2025
Color of the Year
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.
Power of the Powder Room
Powder rooms are the ideal spot to experiment with bold choices you might hesitate to try in larger areas. Think rich paint colors, statement lighting, or even a metallic ceiling. With less square footage, you can splurge on luxurious materials or high-impact wallpaper without breaking the bank.
How Running a Coffee Shop Transformed My Home Routine
What started as a conversation with my sister about taking our kids to the zoo turned into opening up a toddler-friendly coffee shop in our local town. Although we passed the baton of the business, I can’t deny all that I learned from the hospitality industry.
Color Drenched and Wood Drenched
Have you ever walked into a room and felt instantly hugged by the energy? That’s the magic of both color and wood drenching a space—a bold design technique that’s all about committing to one hue and letting it take over your space in the most transformative way.
Wallpaper for Small Spaces
Thinking about wallpaper as we start off this new year? Think small, not big. Small spaces don’t have to feel cramped or uninspired. With the right wallpaper, you can transform a tiny room into a cozy, stylish haven without a huge commitment a large space might require.
Here are five of my favorite wallpaper ideas that will make your small space stand out while maximizing the vibe.
The Color of the Year: Let’s Embrace Warm Neutrals for 2025
We are less than a week into 2025 and it’s shaping up to be a year of cozy sophistication, with warm neutral tones taking center stage. Leading the charge, Pantone’s Mocha Mousse and Benjamin Moore’s Color of the Year, Cinnamon Slate, are redefining the light and bright era. Now, don’t get me wrong, I do love a white wall. There are many ways to keep the walls light and still bring in these warm neutrals for a level of what I might call “airy” comfort.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
January | recap and a new year’s welcome
It brings me great joy to welcome 2024 to the calendar. My hope for this year is that we continue to connect here, through my monthly musings, or on the grid on instagram. Those are the places you’ll find me most. I went on a personal deep dive last month and hinted around about all what’s to come for this year. I cannot wait to watch the months unfold to what will hopefully be a beautiful trip around the sun.
byHopeatHome will focus on designer spotlights, art for art’s sake, product launches, and of course wallpaper and textiles. Cheers to 2024, my friend! Let’s recap last year and welcome the new one!