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...
It’s pretty amazing how some places remain the same, year after year. Each time you return, their sounds, smells and details immediately bring you back to previous days. Places like these hold sentimental value to you, with all of their comforts and even their quirks.
We recently started thinking about the places we hold dear after our dear friend and creative partner Kathryn McCrary shared photos with us from the same small town in Florida that she’s been visiting for the past 20 years. Boca Grande, on the island of Gasparilla off the west coast of Florida, has seen Kathryn and her family through many cherished memories over the years.
From Kathryn: “Everyone drives around the island in golf carts and as life slows down, you get to take in the beauty of the quiet beaches and old Banyon trees. Boca Grande holds many dear memories for me from learning how to parallel park a golf cart before I got my permit, to celebrating my bachelorette party with my bridesmaids. I love going back every year to find that nothing has changed except for me, and it allows me to reflect on the past, present, and future.”
Do you have places that you hold dear, places that have stayed the same throughout the years? What makes them special to you? Cheers, Kat
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I’m a firm believer that a rug can make (or break) a room. A great rug can instantly add much-needed dimension and grounding to a space. But just as quickly, when sized too small, a rug can dwarf a room and cripple its design appeal.
When selecting the right rug for your space, you’ll need to consider color, texture, and most important of all: size.
Rugs, unfortunately, are notoriously expensive, and the sticker-shock of a pricy piece can steer even the most confident buyers away from the right rug. And while rugs need to stand the test of time (read: foot traffic), it’s important to invest in a rug that’s high quality.
Some of my favorite sources for rugs include Scott’s Antique Market here in Atlanta, and online at Lulu & Georgia and One Kings Lane. Selecting the rug can feel so intimidating, and the purchase is nothing to rush or skimp on. Good news, though? Once you settle on the perfect rug, it’s an investment piece that you’ll enjoy for years and years to come. Below, I’ve outlined a few quick tricks and things to keep in mind when selecting the right rug. And if you’re looking for specific sizing specs + diagrams, this one is really great to reference. Good luck! Truly, MKR
No. 1…When choosing a rug for your dining room keep in mind size. The rug must be big enough for the chairs to slide back and still be on top of the rug.
No. 2…For a living room rug, consider how you can “anchor” the space with the rug. Either stay consistent with all furniture legs on top of the rug, or only the front legs of the chairs and sofa. Consistency is key here; you don’t want some to be all the way on top of the rug and others to be drifting off of it.
No. 3…If you find yourself with a rug you love, but is too small think about layering which also adds texture, depth, and style. Start with a large jute rug or sisal rug and layer a smaller rug, preferably with a different shape on top. If your top rug is the same shape place it diagonally across your bottom rug. Some of you may remember I layered this faux cowhide rug (which is the best faux cowhide I’ve ever, EVER seen) on top of a large jute rug in our most recent One Room Challenge project at the WOM office.
No. 4…Avoid a round rug if you’re styling a rectangle or square room. I have seen round rugs done well in foyers and dining nooks, but end up looking a bit awkward in other spaces. The only exception to the rule; drawing attention to the center of a room by adding a round rug under a table or object that is the rooms main focal point.
No. 5…Consider placing small rugs at high-traffic areas like the base of your kitchen sink, bathroom sink, and doors, but be sure to include a rug pad to keep it from slip sliding all around.
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By now I’m sure you’ve heard us talk about the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival as the highlight of our summer. And it’s true; the weekend jam-packed with the best bites and sips the South can offer is one for the books, year after year. We’re beside ourselves in excitement for this year’s lineup (which if you haven’t bought your tickets yet, what are you waiting for?!).
Sure, the weekend is best known to some people for its expansive, high-energy tasting tents (which MUST not be missed). But the festival goes beyond the tents…AFWF offers a chance to attend informative (and irresistible) sessions with renowned chefs and tastemakers, and mingle at private Connoisseur Experiences that can render you speechless. I’ve already mapped out my route for this year’s classes and can’t wait for the knowledge I’ll soak up.
Last year, we had the pleasure of styling part of the Connoisseur Experience; two equally stunning dinners with inspiration drawn from the coast to the mountains. We tapped a handful of local creative friends to help us pull together both looks, which turned out to be divine. Be sure to click through to the original post and gallery to view the rest of the photos! Cheers, Kat
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