All posts in style a room

our home: bathroom style on the cheap

by Megan on May 16, 2013 in our home, style a room with No comments

On our latest apartment adventure, we set out to add some color and style to our bland, boring master bathroom. Every apartment we’ve lived in has had the basic bathroom features that are just bland enough to please everyone. Beige counters, basic cabinets and hardware, nothing fancy. But a room you spend your early mornings and late nights in should be at least a little pretty, right? Why can’t I brush my teeth and look at something colorful and happy? Of course, we don’t have the freedom (or resources) to go with a bathroom remodel, so I wanted to add just a few apartment friendly touches to spruce things up a bit.

The easiest thing you can do? Add art. On the two walls that were big enough for frames, we added some color with free art! I cut an old floral print down to size for the frame by the vanity and, adjacent to the shower, I added some super easy paint chip art. We bought the two white frames from IKEA for $5.00 each. The great thing about them is that they are pretty thin, so they don’t stick out from the wall very much, and they are also plastic. Perfect to protect our DIY art from humidity, but it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if the frames somehow got damaged.

One of the most exciting upgrades was buying new towels! We replaced all of our bath and hand towels with these fluffy ones in sky blue, navy, and white. They are also from IKEA and the quality is actually pretty amazing. Plus the colors lend to a more spa like feel and don’t clash with the cabinetry and wall color that we can’t change.

We also upped our bathroom organization! We bought these awesome corner shower shelves from Target that just suction cup right to the wall. We’re over a month in and they haven’t budged. Plus, the people that make them are smart enough to have slits in the bottoms, so they stay pretty clean as well! No fuss, no muss! (By the way, what it muss??)

And on the counter, I put my extensive collection of glass vessels by turning a square vase and glass votive into storage for cotton balls and q-tips. Totally free and it is worlds better than having packages of bath supplies cluttering up the vanity.

No, it’s not the fanciest makeover. Nor the most impressive. But, hey! We’re not trying to win a beauty contest here! The goal right now is cheap and making, what will hopefully be, our last apartment stylish without spending a ton of dough. (But when we get a house, oh man, y’all better be prepared for the paint and projects to be flying!)

What are some other inexpensive ways to freshen up a bathroom? Share ideas for storage and style below!!

room love: vintage inspired

by Megan on March 21, 2013 in room love, style a room with No comments

It’s been a looong time since I’ve done a “Room Love” board but I just had to bring it back today. If you haven’t seen it yet, Emily Henderson styled Bri Emery’s living room and it rocks my world. Plus, it’s pretty cool when two bloggers you follow religiously, team up.

This room is outstanding! It’s bright and airy, it’s got lots of fantastic styling, and it’s beautifully mis-matched. Plus, it’s a rental! They brought this whole room together without painting the walls and doing anything super dramatic so it’s very achievable. Take a look:

Ahhh! It’s styled up but I don’t think too girly, which is obviously what they were going for because a couple lives here. The furniture, which is mostly reupholstered vintage finds, is all complimentary and all the color comes from fun accessories. And plants!!! We have zero plants in our apartment because I have a black thumb, but my birthday will be rolling around in a few months, and it’s been a tradition for the last few years to attempt to not murder a new plant so, we’ll see.

Now, here is my take on Bri’s new living room. It’s so amazing what Emily can do with those vintage pieces, but if you want to recreate the it’s nice to have a few easy-to-go-to resources:

There is so much fun stuff here!

According to the design recap, one of the goals was to purchase investment furniture; pieces that might have been a little pricy but would last forever. So, even though that Carter Credenza will run you in the neighborhood of $1700.00 it has a life time guarantee!! The couch is also a splurge at $1900.00 but it’s got a classic shape and the darker fabric will keep it looking nicer longer. Plus you can change up the look with different pillow case covers and throws!

I also mentioned how much I love the plants in this living room! Especially that huge fiddle leaf fig tree! The ficus plant from IKEA gives you a similar effect with the big gorgeous leaves with a smaller price tag.

Another one of my favorite elements is that black and white tribal print chair. According to Emily, it was a vintage find that was reupholstered in that awesome fabric but I think the Varanasi Stool from CB2 has a very similar vibe!

And, as far as accessories go, it’s all good, baby! Emily incorporated a lot of gold accessories, which totally rules. (I mentioned I’m really digging gold right now, right??). Fill in the gaps with fun, colorful items like lamps, pillows, and books!

I think the reason I love this space so much is because it is a room that looks very livable. It’s not a matchy-matchy, buy everything in a set sort of vibe. It’s very true to Bri’s style.

What do you think of this makeover? Do you love the “lived in” vibe as much as I do??

color pops: minty fresh

by Megan on March 14, 2013 in color pops, style a room with No comments

Mint is just an all around great color. In fact, it might just be the perfect pastel. It can be casual or fancy and a few pops of mint look great just about anywhere. With St. Patrick’s Day and Easter celebrations going on this month, I thought a Color Pop tribute to Mint would be very appropriate!

As you can see, there are a lot of different shades of mint, so it’s up to you to decide which you like best. Bright and cheery like those pillows? Or muted and moody like that awesome couch? I’m pretty sure any guy would be happy to hang out on that!

Plus, mint is super versatile with other colors! Pair mint with touches of gold for an instant glamorous touch. Or match it up with bright colors like coral and yellow for a more casual, fun aesthetic. Either way, mint makes an amazing color pop. Wouldn’t that couch be gorgeous with some fun patterned pillows? And, honestly, that mint nail polish (which I own) is perfect for a spring time manicure…

I guess, my final thought it: Mint, get you some!

Want to see more Color Pops? Check out the (always growing) gallery here!

color pops: pretty in pink

by Megan on February 18, 2013 in color pops, style a room with 2 Comments

First things first! Two Live Colorfully will be moving to self-hosted wordpress-ville this week! So, a Wednesday post may be late or non-existent, but we’re super excited about this change and we think you’re going to like it too!!

Sure, Valentine’s Day is over, but truth be told, I’m a year-round pink lover. Last month, I shared a fun Color Pop collection for True Blue fans everywhere, but today, we’re going full on girly! Plus, I’m sharing a few tips for making pink work in a not-overly-feminine way. Let’s roll.

Painting #03B via LEIF/Watercolor Bouquet of Tulips Print via Yao Cheng Designs/Geometric High Table Lamp/Pink City Maze Pillow and Coral Tall Chevron Pillow via Caitlin Wilson Textiles/Hot Pink Ottoman Makeover via Emily Henderson

I think the key with pink decor (especially if you share your living space with a man!) is moderation. So, even though I know that Josh would never in a million years let me bring that hot pink ottoman in our home, I’m pretty sure a pillow case combined with that pretty abstract painting would be perfectly acceptable.

Also, paired with darker shades of gray or maybe even navy blue, you could make pink fit perfectly in a shared space. I think a perfect example of this is Oh Joy’s house which was styled by Emily Henderson. It’s feminine, but not overly so. If you’re looking for real life inspiration on how to make that combo work, I’d start with her house tour here!

What are your thoughts on pink home decor? Totally fine or way too girly? And what Color Pop Collections would you love to see in the future!?

make this: geometric bedroom art

by Megan on February 15, 2013 in our home, style a room with 5 Comments

We’re still moving along in the bedroom and the progress is becoming noticeable! Yay!! Our primary focus right now is getting art up on the walls and adding some style.

Today, I want to share this fun geometric art project that we completed last weekend. I’ve been loving all the geometric-ness that’s been popping up around Pinterest lately, and this was an easy DIY-able idea that I found on The Red Thread (a blog you should definitely get friendly with). And this thing certainly packs a punch!

Now, in Lisa’s version, lots of colors works amazingly because her room is largely white. We’ve got a lot going on already with those curtains we snagged at IKEA last year. They are powerful and kind of command the room, so I decided our version would stick within that color scheme: purples, gray, and white.

I also went a little larger. I picked up three foam boards from the dollar store (instead of two) and secured them together vertically. It takes up a lot more visual space this way. I’m thinking of flanking it with some “chill” art above the nightstands would balance out the strictness of the geometric pattern and just about complete this side of the room.

It took about 2 hours and, because it’s all made on foam board, it was super easy to hang. I just used three velcro picture hanging strips (like these) at the top and used sticky tack to secure the bottom corners. Plus, knowing that what’s hanging over our heads at night is not super heavy let’s us sleep a little more peacefully, just in case it does come down. Which it won’t, but still.

What are your favorite DIY art projects? Do you like frames or canvases? Or made from something unexpected? Share below!!

make this: diy match strike votive

by Megan on February 13, 2013 in do it yourself, make this, recycle & repurpose with 3 Comments

Sometimes the best projects are quick and easy and today I’m sharing a fun one. In a never-ending effort to declutter our apartment (and make it purty!), I’m always looking for ways to decant things into pretty containers. For the most part, labels = lots and lots of visual clutter. So, I made this cute match strike votive.

Let me explain. I love me some candles. They immediately make me feel more relaxed and candle light makes everything look amazing, so you’ll find them everywhere in 816. What’s not pretty? Boxes of matches or those long lighters. So I turned some glass thrift store votives into a cute matches storage with an awesome twist! I put the striking texture on the bottom of the votive! Grab your match, strike, and bam! Your candle is lit. (Okay maybe it’s not that exciting but it’s still pretty cool.)

Here are the steps to this quick project!

Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy. It’s not a huge renovation or super crafty project, but it fixed a problem (removing the clutter of labels), made something a little more stylish (always the goal), and it is dang fun to just strike a match on the bottom of that glass. I’ve got three votives around the apartment for easy lightning quick candle lighting… you know, in case you need mood lighting stat!

What are your favorite quick and easy projects?

make this: diy embroidery hoop mobiles

by Megan on January 21, 2013 in color pops, do it yourself, make this, on a budget, our home, recycle & repurpose, style a room with 2 Comments

Good morning and happy Monday! We’re another week into the new year, and for real, I am blowing through my to-do lists and resolutions. The office is coming along quite swimmingly and we’ll get the details and reveal up towards the end of the week! But today I’m sharing another super easy project that plays up my new true blue obsession! Last weekend, I decided it was time to take down the falling leaves installation we put up before Thanksgiving and replace it with something fresh and new.

And thus, these embroidery hoop mobiles were born! Ya’ll these are so easy to make but they look insanely cool. They’ve got a hint of mid-century cool mixed with a modern, fun color! They play up our big canvas art perfectly and I’m in love with them! So, I imagine you’re now asking yourself how one would go about creating the awesome-ness that is these mobiles. Well, have no fear because I’m going to tell you and in about 30 minutes you’ll have your own!

All you need are embroidery hoops in 3 different sizes. You actually get two pieces from one embroidery hoop, so these are super inexpensive to make. I think the whole project cost me about $5.00.

So, I bought 6 embroidery hoops total from my local craft store to make four orbs and everything else, I already had at home. But, to complete the project, you’ll also need a hot glue gun, ribbon (for hanging), and craft paint and a paint brush

First up, I took the embroidery hoops apart, removed the little screw that keeps the two hoops together, and hot glued the split hoop so it was one complete circle.

Next, I painted one of each size in a bright blue. I wanted to leave the majority of the hoops with the natural wood finish and go with just one pop of color for each orb but you could easily paint all of the hoops one or several colors depending on the look you’re going for!

Then just hot glue your hoops together. I tried to make sure the brackets were at the very top of the orbs so you wouldn’t be able to see them jutting out while they hang. Start with your biggest hoop and hot glue the next size down to the very top at a perpendicular angle. Go down to your smallest hoop and turn it in a different direction so you get the orb effect.

Then just string them up! Keeping the brackets on the tops of the orbs makes this super easy! Just string ribbon of your choice through and attach to a dowel or shapely stick!

Now, you’re ready to hang and admire! Another easy-peasy, inexpensive project in the books!

Since we’ve moved into our new apartment, 816, I think I’ve swapped out the hanging decorations in our dining room more than any other décor! It’s just so fun to think up new things to hang! First we had our no-sew paper strip mobiles, then the falling leaves, and now these fun embroidery hoop orbs!

What kind of hanging décor do you have in your house? Mostly light fixtures or do you get creative? I’d love more ideas and inspiration so share below!

color pop: true blue!

by Megan on January 15, 2013 in color pops, style a room with 4 Comments

I know that emerald (the 2013 Pantone Color of the Year) is getting a lot of attention right now, but what can I say, I’m a rebel.

A quick trip to target on Saturday has created a new obsession. Of course, it’s not like that situation is unheard of, but this one was special. It made me fall completely in love with a color that I usually glance over! Bright, true blue! Just by stepping one foot into our apartment, you’d know that my typical preference for the blue hue is navy, but I am really digging this bright, cheery alternative!

blue mod teardrop lamp/blue ikat print lampshade/blue accent table/STRANDMON wing chair/hitch peacock stool/tivoli model one radio

The thing that started it off was that modern little accent table. I saw it at Target, stopped in my tracks, and immediately broke out my iPhone for an impromptu photo shoot. (If it adds to your reading experience, you can imagine me telling the table to ‘work it’. Your choice!)

Because, color trends come and go so fast, it’s hard to know the best way to incorporate those new styles (at least the ones you actually love!) on top of your existing decor. If you’ve got a good mix going on already, a little accessory like the radio or lamp would make a perfect addition. But, if you’re thinking this trend just might be true love, then feel free to splurge on something a little bigger like the accent table or that to-die-for arm chair! It’s all about what you’re digging!!

So, feel free to peruse this fun collection of cool blue-ness and stay tuned because next week I’ve got a really cool project coming up that pays homage to my new little obsession.

What colors are you loving right now? What’s your favorite way to add a new hue to your existing decor?

easy paint projects to add some color!

by Megan on January 13, 2013 in color pops, do it yourself, make this, on a budget with 3 Comments

In the midst of tackling all those big new years resolutions, I felt like it would be nice to share something easy. Just a simple, quick thing that can be easily accomplished without all the planning and stress of a big project (like our office!!). So, here are four effortless paint projects that can bring a little color into your home on the cheap!!

1. Remember these easy wood disc ornaments I made for our Christmas tree last year? Well, swap out the hook for an adhesive magnet and you’ve got something cheery to add to your refrigerator! (We accidentally discovered that our door is also metal, so we started putting reminders and inspirational snippets there too!)

2. My mom bought us this knife set when Josh and I moved into our very first apartment in 2009. It has definitely seen better days but new, fancy knives aren’t a priority right now, so I grabbed our basic untreated wood knife block and painted it a bright cheery blue! (Tip: I used a more glossy craft paint for this to keep it looking polished and keep any kitchen messes from staining!)

3. Recycling cans as storage is no new concept, but I think that giving them a ‘dipped’ affect by painting the bottom portion is an easy way to spruce them up. You could easily match your kitchen colors and make them a decoration, too! We use ours to store plastic utensils which we take with our lunches. (Tip: Stick your cans in the dishwasher before painting to make sure they don’t smell like last night’s dinner!)

4. Truth be told, this little Eskimo couple is not a thrift store find. It was actually a little gift from my Grandma. Originally it was a dark gray stone, but I thought an icy blue would be just as appropriate and fit in a little better on our bookshelf. So, the next time you’re at the thrift store and you see some funny, oddly colored figurines, ask yourself if you would like it in a different color? Just add a couple coats of spray paint in whatever hue you desire and you’ve got something inexpensive and customized to adorn your shelves!

Ah! The satisfaction of an easy and cheap project!

How are your new years resolutions going? Are you feeling the mid-January motivation slump? Or are you still going strong??

so what makes an office awesome?

by Megan on January 11, 2013 in our home, style a room with No comments

I figured that the before shots of the office we’re working with don’t really give a good idea of the aesthetic we’re going for. Sometimes it’s hard to look past the disaster and see the end goal. So, I thought it would be fun to share a little glimpse into what we’re hoping will be the end result.

painted bulletin circles/washi tape frames/confetti wall/stormwalking print

1. Painted bulletin circles – Perfect for organizing pending tasks or doing some real life ‘pinning’. I love them grouped together, but I also think it would be really cool to have a few spread throughout the room on different walls.

2. Washi tape frames – This is such a fantastic idea. Because, if you’ve ever put together a gallery wall of frames, you know that it can get a bit pricey if you’re buying new ones. And since I’m picturing the office walls full of fun art and posters, this is a cost effective way to make that happen! Not to mention, it spares the walls, it’s easy to remove, and there are so many cute options.

3. Giant confetti – Simple, basically free, super festive. That’s explanation enough right?

4. Quirky art – I already shared our nerd-tastic Lego Darth Vadar print on Monday but I think we need more awesomeness. This “Stormwalking” print just cracks me up and it would certainly brighten my day to walk into the office and see it. (Now I’m imaging what a Michael Jackson storm trooper would sound like on those high notes!! It’s a real shame that you can’t hear me trying to vocalize that right now!)

And that’s it. We’re not looking to add any new-fangled fancy organizational system or anything because we don’t plan on being in this apartment for more than another year or two. So, the goal is to make the space livable and enjoyable without adding a lot of stuff or spending a lot of money. I know you guys feel me on that!

Stay tuned next week to so some fun progress from the office and by the end of the month, we should wrap this thang up! (Yes, I did just use ‘thang’. I’m hip dammit!)

What makes your office/workspace awesome??

tweet tweet

recent pins