Whether we like it or not, the bathroom is the place that we have to visit at least several times a day, yet we often neglect it; which is silly really, because it is one of the smallest spaces we have, and can be updated with very little time and money. Okay, so not HGTV updated, but freshened up enough that you might even like it, and you definitely won’t cringe the next time you need to spend a little extra time in there. By the way, this isn’t about replacing taps and tile, or pouring your own concrete counter-top, it’s about the things that you can plan while sipping a cup of coffee, and do with barely any skill or thought ….. Paint I know it’s obvious, so why don’t we do it? The preparation might even take you longer than the painting, but if it’s small, and you are careful, you should be fine without too much prep. If your walls are a bright color, go cream or white, and if it is already fairly plain, try brightening it up with a color. (If your wall space is really small, check out your local hardware store for a can of “Oops” paint). Replace your Shower curtain with something Simple and Luxurious White is often the best to brighten up a bathroom, but if you want a color, buy something soft and quiet, with a texture to it (like a waffle weave, or an unusual, cozy fabric). Ditch the themed curtains for a while. Bring in Furniture If you have the space, add instant personality (and extra storage) with an old dresser, nightstand or shelf that isn’t normally used in a bathroom. Change your Shower-head Most just twist off, and there are so many fun and interesting options now. If you have children, or a large family, consider installing a hand-held shower-head to make it easier for hard to reach places, washing long hair, and rinsing off dogs and children. Organize your Storage (decoratively) Use a vintage crate or metal basket to store toilet paper and towels, and an over-the-tub organizer for shampoos and cleansers. If you want to have make-up and toiletries on display, keep an eye out for small, interesting boxes and clear acrylic containers (durable and decorative). Consider your View Do you really need privacy, or can you let the light in and get rid of the old curtains and blinds? Eliminate Daily Mess Hanging hooks on the back of your door for towels and nightgowns makes it easier for everyone to clean up. It might seem a bit wrong to make a hole in your door, but it keeps stuff off the floor and clutter off the wall. (You could even try those adhesive hooks, but I haven’t had much luck with them). Hang Art on the Wall This is where I recommend you go cheap. Vintage art and signs are great, because they have already been well-loved, and I always think copies of pictures and photographs are much safer than using originals in a damp environment. Inexpensive frames can be bought with “acrylic” glass, which still protects what you have but makes them less precious should they fall. Change out Decorative Hardware, and/or Paint your Vanity (white, black?) Not everything needs to be replaced, but some pieces show their age very quickly. To avoid being stuck in a time warp, buy simple, classic knobs, and paint out the ugly. Check your Light-bulbs See if you would like more or less light, and if the style and size of the bulbs is right for your room. Install a dimmer switch if you are feeling ambitious. Add a Plant I think every room should have a plant to make it feel alive and cared for – even if it is a small piece of ivy in a glass of water. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #bathroomupdatesonabudget #Howtoupdateyourbathroominaweek #quickandeasywaystoredoyourbathroom

I never took it flowers, or dressed up in my fanciest of clothes, but every week I would go to the old antique shop, say hello to the lady behind the counter, and walk upstairs to visit the chair. She said I was allowed to sit on it for as long as I wanted, but I never stayed more than fifteen or twenty minutes. It was called a chair and a half; crowded inbetween the plastic flowers and the used books, the chair was covered in a riot of faded flowers and had seen better days. It was squishy in all the right places, fit me perfectly, and just seemed to teeter over the wrong edge of my budget. She said that no-one would buy it because it wasn’t new, and it wasn’t as trendy as it used to be, but I still loved it. Why wouldn’t everyone want to put their feet up on a giant chair, and feel completely enveloped in comfort? Perhaps it reminded me of Alice in Wonderland, being a bit disproportionate for the average person, but delightfully dreamy for the rest of us. One day, I went to visit, and the shop was closed. With no warning, my visits had abruptly ended, and the chair had disappeared. I do wish I had bought it, because it just suited me, and unless I am in a waiting room or sitting at my desk, I really don’t enjoy sitting up straight. For a while, the loveseat was everything, and you could barely buy a sofa without one, but I never quite got the concept; it seems too big for one person, but too small for two, so what is the point? A chair and a half, while still taking up quite a bit of room, seems far more useful to me. It doesn’t imply you are waiting for someone else, it is the perfect spot to spend a quiet hour or two, you can squeeze an extra person in if you want, and yet it doesn’t look lonely when it is empty. The chair and a half, while having one of the silliest name’s ever, might just be my most favorite piece of furniture… For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #Chairandahalf

There are some people we meet, and we instantly become great friends. While I have never met Stephen Thompson in person, what began as an introduction of designer parallels quickly become a friendship across the miles. Living in Tupelo, Mississippi, Stephen is the owner of Designer Connection, and a writer for the North East Mississippi Daily Journal; his article this week was so beautifully done, that I asked him if I could share it with you. STEPHEN THOMPSON: Use the power of story to change your décor Much like a voice constantly whispering in your ear, your décor’s story can either make or break you. You may not be listening to it but, day and night, your décor is talking to you, and it’s influencing the quality of your life. You may think your story is a secret, but it’s out there. It’s in the color of your front door, the style of your shutters, whether paints are faded or peeling, cracked or in good repair. Listen and you’ll hear its aliveness or tiredness echoed in your upholstery fabrics as you sit or stand. Your sink, stove, refrigerator and microwave speak volumes through their age, size, and, especially, their cleanliness. And subplots abound on countertops, bookshelves and tabletops throughout your home. Is you story clear and well spoken, or is it cluttered, confused and broken? Broken stories can be fixed. This is especially true when the story being heard isn’t yours, but one you’ve inherited. Hand-me-downs and well-meaning gifts of furniture – the things others gave you that echoed their story, not yours – may be ill fitting and holding you back from living the life you want. Here are nine ways to fix your décor’s broken story. • Listen to your spirit. Marie Kondo, author of “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” writes, “When we really delve into the reasons for why we can’t let something go, there are only two: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future.” Keep only things that speak to your heart. • Clear out the clutter. Methodically removing meaningless mishmash will cancel the background noise and let your story be heard. Discard everything that does not spark joy. • Speak up. If your hand-me-downs are despised and not prized, reclaim the right to set the tone of your own décor. Don’t keep things you don’t like. Why would you? • Learn to embrace change. You aren’t the same person you were a decade or so ago; perhaps your décor shouldn’t be either. The place where you live should be for the person you are becoming now. It’s much easier to live in the beauty of today’s story than to continually relive the past. Surround yourself only with things you love. • Choose the right way. If choosing what to discard scares you, then listen to Mother Theresa, “The more you have the more occupied you are. The less you have the more free your are.” Choose what you want to keep, not what you want to get rid of. • Be your own BFF. How would you talk to your best friend if he or she were in the same decorating dilemma as you? To revitalize your story, muffle your inner critic. • Don’t bring home crap. The surest way to ruin your décor is to bring home items that aren’t in alignment with your core story. Be on guard when you shop. Quality trumps quantity every time. • Cultivate an eye for beauty. To have a beautiful story, you must first know what beauty is. Step out of your comfort zone and discover the many worlds of beauty found in nature, in cultural events, in books, movies and theater. Let their inherent beauty capture your heart. • Tell an authentic story. It matters not whether your family room rug is a beautiful yard sale find or a Persian antique. How does it fit with your values? The story of what you want to own is actually the story of how you want to live your life. Let your décor be a reflection of the one that’s in your heart. About the Author: Stephen Thompson has been creating tasteful interiors in north Mississippi since 1975. For questions, comments, or consultations contact Designer Connection, P.O. Box 361, Tupelo, MS 38802 or stephen2816@mac.com For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #MalenaValcarcelbooksculptures #Howtodecorateyourhome #StephenThompsonTupeloMississippi #creatingyourownstory #controllingclutter

When we reach a certain age, our lingerie drawer suddenly becomes an unrecognizable mess of fun and function; we lift, we tuck, we squeeze, and we spend a ridiculous amount of time rearranging ourselves into all sorts of things to make us feel pretty, and, dare I say it, youthful. It’s just not as easy as it used to be, and whereas some days make us imagine we could be Dita Von Teese (or is that just me?) others find us reaching for the vast sea of elastic beige that Bridget Jones regretted wearing on her first date with Daniel. With these dilemma’s comes a new sort of organization; one that says we are grown-ups, and that maybe it is time to go through our drawers before we sort through our closet. What we wear underneath is just as important, so let’s get rid of what doesn’t fit, what is hanging by a frayed thread, and throw away the sad, dull colors from years ago. Having everything that fits, and does what it is supposed to do, saves us a ton of time, and makes us feel better knowing that our underneaths are just as lovely as our outside. If you like to match all of your colors and styles, there are wonderful, inexpensive drawer dividers that slot right into place; they help us to keep everything separated and organized with barely no fuss at all. Many of the generic organizers used to be a bit small for the curvy figure, but fortunately manufacturers are becoming more aware of different sizes, so there are far more options than there used to be; these foldable drawers are one of my favorites. Lingerie chests originated in the 1700’s, and will take your organizing to an entirely different level (actually seven levels, one for each day of the week) and they can still be found, old and new, very inexpensively. For special occasion pieces, I would store them in a separate place, just to keep the specialness With those other necessities that are more functional than fun, I would treat them just as well as the pretty things, but hide them in the back somewhere; no-one wants to stare at their Spanx every time they get dressed, reminding us that perhaps if we didn’t love ice cream so much we wouldn’t feel compelled to buy them in the first place. So, fold them up sweetly, and put them in a small box in the back of your closet for the next time you need a little extra bit of emotional reinforcement. Organizing our underthings doesn’t seem like a big deal, but once we do it we are left with a lot more time (and space) for fun, function and frippery …. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #BridgetJones #DitaVonTeese #Organizingyourlingerie #howtostorebrasandunderwear #Organizingyourcloset #Spanx

When I walked into the bathroom there was a small spider hanging from the chandelier. I gently blew at him, and he scampered straight back up to the top. Within seconds, he dropped down again and started to hover in front of me. I looked at him for a few moments, then blew the tiniest piece of air at him again; like something out of a storybook, he swung back and forth a couple of times then quickly spun a line of silk and dropped to the black tile below. As I watched him land on the floor and run under the cabinet, all I could think was that this spider (who had never read “The Power of Now”, organized his closet, or contemplated the meaning of life) was probably so much happier than most of us would ever be. He lived in my chandelier (old and rarely dusted), jumped when he needed too, and created the most temporary form of beauty every single day. I want to believe that he was looking at me, but I don’t even know where his eyes were, all I know is that it felt like a magical experience, and I was grateful to see such a small creature do something so amazing. Much of what we do is magical, yet rarely do we see it. When I visit people’s homes, I am always astounded at how often they apologize for what they have, when all I see is a lovely room; it may not be exactly how they would like it to be, but there is so much more to like than they realize. We are all guilty of doing it; our thinking often gets in the way of what we see, and we get so caught up in what we want, that it is easy to forget what we actually have. Now and again, it is good to make a list of what we truly enjoy about our home, and why (kind of the opposite of a “Honey Do” list). We should remember what it was like when we first moved in, and how excited we were to do something, anything, just because it was completely ours. We should revisit the memories, sit on our favorite piece of furniture, and take inventory of how far we have come. And we should take a lesson from the spider; love where we live, move forward as needed, create something beautiful (no matter how temporary) … and stop thinking. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #howtoloveyourhome #spidersinthehouse #thoughtsondecorating

It’s funny, home offices are becoming more popular, but so are portable devices; people want a separate office space, but then they sit on the sofa to check their email and pay bills. Which to me, is a little like wanting a Kindle, then buying a cover for it that looks like a book. See, I’ve managed to confuse both of us in a single paragraph. We want things to make our life easier (and less cluttered) but our mind and body still craves tasks that require some form of effort, and make us feel connected. It’s a weird dilemma; like the difference between peeling an orange, and grabbing a glass of juice – peeling and eating an orange boosts our cognitive processes a hundred times more than if we just open the carton and pour out the juice, so we have to decide whether we want to peel the orange, take off the pith and divide up the segments, or should we just open the fridge and grab a glass? They can’t compare really, and I forget why this reminded me of home offices, but I would always rather peel an orange than drink one. Anyway, like many things, a home office needs to move forward in life, and the need for huge, sagging shelves and walls of metal filing cabinets has become unnecessary for most of us. Paper is used less, and while our workload hasn’t been reduced, we use our spaces differently, and we want everything to work harder and more efficiently for us. And, we want it to look good. This home office is all sorts of dreamy, and it still has everything you need to get some work done. The glass sawhorse table doesn’t spoil the view, and it blends perfectly with the over-sized baskets and the modern lines of the simple, white chair. If you need a bit more storage, you still don’t have to scrimp on style; this inexpensive bookcase holds far more than you would imagine (and keeps you organized) while the comfy chair reminds you that you’re not sitting in a cubicle. Find a classic desk, a simple chair, and decorate it to your heart’s content. Drawers hide all of your bits and pieces, and the shelves keep your books and files where you need them. A few minutes clean up at the end of the day, and it looks just like a picture. This is a serious work space, but it has so much fun built into it. Spray painting the file cabinets costs next to nothing (which reminds me, I need to do my own. Note to self: It would have been much easier to paint them before I had filled them all up with papers) the notice boards give the homeowner endless room for notes, and the Mason jars keep small clutter under control. I just had to include this one, because it made me smile, and one of the luxuries of working from home is that it is yours, and you are free to add as much (or as little) of your personality as time and space will allow ….. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #decoratingahomeoffice #HomeOffice

For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #decoratingtipsandtricks #EasyDecorating #HowtoDecorate #Quickdecoratingideas

We rattle on so much about curb appeal, and having a lovely front door, that we sometimes forget to talk about the moment that we step inside. The outside is all about keeping up appearances, and being nice to the neighbors, but the inside is where we have to live, and the first, honest impression that we give to ourselves (and others). It doesn’t matter whether you have a hallway, a grand foyer, an entrance, or the world’s tiniest welcome mat, but it does matter what goes on there. An entrance doesn’t have to be fancy, but it should feel cared for, and be as useful and bright as possible (no-one wants to fumble around in the dark, uncertain of where to go or what they might be tripping over). Next time you go home, take a look at what you are really walking into. Are you dancing around slippery tile, dropping your groceries as you try to reach over the laundry to throw your keys onto the nearest flat surface, or do you take a deep breath, step inside, and feel happy to be home? Whether you do it for yourself, or just to impress others, maybe it’s time to re-think your entrance. Okay, so I know this is a bit dreamier than some of our homes (it is, after all, a bed and breakfast rental in the English countryside),  but they have used the space so well. If you have an odd area under the stairs, put a comfy chair there, or hang a few hooks for keys, coats and bags. * Thank you to House to Home UK for the top two photographs, Home Away for the 3rd, Adorable Home for the 4th and 5th, and Freshome for the last. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #Entrancehalls #Foyer #Hallway #Organizingyourentranceway

I don’t read as much as I should (or that I think I should) and I am more inclined to curl up with a magazine or cookery book on a Sunday afternoon, but I still can’t imagine my life without books. To see a book is to imagine something other than ourselves at that very moment, and to open one up invites us to stop whatever we are doing, and wonder about what may or may not be inside. Books add an inexplicable warmth to every room, and are one of the most hard-working accessories you will ever have. Whether you artfully stack your used books in a fireplace, or proudly display a rare edition of something old and precious, the only rule is that you shouldn’t pretend. Please don’t decorate with books that you have no interest in, because we will know. We will know that they are different from you, and we will see that they are not well loved. (We might even quietly nudge you into the land of pretentiousness, where no-one truly wants to be). Show us your books because they have meaning, were your favorite read last year, or simply because you enjoy looking at them. Even if you don’t like to read, take another look, and let the promise of pictures and words gently fill the gaps in your home with life, style and curiosity. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #Howtodecoratewithbooks #Usingbooksinyourhome

There is still time to sign up for our last design class of the season.  If you have any questions, just ask, and if you would like to register just click anywhere on the picture. For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #designclasses #Howtodecorateyourhome #InteriorDesignClasses

The Perfect Lemonade 3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute) 1 cup lemon juice 1 cup water (for the simple syrup) 1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup) 1. Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely. 2. While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice. 3. Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it. SEND A POSTCARD We don’t get much personal mail anymore, so why not look for some postcards next time you take a vacation?  Take your address book with you, and mail them from your favorite spot (even if it is just an hour away).Everyone loves to get a picture and a note in the mail.  Even send one to yourself, and pop it on the fridge to remind you of a wonderful time! I was coming home late one night last Summer, and I was shocked to see Casablanca playing on the side of an old family farmhouse. What a wonderful idea! I wanted to go and sit with them, but thought it might have been a bit cheeky considering I didn’t even know them. Movies at the beach are popular in the Summer, and our local High School plays movies on the side of their building. There are even a few drive-in movie theaters still around, or you could even get your own projector and plan an outside movie night at home! Memorial Day is the official beginning of Summer, and while I sit here patiently waiting for the music of the ice cream truck, I am reminded that the holiday is actually about the veterans, their family and friends, and those who lost their lives while protecting our country. Hopefully, we will all think of them more than once a year, and while we can never understand what they go through, we will always be grateful, and remember to say thank you as much as we can. This week, I wanted to put together simple bits and pieces that were inspired by the warm, sunny weather we have been having.  Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful weekend! p.s. click on the pictures for more info and links. PACK A PICNIC Whether it is for your family, or a special date, why not pack a picnic, and drive to a scenic spot?  Yes, it seems like a lot of preparation initially, but think of it as a full day out –creating a memory… Many places will even do it for you. Bridgeton House, a luxurious bed and breakfast in Pennsylvania, not only provides the picnic, but also the perfect location. (I am adding them to my bucket list). EAT OUTSIDE Somehow, food outside seems to taste better, and make less mess (or maybe it’s just as much, but we don’t seem to mind?). Crumbs get swept to the floor, and leftovers get given to the dog, or flung over the fence. We use less pans, so we don’t have to schlep them outside, and our kitchen stays relatively clean in the process. What’s not to like? Visit a Water Park, or find a local park, lake, beach or faulty fire hydrant… Take 5…. ….. sunny things to do Lie on the grass, and look at the clouds. Blow bubbles. Go fishing or kayaking. Find a Fair, any Fair. Chase an ice cream truck. (No) Paper Plates  Sounds crazy, but it is much easier to use the dishes that you already have in your cabinet. Firstly, they are always available, so you never have to run out at the last minute, second, they are sturdier than paper and plastic, and thirdly (is thirdly even a word?) they cost you nothing because you already have them. BE A LOCAL Google your towns name, then look for things that are happening during the Summer. Baseball games, Pie contests, Car shows, Music festivals, Antique fairs, Garden exhibits, Talks at the library, Book signings etc. Even if it isn’t your favorite thing, go anyway, you may still enjoy it (and it’s not far to drive 🙂 p.s. click on the pie to see what is happening in New Jersey this month. BTW, can you guess which country has the most beach huts?  (click on the picture to find out) For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #WhattodothisSummer #picnics #clouds #driveinmovies #MemorialDay #Summeractivities

We are a culture of excess, and while I can’t explain my obsession with vintage silverware (does anyone else sit and lovingly clean their silver on a Saturday night?) I have no hesitation throwing out that last piece of Tupperware that has no lid. Being attached to our stuff seems to be part of our DNA, and while some pieces harmlessly serve to feed our soul, others just zap our energy by taking up unnecessary time and space. As I push back at the influx of technology (slightly disturbed that my television is now smarter than I am) I have found that there are some things that we will always need, and some that we just have to get rid of. Here are six things that all of us should throw away right now. That pile of old cables, routers, chargers and remotes that you are keeping just in case.  Let’s be honest, your old equipment is not coming back, and your neighbor is probably not going to be drilling a hole and snaking the coaxial cable down through a hole in your ceiling anytime soon. Vases, dishes, pots and pans that you have never used. Will you ever turn into Martha Stewart and spend days arranging flowers and cooking beef bourguignon? If not, keep your most beloved, but donate the rest, or make food in the pots and fill the vases with flowers to give to your friends as gifts. Reusable Shopping Bags. How many do you really need? Five at the most? True story – for some reason, a person (who I won’t name) gave someone in my family a reusable shopping bag that was covered in advertising from a funeral parlor. Some are simply not worth keeping, and others should never have been made in the first place. Fancy soaps, body lotions, scrubbies and matching toiletry sets that you got as gifts or stole from a hotel over five years ago. I love this stuff, but some people don’t, and it can go off quite quickly, which is such a waste. Either pop the soaps in your undie drawer, or, if the toiletries are in nice, new condition, donate to a local organization that will appreciate them. Chairs and sofas that are uncomfortable, or damaged. Whatever the reason, frightening guests, or making it impossible for them to stand back up after a cup of tea isn’t a good idea. Fix it, or send it to the curb. Pens that don’t work, pencils that you will never, ever sharpen, and promotional pens, notepads and post-its from your local bank.  Why do they do this? Do they really think it makes up for the hours we waste on the phone, and teller number seven who was absent on the day they taught them how to smile? I was going to mention plastic containers without their lid, but it kind of goes without saying, and, as I am never planning on getting rid of my lovely old silverware, you are more than welcome to keep your mismatched pieces of Tupperware 🙂 For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/ #Decluttering #gettingridofstuff #howtogetridofthings #thingstogetridofrightnow