STYLING YOUR HOME
like making your bed
INTERIORS + DECOR
Welcome, my friend. The Idea Book is a blog about wellness within the home - a place where I can share my homebody stories and the ways I find comfort in my days. I’m so glad you’re here.
“All I really want to do is talk about how to make the house a home, the living room the epitome of comfort, and the kitchen cozy and practical. …and maybe some life lessons as a mother to three homebodies.”
MY FAVORITE THINGS
Looking for a deeper connection? Follow along for a more casual and behind the scenes glimpse into my home, products I love to buy and share, and lots of design tips.
December | less is more + merry
In a world that often feels over scheduled/worked/paced, choosing a minimalist approach to decorating for the holidays is where my personal peace is landing this year. It appears I’m not the only one.
November | autumn sheddings
This season offers a unique opportunity to evaluate what in our lives (and our homes) needs to fall away in order to make space for what is working, allowing it to thrive.
How Wallpaper Can Transform a Room
When it comes to transforming a room, the choice of patterned wallpaper plays a pivotal role. The right pattern can completely alter the look and feel of a space, infusing it with character and charm.
September | a seasonal declutter (10 things you can tidy up TODAY)
As summer gently fades into fall (even though Louisiana is still well into the triple digits for our temps), it's the perfect time to declutter our spaces, both physically and metaphorically. Just as the trees shed their leaves to make way for new growth, we too can clear out the old to welcome the fresh energy of a new season.
Rug Rules for the Home
Rugs are a powerful tool in interior design, offering you both a visual appeal and functional benefits. Whether you're aiming to ground a space with neutral tones or make a bold statement, rugs can, no doubt, effortlessly transform a room. A neutral rug, with its subtle texture, can add warmth and cohesion, creating a serene and inviting atmosphere. On the other hand, a vibrant, patterned rug can bring personality and energy to a space, serving as a focal point in the room.
August | summer seasons (a view from home)
As we gently transition from summer to fall, I want to take a moment to reflect on the past few months and extend my heartfelt wishes for your journey ahead. My hope is that this summer has been a season of growth and prosperity for you, even if it felt much like the rest of the year. For me, summer is always a chance for ideas and dreams to flourish under the warmth of longer days and brighter skies. Even if the summer months seemed to blend into the routine, know that every season holds the potential for transformation.
Styling Your Home - it’s like making your bed
Styling a home is a lot like making a bed. It might sound simple, but there’s an art to it that involves carefully layering elements to create a space that feels both cohesive and inviting. Much like how you make your bed each morning, the process of styling your home involves building from the ground up, using layers to add depth and personality. Here’s how you can apply the concept of layering—just like you do with a bed—to your home decor.
Heirloom Quality Brands I’ve Been Collecting From
I have always been big on quality over the quick-win take homes, and I’m a fan of functional pieces over
just for looks
. This goes for marketplace/ antique or the newly purchased finds.
I grew up in a family that curated antiques from yard sales and sold them from the town’s little antique shop. This might mean my kitchen island was a former flat file drawer or the step stool for my kiddos to reach the sink was a metal utility stool. As my home’s style has evolved through age and life’s seasons, I’ve realized that I enjoy mixing modern-day pieces with my vintage discoveries. There’s a balance, an ebb and flow even when you combine the two that brings me great joy and adds a certain level of charm to our spaces.
July | charm + character
For July’s Monthly Musing, we’re diving into adding charm and character to your space. This spring, I moved into a sweet 1940s cottage FULL of charm. I’m exploring what it looks like to add touches of personalization to these spaces.
Debut Pillow Launch
With summer joining most of us by now, especially if you’ve got school-aged kiddos at home, I’m inviting you to a practice of “hosting your summer.” This concept is all about welcoming your summer months for what they are. For some, it looks a lot like the rest of the year, for others it might mean you’re entertaining little minds and hearts from a big school break.
As we enter summer, I like to reset the mind around a slower pace, more play, and different routines. Let’s expand.
June | hosting your summer
With summer joining most of us by now, especially if you’ve got school-aged kiddos at home, I’m inviting you to a practice of “hosting your summer.” This concept is all about welcoming your summer months for what they are. For some, it looks a lot like the rest of the year, for others it might mean you’re entertaining little minds and hearts from a big school break.
As we enter summer, I like to reset the perspective around a slower pace, more play, and different routines. Let’s expand.
Unexpected Red | it’s not new
The unexpected red theory has been flooding social media this season in the home decor world, but this isn’t a new concept. The attention-grabbing theory has been used from Claude Monet’s Poppy Fields, Marilyn Monroe’s red lipstick, to Jackie Kennedy’s iconic red jacket. More literally, it’s used for stop signs, traffic lights, and LED-lit exit signs in commercial spaces. Pops of red grab your attention and ignite you to react, whether it’s keeping you from driving into traffic or a double-take of something visually interesting or attractive.
BTS | where I call home
Many of you know that I recently moved! It’s been an adventurous year so far. I have a deep love for old homes and a family in the industry of home construction and design. My plan was to marry those two concepts together and build a home to look old. That plan was disrupted when the epitome of a 1940s cottage found its way onto the market and in front of my eyes.
Within 7 minutes (literally) of seeing this listing go live, I was in my car flagging a random real estate agent down in the street - in the rain. An offer was made on the spot, along with several competing offers. The stars aligned in the way they tend to do when something just feels right, and within six short crazy weeks, I sold my old house, closed on the new house, and moved in.
May | mother mother
It’s May, a glorious month in my own opinion. Just four days into this month, I entered the world, and we celebrate birthdays in this house whether you’re turning five or ninety-five. My grandmother turned 95 years young last month. She got all dressed up, applied her make-up, and demanded a party and a cake. We’d be damned if we didn’t give this queen what she asked for. In fact, we had two cakes. If you don’t celebrate the way this woman celebrates, you’re doing it wrong, my friend.
April | walls in the wild edition
I’m gearing up for spring, the sunshine’s warmth on my skin, and all the projects in the works that I’ll soon be able to share. For our April Monthly Musing, I’m taking a stroll down past project faves and sharing some of my most loved walls in the wild! Give these homebodies a follow if you’re not a fan already.
Savvy Thrifting Tips & Things to Search For
I grew up in a 1911-era home with a family who, still, loves antiques. My grandparents collected locally and traveled up and down the East Coast to fill their antique shop. So, the love for the curated is infused in me. However, there’s a big misconception between antique collecting and thrifting. They both surely have a place.
March | taking risks with your space
I tried pretty diligently to make a joke about March Madness and tie that into this month’s theme. It didn’t feel quite right. Those who know me well know there are just a few sports I keep up with. Anyway, the nod to “madness” is an attempt to break the rules, use the wild card, and take risks with your space! I’m sharing some of my favorite spaces below that do this well. We’re talking quirky, in the most beautiful way - POPS of color, unconventional use of space, and fun things in between!
Color of the Year …but different
If you gave anyone who knows me a blank piece of paper and prompted that person to write 100 words about me, trendy will not be one of them. I’ve never been one to dress or style based on what’s trendy. I go for comfort - in both my apparel and home. Nonetheless, I coincidentally find trends that I do love …regardless of its popularity or maybe loved it before the internet loved it. Warm color palettes are always going to be where my eyes gravitate. Although, Peach Fuzz, the 2024 color of the year might land in the pastels, it’s really in the orange category and part of the warm palette family (IMO).
February | affection for the home in between seasons
Maybe it’s that weird time between the holidays and spring or, you’re between a house move. We’re diving in to how we can show affection and love our homes in between seasons. That limbo stage can feel uneasy but these five tips below are what have gotten be out of a homebody creative funk.
New Colors: bricks, blues, and brass
The thrill is real about the new color options for the top five favorites. What I love most about all things design is the balance and blend of opposing subjects. Maybe it’s the mix of modern and vintage or the mix of clean lines paired with touches of maximalism. The wallpaper and textile line was designed with that blend in mind. It’s no secret that there’s a common thread of florals across the options of repeating motifs. To balance the dainty femininity of those florals, you’ll find a warm and moody color palette to compensate.