On a magic carpet ride.

A magic carpet ride through the internet that is. I've been searching all over the worldwide web for a couple of rugs (more on that later). In the process I found some killer deals on 8'x10' Pottery Barn rugs at eBay. Here are just a few that caught my eye:

leaf outdoor rug $199
jute navy and natural stripe rug $249
asher wool rug $249
navy chain link rug $377

Thursday's Things to Love:

fresh cut flowers

(house beautiful)

(domino)

You don't need a special occasion to buy a bouquet - flowers add to the decor in every room of the home (even the powder room). I cut my own flowers in the warm months and buy them in the winter, so the type of flower in my home changes with the seasons. It's fun to coordinate them with other colors in the room, or to add an extra punch of color.

*Do you have a favorite flower that you use in your home?

Getting the look.

In honor of her recent win on HGTV's reality series "Design Star", today's inspiration room was designed by Emily Henderson.
You could start with a bold vintage school map from etsy...
...and the Torsby Sideboard from IKEA.
Then bring in this mid-century style chair from EquisiteHomePlus.

Finally, add the finishing touches like a sheepskin rug on the chair, a globe, or a real shot of color in the form of a vintage metal letter like this one from etsy.

Reader DIY project.

After posting a few of my do-it-yourself (DIY) projects the other day I received some great e-mails from readers with photos of their own projects. One of those readers, Ralna, recently purchased her first home. Striving to decorate on a budget, she reupholstered two club chairs purchased at a local auction for $15 each.

before:
after:
Impressive! Here's what she had to say:

I just stripped all the old pieces off one at a time and used them as a pattern on my new fabric. The most time consuming part of the whole project was taking out the hundreds of staples holding it together! Then when I was done cutting the new pieces, I slowly put it back together. Most of it was done with a staple gun. There was minimal sewing other than the two cushions and putting on the piping. I stopped by my local upholstery shop when I got to the backs and they gave me a short tutorial on using the tacking strips down the back seams of the chairs and sold me some for a few dollars - totally worth every penny! The fabric I chose is called "Cream Chenille" - a heavy upholstery fabric - costing me around $45 for each chair when all was said and done. It was definitely labor intensive but saved us a lot of money in the end and totally left me with a feeling of accomplishment!

I love that she created classic pieces for her home at such a low cost. You can head over to Ralna's blog to follow her progress and check out her latest projects.

Take Five Friday.

It's time for another exciting Friday feature, and this time I'm interviewing a fellow Utahn. I knew I was going to love her blog when I saw that we had the same Imperial Trellis and Pottery Barn pillows on our sofas. I love her style! Our featured blogger this week is...

Kirsten, of 6th Street Design School

Kirsten is a wife and mother who recently earned her degree in Interior Design. She began her blog to share her style and document the things she loves.

What advice can you give readers on getting started when decorating a new home?
Find one or two things that you really love and start there. It could be a rug, a great lamp, a pillow or an amazing sofa. But you have to LOVE it. And don't be afraid to invest a lot of money in a good piece. It will completely lift your whole room.

(kirsten's master bedroom)

What design rules do you never break?
I personally get really annoyed by design rules. The only rule I follow is that if it looks good it works and if it doesn't look good then it doesn't work. I trust my own "eye" more than I care about rules. Most of my clients are always so hesitant about color, pattern, scale and proportion because they are scared of breaking the rules. This fear has created a lot of bland rooms. Just trust yourself and don't be scared. And if you really just don't have an "eye" for design then hire a designer!

Which rules were made to be broken?
Mix woods! Don't worry about having a light and dark wood in the same room. It doesn't all have to match. Mix up your furniture. Never buy everything from a set. Your end tables don't have to be identical to your coffee table. Your sofa and your love-seat do not have to be the same. Mixing things up makes your room exciting!

(kirsten's family room)

How do you draw inspiration for the rooms you design?
I get my inspiration mostly from blogging and other designers. Watching what other people have done opens my eyes to possibilities. I also love to visit high-end retail shops, hotels and restaurants.

(styling a photo shoot)

What are your favorite online resources for all things home-related?
I love Etsy. You can find one-of-a-kind treasures on there. L&S fabrics is a great place to find good fabric deals online. Overstock and CNS have great deals but you have to act fast before they're gone!

Share some advice on building a successful design blog.
I could give advice for days. I have a lot of people ask me for tips about starting up blogs and I always tell them the same thing. You have to be dedicated. It could be months before you get a lot of readers but don't give up. Having a successful design blog will not happen over night. Networking is huge! Get to know other bloggers. Get the word out about your blog in any way you know how. Introduce yourself to your favorite bloggers and let them know you would love a mention on their blog. Get a good graphic designer to design your header and layout. It makes such a difference. It has to look good. Especially if your blog is design related. The last bit of advice I would give is to make your blog a blog that you would want to read. There are so many different angles you can take to blogging. Do what you like. Your blog is yours and should reflect you and your personal style. And you have to be passionate about it!

Thanks to Kirsten for taking five out of your busy summer to be with us today. To see more of her beautiful home, or to contact her for design services, head on over to her blog 6th Street Design School.

Catalog inspiration.

Yesterday I picked up the new fall catalog at J.Crew. While I'm a big fan of their clothing, what I found myself admiring were the sets from the photo shoot. I was impressed with their use of interior design to highlight the style of their fall line. I love the mix of traditional (check out the tufted velvet sofa) with vintage modern (that awesome desk lamp).
By the way, I'm seriously considering updating some wooden dressers I own by painting vertical black stripes like in the first picture. Very cool.

SLC style: brick houses.

The homes in Salt Lake City are predominantly built with brick exteriors. I love that you'll find brick on traditional, tudor, cottage, and ranch style homes. Here are a few of the amazing brick homes I've found while driving around town.

Thursday's Things to Love:

vintage lamps
These babies can be scored at garage sales, thrift stores, grandparents' homes, and online classifieds (like Craigslist and KSL). My favorites tend to be wood or ceramic. Usually all they need is a new shade and you've got a totally different lamp. Often times the best part is the price tag - all of ours were under $10.