6 Gorgeous Fall Porches

The air is getting cooler, and the pumpkin spice latte's are plentiful.  So what does that mean for your house? Whether you are decorating for Halloween, or fall in general, here are some absolutely gorgeous porches to get you inspired.

Simple with a splasg of color.
By Seaside Interiors

Lovely vignette,simple and clean.
By ComfyDwelling.com

Another chic vignette
By ComfyDwelling.com

Simply Elegant 

Lovely seating area
By ComfyDwelling.com

Eclectic Fall Decor
by EASYdesigns

A Style Defined: Moroccan

Home Office by Laura U, Inc

I love Moroccan Design.  I love the vibrant colors, the attention to detail, and the comfortable looking spaces.  My husband on the other hand, not so much. Morocco is on the North West edges of Africa, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

Morocco has a diverse history, including many different inhabitants including Islamic, Berbers, French, Spanish, and Arabic.  This contrast in strong cultures has fused together to create this diverse and beautiful design style.  

Some of the things you will generally see in Moroccan inspired spaces include tiled floors layered with rugs, luxurious fabrics, metallic finishes, carved painted woods, and a lot of geometric patterns.  This style often includes bold colors, like purple, teal, yellow, and fuchsia along side more muted colors like white.  

The Moroccan also comes with a collection of great accessories.  Often, you will find great lanterns in metallic finishes, including Mercury Glass, which is ever so popular these days.  From beautifully sculpted vases, to ornate lighting fixtures, such as these great pendant lights by Viva Terra.  They are punched through, which creates a lovely mosaic of light on the walls while they create a soft glow in the room.  These particular lights come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and start at around $150.

Another popular item often found in a Moroccan style space are poufs.  This great seating option is sometimes considered a staple.  I personally have seen these also in some great metallic finishes, but also bold colors and prints, like the ones pictured here, by Graham and Green.  The fabrics and materials also have a wide variety of textures, creating both visual interest, as well as tactile.

Another staple of the Moroccan design stile is of course, the patterns. The patterns can be on anything.  From the fabrics adorning windows, (or Poufs!) to the tile on the floors or walls, pattern is essential.  The patterns can be simple in colors, or can be just as vibrant as the walls, it doesn't really matter either way.

This Mediterranean tile by SomerTile is a prime display of some of the great patterns you can find in this design style.  This mosaic would be greatly suited for a kitchen backsplash, bathroom walls, or any great Moroccan styled space.

There are a lot of resources out there today to find great products and inspirational images to get started on making over a room with Mediterranean flair.  Of course there is always Houzz.com, where most of these pictures came from, as well as Pinterest.com and a good old fashioned Google search.

Moroccan is not only a style, it is a culture, rich with diversity.  I would love to do a room in this style one day, but until then, I guess it's just finding great products and blogging about them.  

DIY Halloween Decor

Image from MouseInfo.com

After taking a stroll through some of our local stores, and big box chains, I am starting to see a trend popping up, that excites me, It's Halloween Time.  Not to copy my favorite place in the world with my favorite time to go there (yes, I am a Disney nut!).  I am so excited about Halloween this year, and since I can't go see Jack Skellington's Haunted Mansion Take-Over this year, at least I can have my own...Sarah Mansion....Take-Over and decorate to the gills in my own special way.   Since this is my little girl's first Halloween, I want it to be something special for our family.  I know she won't remember it at all, but the photographs will be fun to show her later in life, and fun to add to the photo album!

Like any gal, I opened up Pinterest, and started searching out great DIY Halloween Decor.  It's hard times, and I am going to have to decorate this place up using as little money as I can muster.  If your like me, and wanting to decorate the new diggs for the festivities, but don't have much money to spare for silly decorations that will only stay up for a month, you should check out my Halloween Decor and Crafts board on Pinterest.   There are a lot of DIY crafts that may even be able to be made using spare stuff you have lying about the house.

Chicken Wire Ghosts.
http://inspiringpretty.com

First of all, who wouldn't want ghosts brides floating around their front yard?  This is a fun way to bring your art and sculpting skills to play.  These gal's (or ghouls) can be made using simple materials like chicken wire.  They are a bit bulky, but can probably be stored and used for years to come as well.  (I always do like a good decoration that can be used again and again!)

PB Knock Off
Hanging Ghosts
by Simply Designing. 

Another good and simple pin of decoration genius I have, is the quick and simple cheese cloth ghost.  Simply take a styrofoam ball left over from your kids solar system science project, cover it is some cheese cloth, and now you have ghosts to float out of the tree's.  Don't forget to add some fun Jack-Like eyes!  These adorable ghouls can be easily stored and used for years and years to come.  These are probably one of the decorations that will be the least expensive to make, and one that I am most excited about making.  I know I know, I am a dork, but what can I say?  You can also use cheese cloth to decorate other aspects of your home, like chandeliers!

Martha Stewart
Snake Grapevine Wreath

Now, if you're looking for that festive Halloween wreath that is beautiful at first glance, and frightening when you get closer, then a grapevine wreath is the way to go.  Now of course a grapevine wreath isn't scary, but add plastic bugs, snakes, spiders, and other creepy crawlies, spray paint it black, and you have a lovely display of DIY craftsmanship, that is sure to creep a few of your trick-or-treaters out, while looking good in the process.  The wreath pictured here is just covered in snakes, which blends so well with the grapevine wreath foundation.  It looks like a wreath made entirely of snakes.  I am sure if I hang this on the door, my husband would want me to take it down immediately.  So needless to say, for the price it will cost to make, I will definitely be doing it.

By Thrifty Decor Chick

Now, if you have kids, I am sure it is safe to say, you have a large collection of black craft paper somewhere.  If not, it's not that expensive to go buy a pack at your local crafts store, and make these awesome bat decorations that can be hung inside the house, or outside on the porch.  These little guys can easily be traced off a template you can print online, or from a cookie cutter, or so many other options.  Hang them across your front door to for a 3D graphical element of surprise.

Now, of course I do have quite a few more pins, and am adding more all the time, so keep an eye out for other ideas that will keep your trick-or-treating friends on their toes.  I know I can't wait to start decorating and cooking up some spooky decor.

Happy haunting!

Upholstered Headboards

 I have been wanting to make an upholstered headboard, and thought it would be a great idea for a blog post, on how to make one.  But upon researching how to make one, I found a million online tutorials, and decided that there were just too many, why add one more.  I also found an excellent tutorial, that I would never be able to top, so I figured I would share it with some photographs for inspiration.

Do-It-Yourself Simple Tufted Headboard on Centsational Girl  

Her tutorial is complete with photographs and by far one of the best tutorials on the web.  Now that you have the resource to making your own amazing tufted headboard, here are some great inspirational photo's of some headboards you can easily make.  Also, be sure to check out Houzz.com's 13 Designs for Upholstered Headboards.  This article discusses purchasing an upholstered headboard, but it gives some great idea's and inspiration for the D-I-Yer.

Source: Centsationalgirl.com via Pinterest

Via Design Sponge Spaces on Houzz.com

This contemporary Headboard is designed by
Los Angeles Interior Designer Annette English 

One of my favorite designs, by
Dallas Interior Designer Emily Johnston Larkin

This amazingly whimsical headboard was designed by
New York Interior Designer Tara Seawright

This unique design was created by
Richmond Interior Designer Kirsten Nease Designs. 

This traditional design features a fun printed bed upholstery with solid bedding.
This design is by: Pacific Family Homes in Los Angeles. 

Adding Pink

Pink is a color typically seen in little girls rooms. While preparing for the arrival of my new family member, I noticed my house is slowly being taken over by the color pink, and it's greatly growing on me. Below is an IdeaBook from houzz.com of several inspiring interiors and products that will work great in any space to add a pop of pink. Enjoy!

Using Pink

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More »

Browse Window Treatments on Houzz- For Example:

Cellular Shades · Curtain Poles · Curtains · Roller Blinds · Roman Blinds · Venetian Blinds · Vertical Blinds · Window Blinds ·

A Little Girls Room

As many of my readers know, I am currently expecting my first little one.  I decided to create a moodboard that showcases some of the finishes I am doing in her room, and a post about her room. I am really excited about how great it is turning out.

Shop This Look Here

This bedroom is designed based off the "Mod Pop Pod Monkey" neutral nursery theme that I found at Babies R Us.  It is a modern looking monkey theme that can easily go for boys and girls.  I figured this would be a good theme since I am having a girl now, and plan on having a number two.....someday, so now the theme will work for both.

This bedding set, which includes a bumper, quilt, fitted sheet, and crib skirt
Available from Babies R Us for $149.99 

Little Boutique Girl Monkey Night Light
Available from Babies R Us for $14.99

Below are the paint colors that I ended up going with.  I was going to do pink and green paint, but ended up going with a taupe color, which is throughout the rest of the house, and chocolate trim to match the furniture.  The decor of the room has enough green to give the room the pink and green feel that I wanted.

Kashmir Pink 150E-2 by Behr available at The Home Depot
This is the color on the top half of the walls.  

Mesa Taupe, UL130-16 by Behr Premium Ultra  available at The Home Depot
This is the color on the bottom half of the walls.  

Thick Chocolate, 750B-7 by Behr Premium Ultra  available at The Home Depot
This is the color of the trim including Chair Rail.  

Flooring goes in tomorrow, so I will definitely be posting pictures once everything is done.  I am so excited to see what the finished product is.  As a designer, you always have an idea, but once it is finally installed, it is always a little different.  

Over the Top Childrens Rooms

As many of you know, I am about to enter the world of mommy-hood, and as a designer and new mom, that nursery needs to be suitable for my little one, and my portfolio!  Of course I have surfed the net for great theme's and inspiration, and I have found a lot of crazy over the top children's rooms, that are a great inspiration for any parent.

Children's rooms aren't just for sleeping, they are for playing, and inspiring creativity.  A place to call their own, and a place to flourish.  From sleeping, to playing, to inspiring creativity, the child's room is a great place to start.  Below are some fun spaces, that accomplish fun and play and creativity.  

This room from MOCO Designs, inspires the play with a slide and rock climbing wall.  While the wall isn't the safest thing for the kids, it's still a fun idea.  The slide would be a fun way to escape a bunk bed, or even as an alternative route into a finished basement.  

This amazing bed, by Amy Wolf Interiors, LLC shows one of my favorite ideas for kids rooms.  A raised bed with a place to play and be a kid under.  This bunk bed shows the idea of a slide as a way to vacate the bed, inspiring fun and play.  When the child grows older, the bed can even be raised, and a desk area can be placed under.  This idea maximizes floor space, which is good in smaller rooms. 

This room, inspired by Cinderella, is a beautiful and inspiring room for any little princess.  

And now for the truly over the top!  How about a pirate ship for your little pirate?  This is an amazing design by Steve Kuhl, that any kid would love to call their own.  [I think most parents would love to call it their own also!] 

Another well done and over the top design fit for any princess.  

Or how about this indoor tree house?  

Now that you have a little inspiration for a great kids room, it's time to go create that amazing inspiring space.