Protecting your floors, caring for your rugs (lots of eye candy too!)

FREE IMAGES Rugs are artwork for your floors.  I have spent weeks agonizing over choosing a rug for my home.  I want something that is gorgeous (obviously), high quality, will last forever, and made with ethical standards.

via Pinterest via Style Me Pretty

While a high quality rug doesn't require a ton of maintenance, there are still steps you should take to ensure it will stay looking gorgeous for years to come.  I always save the care tags off of my rugs to refer to them from time to time.  I also vacuum once a week WITHOUT the agitator on, and spot clean immediately with eco-friendly, gentle rug cleaner.  For tough stains, DO NOT RUB stains out, rather PRESS them out.  (Put an absorbent cloth or paper towels over the treated stain, also several layers under the rug to protect your floor, place heavy objects on top of the cloth or paper towels and leave over night.)

via Pinterest via his and hers

Another huge must have is a good rug pad.  For years I used those cheap white "waffley" rug pads, and I was always left with rumbly rugs and weird residues left on my floors.  That's why I was super excited when the folks at Rug Pad Corner got in touch with me to see if I'd be interested in learning more about their pads.

They offer premium felt and rubber pads with NO adhesives (meaning no residue left on your floor). They also use heat to attach the rubber to the felt, so you get no off-gassing or smell.  I jumped on the opportunity to try these out and was instantly impressed with the quality.  My rugs are also laying flatter now, and the thickness of the pad gives the rug a more luxurious feel.

After thoroughly cleaning the floor I laid down the pad where the rug would go.

Both sides of the pad.  The side that goes against the wood is very soft.

My rug on top - looking great!

The back of the non-slip pad, which I haven't laid down yet, because it will go in my office and we are having hardwood floor installed.

Learn all about these rug pads and more products at RugPadCorner.com.

*disclosure: just so you know, I received rug pads from Rug Pad Corner in return for this post.  All opinions are my own and I only work with companies or products that I think will be of interest to you!

Okay, now for shopping..

 I want one of these fuzzy guys... at Joss & Main (in the Warm Up the Room Rug sale)

LOVE the colors here... at Joss & Main (in the Warm Up the Room Rug sale)

at Joss & Main (in the Traditional stitches sale)

at Joss & Main (in the Take a Stand sale)

Bring In Some Orange

FREE IMAGES Starting this week off bright and exciting! Although orange can seem like a scary color to work with, I wanted to show you some inspiration today that might make you change your mind about loud colors in general.  I actually always try to incorporate some orange in my office, because it supposedly boosts creativity! Used in the right way, it can stand out beautifully:

via ahomeinthemaking

via bhg

via annabode

via pinterest

via mattersofstyle

Inspiration: Using color in the bathroom

FREE IMAGES If you need a little change in your decor, the bathroom is a small, less intimidating space to start.  Sometimes I get my fix just by changing out my shower curtain and bath mat. Or, you could brighten up your bathroom with some color. Since most bathrooms are the least amount of square footage in a home, it's an easy weekend makeover that won't leave you regretting the time you spend.


via designsponge

There are so many way's you can liven up a room. Paint, tile, curtains, rugs, wall art, and accessories are some options you can start with!


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You can start small with a spot of color by painting your cabinets and accessorizing to match! Or simply choose one wall to paint if you are afraid it might be to overwhelming to paint the whole room a bright color.  I can't decide if I like this peach or not - I'd have to see the rest of the room.  I love the rug though!


via prepaganda

Go wild with a wallpaper, stencil design, or maybe even stripes! Pick a color that makes you smile every time you walk in the room.


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Can't choose one color? Find two that work great together and keep it simple with the rest of the accessories. Let the paint color be the decor..

Gray and yellow are two of my favorites.


via Elle Decor

Nervous about a big change? Stick with the accessories! You can still brighten up your bathroom and your day with a little accessorizing.

Add A Little Interest To Your Hallway

FREE IMAGES Since hallways aren't meant for hanging out, we tend to leave them out of the decor process. Here are a few ideas to bring your hallway a little more love:

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Add a touch of luxury with decorative molding. It's eye catching without taking up necessary space so it's perfect for small hallways and tight corners.

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Add decorative corbels or moulding for some character.
via Home Stories A to Z

Add a dynamic impact to your hall by adding a chair rail and painting one half a contrasting color.
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via houzz

Adding some floor to ceiling curtains can make the hallway feel more luxurious and grand. A beautiful light fixture makes the space seem well thought out.

Rugs Rugs Rugs

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Keeping the focus on floors these days, I'm pretty excited to show off a favorite of mine today. Antique and vintage rugs are a great way to add a little pattern and eye candy to the floor!

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If you aren't sure of what type of rug to look for, Scandinavian rugs are great for pastel rooms. They tend to have lighter colors in them and the designs are beautiful!


via ApartmentTherapy

Mixing and matching rugs are a great way to bring two spaces together. Using the same color options but getting different patterns or styles can help define a space but keep the natural flow of the room.

via Houzz

For those who love a lot of color and mixed patterns, using a rug with like colors can tie in a space. Moroccan rugs would be a great choice for this situation as they tend to have bright lively colors.


via Pinterest

For those of you who love the simplicity and neutral colors, this is a great way to step out of your box and add a great pattern to the view! There are some amazing places that sell vintage rugs for great prices and they are great quality.


via ApartmentTherapy


this post is in partnership with nazimyalcollection

Living Room Must Haves

FREE IMAGES Our living room is the first thing one sees upon walking through our front door. Since moving in in June, we've made some progress making it ours, but it's slow going since we're still trying to decide exactly what it is we're going for. We have a small sofa now, which I like, but I've been considering a sectional because our current sofa isn't really comfortable for those late nights snuggling on the couch. I used to not like sectionals at all, but more and more you're finding them in smaller sizes with cleaner lines.

 Love that coffee table too!
via Pinterest via Houzz

via SoHaute

Some of my favorite sofas are the ones that look clean and modern but still have a great comfort factor!

I've also been faithfully searching craigslist every day for a worn leather chair.  I think they're so beautiful!

via Pinterest via Keltainen Talo Rannalla 

via One Kings Lane


A coffee table that is both useful and stunning is another must have, though we've been living without one for 3 years, so I guess they're more like a "should have". I've been looking out for one that I like for a while now.  A coffee table is something you don't need to splurge on, and there are so many creative ways to create your own coffee table.  Just search on google or pinterest "DIY Coffee Table" and you'll see hundreds of ideas returned!

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

Lighting is also extremely important. A lot of natural light is ideal but unfortunately might not be a reality for you. Since the living room is the main gathering room at most homes, you want it to be the most well lit when occupied, so make sure you have plenty of lamps.

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Overhead lighting makes me sad.  Table lamps are pretty and cast a more relaxed glow so use those on end tables instead, or place a floor lamp behind a couch for the nights you curl up with a book.

via Joss and Main

this post is in partnership with scs.co.uk

Rugs: Selecting size and style

FREE IMAGES Rugs - how they can make or break a room! A rug can be a major focal point in your room, or purely there for comfort, in which case it should not scream for attention.   When it comes to rugs, I like to go with something timeless and that I know I will always like.

Chevron is trendy now, but it is still always a classic.
via Houzz

via inhouserugs

If you have a more eccentric decorating style, you can get away with having fun with your rugs. I think this rug is really cool because it reminds me of the pixels I push around all day as a web designer, but don't know if I could live with it long term. Luckily, you can find some seriously interesting rugs and runners to fit whatever your style.

via Houzz

The rugs above are a little more my style.  If you love color in your space but want it to be more subtle you can use colors that are already in your surroundings like a little bit of green from plants, yellow from the floors, and blue from the outside views. I've always been a fan of trellis patterns because they remind me of my trip to Morocco.

via Houzz

If you are going for a neutral or monotone palette, you have to add a variety of textures. These stunning rugs might now have bold colors, but the bold texture will add richness to the room.

And of course there is always the size and legs on/legs off debate when it comes to rugs.  I tend not to follow a lot of decorating rules, because I don't really know all of the decorating rules, but the important thing is to consider the feel that you'd like the room to have.

 A large rug that can fit all of the furniture is going to make the room feel much larger and airier.

A smaller rug, where all the legs of the furniture are off of the rug, is going to create a cozier, more intimate feel.

Here's an example where the furniture's legs are half on, half off the rug.  The consistency of all the legs being half off and half on help, but to me this feels a little more cramped then the other two solutions.

3 images above via Emily Henderson

this post in partnership with inhouserugs.co.uk

How to welcome Spring into your home a little early this year!

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Spring cannot get here soon enough!  Yesterday here in Maryland was a tease, with sunny skies and almost 50 degrees.  Today?  In the 30’s with wet, sloppy snow.  All the weather flip-flopping is not good for one’s mood or health!

So, I ‘ve decided to come up with a game plan to bring Spring to me, in my own home.  Next week I am going to start implementing touches of warmth, sunshine, and new growth through small changes in décor.  And, if you have the budget – you can go big – through furnishings, etc.

In my own personal experience, the change that makes a biggest impact on my space are the window treatments.  This may simply be because I tend to look toward light sources, which are often windows.  You may be more drawn to looking at the floor, foreground, or anything with in your eye level.  Next time you walk into a room, notice where your eyes go first.  Once you pinpoint that point of focus, start by making updates in that area for the most bang for your buck.  Then, if you want, spread out!

Simply swapping out heavy dark drapes, which may be appropriate for winter, with airy, white window treatments will lighten up the entire room and allow more light to enter the room.

Window treatments need not cost a leg and an arm,  treatments like roller blinds are not only affordable but are also being offered in chic and modern designs by manufacturers like Web-Blinds.

If your focus tends to be on the floor, than consider adding a colorful rug, or a rug in a lighter weave, or one with a beautiful pattern.

Get in on the chevron insurgence, but keep it unique with this pear-hued rug.

So many beautiful rugs - so little time!

If new window treatments or a carpet is not in the budget right now.  You'd be surprised at the amount of life that a grouping of new throw pillows can breathe into a room!

All these pretty rugs and pillows are available at Joss & Main (You have to create a login to shop, but it's free and fast) .

Do you have any plans to lighten and brighten your space before Spring or when Spring arrives?

This post in partnership with Web-Blinds.com