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On the Front Porch - Saturday Style

On the Porch -Saturday Style - Link-up Cover Pic

Don’t you love lazy, sunny, late summer days sitting on a front porch? There’s just something about the stillness of stifling summer heat that makes things seem so peaceful and quite. We don’t have a front porch on this house. There are so many beautiful porch decor and design post online it really makes me miss having one. My dream porch would have a sweet little swing tucked off to one side, a small bistro table on the opposite side with 3 or 4 rocking chairs scattered between. How about you? I’d love to hear about yours! 

 

 On the Front Porch

 

 
Whenever we travel I always make sure to find a room with an outdoor space to enjoy. Even a small balcony is nice for a while!
 
Check out some great B&B options:
 
New England -  (Travel Channel)
South - (Southern Living)
California (Top 10 Inns)
National Parks with Rental Cabins
 
 
Linking up at: Wow Us Wednesdays,
 
 
 
 
Jennifer (White Tulip Designs) - 08/17/2015 - 7:32 pm

Thank you, you’re so sweet! (You’re so lucky to have 2 porches!)

CoCo - 08/17/2015 - 1:10 pm

I love the way you put everything together Jennifer. It’s really pretty. We use the front and back porch all the time. They’re two of my favorite spaces. Hope your day has been a happy one, coco

Jennifer (White Tulip Designs) - 08/17/2015 - 8:49 am

MaryJean, thank you so much for stopping by. I’m so glad you liked the post. Your sitting area sounds like a lovely spot to spend an afternoon.

MaryJean - 08/15/2015 - 6:58 pm

Boy, you touched a nerve there . . . I would love a front porch. Our garage juts out to include a man door on the side so we have a walk from that door to our front door and a little beyond. That is my front porch. There is a slight overhang, but no roof. I have a park bench in front of the window and on the other side of my front door I have a rocker and a small table. It is something, but not exactly what I was hoping for. I would love to sit out there in the summer when there is a soft rain and on lazy summer days just relaxing and perusing my decorating and gardening magazines. Ahh, wouldn’t that be wonderful!

BTW, great post!
MJ

Birds of a Feather -Design Ideas

Are you cuckoo for birds? (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) I love decorating with birds. I’ve been on a bit of a kick for a while now. I’ve been using quite a few pieces of bird artwork, nests, and other bird-y elements as I’ve been updating around the house lately. (As a matter of fact, I have a great new project for Monday!) I’m not really particular, I just like the texture of the feathers and all the different bright colors I guess. So, a while back, I started a Pinterest board devoted to incorporating birds into home design and I thought I’d share my favorites with you before Monday’s project.

Birds of a Feather - cover

 

Bird cages have been really popular lately. Big ones and small ones displayed in different rooms and many different ways. This one from Everyday Home is the perfect accent in this room.

A Southern Home Tour by The Everyday Home

 

This wall display from Southern Hospitality is fantastic! It fits in so well with all of her living room details!

gallery wall 3

 

This display of handmade paper birdhouses from Karmuca y Cuquina is fabulous! You could easily tailor the color scheme to any palette. The template to make your own is included in the post.

 

I love the idea of a little nest tucked into your decor. This is a lovely nest display from Treasures From the Heart.

 

These little nests from Stone Gable are absolute perfection!  Just one picture doesn’t really do it justice. You’ll definitely want to click through and see the entire post!

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-haZvhYKV7vk/UUhSlseTy1I/AAAAAAAAdJY/QV_6ct8bMxk/s1600/Copy+of+IMG_4686.JPG

 

For something more subtle, you might try painted furniture. This chest with silhouette artwork from Miss Mustard Seed would fit well into many different decorative styles. And, the classic cage is just the cherry on top!

 

Or, if you prefer something with more color and detail this chest from Lindy Cottage Hill.  And, Lindy gives a complete tutorial for how she created this beauty!

 

Don’t you love how this bird plate wall from Thistlewood Farms adds dimension, not to mention a bit of whimsy to the entire room?

Here

 

Thanks for stopping by! Don’t forget to stop by tomorrow for Saturday Style!

 

 

Budget Home Improvements

Budget Home Improvements that will Dramatically Raise Your Sale Price

Is it time to sell your home? Even though the average price of properties is a lot lower than it used to be a few decades ago, it still makes sense to perk up your place to get a higher sale price. But your budget is tight and you don’t have the extra money to makeover your home. No worries. Here are a few home improvements that will both keep your budget in check and add life to your property. Check them out.

 

Over Sink Lighting

Add Lighting

Home improvement isn’t always about doing a major remodeling job, replacing all furniture or repainting the whole house. Sometimes a small change can make a huge difference in your home interior. For example, adding more lighting is a quick and affordable way to perk up your home. Replace all old and gruesome ceiling lamps or chandeliers with modern lighting. A sleek lamp can add a finishing touch to a room.

Pay special attention to areas with poor natural light. Increasing the wattage will make them look and feel larger.

 

Budget home improvements

(image credit: pixabay)

Re-do the Bathroom

An immaculate bathroom sells faster. What you can do to breathe new life into your old bathroom is re-grout. If that doesn’t really do the trick, you might want to consider repainting.

If you have the money, then go for re-doing the whole bathroom – tiles, toilet, shower, sinks, everything. But if you don’t, we suggest you do some small improvements. You want to fix leaky faucets and replace broken tiles in the first place. Damaged areas create the feeling that the place has been neglected. Second, make sure to get rid of mold and limescale. Prospective buyers will appreciate it. Nothing looks more yucky than a moldy bathroom. Also, change cabinet doors. It will freshen up the room. Add full-length mirrors to make the space seem larger.

Give Your Home a Paint Job

A fresh lick of paint can do wonders to spruce up your home, make it look bigger and skyrocket your sell price. So it makes sense to mention a few things about it. When repainting your home, choose colors wisely. You don’t want anything too extraordinary or dark. Also, steer clear of trends that will die next season. The best way to go is to stick with light, soothing colors that can match any home décor. Keep in mind that the new homeowners might want to replace the furnishings. They will have a hard time finding appropriate furniture if you go for too bold or jazzy color schemes. Furthermore, use only a few colors. Else, your home may look like a huge patchwork. Not cool.

Tip: If the old paint still looks good, don’t repaint the whole place. Instead create accent walls.

Clean Every Nook

And don’t just clean high-traffic areas. Do a deep clean. Hire a cleaning specialist to freshen up your furniture and carpets. Scrub all areas including nooks, hard-to-reach places, windows, appliances, etc. It should really go without saying that all rooms should be wiped to shine. Finally, make sure that the place smells good. Unexplained odors can be very repulsive. Don’t skip this step over. It is as important as the rest of the steps mentioned above.

Get Rid of Unnecessary Things

Lastly, if you want to raise the sale price of your home, it is important to get rid of clutter. Too many books on the shelves, overflowing drawers and busy countertops may turn off buyers. If the place is neat and de-cluttered, they will imagine living there. Your goal is to make them feel at home. Literally.

Let’s recap. You don’t have to spend big bucks in order to boost your home’s value. More lighting, some bathroom remodeling and a good paint job can all raise your sale price. That combined with proper cleaning practices will give your home an advantage over the other properties in the neighborhood. Good luck and happy selling!

(This article is kindly contributed with Building Mates)

Article written by Anna Aamone

Have a lovely day!

 

Summer & Fall Wedding Inspiration

Late summer and early fall weddings are becoming more and more popular each year. Whether you’re a family friend, or the Mother of the Bride you’ll want put your best foot forward to celebrate the happy couple! This time of year is still quite warm making outdoor weddings quite common but there will most certainly be a chill in the air during the celebration afterwards.

 Summer Wedding

 

 

 
Looking for great personalized wedding gift ideas? Here are some fabulous handmade gift ideas from Etsy:
 
 
               
 
8x10" Map of Our Hearts - Personalized Art Print (UNFRAMED) - Makes a wonderful wedding, anniversary, engagement or housewarming gift!            PERSONALIZED WEDDING GIFT - Wedding Reception Decor, Wedding Gift for Bride and Groom, Bridal Shower Gift
 
If you’re new to Saturday Style check out some of my other inspiration boards here!
 
Have a lovely weekend!
 
 

 Linking up at Met Monday,
 

Jennifer (White Tulip Designs) - 08/12/2015 - 9:16 pm

Thank you! The color is Rugged Suede by Valspar. You can see all the details here: https://www.whitetulipdesigns.com/kitchen-tour-part-2/ .

NormaJean - 08/11/2015 - 4:52 pm

Jennifer,

I LOVE the grey color you used on your cabinet bases. I am getting ready to paint mine and would like to use “your” color on them. Would you mind sharing with me. I would be very grateful.

My Perfect Color Palette - 2015

Anyone who’s ever seen a home improvement show or read a DIY design book knows, the best way to change the look and feel of a room is to Paint! These days there are so many paint companies with so many options. If you’re any kind of designer you might follow Pantone’s color trends. I’ll be honest, I’m not much of a fan of the “Marsala”, This year’s Pantone color of the year. However, I do kindof love most of the other colors in this fall’s color forecast.

What color palette’s do you like to decorate with? Here are some of my favorite options for wall and furniture colors from around the web:

 My Perfect Palette - 2015

 

 

1. / 2. / 3. / 4. / 5. / 6. / 7. / 8. / 9. / 10. / 11. / 12. / 13. /14. / 15.

 

Modern gray has become my absolute favorite color of the color. I started by using it in the kitchen to highlight the white trim and since then I’ve painted 3 walls in the living room and I’m planning to add it to the downstairs half-bath next! It’s great to pair with a white or black but it’s pretty warm for a gray. Deep blue sea is another favorite (see my gallery wall / tv wall / tv wall ledge ). It’s definitely too bold to add to another other surfaces but white, black, and gold surfaces look great with it.

This round up includes both popular and designer brands that could be used on walls or to take your furniture up a notch!

If you have a favorite go-to paint color or brand, I’d love to hear about it! Feel free to share your new paint project on my Facebook page as well!

 

 

[…] Want more design inspiration? Check out my favorite paint color palette HERE! […]

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