Relaxing in a Hammock

Since I am returning back to work from a week in Kauai, I thought I would chat about where I spent most of my time last week - in a hammock! Hammocks are so absoltely relaxing. They are a great spot to lay and red a book, lounge around with a drink or take a nap.  Hammocks are frequently found on resorts on islands, but, why do I now see more around in Denver? The climate would allow for a hammock to be used almost year round. 

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Why does rest and relaxation have to only happen on vacation? Lets all create a paradise in your backyards, starting with a hammock! 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

A ranch home

"The ranch house is noted for its long, close-to-the-ground profile, and minimal use of exterior and interior decoration. The houses fuse modernist ideas and styles with notions of the American Western period working ranches to create a very informal and casual living style." Source

The first time I stepped foot into a ranch was when I moved to Denver. Ranch style homes are very popular in Denver but not so much in the Northeast. The one story floor plan of a ranch is very desirable to many, including myself. Ranches provide the homeowner with great use of entertaining and living place. 

A ranch style home is characterized by a single story, long, low roofline.

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Can be asymmetrical, u-shaped or l-shaped.

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Open floor plan with living area separate from the bedrooms.

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Large windows and vaulted ceilings with beams.

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One of the most interesting things about architecture is how American history is integral to the home style. Ranches started being built in the 1920's and they became incredibly popular in the 1940's, particularly in the western states by post-war middle class families. In the 1960's homeowner's desires changed and moved toward a more formal, traditional style home. 

How do you feel about ranches? Do you like them? 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

Rustic Bear

I have always been a person that loves to bring the outside in the home. Incorporating outdoor elements can help create a rustic feel in the home. Living in Colorado, it is hard not to want to incorporate the great outdoors into our homes as it is often what drive a lot of people to Colorado. If you are looking for shelving with a rustic touch look no further than this bear bathroom door shelf found here.

This shelf is a great way to show your love of the outdoors in a unique. What do you have in your home to show your love from the great outdoors? 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352

The Use of Navy Blue

I have been doing a lot of research on branding which has led me to information how colors can elicit a certain type of emotional response. Without going into about my own personal branding strategy (more to come!), I have been looking into the color navy blue. Of course, it is no secret that I love navy and would much prefer navy over black or brown any day. 

The color navy blue originally got its name from the British Royal Navy as the men wore dark blue uniforms contrasted with white. Psychologically, the color blue is associated with trust and responsibility. 

 Blue represents:

• Communication
• Peace and calm
• Honesty.
• Authority (the darker the shade of blue, the more authority is represents).
• Religion
• Wisdom

"Dark Blue: Dark blue is the color of conservatism and responsibility. Although it appears to be cool, calm and collected, it is the color of the non-emotional worrier with repressed feelings, the pessimist and the hypocrite. Dark blue can be compassionate but has trouble showing it as its emotions run deep. Dark blue is a serious masculine color representing knowledge, power, and integrity, and is used quite often in the corporate world."

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How can you use this information? Knowing the meaning and emotions behind a certain color can help in branding, in my current case, it can also be helpful to know when choosing colors to use in a room. When choosing a color scheme or paint color for a room you can of course chose the color that speaks to you. Another approach would be determine the 'feeling' you want a person to feel while in the room. If you would like a room to feel peaceful, wisdom (such as a library) or elicit a feeling of open communication - blue might be a great color to chose. Interesting enough, when I went looking for pictures of rooms that use navy, I found a lot of living rooms, bathrooms and libraries. 

 

Pottery Barn

 

Cory Connor Designs

 

HGTV

 

Contemporary living room by Lisa Patrole Photography

What does navy blue mean to you? What room would you paint navy?

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352

 

Shared Bedrooms

As a child my sister and I shared a room for a short time. We both had twin beds with matching Popples comforter. Maybe it is because the first 5 years of my life involved sharing a bedroom with my sister but nothing melts my heart more than seeing two twin beds in a bedroom, especially decorated as a child's room. I have seen some great ideas on how to separate the room to allow both children to have their own space and personality. 

Different color, but same design, comforters can create a unique space for each child.

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Different color paint for each side of the room.

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Pictures of each child hanging above the bed.

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Different artwork above the beds and different decorative pillows on each bed.

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A curtain divider physically separates the space.

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Did you share a room as a child? How would you separate the space? 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352

Fashion Floral

There is always a parallel between the fashion world and interior design and one of the trends in fashion that I keep trying to get into is floral. With spring around the corner floral is popping up in woman's blazers, dresses, and pants. I have attempted floral numerous times, albeit with little to show for it. The floral blazers, shirts, pants, floral anything just does not look good. Then I found Tesori floral flats similar to these:

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Yes, depending on how you look at them they are either really ugly or totally awesome. Such a thin line fashion is sometimes. That same day I ended up showing a home that had very traditional architectural details and decor and what does every traditional decor home usually have? Floral, of course!

We all know the look; the floral wallpaper, carpet, upholstered carpet. Depending on your age it might be the interior of the home you grew up in. 

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Lately, I have seen floral getting a bit more modern. There are small pops of floral through the home unlike the overpowering presence it has had in years and interiors past. Here are some more subtle, modern ways to bring floral into your home:

A set of prints:

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Throw pillows:

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Curtains:

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Just like my floral fashion attempts in the past with failed large pieces such as dresses, blazers and pants, there are many ways to incorporate floral in a more subtle way (like shoes that provide the nicest pop of floral for an outfit). This holds true for both the home interior and fashion. Although, neither look is wrong, it is just a matter of what works for you. 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352

A neutral dining area

While searching the internet recently I stumbled upon a great dining room in a Soho apartment. 

This room got me thinking about how a neutral color scheme can still pack a mean punch. Often times we think in order to decorate we have to use a lot of color and texture but that is not true. This room has used muted undertones and very simple furniture. Even the artwork is subdued and the only texture in the room is the design on the crown molding. The room still feels quite calm and inviting without all of what most people consider "design". This room makes me think of a very strong yet feminine woman whose mere presence mandates attention and respect, although not many words have to be uttered to know she deserves your attention. Just like in life, you do not need to be noisy to be heard.

 To see the whole loft, go here. 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with  Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352

A Rope Swing Shelf for the Home.

Any one who knows me knows I love the ocean. I am still scratching my head how I ended up landlocked in Colorado. Since there is no ocean in Denver, I am always on the lookout on ways to bring the the ocean into the home. 

I found this swing rope shelf here. What a unique way to bring the ocean feel into a home. This would be perfect for any room in the home but I love it for a bathroom or even nursery. The best thing is it is a creative way to provide shelving. 

Do you like this rope shelf? Is it something you would put in your home? 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

The Indigo Grand Sofa

I have been searching for a new sofa and found this absolutely gorgeous sofa. Oversized, casual and comfortable, the Indigo Grand Sofa at Crate in Barrel, is a statement piece for any large living area. To me, this couch just screams "come lay down and relax". Crate and Barrel's description of the couch says it best:

"Paola Navone's Indigo sofa has a soft, casual structure for the ultimate sink-in, cocooning experience. Not your conventional sofa, two loose bolsters stack as "arms" at each end of a long, premium down-filled bench cushion, and seven back feather-down pillows toss, nestle and layer. Washed 100% linen slipcover with contrasting jumbo edge-stitching is the natural choice for this fashionably slouched look. Beneath that casual attitude is a serious sinuous wire suspension—the gold standard for comfort— that supports and conforms to your every move, from upright sitting to downright napping."

Would you purchase this sofa? 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

Office Space Alternative

Not enough room for an office but have a need for a workspace? If you have the space, consider putting your desk behind the couch in place of a console table. 

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What do you think of this look? I think it is a great option if you do not have the extra space for an office but need a desk. The trick would be just keeping an organized desk since it would be in clear view, my workspace has a tendency to get unorganized quickly. 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

Downsizing 101

Downsizing can often be a bittersweet transition as change often is. The reasons to downsize are plentiful but one thing is true it can be logistically difficult adjusting to a smaller space. If you are anything like me, no matter how much you plan you always still have too much stuff in your new home. I went from a 1,500 sq foot home in New Hampshire with A LOT of closet space to a one bedroom, 1 bathroom with minimal closet space. Prior to my move I went through and gave close to 5 large trash bags of stuff away and arrived in Denver with still too much stuff. 

I have found the trick to downsizing is organization. With a smaller space you need to be creative with both your space and how you organize. My new apartment has tall ceilings which is great to make the place feel bigger but the walls are also an awesome way to utilize extra space in a smaller home. When you have too much stuff - go up and use the walls as a means to organize. 

Here are some of my favorite ways to organize with the help of your home's walls. 

1. Create a command station. It is a great way to communicate with other people in your home and store things that you use everyday such as keys.

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2. Mount ledges on the wall to organize books. Great idea if you do not have enough space for a bookcase but have a lot of books.

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3. Use caddies or buckets to store really anything! I love the idea of using this in the bathroom.

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3. As a lover of jewelry I have an endless battle of figuring out a way to organize all of it without getting tangled. This would do the trick.  

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4. A pegboard on the wall can help with organization in any room.

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5. Using clipboards to organize and display pictures or important papers.

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This is just some of many ways to organize your space with the help of your walls. What other ways have you used? 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

Pink + Red

Last week I spoke about navy and black matching and I thought of the other color combinations that I have been seeing that have clashed in the past. Pink and red is one of those combinations. I have seen the color put together recently and I really the combination. I particularly like red and pink together in outfits: 

Alla Kostromichova by Patric Shaw for Marie Claire UK August 2014

Although, I have seen a lot of pink and red in homes and love the look as well. There are many ways to incorporate pink and red into your home.

Pink with pops of red.

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Bring in a rug with red and pink.

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The artwork in these room brings together pink and red. 

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How do you feel about red and pink together? Do you like it or do you still feel like it clashes? 

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.

A Tree To Hang A Coat On

I am always on a quest to bring the outside IN the home so of course I was very excited to find this picture. Unfortunately, I can not find the link that it is associated with so I do not have the toturial on how to create this. 

 

Not sure you want to take on this DIY yourself? Here are some other options that you can purchase:

Twig Coat Rack 

Tree Coat Rack

Tree Branch Coat Hook

In addition to writing for Daigle's Digs, Elizabeth works full-time as a Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. Elizabeth's expertise is in buying and selling a home, first time home buyers, short sales, and investment properties. Contact Elizabeth for any real estate needs. Cell 303-819.73.71. Work 720-314-8352.