what to buy at IKEA

 As much as I love designer pieces and beautifully refinished vintage furniture, I know most people (myself included) are on a more IKEA-like budget. I think finding a cheap diamond in the rough at a flea market, thrift store, or on Craigslist is best. But sometimes IKEA hits the spot. Here are some IKEA pieces I love:

 The Alvine Ruta and Stockholm Rand flat-woven rugs (and the Koldby Cowhide above) are a good size and inexpensive. The striped rug is so popular right now, and $200 is pretty affordable for a rug.

The Hemnes line is sleek and simple. The pieces come in black, natural brown, white, and sometimes a couple of colors. It's easy to switch out the hardware for a slightly more unique look.

 

IKEA's latest sideboard, Isala, is pretty timeless. I love the legs!

 

I have the Portis coat rack, it is sturdy and has great lines.

Who doesn't love the Expedit? I've seen so many similar square shelving units at higher price points, but Expedit is my favorite.

What's your favorite IKEA piece?

Have a cool IKEA Hack to share? 

(Here's mine!)

geo rug phase

I go through phases loving specific decor items, and my latest is geometric rugs. I'm using this one in a design I'm working on right now, isn't it great? If you're looking for something neutral but interesting, she's your gal.

I've used this rug in way too many designs! There's a reason though--it's so versatile and a great deal.

This pretty persimmon rug is a fun riff on the classic stripe.

I'm hoping to make room for this one in our next place.

before & after: aqua and coral bedroom design

 This is my client Amy's master bedroom before. She wanted to keep all her furniture, but make the space more colorful and cozy. 

 She really liked the bright combination of blues and coral, so I based her design on those colors.

And here's how the room looks now:

 If you can believe it, this entire makeover cost less than $500! We stayed pretty true to the design board, but switched out the botanical prints for maps and picked some even more budget-friendly lamps.

  From the beginning, my favorite part of this design was this pillow fabric. We did just one large bolster so the bed wouldn't be too complicated to make, and I think it's perfect.

 It doesn't take much to dress up nightstands--just a little color and height.

It only takes a few special pieces to make a huge difference!

Have a design challenge you'd like help tackling? Check out my design services page or email me!

project peek!

Here's a little peek at a budget-friendly master bedroom design I did last year (design board here). I'm so pleased with how it turned out--I'll show you the rest of it tomorrow!

verdict on the brass pendant & a winner

It is wonderful! It seems durable, well-constructed, and looks exactly like the picture. It's the perfect pendant for a small space. However, I couldn't get over the bulky cord kit hanging down the wall. And at 6 lbs, it's also a bit heavy to hang straight from a drywall ceiling without drilling into beams, which I would have to do. Too bad for me. But if you're okay with those drawbacks (or can hard-wire it), you should buy it because it's beautiful!

On a brighter note:

 Congratulations to Britney, winner of the Royal Design Studio stencil giveaway!

balloon chairs

 Lonny via

The first time I saw a balloon chair was in a design by Kelly Wearstler. She loves to use crazy chairs, and these ones show up a lot in her commercial work. 

Kelly Wearstler via

It seems like Kelly is always two steps ahead, so her stuff sometimes takes some warming up to. But I usually come around.

Kelly Wearstler via

I've warmed up to these whimsical and avant garde chairs (a little bit anyway)... I'm thinking they’d be great to lay your head against and nap!

Kelly Wearstler via

Pssst! Don't forget to enter the Royal Design Studio stencil giveaway, it ends tonight!

legs on or legs off?

 House & Home via

One of the biggest dilemmas people have is what size rug to use in a living room and whether it should fit all or just some of the furniture on it. The optimal rug size/positioning depends on the size of the room, scale of the furniture, how much furniture, focal point, personal preference and other factors... I don’t think there’s just one right way to do it, but I go by some general rules:

FEET OFF:

 Best for small rugs or small/oddly-shaped rooms.

Domino via

Jacques Grange via

SOME FEET ON:

Best for unifying a seating area.

Micasa via

Caitlin Creer

ALL FEET ON:

Best for extra-large rugs.

 Nate Berkus via

John McInroe via

In general, I’ve found it to be the most flexible arrangement to be a medium/large rug with some feet on, some feet off. A good tip is to tape off the space to get an idea for the size you prefer before committing big $$ for a rug.

giveaway: royal design studio

Doesn't this patterned wall look great? I can't believe how chic stenciling is looking these days. If you've got a stenciling project in mind, this might be your lucky day, because Royal Design Studio is giving away one of their stencils valued at up to $50!

 RDS has tons of different options, from traditional to modern and everything in between. Even if you don't have walls to paint, these stencils are beautiful for furniture, fabric, or craft projects (like my little wrapping paper project).

TO WIN: follow ROOST, check out the Royal Design Studio stencils, and leave a comment to say which one you'd choose. And I'd love to hear what project you have in mind!

I'll announce the winner Friday, good luck!

pin of the week 01.13

Maybe my favorite nursery of all time.

Pinned to Kid Spaces via Abode Love

brass pendant light debate

 I saw a few different blog posts about this brass tiered pendant shade from Urban Outfitters over the past week and I love it! It's inexpensive, perfect for just about any room in my house, and especially great for renters because it isn't hard-wired. So I ordered two!

Problem is, my husband hates it! I'm convinced he'll change his mind when he sees that it won't make our house look like the 70s.

What do you think--awesome? Awful?

english rose nursery design

 I know so many people welcoming babies soon, I thought it would be fun to put together a nursery design board. This "English Rose" nursery was inspired by the sweet illustrated map of the royal wedding processional route, which I'm kind of obsessed with! Minus the crib, this design could work for a lot of different rooms.

Crib: Restoration Hardware Baby & Child

Pendant: Oly Studio

Chevron Fabric: Lee Jofa

Rose Fabric: Magnolia Home Fashions

Rug: Madeline Weinrib

Print: House That Lars Built

Paint: Serena & Lily

Dresser: Hickory Chair

Bumper: Little Auggie

Pin It

Have a design challenge you'd like help tackling? Check out my design services page or email me!

never too early for floral

 The weather here in Virginia was heavenly this weekend. This little break from the cold has me wishing for Spring, and nothing says “Spring!” like floral. These are some of my favorites:

 Formosa in Gardenia | Waverly

I adore this fabric. The colors are vibrant and rich, and it's really inexpensive! I used it in this design last year.

 

 Formosa in Red | Waverly

Same fabric, different colorway. Equally beautiful.

 Magnolia | GP & J Baker 

Misia | Manuel Canovas

This will remain the fabric of my dreams.

Shablis Rose | Magnolia Home Fashions

This one is much more traditional, but I think it's really romantic. It's crazy cheap at only $9 per yard (here). I used it in a new design I’ll show you tomorrow!

cheap chic: anthropologie towels

 Anthropologie "Perpetual Blooms" Towels

$8 - $36 

These pretty towels are one of Anthropologie's staple items. But I found something close at a way better price point:

World Market "Tamara Sculpted" Towels

$8 - $15

Same idea: flocked floral. The hand towels cost the same, but the bath towels are less than half as much! And if you sign up for World Market's email list, they send coupons all the time.

welcome sponsor: windows by melissa

Hello and welcome to the newest sponsor of Roost, Windows by Melissa! 

If you need custom window coverings of any kind, stop by Melissa's shop for roman shades, hidden-tab panels, flat panels, valances, and more. Melissa is offering a coupon code for 25% off of labor costs (code: ROOST25) for your custom curtains, check out her shop today!

Interested in sponsoring Roost? Email me!

glamorous & tattered

 What is it about things that are falling apart that is so romantic? I love the juxtaposition of glamorous and tattered. I've half a mind to strip some paint off my furniture and move into the Swannanoa Palace!