current obsession // mantel designs

We just recently moved into a new rental house.  And we love it!  It's a little roomier and we are so glad to have a backyard for the pups, but it did come with a few challenges... #1: a giant wood paneled fireplace/mantel.  Even with a design background, this was a challenge I have not yet encountered.  Mantel design is somewhat of a science, but it's rules are also meant to be bent.  To me, it's the focal point of a room and can set the mood for the entire space.  It can also help harmonize the design of the room.  

Since the harmony, balance and mood of my home is very important to me I have been currently obsessing over mantel designs.  OBSESSING!  Even more so since the holidays are coming up.  I took to Pinterest to find some ideas that incorporated items I already had, like old shutters, a salvaged window and candle holders.  Well I found TONS of lovely inspiration, so much so, that I thought I'd share with you.  I've also included my final mantel design at the end. 

Hope you enjoy perusing as much as I have!

 

 

 

 

And a few with some holiday spirit...

After hours on pinterest and several iterations later I finally came up with a winner.  Our style is somewhat a mix of island eclectic and rustic, so I chose to incorporate items that showcase this. I really love how it turned out and even ended up making a fabric wreath from our left over wedding fabric to tie it all together.  There's nothing better than decorating your home with things that hold fond memories.

I plan to keep the shutters & window and change out a few of the smaller items to transition into Fall and then again for Christmas/Winter.  I'll try to do another post showing these as well.

If you are like me and are feeling a little overwhelmed with a huge blank mantel, just remember some simple tips:

1)  Start with a large focal piece or two

2)  Add objects of varying heights and textures in groups of 2 or 3

3)  Layer art and add smaller items to fill in

4)  Make sure some items are sentimental/meaningful

5)  Books help add height and color

6)  Greenery/flowers and fabric can soften the look

7)  Try to only use 2 basic colors in the design - for example: blue and turquoise - this will help keep the look cohesive and not too busy

And 8)  Just have fun and don't be afraid to try many layouts before you get to your perfect one!

Thanks for reading and I hope you've enjoyed this bit of mantel inspiration.  :)

current obsession // Fall Layering

Since moving to the Mid-West, I've been super excited to get my layering on.  All those different textures and colors, it just screams cozy chic!  So when Fall hit, I didn't waste a second finding some inspiration.  This Florida girl has always loved layering clothing and accessories, but in that humid heat it was rarely an option.  Not anymore!  

I figure some of you may be in the same boat, so I thought I'd share some of my favs.  ;)

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I really could go on.... but it's time to get in those closets of ours and start creating cute fall outfits.  And go!

 

current obsession // Balayage Ombre

 I used to think of "ombre" as this...

 

or this...

or this... (oh Drew..)

 

or THIS...

LOL.  Okay, maybe not that last one.  It was just too amazing to not include though.  Anyhow, because of this, I vowed that I would NEVER try out this trend.  I just can't believe anyone would think this looks good.

Well since then, I have realized that not all ombre looks this ridiculous.  When done correctly it can look like this...

Pretty.  Nice job LC.

Still a bit too much contrast for my normally all-over-high&low-light self, but nice.  It wasn't until a week or so ago, that I found my happy medium...

Balayage Ombre.  Now my current obsession...

Balayage - NOUN : A technique for highlighting the hair in which the dye is painted freehand rather than using the traditional foiling or cap highlighting techniques, usually giving a more natural look

+

Ombre - ADJ : shaded or graduated in tone

So basically its a graduated, but blended, hair look created from nonuniform painted highlights.

This way you don't get that "dipped" look, that's just so NOT fabulous.

I thought I'd share some of my favorites. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

And what a beautiful rose gold effect for red heads...

 

I guess what I like most is that you can't see where the highlights come from, which gives a super natural and soft look.  

So after about 5 years of the same thing, maybe it's time for a bit of a change??  We shall see... At the moment I'm letting my roots grow out a bit to see what it might be like.  And luckily I have a great colorist, so the line isn't too harsh as it is.

You can check out all of my inspiration on my Beauty Pinterest board, unless you already follow me.  In that case, you already got barraged with all my balayage ombre pics over this past week.  :}  

Oh, and any advice is greatly appreciated!!