Anthropologie.

Bae's SkLo float vessels would look great anywhere in your home or party. Cluster a grouping of them around some candles to create a colorful glow. See more

 

This patriotic throw pillow is so cute you can use it year round.

 Via The Stir, available on Etsy.

You can also decorate with your own accessories. Group together any red, white, and blue items you already have around your home to get that patriotic feel.

Via The Examiner

Have a happy, stylish 4th of July!