Just in time for New Year's Eve, I'm sharing how I style our bar cart for every day, and for a special occasion... like celebrating the beginning of a new decade!! I partnered with Serena + Lily to style their South Seas Side Cart in 2 ways to show how versatile this piece can be (and it's on casters so it is so easy to move around from room to room!). Although I'm showing it here in my kitchen, I think this piece would also work really well as a side table, night stand, bathroom storage, or even a changing table in a nursery!
Style #1: Every Day Here I've styled the South Seas Side Cart with a few items from around the house, including my favorite Poetto Vase filled with ruscus stems (these things are about $5 a bunch and last forever!). I love the contrast of the neutral styling with the black cart -- coastal with a modern twist! The art is "Tranquility" by Deb Presutto.
Style #2: Party!
Now for the fun part! 😁 Here, I kept the Poetto Vase but swapped out the books etc. for a few of our favorite libations! I used some basic glasses we have but I think these would be a really nice upgrade with a fun coastal vibe!
How ever you ring in the new year, I hope 2020 begins with a smile for you! Wishing you peace, wellness and joy!
xo Marcie
*this post contains commissionable links*
P.S. - I rounded up some of my favorite bar carts from Serena + Lily, along with a few of my favorites for hosting and entertaining:
If you missed the Black Friday deals over the weekend, don't worry... this year's Cyber Monday sales are SO good! Here's a quick round-up of some of my favorites:
J. Crew is doing 50% off your purchase with code MONDAY on top of some already awesome cyber monday deals -- I scooped up this cute hair bow (love this easy way to dress up a simple ponytail!), some new swim suits and of course some winter cozies! Joggers for the win 🙌
Serena + Lily sweetened the deal by including sale items in their 25% off sitewide Thank You event (use code THANKFUL), and some of these are just too good to pass up! These nesting tables are especially calling my name -- I love the cerused black oak finish and sleek lines! So many pieces I have my my own house are on sale right now too, including my counter stools, lidded baskets, teak step stool, diamond jute rug, and of course alllll the pillows (Topanga, Camille, Avalis and Ashby are my personal faves!) This is their biggest sale of the year so don't miss it! (see my previous post on all of my picks from the sale)
Pottery Barn also has so many incredible deals right now (25% off and free shipping with code CYBER), including this gorgeous canopy bed and my master bedroom chandelier at the lowest price I've seen! (see previous post for more of my Pottery Barn sale picks)
Target always has great Cyber Monday deals and this year is no exception. My favorite cleaning tool, this cordless Dyson vacuum, is on sale and I can't recommend it highly enough. Also this Nikon camera bundle is SUCH a great deal! (see previous post for more of my Target picks)
Nordstrom has awesome prices right now on some of my favorite brands like Dash & Albert and PomPom at Home (this huge body pillow is the one I have on our bed and I loooooove it!). I'm also thinking about getting this woven cotton Dash & Albert rug - love the marled look and soft grey tone.
My Samsung Frame TV is $400+ off right now (even lower prices for open-box items)!!! Run!
Happy shopping friends! :)
xo Marcie
*this post contains commissionable affiliate links*
'Tis the season for holiday sale shopping! I've rounded up my top picks from some of my favorite retailers, including Serena + Lily, McGee + Co., Pottery Barn, and more! Happy shopping, friends! (click on any of the images below to shop)
Serena + Lily
These are some of my favorites from Serena + Lily -- some I have in my own home, and some are on my wish list! These pieces are all so versatile and I love using them in different spaces for a fresh look when I need a change. With everything 25% off, this is a great time to snag anything you've had your eye on! (click here to see my last post on their Thank You Event)
McGee + Co.
It was hard to narrow down my favorites from McGee + Co -- I honestly love their entire shop! These are just a few of my very favorites that are timeless, versatile decor pieces at great prices. Again, some of these are tried and true pieces of used in my own home, and some (errr, ok, a lot) are currently in my cart ;-)
Pottery Barn
So many great finds at Pottery Barn now! This is one of may favorite sources for quality faux greenery that actually looks real -- just a few of my faves are listed below. I'm also loving their lamps and accent furniture lately!
CB2
I recently went to CB2 for my favorite weathered black planters (the ones you've probably seen all over my house by now!) and was so impressed with the rest of their selection! Here are just a few of their pieces I am loving lately:
World Market
So many favorites on sale right now! I have a lot of these in my home and love every single one!
Target
Gotta love Target for some inexpensive and great looking decor! These are some of my favorites that I have already or have my eye on:
* disclaimer: this post contains commissionable and affiliate links *
Hi friends! I'm so excited for all of the Thanksgiving festivities this week -- this is always one of my favorite holidays! I love cooking a special meal for my family, taking time together to be grateful for all we have, honoring old traditions and starting new new ones.
This year we're trying out a couple of new traditions, including an entirely plant-based meal (yup, no turkey!) and baking a piece of dark chocolate inside of one the fresh-baked croissants (whoever gets the chocolate croissant will be extra lucky for the whole year!).
(Gratuitous glamour shots of my plant-based grazing board 😂
Perfect for Thanksgiving or any gathering!)
Another "tradition" I get excited about is perusing all the Thanksgiving and Black Friday sales, including Serena + Lily's THANK YOU Event -- they are doing 25% off sitewide from today through 12/3, so it's the perfect time to stock up on your favorites or splurge on that special piece you've had your eye on!
I love Serena & Lily's Brela Napkins with these reactive glaze dishes...
such a pretty and neutral place setting as a beautiful backdrop for all of the colorful food!
and add a set of their Cayman Glasses for our next gathering!
I've rounded up some of my favorites from the sale for you here -- just click on any of the images below to shop (also including some pics of Serena & Lily things I have and love throughout my house!):
Isn't it amazing how drastically a new paint color or area rug can change a space!? I worked with Serena & Lily, my favorite partner in design, to update our master bedroom rug and I am so in love with the change! We swapped out our old gray flatweave rug for this stunning bleached jute one, and the mood in the room instantly shifted!
The old rug was something we sort of rushed into buying when we completed our renovation, just to get something in there. It was supposed to be temporary, but we all know how that goes... 2 years later and we still had the temporary rug in our bedroom! 🙈
Here is a "before" shot of the space with the old rug:
And the "after" with the new rug!💥
Normally jute rugs have a yellowish hue, but this one is bleached for a softer, more neutral tone that I absolutely LOVE! There is subtle variation in the colors ranging from oatmeal to light pebble gray
that give it such beautiful movement, and the diamond pattern gives it the most incredible texture! This rug is also surprisingly soft considering that it is jute, which can sometimes be rough and scratchy underfoot. I've had jute rugs before that have also shed terribly, but this one seems to be very minimal if at all (I even did the black yoga pants test on it and there was hardly any shedding!).
Here is a close-up view of the color and texture 😍
Without the darker gray rug, it instantly felt so much warmer and softer in this space. Just swapping out the rug changed the whole tone of the room, and inspired me to get a new bed too! (Plus a little game of musical chairs with some of my house plants, throw pillows and blankets... par for the course 😄) Side note: I can't even tell you how happy it makes me not to have to fuss with the bed skirt anymore when I make the bed! The nailhead trim on the old headboard was also bugging me, and I'm loving the cleaner look of the new one!
For details on this rug and other items in this space, please click below:
If you're in the market for a new rug to refresh one of your spaces, here are a few of my favorites from Serena & Lily (bonus, they are all up to 30% off right now!):
I also love to layer rugs, and I think any of the solid neutrals would look amazing with a fun, patterned rug layered on top! (I don't know much about wine pairings, but rug pairings are definitely my jam 😂). Here are just a few ideas:
Moral of the story: never underestimate the power of a rug to transform a space! 😊
xo Marcie
*disclaimer: this post contains commissionable affiliate links*
The holiday season always brings a flurry of visitors, so I've partnered with Serena & Lily to get our home guest ready this season! I'm sharing my top picks from Serena & Lily to treat your guests to a little bit of luxury during their visit, plus all of my personal tips for making your guests feel welcome!
1. Comfortable, Good Quality Bedding
When it comes to overnight guests, this is probably the most important thing to get right. This is definitely the one area not to skimp on quality to ensure that your guests have a comfortable stay and get great rest during their visit! Like a nice hotel, I always like to use high-quality white linens that send a message of cleanliness and freshness (and don't feel like sandpaper, lol!). Comfortable, soft and breathable sheets are a must, and I LOVE this bedding from Serena & Lily -- it is absolutely the best in its class. The linen sheet set and duvet cover are super soft but add subtle texture and interest to the space, and the coverlet is the perfect weight for every season. I always like to get the next size up from whatever the bed is so there is room to spare (and no fighting over the blanket!). I also like to provide lots of layered options depending on the season, since some guests prefer just a light blanket while others like to snuggle under a puffy duvet... and let's be honest, these New England winters get COLD so a good quality multi-season duvet is a great investment in this area.
No two guests are the same when it comes to pillow preferences, so I always like to provide multiple options of each type (down, down alternative, memory foam) and firmness. I keep the extras in the guest room closet and invite my guests to use whichever makes them more comfortable. And of course, you can never have too many throw pillows, am I right!? I love the texture and soothing color these pillows from Serena & Lily add to the guest room. It's so much fun to play around with combinations and tailor them to the personality of our guests! But, since most people don't actually sleep with the throw pillows on the bed, it's a good idea to have a large basket nearby for them to go when they're not in use. This huge basket from Serena & Lily is the perfect solution for stashing those extra pillows & bedding!
3. A Place to Sit (or throw your stuff)
I think it's always important to have at least one cozy chair in a guest room -- whether the guests use it for sitting or just a place to put their things. It's a great way to add some decorative interest and make their stay a little more memorable. I think this Malawi chair feels like something you might see in a fun boutique hotel or exotic resort! I also like to add some light, entertaining magazines or coffee table books nearby for guests to peruse while they sit and relax.
4. Fresh Bath Linens
I keep a separate set of bath linens exclusively for guests (that I launder separately) so they are always fresh & new. Even if they are clean, I still wash them the day before or the day my guests arrive so the are fresh, clean and fluffy. With these Serena & Lily towels, it's going to be super tempting to steal these babies for myself -- I've never felt such a thick, plush bath towel and the bath sheet is so generously sized!
I'm also a little obsessed with this color right now!! It's called "fog" and is the perfect shade of grey with a slight green undertone (very similar to the color I just painted my island... hmm, I'm seeing a trend here...).
5. Extra Toiletries
When we're traveling out of town, sometimes we forget things. It happens. So I always like to provide some essential travel-sized toiletries for my guests, and keep the bath & shower fully stocked with my favorite shampoo, conditioner and shower gel (I use these refillable bottles from amazon in all of our bathrooms for a uniform look, free of labels and packaging that contribute to visual clutter). It's also a fun way for friends & family to try out some of your favorites! And this cute pouch from Serena & Lily is the perfect way to store them in an attractive way for guests.
6. Hooks & Closet Space
One little thing that always bothers me about staying in a hotel is that there are never enough hooks! I don't like throwing my stuff on the bed or (eek!) the floor, so I really appreciate it when I stay somewhere that has plenty of hooks for hanging things. A simple hook rail in the bedroom and one in the bathroom should do the trick (by the way, I 100% prefer towel hooks over a towel bar!). I also make sure to leave plenty of space in the closet for guests to put their bags/suitcases and any clothes they want to hang up. Anyone else have a serious pet peeve with people putting their bags or wet towels on the bed!? 🙋😖 These simple solutions offer convenient and subtle encouragement for your guests to hang up their towels and put their bags somewhere other than the bed!😉
Technology is sort of a necessary evil of traveling of hosting. It sounds mundane, but providing the wifi password and easy access to outlets for charging can make a big difference in a guest's experience. I like to write guests a personalized welcome note with the wifi password and leave extra phone chargers in the nightstands in case they forgot theirs.
8. White Noise
There's nothing welcoming about a noisy guest room, so it's a great idea to offer a simple white noise machine (or fan) to help guests get their best sleep during their stay. When you live in an older house like mine, sounds carry from every room so a white noise machine is a must. I have a basic one with a handful of sound options and it has worked out very well! My personal favorite is ocean mode -- nothing like the sound of crashing waves to relax and unwind!
9. Blackout Window Treatments
A nice feature to offer in a guest room is blackout window treatments for guest who like to sleep in, or who have a nap during the day! Our guest room has blackout curtains and plantation shutters so guests can control the amount of light according to their preferences. It's a nice thing to have, not just in guest rooms, but in all bedrooms!
10. Late-Night Snacks
Providing a fun snack tray is another personalized way you can make your guests feel welcome, and you can incorporate their favorites to help them feel right at home! I like to mix in a few of my own favorites too, and always include bottled water (and maybe a bottle of wine, depending on the clientele! 😊. This tray from Serena & Lily makes the perfect snack tray for guests -- it is surprisingly large and holds a ton of stuff! We also have a single-cup coffee machine down the hall for guests to use, so they can enjoy their coffee before heading downstairs if they choose, and I always like to leave out some cute coffee cups for them along with the coffee pods.
One final tip I have is to avoid using any heavily scented detergents, candles or air fresheners when you have guests visiting. So many people (including me!) are bothered by certain fragrances or have sensitive skin, so I always use mild, unscented laundry detergent and avoid any candles or air fresheners (if anything, I might diffuse some eucalyptus essential oil for a subtle spa-like vibe ).
I hope these tips are helpful and would love to hear in the comments about the ways you like to make your own home feel welcoming for your guests!
xo, Marcie
p.s. - click on the images below to shop this post! All artwork is by Deb Presutto.
(These are commissionable links, which means I earn a small commission from the retailer at no extra cost to you if you buy through my links. It's just the retailer's way of acknowledging that you found these products through me and rewarding me with a small percentage of the sale).
