DESIGN BLUEPRINT: Dining in Blue

Great dining room design doesn't take much, as you can see with this space above. 

All you need is a consistent color palette, a cool pice of art, statement lighting, smart furniture and a beautiful area rug that pulls it all together. The clean white walls allow all of this to shine...

Want this look? Don't over-do it, keep things simple.

DESIGN BLUEPRINT:

Chandelier via Schoolhouse Electric

Art Print via The Animal Print Shop

Dining Table via Blueprint

Area Rug via Lulu & Georgia

Dining Chair via West Elm

Inspiration image via Remodelista

 

- Cori

CURATED NEST: Red + White + Blue

In honor of July 4th, let's take a look at this red, white and blue color palette, which is a little softer than your basic primaries.

You can be patriotic with your decor without being too thematic. Soften up your colors and blend your patterns.  

Here's some ideas to get you started:

1. Vase via Dwell Studio

2. Beach Towel via Serena & Lily

3. Area Rug via All Modern

4. Outdoor Chair via Room & Board

5. Art Print via West Elm

6. Stool via Zinc Door

7. Bolster Pillow via West Elm

8. Table Lamp via All Modern

Inspiration image via Pixel Frau

- Cori

Lucy's First Birthday Party

Well, Lucy is now officially one!  We rang in her first year with style with a small play group get together and a garden themed birthday party the next day.  As a refresher, here is the concept board I prepared for the event with all the fun Minted goodies I was getting.

The day-of it threatened to rain so we moved the food and drinks tables indoors and set up the kiddie table out on the covered front porch. It actually worked out really well.

Love the Botanical Affair bunting from Minted.  I could even re-use it and just take out the one flag with the photo of Lucy (although, let's be honest, I'm sure I'll want to create something with a different theme next year).

I put together a drinks table in the breakfast area with these fun cup tags and table tents from Minted.  I like buying plain colored table ware (cups, plates, cutlery etc), that way you can mix and match depending on the event. The yellow cups I'm sure will work great for Bryan's birthday later in the year or some other adult event. They aren't Dora or Thomas specific and they pack a graphic punch. I had the orange dotted straws from Bryan's first birthday and just combined them with the pink zig zag ones here.

Whole foods has great mix-and-match flowers so I bought long-lasting daisies and accented with some pink peonies. I happened to have three watering cans that worked perfectly for the florals and theme.  Coupled with some grass and pink ball garland from the Target dollar aisle and party supplies section, and the vignette is complete.

How cute are these Minted  cupcake toppers?

I made little potted succulents with thank-you tags for the favors and put them on a cake stand (pots are again from the Target dollar aisle)

A friend had snagged the cutest schoolhouse chairs when her kid's Montessori was renovating and I borrowed them for the kids table. In lieu of renting a child-height table, I actually strung together four Ikea lack tables. We had two already that we were using as coffee tables. They are pretty beat up so I bought two replacements and put all four together. Topped with the custom Minted table runner, nobody can tell how beat up they are and they work great as a white backdrop for the runner and big round confetti.

The party hats were Etsy finds that I had laying around from Bryan's last birthday.

The birthday girl enjoyed her carrot cake cupcake by local baker Sullivan Hill Sweets and also had fun with her party hat!

And to keep my work load manageable I ordered pizza for everyone.

Here are some of Lucy's friends hanging and discussing whatever one year olds discuss.

Having the party in the front ended up being a big hit. As you can see, the party wound down with the dad's stooping it on the front porch.

Stop by Post-modyrn for a follow up post on my entertaining tips.

Photos by Jessica Davis and Soyoung Oh of Dogear Press

Lucy's First Birthday - a garden party!

It's hard to believe that Lucy is turning one in less than month!  I'm not sure where the time has gone!  While she won't remember her first birthday, it's still fun to plan a baby birthday party - no demands for Barbie or Minecraft  themes, so now is the time for me to do what I want decor wise.  I decided to go with a slightly girly (but not overly frilly) garden party theme, and thanks to a little help from Minted, our gathering is really coming together.  Here is the concept board for what we are doing.

While I doubt I will pull off quite so elaborate a shindig as some of the images suggest, the idea is there - and luckily I have a bunch of watering cans, galvanized pails, and mason jars that should help make it a true garden party. Minted is providing the Botanical Affair bunting banner, cake toppers, a table runner and confetti that really tie the decor together. And I found this cute invite on Paperless Post that reinforces the theme. 

Can't wait to show you more photos of the party pulled off.

Postmod: Tablescapes for Kids of All Sizes

Another article went up yesterday for Postmodyrn.  You can check it out here (as well as all of their other great articles about fashion, lifestyle post kiddos).  And here it is:

Well the Holidays have descended upon us and we’re in the depths of work holiday parties, get-togethers with friends, and family Christmas gatherings.  This year we opted for the pre-lit faux tree and garland which I have to say, cut our decorating time in half.  With two little ones at home, forgoing the real tree smell and ambiance was a sacrifice I was willing to make for safety and efficiency purposes.  The glass balls are staying in the Rubbermaid box this year (and probably the couple Christmases after) and the more delicate ornaments are hung up high.  

 When it comes to entertaining, I like to keep the festive spirit alive but use kid-friendly decorations and items that aren’t so holiday specific that they can’t be used at other times of year. I’ve put together a Big Kid table for us adults and a fun table for the wee ones that keep entertaining easy but definitely maintain the festive factor.

For the “Big Kids” this year we are going holiday rustic.  A centerpiece composed of various bottles and jars painted white (use white paint on the inside to keep it from peeling), red faux berries and pinecones keeps it simple and doesn’t require watering.  For the place settings, pinecone place cards echo the theme and are something you can collect with the kids in the days before your gathering. Vintage red enamel dishes are durable and give a little campy flavor to your fete while gold flatware and patterned glasses add a touch of un-fussy glam.    Block-printed linen napkins from Etsy contribute to the rustic feel and are appropriate at any time of year.  And on top of each plate we like to give each guest a little goody wrapped in craft paper, baker’s twine and a home-made snowflake (again a great craft project for the kids).  A star garland adds a touch of sparkle and could easily be re-used for the fourth of July.  And don’t forget the cocktails! A rustic bar cart allows guests to serve themselves and a collection of blankets invite people to cozy up by the fire (I love this one from Pendelton – it’s such a classic and looks fabulous on a bed). 

For the Wee Ones we like to keep it fun and spill-proof.  Cover the table in craft paper and put out receptacles of crayons to keep those little hands occupied (I love using vintage containers or creating something fun like these bark covered tins).  For the place settings, colorful melamine plates and plastic handled flatware are durable and can be used at any time (the key is keep things graphic but not commit to a specific image like a Christmas tree or train or character like Dora).  Give the kids cloth napkins and see if they feel “fancy” (these are IKEA dishtowels and at 50 cents a pop are totally kid-worthy).  Mason jar glasses with straws make sure cider stays off the furniture and floors.  For kids favors, I like to use fun soft felt or knit animal ornaments that they can take home and hang on the tree.  Felt balls and garland in poppy colors hung above the table add to the festive feel but are also useable for other occasions. 

Hopefully I’ve inspired some of you to do a little pre-get-together decorating.  By using items that can function for every day or at least for other occasions holiday decorating becomes much less daunting and more fun.  Just remember that you are by no-means tied to doing everything red and green and ridden with holly.  Use a pop of yellow, hot pink or lime green to make things more modern and fun. And remember red items can be re-purposed for Valentines Day, the Fourth of July or any other gathering that requires a dose of heat. The holidays can be so daunting but if you keep things simple and kid friendly (and let’s be honest, adult-with-cocktail friendly too!) everyone will be impressed by how put-together you are and all you will have to worry about come party time is what to wear and where to order your food from ;)

Source pictures, Big Kids:  French jars // Gold flatware // Star garland // Beveled glassware // Blanket // Bar cart // Snowflake craft box // Red enamel plates // Printed napkin // Pinecone place card holders

Source pictures, Wee Ones: Ceramic crayon jars // Felt garland // Mason jar cup // Kids’ flatware // Graphic plate // Bark crayon jar // Felt ornaments // Felt ball ornaments // Tea towel

Graphics by Cori Magee

Our Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving this year my parents came up and spent a couple of weeks with us. My brother and sister-in-law came in from the city and we hosted with grilled turkey, Mama Stamberg's cranberry relish, a few other delicious sides, bourbon pecan pie and a pumpkin tarte from Sullivan Hill Sweets. 

I always love the table scape part of entertaining, so this year we decided to do it up and finally use our crystal and china (since it usually just sits there gathering dust). I had plans to create some centerpieces with grass plumes, laurel and dried hydrangea from our yard but the wet weather made everything soggy and unusable.  So instead we opted for candlesticks, simple ribbon and black chalk tags from Target and pheasant feathers for each place setting.  Here are some shots of the table.

Since we were all cleaned up and looking our best, we took advantage of the situation and had my sister-in-law Soyoung Oh take some additional photos of our family. I can't wait to show them to you next week.

How was your Thanksgiving Holiday?

All photos courtesy of Soyoung Oh of Dogear Press

DESIGN BLUEPRINT: Holiday Mod

Not all of us can be as lucky to celebrate the holidays with a scenery like this, but we can at least dream....

I came across this house, and like I often do, I had to imagine how I would entertain for the holidays in a farmhouse like this. 

Casual and comfortable, but always modern, is the way I would go. The most important things would be staying warm and catching up with friends and family. The table decor would be fun, with lots of personality.

 

Here's what I have in mind...

DESIGN BLUEPRINT:

Factory Light / Schoolhouse Electric

Placecard Holder / Crate & Barrel

String Candle Holder / Ferm Living

Dining Table / Pottery Barn

Table Runner / Crate & Barrel

Napkins / Crate & Barrel

Salad Plates / Crate & Barrel

Pitcher / Leif

Gray Side Chair / Dot & Bo

Black Armchair / Dot & Bo

Area Rug / Habitat

Inspiration image / Mittliv Palandet

 

- Cori

 

Curated Nest: Pool Party

It's pool party season! But pool party doesn't have to mean you throw your design aesthetic out the window.

You can include all your fun pool toys and juice cups, but add a little sophistication too... why not?! Your exterior should look just as good as your interior, even for a 1-day party.

Here's some ideas for your outdoor entertaining this Summer....

1. Drink Dispenser / CB2

2. Juniper Ridge Tea / General Store

3. Lounge Chair / Serena & Lily

4. Bird Feeder / Branch Home

5. Outdoor Rug / William Sonoma

6. Grill / Appliancist

Inspiration Image / Trendenser

- Cori

Bryan's Birthday Bash #2!

Last year we celebrated Bryan's first birthday with an animal themed birthday bash.  This year, at the ripe age of two, Bryan had more of an opinion so we went for a choo-choo themed event.  My sister-in-law Soyoung from Dogear Press designed the ticket-style invite.

Luckily the weather cooperated so we were able to hold the event outdoors, complete with duct tape choo-choo track, conductor hats, and train whistles.

As you can see Bryan wasn't very thrilled by all the singing and hoopla surrounding the birthday cake.

 Happy Birthday to our fun little guy!  It seems like just yesterday that we were bringing him home from the hospital in Pasadena.

All photos courtesy of Dogear Press