At The Beach... Sort Of

If you are like me, you house is ever changing.  Over the last year I have been on a mission to brighten my house with color because most of my walls are contractor white {rental} walls.  I have done challenges to add color to my house, I have upholstered and painted things in bright colors... but over the last couple months I have been starting to feel over done!  I have been trying to figure out how to lose the color without feeling washed out.  After opening up my decor closets I started seeing a lot of seaside items.  They are rich in texture with a hint of color so I thought beachy {a word?}.

Starting at my mantel, I took down the large art of SF and cleared off all of my green.  Then I added glass jars that I tinted myself {more on that in another post} that I picked up from the Goodwill.  I sort of went crazy at the Goodwill but left with a cart full of vases and some other fun items... like the plastic mint colored wave for only $30!  I added coral I had collected from a trip to Hawaii.  I also whipped up a new piece of canvas art.  At first I wasn't sure I like it, but it is growing on me.

Of course the easiest way to change out a look is to change the pillows!  Lucky for me I have a closet full of pillows so I didn't have to sew or buy anything.  Since I am trying to tone my color down I was thinking about taking off the red pillows that are always there.  What do you think?  Red or no Red?

Another Goodwill bowl and tray {that I painted} lighted up the coffee table.  I added some shells coral and an air plant to the bowl.  

Layers and texture on the leather chairs.

My family room.  I would like to paint out the red, but since I am moving in 3 months it is not a high item on my priority list.

I added a few shells to my dining room.  I loaded up my apothecary jars with shelf and another air plant.  I took my welcome sign and changed it out for the summer.

On my entryway table I mixed tinted glass.  I did some, and some I found {again all from the Goodwill}.

Now if I could only have the house next to the beach... think I could pick that up at the Goodwill too?

Outdoor Extravaganza... Decor

It is finally getting hot here in Northern Cali!  That means pool time and being outdoors is close in my future... just not in my own backyard!  Unfortunately we do not have a pool or a backyard I enjoy spending that much time in, but fortunately we do have several "good friends" {and by good mean: I can invite myself over to their house anytime I want as long as I bring wine or cocktails - good} that have pools!  But I am looking forward to the lot size of our new backyard in the new house.  It is the 2nd largest lot in the development!  Just over 1/4 of an acre!  No pool is in the immediate further, but I have it on my 5 year wish list!

The hubs and I have been conceptually planning the outdoor space and he finally told me to sit down and draw something out for him.  We both have the same vision for the space.. it is just fine tuning all of the details.

I sat down and pulled out the good old fashion trace paper to pen some ideas.  It has changed so much from when I snapped this pic yesterday!  HA... that is the meaning of conceptual!  We are hoping to have 3 entertaining areas; an outdoor kitchen and bar, a dining deck, and a lounge and fire pit.  

Here are some inspiration pins:

Source: landscapingnetwork.com via Tiffany {Living Savvy} on Pinterest

I love the spacing of the pavers and they way it is broken up.  I would like to do this with rock in the kitchen area and grass in the lounge area.

Source: landscapingnetwork.com via Tiffany {Living Savvy} on Pinterest

Source: houzz.com via Tiffany {Living Savvy} on Pinterest

Source: houzz.com via Tiffany {Living Savvy} on Pinterest

Source: houzz.com via Tiffany {Living Savvy} on Pinterest

For the fire pit area I am loving a pit that looks like a large bowl.  It could be a coffee style table in the day time with glass and then remove it at night.  I also love the wood seating in the last pic... hopeful we can make it round like the one above.

So in the meantime, till I have a space of my own, I have picked some of favorite outdoors items for this season.

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12

Are you ready to link up your outdoor decor!

Click HERE to head to Amanda's blog Amanda Carol at Home to link up your outdoor decor ideas! 

And please add this button to your post so all of your readers know where to find you!

<div align="center"><a href="http://satoridesignforliving.com/" title="Satori Design For Living"><img src="http://i1203.photobucket.com/albums/bb391/savvydesign/OutdoorExtravaganzaLinkButton.jpg" alt="Satori Design For Living" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Don't forget next week is built-it projects here at Living Savvy!

How To... Personalized Paint Swatches

Hello, Hello!  

Did you all enjoy your 3 day weekend?  Mine was very relaxing.. and not at all productive!  I am in the middle of changing out my spring decor to summer {more on that this week} and I really didn't feel like doing any of it.  I have client projects waiting to be sewn, and design boards to put together... but spending time with the fam totally won out!  Oh well... I will get my a** into gear for the rest of the 4 days!

So as you may have read once or twice my parents have moved here to Cali for part of the year.  They recently purchased a new house and pretty much had to buy EVERYTHING!  As you all have seen {here, here, and here} my mom has a great eye for design and my dad can pretty much build or fix anything.  But as I have been out with my mom shopping for bath rugs, bedding, and fabrics she has constantly been pulling out a plastic bag with a ton of fabric!  Then she will say oh I wish I had the paint color!  So I created this paint and fabric swatch ring to put in her purse.

Super easy and super handy to have!

Popsicle sticks and book rings are all you need!

Stack 3-4 sticky together and tape to secure.  Drill a small hole into the sticks.

Once holes have been drilled dip into paint.  I was going to hang them up via the hole and a wire hanger, but my dad had his miter box out and they fit perfect into the slots.  Let dry.

On one side I labeled the room and then on the back I labeled the brand and color.

I also cut some note cards into 3x3 squares and attached the fabric with a little spray adhesive.  I did a few of the same fabric to really get the whole repeat of color and pattern.  On the back I would label the furniture piece it would be attached to and any other uses for the fabric.

This is a super simple way to keep all of your samples close on hand when shopping!

Memorial Day... Thoughts

Source: bbc.co.uk via Tiffany {Living Savvy} on Pinterest

This memorial day weekend while you are BBQing, camping, and enjoying your 3 day weekend; remember who has allowed us to have these freedoms!  To the thousands of men and women who have given their lives to maintain our freedoms, their families left behind... And all of the veterans from all of the wars present and past who have lost brothers and sisters...

Spray Painters Anonymous.... The Elegant Nest

Hello everyone…I am excited to be guest posting here on Living Savvy today. My name is Laura from Elegant Nest and I am definitely addicted to spray paint! When Tiffany contacted me and asked me to participate in her Spray Painters Anonymous series I thought Yes! I would love to share one of my favorite ways to transform an ordinary object into something more!

With the arrival of Spring, and Summer quickly approaching, I have been sprucing up my outdoor spaces…adding color with new flowers and painting some of my old and faded yard furniture. I also decided to use the same colors to transform a plain, black doormat into something brighter and more fun.

I started with this $3.00 doormat from Wal-Mart…

Then I gathered my supplies. You can use whatever colors of spray paint you might have on hand…or purchase some fun, bright, complimentary colors…

Next, decide on a pattern for your mat. I chose stripes in various widths. First step is to tape off whichever stripes you would like to stay the base color, in this instance black. Then spray your base colors - mine are green and white…

Then simply add more strips of tape…painting each new color as you go. Be sure to completely cover the other stripes before changing colors to avoid the overspray…

Finally, when all the paint is dry…simply remove the tape and behold! A fun new doormat, customized to match your outdoor décor…

I am using this one in my backyard…by the pool. I love it with my little side table, freshly painted to match…

This same technique can be used on larger mats, and even plain outdoor rugs…hmmm. I see more spray painting in my near future!!

Thank you Tiffany for having me here today, sharing my love/addiction to spray paint! I hope to hear from some of your lovely readers on how they use spray paint in their own décor.

***

Great project Laura!  I love the color combination and the stripes!  Be sure to visit Laura's blog

She has such a great eye for design! I love seeing her transformations on her clients house as well as hers!

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And now let us all repeat the Spray Painters Mantra:

Friends, help me source all the items I am searching for but can not find.

Give me the vision to think outside of the box and remember the can of spray paint,

and bless me with the patience to let each of the coats dry before I move on to the next step!

Cookies and coffee are in the back! =)

If you need support for your spray painting addiction and would like to "attended" a meeting 

please contact me!

We always love to know other addicts, and can always use more inspiration for our projects!