One Easy Way to Update Your Living Room

Every so often, we feel like certain rooms in our house need a facelift. We may be ready for a small change but not ready to make any drastic updates and luckily, sometimes the smallest changes can make a big difference. If you’re not ready to replace furniture or get out the paintbrush then one idea for bringing a fresh new look to your space is by replacing your throw pillows. It might not seem like much, but new pillows can bring your living room back to life and allow you to play with different colors, textures and themes. We recently partnered up with Loloi Rugs to update both of our cozy living/family room areas. We are so excited to have found out about this brand because their quality of products and selection is both so beautiful and unique. 

Kaitlyn:
I have a permanent obsession with the color teal (or any version of this color including mint, seafoam, turquoise...you get the picture!) Whenever I'm shopping at any decor store, I gravitate to this color and try to find any reason to bring home that gorgeous distressed teal end table... But let's be honest, there are much more cost-effective ways to bring this color into a room. I usually update our throw pillows once or twice a year to keep things fresh (and my budgets in line) and I recently decided it was that time again and of course, my eyes went right to the teal color family. I am such a big fan of these two very different but complementary style pillows. The mix of different textures and sizes keeps things interesting and offers a cozy feel which is exactly what I want to maintain in our front room. The large square pillow has such a fun texture and catches your eye right away and as for the smaller one, the tassels bring a bit of playfulness to the room. Now, I just have to keep my dog from thinking it's one of his toys or the baby from putting them in his mouth! ;) Large square pillow Tassel pillow 

Lisa:
Welcome to my loft or as we like to call it the most cozy room in our home. We do everything from having our weekly "family movie nights" to our Sunday morning snuggles here. Let me back up a bit and tell you a bit about this couch. When we bought our new home last year, we picked this couch based solely on the comfort level of it and the fact that both sides recline (yes, you can literally sleep on this bad boy). When it was delivered, the couch was way too big for the room, so we took the center section out. This left it more compact and less pretty to look at. That said, it is so super cozy but it does need a little face lift. An easy way to do so? Add great throw pillows of course! 
I absolutely love these tassel pillows. By switching out my old teal pillows and adding these black, cream, and rust colored ones, the room instantly looks different. It's also the perfect color pallet for this time of year. The texture on these is so fun and gives the room more of a rustic feel..which I love. Our Sunday morning snuggles are going to be much more cozy this week and that's a fact! 
Tassel pillow

How do you make a room feel new again?

Thanks for stopping by!

Xo,

This post is in partnership with Loloi Rugs. As always, all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Thanks for supporting the brands that make Sisters Marie possible! 

A Baby-Proof Area Rug

How can such a small person take up SO much room in the house? I have asked myself this on a daily basis since we brought our little man home almost 4 months ago and his stuff just continues to close in on us. In addition his nursery and all of the toys that have flooded our Family Room, he has also staked his claim on our guest room. I'll admit, that one is our doing because we wanted a little station set up on our main floor where we could change diapers and let him nap if necessary so we didn't have to go upstairs every time there was an explosion (which let's be honest, is often). So, our cute little guest bedroom has essentially morphed into a second nursery.

I do my best to keep it looking fresh and modern instead of overly baby-ish. We do spend a lot of time in there though so I wanted to make it as homey as possible and to me, a nice area rug is always that finishing touch. I've mentioned my obsession before - I'm pretty sure if I buy any more for the house, my husband will ask for a divorce but I can't help it...Rugs are such an easy way to completely change the look of a room and add some warmth, don't you guys agree? 

For Ro's SECOND bedroom space  (😂 ), I partnered up with Lorena Canals, an amazing home decor brand that I stumbled upon via Instagram and I am so lucky I did. For the past 12 years, they have been specializing in children's rugs in order to offer elegant and cozy spaces that meet all the requirements a Mother needs for her kids. YES PLEASE!

The unique and beautiful design of this petroleum berber rug was the first thing that caught my eye (mostly because I'm OBSESSED with this teal color!), but the story behind her designs was what hooked me:

1. All of the rugs and cushions are machine-washable and fit into a standard washer and dryer. Is this not the most GENIUS idea ever? In 4+ years of owning our home, I have replaced multiple rugs due to stains and general wear and tear so I am beyond thrilled to have this ability. Literally a life saver, especially with a baby who spits up and drools all day long!
2. Their home collection is perfect for sophisticated kids rooms but also for adult spaces. I'm thinking about ordering another for our loft area - It's so nice when the design is ambiguous enough for two kinds of spaces so you can change it up later on if you want instead of being stuck with a rug adorned with matchbox cars that only fits one space.
3. The brand is shopped by top celebrities and was picked by Vogue as top baby product for celebrity nurseries. Stars...they're just like us ;)
4. All rugs are made in India and designed in Spain 
5. All products are handmade with natural dyes, eco and contain no VOCs like most carpeting and rugs -- Makes me feel better about Ro spending so much time on it.
6. The proceeds support the Sakula project and provide schooling for children in India. I love shopping brands with a generous philanthropic mission!

While I can get annoyed with his stuff being everywhere, it's also a nice change of space to switch up our scenery and hang out in different rooms so it can also be convenient. I often bring his activity mat in here and we just hang out with his woodland friends. He has started rolling now though so I can't just lay him there and walk away anymore...He is definitely keeping me on my toes these days!

We also spend a lot of time reading books and with all the natural light in the guest room, it's the perfect space for it. I think Ro is really going to like reading because he listens intently every time my husband or I tell a story and it's precious to watch his face light up with each flip of a page. Right now, Silly Tilly and Dragons Love Tacos are two of our favorites! I look forward to these moments during the day and right before bedtime.

P.S. I have always been a sucker for rugs with tassels...Though, I did hesitate with this because they look very similar to my dog's chew toys! Luckily, he rarely comes in this room so I figured it was safe ;)

This face, though! My handsome little man is getting so big...I could stare at this face and kiss these cheeks all day long (and by could, I mean I do)! I am very lucky to be his Mama.

Mom's, how do you keep your baby spaces looking nice & fresh? Raise your hand if your little one has taken over the whole house as well!
Thanks for stopping by! Xo
Featured:
Rug: c/o Lorena Canals Activity Mat: Skip Hop Pajamas: Nate Berkus

I received product compliments of Lorena Canals. All opinions and statements are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make Sisters Marie possible.

A Different Kind of Rug

I have teamed up with Lorena Canals to show you how truly amazing their rugs are. As a Black Friday special, you can save up to 50% today through the 27th of November so make sure you stop by their website after reading this post! OK, now back to the beautiful rug I picked up and why it's just so great. Lorena Canals gifted me a rug of my choice and I had such a difficult time choosing. IN the end I went with this one, Botanic Plants. I really love the colors and print and thought it could honestly fit into three different rooms in my home. I decided to start with it by my front door, and from there it will travel to my loft in the Spring. Sisterhood of the traveling rug? I say why not!

Aside from the fact that the prints, styles, and colors that they offered are truly unique and amazing, the rugs themselves are very easy to care for. They are 100% cotton and machine washable. Yes, you can toss this bad boy in the washing machine! I have to say as a mother and a pet owner alike, that is something I can get behind. No more spot cleaning for me, just easy to care for rugs in my future. How great would it be to scoop up a round one for under my dinning room table next? I mean...my kids always spill on the floor and I would love to have a carpet under it, but never wanted to deal with that mess. Now I can have it both ways! 

These rugs are so cute, I found a few that I want to use in my kids rooms too. Anyone have a little girl with a "doll corner" in their room? I do, and there are some super fun styles for just that! Again, I don't have to worry about them getting ruined with how easy they are to care for. My only complaint is that I didn't know about this brand sooner. When I baby proofed years ago, throw rugs were not an option. No way was I going to spend money to have it ruined with the first flu season or sippy cup spill. Now, you don't have to compromise style for sensibility.  

Another cool thing about these rugs is how they are shipped to you. Gone are the days you have a giant rolled-up, heavy package at your step and gone are the days of rolled up edges you can't quite keep down. This rug came in a bag...yes a bag! It was folded and when I put it out, no rolled up edges or creases to worry about. I instantly realized how easy this would be to clean just by seeing how it was shipped to me. I put a floor mat under so it wouldn't move or crease on my hardwood floors and ta-da! I instantly have more color and style in my entryway and I love it. 

What do you think of this rug? Is this something you would buy or gift to someone this holiday season? Thank you so much for stopping by the blog today, I hope you make it a great day! xo

Tales From a Shoe Addict

In my master bedroom, I have three bookcases that currently house my seasonal shoes. In my last home these shelves held books in our front room, but when we moved I had this vision of them holding my shoes in my office. On moving day, my husband had the movers bring them into our master bedroom. The wood is the same color as our bedroom set and he said "we have the room!". Hubby of the year! ;) As the movers were leaving I asked them to help me hammer out the back wood so they were open shelves. I liked the idea of having the wall exposed behind the displayed shoes and I love how it turned out. Now we just need to paint our room (well every room in our home), but I digress... 

As you can see by the photo below, by the end of the season, the organization gets away from me a bit. Shoes are no longer in the correct spots and other items end up on the shelves too. I mean why is there bug spray & a bag on there? I realize this is a large space, but this is not all of my shoes. My riding, winter, rain, and OTK boots are in my closet or in their original boxes keeping them in good, dust free condition. As you can see, there are no spring and summer shoes out either, so twice a year I rotate what is on display. Here is what my fall and winter shoes looked like by the end of the season. Ok, maybe a few spring pairs were taken out as I stated wearing them, but they had no where to go and shelves got over stuffed. 

BEFORE:

I took out all my crop boots and put them in a case under my bed. This way, if I want to wear any of those year round, they are easily accessible. The other heels and boots I boxed up in clear shoe boxes and put them in the closet. Time to bring out out all of my sandals and strappy heels! Here is what my shoe case looks like now in all it's color coded and not over stuffed glory. 

AFTER: 

I just love when it's all fresh and new looking. Not only does it make my room seem more organized, this makes getting ready each day so much quicker. It also makes styling outfits for photo shoots more fun as I can see all of my options. This actually isn't all of my shoes either, I have four pair that I keep in our mudroom to make getting out the door each day with the kiddos much faster. Hello, my name is Lisa and I am a shoe addict! 
SHOP MY FAVORITE SEASONAL SHOES: 

How do you organize or display your footwear? Are there any shoes you are dying to pick up this season? I spy a few above that I'd love to add to my display! (Hello palm print flats!!!) 
xo

Home Decor: Bedroom Update

It has been eight months since I moved, and it's finally time to start finishing some of the rooms in our home. Since we purchased new construction, there was a good amount of settling over the winter and the majority of the house needs to be re-caulked prior to us painting. So, we decided to do a mini face lift and add some new lighting in the master bedroom. We have very large bed posts, so there is no room for a ceiling fan, plus I've always wanted a chandelier in my room so now seemed like as good of a time as any! Here is what the room looked like before:

I found this chandelier on Amazon and it was super discounted with not so great reviews. Mostly because you have to attach most of the mini (fake) crystals, but I totally loved the design so I went ahead and bought it anyway. I am so glad I did! It took a good amount of work to get it ready for my dad to install, but in the end it was well worth the many hours I put into adding each crystal and bending the medal to keep them in place.  

SHOP CHANDELIERS:

I've also always really loved the idea of having candelabras hanging on the wall on either sides of the bed. I found these shabby chic ones at a resale shop, and also picked up mini LED candles that flicker. I wanted the beautiful vintage look of burning candles without the possible house fire. ;) In the end I can proudly say, I am loving the new additions! 

SHOP WALL CANDELABRAS:

Next up, we will be painting, getting a new bedspread, and also adding some drapes. My bedroom is currently a little too white for my husband's taste. I look very forward to finding some artwork for over the bed as well! So many ideas, but on a budget makes for small changes over time. 
How do you update your master bedroom?  What do you think of my new room additions? 

Rug Transformations

Kaitlyn:

As a homeowner with wood floors in every room, a few cozy area rugs were some of my very first purchases. I love the fact that we don't have any carpeting but on the other hand, I still want to provide some cushioning, comfort and warmth in our most lived-in spaces. Not to mention, it's the ultimate way to change up a room's personality without redoing everything about the space. Area rugs provide an artistic value to a room's design and can serve as the "frame" for the room.

As usual, I'm mixing things up at home now that a new season is upon us. I love trying out new area rug prints & patterns like I love buying new sweaters. Though I wish this obsession was a bit cheaper, my latest rug addition is 5x8 in size and under $100. Ladies, does this EVER happen in rug world?

Lisa: I recently moved into a new home and my life has been busy unpacking and trying to fill our new, much larger space up. With four more rooms/areas then our last home, we had our work cut out for us when it came to decor and adding new pieces. We have a budget to stick to, so updating everything in every room is totally not an option. A simple fix is adding a great rug (that won't break the bank) to change the look and feel of a room. 

I ended up choosing this great rug with a faded pattern in the same neutral tones as my house. My favorite part is that the family room is just one of the three places I have had it so far in my house. It literally goes everywhere and I can see myself mixing it up in my home though the seasons!  

Where do you rug shop? 

You need to check out Rug Expedition, they really do have something at every price point!