CENTSATIONAL STYLE

I was looking at the extra closet in my old home office, the one that’s filled with boxes of pictures and photo albums. If I digitize the photos and store the photo albums elsewhere, I could transform the closet into a beverage center or study spot which makes more sense since the space is used by REALISTIC LOOKING FAUX PLANTS I scoured the internet for a group of realistic looking artificial plants, many of these have great reviews. faux potted begonia (top right) palm leaf spray. hanging tradescantia. potted rubber plant. potted monstera. faux fiddle leaf fig. banana leaf. trailing

eucalyptus.

PAINTING A KITCHEN TABLE Painting a kitchen table is an easy project! As long as you follow the steps, you'll have a paint job that lasts for years to come! Today’s DIY project is about how to paint a kitchen table. I’ve been painting furniture and cabinets for years, but this time I tackled the

painting of a kitc

MIXING METAL FINISHES IN THE BATHROOM There’s no rule that you have to mix metal finishes in bathrooms (or kitchens), but when you consider the examples below, you’ll be thinking about it in your next bathroom makeover. For example, adding a touch of black to a collection of brass is a very good thing, so is mixing chrome and brass finishes. To follow are examples of successful TRIMMING PLAIN CURTAINS d stone builders. Retailers know that plain curtains with embellished edges are appealing, this is a good example from West Elm of plain panels with an embroidered border. west elm. If you have patterned panels, trim is not off limits. Find a trim that complements your existing print and take them to the next level by adding an

interesting border.

SIMPLE SEW: BOX CUSHION COVER Instead I bought 3 ½ yards of green outdoor canvas fabric for $9 a yard to cover the length of the window seat and a piece of 24” x 2” foam as long as my window seat to fill the cover. And a package of velcro strip. Because I settled on a simple edge with no piping, I didn’t bother to cut the length of the fabric in two long strips. FAVORITE GRAY PAINT COLORS I’ve been asked a few times to recommend a “perfect gray paint” to readers and I have difficulty doing so only because there are so so many of them, and it in truth it really comes down to the style of your home, your taste, which direction your room faces in your home, its amount natural light, how paint samples look on your wall, and undertones, always undertones! SPRAY PAINT: PROS AND CONS In my humble opinion, these are the top ten pros and cons when it comes to the use of spray paint. Spray paint offers more even coverage without brush strokes. Spray primer is a million times faster than brush primer. Spray paint is a million times faster than brush on paint. Spray paint is typically oil based, therefore more durable than

water

KITCHEN COUNTERTOP OPTIONS: PROS + CONS Carrara has more delicate, lighter veining; Calacatta is a rarer, pricier stone and has bolder more defined strokes, yet both are a desirable luxury stone. Calacatta Gold and Crema Marfil marbles have brown or gold veins and offer homeowners warmer tones. Prices vary between $40 and $250 per square foot based on the type of marble

chosen.

STYLISH WAYS TO DISPLAY BLACK + WHITE PHOTOS But it got me thinkingbeyond the hallway, there are multiple ways to display black and white photographs, it just depends on the space and whether you prefer a more eclectic and asymmetric display, or if you favor a symmetric or streamlined look. Symmetry is the easiest look to pull off, just gather up the same size frames in a grid

CENTSATIONAL STYLE

I was looking at the extra closet in my old home office, the one that’s filled with boxes of pictures and photo albums. If I digitize the photos and store the photo albums elsewhere, I could transform the closet into a beverage center or study spot which makes more sense since the space is used by REALISTIC LOOKING FAUX PLANTS I scoured the internet for a group of realistic looking artificial plants, many of these have great reviews. faux potted begonia (top right) palm leaf spray. hanging tradescantia. potted rubber plant. potted monstera. faux fiddle leaf fig. banana leaf. trailing

eucalyptus.

PAINTING A KITCHEN TABLE Painting a kitchen table is an easy project! As long as you follow the steps, you'll have a paint job that lasts for years to come! Today’s DIY project is about how to paint a kitchen table. I’ve been painting furniture and cabinets for years, but this time I tackled the

painting of a kitc

MIXING METAL FINISHES IN THE BATHROOM There’s no rule that you have to mix metal finishes in bathrooms (or kitchens), but when you consider the examples below, you’ll be thinking about it in your next bathroom makeover. For example, adding a touch of black to a collection of brass is a very good thing, so is mixing chrome and brass finishes. To follow are examples of successful TRIMMING PLAIN CURTAINS d stone builders. Retailers know that plain curtains with embellished edges are appealing, this is a good example from West Elm of plain panels with an embroidered border. west elm. If you have patterned panels, trim is not off limits. Find a trim that complements your existing print and take them to the next level by adding an

interesting border.

SIMPLE SEW: BOX CUSHION COVER Instead I bought 3 ½ yards of green outdoor canvas fabric for $9 a yard to cover the length of the window seat and a piece of 24” x 2” foam as long as my window seat to fill the cover. And a package of velcro strip. Because I settled on a simple edge with no piping, I didn’t bother to cut the length of the fabric in two long strips. FAVORITE GRAY PAINT COLORS I’ve been asked a few times to recommend a “perfect gray paint” to readers and I have difficulty doing so only because there are so so many of them, and it in truth it really comes down to the style of your home, your taste, which direction your room faces in your home, its amount natural light, how paint samples look on your wall, and undertones, always undertones! SPRAY PAINT: PROS AND CONS In my humble opinion, these are the top ten pros and cons when it comes to the use of spray paint. Spray paint offers more even coverage without brush strokes. Spray primer is a million times faster than brush primer. Spray paint is a million times faster than brush on paint. Spray paint is typically oil based, therefore more durable than

water

KITCHEN COUNTERTOP OPTIONS: PROS + CONS Carrara has more delicate, lighter veining; Calacatta is a rarer, pricier stone and has bolder more defined strokes, yet both are a desirable luxury stone. Calacatta Gold and Crema Marfil marbles have brown or gold veins and offer homeowners warmer tones. Prices vary between $40 and $250 per square foot based on the type of marble

chosen.

STYLISH WAYS TO DISPLAY BLACK + WHITE PHOTOS But it got me thinkingbeyond the hallway, there are multiple ways to display black and white photographs, it just depends on the space and whether you prefer a more eclectic and asymmetric display, or if you favor a symmetric or streamlined look. Symmetry is the easiest look to pull off, just gather up the same size frames in a grid

JUNE 9, 2021

Hello, I’m Kate! I’m a renovator, decorator, pattern maker, and globetrotter who writes about great interior design, smart home improvement, and my travel adventures. BEYOND STORAGE: FOUR USES FOR CLOSET SPACES I was looking at the extra closet in my old home office, the one that’s filled with boxes of pictures and photo albums. If I digitize the photos and store the photo albums elsewhere, I could transform the closet into a beverage center or study spot which makes more sense since the space is used MASTER BATHROOM REFRESH Sources for this bathroom refresh: rounded rectangle mirrors / brass towel ring / widespread faucet. drawer pulls / round vanity mirror / green planters / floating shelves. door knobs / gold picture frames / leaves art / 3×12” backsplash tile. gold trays 20 WAYS TO MAKE A BED domino. 13) Colorful sheets, layered coverlet on top with wool striped blanket. domino. 14) Variety is the spice of this bedding arrangement, the sophisticated grays are punctuated with pops of orange found in graphic pillows, the navy shams add dramatic contrast to the pale headboard and sheets. KITCHEN COUNTERTOP OPTIONS: PROS + CONS Carrara has more delicate, lighter veining; Calacatta is a rarer, pricier stone and has bolder more defined strokes, yet both are a desirable luxury stone. Calacatta Gold and Crema Marfil marbles have brown or gold veins and offer homeowners warmer tones. Prices vary between $40 and $250 per square foot based on the type of marble

chosen.

DIY REVERSIBLE CLOTH PLACEMATS & NAPKINS For placemats, cut your fabric at 18” by 22” to form a rectangle. 2. Like you would with a pillow cover, lay both sides of the fabric down with the patterns facing each other then pin all around. 3. Sew edges all around with ½ inch seam allowance, but leave a 2 inch opening on one side. Trim excess. DIY CRISS CROSS OUTDOOR PLANTERS I’ve been a DIYer for like ever but I have to say this is one of my favorite DIY projects to date. I mentioned last month how I was going to build some outdoor planters and last week, Matt and I built two outdoor planters for the courtyard to frame the French doors. When I first started this project I planned on a Chippendale style, but stopped at the basic criss-cross pattern – the 15 BEAUTIFUL TAUPE PAINT COLORS The colors in natural light that are closest match to my Oat cabinets are 1) Sherwin Williams ‘Shitake’, 2) Benjamin Moore Affinity ‘Pashmina’, 3) Benjamin Moore ‘Stone Hearth’, and 4) HG Sherwin Williams ‘Loggia’. Finding a great taupe is a tricky but not impossible. You don’t want green or yellow or lavender

undertones.

STYLISH WAYS TO DISPLAY BLACK + WHITE PHOTOS But it got me thinkingbeyond the hallway, there are multiple ways to display black and white photographs, it just depends on the space and whether you prefer a more eclectic and asymmetric display, or if you favor a symmetric or streamlined look. Symmetry is the easiest look to pull off, just gather up the same size frames in a grid DIY: FIXED FLAT FOLD ROMAN SHADE On a large flat surface, layer your blackout liner on top of your decorative fabric (the upside down version of what you see), then smooth out any ripples or bubbles and pin them together. Sew together on three sides with straight stitch on sewing machine. Next, pin your fabric to your liner every 12” horizontally and every 8”

vertically.

CENTSATIONAL STYLE

I was looking at the extra closet in my old home office, the one that’s filled with boxes of pictures and photo albums. If I digitize the photos and store the photo albums elsewhere, I could transform the closet into a beverage center or study spot which makes more sense since the space is used by REALISTIC LOOKING FAUX PLANTS I scoured the internet for a group of realistic looking artificial plants, many of these have great reviews. faux potted begonia (top right) palm leaf spray. hanging tradescantia. potted rubber plant. potted monstera. faux fiddle leaf fig. banana leaf. trailing

eucalyptus.

WEEKEND READING 5.15.21 Weekend Reading 5.15.21. By Kate Riley • May 15, 2021. I’m trying a new experiment layering flattened flower petals and stems in resin. So far I’m having mixed results. My hope is to turn them into art or jewelry, so far I’m not sure it will become anything, but it’s fun to play and see if anything will come out of it. TRIMMING PLAIN CURTAINS d stone builders. Retailers know that plain curtains with embellished edges are appealing, this is a good example from West Elm of plain panels with an embroidered border. west elm. If you have patterned panels, trim is not off limits. Find a trim that complements your existing print and take them to the next level by adding an

interesting border.

ALTERNATIVES TO WHITE SHIPLAP White Wainscot. Architectural details on a wall go by different names depending on the look: planking, board and batten, picture frame molding, beadboard, tongue and groove, and millwork. Custom or prefabricated work is always an option but basic designs are easy to DIY. If you’re a fan of white walls but seek something other than

shiplap

SPOTLIGHT: RESIN ARTISTS Resin artwork is more expensive because resin epoxy is more costly than acrylic paint so it drives the prices up, but still, take a peek at some of these pieces large and small, they are the coolest and worth the price for an original piece of art. These artists get really creative with the fluid resin medium, they use crystals and gold leaf

to

MIXING METAL FINISHES IN THE BATHROOM There’s no rule that you have to mix metal finishes in bathrooms (or kitchens), but when you consider the examples below, you’ll be thinking about it in your next bathroom makeover. For example, adding a touch of black to a collection of brass is a very good thing, so is mixing chrome and brass finishes. To follow are examples of successful KITCHEN COUNTERTOP OPTIONS: PROS + CONS Carrara has more delicate, lighter veining; Calacatta is a rarer, pricier stone and has bolder more defined strokes, yet both are a desirable luxury stone. Calacatta Gold and Crema Marfil marbles have brown or gold veins and offer homeowners warmer tones. Prices vary between $40 and $250 per square foot based on the type of marble

chosen.

AVE HOME: COLETTE DESK The first piece I was drawn to was the Colette Desk – I’ve needed a new desk for my office and this one with its classic French style appealed to me. It arrived via freight then I unpackaged it to get started on painting it. When it arrived in its raw wood state I chose to paint it with a classic white and gold combination, keeping the HOW TO HIDE AN UGLY FLOOR + LAUNDRY ROOM REFRESH For ages I’ve hated the ugly linoleum floor in my laundry room. I covered it up with a rug for a long time but that solution was slippery so I was living with an ugly floor I hated. Call me cheap and lazy, but I didn’t want to go through the effort of replacing the flooring in this space since I

CENTSATIONAL STYLE

I was looking at the extra closet in my old home office, the one that’s filled with boxes of pictures and photo albums. If I digitize the photos and store the photo albums elsewhere, I could transform the closet into a beverage center or study spot which makes more sense since the space is used by REALISTIC LOOKING FAUX PLANTS I scoured the internet for a group of realistic looking artificial plants, many of these have great reviews. faux potted begonia (top right) palm leaf spray. hanging tradescantia. potted rubber plant. potted monstera. faux fiddle leaf fig. banana leaf. trailing

eucalyptus.

WEEKEND READING 5.15.21 Weekend Reading 5.15.21. By Kate Riley • May 15, 2021. I’m trying a new experiment layering flattened flower petals and stems in resin. So far I’m having mixed results. My hope is to turn them into art or jewelry, so far I’m not sure it will become anything, but it’s fun to play and see if anything will come out of it. TRIMMING PLAIN CURTAINS d stone builders. Retailers know that plain curtains with embellished edges are appealing, this is a good example from West Elm of plain panels with an embroidered border. west elm. If you have patterned panels, trim is not off limits. Find a trim that complements your existing print and take them to the next level by adding an

interesting border.

ALTERNATIVES TO WHITE SHIPLAP White Wainscot. Architectural details on a wall go by different names depending on the look: planking, board and batten, picture frame molding, beadboard, tongue and groove, and millwork. Custom or prefabricated work is always an option but basic designs are easy to DIY. If you’re a fan of white walls but seek something other than

shiplap

SPOTLIGHT: RESIN ARTISTS Resin artwork is more expensive because resin epoxy is more costly than acrylic paint so it drives the prices up, but still, take a peek at some of these pieces large and small, they are the coolest and worth the price for an original piece of art. These artists get really creative with the fluid resin medium, they use crystals and gold leaf

to

MIXING METAL FINISHES IN THE BATHROOM There’s no rule that you have to mix metal finishes in bathrooms (or kitchens), but when you consider the examples below, you’ll be thinking about it in your next bathroom makeover. For example, adding a touch of black to a collection of brass is a very good thing, so is mixing chrome and brass finishes. To follow are examples of successful KITCHEN COUNTERTOP OPTIONS: PROS + CONS Carrara has more delicate, lighter veining; Calacatta is a rarer, pricier stone and has bolder more defined strokes, yet both are a desirable luxury stone. Calacatta Gold and Crema Marfil marbles have brown or gold veins and offer homeowners warmer tones. Prices vary between $40 and $250 per square foot based on the type of marble

chosen.

AVE HOME: COLETTE DESK The first piece I was drawn to was the Colette Desk – I’ve needed a new desk for my office and this one with its classic French style appealed to me. It arrived via freight then I unpackaged it to get started on painting it. When it arrived in its raw wood state I chose to paint it with a classic white and gold combination, keeping the HOW TO HIDE AN UGLY FLOOR + LAUNDRY ROOM REFRESH For ages I’ve hated the ugly linoleum floor in my laundry room. I covered it up with a rug for a long time but that solution was slippery so I was living with an ugly floor I hated. Call me cheap and lazy, but I didn’t want to go through the effort of replacing the flooring in this space since I

JUNE 9, 2021

Hello, I’m Kate! I’m a renovator, decorator, pattern maker, and globetrotter who writes about great interior design, smart home improvement, and my travel adventures. BEYOND STORAGE: FOUR USES FOR CLOSET SPACES I was looking at the extra closet in my old home office, the one that’s filled with boxes of pictures and photo albums. If I digitize the photos and store the photo albums elsewhere, I could transform the closet into a beverage center or study spot which makes more sense since the space is used BLOG | CENTSATIONAL STYLE Hello, I’m Kate! I’m a renovator, decorator, pattern maker, and globetrotter who writes about great interior design, smart home improvement, and my travel adventures. WEEKEND READING 5.15.21 Weekend Reading 5.15.21. By Kate Riley • May 15, 2021. I’m trying a new experiment layering flattened flower petals and stems in resin. So far I’m having mixed results. My hope is to turn them into art or jewelry, so far I’m not sure it will become anything, but it’s fun to play and see if anything will come out of it.

STYLE FILES

Hello, I’m Kate! I’m a renovator, decorator, pattern maker, and globetrotter who writes about great interior design, smart home improvement, and my travel adventures. KITCHEN DESIGN: ALTERNATIVES FOR UPPER CABINETS See this article for more examples. Metal shelving is a modern alternative to wood and a black finish is a contemporary choice. The long single shelf above a tile backsplash is a style found in many kitchens of Europe, Scandinavia, and the UK . Here’s another look TALL CEILING KITCHEN CABINET OPTIONS An alternative solution in kitchens with taller ceilings is to simply stop the cabinets short of the ceiling and top them with a thick crown molding. The range chimney stretches to the ceiling for functional reasons, but also to contrast the height of the upper cabinets. delpino custom homes. plank 8 WAYS TO STYLE A MANTEL WITH ART 1. Overlap artwork in varied sizes and frame finishes, surround with potted plants. 2. Pair a large piece of black and white art with candlesticks and a vase filled with flowers or ferns. 3. Display one print asymmetrically, and balance it with a grouping of candlesticks (or vases) on the other side. 4. SOLUTIONS FOR RENTERS: KITCHENS Greetings everyone! The ‘Solutions for Renters’ se ries continues today and I’ve gathered up a few ideas for you to spruce up those kitchen spaces with temporary solutions that incorporate your personal tastes and unique style.. Kitchens and bathrooms are the hardest to personalize since they’re mostly made up of choices that are unchangeable – cabinets, tile, flooring, countertops SPRAY PAINT: PROS AND CONS In my humble opinion, these are the top ten pros and cons when it comes to the use of spray paint. Spray paint offers more even coverage without brush strokes. Spray primer is a million times faster than brush primer. Spray paint is a million times faster than brush on paint. Spray paint is typically oil based, therefore more durable than

water

CENTSATIONAL STYLE

It was a busy weekend between graduation celebrations and BBQs, I’m just sitting down Sunday evening to write up this post weary from running around but proud of all the graduates I know. PROJECTS | CENTSATIONAL STYLE Projects. So you love a good DIY project as much as I do? Great, you’re in the right place! Below you’ll find the galleries of all the home improvement, decorating, garden, art, and fabric projects that have my signature touch. Also you’ll find the most popular projects and spaces I’ve decorated gathered together in easy to

navigate

REALISTIC LOOKING FAUX PLANTS I scoured the internet for a group of realistic looking artificial plants, many of these have great reviews. faux potted begonia (top right) palm leaf spray. hanging tradescantia. potted rubber plant. potted monstera. faux fiddle leaf fig. banana leaf. trailing

eucalyptus.

WEEKEND READING 5.15.21 Weekend Reading 5.15.21. By Kate Riley • May 15, 2021. I’m trying a new experiment layering flattened flower petals and stems in resin. So far I’m having mixed results. My hope is to turn them into art or jewelry, so far I’m not sure it will become anything, but it’s fun to play and see if anything will come out of it. DIY: CLAY RELIEF JEWELRY HOLDERS Cut away the excess with a knife so the forms can lay flat. Separate the leaf forms on wax paper. Use the knife to cut away any excess. Add a thin layer of tacky all purpose glue to the front and sides of the wood to help the clay adhere to the wood. Wrap each piece of wood one by one with a flay layer of clay, cut away excess on the back, then PAINTING A KITCHEN TABLE Painting a kitchen table is an easy project! As long as you follow the steps, you'll have a paint job that lasts for years to come! Today’s DIY project is about how to paint a kitchen table. I’ve been painting furniture and cabinets for years, but this time I tackled the

painting of a kitc

STYLISH WAYS TO DISPLAY BLACK + WHITE PHOTOS But it got me thinkingbeyond the hallway, there are multiple ways to display black and white photographs, it just depends on the space and whether you prefer a more eclectic and asymmetric display, or if you favor a symmetric or streamlined look. Symmetry is the easiest look to pull off, just gather up the same size frames in a grid WE HAVE A WINDOW SEAT! We Have A Window Seat! By Kate Riley • June 4, 2012. Last week we began this operation window seat project with the idea to build a bench under the window in the playroom as we transform it into a study. I mentioned the idea was to construct a window seat in here so we can pull up a table in front of it for reading, studying, etc. CREDENZA: PRACTICAL MEETS PRETTY Credenza: Practical meets Pretty. By Kate Riley • November 2, 2010. Last year I remodeled my home office, and it’s been a genuine pleasure working in this pretty and personalized space. For the longest time, I was loving the sofa that sat on one wall, but over time, paperwork started piling up, and I reasoned I needed a more

practical

FAVORITE GRAY PAINT COLORS I’ve been asked a few times to recommend a “perfect gray paint” to readers and I have difficulty doing so only because there are so so many of them, and it in truth it really comes down to the style of your home, your taste, which direction your room faces in your home, its amount natural light, how paint samples look on your wall, and undertones, always undertones!

CENTSATIONAL STYLE

It was a busy weekend between graduation celebrations and BBQs, I’m just sitting down Sunday evening to write up this post weary from running around but proud of all the graduates I know. PROJECTS | CENTSATIONAL STYLE Projects. So you love a good DIY project as much as I do? Great, you’re in the right place! Below you’ll find the galleries of all the home improvement, decorating, garden, art, and fabric projects that have my signature touch. Also you’ll find the most popular projects and spaces I’ve decorated gathered together in easy to

navigate

REALISTIC LOOKING FAUX PLANTS I scoured the internet for a group of realistic looking artificial plants, many of these have great reviews. faux potted begonia (top right) palm leaf spray. hanging tradescantia. potted rubber plant. potted monstera. faux fiddle leaf fig. banana leaf. trailing

eucalyptus.

WEEKEND READING 5.15.21 Weekend Reading 5.15.21. By Kate Riley • May 15, 2021. I’m trying a new experiment layering flattened flower petals and stems in resin. So far I’m having mixed results. My hope is to turn them into art or jewelry, so far I’m not sure it will become anything, but it’s fun to play and see if anything will come out of it. DIY: CLAY RELIEF JEWELRY HOLDERS Cut away the excess with a knife so the forms can lay flat. Separate the leaf forms on wax paper. Use the knife to cut away any excess. Add a thin layer of tacky all purpose glue to the front and sides of the wood to help the clay adhere to the wood. Wrap each piece of wood one by one with a flay layer of clay, cut away excess on the back, then PAINTING A KITCHEN TABLE Painting a kitchen table is an easy project! As long as you follow the steps, you'll have a paint job that lasts for years to come! Today’s DIY project is about how to paint a kitchen table. I’ve been painting furniture and cabinets for years, but this time I tackled the

painting of a kitc

STYLISH WAYS TO DISPLAY BLACK + WHITE PHOTOS But it got me thinkingbeyond the hallway, there are multiple ways to display black and white photographs, it just depends on the space and whether you prefer a more eclectic and asymmetric display, or if you favor a symmetric or streamlined look. Symmetry is the easiest look to pull off, just gather up the same size frames in a grid WE HAVE A WINDOW SEAT! We Have A Window Seat! By Kate Riley • June 4, 2012. Last week we began this operation window seat project with the idea to build a bench under the window in the playroom as we transform it into a study. I mentioned the idea was to construct a window seat in here so we can pull up a table in front of it for reading, studying, etc. CREDENZA: PRACTICAL MEETS PRETTY Credenza: Practical meets Pretty. By Kate Riley • November 2, 2010. Last year I remodeled my home office, and it’s been a genuine pleasure working in this pretty and personalized space. For the longest time, I was loving the sofa that sat on one wall, but over time, paperwork started piling up, and I reasoned I needed a more

practical

FAVORITE GRAY PAINT COLORS I’ve been asked a few times to recommend a “perfect gray paint” to readers and I have difficulty doing so only because there are so so many of them, and it in truth it really comes down to the style of your home, your taste, which direction your room faces in your home, its amount natural light, how paint samples look on your wall, and undertones, always undertones!

JUNE 9, 2021

Hello, I’m Kate! I’m a renovator, decorator, pattern maker, and globetrotter who writes about great interior design, smart home improvement, and my travel adventures. BEYOND STORAGE: FOUR USES FOR CLOSET SPACES I was looking at the extra closet in my old home office, the one that’s filled with boxes of pictures and photo albums. If I digitize the photos and store the photo albums elsewhere, I could transform the closet into a beverage center or study spot which makes more sense since the space is used

STYLE FILES

Hello, I’m Kate! I’m a renovator, decorator, pattern maker, and globetrotter who writes about great interior design, smart home improvement, and my travel adventures. PICNIC ESSENTIALS: TOTES & BLANKETS Picnic Essentials: Totes & Blankets. By Kate Riley • May 20, 2021. This week I met a friend at a local park, we each brought half of a picnic lunch and played Yahtzee for an hour on a beautiful sunny day. Local parks, lakes, rivers, beaches and hiking spots are all available for setting up a picnic and enjoying outdoor time, ’tis the season SIMPLE SEW: BOX CUSHION COVER Instead I bought 3 ½ yards of green outdoor canvas fabric for $9 a yard to cover the length of the window seat and a piece of 24” x 2” foam as long as my window seat to fill the cover. And a package of velcro strip. Because I settled on a simple edge with no piping, I didn’t bother to cut the length of the fabric in two long strips. ALTERNATIVES TO WHITE SHIPLAP White Wainscot. Architectural details on a wall go by different names depending on the look: planking, board and batten, picture frame molding, beadboard, tongue and groove, and millwork. Custom or prefabricated work is always an option but basic designs are easy to DIY. If you’re a fan of white walls but seek something other than

shiplap

9 WAYS TO DESIGN AROUND A TV 5. Niche It. This option requires either a) reframing your room to create a niche in the existing wall, or b) planning ahead with a new build or remodel to create a place for the television. Just those few inches really do make a difference and it’s a subtle way to use architecture to create a frame for the television. DIY REVERSIBLE CLOTH PLACEMATS & NAPKINS For placemats, cut your fabric at 18” by 22” to form a rectangle. 2. Like you would with a pillow cover, lay both sides of the fabric down with the patterns facing each other then pin all around. 3. Sew edges all around with ½ inch seam allowance, but leave a 2 inch opening on one side. Trim excess. SOLUTIONS FOR RENTERS: KITCHENS Greetings everyone! The ‘Solutions for Renters’ se ries continues today and I’ve gathered up a few ideas for you to spruce up those kitchen spaces with temporary solutions that incorporate your personal tastes and unique style.. Kitchens and bathrooms are the hardest to personalize since they’re mostly made up of choices that are unchangeable – cabinets, tile, flooring, countertops GREEN WALLS: TRELLISED VINES + ESPALIER TREES Espalier is the process of manipulating tree branches by forcing two dimensional growth along a constructed trellis on a single plane instead of allowing the branches to bloom outward in all directions. There is a beauty to espalier but also a practicality, it is a clever way to add botanicals to tall walls or narrow outdoor spaces.

CENTSATIONAL STYLE

It was a busy weekend between graduation celebrations and BBQs, I’m just sitting down Sunday evening to write up this post weary from running around but proud of all the graduates I know. PROJECTS | CENTSATIONAL STYLE Projects. So you love a good DIY project as much as I do? Great, you’re in the right place! Below you’ll find the galleries of all the home improvement, decorating, garden, art, and fabric projects that have my signature touch. Also you’ll find the most popular projects and spaces I’ve decorated gathered together in easy to

navigate

REALISTIC LOOKING FAUX PLANTS I scoured the internet for a group of realistic looking artificial plants, many of these have great reviews. faux potted begonia (top right) palm leaf spray. hanging tradescantia. potted rubber plant. potted monstera. faux fiddle leaf fig. banana leaf. trailing

eucalyptus.

WEEKEND READING 5.15.21 Weekend Reading 5.15.21. By Kate Riley • May 15, 2021. I’m trying a new experiment layering flattened flower petals and stems in resin. So far I’m having mixed results. My hope is to turn them into art or jewelry, so far I’m not sure it will become anything, but it’s fun to play and see if anything will come out of it. PAINTING A KITCHEN TABLE Painting a kitchen table is an easy project! As long as you follow the steps, you'll have a paint job that lasts for years to come! Today’s DIY project is about how to paint a kitchen table. I’ve been painting furniture and cabinets for years, but this time I tackled the

painting of a kitc

WE HAVE A WINDOW SEAT! We Have A Window Seat! By Kate Riley • June 4, 2012. Last week we began this operation window seat project with the idea to build a bench under the window in the playroom as we transform it into a study. I mentioned the idea was to construct a window seat in here so we can pull up a table in front of it for reading, studying, etc. STYLISH WAYS TO DISPLAY BLACK + WHITE PHOTOS But it got me thinkingbeyond the hallway, there are multiple ways to display black and white photographs, it just depends on the space and whether you prefer a more eclectic and asymmetric display, or if you favor a symmetric or streamlined look. Symmetry is the easiest look to pull off, just gather up the same size frames in a grid DIY CRISS CROSS OUTDOOR PLANTERS I’ve been a DIYer for like ever but I have to say this is one of my favorite DIY projects to date. I mentioned last month how I was going to build some outdoor planters and last week, Matt and I built two outdoor planters for the courtyard to frame the French doors. When I first started this project I planned on a Chippendale style, but stopped at the basic criss-cross pattern – the FAVORITE GRAY PAINT COLORS I’ve been asked a few times to recommend a “perfect gray paint” to readers and I have difficulty doing so only because there are so so many of them, and it in truth it really comes down to the style of your home, your taste, which direction your room faces in your home, its amount natural light, how paint samples look on your wall, and undertones, always undertones! CREDENZA: PRACTICAL MEETS PRETTY Credenza: Practical meets Pretty. By Kate Riley • November 2, 2010. Last year I remodeled my home office, and it’s been a genuine pleasure working in this pretty and personalized space. For the longest time, I was loving the sofa that sat on one wall, but over time, paperwork started piling up, and I reasoned I needed a more

practical

CENTSATIONAL STYLE

It was a busy weekend between graduation celebrations and BBQs, I’m just sitting down Sunday evening to write up this post weary from running around but proud of all the graduates I know. PROJECTS | CENTSATIONAL STYLE Projects. So you love a good DIY project as much as I do? Great, you’re in the right place! Below you’ll find the galleries of all the home improvement, decorating, garden, art, and fabric projects that have my signature touch. Also you’ll find the most popular projects and spaces I’ve decorated gathered together in easy to

navigate

REALISTIC LOOKING FAUX PLANTS I scoured the internet for a group of realistic looking artificial plants, many of these have great reviews. faux potted begonia (top right) palm leaf spray. hanging tradescantia. potted rubber plant. potted monstera. faux fiddle leaf fig. banana leaf. trailing

eucalyptus.

WEEKEND READING 5.15.21 Weekend Reading 5.15.21. By Kate Riley • May 15, 2021. I’m trying a new experiment layering flattened flower petals and stems in resin. So far I’m having mixed results. My hope is to turn them into art or jewelry, so far I’m not sure it will become anything, but it’s fun to play and see if anything will come out of it. PAINTING A KITCHEN TABLE Painting a kitchen table is an easy project! As long as you follow the steps, you'll have a paint job that lasts for years to come! Today’s DIY project is about how to paint a kitchen table. I’ve been painting furniture and cabinets for years, but this time I tackled the

painting of a kitc

WE HAVE A WINDOW SEAT! We Have A Window Seat! By Kate Riley • June 4, 2012. Last week we began this operation window seat project with the idea to build a bench under the window in the playroom as we transform it into a study. I mentioned the idea was to construct a window seat in here so we can pull up a table in front of it for reading, studying, etc. STYLISH WAYS TO DISPLAY BLACK + WHITE PHOTOS But it got me thinkingbeyond the hallway, there are multiple ways to display black and white photographs, it just depends on the space and whether you prefer a more eclectic and asymmetric display, or if you favor a symmetric or streamlined look. Symmetry is the easiest look to pull off, just gather up the same size frames in a grid DIY CRISS CROSS OUTDOOR PLANTERS I’ve been a DIYer for like ever but I have to say this is one of my favorite DIY projects to date. I mentioned last month how I was going to build some outdoor planters and last week, Matt and I built two outdoor planters for the courtyard to frame the French doors. When I first started this project I planned on a Chippendale style, but stopped at the basic criss-cross pattern – the FAVORITE GRAY PAINT COLORS I’ve been asked a few times to recommend a “perfect gray paint” to readers and I have difficulty doing so only because there are so so many of them, and it in truth it really comes down to the style of your home, your taste, which direction your room faces in your home, its amount natural light, how paint samples look on your wall, and undertones, always undertones! CREDENZA: PRACTICAL MEETS PRETTY Credenza: Practical meets Pretty. By Kate Riley • November 2, 2010. Last year I remodeled my home office, and it’s been a genuine pleasure working in this pretty and personalized space. For the longest time, I was loving the sofa that sat on one wall, but over time, paperwork started piling up, and I reasoned I needed a more

practical

JUNE 9, 2021

Hello, I’m Kate! I’m a renovator, decorator, pattern maker, and globetrotter who writes about great interior design, smart home improvement, and my travel adventures. BEYOND STORAGE: FOUR USES FOR CLOSET SPACES I was looking at the extra closet in my old home office, the one that’s filled with boxes of pictures and photo albums. If I digitize the photos and store the photo albums elsewhere, I could transform the closet into a beverage center or study spot which makes more sense since the space is used WEEKEND READING 6.6.21 It was a busy weekend between graduation celebrations and BBQs, I’m just sitting down Sunday evening to write up this post weary from running around but proud of all the graduates I know. One thing is for sure, it was nice to circulate among groups of

STYLE FILES

Hello, I’m Kate! I’m a renovator, decorator, pattern maker, and globetrotter who writes about great interior design, smart home improvement, and my travel adventures. MASTER BATHROOM REFRESH Sources for this bathroom refresh: rounded rectangle mirrors / brass towel ring / widespread faucet. drawer pulls / round vanity mirror / green planters / floating shelves. door knobs / gold picture frames / leaves art / 3×12” backsplash tile. gold trays WALL BASKET DISPLAYS Growing up in the 1980s, my mom had a wall basket display in our family room and I’ve observed the look has come back in a big way. I created one myself in this sunroom space a few years ago. A basket display is a creative use of wall space, and because the boho look is still going strong, using textiles as art is a look that many decorators use as an alternative to art or photography. PICNIC ESSENTIALS: TOTES & BLANKETS Picnic Essentials: Totes & Blankets. By Kate Riley • May 20, 2021. This week I met a friend at a local park, we each brought half of a picnic lunch and played Yahtzee for an hour on a beautiful sunny day. Local parks, lakes, rivers, beaches and hiking spots are all available for setting up a picnic and enjoying outdoor time, ’tis the season SIMPLE SEW: BOX CUSHION COVER Instead I bought 3 ½ yards of green outdoor canvas fabric for $9 a yard to cover the length of the window seat and a piece of 24” x 2” foam as long as my window seat to fill the cover. And a package of velcro strip. Because I settled on a simple edge with no piping, I didn’t bother to cut the length of the fabric in two long strips. ALTERNATIVES TO WHITE SHIPLAP Architectural detail on the wall adds an additional layer of definition to any space, I’ve always been a fan. The white shiplaped wall has taken over the world in the past few years, it seems every home tour has it somewhere. I’m a fan of planked walls, I too have done my own DIY white shiplap i SOLUTIONS FOR RENTERS: KITCHENS Greetings everyone! The ‘Solutions for Renters’ se ries continues today and I’ve gathered up a few ideas for you to spruce up those kitchen spaces with temporary solutions that incorporate your personal tastes and unique style.. Kitchens and bathrooms are the hardest to personalize since they’re mostly made up of choices that are unchangeable – cabinets, tile, flooring, countertops

CENTSATIONAL STYLE

I made a bold move and booked a flight to Spain in September. It will be my first international trip in two years since I traveled to Peru and I am doing a happy dance knowing I get to hop on a plane in just a few months and visit a foreign country. REALISTIC LOOKING FAUX PLANTS I scoured the internet for a group of realistic looking artificial plants, many of these have great reviews. faux potted begonia (top right) palm leaf spray. hanging tradescantia. potted rubber plant. potted monstera. faux fiddle leaf fig. banana leaf. trailing

eucalyptus.

WEEKEND READING 5.15.21 Weekend Reading 5.15.21. By Kate Riley • May 15, 2021. I’m trying a new experiment layering flattened flower petals and stems in resin. So far I’m having mixed results. My hope is to turn them into art or jewelry, so far I’m not sure it will become anything, but it’s fun to play and see if anything will come out of it. TALL CEILING KITCHEN CABINET OPTIONS An alternative solution in kitchens with taller ceilings is to simply stop the cabinets short of the ceiling and top them with a thick crown molding. The range chimney stretches to the ceiling for functional reasons, but also to contrast the height of the upper cabinets. delpino custom homes. plank ALTERNATIVES TO WHITE SHIPLAP White Wainscot. Architectural details on a wall go by different names depending on the look: planking, board and batten, picture frame molding, beadboard, tongue and groove, and millwork. Custom or prefabricated work is always an option but basic designs are easy to DIY. If you’re a fan of white walls but seek something other than

shiplap

MIXING METAL FINISHES IN THE BATHROOM There’s no rule that you have to mix metal finishes in bathrooms (or kitchens), but when you consider the examples below, you’ll be thinking about it in your next bathroom makeover. For example, adding a touch of black to a collection of brass is a very good thing, so is mixing chrome and brass finishes. To follow are examples of successful TRIMMING PLAIN CURTAINS d stone builders. Retailers know that plain curtains with embellished edges are appealing, this is a good example from West Elm of plain panels with an embroidered border. west elm. If you have patterned panels, trim is not off limits. Find a trim that complements your existing print and take them to the next level by adding an

interesting border.

AVE HOME: COLETTE DESK The first piece I was drawn to was the Colette Desk – I’ve needed a new desk for my office and this one with its classic French style appealed to me. It arrived via freight then I unpackaged it to get started on painting it. When it arrived in its raw wood state I chose to paint it with a classic white and gold combination, keeping the

WEEKEND READING

Weekend Reading. By Kate Riley • May 17, 2013. Hi everyone! Thanks for all the sweet compliments on yesterday’s dresser makeover post! What are you up to this weekend? We’re celebrating an aunt’s 90th birthday and more than anything I want to catch up on some books I’ve been meaning to finish. I have a few sitting on the nightstand HOW TO HIDE AN UGLY FLOOR + LAUNDRY ROOM REFRESH For ages I’ve hated the ugly linoleum floor in my laundry room. I covered it up with a rug for a long time but that solution was slippery so I was living with an ugly floor I hated. Call me cheap and lazy, but I didn’t want to go through the effort of replacing the flooring in this space since I

CENTSATIONAL STYLE

I made a bold move and booked a flight to Spain in September. It will be my first international trip in two years since I traveled to Peru and I am doing a happy dance knowing I get to hop on a plane in just a few months and visit a foreign country. REALISTIC LOOKING FAUX PLANTS I scoured the internet for a group of realistic looking artificial plants, many of these have great reviews. faux potted begonia (top right) palm leaf spray. hanging tradescantia. potted rubber plant. potted monstera. faux fiddle leaf fig. banana leaf. trailing

eucalyptus.

WEEKEND READING 5.15.21 Weekend Reading 5.15.21. By Kate Riley • May 15, 2021. I’m trying a new experiment layering flattened flower petals and stems in resin. So far I’m having mixed results. My hope is to turn them into art or jewelry, so far I’m not sure it will become anything, but it’s fun to play and see if anything will come out of it. TALL CEILING KITCHEN CABINET OPTIONS An alternative solution in kitchens with taller ceilings is to simply stop the cabinets short of the ceiling and top them with a thick crown molding. The range chimney stretches to the ceiling for functional reasons, but also to contrast the height of the upper cabinets. delpino custom homes. plank ALTERNATIVES TO WHITE SHIPLAP White Wainscot. Architectural details on a wall go by different names depending on the look: planking, board and batten, picture frame molding, beadboard, tongue and groove, and millwork. Custom or prefabricated work is always an option but basic designs are easy to DIY. If you’re a fan of white walls but seek something other than

shiplap

MIXING METAL FINISHES IN THE BATHROOM There’s no rule that you have to mix metal finishes in bathrooms (or kitchens), but when you consider the examples below, you’ll be thinking about it in your next bathroom makeover. For example, adding a touch of black to a collection of brass is a very good thing, so is mixing chrome and brass finishes. To follow are examples of successful TRIMMING PLAIN CURTAINS d stone builders. Retailers know that plain curtains with embellished edges are appealing, this is a good example from West Elm of plain panels with an embroidered border. west elm. If you have patterned panels, trim is not off limits. Find a trim that complements your existing print and take them to the next level by adding an

interesting border.

AVE HOME: COLETTE DESK The first piece I was drawn to was the Colette Desk – I’ve needed a new desk for my office and this one with its classic French style appealed to me. It arrived via freight then I unpackaged it to get started on painting it. When it arrived in its raw wood state I chose to paint it with a classic white and gold combination, keeping the

WEEKEND READING

Weekend Reading. By Kate Riley • May 17, 2013. Hi everyone! Thanks for all the sweet compliments on yesterday’s dresser makeover post! What are you up to this weekend? We’re celebrating an aunt’s 90th birthday and more than anything I want to catch up on some books I’ve been meaning to finish. I have a few sitting on the nightstand HOW TO HIDE AN UGLY FLOOR + LAUNDRY ROOM REFRESH For ages I’ve hated the ugly linoleum floor in my laundry room. I covered it up with a rug for a long time but that solution was slippery so I was living with an ugly floor I hated. Call me cheap and lazy, but I didn’t want to go through the effort of replacing the flooring in this space since I BLOG | CENTSATIONAL STYLE Hello, I’m Kate! I’m a renovator, decorator, pattern maker, and globetrotter who writes about great interior design, smart home improvement, and my travel adventures. BEYOND STORAGE: FOUR USES FOR CLOSET SPACES I was looking at the extra closet in my old home office, the one that’s filled with boxes of pictures and photo albums. If I digitize the photos and store the photo albums elsewhere, I could transform the closet into a beverage center or study spot which makes more sense since the space is used WEEKEND READING 6.6.21 It was a busy weekend between graduation celebrations and BBQs, I’m just sitting down Sunday evening to write up this post weary from running around but proud of all the graduates I know. One thing is for sure, it was nice to circulate among groups of MASTER BATHROOM REFRESH Sources for this bathroom refresh: rounded rectangle mirrors / brass towel ring / widespread faucet. drawer pulls / round vanity mirror / green planters / floating shelves. door knobs / gold picture frames / leaves art / 3×12” backsplash tile. gold trays KITCHEN DESIGN: ALTERNATIVES FOR UPPER CABINETS See this article for more examples. Metal shelving is a modern alternative to wood and a black finish is a contemporary choice. The long single shelf above a tile backsplash is a style found in many kitchens of Europe, Scandinavia, and the UK . Here’s another look WALL BASKET DISPLAYS Growing up in the 1980s, my mom had a wall basket display in our family room and I’ve observed the look has come back in a big way. I created one myself in this sunroom space a few years ago. A basket display is a creative use of wall space, and because the boho look is still going strong, using textiles as art is a look that many decorators use as an alternative to art or photography. WEEKEND READING 4.18.21 Weekend Reading 4.18.21. By Kate Riley • April 18, 2021. Thanks so much for all the love on my client’s kitchen remodel feature this week, your comments on the blog and Instagram were so kind! I’m in historic Virginia City, Nevada this weekend with a big group of friends celebrating a birthday. This is such a fun place to hang out,

it’s

8 WAYS TO STYLE A MANTEL WITH ART 1. Overlap artwork in varied sizes and frame finishes, surround with potted plants. 2. Pair a large piece of black and white art with candlesticks and a vase filled with flowers or ferns. 3. Display one print asymmetrically, and balance it with a grouping of candlesticks (or vases) on the other side. 4. (THE BEST) MIXED BERRY PRESERVES Cook your fruit over medium heat for 12-15 minutes, stirring constantly. Turn the heat off, and ladle your chunky fruit mixture into your jars with a jar funnel. Leave 1/3 inch of headspace at the top and a clean rim, add the rim lid and cap, and return the jars to the canning pot filled with boiling water. Process, or boil, your jars

for 12

SPRAY PAINT: PROS AND CONS In my humble opinion, these are the top ten pros and cons when it comes to the use of spray paint. Spray paint offers more even coverage without brush strokes. Spray primer is a million times faster than brush primer. Spray paint is a million times faster than brush on paint. Spray paint is typically oil based, therefore more durable than

water

CENTSATIONAL STYLE

I made a bold move and booked a flight to Spain in September. It will be my first international trip in two years since I traveled to Peru and I am doing a happy dance knowing I get to hop on a plane in just a few months and visit a foreign country. PROJECTS | CENTSATIONAL STYLE Projects. So you love a good DIY project as much as I do? Great, you’re in the right place! Below you’ll find the galleries of all the home improvement, decorating, garden, art, and fabric projects that have my signature touch. Also you’ll find the most popular projects and spaces I’ve decorated gathered together in easy to

navigate

REALISTIC LOOKING FAUX PLANTS I scoured the internet for a group of realistic looking artificial plants, many of these have great reviews. faux potted begonia (top right) palm leaf spray. hanging tradescantia. potted rubber plant. potted monstera. faux fiddle leaf fig. banana leaf. trailing

eucalyptus.

TALL CEILING KITCHEN CABINET OPTIONS An alternative solution in kitchens with taller ceilings is to simply stop the cabinets short of the ceiling and top them with a thick crown molding. The range chimney stretches to the ceiling for functional reasons, but also to contrast the height of the upper cabinets. delpino custom homes. plank MIXING METAL FINISHES IN THE BATHROOM There’s no rule that you have to mix metal finishes in bathrooms (or kitchens), but when you consider the examples below, you’ll be thinking about it in your next bathroom makeover. For example, adding a touch of black to a collection of brass is a very good thing, so is mixing chrome and brass finishes. To follow are examples of successful PAINTING A KITCHEN TABLE Painting a kitchen table is an easy project! As long as you follow the steps, you'll have a paint job that lasts for years to come! Today’s DIY project is about how to paint a kitchen table. I’ve been painting furniture and cabinets for years, but this time I tackled the

painting of a kitc

ALTERNATIVES TO WHITE SHIPLAP White Wainscot. Architectural details on a wall go by different names depending on the look: planking, board and batten, picture frame molding, beadboard, tongue and groove, and millwork. Custom or prefabricated work is always an option but basic designs are easy to DIY. If you’re a fan of white walls but seek something other than

shiplap

DIY REVERSIBLE CLOTH PLACEMATS & NAPKINS For placemats, cut your fabric at 18” by 22” to form a rectangle. 2. Like you would with a pillow cover, lay both sides of the fabric down with the patterns facing each other then pin all around. 3. Sew edges all around with ½ inch seam allowance, but leave a 2 inch opening on one side. Trim excess. DIY CRISS CROSS OUTDOOR PLANTERS I’ve been a DIYer for like ever but I have to say this is one of my favorite DIY projects to date. I mentioned last month how I was going to build some outdoor planters and last week, Matt and I built two outdoor planters for the courtyard to frame the French doors. When I first started this project I planned on a Chippendale style, but stopped at the basic criss-cross pattern – the 15 BEAUTIFUL TAUPE PAINT COLORS The colors in natural light that are closest match to my Oat cabinets are 1) Sherwin Williams ‘Shitake’, 2) Benjamin Moore Affinity ‘Pashmina’, 3) Benjamin Moore ‘Stone Hearth’, and 4) HG Sherwin Williams ‘Loggia’. Finding a great taupe is a tricky but not impossible. You don’t want green or yellow or lavender

undertones.

CENTSATIONAL STYLE

I made a bold move and booked a flight to Spain in September. It will be my first international trip in two years since I traveled to Peru and I am doing a happy dance knowing I get to hop on a plane in just a few months and visit a foreign country. PROJECTS | CENTSATIONAL STYLE Projects. So you love a good DIY project as much as I do? Great, you’re in the right place! Below you’ll find the galleries of all the home improvement, decorating, garden, art, and fabric projects that have my signature touch. Also you’ll find the most popular projects and spaces I’ve decorated gathered together in easy to

navigate

REALISTIC LOOKING FAUX PLANTS I scoured the internet for a group of realistic looking artificial plants, many of these have great reviews. faux potted begonia (top right) palm leaf spray. hanging tradescantia. potted rubber plant. potted monstera. faux fiddle leaf fig. banana leaf. trailing

eucalyptus.

TALL CEILING KITCHEN CABINET OPTIONS An alternative solution in kitchens with taller ceilings is to simply stop the cabinets short of the ceiling and top them with a thick crown molding. The range chimney stretches to the ceiling for functional reasons, but also to contrast the height of the upper cabinets. delpino custom homes. plank MIXING METAL FINISHES IN THE BATHROOM There’s no rule that you have to mix metal finishes in bathrooms (or kitchens), but when you consider the examples below, you’ll be thinking about it in your next bathroom makeover. For example, adding a touch of black to a collection of brass is a very good thing, so is mixing chrome and brass finishes. To follow are examples of successful PAINTING A KITCHEN TABLE Painting a kitchen table is an easy project! As long as you follow the steps, you'll have a paint job that lasts for years to come! Today’s DIY project is about how to paint a kitchen table. I’ve been painting furniture and cabinets for years, but this time I tackled the

painting of a kitc

ALTERNATIVES TO WHITE SHIPLAP White Wainscot. Architectural details on a wall go by different names depending on the look: planking, board and batten, picture frame molding, beadboard, tongue and groove, and millwork. Custom or prefabricated work is always an option but basic designs are easy to DIY. If you’re a fan of white walls but seek something other than

shiplap

DIY REVERSIBLE CLOTH PLACEMATS & NAPKINS For placemats, cut your fabric at 18” by 22” to form a rectangle. 2. Like you would with a pillow cover, lay both sides of the fabric down with the patterns facing each other then pin all around. 3. Sew edges all around with ½ inch seam allowance, but leave a 2 inch opening on one side. Trim excess. DIY CRISS CROSS OUTDOOR PLANTERS I’ve been a DIYer for like ever but I have to say this is one of my favorite DIY projects to date. I mentioned last month how I was going to build some outdoor planters and last week, Matt and I built two outdoor planters for the courtyard to frame the French doors. When I first started this project I planned on a Chippendale style, but stopped at the basic criss-cross pattern – the 15 BEAUTIFUL TAUPE PAINT COLORS The colors in natural light that are closest match to my Oat cabinets are 1) Sherwin Williams ‘Shitake’, 2) Benjamin Moore Affinity ‘Pashmina’, 3) Benjamin Moore ‘Stone Hearth’, and 4) HG Sherwin Williams ‘Loggia’. Finding a great taupe is a tricky but not impossible. You don’t want green or yellow or lavender

undertones.

WEEKEND READING 6.6.21 It was a busy weekend between graduation celebrations and BBQs, I’m just sitting down Sunday evening to write up this post weary from running around but proud of all the graduates I know. One thing is for sure, it was nice to circulate among groups of WEEKEND READING 5.15.21 Weekend Reading 5.15.21. By Kate Riley • May 15, 2021. I’m trying a new experiment layering flattened flower petals and stems in resin. So far I’m having mixed results. My hope is to turn them into art or jewelry, so far I’m not sure it will become anything, but it’s fun to play and see if anything will come out of it.

STYLE FILES

Hello, I’m Kate! I’m a renovator, decorator, pattern maker, and globetrotter who writes about great interior design, smart home improvement, and my travel adventures. GARDENING FORMULA FOR TALL PLANTERS These can be annuals or even succulents, but they should be medium height to low growers. Good spillers are trailing plants that grow over the edge of the planter and spill down and around it. Here are five more examples of the formula, both simple and dramatic: unsophisticook / source unknown x 2 / life on virginia street /

southern living.

20 WAYS TO MAKE A BED domino. 13) Colorful sheets, layered coverlet on top with wool striped blanket. domino. 14) Variety is the spice of this bedding arrangement, the sophisticated grays are punctuated with pops of orange found in graphic pillows, the navy shams add dramatic contrast to the pale headboard and sheets. DIY CRISS CROSS OUTDOOR PLANTERS I’ve been a DIYer for like ever but I have to say this is one of my favorite DIY projects to date. I mentioned last month how I was going to build some outdoor planters and last week, Matt and I built two outdoor planters for the courtyard to frame the French doors. When I first started this project I planned on a Chippendale style, but stopped at the basic criss-cross pattern – the 8 WAYS TO STYLE A MANTEL WITH ART 1. Overlap artwork in varied sizes and frame finishes, surround with potted plants. 2. Pair a large piece of black and white art with candlesticks and a vase filled with flowers or ferns. 3. Display one print asymmetrically, and balance it with a grouping of candlesticks (or vases) on the other side. 4. DIY: CLAY RELIEF JEWELRY HOLDERS Cut away the excess with a knife so the forms can lay flat. Separate the leaf forms on wax paper. Use the knife to cut away any excess. Add a thin layer of tacky all purpose glue to the front and sides of the wood to help the clay adhere to the wood. Wrap each piece of wood one by one with a flay layer of clay, cut away excess on the back, then REMODEL WOES: KITCHEN CEILING AND CABINET SOFFITS The use of a white paint color on the walls and cabinet soffits reduces the contrast between the soffits and cabinets and successfully blends them together. Both gray and white molding disguise the soffits in this kitchen, I love the use of both the cabinetry and trim colors in the design. Another idea is to paint the soffit and the ceiling the PULLING OFF WHITE WALLS Pulling Off White Walls. We’ve seen them in magazines and all over blogs for years now. The white walls trend is still going strong. Although when I look at them I don’t believe they’re much of a trend anymore, rather painting walls white is a calculated design choice to establish a calm backdrop so that the other elements in the

room

CENTSATIONAL STYLE

I made a bold move and booked a flight to Spain in September. It will be my first international trip in two years since I traveled to Peru and I am doing a happy dance knowing I get to hop on a plane in just a few months and visit a foreign country. PROJECTS | CENTSATIONAL STYLE Projects. So you love a good DIY project as much as I do? Great, you’re in the right place! Below you’ll find the galleries of all the home improvement, decorating, garden, art, and fabric projects that have my signature touch. Also you’ll find the most popular projects and spaces I’ve decorated gathered together in easy to

navigate

REALISTIC LOOKING FAUX PLANTS I scoured the internet for a group of realistic looking artificial plants, many of these have great reviews. faux potted begonia (top right) palm leaf spray. hanging tradescantia. potted rubber plant. potted monstera. faux fiddle leaf fig. banana leaf. trailing

eucalyptus.

TALL CEILING KITCHEN CABINET OPTIONS An alternative solution in kitchens with taller ceilings is to simply stop the cabinets short of the ceiling and top them with a thick crown molding. The range chimney stretches to the ceiling for functional reasons, but also to contrast the height of the upper cabinets. delpino custom homes. plank MIXING METAL FINISHES IN THE BATHROOM There’s no rule that you have to mix metal finishes in bathrooms (or kitchens), but when you consider the examples below, you’ll be thinking about it in your next bathroom makeover. For example, adding a touch of black to a collection of brass is a very good thing, so is mixing chrome and brass finishes. To follow are examples of successful PAINTING A KITCHEN TABLE Painting a kitchen table is an easy project! As long as you follow the steps, you'll have a paint job that lasts for years to come! Today’s DIY project is about how to paint a kitchen table. I’ve been painting furniture and cabinets for years, but this time I tackled the

painting of a kitc

ALTERNATIVES TO WHITE SHIPLAP White Wainscot. Architectural details on a wall go by different names depending on the look: planking, board and batten, picture frame molding, beadboard, tongue and groove, and millwork. Custom or prefabricated work is always an option but basic designs are easy to DIY. If you’re a fan of white walls but seek something other than

shiplap

DIY REVERSIBLE CLOTH PLACEMATS & NAPKINS For placemats, cut your fabric at 18” by 22” to form a rectangle. 2. Like you would with a pillow cover, lay both sides of the fabric down with the patterns facing each other then pin all around. 3. Sew edges all around with ½ inch seam allowance, but leave a 2 inch opening on one side. Trim excess. DIY CRISS CROSS OUTDOOR PLANTERS I’ve been a DIYer for like ever but I have to say this is one of my favorite DIY projects to date. I mentioned last month how I was going to build some outdoor planters and last week, Matt and I built two outdoor planters for the courtyard to frame the French doors. When I first started this project I planned on a Chippendale style, but stopped at the basic criss-cross pattern – the 15 BEAUTIFUL TAUPE PAINT COLORS The colors in natural light that are closest match to my Oat cabinets are 1) Sherwin Williams ‘Shitake’, 2) Benjamin Moore Affinity ‘Pashmina’, 3) Benjamin Moore ‘Stone Hearth’, and 4) HG Sherwin Williams ‘Loggia’. Finding a great taupe is a tricky but not impossible. You don’t want green or yellow or lavender

undertones.

CENTSATIONAL STYLE

I made a bold move and booked a flight to Spain in September. It will be my first international trip in two years since I traveled to Peru and I am doing a happy dance knowing I get to hop on a plane in just a few months and visit a foreign country. PROJECTS | CENTSATIONAL STYLE Projects. So you love a good DIY project as much as I do? Great, you’re in the right place! Below you’ll find the galleries of all the home improvement, decorating, garden, art, and fabric projects that have my signature touch. Also you’ll find the most popular projects and spaces I’ve decorated gathered together in easy to

navigate

REALISTIC LOOKING FAUX PLANTS I scoured the internet for a group of realistic looking artificial plants, many of these have great reviews. faux potted begonia (top right) palm leaf spray. hanging tradescantia. potted rubber plant. potted monstera. faux fiddle leaf fig. banana leaf. trailing

eucalyptus.

TALL CEILING KITCHEN CABINET OPTIONS An alternative solution in kitchens with taller ceilings is to simply stop the cabinets short of the ceiling and top them with a thick crown molding. The range chimney stretches to the ceiling for functional reasons, but also to contrast the height of the upper cabinets. delpino custom homes. plank MIXING METAL FINISHES IN THE BATHROOM There’s no rule that you have to mix metal finishes in bathrooms (or kitchens), but when you consider the examples below, you’ll be thinking about it in your next bathroom makeover. For example, adding a touch of black to a collection of brass is a very good thing, so is mixing chrome and brass finishes. To follow are examples of successful PAINTING A KITCHEN TABLE Painting a kitchen table is an easy project! As long as you follow the steps, you'll have a paint job that lasts for years to come! Today’s DIY project is about how to paint a kitchen table. I’ve been painting furniture and cabinets for years, but this time I tackled the

painting of a kitc

ALTERNATIVES TO WHITE SHIPLAP White Wainscot. Architectural details on a wall go by different names depending on the look: planking, board and batten, picture frame molding, beadboard, tongue and groove, and millwork. Custom or prefabricated work is always an option but basic designs are easy to DIY. If you’re a fan of white walls but seek something other than

shiplap

DIY REVERSIBLE CLOTH PLACEMATS & NAPKINS For placemats, cut your fabric at 18” by 22” to form a rectangle. 2. Like you would with a pillow cover, lay both sides of the fabric down with the patterns facing each other then pin all around. 3. Sew edges all around with ½ inch seam allowance, but leave a 2 inch opening on one side. Trim excess. DIY CRISS CROSS OUTDOOR PLANTERS I’ve been a DIYer for like ever but I have to say this is one of my favorite DIY projects to date. I mentioned last month how I was going to build some outdoor planters and last week, Matt and I built two outdoor planters for the courtyard to frame the French doors. When I first started this project I planned on a Chippendale style, but stopped at the basic criss-cross pattern – the 15 BEAUTIFUL TAUPE PAINT COLORS The colors in natural light that are closest match to my Oat cabinets are 1) Sherwin Williams ‘Shitake’, 2) Benjamin Moore Affinity ‘Pashmina’, 3) Benjamin Moore ‘Stone Hearth’, and 4) HG Sherwin Williams ‘Loggia’. Finding a great taupe is a tricky but not impossible. You don’t want green or yellow or lavender

undertones.

WEEKEND READING 6.6.21 It was a busy weekend between graduation celebrations and BBQs, I’m just sitting down Sunday evening to write up this post weary from running around but proud of all the graduates I know. One thing is for sure, it was nice to circulate among groups of WEEKEND READING 5.15.21 Weekend Reading 5.15.21. By Kate Riley • May 15, 2021. I’m trying a new experiment layering flattened flower petals and stems in resin. So far I’m having mixed results. My hope is to turn them into art or jewelry, so far I’m not sure it will become anything, but it’s fun to play and see if anything will come out of it.

STYLE FILES

Hello, I’m Kate! I’m a renovator, decorator, pattern maker, and globetrotter who writes about great interior design, smart home improvement, and my travel adventures. GARDENING FORMULA FOR TALL PLANTERS These can be annuals or even succulents, but they should be medium height to low growers. Good spillers are trailing plants that grow over the edge of the planter and spill down and around it. Here are five more examples of the formula, both simple and dramatic: unsophisticook / source unknown x 2 / life on virginia street /

southern living.

20 WAYS TO MAKE A BED domino. 13) Colorful sheets, layered coverlet on top with wool striped blanket. domino. 14) Variety is the spice of this bedding arrangement, the sophisticated grays are punctuated with pops of orange found in graphic pillows, the navy shams add dramatic contrast to the pale headboard and sheets. DIY CRISS CROSS OUTDOOR PLANTERS I’ve been a DIYer for like ever but I have to say this is one of my favorite DIY projects to date. I mentioned last month how I was going to build some outdoor planters and last week, Matt and I built two outdoor planters for the courtyard to frame the French doors. When I first started this project I planned on a Chippendale style, but stopped at the basic criss-cross pattern – the 8 WAYS TO STYLE A MANTEL WITH ART 1. Overlap artwork in varied sizes and frame finishes, surround with potted plants. 2. Pair a large piece of black and white art with candlesticks and a vase filled with flowers or ferns. 3. Display one print asymmetrically, and balance it with a grouping of candlesticks (or vases) on the other side. 4. DIY: CLAY RELIEF JEWELRY HOLDERS Cut away the excess with a knife so the forms can lay flat. Separate the leaf forms on wax paper. Use the knife to cut away any excess. Add a thin layer of tacky all purpose glue to the front and sides of the wood to help the clay adhere to the wood. Wrap each piece of wood one by one with a flay layer of clay, cut away excess on the back, then REMODEL WOES: KITCHEN CEILING AND CABINET SOFFITS The use of a white paint color on the walls and cabinet soffits reduces the contrast between the soffits and cabinets and successfully blends them together. Both gray and white molding disguise the soffits in this kitchen, I love the use of both the cabinetry and trim colors in the design. Another idea is to paint the soffit and the ceiling the PULLING OFF WHITE WALLS Pulling Off White Walls. We’ve seen them in magazines and all over blogs for years now. The white walls trend is still going strong. Although when I look at them I don’t believe they’re much of a trend anymore, rather painting walls white is a calculated design choice to establish a calm backdrop so that the other elements in the

room

CENTSATIONAL STYLE

I made a bold move and booked a flight to Spain in September. It will be my first international trip in two years since I traveled to Peru and I am doing a happy dance knowing I get to hop on a plane in just a few months and visit a foreign country. PROJECTS | CENTSATIONAL STYLE Projects. So you love a good DIY project as much as I do? Great, you’re in the right place! Below you’ll find the galleries of all the home improvement, decorating, garden, art, and fabric projects that have my signature touch. Also you’ll find the most popular projects and spaces I’ve decorated gathered together in easy to

navigate

REALISTIC LOOKING FAUX PLANTS I scoured the internet for a group of realistic looking artificial plants, many of these have great reviews. faux potted begonia (top right) palm leaf spray. hanging tradescantia. potted rubber plant. potted monstera. faux fiddle leaf fig. banana leaf. trailing

eucalyptus.

TALL CEILING KITCHEN CABINET OPTIONS An alternative solution in kitchens with taller ceilings is to simply stop the cabinets short of the ceiling and top them with a thick crown molding. The range chimney stretches to the ceiling for functional reasons, but also to contrast the height of the upper cabinets. delpino custom homes. plank MIXING METAL FINISHES IN THE BATHROOM There’s no rule that you have to mix metal finishes in bathrooms (or kitchens), but when you consider the examples below, you’ll be thinking about it in your next bathroom makeover. For example, adding a touch of black to a collection of brass is a very good thing, so is mixing chrome and brass finishes. To follow are examples of successful PAINTING A KITCHEN TABLE Painting a kitchen table is an easy project! As long as you follow the steps, you'll have a paint job that lasts for years to come! Today’s DIY project is about how to paint a kitchen table. I’ve been painting furniture and cabinets for years, but this time I tackled the

painting of a kitc

ALTERNATIVES TO WHITE SHIPLAP White Wainscot. Architectural details on a wall go by different names depending on the look: planking, board and batten, picture frame molding, beadboard, tongue and groove, and millwork. Custom or prefabricated work is always an option but basic designs are easy to DIY. If you’re a fan of white walls but seek something other than

shiplap

DIY REVERSIBLE CLOTH PLACEMATS & NAPKINS For placemats, cut your fabric at 18” by 22” to form a rectangle. 2. Like you would with a pillow cover, lay both sides of the fabric down with the patterns facing each other then pin all around. 3. Sew edges all around with ½ inch seam allowance, but leave a 2 inch opening on one side. Trim excess. DIY CRISS CROSS OUTDOOR PLANTERS I’ve been a DIYer for like ever but I have to say this is one of my favorite DIY projects to date. I mentioned last month how I was going to build some outdoor planters and last week, Matt and I built two outdoor planters for the courtyard to frame the French doors. When I first started this project I planned on a Chippendale style, but stopped at the basic criss-cross pattern – the 15 BEAUTIFUL TAUPE PAINT COLORS The colors in natural light that are closest match to my Oat cabinets are 1) Sherwin Williams ‘Shitake’, 2) Benjamin Moore Affinity ‘Pashmina’, 3) Benjamin Moore ‘Stone Hearth’, and 4) HG Sherwin Williams ‘Loggia’. Finding a great taupe is a tricky but not impossible. You don’t want green or yellow or lavender

undertones.

CENTSATIONAL STYLE

I made a bold move and booked a flight to Spain in September. It will be my first international trip in two years since I traveled to Peru and I am doing a happy dance knowing I get to hop on a plane in just a few months and visit a foreign country. PROJECTS | CENTSATIONAL STYLE Projects. So you love a good DIY project as much as I do? Great, you’re in the right place! Below you’ll find the galleries of all the home improvement, decorating, garden, art, and fabric projects that have my signature touch. Also you’ll find the most popular projects and spaces I’ve decorated gathered together in easy to

navigate

REALISTIC LOOKING FAUX PLANTS I scoured the internet for a group of realistic looking artificial plants, many of these have great reviews. faux potted begonia (top right) palm leaf spray. hanging tradescantia. potted rubber plant. potted monstera. faux fiddle leaf fig. banana leaf. trailing

eucalyptus.

TALL CEILING KITCHEN CABINET OPTIONS An alternative solution in kitchens with taller ceilings is to simply stop the cabinets short of the ceiling and top them with a thick crown molding. The range chimney stretches to the ceiling for functional reasons, but also to contrast the height of the upper cabinets. delpino custom homes. plank MIXING METAL FINISHES IN THE BATHROOM There’s no rule that you have to mix metal finishes in bathrooms (or kitchens), but when you consider the examples below, you’ll be thinking about it in your next bathroom makeover. For example, adding a touch of black to a collection of brass is a very good thing, so is mixing chrome and brass finishes. To follow are examples of successful PAINTING A KITCHEN TABLE Painting a kitchen table is an easy project! As long as you follow the steps, you'll have a paint job that lasts for years to come! Today’s DIY project is about how to paint a kitchen table. I’ve been painting furniture and cabinets for years, but this time I tackled the

painting of a kitc

ALTERNATIVES TO WHITE SHIPLAP White Wainscot. Architectural details on a wall go by different names depending on the look: planking, board and batten, picture frame molding, beadboard, tongue and groove, and millwork. Custom or prefabricated work is always an option but basic designs are easy to DIY. If you’re a fan of white walls but seek something other than

shiplap

DIY REVERSIBLE CLOTH PLACEMATS & NAPKINS For placemats, cut your fabric at 18” by 22” to form a rectangle. 2. Like you would with a pillow cover, lay both sides of the fabric down with the patterns facing each other then pin all around. 3. Sew edges all around with ½ inch seam allowance, but leave a 2 inch opening on one side. Trim excess. DIY CRISS CROSS OUTDOOR PLANTERS I’ve been a DIYer for like ever but I have to say this is one of my favorite DIY projects to date. I mentioned last month how I was going to build some outdoor planters and last week, Matt and I built two outdoor planters for the courtyard to frame the French doors. When I first started this project I planned on a Chippendale style, but stopped at the basic criss-cross pattern – the 15 BEAUTIFUL TAUPE PAINT COLORS The colors in natural light that are closest match to my Oat cabinets are 1) Sherwin Williams ‘Shitake’, 2) Benjamin Moore Affinity ‘Pashmina’, 3) Benjamin Moore ‘Stone Hearth’, and 4) HG Sherwin Williams ‘Loggia’. Finding a great taupe is a tricky but not impossible. You don’t want green or yellow or lavender

undertones.

WEEKEND READING 6.6.21 It was a busy weekend between graduation celebrations and BBQs, I’m just sitting down Sunday evening to write up this post weary from running around but proud of all the graduates I know. One thing is for sure, it was nice to circulate among groups of WEEKEND READING 5.15.21 Weekend Reading 5.15.21. By Kate Riley • May 15, 2021. I’m trying a new experiment layering flattened flower petals and stems in resin. So far I’m having mixed results. My hope is to turn them into art or jewelry, so far I’m not sure it will become anything, but it’s fun to play and see if anything will come out of it.

STYLE FILES

Hello, I’m Kate! I’m a renovator, decorator, pattern maker, and globetrotter who writes about great interior design, smart home improvement, and my travel adventures. GARDENING FORMULA FOR TALL PLANTERS These can be annuals or even succulents, but they should be medium height to low growers. Good spillers are trailing plants that grow over the edge of the planter and spill down and around it. Here are five more examples of the formula, both simple and dramatic: unsophisticook / source unknown x 2 / life on virginia street /

southern living.

20 WAYS TO MAKE A BED domino. 13) Colorful sheets, layered coverlet on top with wool striped blanket. domino. 14) Variety is the spice of this bedding arrangement, the sophisticated grays are punctuated with pops of orange found in graphic pillows, the navy shams add dramatic contrast to the pale headboard and sheets. DIY CRISS CROSS OUTDOOR PLANTERS I’ve been a DIYer for like ever but I have to say this is one of my favorite DIY projects to date. I mentioned last month how I was going to build some outdoor planters and last week, Matt and I built two outdoor planters for the courtyard to frame the French doors. When I first started this project I planned on a Chippendale style, but stopped at the basic criss-cross pattern – the 8 WAYS TO STYLE A MANTEL WITH ART 1. Overlap artwork in varied sizes and frame finishes, surround with potted plants. 2. Pair a large piece of black and white art with candlesticks and a vase filled with flowers or ferns. 3. Display one print asymmetrically, and balance it with a grouping of candlesticks (or vases) on the other side. 4. DIY: CLAY RELIEF JEWELRY HOLDERS Cut away the excess with a knife so the forms can lay flat. Separate the leaf forms on wax paper. Use the knife to cut away any excess. Add a thin layer of tacky all purpose glue to the front and sides of the wood to help the clay adhere to the wood. Wrap each piece of wood one by one with a flay layer of clay, cut away excess on the back, then REMODEL WOES: KITCHEN CEILING AND CABINET SOFFITS The use of a white paint color on the walls and cabinet soffits reduces the contrast between the soffits and cabinets and successfully blends them together. Both gray and white molding disguise the soffits in this kitchen, I love the use of both the cabinetry and trim colors in the design. Another idea is to paint the soffit and the ceiling the PULLING OFF WHITE WALLS Pulling Off White Walls. We’ve seen them in magazines and all over blogs for years now. The white walls trend is still going strong. Although when I look at them I don’t believe they’re much of a trend anymore, rather painting walls white is a calculated design choice to establish a calm backdrop so that the other elements in the

room

CENTSATIONAL STYLE

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Detox Chicken + Vegetable Soup

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WEEKEND READING

By Kate Riley • January 4, 2020 My friends, you are the best! Thank you so much for the heartfelt comments on my last personal post, how nice to read it resonated with many of you and how lovely some of you have been around since the beginning when I started writing this blog in 2009! I’m really excited for what 2020 brings, I have so much to share this month, new fabric patterns and a new business launching, and I’ve made plans for my next trip! I’m headed to Palm Springs in February. I haven’t spent much time exploring that area, so I’m off to tour the iconic architecture and take a ton of photos for Modernism Week . Your tips and suggestions for not-to-miss places are welcome! Favorite links from this week: Oak is back and on display in natural and black in this modern kitchen

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Proof in the right space, yellow looks good on kitchen cabinets

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Perspective: mess up first to take the pressure off perfection, it allows creativity to flow.

10 minute tasks

to organize your life. How free shipping is changing product design

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USA road trips ideas

for 2020.

Benefits children receive when they travel with you. Five countries to consider for affordable retirement at the beach

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More evidence that exercise + muscle strength are preventative

medicine

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Food for thought: in the time spent on social media you could start a

new business

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TAKEAWAYS FROM 2019

By Kate Riley • January 1, 2020 Welcome to a new year! Are you a resolution maker? I’m really not. I don’t think making changes happens just by turning a calendar day, you can change your life at any time. But I do like to look back on the previous year and reflect on what I’ve learned! In 2019, my personal growth game was strong. I faced some some stuff that I had been ignoring for a long time. I had some habits to address, self defeating beliefs, and my emotions were out of whack so I wanted to understand them better and gain control over them. Today I’m in such a better place and I’m really proud of myself for doing the work I did to know myself better. Turning inward to face our truth is not an easy task. We live in a world where we can easily buffer our discomfort by numbing, distracting, or escaping, the temporary pleasures are everywhere. _Buuuuuttt_ those nagging issues or habits you haven’t faced will keep coming up and spilling out into your life if you don’t address them and fix them. In 2019, I faced insecurities and fears, instituted new boundaries, learned to welcome discomfort, and doubled down on

self care.

Where did all of this new wisdom come from? A lot of books I’ve been reading and podcasts I listen to. I became a student of personal and emotional wellness and soaked up a lot of knowledge. Here’s just a few personal takeaways from my experiences this year. CARVE OUT SPACE FOR YOURSELF I think every person needs a cozy corner to call their own, it’s an investment in your well being. Your mindset and mental wellness determine how you show up in the world. Having somewhere where you can read or listen to music or sit in stillness or just breathe is an investment in yourself because when you have a place to reflect and rejuvenate, it leads to greater peace. I truly believe that your mindset determines your day, so whatever your portal to serenity is, whether it’s meditation or prayer or breath work, that daily ritual should occur in a place that you set aside for you, and it can be anywhere in your home. Do you always jump out of bed and immediately rush to meet the needs of others, or do you take time to recharge your physical and emotional batteries? The world and your family and your friends need you showing up as your very best self. Creating a space of one’s own and time to yourself will help you achieve that. You’re worth it!! Having my studio space helps me thrive and enjoy my life. It’s where I work and where I do my best thinking because it’s always quiet! I have great talks in this space, sometimes it’s just me, myself, and I having a staff meeting :) but I also love sharing my space with people I care about. There’s a lot of coffee and wine poured here. My space is cozy and simple with minimal decor and all the plants make it feel very zen and magical. HEALTHY BOUNDARIES = BETTER LIFE We humans are the product of everything we ingest. The food we eat, the content we consume, and the people we hang out with. Healthy habits lead to a healthy life, that’s a concept known to most adults. I got better at the nutrition part, I started practicing intermittent fasting (off and on) and exercising control over when I ate gave me more mental clarity and better sleep. I spent a lot less time zoning out on TV shows and social media and more time listening to inspiring people in the arenas of wellness, business, and marketing. I’m learning new concepts every day and putting them into

practice.

Most significantly, I learned to establish boundaries with people, they really are the key to healthy relationships. Time is the most precious commodity and we have limited hours on this planet. People who gossip or ghost, people who spread negativity or drama, no longer get my energy or attention. I’m better now at surrounding myself with the people that encourage me, inspire me, and give me peace. I choose to spend my time with the friends and family who see my value and show me their intentions are good. In return they get access to all of me, my affection, my attention, and my time. I learned how important it is to find the people that accept you for who you are and make you feel amazing when you’re in their presence. Those are your people. Why it’s necessary to distance yourself from those who reveal they are using you, and get closer to the people who feel like sunshine. You get to decide who you share your energy with, so make sure it’s with the ones who are lifting you up, cheering you on, and helping you move forward. IN CONFLICT, ALLOW SPACE Every person that enters your life will teach you something. As you interact with other humans they will inspire you, challenge you, love you, or give you something to think about. And then there are those few you encounter that teach you how _not _to be. I learned that when people are triggered and act out and take it out on you, it’s not personal, it’s something stirring inside of them that’s causing their behavior. A good way to handle this is to give them space and look at them through the lens of compassion. Someone’s bad behavior says everything about them and nothing about you and when you recognize it, you can choose to step aside and avoid engaging in conflict by creating space for that person to work through whatever it is they’re struggling with that’s causing them to act out in that manner. You don’t give that person permission to mistreat you, you simply see their actions as their personal struggle, big or small. Everyone is on their own journey, so opt out of their drama and seek to understand them. TO EXPERIENCE LOVE, WELCOME PAIN This was a huge lesson for me this year. I wrote about losing my closest friend to cancer and I spent a lot of time this year processing grief and reflecting on my relationship with her. She was the best friend I’d ever had. I’d never experienced real grief before and her death was devastating to me. But now looking back over a year later, I realize that if you want to feel real love you have to accept that at some point down the road that person you love could die. They could leave you. They could betray you. Or if you’re lucky, you could have fifty amazing years together. We just don’t know the future. But if you live your life in fear of loss or betrayal or rejection, you never get to feel the deepest parts of love. You must be open to the possibility of pain. When we accept that loss or rejection or betrayal could be the ending and we still choose the possibility of pain at any moment, it’s then that we open ourselves to the opportunity for real love. If you give love and in return you’re betrayed by a friend or colleague, that’s really about them, your love was not wasted. If you’re rejected in love, or someone walks away from your relationship, that’s an invitation to choose (and love) yourself. If you lose someone in death, you still have the beauty of the love that you shared. I wouldn’t trade the days I had with my friend to avoid the pain I suffered, I’d choose it again. The grief was painful, but I see now how blessed I was to experience that friendship. Now I choose to love fearlessly, accepting I have no idea how it will end, because now I know just how good it can be.

STEP TOWARD FEAR

Welcome to the biggest challenge in adulthood, facing fear! Wow is this the _hardest thing ever_. I’ve struggled with this one a lot but since I hate the feeling I get from making a choice out of fear I’m making conscious choices to step out despite feeling afraid. It takes bravery to be vulnerable and put oneself out there. I have to give myself pep talks to push myself forward into the arena, and even though it’s a little scary, I’m still determined to do it. When I look around at the people that inspire me I see that their uniqueness is their superpower and I have to remember that it’s mine too. The world needs me to show up as my best most creative self to make my contribution and that’s my plan for 2020. Emotional bravery was another personal challenge but I figured out that instead of running away from negative emotions, it’s essential to turn toward them and let them flow. Whether it’s sadness or frustration or guilt or fear, I’m facing those emotions instead of suppressing them. With practice, it’s getting a lot easier. The best analogy I can think of is swimming in the ocean. When the wave (the negative emotion) is coming, before I would swim away and get pummeled by it, but now I know if I swim toward it, dive into it and get under it, the negative emotion loses much of its power because I allow it to flow through me. And it _always_ passes, because it’s _just_ an

emotion.

We’ve all heard that phrase, no growth happens in your comfort zone. Repeated often because it’s true. Choosing to get comfortable with being uncomfortable is the key to personal growth. It can be done in baby steps, it doesn’t need to be major life altering thing each time. When we avoid discomfort we don’t learn the lessons we need to

learn.

Discomfort is always hanging around in one of two forms, it’s either 1) the discomfort of moving in a new direction or 2) the discomfort of repeating old habits and listening to the old narratives that hold you back. Option #2 is a spin cycle that goes nowhere. My challenge to myself in 2020 is to do my best to choose option #1, the discomfort that moves me forward and this takes courage. But I’ll choose that instead of the nagging discomfort that comes from playing safe and small. Stepping toward fear is really hard, but it’s an important part of adulting, and it’s where the knowledge is. Will I rise to the challenge? I’ll get back to you next year. :) ______________________________ I know this was heavier stuff that I dove into today, I don’t often get so personal but it felt right for me after I spent some time looking back on 2019. I’ll be back to some great content starting next week, I have a new shelf project to share and some new fabric patterns too! Much love to you my friends. Wishing you all a beautiful start to

2020!

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