Primary Bath

How to Design a Primary Bathroom

My vision for our primary bathroom was for it to be spa-like. At the end of a long day, it’s nice to have a place to unwind and relax. I continued my love of neutrals into the bathroom and incorporated texture and warm tones to make it feel welcoming. If you’re searching for tips on how to design a primary bathroom, I hope this post gives you lots of inspo.

For more design and decor info on the rest of our home, check out this part of the blog HERE.

How to Design a Primary Bathroom

Shower Design

We opted to do a walk-in shower in our primary bathroom as opposed to including a tub too. I must say it feels like you’re at a high-end spa with a walk-in shower, and love how it turned out.

The tiles are the Zellige tiles from Zia Tile in the color ‘Pure White.’ This is a similar version HERE. The color variations in the tiles create a beautiful contrast throughout the shower. Then, we used UltraColor Plus FA in ‘Frost’ for the grout. You also want to make sure you get a good seal on your grout to help keep moisture out and the shower clean. See this Instagram reel for a closer look at the tiles.

I wanted the shower floor to flow well with the tile, but I still wanted it to be different. So, I opted for a hexagon tile with slight color variation just like the wall tile. I think it turned out exactly how I envisioned it.

For the shower fixtures, we used a brass tone throughout. They’re from the Brizo Litze collection. We included a combination of a shower head and a hand spray option. Having a hand spray option is amazing to have for cleaning the shower, too.

The glass enclosure was custom-made by a local glass company. They also made our glass piece that sits behind our kitchen range too. Read more about it HERE.

If you’re looking for a shower bench, I highly recommend this one. It’s not too big or small, and love the teak wood against the white shower.

If you’re intimidated by the thought of cleaning glass shower doors, I assure you they’re easy to clean! Watch this Instagram reel, and I’ll show you exactly how I do it using this cloth.

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Bathroom Floor Tile

To keep with the light and airy theme of the bathroom, we chose the 12″ x 24″ honed Daphne white marble. It’s from Daltile and the perfect blend of whites and grays.

Vanity Design

I warmed up the space a bit with the darker tone of the vanity. It’s made of white oak with a custom stain that was used throughout our house. The color was also used on some of our kitchen cabinets and areas of the house exterior.

Like the shower, we used brass fixtures for the sink and cabinet pulls. The sink fixtures are also from the Brizo Litze collection. The countertop is Mont Blanc Quartzite, similar to our kitchen island and butler’s pantry countertops.

Our knobs and pulls are both from RH. However, I found similar and budget-friendly options HERE and HERE.

Wall Color

The wall color is Simply White by Benjamin Moore. Most of the interior walls of my home are painted this color for good flow throughout the home. This includes all trim. However, we did use different sheens. I did a full blog post on all the paint colors used throughout our home found HERE.

Flat: ceiling
Eggshell: walls and trim
Satin: doors and shiplap

Water Closet

The last part of the bathroom is the water closet. Having a space just for the toilet is so nice, especially if you’re sharing a bathroom with someone else. I incorporated this gorgeous earthy wallpaper in this part of the bathroom, and I love how it turned out. We installed a Toto toilet and added this bidet!

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Mixing Metals in One Room

Do you love two different finishes of metals and can’t decide which one to use in a single space? Why not use both? You can totally mix metals in a space. In the primary bathroom, I mixed brass and satin nickel. I think it adds so much interest to a space versus just doing one. You’ll notice our light fixture on the mirror and the chandelier are satin nickel.

Some tips that I stick to are:

Keep it to 2 metals per space.
Be consistent with the finish on each item. For example, if you choose brass lighting, you should stick to brass for all the lighting in the room.
Don’t stress if the shades of the metal aren’t exactly the same. The brass plumbing fixtures did not match perfectly with the cabinet hardware. However, since they are not right next to each other, you don’t even notice it. You only see brass!

If you have any questions or need additional details about this room, don’t hesitate to reach out via Instagram or leave me a comment below.

What’s one feature you’d want to include in a bathroom remodel? Let me know in the comments below!

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Travel

Scottsdale Travel Guide

Recently, we traveled to Scottsdale, Arizona, for one of my kids’ soccer tournaments. Because Scottsdale offers so much in the way of family-friendly activities, we decided to make it a mini getaway for our family. We packed in a lot of fun in the few days we were there. So if you’re in search of a Scottsdale travel guide, I think you’ll find this post helpful to know where to stay, eat and what to do while you’re there.

If you enjoy the beach, I also have a resort review guide for the Cabo area found HERE.

Scottsdale Travel Guide

What to Do in Scottsdale

Top Golf

If you’re looking for a fun, family-friendly activity, Top Golf is a must. The Scottsdale location is beautiful with temperature-controlled bays, so you can play throughout the year. They also offer half-price on game play every Tuesday.

Octane Raceway

Octane Raceway will definitely fill your need for speed. Their 1/3 mile track is the only full-time indoor/outdoor track in the country. You start the race indoors, takes you outdoors and then ends up back inside. The complex also offers a Velocity Virtual Reality experience.

OdySea Aquarium

If your family enjoys sea life, the OdySea Aquarium is not to be missed. It’s Arizona’s top-rated and largest aquarium, featuring a variety of exhibits. It’s located at the Arizona Boardwalk where many other attractions are located like The Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum and Pangea Land of the Dinosaurs Exhibit. Many of the exhibits at the aquarium are hands-on, and all of them are entertaining. They have everything from sharks, penguins, otters, fish from all over the world and a cool Kids’ Cove.

Butterfly Wonderland

The Butterfly Wonderland takes you to the rainforest where you can learn about the world of butterflies and other rainforest animals, reptiles and creatures. You can also view the largest butterfly emergence gallery in the country where beautiful butterflies emerge naturally and fly into the conservatory. And for those that are brave enough, try out some edible insects like scorpion lollipops and chocolate covered ants. I think I prefer chocolate covered strawberries. 🙂

iFly

If you ever wanted to feel like you’re flying without having to do the whole skydiving thing, then you would love the iFly. The iFly experience has state-of-the-art wind tunnels that give you the sensation of flying.

Where to Eat in Scottsdale

Ironwood American Kitchen

Ironwood American Kitchen is located at the Fairmont Hotel in Scottsdale. It serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and then brunch on the weekends. Their brunch is not to be missed! The restaurant is a farm-to-table style, using local, fresh ingredients wherever possible. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, with the outdoor seating overlooking one of the main pools at the hotel.

The above picture shows our breakfast entrees when we ate here while staying at the Fairmont. Some items on their breakfast menu include:

Apple Smoked Pork Burrito
Smoked Salmon Toast
Purple Barley Waffles

Ocean 44

Ocean 44 is our favorite restaurant to get seafood in the Scottsdale area. It’s a bit of a splurge, but well worth the food and overall experience. The restaurant has a large raw bar stocked full of the freshest salmon, tuna, oysters and crab legs. They also make their desserts in-house. If you have someone in your family that would rather eat meat, Ocean 44 also has a wide selection of prime-grade steaks.

Some items on their dinner menu include:

Butter Poached Maine Lobster Tails
Shetland Island Salmon
Grass-Fed NY Strip
Corn creme brulee side dish (so delicious!)
Beignets (my kids’ favorite)

Sam & Luca Rustic Kitchen

Sam & Luca Rustic Kitchen is an Italian restaurant located in Mesa, and we tried it for the first time the last time we were in the area. It’s not fancy, but a delicious hidden gem! I got the Arrabbiata di Mare as an appetizer. I loved it so much that I asked if they could create a main entree with that same sauce they used in that dish. This is a local, small business and a wonderful place to stop for good food.

Some other items on their menu include:

Capellini
Grilled Shrimp Risotto
Pan Seared Salmon

Maple & Ash

Maple & Ash is a steakhouse where many of the menu items are cooked over a live wood fire. Their menu was created by two-Michelin-star Chef Danny Grant, so their menu doesn’t miss a detail to their unique and flavorful dishes. They offer a little bit of everything from raw and chilled seafood, steaks, chops and fish and chicken dishes.

Some of the items that are on the menu and that we ate last time we visited were:

Fire Roasted Seafood Tower
Ricotta Agnolotti “Pillows of Love”
Brussel Sprouts
Short Rib Bolognese
Ice Cream Bar

Where to Stay in Scottsdale

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is a large hotel and have stayed here quite a few times. They have a variety of accommodation options with over 750 guest rooms and suits. The decor is beautiful, mixing deep hues with modern accents. The Fairmont has four restaurants including the Ironwood American Kitchen I talked about earlier. One of the best amenities about this hotel is that it has 6 pools with one of them being an adults-only. You’ll never get bored with the swimming situation that’s for sure.

The Scott

The Scott Resort & Spa is located in Scottsdale’s historic downtown. We stayed here a few years ago and really enjoyed the whole experience. The guest rooms look like they should be featured in a home decor magazine, mixing wooden furniture with neutral fabrics and bronze accents. The Scott has two outdoor pools surrounded by beautiful landscapes. Plus a tranquil spa to unwind and relax.

Have you visited Scottsdale before? If so, what’s your favorite thing to do or place to eat? Let me know in the comments, so we can keep adding to this list!

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Our Home

Genius Features to Add to Your Home

Are you ever doing something in your home and ever think to yourself, “there’s got to be an easier way!” Well for some things, there IS actually an easier way. Today I’m sharing genius features to add to your home to make your life more convenient.

Genius Features to Add to Your Home

If you’re looking for more smart features to add to your home, you’ll love this post HERE!

I created reels for many of these genius features listed below. Simply click on the heading for each feature, and it will take you to that specific reel.

Small Cabinets to Hide Junk Areas

One of the best features of our kitchen cabinetry is our hidden junk area. Let’s be honest, this area is necessary to corral all the things! This practical solution lets me quickly hide random items if I’m taking pictures or we have guests over. This genius feature is called a pocket or retractable cabinet door. I love these organizational bins to keep in there to hold different items.

Freezer Drawers

When we designed our pantry, I wanted to keep a cohesive look with the kitchen, so all the lower cabinets are drawers or drawer panels. The picture below shows our double drawer freezer from Sub Zero and fit in perfectly with my design. The freezer drawers are the two on the right of the refrigerator. You’d never know!

Faux Drawer Cabinets Panels for Trash Bin

Like I mentioned above, I chose to have all drawers installed on my lower cabinets in my kitchen and pantry to create clean lines. I also find that drawers are more functional for us than shelves. We opted to have two drawer panels put on our trash bin to be cohesive with the rest of the drawers on the lower cabinets. Then, put two hardware pulls to finish the look.

I even have a pull out trash bin in my pantry that looks like drawers, but it’s actually where we store our dog food. Works like a charm and easily accessible.

Cabinet Door that Leads to Another Room

If you’re short on space and storage, try adding a cabinet door that leads to another room instead of using an actual door. This helps keep the flow of the room going, and not awkwardly broken up by a door space.

USB Ports with Wall Plugs

There seems to always be a surplus amount of electronic charging cords floating around, but never enough wall chargers. That’s where the genius feature of having USB ports built into wall plugs are genius. You don’t need the wall charger to charge the electronics anymore. Makes it convenient to charge electronics throughout your home.

Remote LED Lighting for Cabinetry

To add a touch of warm ambiance to your cabinetry at night, try using remote circular LED lights instead of having to wire lighting in. It’s nice to have a little lighting on throughout the night and gives the space a high-end look. Then when you want to turn them off, you simply just click the remote. Easy and beautiful!

Hose Attachment for Soap Dispenser

If you have trouble filling up your kitchen sink soap dispenser, then try using a hose attachment. Take the straw off the soap dispenser and attach the hose to the pump. Then, attach the other end of the house into a gallon-size dish soap. I know you could use a funnel too. But using the hose allows you to use a much bigger container than what your soap dispenser container can hold.

Spice Organizational Rack

Some homes have built-in, slide-out spice racks built in next to their oven. The concept is genius because you typically need the spices while cooking, and sliding out the drawer allows you to see all the spices at one time. However, we don’t have that in our kitchen. To mimic that idea, I installed these slide-out racks in my cabinets close to our stove. It keeps the spices organized and no moving the spices around to find the one all the way in the back is required.

Command Strips for Hanging Artwork

I have a fear of commitment! I hate putting holes in my walls and avoid it any chance I get. I’m a huge fan of the Command Velcro strips and use them to hang most of the artwork around my house. The only time I don’t use them is when the artwork is too heavy.

Add Bumpers to Your Cabinets

To lessen the sound of drawers and cabinets closing, try adding these bumpers to the four corners of the cabinet. They not only lessen the sound of something closing, but they protect your cabinetry as well. Soft-closing drawers are another great feature to have with cabinets. If you’re ever designing a space, see if you can incorporate soft-close drawers. If not, these bumpers work amazingly too.

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What feature would be most convenient to add to your home? Let me know in the comments below!

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Kitchen

Design Hack to Keep Your Kitchen Cleaner

A question I’m asked often is if our kitchen backsplash is actually real brick. And the short answer is YES! However, we quickly discovered how challenging it is to keep our painted brick clean. So today I’m sharing a design hack to keep your kitchen cleaner.

For ALL the details related to our kitchen and butler’s pantry, read this post HERE and HERE too.

Design Hack to Keep Your Kitchen Cleaner

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Backsplash Details

We used real brick for our backsplash because we love the look real brick gives to a space. It brings old-world charm that you can’t get with much else.

The brick is about ½ inch thick, and they were applied the same way full-size bricks are laid. The were originally red, and had them painted Benjamin Moore Simply White. I absolutely love the look and texture of the brick and would not hesitate to use it again.

However, the downfall to the brick and mortar is that it’s hard to clean, if you splash food or grease against it. The bumpy, rough texture makes it hard to wipe clean. Therefore, we knew we needed to find a solution for the backsplash on the range.

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My Hack for Clean Brick

We went with tempered glass by the range, and it ended up being the perfect solution. It makes clean up a breeze without covering the beautiful texture of the brick.

This custom sheet of glass fits inside the range area and attached by three removable bolts along the top of the glass. The same company who made our custom shower enclosure made the range glass.

The first piece of glass that was installed had a blue tint to it. It almost looked like a car windshield. One bit of advice is to ask for a low-iron concentration in the glass, if you want a very clear piece.

Would you try real brick for your backsplash? Let me know in the comments below!

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Travel

Cabo All-Inclusive Resort Review

If you’re in search of a beach vacation destination, then Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, is a place you’ll want to keep on your radar! It’s located on the southernmost tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. With its white sand beaches and clear blue water, it’s a relaxing tropical destination. Today, I’m sharing our Cabo all-inclusive resort review, featuring two resorts – Garza Blanca and Pueblo Bonito – Montecristo. Pack your bags because you’re going to want to escape to the warm weather!

On the subject of travel, if you’re traveling stateside in the Salt Lake City area, I rounded up our favorite restaurants HERE.

Cabo All-Inclusive Resort Review

Garza Blanca Resort & Spa Los Cabos

Our family visited Garza Blanca Resort in July 2021. It’s located just 30 minutes from Los Cabos International Airport and 55 minutes from Cabo San Lucas International Airport. The family-friendly resort has a modern design and architecture with 8 outdoor heated pools, a gorgeous spa and 6 restaurants with one being a beachside food truck.

Garza Blanca was voted one of the best of the best hotels by Tripadvisor in 2021. The best thing about the hotel that we found was that it wasn’t crowded, and you didn’t have to wake up early to find a seat at the pool.

The Room Amenities

Garza Blanca features a variety of suites and residences to fit your needs. We stayed in a 2-bedroom suite that can sleep up to 6 people. It featured 3 bathrooms, a kitchen, dining area, a living room with a sofa bed and a terrace that’s accessible through both bedrooms and the living room. The entire suite is about 1,900 square feet, so it was plenty big for our family of 5. It was absolutely stunning and loved the experience of our room.

Other room options include:

Junior suite (no kitchen or common area)
1 bedroom suite
3 bedroom residence oceanfront (sleeps up to 8, 3 beds & 3.5 baths)
3 bedroom loft (split level)
4 bedroom loft (split level – sleeps up to 12, 4 bedrooms & 4.5 baths)
4 bedroom penthouse (split level – sleeps up to 10, 4 bedrooms & 4.5 baths)

The Restaurants

Overall, we thought the food could have been better and the service at the restaurants was a bit lackluster. However, they do have a good variety of cuisines. Below are each of the choices available at the resort.

Blanca Blue Restaurant serves Mexican cuisine in a beautiful indoor/outdoor space. It’s decorated with mother of pearl and neutral tones and has beautiful ocean views from the restaurant. It also has a posh outdoor bar area.

Bocados Steak House is a trendy steak house with indoor/outdoor seating for guests. The restaurant features a show kitchen so you can watch the chefs work their magic. If you’re not a steak lover, they also offer vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Hiroshi Restaurant offers Japanese cuisine with a Mexican flavors. This restaurant also offers indoor/outdoor dining and over 130 different dishes.

The Beach Raw Bar food truck is another fun addition to the resort. If you’re more of a beach goer, this food truck serves food beachside. It’s open from noon to 8pm and also has tables available to sit and eat under the shade.

Pool Snackbar is a must when you’re on vacation. Because who wants to leave the pool for lunch when you can grab it right at the pool? It’s a great place to get a cold beverage and refuel with lunch or even a snack. They offer Mexican and American-style lunches. If you have your kiddos with you, they also offer sliders, mini-pizzas and chicken fingers.

The Rooftop is not to be missed. It features a rooftop pool and bar with a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. Take a swim in the pool and eat lunch. However, this space is for adults only. They do have a kids pool too though!

Pueblo Bonito – Montecristo

The second all-inclusive resort we’re talking about today is Pueblo Bonito – Montecristo. Now, if you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen that we were supposed to go to Barcelona in December. But due to travel restrictions and so forth, we thought it would be best to go to Cabo instead. This time we stayed at the beautiful Pueblo Bonito – Montecristo.

Pueblo Bonito – Montecristo is a residential development offering three-bedroom villas. They’re each over 2,800 square feet, which is perfect for a family vacation and plenty big enough. If you stay at the villas you also get access to Pueblo Bonito’s 3 sister resorts.

Villa Amenities

The villas are there own community and pretty far from the three resorts – which can be good or not so great, depending on your preference. They do provide a shuttle service to and from the resorts, but you need to schedule ahead of time in the morning. You can also get a taxi any time as well.

Private infinity pool
Indoor/outdoor hot tub
Maid and butler service
Community pool at the villas
Clubhouse at the villas property featuring a restaurant bar and fitness center
Armonia spa
Unlimited access to the three nearby Pueblo Bonito resorts
Shuttle service to the resorts
Exclusive access to the Jack Nicklaus signature course at Quivira Golf Club

Three Sister Pueblo Bonito Resorts

When you stay the Pueblo Bonito – Montecristo villas, you get unlimited access to the below three sister resorts. You can also go the Pacifica (adults only) resort, but isn’t included in the all-inclusive package, and subject to availability. We were disappointed that some of the nicer restaurants didn’t allow kids under 16, so just be mindful of that if you plan to travel with kids.

Rosé is located on El Medano beach. It’s designed with a Greco-Roman theme and features three restaurants.

Sunset Beach is a family-friendly resort located in a secluded private coastal bluff. This resort had our favorite restaurant option called The Market. It boasts 9 different restaurants that are either grab-and-go style or full-service dining. This is a great option if you have a big family with differing tastes in food. Plus it was open from 7am to 10pm. In addition to the Market, there were 8 other restaurants and bars to choose from.

Los Cabos is a Mediterranean-style resort that overlooks the Sea of Cortez. It looks like it’s straight out of Santorini, Greece. This resort has four restaurants and bars to choose from.

Aside from the great amenities of the resort, we also did a fishing trip via Black Marlin Sport Fishing. We’ve used them twice now and had good experiences both times.

Overall our experiences were relaxing and enjoyable at both resorts. Cabo is a beautiful location to go to for a beach vacation, and can’t wait to go back.

Have you been to Cabo? If so, what’s your favorite place to stay at while you’re there? Let me know in the comments below!

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Amazon Finds

The Best Amazon Home Finds for Your Home Refresh

One of my favorite places to find affordable home decor is Amazon. They have an incredible assortment of amazing brands that feature beautiful home decor pieces at reasonable prices. Plus shipping is usually quick and easy, depending on the item. After the holiday season is over, I like to take inventory of our everyday decor to see if anything needs a refresh. This is the perfect time to switch things up, if you’ve been considering it because your home looks like a blank slate after the holiday decorations are put away. So, today I’m sharing the best Amazon home finds for your home refresh. Whether it’s a single room in your home or a few that need a little updating, I think you’ll find some inspiration from this post.

Also, did you know I have an Amazon storefront? It’s ALL of my favorite Amazon finds (not just home decor) in one place. I have it organized by categories, so it’s easier to find and sort what you’re looking for. You can find my storefront HERE.

The Best Amazon Home Finds for Your Home Refresh

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Our kitchen is definitely the gathering spot in our home, and love making the space feel cozy yet functional. These pieces are perfect for doing just that. If you have a lot of white throughout your kitchen, these bar stools would make the perfect addition to warm up the space a bit. Use a pedestal or cake stand to hold different items like your salt and pepper shaker, candles or other decor pieces. This gives your countertop some height, so everything doesn’t look flat.

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This roundup of items is perfect to incorporate into an entryway area. I have a similar round table in my foyer (see HERE), and love how it looks in the space. Add a rug and some decor pieces to the table, and you have a welcoming space for your guests to see right when they walk in.

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Can you ever really have enough throw pillows? No, no you cannot. 😉 Throw pillows help finish the overall look to a sofa or bed and provides texture and depth. I love mixing different fabrics to give the look interest. What’s nice about many pillows on Amazon is you can find high-quality and beautiful pillows to fit any budget.

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Our living room is another area we gather often as a family. This vision board is all about that particular space. Start with a neutral sofa. I love this one because it’s a vegan leather and easily cleans any accidental spills. Then add a coffee table with a few decor pieces like the beautiful brown bowl and gold stacked boxes. To add a little more color and texture, place a faux olive tree in your living room.

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Your bedroom should feel like a welcoming sanctuary to come into after a long day. To give your bedroom a mini makeover, try refreshing your bedding with THIS option or THIS one. Store any unnecessary clutter in these pretty wicker baskets, and add calming accessories like these candle sticks with flameless candles.

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For artwork, I prefer natural landscapes because it’s easy to match most interior design styles. If you’ve followed me for a while, you also know I love a good horse picture. Amazon has a great selection of already-framed photographs in a variety of styles and sizes.

There’s plenty more Amazon home decor inspiration in my Amazon storefront found HERE. And I add items as I find them to the page as well.

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What’s your favorite find from this Amazon roundup? Let me know in the comments below!

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Home Decor Dupes

10+ of the Best Home Decor Dupes

One of my favorite things to do with home design is mix high-end with affordable pieces. There are many incredible look-for-less options to the designer styles we see on the market. And today, I wanted to share 10+ of the best home decor dupes I’ve found. They range from sofas to wallpaper and lighting fixtures. So if you’re looking for an affordable home decor piece, keeping reading!

For more affordable home finds, check out my Amazon storefront. I’m constantly adding great finds there too!

And one more thing, if you’re looking for the perfect neutral color to paint your home, I shared all the paint colors used in my home in this post HERE.

10+ of the Best Home Decor Dupes

RH Cabinet Hardware

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The hardware in my bathroom is one of the most frequently asked questions I get. Mine are from RH, but I’ ve found almost identical ones on Wayfair and Amazon for amazing prices. I love that they look on-trend, yet timeless, and really make the cabinets pop.

CB2 Coffee Tables

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Whether you enjoy more trending pieces or classic, these four coffee table styles each have their own distinct beauty and style. And love that each of the look-for-less options are just as beautiful as the more expensive options. I’ve linked all 8 tables above.

McGee & Co. Chairs

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McGee & Co. have some of the best dining and seating-area chairs. But they can get expensive. Here are a few look-for-less options, if you’re on the hunt for one. The wood mixed with the fabric of the chairs is very on-trend, and even more pretty in-person.

Ballard Designs Bookshelves

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The top gold bookshelf in the picture is what I have in my office. It gives the room a little glam next to the earthy tones of most of the office space. Whether you want a bookshelf to fill wall space or for more of a functionality/storage purpose, these are great options to check out.

Pottery Barn Coffee Tables

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If you have small kiddos, the top circular coffee table is a great option to have because it doesn’t have any corners. And no corners, means no falling on sharp corners. If you love mid-century modern design, the bottom two tables would be perfect additions to your space.

Amber Interior Nightstand

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This was one of my favorite finds as far as dupes go because of the significant savings. With the less-expensive option, I added gold knobs to help the black pop a little more. I believe the black color is sold out, but do have the white if that’s more your style.

Affordable Exterior Lighting

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It’s crazy to see with just the changing of exterior lighting, how much it can transform the appearance of your home. I love these bold black lanterns because they go with many different design elements of a home. Whether you have a modern, farmhouse or traditional design, you’ll love the way these instantly elevate the exterior of your home.

My RH Sofa

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These three sofas look very similar to my RH sofa that we have in our living room. Don’t be afraid of the white or cream. You just have to make sure the sofa has a performance fabric or has a slipcover, and you can easily spot clean. Cream and white are simple to design no matter what colors you use to decorate, so you can keep it for a long time.

McGee & Co. Pendant Light

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Look at that savings! These pendant lights would be beautiful over your kitchen island. This popular lighting design will instantly update any space in your home.

Pottery Barn Chandelier

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Speaking of popular lighting designs, this 6-light chandelier is also an on-trend look. I’ve linked both the look-for-less and Pottery Barn option above. Plus they come in a variety of finishes.

Hanging Egg Chair

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An egg chair but more fun! You can’t beat the comfort of an egg chair. But add the swinging feature, and it’s hard to get out of. These can be used outdoor, but also a fun addition to any room in your home.

Sphere Chandelier

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If you’re looking for a fun and funky lighting fixture, this look-for-less light is a great option for my chandelier in my bathroom. You could put this in many different places in your home, like your entryway, laundry room, kitchen etc.

Powder Room Wallpaper

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I took a design risk and really stepped out of my comfort zone with this wallpaper. But I have to tell you once it was up and finished, I couldn’t love it more. A powder room is a great space to do something you wouldn’t normally do. I purchased ours at Anthropologie, but also found a look-for-less.

Bathroom Faucet

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To go along with our drawer and door pulls, we went with a similar finish with our sink faucets in our bathroom. I love the simplicity of them, and how the color looks against our countertop.

Primary Bedroom Ceiling Fan

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Do you love a ceiling fan in your bedroom? As much as I love the idea of putting a pretty light there, the ceiling fan can’t be beat when it’s actually time to sleep. I love the simplicity and modern look of ours and found a look-for-less for it.

Dining Table

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If you’re looking for a timeless kitchen table, look at the one I linked above from Pottery Barn. You can easily change up the chairs as you do refreshes to your kitchen, and keep the table. This Pottery Barn option is a great look-for-less of the kitchen table we have.

What’s your favorite dupe in this list? Let me know in the comments below! Also, if you’re looking for a more affordable option to a designer piece, let me know below or over on my Instagram page. I might be able to find it for you.

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restaurant guides

Your Guide to Utah Restaurants

You often hear about the amazing restaurant scene in big cities like Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. But let me tell you, the culinary options are just as amazing in the Salt Lake City area. If you find yourself visiting here, then here’s your guide to Utah restaurants. Many of these establishments are locally-owned and have delectable menus to satisfy any foodie’s appetite.

I have a highlight saved on my Instagram with many different pictures of these dishes I’m going to talk about in today’s post. You can find that HERE.

Your Guide to Utah Restaurants

La Trattoria Di Francesco

Located in Salt Lake City, this authentic fine dining Italian restaurant is not to be missed. La Trattoria Di Francesco’s focus is on Italy’s rich culinary history and to bring that history to life through their food. You’ll find everything from fresh caprese salads to antipasto pizza and delicious pasta dishes.

Some of the menu items my family has tried are:

Grilled octopus
Melon with prosciutto and burrata finished with a fig and balsamic glaze
Polenta stuffed with mozzarella and topped with speck, porcini and provolone
Duck breast with gorgonzola and pear glaze
Yellowfish ahi crudo – We ordered three rounds of this because it was that good! The flavors were so fresh and delicious.
Spot prawns – My favorite thing to order whenever I’m at a nice sushi bar.
Gnocchi with lobster cream sauce – It was cooked perfectly soft and chewy.
Panna cotta – We’ve tried a few of their desserts, but this was a standout for me.

Tsunami Restaurant & Sushi Bar (on 9th Street)

This locally owned sushi bar and restaurant opened in 2002, and now has five locations. We go to the one on 9th Street in Salt Lake. It’s an upscale spot with a casual vibe. Their menu is full of fresh seafood that’s sourced sustainably. They also have a separate gluten-free menu with vegetarian options.

Some of the menu items my family has tried are:

Mussel shooters
16 piece sashimi with tuna, salmon, black snapper, amberjack and octopus
Kampachi Yuzu with a mango relish
Toffee crunch cheesecake
Coconut glory (tempura fried bananas with coconut ice cream)

Sushi rolls we’ve tried:

Unity roll
Executive roll
Crunchy tuna
KP roll
Unagi Maki
Sunshine roll
Chicken curry (for my younger daughter who doesn’t like fish)

Doki Dessert

This is an authentic Japanese dessert shop, and makes me miss Japan every time I go in here. All of their menu items taste so authentic and are absolutely delicious. They have everything from crepes, crepe cakes, pancakes, cheesecake and much more. It’s a great spot to grab a coffee and dessert for a midday pick-me-up.

Osteria Amore

A couple months ago, we tried a new-to-us Italian restaurant called Osteria Amore. We stopped here at after a later soccer game, and it was delicious. The restaurant is owned by Eduardo Daja who took his culinary experiences from his Italian roots to create an authentic Italian experience and menu for Osteria Amore.

Antica Sicilia Utah

Antica Sicilia Utah is a sister restaurant to La Trattoria Di Francesco. They are locally-owned and so good! Like La Trattoria Di Francesco, you get a true Italian experience and their food is just as delicious.

Park City Restaurants

Five5eeds

Five5eeds is one of our favorite restaurants in Park City. They serve breakfast and dinner, and all the dishes are inspired by the Australian culture. The restaurant has incredible coffee and flavorful, nourishing food. I always order the pulled pork benedict and the Aussie coffee.

Java Cow Park City

If you love local coffee shops, the Java Cow in Park City is a great place to stop. Their coffee is made from family-owned coffee roaster, Caffe Ibis. They also make their own ice cream right in the store. If you have kids, they’ll love the eclectic and bold-colored decor throughout. A great place to grab a coffee, pastry, savory waffle or other treats.

710 Bodega Tapas and Wine

This modern-style Spanish tapas bar is the perfect place to try a little bit of everything. Whether you love meats and cheeses, fresh vegetable dishes or seafood, you’ll love the variety of their menu coupled with the fun atmosphere of the restaurant.

Here’s what we had the last time we were there:

First round: meat and cheese board and fried brie bites
Second round: clams; piquillo peppers stuffed with crab, octopus and potatoes with saffron; and ham and cheese croquettes
Third round: hanger steak, albondigas meatballs, patatas, bravas, gambas al ajillo

Do you have a favorite restaurant in Salt Lake or Park City? Let me know in the comments below!

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Home Finds

Your Most Loved Items of 2021

As the year comes to an end, I wanted to share your most loved items of 2021. It’s a great mix of florals, furniture and home decor. If the item is sold out, I linked a similar item. If there’s an option, you may want to sign up for notifications on a certain item, so you’re notified if it’s back in stock.

I’d love to know if you’ve found something either on the blog or on my Instagram that you love! If you have, leave what it is in the comments below. I love hearing what you enjoy seeing.

Your Most Loved Items of 2021

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To shop your top 1o favorites, click on the text for each item next to the number.

#10 Marble Top Console

I have this console table in my entryway and love how versatile it is. The colors are neutral enough that you can incorporate any color of decor you choose. It’s at a great price point and think it looks like something you would get from a high-end retailer. At only 40 inches wide, you can fit this is many different spaces throughout your home like the back of a sofa, in your kitchen or to add a pop of decor to a big wall.

#9 3 Concrete Planters A

A timeless planter is a great piece to have for styling real and faux plants. And this set of three is so well made for the price. I used them to style my holiday front porch, and love the shape and color of them. You can use them season after season.

#8 Opalhouse TV Stand

This boho-chic TV console is perfect for holding your TV or simply adding decor to it. It can hold up to a 55 inch TV and features three storage cupboards with two shelves inside. The natural brown color pairs well with many different finishes and fabrics, making it easy to style in your home.

#7 Hunter In Landscape Painting

I’ve used this art piece in different areas of my home from shelf styling to my coffee bar. It’s a reproduction of an original work by William Barraud, and comes framed in an antiqued gold frame. The painting is a 5″x 6″ picture with an 8.5″ x 9.5″ frame.

#6 Ceramic Bowl

This white ceramic bowl is a great decor piece to use as a filler in any space in your home. I like using it on my kitchen countertop or entryway table. I believe the exact one I have is sold out, but did find a similar one HERE.

#5 Glass Door Library

This glass door library is a great piece to add to fill up a wall space. You can style books, sculptures and other home decor pieces that match your own personal interior-design style. The exact one that I have and that you all loved is sold out right now. But did link one that’s in my office HERE and a few others HERE and HERE.

#4 Faux Olive Tree

If you love neutral colors like I do, adding greenery to a space finishes the look beautifully. This olive tree sits in the corner of our living room and adds just the right amount of color to that corner of the room. Plus this faux olive tree looks everything but faux. It’s beautiful and so natural-looking.

#3 Rustic Planter

You guys loved the planters this year as much as I did. This is another affordable, yet high-end-looking planter. The charcoal black color with the vintage finish is a beautiful combination for this indoor planter. It’s 9 inch high and 9 inch wide, making it the perfect-sized planter for anywhere around the house.

#2 Eucalyptus Garland

This eucalyptus garland was a beautiful addition to my holiday fireplace mantle look. I used this and a few other faux garlands to create a diversified and hearty garland for our living room fireplace mantle. I also incorporated eucalyptus on our dining room h oliday tablescape.

#1 Cream Berry Faux Bush Floral

These cream berry florals are a great option for a faux flower to use all year round. I’ve styled them in vases in bathrooms, our kitchen and entryway and love the beautiful neutral color of them. My exact stem is sold out, but linked a similar one HERE.

What was your favorite thing from the list of most loved items? Let me know in the comments below!

Wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year!

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Gift Guide

Gift Ideas for Your Neighbors + Teachers

Deciding what to get each person on your holiday shopping list can sometimes be hard to figure out. You want something that’s heartfelt and that they’ll use. So if you’re stuck on what to get someone on your list, I’m sharing two gift ideas for your neighbors, teachers and friends. These ideas are not only delicious or smell delicious, but they also look beautiful too.

If you’re needing some inspiration on how to wrap gifts, be sure to check out this post HERE too.

Gift Ideas for Your Neighbors + Teachers

Holiday Potpourri

The first gift I’m sharing today is this beautiful, smells-delicious holiday potpourri. You add all these ingredients to a pot on the stove, and will make your house smell just like the holidays should. That’s why this makes a great gift because it presents really beautifully and who doesn’t love their house to smell good?

Ingredients for the Holiday Potpourri

Lemons

Cranberries

Sprigs of rosemary

Cloves

Cinnamon sticks

Star anise

Instructions for the Holiday Potpourri

Slice the oranges, lemons and break the cinnamon sticks to release their aromas. Combine all ingredients into a pot with 2 quarts of water. Then bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer and enjoy! Lastly, add more water as needed. It can be covered and refrigerated to be used again for few days.

Printable Label to Attach to Potpourri Packages

You can print these labels by right clicking and saving the image to your computer. Then, simply print and punch a small hole at the corner of the instruction. Attach to the potpourri bag with ribbon or twine. Print on regular paper or on cardstock.

You can shop the products to create the potpourri kits below. Super simple!

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Candied Pecans

These candied pecans are decadent, delicious and everyone loves them. I’d recommend doubling or tripling the batch to give some away and keep some for yourself. Your entire house will smell amazing after making these too.

Ingredients for Candied Pecans

White sugar – 1 cup

Ground cinnamon – 1 teaspoon

Salt – 1 teaspoon

1 egg white

Water – 1 tablespoon

Pecan halves – 1 pound

Instructions

First, preheat oven to 250 degrees. Secondly, mix sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl. Then, whisk egg white and water together in a separate bowl until frothy. Next, toss pecans in the egg white mixture. Similarly, mix sugar mixture into pecan mixture until pecans are evenly coated. Spread coated pecans onto a baking sheet. Lastly, bake in the preheated oven, flipping every 15 minutes, until pecans are evenly browned for 1 hour.

Recipe from Allrecipes

I packaged the nuts in small mason jars and attached three bells with Christmas ribbon to the top. They make great gifts on their own or you can add them to a holiday basket. Enjoy!

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Holiday

How to Create a Holiday Tablescape

A holiday tablescape is a beautiful way to jazz up your dining room space. Whether you’re hosting a party or just want to add festive decor to your table, I’m sharing how to create a holiday tablescape using all faux stems and garland. This look is simple, elegant and, best of all, easy to recreate.

If you’re interested in creating a floral arrangement centerpiece for the holidays, you’ll love this post HERE.

How to Create a Holiday Tablescape

Styling the Centerpiece

I posted the above photo on Instagram recently, and many of you thought these stems were real. Faux florals have come a long way the last few years, and look so realistic. The smell of fresh greenery is irreplaceable, but I don’t love the mess of real stems, coupled with the fact that they don’t last very long. So depending on when you like to decorate, real stems might not even make it to Christmas. Faux are also more cost-effective because you buy once, and use them year after year. I think high-quality greenery is worth investing in because greenery isn’t trendy, and won’t go out of style.

Here’s a step-by-step tutorial for the centerpiece:

Start with a faux eucalyptus garland. I like one that features seeds to give the look even more texture.
Add in greenery stems, starting on the outside and working your way to the center. The trick is to hide the bottom of the stems along the way. I used three different greenery stems to add texture and interest, and alternated the different types. This creates more fullness in the center of the garland. So the center garland includes: (1) eucalyptus garland, (4) pine stems, (4) other pine stems, (2) eucalyptus stems.
I added five candlestick holders in two different heights along the garland. They can be found HERE and HERE. Then, I added these convenient flameless, battery-operated candles to them. They look very realistic and have fantastic reviews.
Then, I added three different types of Christmas trees: glass, ceramic and metal.
I finished the centerpiece with fairy lights to add a festive ambience to the look, which are also battery-operated.

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Arranging the Dinnerware

Once your centerpiece is finished, arrange your dinnerware setup. You can opt to keep the table set as part of your decor on your dining room table. Or you can simply set it up when you have guests over. That’s up to you and what you prefer.

I started with brass chargers, and like that they tie in with the brass candlesticks. Chargers are an elegant way to add color to a table. Then, I used timeless white dinner plates on top of the gold chargers. Then, I added in onyx black salad plates. I finished the look with a linen-blend napkin and a brass napkin holder. To see how I folded the napkin pictured above into a bow, see this Instagram reel HERE.

I opted to use brass flatware for the tablescape to tie in with the chargers and candlesticks. The stemless wine glasses are placed at each table setting, and you can also opt to put goblet-style water glasses on the table too.

Here’s another way to arrange your napkin on each of the plates. In this photo, I opted not to use the black salad plate. I love the festive reindeer napkin holders, and placed the napkin vertically onto the plate. Then, you can add a real or faux pine stem to finish the look.

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Do you prefer to keep your dinnerware out throughout the season or just when guests come over? Let me know in the comments below!

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Holiday

The Secrets to Wrapping Gifts Like An Elf

When you’ve checked your holiday list twice and all your shopping is complete, there’s only one thing left to do – the wrapping! It can be a tedious job. But if you have the right tools and all of your supplies gathered up, you can knock out your gift wrapping quickly and efficiently. I’m sharing the secrets to wrapping gifts like an elf.

The Secrets to Wrapping Gifts Like an Elf

I’m drawn to more neutral shades of color. Our home is mostly whites, browns, blacks, greens and grays with maybe a sprinkling of other colors here and there. I generally carry that trend into the wrapping paper I choose to use too. When you use similar neutral-colored wrapping paper, the aesthetic and presentation of the presents under the tree looks beautiful.

Before I start the wrapping process, it’s easiest to separate the presents based on each person into their own pile. That was, it’s visually easy to see how many presents each person has and decide what type or types of paper you’re going to use for each person. You may prefer to wrap one person’s presents with same paper or you may want to wrap each of their presents with a different kind. Totally up to you and your preference! This is also helpful if Santa is also coming to your house. Then, you’ll want to be sure you use a completely different type of paper for those (and don’t forget to hide that paper too!)

When you get to this point, you’re ready to gather all of your supplies for wrapping!

Choosing Your Wrapping Paper

Like I mentioned earlier, I like to keep my wrapping paper pretty neutral. Sugar Paper and Hearth and Hand at Target both have beautiful selections for holiday gift wrap. It’s good quality, not too expensive and have neutral color palettes.

For a well-wrapped gift, you want to be able to cut a straight line when you’re cutting the wrapping paper. This gadget that was featured on Shark Tank is a game changer. Ironically, it’s call the Elf. It makes cutting wrapping paper quick, easy and much safer than scissors. Another paper cutter that’s convenient for cutting paper is this one. It cuts quickly and helps you cut a clean line.

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Put a Bow On It

A present isn’t complete without adding a pretty bow on top. I like to keep mine simple and use ribbon. Using ribbon with some texture, like leather, burlap or velvet, breaks up the smooth texture of the wrapping paper. You can even use twine for a thinner option.

Mix and match the ribbon and paper. That way, you don’t have to buy too many different varieties of paper and ribbon. They’ll look different, yet aesthetically pleasing when you mix and match the different textures and colors.

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Personalize Your Gift

Once you have your present wrapped and the bow on, it’s time to put the name tag on there, so you don’t get the presents mixed up. I like using a tie-on tag like this one. It looks organic and natural. You can also opt to get more personalized tags with your name or family’s last name on them, like these. It’s really up to you and the look you’re going for with your gifts.

To make your gift extra special for your loved ones, add a fur tree sprig or holly to the ribbon. This adds another dimension of texture and festivity. You can opt to buy them or you can grab them from your backyard, if they’re available. Other options to add to the ribbon are a cinnamon stick, pine cone or ornament. I also love use a monogram ornament and buy the initial of the person I’m gifting to. It’s just another way to add a personalized touch to the gift.

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When In Doubt, Bag It Up

If you’re not into wrapping paper and the cutting, there’s no shame in using bags or pretty boxes for your gifts. You can still personalize a bag with adding some twine, a sprig and a personalized gift tag to a handle of the bag. If you’re using a box, tie a simple ribbon around that.

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Wrapping gifts doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming. You just have to be prepared with all of your supplies ahead of time before you wrap. Make a makeshift wrapping station, turn on your favorite holiday movie and start wrapping like an elf. Happy Holidays!

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