I’ve always been a fan of a great at-home bar. I strongly believe it’s a must-learn life skill to mix up classic cocktails, and as an avid host, it’s important to provide an array...
Looking back on Easter as a child, I remember how excited I was to dig through my Easter basket. Full of chocolate bunnies, malt ball Easter eggs, Peeps, golden coins, and my favorite Cadbury...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
results for Two unabashed romantics, Capucine and David Gooding founded Juliska in 2001 with a collection of 40 historic Bohemian glasses – since then the company has blossomed to one of the leading home brands in America. Juliska is not about trends; it’s about loving life and living well. Juliska today is made up of an inspired group of individuals committed to providing beautiful things for the home. We are inspired by the gathering of family and loved ones over food, passionate artisans, and centuries of European design.
I’ve always been a fan of the daybed, and as of late daybeds are showing up everywhere in the home. Outdoor space, add a daybed. Nursery, add a daybed. Breakfast nook, add a daybed. Plus they’re chicer than ever. Take for example this Avalon rattan daybed from Serena and Lily. When I first spied it I knew I had to find a space for it. That space turned out to be my sitting room in my bedroom.
Let’s pause right here to discuss something for perspectives sake. When you read the sentence above you probably thought, if I have a sitting room in my bedroom then my home must be quite spacious. Not exactly. My home is great, but it’s not a McMansion by any stretch of the imagination. For some reason when they built our home they added a sitting room to the master making it larger than our family room and dining room combined. However, because we don’t have a basement and only a family room, I was committed to making the sitting area an actual space that was used and not just a pretty room to look at.
Since my husband and his abnormally large television took over the family room, I naturally retreated to our bedroom. Which was fine by me because the bedroom is, and always has been, my favorite room in every home I’ve ever lived in. I know most sleep experts would warn against it, but there’s nothing I look forward to more than cozying up in my bed with a stack of magazines, a great glass of wine, and the apple tv fired up and ready. It’s like that Drake song; “I only love my bed and my momma.” Preach Drake, preach.
Anyway, I’ve gotten off track, back to the Avalon rattan daybed. Before the daybed entered our life I had a whole sitting area set up with two very large chairs, a coffee table and ottomans. That worked, but over the years how I’ve used the space has changed. Before I really only used it to watch a movie. Now I was craving a new space I could spend my morning quiet time, work, and watch a movie when the mood hit. And the daybed was the perfect way to make this new vision become a reality.
The chairs and coffee table went bye-bye, and the whole room shifted. I put the Avalon rattan daybed against the wall and loaded it down with my favorite gingham sheet set and quilt from Serena and Lily plus a few throws, and a good amount of pillows. This created the perfect, and most cozy spot, to spend quiet time in the morning and movie time at night. Because there wasn’t room for a coffee table I added an end table that can easily move around to where it’s needed most. And lastly, I brought a small white desk up and placed it opposite the daybed. By positioning the furniture like this I maintained the square shape which helps it feel like a separate space rather than just an extension of the bedroom.
I’ve been living with this new set up for a few weeks now and I’m loving it. And I’m not the only one, you can see that Addison has really taken to the daybed as well! Truly, MKR
Photography, Rustic White Interiors | This post was in collaboration with Serena & Lily. A brand I love and adore. Opinions are 100% my own.
Ottomans, poufs and garden stools are quite the rage among design influencers, and for good reason. It can be agreed that these small-scale decor accents effortlessly build visual interest in any room, and with obtainable price tags, they’re nestling into warm, inviting living spaces everywhere. The possibilities are truly endless in a myriad of colors, shapes, sizes and textures as they offer added surface area for styled vignettes and additional, unexpected seating. But maybe the greatest part about it all? You can transition the piece to another room when you’re craving an easy refresh. And since we’re always looking for pieces that are just as stylish as they are functional, decorative ottomans, floor poufs and stools quickly earn a spot at the top of all of our home decor wish lists.
These small-scale design accents aren’t necessarily new to our scene. As you may remember, the two Cecil Poufs spotted in MKR’s One Room Challenge 2015 Final Reveal (pictured above) really stole the show, and proved that floor poufs pack a punch that’s anything but small. Once considered mostly a bohemian decor accent, floor poufs and the like can now be found in many contemporary rooms with smart details and styles that are anything but beatnik.
What do you think about incorporating these imaginative pieces in your home? Quite the perfect way to feather your nest, don’t you think? Click through the slideshow above to find design and styling inspiration, along with our favorite finds! Cheers, Kat
P.S. For more interiors inspiration, pin along with us. xo
SHOP THE STORY / CLICK LEFT & RIGHT ARROWS TO EXPLORE
MASTERFULLY DETAILED POUFS
THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF PRETTY IN THIS SHOT, BUT THESE MASTERFULLY DETAILED LINEN POUFS DEFINITELY STEAL THE SHOW. THE EFFECT OF THE CREAM-COLORED ROPE TRIM PAIRED WITH DYED TIBETAN LAMB'S WOOL TASSELS IS ANYTHING BUT HUMDRUM, AND THE POUFS ARE JUST AS ENGAGING AS THE CONVERSATION YOU'LL BE HAVING OVER THOSE COCKTAILS WITH FUTURE GUESTS.
A LIVING ROOM QUICKLY TRANSFORMS INTO A WELCOMING BOHEMIAN HAVEN WITH FLOOR POUFS AND CUSHIONS IN VARYING TEXTURES AND COLORS. ALLOW FOR STORAGE THAT'S EASY ON THE EYE BY PLACING THEM UNDER A COFFEE TABLE WITH CLEAN LINES.
HERE, A NATURAL RATTAN OTTOMAN PLAYS PERFECTLY ALONGSIDE A COOL MARBLE COFFEE TABLE. THE COUNTERPOINT OF TEXTURES MASTERFULLY ENHANCES THE ROOM'S OVERALL AESTHETIC. AND WITH A STACK OF BOOKS AND A SMALL VIGNETTE, THE OTTOMAN IS JUST AS FUNCTIONAL AS IT IS STYLISH.
FUR STOOLS ARE JUST AS INTERESTING AS THEY ARE SOFT. PUT THE PAIR UNDER AN ACRYLIC OR LUCITE COFFEE TABLE AND VOILA; YOU HAVE A STYLISH AND PRACTICAL SET OF SEATS WAITING TO BE PUT TO USE.
A TUFTED OTTOMAN IS TEMPTINGLY TACTILE, AND SERVES AS A MORE INTIMATE AND INVITING PIECE THAN A COFFEE TABLE. CONSIDER A CONTRASTING COLOR TO AVOID A MATCHY-MATCHY ROOM.
GLOWING BRASS CRAFTSMANSHIP AND BOLD UPHOLSTERY MAKE THESE X BENCHES THE PERFECT STATEMENT IN THE LIVING ROOM. THEY BEG TO BE USED AS SEATS, OCCASIONAL TABLES OR FOOTRESTS.
INCREDIBLY VERSATILE, GARDEN STOOLS ARE THE FURNITURE ACCENTS THAT WILL NEVER BREAK THE BANK. CHOOSE FROM AN ARRAY OF STYLES (THINK HIGH GLOSS CERAMIC, WEATHERED PORCELAIN OR MIXED METALS) TO COMPLIMENT YOUR SPACE, AND UTILIZE HAVING A BIT MORE SURFACE AREA FOR ANY ADDITIONAL DECOR AND YOUR GLASS OF VINO.
SHOP THE LOOK:
VIA LONNY, BY DOUGLAS FRIEDMAN AND DESIGNED BY ALESSANDRA BRANCA
As you read yesterday, we recently set out on a pretty epic road trip throughout South Carolina, eating and drinking our way through a handful of the state’s must-see cities. And as we were driving from Greenville to Hilton Head and then onto Sea Island for The Southern C Summit, Columbia was a no-brainer for a pitstop. It was my first time in town, though Kat had been during college for a game or two to visit friends. It didn’t take me long to see that this was one FUN town on a college game day. The plethora of local breweries, great spots to catch some good grub, and the overall setup of the town really built the scene for a perfect weekend in the south. And as someone who didn’t have college football at their school, I can appreciate that more than you know!
We really lucked out with our itinerary on this part of the trip and our time in Columbia; the AFWF team powwow’ed with the state of South Carolina for must-eat, must-drink stops for us to get a feel for the place, setting us off in the fanciest Lexus SUV to roll us around in style. And after we were done in Columbia, we had our eyes set on a quick stop in Beaufort and finally settling in Hilton Head for the night.
The first on our list for the day was Rise Bakeshop, which was named Columbia’s Best New Restaurant last year by the readers of Free Times. Owned by Chef Sarah Simmons (who also owns CITY GRIT and Birds & Bubbles in Manhattan), the place boasts a big menu of southern staples at a fast-casual frequency. It’s the perfect place for a great biscuit, drool-worthy breakfast or lunch sandwiches and top quality salad bowls… basically everything they serve (minus the cheese) is prepared in-house using only the best ingredients. It was totally right up our alley; the team piled up on sweet and savory treats for later, only after talking to the lovely Chef Sarah and hearing her story. This talented lady really knows her stuff; she’s been recognized as one of the most creative people in business, a new and notable chef, and one of America’s best new cooks, and many more accolades by Food & Wine, Zagat and Fast Company magazine just to name a few. Her drive and passion for the industry was contagious, too; she told us about her big plans to continue paving the way in Columbia for top-scale dining. We definitely plan to keep an ear out for her next endeavor…with Columbia only three hours away from Atlanta, it would be a great excuse to come check out a new restaurant of hers and have a little weekend getaway.
After our stop at Rise, we piled back in the car to make our way to 2Fat2Fly where friends/owners Ramone Dickerson and Cory Simmons have in all seriousness, changed the game with their absolutely, ridiculously awesome stuffed chicken wings. That’s right; you read that correctly…stuffed chicken wings. The name may be my favorite part about the biz too with a play on the stuffed chicken that are too fat to fly! We arrived hungry, because we didn’t want to waste this chance at this when-in-Rome experience here in Columbia. And a side note, the guys were sweet to let us come in; they were actually closed for dining because it was Super Bowl Sunday and the team was busy in the back preparing catering orders all day long. But the boys showed us the utmost southern hospitality as they brought out some of their finest stuffed wings for us to enjoy (with the place to ourselves!). And man, the lineup was creative, innovative and irresistible: mac & cheese, chicken & waffles dunked in maple syrup, jambalaya rice & sausage, collard greens & rice and lastly, jalapeno, bacon & cheese. Insane, right?! They were some of the best wings we’ve ever ate…I mean just mind blowing how they actually stuff them. We definitely put a dent in the platter in front of us, but alas we did go home with some wings that we knew would be just as good heated up later that night!
We knew we wanted to pop around Columbia for a little bit longer, and since the city has a great brewery scene, we stopped by River Rat Brewing next for a flight of craft beers. The brewery was super laid-back and welcoming; one of those places where you’d want to hang out with a few of your friends for a few hours. It had a great, large outdoor area that would be so perfect for sunny weather and a good #SundayFunday. The space was awesome, and one we’d definitely recommend visiting for yourself.
Before we knew it, it was time to hit the road again, and we wanted to swing through super charming Beaufort on the way to Hilton Head. Whenever you’re passing through South Carolina, it’s really worth your while to stop through here; the quiet streets of antebellum homes nestled on the water make it the most idyllic little town. If you have time, be sure to rent bikes and meander the streets covered in Spanish moss; they’ll take your breath away! And if you have time to catch a quick bite, you must go to Q on the Bay for some of the best BBQ around (with Alabama white sauce of course), and homemade strawberry cake (recipe stays in the family…don’t worry I’ve already tried to get it).
Our final stop on deck for this epic South Carolina road trip: Hilton Head. It was such a treat to get a little taste of springtime weather here, and the cool ocean breeze and sand between our toes put a smile on all of us. We had a ton of recommendations to go check out Hilton Head Brewing Co., the island’s first brewery located on the north end. We were so glad we did; after getting a behind-the-scenes tour of the brewery, we enjoyed tasting several of their finest IPA’s at the bar. The new-to-town brewer, Nick Farstad, impressed us with his drive to get the brewery back to booming post-Hurricane Matthew, and he was great to teach us about the diverse flavor profiles of some of the brewery’s most beloved beers. We left there wishing Nick and team the best in his efforts to “put HHI on the [beer] map.” We know we’ll be back for another round soon!
Our last (and maybe my favorite) reservation found us at One Hot Mama’s, the culinary brain child and family-friendly BBQ joint by the talented Chef Orchid Paulmeier. You may remember Chef Orchid from season 7 of The Next Food Network Star! Chef Orchid sure knows what she’s doing; the spread set us back a few lbs. probably (because we just couldn’t leave any bites left behind), and we all settled into a comfortable and happy food coma after we devoured what was on the table. I think my favorite dish was the juicy-wet ribs, but I know that Kat couldn’t stop talking about those wings and Kathryn loved the macaroni & cheese. The one thing we could all agree on though; the chocolate, bacon pecan pie. Bold statement here, I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a better dessert! Definitely worth a visit when you’re on HHI.
Whew! To say we had a great time meeting these talented chefs, eating this fantastic food and enjoying these drinks throughout South Carolina is a major understatement. Big thanks to AFWF, Discover South Carolina and Lexus for making it all happen. I know I can speak for the team in saying how fortunate we felt to have had the chance to see some of these hidden (and not-so-hidden) gems around the state. It’ll make it even more fun to meet up with the chefs at this year’s Atlanta Food & Wine Festival during the first weekend in June! Early Bird tickets go on sale 3.24, so be sure to set a reminder in your calendars…it’s one of my favorite events all year! Check out a few peeks from last year’s festival below (but most importantly, read about the tasting tents you’ll want to visit first!) to see what all of the buzz is about. Truly, MKR
