I started gift wrapping super early this year... I believe it was some time early in October. I don't know why I felt so inspired to start Christmas so early but I had a blast building up the anticipation for the holidays! I shared some of my Christmas wrapping on my personal Instagram page which lead to several people messaging me to ask questions about it. I figured I would just write a post on a few rules of thumb to wrapping decorative presents and share it with all of you! None of this is brain surgery - just a few little tips that will help keep your look cohesive and stylish! 

It is the time of the year for holiday events! You may be just attending this year, but I know many of you will be hosting your own events as well. When you are a perfectionist, like me, parties can be very overwhelming and stressful, but I think it is important to remember why you are hosting the event in order to fully enjoy yourself while being a good hostess. Nick and I essentially threw a Friendsgiving (we called it something different but that's what it was) at our house Sunday night so I wanted to share my experience along with some tips.

My husband and I did not get to have our (supposed to be annual) "Halloween Pratty" this year so we were anxious to have friends over for a get together! We like to entertain and haven't done so  in a while so we landed on hosting our first "Chrismagiving" as we called it. Because it was after Thanksgiving and before Christmas festivities begin, we named it Chrismagiving: basically a friendsgiving wearing Christmas sweaters! 

I love, love, love the look of knife painting. Some people also call it spatula painting. I am honestly not 100% sure what the correct term is so if someone knows, comment below so I can update! 

I like that knife painting is abstract and messy - its organic and imperfect - & it can add so much interest to a space! It can create a focal point, bring in color to a neutral palette, and make a room feel more homey and inviting. 

So.... I'm allowed to change my mind right?? 

​I had originally said that I would do a giveaway when I reached 1000k followers, but then I realized that I have the perfect Thanksgiving item to give away. It may be too late for some for this piece, but I think it is a great quote year round! I especially think it will be a great piece to display through the holidays. 

Hey, hey!! 

As usual, I am excited to share a story with you all!! I am currently getting settled in with my new position as the Director of Design at Trust Homes in Chattanooga. One of my first fun projects that I have been able to be a part of is decorating the new model home in our East Haven community. Most of the furnishings had already been ordered when I started, but I was able to help purchase all remaining furnishings, accessories and wall art to complement the existing space - just anything we noticed that we needed while staging. This was a fun and challenging experience for me as decorating model homes was not a part of my former position. However, it was always something I was eager to do.

So I am finally ready to share with you all my kitchen! Nick and I have worked so hard for the past few years on this space. We had to do things little by little as we could afford the changes, but I will say that this space was definitely renovated on a budget (meaning that there is so much more we would have done with unlimited funds ha!). I didn't choose fancy quartz, an expensive backsplash or refinish the floors (which I would like to :)), but I am so happy with my quaint little kitchen and am excited to share. 

The fall trend I am most excited about is rattan and other woven textures. I am seeing many woven lighting fixtures, furnishings, and accessories for this season. They add a beautiful ambiance of warmth and texture to a modern space.  I also appreciate a little bohemian flare. This trend is 100% my style!

In airplanes and homes alike, the window seat is the most envied place to be. They are a fantastic place to soak in the natural light. I have rounded up some photos of my favorite window seats for inspiration. 

One thing I love about window seats is that they are not exclusive to one type of interior style. As you will see below, these can be incorporated into modern spaces, traditional, transitional, quirky, etc. 

Recently as I was doing my nightly scroll through Pinterest, I noticed that I was consistently pinning any photo that featured black, dramatic accents. This was so strange for me! I love light, white, bright, anything that looks open and clean. I realized, after looking back through the photos I had just pinned, that I was being drawn to the drama. Having black accents gives you space a focal point. It gives your space some "umph" (one of my favorite words when I am at a loss for the perfect term). I wanted to share with you all what I found! 

I work for a home builder who operates within the production realm. This means that customization's are limited. I think people sometimes have a hard time understanding what that entails. Basically we like for a buyer to choose their floor plan and we have options set up for potential changes to a floor plan - this is where the process is what you would consider the most "strict." However, each buyer gets to select all of their finishes (interior & exterior), light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, hardware, etc.

Production building is limited but not as limited as some may think. Kitchens sell homes, right? Well this is the area of the home where I think we can have the most fun in the production building world. There are some very easy things you can do to spice up the heart of your home.
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