Three ways to use a dresser - outside of the bedroom!

This Thursday we are taking the "three way" out of the bedroom! The dresser is one very versatile piece of furniture...it's not just for the bedroom anymore. They can be used in more ways than you think. Why are they so awesome? One word, storage! And we can all use more of that!

So before you go out in search of the perfect console, wine bar, or kitchen island...think, dresser, dresser, dresser! I know what your thinking. Dressers can be as expensive as any other piece of furniture. Well, true, but I talking about reusing an old dresser or finding a good deal on Craigslist, and then reworking it to fit your needs. So put on your creative goggles when you are searching and get your DIY on!!!



The perfect console: Use one at the top of the stairs for a great focal point, or in a foyer, and use the drawers as a catch all for all that stuff that usually lands on your counters! Also, you can use one in the dining room or kitchen as extra storage for napkins, placemats, and silverware.

This one was in a model home in my nieghborhood and used on the landing.

The perfect wine bar: Use it as a place to keep your bar essentials anywhere you would put a dry bar in your home. I'm going to use one upstairs in the bonus room to keep from running up and down the stairs when I'm ready for a refill! :-) Check out http://www.today.com/id/3041440/vp/50743316#50743316, for more information on how Nichole Curtis transformed this dresser into a mini bar. You can even use the drawers to keep snacks on hand!

As a kitchen island: Ever wish you had more storage and prep space in the kitchen? Well converting a dresser to a kitchen island is your answer! If you think you don't have room, put in on casters and you can have a mobile island just when you need it.

Go to http://youresomartha.wordpress.com/2011/08/10/kitchen-island-dresser-the-reveal/, to see what she did to turn a plain old dresser into this multifunctional piece.

Just think outside the box when it comes to finding functional pieces for your home. There is nothing more versatile than a dresser! Have a great Thursday!

SH 

"Real life by design!" 

Creating My "New" Home: The Creative Room

Hey guess what? I'm building a new house! Can you tell I'm excited! Would you believe that of all the rooms that I get to decorate in the house, the room I'm calling the "Creative Room" is the one that gets me and the kids most excited! That's right. Not the living room.  Not the dining room or kitchen - the creative room! This room is going to be a shared room off the main hall upstairs where we can just let our creative juices flow! Etsy here I come! But of course it has to be stylish...I mean, come on, you know me!

Here's a little insight on how I get started on any project. This method really works to keep your room inspiration organized.

First, I get a file folder, so I can keep all my ideas in one place. Then, I begin my search for inspiration: Magazines, internet, of course, Pinterest!

One of my faves is Better Homes and Gardens magazine and website, they have tons of inspiration! I found several ideas in there January and February issues. When I find something I like, I tear it out and put it in a file. Look at this super cute file folder I found at Walmart for 3 for $1! This file even has a place to keep notes. Now you can't beat that!

Next, I start putting together all the ideas in the file. Everything from the color palette to the ideas for stylish organization.

This is exactly the way I do it! I usually sit on the floor with everything spread out around me and start organizing my thoughts.

Last, I just put it all together in the file and secure with paper clip. I like to write down the plan and add any fabric swatches or paint swatches, so everything is in one place! 

I found this bright, fun paint palette in the January BH&G Magazine. I, however, am using a beautiful color by Sherwin Williams called Sea Salt for the walls, with accents of yellow, coral, and green. It will blend beautifully with the colors in the rest of the house. 

  

Now I'm ready to go! 

I love the idea of having all my ideas in one place. So putting things together in the file makes it a whole lot easier. Plus, when I head out to start my shopping, I have my inspiration file in hand, and I'm ready to find those perfect pieces!

 I thought this would be a good way to share my process, as I plan out my design for each room. So, I will keep you up to date as things progress. We move in March 16th! Come along with me as I create my new home! God Bless!

 SH

The Evolution of Home

Here we are in 2013, BTW Happy New Year!!!!!, okay that said, lets talk about home. No matter what you live in: a house, or a condo, or an apartment, it is still your home. To me, there is nothing more personal! Right now, I get to call a temporary apartment in the great state of North Carolina home. My permanent home is being built as we speak. Yay!!! Over the past 16 years, as I have been able to decorate 4 houses so far, my personal style and design priorities have evolved. I think as we get older we just tend to take on a deeper sense of ourselves and what is important to us. We don't rely on trends, but instead what we love. So this new year I decided instead focusing on resolutions, I wanted to focus on evolution! I see us evolving over time into something beautiful! After 41 years, I can say I am happy in my own skin and now I want to truly be happy in my surroundings!

My favorite room in my last house. My kids are my art!

This blog now is going to be about how to make our homes truly reflect our lives and the people in it. How many times have you picked up a magazine and looked at the rooms and thought OMG that's gorgeous! But when it comes down to it, it doesn't reflect our real lives! Yes, sometimes I want to dive right into the picture and start living, however, lets see; the sofa can't be white, that won't work with the kids, the coffee table, lets change that to an ottoman for safety and comfort sake, the open shelves, well as pretty as they are, I need to hide a few things, and while we are at it, I'd rather see my kids, than a picture of a bunch of fruit! In the end, it really isn't who I am!!! I have spent most of a decade trying to achieve a look from a picture that doesn''t reflect my life or the things I love. Take for instance butterflies. I love them and always have. I have one in just about every room in my house, even the bathroom! Those who have been in my house can attest to that! Why the obsession? I just love the idea of taking something not so beautiful and transforming it into something beautiful! (No offense to the cute little caterpillars!) That to me is how I see our lives, ever changing, transforming, evolving - if you will - into something better everyday. Right now, I am okay with who I am and I am ready for my home to be a reflection of my life!

Butterflies, okay and yes wine, makes me happy! :)

Here's a good example: this wall decor I used my last house. Not only does it reflect my love of butterflies, but I took a wine box from my ten year anniversary trip to Napa Valley, stained it, and hung it on the wall in my dining room. Now when I see this I remember the romantic get-a-way my husband and I had together. It has meaning! (Oh and did I mention this whole thing only cost $15!) It "tells my story", to quote one of my favorite decorators, Nate Berkus. He says, "Our homes tell our stories; they reflect the places we've been and the people we've loved along the way - and there can be no more beautiful design than that." I knew I loved him! I couldn't have said it better myself! I have just read his new book, "The Things That Matter" cover to cover - I think we are design sole mates, not to mention, both overly OCD Virgo's! Here's a quick side note for you Nate - if you were to ever read this - I, too, decant my eggs, and the coffee, and the mouthwash, and even my lotions! Hi, my name is Shannon and I, too, am a decanter! I even peel the ugly stickers off all the fruit, before I put it in a bowl! Phew! Glad that is out in the open! But guess what? That's me and I'm okay with that! Okay, sorry for that, back to the topic.

My current apartment home - I still wanted it to feel like home!

So, what I am trying to tell you is this new house I am about to design, will be a true reflection of me; my past, my travels, my family, the things I love! If I don't love it, it won't make the cut! I want it all set in my casual elegant style with a hint of rustic. Drenched in the soft neutrals; grays, browns, and creams. Then splashed with my favorite colors: orange, aqua, and green! It is my own recipe. A recipe that says, this is me - my home! Here's an idea, instead of hitting the stores for design inspiration...who am I kidding, I'll still shop just a little - I do have an Ikea now! - I will also be hitting the storage boxes in the attic for more personal inspiration! I hope along the way, I will inspire you to dust off the old family pics, scavenge the attic for memorabilia, and let your home speak to who you are! I will show you how to do it with style - budget friendly style, that is! You can also "like" my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/shcreatinghome, to get a more detailed play by play. Plus, I always share great home tips I find on the web!


Here's a poem I wrote for my mother many years ago on Mother's Day and it will make it into my home! Hmmm...the creative juices are flowing!!!!

"In a cocoon of love you gave me life, then gave me wings, so I could fly!"  ~ Me

No Home for the Holidays

Well, here we go again! This will be our third move in 5 years! Two of which have been over the holidays...my favorite time of year, mind you. For some reason we always tend to do this, put our house on the market in the fall and then it sells quickly. Now, no home for the holidays! 

Right now, we are building and the house will be finished in February, but that doesn't help the decorator in me who waits all year for that quintessential time when we all go into a crafty design frenzy to fill our homes with holiday cheer. No ribbons, balls, and bows - on my! How will I survive? Sigh. 

Don't get me wrong, I know that is not what the holidays are all about, but to me making family traditions is a part of the feeling of hope the holidays hold in our minds for years to come. My kids are at that fun age 7 and 10 when they still believe, and the magic of Christmas is still alive and brimming in their little minds. Everything from getting the tree and decorating it along with our favorite Christmas jingles, then ending the day with hot peppermint cocoa, to spending an entire day in the kitchen baking and laughing, then sharing the cookies with our friends!

It amazes me how much importance the home has in our lives and how much we miss it when we don't have one - especially this time of year. It makes me think how lucky I am that I will only be without one for a few months. So many people don't have a home to call there own. Maybe God puts us in these positions sometimes, so that those of us who do have, never forget those who don't. Plus, it helps us focus on those things that really matter...family and friends! It always brings me back to the whole reason I started "Creating Home".  Although, I focus on the decorating of a home, home itself means so much more! It holds memories, it's our nest, our safe place. I think after the first of the year I may take a different approach to "Creating Home", and focus on all things that make a home, not just the decorating. There are so many resources out there for that, but the everyday joys and struggles are truly the heart of the home. So, I guess that's what I'm saying - lets get to the heart of the home! Of course, I will still share my savvy decorating tips, as I create my new home, but I will throw in a little "real life" along with it. After all, isn't that my motto - "Real Life by Design"! I hope you will join me in this new venture and share with me your every day joys of home. Aaaaand those not-so-joyous moments, like living in an 700 square foot apartment, while your two kids share a room! Yes, this should be fun!

Blessings and Merry Christmas,

SH

I thought I would at least share some of my favorite Christmas moments from last year! Here you go, enjoy!

The hunt for the perfect Christmas tree...

Decorating the house in aqua, green, and silver and branches from said tree...

A little finger helping make burlap bows...

 to use around the house.

Napkin rings made of curtain rings that hold our Christmas words...

 then sharing a meal with family and friends.

Welcoming friends to the Handley home with a homemade wreath...

 and wishing you a Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

It's Halloween Party Time!

I know the kids love Halloween and things have been "scary" busy around the house getting ready for our "Haunted Handley Halloween" kid's party this weekend! I didn't want to spend a ton of money, so as usual...you know me...I got creative!

Here, have a looksy...if you dare!!!!! 

Enter at your own risk! Well, not really! I do have to keep things tame for the little ones, so my rule is no gore and blood! So it's creepy - especially at night with the pumpkins, grave yard, and porch light up- but not soooo scary! Don't you love Mommy spider hanging out and waiting for her prey! 

Going more with a "Goth" theme in the house, I used spiders, skulls, and  a spooky pumpkin to set the mood. In the evening it looks most ominous with the candles lit and the pumpkin greeting you! 

Here's a cool trick! I took a simple platter  and used a dry erase maker to write my Halloween message! Easy peasy!

Spooky Mantel!

 

Spider Webs, scary pictures, and old books are are all you need to create a haunted moment! Oh, add in the skulls and spiders and your set!

The Dining Room!

An inexpensive bag of spider web goes a long way to create the mood!

Again sticking with the Goth theme, I used candelabra, skulls, and spiders with webbing to create the effect. I love using plastic black chargers and witches cauldrons as my serve ware - it's cheap! 

We will be stirring up some witches brew,  edible broom sticks, and other frightful bites at the party. Most all the recipe ideas came from Better Homes and Gardens website, check it out they have tons of ideas! 

Table is set! Here's our menu:

Goodies are out and ready for Goblins!

Eyeball and Slime Punch! Sprite and green fruit punch

Witch Hats - Hershey's Kiss, icing, and Fudge Stripes

Pillsbury Monster Cookies! Cookies, icing, marshmallows and assorted candies.

Broomstick Bites! Pretzels, sliced cheese and stems of chives

Fingers and Blood dip - okay, it's Pillsbury bread sticks with 1/4 of a pepperoni on the tip with marinara dip!

Here's another trick for your treats!

I love dry erase markers! This will be perfect for our finger bread sticks and marinara!

I didn't have Halloween themed serve ware, so using my white serving pieces, a dry erase maker, and some spider web ribbon - I used the heck out of this stuff! - and turned it into what I needed! 

One More cheap "Trick"!

I also used the ribbon to wrap my plain white candles and candle holders around the house! Easy and inexpensive!

I won't be able to burn these because the ribbon is flammable - just use the LED tea lights inside the candle!

I hope I've inspired you and your next Halloween gathering! Remember it doesn't take a ton of money, when you have your creativity in hand! Happy Halloween!!!!

Creating Fall

Quick, Easy, and Inexpensive Fall Decorating! 

I love this time of year...I think it really is my favorite! The colors of the leaves, cooler weather, and yes, call me crazy, but football, too! Maybe, it's the tailgating! 

I love being able to transform my home from the cool tones of summer to the warm and cozy tones of fall to put me in the mood. From seashells and sand to pumpkins and leaves!

Soooo, we had our first blast of cool weather and that's exactly what I did! I'll show you how simple and inexpensive it was to make the transformation.

Please ignore the light switch! (Sometimes builder's really annoy me!)  Okay, back to fall decorating. Here in the foyer I gathered three gourd candles from Pottery Barn (from a few years back) and I simply tuck the fall picks into the sides. I added a small bunch of leaves and pine cones to the top.  Orange tapers and a beautiful metal plate add to the feeling I'm going for! Gourds can be found anywhere for $5 to $10 and the fall picks can be as cheap as $2.50 at your craft stores. I buy a bunch and use them around the house.


I love to make these fall sprays, they also make great hostess gifts for fall parties. To make a fall spray, get a bunch of fall grasses from the dried flower section of your craft store and leave the rubber band on it. Then tuck in your fall picks of berries and leaves. Then tie it with a ribbon to hide the rubber band...easy peasy! I didn't even have to glue it! I use these on tables, counters, or mantels for decoration. Just about anywhere you want a splash of fall foliage. 

I love this easy trick to transform your plain glass hurricanes in to beautiful fall candle holders. Just use burlap and cut it into a 4" strip and wrap it around and secure with hot glue. Then tie a ribbon around it and tuck in a beautiful fall leaf. Finish it off by gluing on a couple of acorns. 

In the kitchen I just tucked a fall pick into the tray that I use at the coffee area and added this beautiful copper wine bucket. I love the idea of using copper elements in the fall...it adds so much warmth!

The upstairs family room gets a dose of cozy!

I think my favorite combo this year is the blue and orange combo. So using stuff I already had, I transformed the room from summer to fall by changing out a few key elements. I changed out the pillows...obviously...but pulled in a few other accessories.

Key elements to make a cozy room: Plush pillows, soft throws, candles, mix in a few warm hues, and add natural textures.

I am truly one of those people who has to change things around every-so-often to keep things interesting. Transforming your home from a spring/summer look to a fall/winter look is the best way to do it! 

Next week, using cheap and easy "tricks", my house gets "treated" to a spooky Halloween look! Come back and check it out! Thanks for visiting! 

Recycle, Reuse, Reinvent Your Style!

Recycle, up-cycling, re-purposing, whatever you call it, going green is all the rage in interior design! As I was out this week shopping for a client, who wants to keep her design fresh and eco-friendly, I spotted some beautiful decor that is made of all that stuff we throw away! 

First recycled glass:

Ever wonder if all that effort we put into the recycling is actually worth it? Well, here's the proof! Recycle glass containers in every shape and size! They all glisten with that subtle aqua hue.....loooove!

Recycled newspapers made into baskets!

I found this stuff at HomeGoods and was blown away by the amazing prices! How cool is this guy?!


Now a few ideas of how to use your recycled goods around the house. Here's how I used some of my awesome finds! Here's how to create that fresh organic style in your home! 

I call my style "Organic Elegance"!

I used this jar as a candle holder between two smaller bottles. I filled the smaller bottles with fresh greenery from my front yard. Totally gives it that fresh green feeling!

Make an "green" first impression!

I used a recycled jug in my entry way, only $9.99 by the way at HG! I filled it with simple branches to add an element of nature to the table. I love using re-purposed items, like this wine box, to display some of my favorite wine labels. Again, a glass vase filled with clippings from my Tea Olive bushes and monkey grass add to the organic feeling. The silver tray and glass ball lamp add the elegance. The perfect mix of both!

 Try grouping them all together as a beautiful collection!

Tray was also a HomeGoods find for $12.99! HG rocks!

Create an impact by grouping them all together on a woven tray to make an easy to remove center piece on your dining table.

So get out there and search for those cool pieces that would have been destined for a landfill! And create your own green design!