An all-in-one room gets a summer refresh

I'm so honored to be part of the BHG Live Better Network where, as a blogger, I've received compensation by BHG at Walmart. The opinions stated here are my own. For more updates on their products and decor ideas, you can always follow them on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram.

Small houses can sometimes feel crowded; and with a family of 5 (plus one dog), things can get interesting. Our 1938 Miami house came with a "Florida sun room" which we're guessing was an addition to the original structure. When we bough the house this area had a door which made the whole space feel secluded and dark. We ended up removing this door and now we are using the room as a tv room/playroom/office.

Some of you might be wondering "how is all this possible?". Well, there are certain things that are guaranteed to make the best out of a space when it comes to organization. 

A couple of months ago I bought an Oxford Square TV Stand and Console from BHG products at Walmart and it really has helped in keeping all my daughters' games and books in one place. Also storage stools are a great solution when trying to keep things in order. 

I like to update this room seasonally and for the summer I've changed the pillows and added some fun elements to make this area feel welcoming and refreshed.

To enhance this room, I added a Greek Key indoor/outdoor rug from Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart. The best thing about this rug is that, since it is also made to be used outdoor, cleaning it is super easy. I can just vacuum, sweep or rinse with a garden hose. Fabulous idea for us moms!

I upgraded the pillows and I fell in love with the tropical design on these ones. The Palmetto Tropical Pillow with Jute Binding and Palm Fronds Green Velvet Flocked Pillow both from Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart look amazing for this summer season.

To create an atmosphere during the nights, I found this beautiful Metal Lantern Lamp from Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart which casts a gorgeous shadow over the surfaces.

My favorite part of this room refresh was this Galvanized Vertical Planter because it allowed me to bring in some plants from my patio. They add that fresh touch to the room. 

By rearranging the furniture and adding some basic pieces I was able to refresh this overly used room. Now we are all set for summer! Have you redecorated any room in your home for summer?

Paradise vibes: summer house tour

Hello friends and welcome to my "Paradise inspired summer house tour". I hope you've had an amazing time at The Design Twins homes. They are so artistic and their houses always feel so welcoming!

Today's concept for the styling of my house tour is a paradise island. Palm trees, fresh fruits, natural elements and sand colors are all part of the idea behind this space. I started this seasonal transformation in the living room where I changed the pillows for a lighter set. These pillows (from HomeGoods) bring in light into this dark sofa softening its look. I really love how the gold one seems to have an abstraction of sea stars.

Another thing I changed in order to bring in summer was my coffee table. I've played around with some elements in different scales and sizes to make this area interesting. You can read all about it and how I styled this round coffee table here.

I've also changed the rug for one with a more natural look and I picked this Natura Handspun Jute Rug from RugsUSA. It blends incredibly well with the rest of the accessories and decor in our living room.

Both entryway tables also got an update. On the longer foyer table (this one from World Market) I placed a wood urns/planter to hold a rescued banana tree I'm planning to transplant later on. Again, greens and natural elements are the key in my decor. Over the mini console from CB2, I'm using a large BHG at Walmart glass lantern with some leaves from our patio.

Ever since we added these wall shelves, I'm always looking forward to the upcoming season just to find a reason to rearrange and redecorate them. Here I added some white sea inspired accessories to give this spot an organic/beachy feel. Most of these accessories are also from HomeGoods.

This house tour now continues to our dinning table where I'm getting some things set for an outdoor table setting which I can't wait to share with you soon. But I know that by now you're getting the idea of where I'm headed!

To keep things flowing, in our kitchen I added some more leaves and branches from our patio and kept lemons at had for a quick summer lemonade. On the window sill, plants are a must. And if you ask me, I prefer orchids and a lime tree.

Our 1938 Miami house is small, but it really has a charm! And although this house tour was quick, I know it will bring up some ideas and inspiration for your own home. I would love for you to hang a little longer, but Amie from Meme Hill is waiting for you at her fabulous home. And that's a house tour I know you wouldn't want to miss!

Remember also to visit my other friends houses for more inspiration:

Happy Happy Nester

Styled with Lace

Crazy Chic Design

2 Ladies and a Chair

Lindsay Hill Interiors

Citrine Living

Home & Fabulous

Tone on Tone

Maison de Cinq

The Design Twins

I don't know how she does it

Meme Hill Studio

Designs by Laila

Easy round coffee table styling tips

Styling a round coffee table can sometimes feel a bit daunting. I've known people that have chosen a rectangular table over a round one just because it is "easier to decorate". Because our home is small, I've always used a round coffee table on our living room because it allows a better flow in the space.

A while back I blogged about styling our World Market "Tribal Carved Coffee Table" three different ways. But since I've changed the table and now I have a baluster pillar coffee table from Amazon, I thought on going over some of the aspects I take into consideration when styling this table.

Tall Element: I always like to start with a tall and/or chunky element. Here I've used a Pottery Barn vase from its "Tuscan Collection" because of its rustic details. Since we are almost in summer, I though on adding a branch of sea grape but any branch or flowers will work great.
Medium accent: Books were place along side the tall vase for two reasons: as a medium accent but most importantly to keep handy for random reading. So make sure these books (or maybe you prefer magazines) are interesting or speak about your style.
Small piece of decor: An octopus was the small and last piece I used over this table. This element, besides being a decorative piece, served as a fun accent that I know will bring lots of talking around this area.

I also used my small collection of stones over the books to add a little more interest. As you can see round coffee tables are easy to style with these three easy tips. All you'll need are some basic elements and you're good to go. Hope this quick post will help you with yours and as always I would like to read your tips on how you solved your coffee table styling dilemmas. Also, click here to visit my Pinterest board "Round coffee table styling".

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Summer swingasan deck dreams

A couple of days ago I bought one of those tropical oval swings properly called “Swingasan” at a near HomeGoods here in Miami. I have to admit that it wasn’t “love at first”; but to tell you the truth, the more I saw it at stores and almost everywhere in social media, the more I wanted it. See how powerful social media can sometimes be!

Anyway, when I finally decided it was time to pursuit my “Swingasan” dreams, I struck with the ugly reality of not finding the one that I wanted. After touring around 7-8 stores, I found my prince “Swingasan” waiting for me. I was so excited that I even uploaded an Instagram stories of me doing a happy dance… me of all people!

So once home we hanged it from our mango tree and I sat for quite some time. While I was there I felt this area needed an upgrade to enhance our new acquisition. So I came up with a plan; how about we build a small deck under our mango tree where the girls can play or a place where I can come and meditate?!? I couldn’t stop thinking about this and even started sketching out a plan.

I really enjoyed watching these little ones playing in their house. It brings me tears to see them this little!

Just before I took the decision of taking out the house, you can see how deteriorated it was. Part of the roof was just hanging and it already had lost the front door and part of the side bench. 

This area under the tree gave shelter to our girl’s wood doll house for a couple of year. We bought this little chateau about two years ago but it wasn’t of good quality. Time and the rough weather here in Miami took the best of their wooden “palace” and we had to dispose of it. I really felt devastated with the decision because, although that little house was a mess, my girls loved it and really made used of it.

Now that we have this swing, I thought that the idea of a floor underneath would allow the girls to think of this area as a bigger house under the tree (sans the roof). They can certainly take their toys out and play pretend. I can always provide some pillows for their comfort and for when I’m out meditating.

This quick computer sketch gives me a better idea of the proportion of the deck and how it will look overall. 

My plans are to build a 10’x14’ wood deck and to plant on both the back sides of this structure. Also, and as you might already be wondering, some garden containers will be added to some of the corner of this deck.

Here are some of the inspirational ideas I found at Pinterest.

Photo: Leroy Merlin

Photo: Onyx IV

Although the idea seems to be simple, there are some details that I know will slow this process. I just can’t wait to start sharing the progress. Don’t forget you can always stay up-to-date with me over at my Instagram account @idknowhowshedoesit.
What plants would you recommend me to use around this shaded area? Would love to read your recommendations.

4 accessories for small entryways

I'm so honored to be part of the HomeGoods Entushiast Pinterest board where, as a blogger, I've received compensation by HomeGoods. The opinions stated here are my own. For more updates on their products and decor ideas, you can always follow them on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram.

On small houses like ours, entryways are a rare thing. But a place to make guests feel welcome and also where we can place the mail, is a must. On our home I've recently added a small table which was perfect because of its compact size. 

To style this area and to make it functional, there are 3 things I usually like to keep in mind:

No 1. Wall art or wall decor: I love to keep things simple, so this wall art was the perfect piece for this area. The perspective and black and white style made this spot seemed more spacious. 

No 2. Flowers: Every once in a while I like to have flowers in a place where my guests will see them. This will make them feel welcome besides adding a fresh look in our small entryway.

No 3. Tray: There's always a place for everything and trays are the perfect accessory to place the keys and the latest mail. This wooden tray I found at HomeGoods is the perfect size for our entryway table. I love how it resembles a small dough bowl.

No 4. Baskets: These are the ideal hiding place for blankets, small backpacks etc. Baskets will allow us to keep large items at hand without over crowding the entryway. This oval basket I found at HomeGoods is made out of natural fibers and has the ideal size for storing away a couple of throws.

As you can see it's easy to assign a small area where one can greet guests but also a place where you can drop-off or pick-up stuff. It won't matter how big or small your entryway is as long as it serves it purpose and makes your life easy and practical. Do you currently have an entryway area?

Create a gallery wall using shelves

I'm so honored to be part of the HomeGoods Entushiast Pinterest board where, as a blogger, I've received compensation by HomeGoods. The opinions stated here are my own. For more updates on their products and decor ideas, you can always follow them on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram.

Gallery wall don't always have to hang over the wall. I recently did a refresh on my daughters' bedroom and decided I wanted to add a focal point but with a purpose: to enhance the beauty of life and self-esteem! So I chose to create a gallery wall over shelves because it will make it easier to update and change each piece without having to do a new hole on the wall.

I have 3 girls with different ages and tastes. Over this gallery wall I chose elements that will speak to each of them; but specially to the tween one. For her I chose phrases like "If you stumble, make it part of the dance" and "you are beautiful" (both canvases from HomeGoods). Those of you who've done the parenting job know that tweens and teens sometimes need a little reminder of how great life is and how amazing they are. So these canvases are a way into to her heart and mind.

Now, for the little ones, I got a cute ceramic giraffe and metallic triangles to decorate this area (both accessories are available at HomeGoods). My 5 year old who's starting to read, loved the wire phrase "BE YOU"; she simply is "her"!
Framed photos are a great reminder of sisterly love and how powerful family and love are.

After I finished mounting these ledges (shelves), I thought about enhancing this area a bit more. So I came up with the idea of framing this setting inside a house. This is a very delicate final touch but, instead of going "too girly", I opted for a simple white over gray silhouette.

To make this house I measured about 5" from the edge of each shelf outward and drew my vertical lines. For the top I measured 18" from the center of the shelves upward and join each vertical line to this center top point. I taped the lines with painter's tape to make sure that I painted withing my measurements and that I had a clean result.

I can't believe how simple yet striking this area is now. The beauty of this gallery wall over the shelves is that, as soon as the girls get tired of these accessories, I can easily change and replace them to create another look.

Have you tried creating gallery wall over shelves? If so, what did you use to decorate them?