Tips for Designing Bedrooms in Modern Times

What if I told you that you no longer have to commit to an entire bedroom suite like our parents did? Gone are the days of walking into a furniture store to buy a matching bed, dresser, and nightstands. You will enjoy your bedroom space more and find it more relaxing if it has a “collected” feel to it.

I want to very quickly show you one example of how you can buy new pieces that don’t “match” and combine them with antiques, as well as modern pieces. The end result is a space that will reflect your individual personality and veer away from the cookie cutter bedroom suite of decades gone by.

Sources for all of these pieces are linked on my LiketoKnow.it. Click the picture to see more.

The first suggestion I have for creating a cohesive, collected look is to be intentional with your color palette. Search for and save a color palette that you like on Pinterest so that you can easily access it while shopping. Another option is to keep your paint chips in your wallet so that you can reference them quickly.

You will want to stick to your color palette for things like art, bedding, rugs, and furniture. If you wander from your color palette, the item you choose will boldly look out of place. You’ll find it visually disruptive to have it in your space, and you’ll become frustrated with your design.

The next tip I have is to pay attention to symmetry and scale. For example, if you are trying not to use nightstands that match perfectly, I suggest that they have something in common to tie them together. They should have similar size and color to balance the design. You don’t want one nightstand to be white and 30″ x 36″, while the other one is stained brown and is 28″ x 18″.

Those are all of the quick tips that I have for you today! I have linked sources for all of the pieces above on my LiketoKnow.it page. You can find all of the commissionable links there. To make sure that you don’t miss out on future design advice, you can subscribe to my blog, follow me on Instagram, and follow me on LiketoKnow.it.

Click the photo to see all of the sources for these pieces on my LiketoKnow.it.

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One Color Palette, Two Spaces, Two Budgets

Hello! Just wanted to post really quickly with an example of how one color palette can be used in two different spaces and two different budgets. I put together the color palette below for someone that requested a natural, yet modern, look.

These colors may be altered by your screen. Please view them in person before purchasing.

In the first space I used the color palette for an apartment that came mostly furnished. The budget for this space was around $1600. Click HERE to find the sources for the items below.

In the second space I have again used this color palette for a living room. The budget was more substantial for this space. Click HERE to find the sources for the pieces below.

All of the sources for both of the spaces can be found on my LiketoKnow.it. You can find my commissionable links there, or you can click on either picture to be taken there directly.

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Easter Basket Gift ideas for Teens

Teen Easter Basket Gift Guides

I’ve put together two teen Easter basket gift guides for you. Our 16 and 19 year olds gave me some great recommendations to share. Shopping for teens can be tricky, so we’ve taken all of the guess work out. You can find each of these gift guides over on my LiketoKnow.it page with commissionable links to everything you need for your favorite teen’s Easter basket.

Click HERE (or click on the picture below) to access our Teen Boy Easter Basket Gift Guide

Click HERE (or click on the picture below) to access our Teen Girl Easter Basket Gift Guide. Our daughter recommends the small kitchen appliance that you see. She thinks other teen girls would also enjoy using it!

I’d love to hear if you have any other teen Easter recommendations. Let me know in the comments below!

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Blue and White Easter Decor

Blue and white remains a timeless color scheme for traditional interior design and decor. With today’s rising popularity of Chinoiserie Chic and Grandmillenial design styles, blue and white endures with younger and older generations alike.

Today I have rounded up some beautiful blue and white inspired items available for spaces at Easter, some even year-round. Each of these is available through my curated commissionable links on LiketoKnow.it. Please follow me there for more decor inspiration and ideas. You can find each of these curated items HERE.

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Silver Bowls and Ironstone inspiration

A few months ago I saw a picture on Instagram that inspired me to collect some silver bowls to display with my ironstone pitchers. At the time that I saw the inspiration picture I only had one silver bowl (and actually it was a trophy bowl – pictured below). I also only had 2 ironstone pitchers. But this picture embodied what I want my style to be – timeless, classic, and somewhat neutral.

My ironstone pitcher collection.

Since the time that I saw that picture, I have been able to add 2 more ironstone pitchers to my collection. (They are a little harder and a little more expensive to find.) And I have added 6 more silver bowls. I plan on combining these in my dining room hutch as soon as Valentine’s Day is over.

This is the first silver bowl (a trophy) that I purchased.

Unfortunately I cannot find my original inspiration picture on Instagram. I thought I had it bookmarked/saved, and I do not. So below I am showing two pictures that I found on Pinterest. (Did you know that you can save pictures on Instagram to look at later? Just click the bookmark flag underneath the picture! You can find all of your saved pictures by going to your profile page and clicking on “saved”.)

This inspiration photo that I found on Pinterest is from Sweet Pea Home.

This inspiration picture is from For the Love of a House:

This week I found the smallest silver bowl yet. Isn’t it a cutie? All of the bowls I’ve found at thrift stores and one at an antique store. The ones I’ve thrifted I have paid between 75 cents and $6. I paid $18 for the one from the antique store.

On another topic – which way do you prefer to display your silver pieces in? Polished or unpolished? I actually plan to display mine unpolished.

What do you think of ironstone and silver displayed together? I’d love to see your pictures! Tag me on Instagram! I also have more inspiration pictures on my Pinterest board called “Display” if you care to see more!

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Why the oldest tea cups don’t have handles

Today is Wednesday, but yesterday over on my Instagram it was Teaching Tuesday!

Did you know that the oldest tea cups don’t have handles? These have been in my family since the late 1700s/early 1800s. Here’s why they don’t have handles:


These are known as tea bowls or sipper cups. The English began drinking tea like the Chinese, but wanted theirs served piping hot. The tea bowls were too hot to hold, so they came up with a solution – saucers! They’d actually pour their tea into the saucers to cool it before drinking. Handles weren’t commonly added to tea cups until 1810. After which, using your saucer to cool your tea became vulgar. During the time of the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution, this is how the colonists’ tea cups would’ve looked!

The proper way to hold a sipper tea cup is to place your first two fingers on the bottom of the cup and your thumb on the rim.

As you can see from the picture above, saucers were originally shaped more like a bowl. The rim is much higher than the saucers you see today. This was so it would hold the tea poured into it. Today we can use a saucer to hold a used tea spoon, tea bag, or to prevent drips from staining the table.

I hope you found this informative! You never know what will pop up over on my Instagram. Join me!

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Leather Pants Outfit Ideas

Did you see these vegan leather pants on my Valentine’s Date Night Outfit Ideas post? Today I want to show you three different ways you can style them. Below is the original outfit that I showed. You could even wear this to the office – maybe with a blazer, too!

What I love most about these vegan leather pants is that they are cut like a trouser. A lot of vegan leather pants I have seen in outfits lately are leggings. These take it up a notch and become appropriate for more situations. You can click on any picture in this post to go directly to my Like to Know.it where you can find commissionable links to every piece shown!

And here is how the outfit looks on me! This shirt is very flattering. It has little shoulder pads sewn in, and along with the cut of the fabric on the arms, it creates the most feminine little puff sleeve. And I can’t leave out these leopard pumps. Leopard is my favorite neutral! I don’t know what it is about this brand of shoes, but they fit my feet so well. The last time I checked there were only a few sizes left on the shoes. In fact, I had to try several times before I was able to get some in my online cart. But because I know the brand fits me so well, I kept trying! You can click HERE to find the commissionable links for this outfit. (I’m wearing a small in the shirt and a 4 in the pants. I’m 5’4 for length reference – these are 28″ inseam.)

Here’s another way to style these vegan leather pants! Don’t you love how the red just pops! Same brand of shoes that I love as the leopard ones above. This exact shirt is a few years old from H&M, but I have linked a similar one that would work perfectly, as well as the exact shoes and purse HERE.

Okay, this final look with the vegan leather pants is definitely reserved for date night! This shirt has a lacy, sweetheart neckline that is a little risqué for the office, but your honey would TOTALLY appreciate it on a night out. 😉 (I’m wearing a small in the shirt.) Find the links HERE.

Which one of these looks do you like best? I like them all – I’m trying to decide which one to wear on Valentine’s Day!

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Pink Blazer Outfit ideas

Hi, friends!

As a follow up to my post last week with some outfit ideas for your Valentine’s Day, I want to show you several ways this adorable pink blazer can be styled. Below are the pieces as I put them together for a Valentine’s date, but this would work well for the office, too!

I’ve said multiple times that these are the most comfortable black pumps that I own. And the internet agrees too, because they’ve sold out multiple times. You can click on the picture above and it will take you to my Like to Know.it account where you can find the commissionable link to these shoes.

And here is what the outfit looks like on me. What I love most about this blazer is that it is cut and fitted to be flattering on women. The quality feels well-made, but it is less than $40. Don’t let the sizing reviews scare you. The store re-made the sizing. I went with my normal size Small, and it fits perfectly. Below are a few more outfit ideas with this same blazer.

Here is another way to style it that can work for both a date night and a day at the office – maybe on casual Friday since I’m wearing jeans. This is my favorite look with this blazer. All of the pieces I am wearing in this look can be found on my Like to Know. it commissionable links by either clicking on the picture, or by clicking HERE.

In this last look I am wearing a classic jean skirt with a white T. There aren’t many sizes left in the skirt, but if you are able to snag one I recommend sizing down one size. I went with a 26 instead of my normal 27. I love, love, LOVE this v-neck because it is not see-through. Does anyone else get tired of wearing 2 shirts because so many shirts are see-through? Click the picture or click HERE to find all of the pieces on my Like to Know.it.

So which look is your favorite? There are so many ways to style this blazer – it’s a must have!

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Valentine’s Mantel Decor

Happy Monday to you, friends!

Today I am sharing our mantel decorated for Valentine’s Day. I am super excited to point out the red berry garlands, which you may remember from my Instagram stories. I picked them up on the day after Christmas clearance for half price. I hung the one below the mantel with some Command hooks, and I am pleased with how it looks!

I have used some new things and mixed them with other ones that I already owned, as well as some vintage pieces pulled from other areas of our house.

I have linked the same berry garland (still available), Valentine’s garland, and Valentine’s wreath on my Like to Know.it. I have also linked similar lanterns and artwork. You can find all of the affiliate links for these things HERE.

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Valentine’s Outfit Ideas

Ken has made us a Valentine’s reservation at our favorite Italian restaurant, and I can’t wait! I know with restrictions and lockdowns in place, you may not have the option to have a nice dinner out for Valentine’s Day. But one of the easiest ways to make your quiet dinner in more special is to find a special outfit to wear.

I’ve come up with four different outfit options over on my LIKEtoKNOW.it page. The thing I love most about the pieces in all 4 outfits is that they are classic and versatile. They can be mixed and matched with all kinds of outfits throughout the year. Take a look HERE!

This look above is the one I’m most excited about. There are raving reviews on all of these pieces, so I know you’re going to love them.

This look will take you from work and then out to dinner. I have to say these pumps are my favorite. They are the most comfortable heels I own.

Such a sweet outfit! It’s hard to tell from this picture, but this black top has the sweetest neckline detail. Be sure to click to see more pictures.

Again, hard to tell from the picture…but this dress has a sweetheart neckline that is flattering on all body types. The reviews for it say how nice the fabric quality is.

I can’t wait to show you which look I’m going with. But I really can’t wait to enjoy a nice dinner with my sweetie on Valentine’s Day!

All outfits linked (commissionable links) on my LIKEtoKNOW.it page!

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