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 Simple Festivity: Whimsical Cedar Garland on the Staircase
We officially closed on the sale of our previous home and moved here a little over seven weeks ago. I’m so glad we are here and got somewhat settled in time for Christmas! There are still lots of things we plan to do around the house, and definitely still boxes to unpack and things to [...]
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Inspired: Christmas Decorating in the Kitchen
Recently on the blog I mentioned that we are going to be remodeling our kitchen! While I haven’t shared all of the details yet (I’ll for sure talk all about it in the new year!) I’m still in the phase of gathering inspiration. It’s an important step! While it’s so helpful to think of how [...]
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Thanksgiving at Kylee's House (+ Favorite Sales)
We had such a special Thanksgiving with our family! Kylee hosted us all at her new home in Portland. Everything was just lovely! It was good to all be together again. Empty nester life is wonderful but I sure miss everyone being together every day! I hope you enjoy these scenes from her beautiful home. [...]
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How to Simplify Hosting (Simple Cider and Donuts Gathering)
Thank you Walmart for partnering with me to bring you this post! I can’t believe Thanksgiving is just a few days away! Are you hosting any holiday gatherings this season? Oh the pressure we can place on ourselves when it comes to hosting others in our home, especially over the holidays! With social media accounts [...]
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My Cozy and Festive Guest Room + Gifts (from Walmart!)
What a wild couple of years we’ve all had, but I think this holiday season is an opportunity to bring back some of our favorite traditions and rediscover some of the joy in hosting, gift giving and gathering those we love. Walmart is truly a one-stop place to enjoy decking the halls so you can [...]
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Gift Ideas for Babies & Kids 2021
We have so much fun each year looking all over the internet for great gift ideas! We love sharing what we find here so you can stay home in your jammies, knowing you'll find something wonderful for everyone on your list. Today we wanted to share some adorable gift ideas for babies and kids! So [...]
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Kylee's House Updates (Sharing Some Hand-Me-Downs!)
Kylee here with some house updates to share! As you know, my parents recently downsized and moved into their new home with my grandparents, which meant paring down for both of them on some of their furniture and decor items. I was the lucky recipient of some of their beautiful pieces (such perfect timing with [...]
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Introducing My New Book: A Lovely Life
Throughout 2019 and 2020, during some rather challenging seasons, I wrote and photographed a new book, A Lovely Life. It has occurred to me that every time I write a book it’s during a difficult season or following one. I suppose that makes sense, life isn’t always as perfect as we might wish it was. [...]
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Introducing My New Book: A Lovely Life
Throughout 2019 and 2020, during some rather challenging seasons, I wrote and photographed a new book, A Lovely Life. It has occurred to me that every time I write a book it’s during a difficult season or following one. I suppose that makes sense, life isn’t always as perfect as we might wish it was. [...]
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Pretty Pies, Baking Tools and Cookbooks (+ Video)
With Thanksgiving coming so soon, we are thinking about our Thanksgiving menu! One thing we know for sure…this gluten-free vegan apple pie will be a part of the festivities. Courtney made us this pie for the very first time a couple years ago and it was SO good that from then on, it became a [...]
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Gift Ideas For Him 2021
Looking for gifts for the guys in your life? We gathered up some great ideas! Turn on your JavaScript to view content Sources below: Pendleton Roll-Up Chess and Checkers Set – perfect for traveling, picnics, or outdoor gatherings! BBQ Apron with Grilling Utensil Set Always Pan – We have this pan and we LOVE it. [...]
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Small Entryway Solutions
Hello, Kylee here! After sharing my entryway post (about how to decorate when your front door opens into your living room) , many of you reached out to me saying you also have an extra small entry space! So, I did a little digging to see what kinds of solutions I could find for when [...]
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Goodbye, House! You've Been Good to Us
Well, two weeks ago we officially said goodbye to our Seattle home where we lived for the past six years. This house was good to us. It was a gathering place that brought our family together. It was a shelter through difficult and good times, offering unexpected blessings along the way, even as we turned the page to the next chapter of our lives.
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How to Find Your Style + Favorite Design Books (Video)
While I love finding style inspiration in the online community, one of my FAVORITE ways to expand and grow more confident in my own style is to study the images of beautiful homes in design books. Holding a book in hand, turning the pages at a leisurely pace is the best! It's a return to the past, something I learned to enjoy back in the days before we had so much (too much?) inspiration at our fingertips.
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Christmas Decor Shop 2021
How can it be November already? Before we know it we’ll be eating turkey, mashed potatoes and even trimming the tree. We are so looking forward to the holidays in our new home. I actually don’t know yet if we will host any holidays this year (guess we need to figure that out soon!), but [...]
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Big News: Courtney's Engaged! Telling the Story
Hi friends! It’s Courtney (Melissa’s daughter) here today to share some big news! I know many of you have been following along with The Inspired Room for years and have been so supportive of our family personally. Some of you have started to follow along with me on my own Instagram, too! I’m so excited [...]
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A Guide to Savoring the Holidays
Can you believe the holidays are almost here? If you want to feel not only prepared but more excited to savor this season, I have something so fun to share with you today! Introducing The Holidays at Home Bundle! I teamed up with nine other friends to put together a bundle of holiday preparation must-haves! [...]
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Gifts Ideas for Her 2021
Do you ever find it hard to shop for anyone on your list? Every year on The Inspired Room we scour the interwebs to find the most adorable and wonderful gifts for everyone. We love to share them with you! Some are items we already bought for ourselves or people we love! With shipping delays [...]
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Fall: The Most Wonderful Season to Be at Home
We’ve lived in quite a few houses over the years (this is our eighth home since we’ve been married!)! Some homes you move into and you know it will be a long journey to make it yours. That's exciting in its own way! We've had so many homes like that and it's always been so [...]
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Our New Dining Room + Simple Cozy Fall Tablescape
The chill in the air and the turning of the leaves signals it’s time for one of my favorite rituals of fall nesting. EATING SOUP! We eat a lot of soup from fall through winter. Do you? We are still getting all settled in our dining room but it’s feeling quite cozy already. I’ve been [...]
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7 Cozy Fall Porches
One thing I'm extra excited about at our new house is our covered porch and balcony. We've been enjoying these spaces this summer, but I see us using them all year long too! Here are some covered porches that look oh so cozy for autumn!
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5 Clever Ways to Make a Small Space Cozy and Inviting (Courtney's Apartment)
Hi friends! Courtney (Melissa’s daughter) here today. I’ve lived in several small spaces and rentals over the years. From shared rooms in college, to a tiny bedroom at my sister’s townhouse, a 600 square foot studio apartment, and now a 500 square foot one bedroom…small spaces are very familiar to me! I’ve had a lot [...]
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5 Fall Diffuser Blends that are Even Better Than Candles!
Happy fall! Years ago I decided to no longer burn candles regularly and instead diffuse essential oils to scent my home. Not only do these blends smell AMAZING, so similar to candles I used to love, but I rest easier knowing I’m breathing in oils that are actually good for my family’s health (rather than [...]
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Rattan Daybed in Our Guest Room
Yesterday was the official first day of fall! But it’s been fall in my mind for weeks now… :) We have been deep in packing mode at house in Seattle this week (if you saw on my stories, our house is pending a sale!). It’s been an interesting feeling saying goodbye to a home we [...]
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Inspired By: A Cozy Island Home on Martha's Vineyard
Before I begin decorating a new space, I consider how I want our home to feel in every season. I picture our new home feeling like the most inviting charming bed and breakfast hotel in a seaside town. This home on Martha's Vineyard is giving me cozy fall vibes, ideas and inspiration! I hope it inspires you, too.
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Fall Nesting: Our Cozy Coffee Routine + Live Video
Now that we have our new home, I’m so looking forward to getting into my fall nesting rhythms! We are sad to be saying good-bye to our old home, but couldn’t be more thrilled to have found such a cozy place for this next chapter of life. We’ll be moving our furniture and belongings in [...]
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Decorating Our New Front Porch and Entry for Fall
This post is created in partnership with Walmart Hi friends! First of all, I wanted to thank you again for all your sweet messages lately. It means so much to us that you’re excited for our family and this move. So many of you have been here for years, or even from the beginning of [...]
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We're Moving: Part 3 (First Peek At Our New Home!)
This home is finally ours! What a journey it’s been! I’m actually in shock that we are here and this is our home, but it really feels meant to be. I’ll give you a first peek at it today, but rest assured there’s more to come. There is so much I want to say, so [...]
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New Minted Art in Kylee's Entry (+ a 20% off code!)
Happy Monday! Kylee here today to continue with my entry updates and I wanted to share this new art I got from Minted! Adding a little color through art was high on our priority list for making this space warm and welcoming. This isn't my first Minted art, I've used them in my past home [...]
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A Cozy Throw Blanket for Fall (+ Giveaway)
It wouldn’t be fall without a cozy throw blanket! I'm sooo in love with these gorgeous handcrafted Scrunchy Throws made by my talented and sweet friend, artisan Rebekah Polder The Handcrafted Home. They are literally the softest coziest most beautiful throws I've ever laid my hands (and eyes) on. Perfect for snuggling all fall and [...]
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Transitioning Our Entry Porch for Fall {Painted Concrete!}
Welcome, friends! Can you believe it’s time for all things cozy? Fall is a lovely season to enjoy our homes, so I’m thrilled to join in a tour with a wonderful group of bloggers to get inspired for the season! You’ll find links to each blogger at the end of the post. Today I’m sharing [...]
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Taking the Stress Out of Refinancing a Home
This post is created in partnership with Refily, a new home refinance lender comparison tool with the goal to take the stress out of home refinance Taking care of our home is not only an important investment in our family’s health and well-being on so many levels (which we talk about here all of the [...]
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We're Moving: Part Two
If you missed part one of the post on our decision to move, you can catch up HERE! We are SO excited! It’s been an incredibly busy few weeks as we’ve been getting our house up for sale, but we are just so thrilled to begin this adventure by moving to a new home. I [...]
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Kylee's Empty House Tour
Hello! It’s Kylee here to show you some more of our new home! Just a few weeks ago we moved into our new Cape Cod style home (or just a cape depending on where you live!). To be honest I still can’t believe it’s really ours! While we owned our townhouse for years, this still [...]
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Fall Decor from Target
Okay, show of hands…who is ready for fall nesting? Who wants summer to stick around longer? :) I have mixed feelings. I’ve been really enjoying summer. But then again, you know how much I love fall! It’s been pretty hot (and smoky!) here in Seattle the past couple of days so I wouldn’t complain about [...]
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My Favorite Blue and White Dishes
A few years ago I got these beautiful blue and white dishes and I absolutely love them. They are timeless, so versatile for any season and can easily mix and match with other dishes!
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Beautiful & Affordable Amazon Lighting
Lighting is one of the best ways to add personality and character to your home. It's one of the first improvements I've always made when moving into a new home. Switching out builder basics or dated fixtures makes a world of difference in the feel of a home. See my favorite stylish and affordable lighting from Amazon in this post!
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5 Take Away Tips from A Charming Cape Cod Home
New England Home I love most styles of homes but my heart is drawn to the architecture in a Cape Cod style home. It’s fun to analyze photos of rooms, by paying special attention to design elements I love. It helps me to think more creatively about my own home. As I study a photo, I [...]
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Styling Glass Kitchen Cabinets (Kylee's House Update)
Brass Faucet Source // Farmhouse Sink // Similar Glass Light Hello! Kylee here! We are one week into the new house and starting to feel more and more settled every day! First thing on the priority list for me, was getting the kitchen in order. We spend a lot of time in the kitchen and [...]
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Kylee's Cape Cod Style House
Hi friends, Kylee here with a house update! You may have already seen my little video tour if you follow along on Instagram but I wanted to share that we officially moved in to our new house in Portland! After a year of searching in a difficult market, we had decided that we were likely [...]
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A Big Dream Coming True for Us (+ Get the First Peek at Kylee's New House)
Hey friend, are you one of my newsletter subscribers? You will want to be subscribed to stay in the loop on some really fun news and to be the first to see Kylee’s adorable new house! Click HERE to subscribe. We’re just about to become empty nesters (for real this time) after over 30 years [...]
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Six Favorite Tips for Decorating a Summer Bedroom
One of the most enjoyable things for me in decorating is to focus on enjoying the season we're in! Why keep your spaces the same all the time when you can feel inspired with a few simple changes? Last week I brought in some fun elements to our bedroom to give it the feeling of a tropical retreat! Come see!
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Garden Inspiration: Arbors, Trellises & Gates
I‘ve always been fascinated by gardens…particularly garden entrances! I love how arbors or gates can add such an inviting and intriguing touch to an outdoor space. They always beckon me to walk through them…which is a bit of a problem if I see one in someone else’s yard that I’m not invited to (ha!)…I’m always [...]
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Changes & Empty Nester Life
It feels like summer is flying by here. I’m trying to slow things down as best I can and just enjoy every moment of this season. We have some cute new summery bedding for our guest room, so I’ve been having fun using the space for guests again! We had a couple of family get [...]
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My Top 10 Must-Have Toxin-Free Products From Young Living
I’ve been a fan of Young Living’s toxin-free products for seven or eight years now! We use MANY of them DAILY. They really have transformed our health and home. Today I want to share some of my favorite household and personal care products, as they really are incredible! But first, it’s official! Creating a toxin [...]
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Tiny Bouquets in Small Repurposed Vases
I accidentally cut a small small hydrangea from our bush the other day. I was so sad, it wasn’t intentional! But I brought the little flowers inside and put it in a small pitcher. Suddenly, I was happy! It looked so sweet! In design we often hear the advice to only cut longer stems and [...]
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Exciting News! Get 24% off at Young Living without a starter kit!
Big news! Creating a toxin-free home is going to be a whole lot easier and more affordable. Today we have something exciting to share with you. Young Living is unveiling an incredible new shopping platform with so many wonderful new and convenient features for their millions of customers, including the option to get what you [...]
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How We Make Our Coffee in a Stovetop Espresso Maker
Every morning, we make what is known as “Italian coffee” using a stovetop espresso maker (also referred to as a Moka Pot). This is a new version of the pot we use and recommend. We use several different brands of coffee, but one of our favorites is this one from Kicking Horse.You want to use [...]
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Coastal Decorating Inspiration: Serena & Lily
Serena & Lily is one place that never fails to bring me decorating inspiration. They have a Summer Tent Sale going on right now with pieces available and ready to ship. I thought I'd share some of my favorites with you here today!
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Summer Diffuser Blends for Your Home
Our emotions are impacted by so many things, including our senses! The sense of smell is very powerful. My own well-being is one reason I love to use essentials oils in our home. I quit using toxic candles, room sprays and other scented products years ago and I can’t say enough about what a powerful [...]
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How to Be Patient with Home Projects
It's hard to be patient with the pace of home projects, let alone be realistic with our own expectations. The internet plays games with our minds. Everything moves so fast! Like the pace of highlight reels for home makeovers, everyone else's projects seem to get completed in the time it takes me to even decide [...]
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Summer Bouquet in a Lantern
Happy July, friends! Thank you so much for all of your kind words in my post about our new door color. We love it, it’s making us happy every day! With all of the flowers blooming in our yard this time of year, I’m enjoying the weekly ritual of keeping the lantern filled with a [...]
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Iced Maple Oat Milk Shaken Espresso Recipe (Starbucks Copycat)
Have you tried the Starbucks iced brown sugar oat milk latte? It’s so yummy! We made our own similar version at home and it’s delicious, I wanted to share the recipe with you today! It’s super simple with just a few ingredients. Pin this post to save the recipe for later! Recipe for an individual [...]
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How to Set a Cheerful Summer Table
This post is in partnership with Walmart. Summer officially arrived and along with it, fresh decorating opportunities and resuming outdoor gatherings. Even after all the time we spent here in 2020, our backyard is still our favorite destination! Making our backyard feel like a retreat from the world over the past few years has become [...]
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Brick Ranch to Cottage: Blue Dutch Door Before & After
We bought our orange brick 1950s ranch style house in Seattle six years ago. I know when I first showed the “before photos” of this home, many people may have had trouble trying to picture where we were headed with the style! I understand. It certainly didn’t look like my “cottage by the sea” dreams. [...]
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Favorite Amazon Home Decor + Household Gadgets
In addition to supporting our local favorites, I'm a big fan of online shopping for our home and business, it saves time and money and keeps me organized! Here are some of the best deals today on home decor and household items!
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Kylee's Home Buying Story
Hiiii! Melissa's daughter Kylee here :) It's been awhile since I've written a blog post! I know my mom has shared here that I am moving so I thought I would come share some of the story and journey so far. If you follow me or my mom on Instagram, you may have seen that [...]
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Summer Quilt + Pattern Mixing Tips
I gave our tiny guest room a quick summer refresh last week. It’s nice to be back to having guests in the house, although most of our guests are family! :) I have an ever growing collection of quilts that are so fun to use on beds! A mix of patterns can make a small [...]
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Father's Day Gift Guides 2021
Hi friends! With Father’s Day right around the corner I wanted to share some great gift ideas for the guys in your life. Enjoy our gift guides below! Sources for the above (click each title for details): Waterproof Outdoor Picnic Blanket Picnic Mini Cheese Board Wood Handled BBQ Tools Set with Bag Radio + Bluetooth [...]
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A New Paint Color for Our Dutch Door (+ Summer Doormats)
To kick off the summer season which is quickly approaching, we are giving our front door and porch a little refresh! I think it’s a great time of year to work on some “curb appeal” so we will be all set for fall decorating and the holidays. You may have seen our new door color [...]
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Lilacs at Home
Rug Source // How to Hang plates on the Wall We had one home years ago that had lilacs in the yard, but they rarely bloomed. When we moved into this house in the fall six years ago, I didn’t know at the time what an incredible array of flowers would arrive thee next spring! [...]
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Flags in Decor + Memorial Day Weekend
I've been saving images of flags in beautiful settings for awhile now, they are so inspiring to me! I thought you might enjoy seeing them as much as I do. Hope you have a wonderful weekend celebrating the freedom we have and in remembrance and gratitude for those who gave their lives for it.
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Favorite Memorial Day Sales
Hi friends! I wanted to let you know about some Memorial Day weekend sales happening now, as well as collages of some of my favorite finds on sale! Enjoy! Ps…I’ll be back this weekend with a special holiday post! World Market has up to 25% off select outdoor items this weekend (+Members save an extra [...]
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A House That Feels Like Home + New Indoor Outdoor Rug
It’s definitely feeling like spring around our house, but even more so, it feels like HOME! We’ve lived in this house for *almost* six years now, can you believe it? I’ve never lived anywhere longer than six years, so it’s a really good feeling to be so settled and have had so many seasons in [...]
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Life Lately: Scenes From Around Our House
It’s been awhile since I’ve done a Life Lately post, so I thought I’d catch up before this season gets away from us. Time sure flies, doesn’t it? We had such a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend, my parents were able to come stay at our home for the first time in over a year! We’ve [...]
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The Best Secrets for How to Mix Patterns in Your Home
Do you ever wonder how to mix and match patterns in your home? I know it can be tricky to figure out what “goes” with what! In today’s post I’ll share some of my secrets for pattern mixing and feature some of my favorite mix-and-match-able pillows from Serena & Lily to make it easier to [...]
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Patterned Curtains in My Home + Similar Sources
A fresh and often unexpected way to add color and pattern to a room is with curtain panels. You can easily change patterned curtains out for the season or move them from room to room to give a space a new look. Even though it may feel like a risk to go with a bolder [...]
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Decorate a Seasonal Display Lantern (+ Permission for Imperfection)
My husband and I were walking up to the porch the other day and he said, “you forgot to decorate your lantern for spring!”. I was surprised he even noticed, but he was right! It had slipped my mind in all the other things I’ve been doing around the house. All it had in it [...]
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Designer Decorating Secret: Realistic Faux Plants
A room always seems to feel more fresh and alive to me when there’s a plant in the room. Better yet, when there are several plants! I bet if you study photos of rooms you like, you’ll notice how many of them have at least one plant. Using faux plants in a room or a [...]
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Come Take a Video Tour of a Dream Beach House!
Last summer we stayed in the most amazing dream beach house in the town of Seabrook on the Washington Coast! I shared a two part tour of the home on the blog (click HERE for part one and HERE for part two). I also posted a video tour on my Instagram, but today I wanted [...]
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Wood Pedestals, Trays, & Footed Stands in My Kitchen
Simple details in a space can add function as well as warmth and character. One of my favorite ways to do that in my white kitchen is by bringing in more contrast with cozy textures with wood pedestals, trays and footed stands. It’s such a simple thing to do, but it sure makes a difference! [...]
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Mother's Day Gift Guide 2021
Hi friends! With Mother's Day right around the corner I wanted to share some sweet and thoughtful gift ideas for that special mom in your life. Enjoy our gift guides!
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Out to See: Tulip Festival Roozengaarde (Washington State)
I may be a day late in saying happy Earth Day, but my girls Kylee and Courtney and I were traipsing through a glorious local tulip farm oohing and ahhhhing over each unique petal in the beautiful fields of color! I love living in the NW, the incredible natural beauty is breathtaking. We literally took 1,000 photos/videos at [...]
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Edible Flower Teacup Garden in the Kitchen
Have you ever grown edible flowers? I think a kitchen garden or windowsill garden is so charming. A few weeks ago I was at a local garden store and saw these sweet little violas. I planted a bunch of them in pots but had a few leftover and decided to put a few in my colorful coffee mugs!
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Fun Ways to Use Edible Flowers
Edible flowers are such a fun and pretty addition to a treat for Mother's Day, a baby shower, engagement party, birthdays, a wedding, spring garden party, or just because! Here are lots of fun ideas and recipes!
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Happy Spring Music Playlist
I’ve shared a few music playlists on The Inspired Room over the years like my Happy Homebody Playlist, my Uplift Playlist and more (see all of my playlists here), and today I wanted to share a new Happy Spring Playlist for you! I hope it inspires a positive atmosphere for you in your homes and [...]
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Our Cozy Cottage Basement
One of the things we loved most about this house when we first looked at it was that it had a basement! I wasn’t really looking for one (not all homes here have them), but with a small home having a nice basement is definitely a plus. Although in many houses we looked at they [...]
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Life Lately: Dogs, and More Dogs, and More Moving!
Wait. Did I say something about becoming an empty nester a year and a half ago? I did? Haha, well, surprise! All the fur kids and human kids have moved back home here at some point in the last year! I was kind of wondering what it would feel like to be an empty nester [...]
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Courtney's Apartment Update + Tour (500 Square Feet!)
Hey guys! Courtney (Melissa’s daughter) here today. I’m here today to give you a tour of my new 500 square foot apartment! If you’re new here, in January I moved up to Bellingham, a beautiful and charming city by the water. Recently I showed you my empty apartment tour with mood boards for my design [...]
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