First, welcome to another entry of “Jessi’s I Love Places.” There is nothing like having a backyard that takes you away from the reality of life sometimes. One of my favorite places is our friend Vivian’s backyard that she renovated in the last 2 years. She literally transformed it into an Oasis.
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That sweet little pup in the picture is Nala, the Labradoodle!
Next, the backyard has a massive overhang that covers you completely from the sun and rain. The space includes an amazing patio seating area, outside grill, sink, and a massive dining table with chairs.
Also, during renovation they installed a beautiful quaint pool next to the overhang area. The pool was designed in a rectangular shape with a beautiful surrounding marble tile floor. It just complements the modern/traditional feel that Vivian was going for. After visiting this space I realized how important it is to have a backyard.
Here are the key lessons about having a dream backyard:
Patio Furniture – I love how the furniture is position in their backyard. They make it a point to have chairs facing each other for great conversation and comfort. I love the decorative pillows that are full of color to give the space some pop. This entire space just sets the tone for the backyard. Key tip here…spend some money and get a durable set of patio furniture.
Privacy – I am in love with the. amount of privacy they have. After the construction was done they planted tall trees to block anyone from looking in. In my next home I want to focus on privacy and hope that I can mimic what I saw at Vivian’s home. The older I become the more privacy I want with my family in my home.
Yard – If you can afford it, having some type of yard with green grass to me is so important. The ideal backyard is Vivan’s to me. The overhang stops and they have massive amount of grass for their dog to run around in. It’s always good to have views of plants and vegetation in a home because it is relaxing and it allows you to bask in Mother Nature for at least a few moments daily.
Pool – You don’t need to have a massive pool to enjoy. Their pool is of a smaller size but gives such a sophisticated feel to the backyard. What I learned here is going big is not the answer all the time.
Finally, to wrapped it up…I hoped you enjoyed this entry on Vivan’s backyard and hopefully it inspires you to think more of your backyard space. I have listed below some of my favorite key items that are duplicates of the space showcased today. Enjoy shopping!!
First, let me just say it is so fun decorating our new home and having to come up with great concepts for every room. I have grown to appreciate interior design and decorating to the 1000 degree! My previous project was dealing with an empty wall in our dining room.
I needed to add something to a bare wall I had in my dining room and I saw something on instagram that I had to replicate! These shelves just brought the entire room together and I am beyond excited to share!
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Now, even a simple set up like this really took time and vision from the weight that the shelves can hold to the type of pieces to place on the shelves. Here are the key tips & tricks:
Measurements – You need to measure your wall and see what size shelf want to install. For my home I went with a 12 inch x 48 inches long set of 4 shelves that was a lighter wood color. (Shelves were purchased at Home Depot in the Decorative Shelves area).
Brackets – I preferred to have the brackets displayed but to make them appear hidden a bit I purchased white ones to match my white wall. I am very happy I did. (Purchased at Home Depot)
Decor Pieces – I literally utilized many of my HomeGoods gift cards for all the decor pieces, I also utilized some of the items I already had in my home to finish the look. I am sharing duplicate options at the bottom of this entry from Amazon as well as my LiketoKnow.it page!
Color Story – To keep the shelves cohesive I went with a white, gold & green theme when I purchased everything. By sticking to a color story I am held more accountable to staying consistent throughout my home decor discussions.
Lines – It is smart to have your pieces on the shelves line up under each other in a straight line, so it looks clean regardless. See below. It keeps your shelves clean and every piece will be visible.
Finally I am so pumped to share this project! Below I linked great duplicates on some of these decor pieces. Unfortunately I purchased most of mine from HomeGoods so I do not have a link. But below are great duplicates from my Liketoknow.it page as well as from Amazon. Click Pictures below! Enjoy shopping!
I am not usually a New Year resolution person but I feel for 2021 it is needed. Putting together some great tips to jump start 2021 is key.
2020 for most people was a terrible year and I can completely understand why with Covid-19. My husband and I lost our jobs at one point and we were living off of unemployment. However we came through it and we are stronger than ever before.
I want 2021 to be a great year of growth and being grateful. Here are some tips to start 2021 right:
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Vision Board
I’ve never done one but working on mine now. It’s a great way to set goals and visually see them all year so you continue to grow and stay focused. Vision Boards also make you have the sense of urgency to get things done as well, they keep you motivated for sure.
Some of the key things I am placing on my vision board:
Continue Home Reno – We want to focus on the master bathroom, butler pantry and possibly some other room updates. Very Excited!
Learn and grow with my new company! Started a new job in December 2020.
Learn SEO for my blog in order to optimize it on google. This is a process for me, not easy but I am learning.
Finish my John Maxwell Speaker/Leadership Certification
Continue to evolve on my blog and social media. It has been very fun to learn and connect with so many people. Excited to keep it up.
Write a Children’s book. I will elaborate more on this later! Stay tuned!
Have a BABY. We are ready to have a little bundle of joy, we will start trying in 2021. Blessed to be healthy and to be able to try with my husband.
Get Rest aka Go to bed earlier
If you go to bed at a decent hour, the next day will be more productive. Basically go before 11p! If you get your body to go to bed earlier you will start your day earlier and get more done in my opinion. During furlough my sleep pattern was thrown off and I was up late all the time. This resulted in me becoming sluggish in the mornings and it took twice the time for me to get going. For 2021 I cannot allow that and will be making this change.
Wake up with 3 blessings
Wake up daily being grateful for 3 things in your life. Say it out loud, it goes a long way…trust me. I usually wake up, say a prayer and proclaim out loud 3 things I am grateful for that day. Starting your day with something positive is the way to go.
Give your body 15 minutes
Workout! Be active! Do something to get your physical body going from jogging to walking to spinning to yoga to crunches. You name it. Do it! We recently bought a Peloton and we love it. I am making myself get up in the morning and get my workout in whether it is 45 minutes to hardcore 15 minute workout.
Set time aside for “You” and friends/family
In my previous job I never made time for friends especially. I realized that I need to schedule this time just like a I do a doctor’s appointment! Make time for friends…it will help to maybe clear your mind or just catch up with people you love to be around.
Make time for friends…it will help to maybe clear your mind or just catch up with people you love to be around.
Last, family is everything. With my new job being remote I make time to spend with my parents and my grandparents. You just never what time you have left, make the most of it always.
Date Night
If you are involved with someone make sure to schedule date night. Even if you see each other daily set a permanent time to hang out. It will make you look forward to something. Also, I prefer having a date night where I can actually talk to them. I never want to do a movie or a loud sports event.
Hopefully some of these tips will help you start 2021 right! What are you going to do differently in the new year? Share in comments?
I wanted to share this Jessi’s I Love Places I bit different with this entry! I wanted to share 2 different spaces within one blog post this time from the same place.
Some time ago I shared a home with a stunning living room, and a beautiful entry way with the most unbelievable wallpaper. Remember? If not check out that entry here.
Anyways, I wanted to feature and share tips on this amazing kitchen table space as well as how to set the tone for your powder room. Since moving into our home I have grown fond of a having a nice kitchen table set up. I am still thinking of what I want in my own space, but seeing my friend Lynette’s kitchen table set up below just gives me ton of inspiration.
Check out this space as well as this bold powder room below…
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Kitchen Table
What I love most about Lynette’s home is the contrast she has between rooms. If you recall in another blog post from some time ago she has an amazing dining room with a massive glass table that is to die for. Click here. Now onto her kitchen table…the complete opposite!
The family wants a cozy & intimate feel when they sit for a dinner. They were going for a coastal feel at the kitchen table. Their table and chairs came from Serena & Lily. What completes this space is the basket lamp fixture hanging over it (from Urban Loft).
Tips/Lesson learned:
Bring the outside inside your home when you can – If you love coastal living bring the feel into your home sometimes from chairs to a dining room set to bright blue/yellow color story. This is a trend that continues to evolve and it gives you that vacation vibe at home. People continue to buy outside furniture for indoor spaces.
Matching materials still work – By tying the straw-like feel in this space with the hanging lamp and the chairs, it gave the room cohesiveness that is not overwhelming at all. Monochromatic is still in and is not going anywhere in fashion and in home decor.
Rugs complete a room – Especially in a family room or kitchen the rug completes the look at all times. Lynette purchased a simple straw round rug to go with her dining room set.
Shop all the items as well as duplicates on the rug and table on my LiketoKnow.it APP! Click here
The Powder Room
Powder rooms in my opinion define the entire style of the home today. Walking into this stunning powder room of Lynette’s will blow anyone away. The wallpaper is a bright reddish tone with an illustrated tiger and tree printed on it. She was going for an oriental feel and that was accomplished. The simple marble sink with golden handles make the space feel like a jewel box. That was the reference that Lynette felt strongly about when designing this area.
Tips/Lessons learned
Wallpaper can set the tone in a Powder Room – If you want an oriental feel to a bohemian style in your powder room you can definitely do that with the right wallpaper. Use wallpaper to match your theme.
Neutral fixtures are wallpapers best friend – If you decide to have a bold wallpaper or print ensure your sink, handles, door knobs, soap dish etc are neutral colors to compliment the walls. It will not feel busy even if the space is small in size.
No links available but shop the duplicates in my liketoknow.it page! Click here!
Any home decor goals you have going into 2021? Share below!
As some of you know my husband and I bought our first home back in September 2020. The home is a fixer upper and does need some work. Whenever you buy an older home you have to be able to see the potential and have a bit of patience. The first thing that needed to be completely re-done was the kitchen.
This home was built in 1976 and the kitchen had the same cabinetry and sink. WOW. The wood was falling a part and I just could not move into this home and not update the kitchen. I was determined to make this happen. Check out the before & after…
When it comes to re-doing a kitchen it can be extremely expensive and we just did not have the budget for that. Here are the key lessons & decor tips when renovating a kitchen for under $8000.
Work with a family owned company
During demolition of the kitchen
I had the opportunity to work with a family ran business and it was a lot more intimate. The communication was clear and payment was fair from the deposit to the actual work. I dealt with some contractors that wanted me to pay 90% of the money up front and then pay 10% when they start. I didn’t find that good and they could literally just walk away with your money possibly. Also, working with a Home Depot or IKEA is still solid way to go but the price will literally double because of that, so keep that in mind.
Countertops is key
Some people want to cut corners with the quality of the countertops and honestly that should not be the case. We decided to go with white quartz material because it is extremely durable and scratch free usually. White quartz is timeless and for resale purposes it’s the way to go if you ever decided to sale your house.
Cabinets
This is where you can somewhat cut a little bit of corners when it comes to the budget with the cabinets. I went with a grey for the bottom cabinets to compliment the white countertops. The the top cabinets we chose white. I like having a semi-white kitchen, it made the space look much bigger than it appeared when we finished. Last, to stay on budget we went with a simple laminate material for the cabinets vs hardwood.
Backsplash
I prefer a clean kitchen and the best thing I did was use the quartz material to be the backsplash. It actually turned out to be cheaper in cost and to me it looks more elegant. I love the look! Try it!
Go big with the sink
Never go small with your sink. It is always best if possible to purchase a double sink so you can clean and organize your dishes easily. It was one of the best purchases I ever made for the kitchen.
CLEAN COUNTERTOPS are a must
Avoid as much as possible to have a cluttered counter. Try your best to keep your countertops clear. Put everything in a cabinet if possible. It just makes your kitchen more open and it makes you appreciate the look of your kitchen more.
What have you learned when it comes to Reno in a kitchen?
Below shop my kitchen! Most of my kitchen accessories came from Macys or Amazon!
