Drama Mama
Slaying Sink
Pink Play
Textures and Tones
Blue Bliss
Cool Hues
Pretty Penny
Dark and Glossy
Gorgeous and Grey
Serine Spa
Which bathroom is your favorite?!
XOXO,
January 13, 2021
December 16, 2020
View the Lights of the Fab 40s
If you live in Sacramento, odds are you have been to the Fabulous 40s (a neighborhood in East Sacramento famous for it’s beautiful houses) to view the lights. Whether you prefer walking the neighborhood or driving street to street, it’s always a fun Christmas activity. The wondrously lit decorations make for good memories, especially when paired with a cup of hot cocoa and a group of friends.
Sacred Heart Home Tour
The Sacred Heart Home Tour is a beloved tradition in Sacramento and always proves to be fun for everyone, especially the lover of Christmas decorations and beautiful homes. This event also takes place in the Fab 40s and raises money for the Sacred Heart Parish School. We’ve decorated two homes for the tour (which you can read about here and here) and the sense of community at the event is always heart-warming.
Watching Movies
Is anything better than gathering the family together, building a fire, and watching classic Christmas movies? Some of our favorites include Home Alone, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Santa Claus, Miracle on 34th Street, Christmas Vacation, and of course, Elf! But what makes this tradition so special is that every family has their own list of holiday movies that they watch together every year.
Baking Cookies
Baking and decorating Christmas cookies is a fun holiday season activity for everyone! The trick is making many MANY batches of cookies including sugar cookies (to cut into shapes and decorate), gingerbread cookies, snow balls, and probably something with chocolate or cinnamon. Your whole family will be visiting soon, so you need lots and lots of cookies anyways, right?
Decorating the House
Stringing up the garland, putting the home-made ornaments on the tree, laying out the nativity scene, and placing a wreath on the front door always brings the holiday spirit home. This tradition is made better by Christmas music playing, a fire in the fireplace, and a cup of eggnog or mulled wine in hand as the family gathers and gets the job done!
Finding the Perfect Christmas Tree
Whether you go to a parking lot to pick your tree or cut one down on your own, having the perfect Christmas tree is a favorite Christmas activity! It’s always fun having the family together, preferably with warm beverages, wandering around, looking for the perfect tree, because of course there is a tree destined for your family! The hunt for that tree is bound to make for some good memories.
Seeing the Nutcracker
The Sacramento Ballet puts on a beautiful production of the Nutcracker every year! Getting the family or a group of friends together to watch the beauty of this classic story unfold is always a highlight of the season. Even when we watch it every year, it never gets old!
To us, it seems like the common thread through all of these activities are that they are made better by having loved ones (and often a warm drink!) around, which is of course what makes the season so special! Every family will have their own holiday traditions, so please share with us what your favorite tradition is!
XOXO,
December 2, 2020
Put a Little Flower On It
A couple of years ago, we designed this floral tree with live flowers for our Sacred Heart Home Tour show house! The effect was incredible and the room smelled amazing. The next year, we did another floral tree, but with faux florals!! Whether you’re using real flowers or fake, we LOVE this twist on Christmas tree decorations!
If you don’t want to cover your tree in florals, adding a few here and there still adds a fresh and cheery effect!
Pick a Theme and Stick To It
Themed trees are fun and can add a lot of character to a room! Nowadays, there are so many options for ornaments, so whatever theme you chose, there are bound to be lots of options for ornaments within that theme!
This sweet tree is another great example of how cute a themed tree can be!
Pom Poms!
Trim the tree in something a little different, like pom poms! You can either buy some, or try to make them. They’re really easy to make, and there are lots of tutorial videos on YouTube!
Our pom pom tree from the 2018 Sacred Heart Home Tour was covered in handmade poms! We made them in multiple colors, and accented them with felt garland.
Unexpected Color Pops
Pink isn’t typically usually used for decorating at Christmas time, but trimming the tree in an unexpected pop of color is bound to make a statement and draw a smile!
Blue is another unusual Christmas color, but was used so beautifully in this home! Pick your favorite color, or a color that will compliment your home decor, and go for it!
Go Homemade
Instead of using glass or metal globes for a glitzy tree, go totally homemade for a homey Christmas decor design! It’s all charm and warm fuzzy feelings with this tree!
This tree uses the humble holiday card as it’s shining star! This Christmas tree idea creates the perfect personal touch.
Are you going to try to implement any of these ideas into your home this year?! Let us know!
XOXO,
November 18, 2020
Kitchen Design
Originally, this kitchen was small and dark, featuring a busy, patterned backsplash tile. The dark stained cabinetry and one window didn’t help much to lighten the space either!
To expand the kitchen to a size more suited to the house, we moved the bathroom located next to the kitchen and gave that square footage to the kitchen. This not only added space to the kitchen footprint, but also allowed for a second window.
One of the “wow” factors of the new kitchen design is the contemporary hood above the range; its large, smooth, geometry contrasts sharply against the sparkly, round tiles, and it looks as if it was always meant to be there.
As you can see in the last image, we selected a dazzling mother-of-pearl penny round backsplash tile to replace the old, dark tile.
The new tile brightens the space, and adds a subtle sparkle! It ended up being a real show stopper and one of our very favorite aspects of the home.
Dining Room Design
What is now the dining room was originally used as the living room. However this layout didn’t provide a good flow from the kitchen to the dining room. So, we swapped the two spaces.
To further improve access to the backyard, and to further solidify the two space’s new identities, we changed the window shown in this picture to glass French doors, which lead out to the back patio. We also changed an existing back door (next to the TV seen here) to a large window.
Living Room Design
This space (as we mentioned above) was intended to be the dining room, but we decided it would serve the client better as a living room. With some fresh paint, updated furniture (including that fabulous mirrored console!!), and the new window, the space is completely transformed!
Master Bedroom Design
The star of the new master bedroom is the custom metal headboard that we commissioned Wildwood Customs & Metalworks to make for us! That heavy statement piece paired with the soft bedding we selected, create a perfect balance.
The pendant lights replace the need for a traditional bedside lamp and provide a sense of airiness next to the metal headboard.
Also, we just have to say that the rug we selected for this room is the softest rug we have ever felt!
Loft Design
Besides the basic updates to this space, which turned it into the fabulous space it now is, we also added an air conditioning unit in the space above the closet. It was unbearably hot in the Sacramento Summer heat!
We also gave this room a custom metal headboard similar to the one in the master bedroom.
The space that leads into this room became a seating area and office space, adding a lot of functionality.
Bathroom Design
The bathroom upstairs was plain… nothing special. But, the bathroom would be used often by the owners, so we wanted to make it a space they would love spending time in.
Stacked blue-gray glass tile, contemporary vessel sinks, and a large sheet mirror make the room sparkle.
The wall-mounted faucet with wooden knob handle fits the space perfectly.
Guest Suite Design
The guest suite was pretty lonely and lacking in character, so we made it a space where any guest would love to stay. The vibrant orange wall provides instant interest. We also added a lounge area with some real style using the client’s old living room furniture. We can only hope our client’s guests leave the room at some point!
XOXO,
