2D Deer Heads {an alternative}

Deer Heads, antlers, and skulls are a major interior statement that is trending. I'm a huge fan of this look, and have found some images of 2-dimensional deer heads that no one could object to! A great alternative to achieve the look without breaking the bank, or if mounting a deer head just isn't your thing.

^^These DIY deer antlers are made from Japanese washi tape applied to the wall! Read more about this project HERE.

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^^These abstract antlers would be easy to recreate with some orange paint on brown paper and a frame!

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^Go more literal with a painting of a deer head. This adds an instant rustic vibe!
Which is your favourite? I love the Japanese tape deer! Too cute and so simple.
xoxo
Tiffany Leigh

Wednesday's Doodles #4

An eclectic foyer vignette from my imagination to paper. A mix of jewel tones, golds, and a little leopard for good measure. Happy hump day everyone!
xo
Tiffany Leigh

Shopping Lately

^^ Shopping lately I've been buying into some trends: Tribal, crop top, Chambray, Nautical Stripes, Neon, and colored Denim.

Are you trying out any of these?

xox Tiffany Leigh

Little Details: Jewelry Display

Here are two ways that I display jewelry in my own room. My bangles and watch are kept in an antique bowl with a chinoiserie-esque vibe. My longer necklaces are hung on a key rack beneath a flower painting I painted a few summers ago.
How do you display YOUR jewelry?
xox
Tiffany Leigh

The Charm, The Mix and The Art.

With today's social networking sites, we are bombarded by images of beautiful homes and spaces. It's natural that some just get lost in the shuffle. But have you ever seen a space that you legit could not get off your mind? That is exactly what happened to me when I saw this post over on Little Green Notebook. Anne's space was designed via e-design by Lauren.

I saw it first thing in the morning, and spent the whole day at work dreaming of it...The second I got home, I pinned it all.

Here is what I love:

The Charm. This space oozes charm. The archway, the leaded windows, the old rad...Amazing bones.

The Mix. The room is the perfect blend of masculine and feminine. A little him in the gray suit inspired couches and the antlers. A little her in the sparkly lucite details and the floral pillow.

The Art. The gallery walls in this space are quite literally picture perfect. Each piece is interesting and conversational, nothing generic or overdone. 

I know many of you are readers of Little Green Notebook, (one of my fave daily reads), and I'm curious to know if you were as mesmerized by this home as me! If you haven't done so yet, check out more gorgeous pictures of the space HERE.  

xox
Tiffany Leigh

Wednesday's Doodles # 3

I love simple glass pendants, colorful dishes, pops of red, and an eclectic mix of chairs. This little breakfast nook embodies all of those things.
xox
Tiffany Leigh

Design to Do List: Summer Edition

1) Learn to sew

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I've got fabric picked out and I'm going to start simple with some pillows (with the help of my mama)! Wish me luck!

2) Continue to develop my drawings

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Entering into design school in October, it makes me very nervous that I've never taken a drawing or art class. Look forward to many more editions of Wednesday's Doodles as I continue to work on my skills!


3) Go to an outdoor flea market

We have a local farmer's market in town which I love, but its mostly fresh produce and clothing. I'm talking about a big flea market with furniture and home goods! 

4) Finish (ahem..start) my DIY projects

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I've got atleast one major DIY project on my mind...I'll give a hint: It involves a four dollar coffee table I purchased at Good Will!
What are some of your summer goals?
xox
Tiffany Leigh

Helllloooo Herringbone

As if the herringbone pattern wasn't sexy enough used for wooden floors, and as if Carrara marble wasn't jaw droppingly beautiful in a big ol' slab...just look at them COMBINED in a herringbone Carrara marble back splash:

Via Style at Home

I love it! Definitely filing this in my kitchenspiration folder. Another back splash that really caught my eye recently is this glass one:

Isn't it gorgeous? Modern but still classic in its own way. It reminds me of jewelery. Sparkly and lovely.
Hope you all had a lovely weekend (or are having one, if you're in Canada and are enjoying an extra day off for the May long weekend!)
xox
Tiffany Leigh

Long Weekend Whimsy

After I finish work today, the long weekend will officially be here! In Canada, this weekend we celebrate Victoria Day in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday. Commonly, it is known as May 2-4, and is the perfect excuse for barbeques, bevvies, and kicking off the summer season.

 ^ I can just imagine the PERFECT May 2-4 party taking place here. It's a nice blend of masculinity and femininity, of rustic and modern! Picture it during the day with bright sunlight, flowy summer dresses, and of course, flowing drinks. At night it would be gorgeous strung with some overhead twinkly white lights.

 Whether your weekend is long or short, I hope it's wonderful!
xox Tiffany Leigh

Dream House Alphabet: E

E is for Entry 

Okay, I know that an entry is technically called a foyer, but I don't necessarily need a big huge formal foyer (and plus I've got a very special *must have* item reserved for the 'F' of this little series). All I would need is enough room for a little bench, maybe a cute umbrella stand, a mirror, and a little catch all for mail and keys, etc. I think that often, entries are overlooked in a typical home, but it's important to remember that this area is the FIRST impression (well...besides the exterior) that people get of your home. It should introduce them to what's to come!

Via Amber Interior Design

^Gasp, gulp, swoon! Just look at that piece of art! Now that, my friends, is what we like to call a good first impression. I'm adding fabulous art to my above list of what I need out of a foyer.

Via Little Green Notebook

 ^This colorful vignette in Jenny's home would make the perfect impact in an entry. It's chalked full of personality!

^ I love this idea of layering furniture for tight spaces like a foyer. So glamorous!

 ^Don't be shy to add some fun quirks like this adorable owl umbrella stand! Here is a similar one for youuu.

What is your Dream House 'E'. I should point out that ensuite washroom for the master is also in the dream house, but this was more fun to brainstorm about :)

xox Tiffany Leigh 

Wednesday's Doodlings 2

A colorful chippendale style chair by yours truly! Wouldn't this be fun in a bright kitchen? I love a good coral inspired fabric. I'm still feeling a bit under the weather, hopefully tomorrow I'll have enough energy for an awesome post! Love you all,
Tiffany Leigh

Should I take the plunge?

I'm thinking about investing in a good quality camera. Right now I have my sights set on the Nikon D3100.

I don't know anything about photography! But I know that I want to take some good quality pictures for my blog, my portfolio, my design school projects, etc.! I've also heard that the Canon Rebels are good...

Do any of you have suggestions? It's a big purchase and I wanna make the right choice! Something easy to use but with good results.
xox Tiffany Leigh
ps. Sorry about the short post, I've got a bronchial infection :(. Hoping to feel better soon!

Bought a Couch!

I bought a couch off of kijiji for $70. Here are the pictures from the poster's ad. Please ignore the poor styling. I'm planning a much prettier look for this piece:

I love that it's white for all of the colorful accent pillows I'm planning to add. It's also on the smaller side (which will be perfect for my new rental space in the fall). The seller was asking $100 originally but because she really wanted it gone to make room for new furniture, she let it go for 70. 
The only problem is the cushion covers are DIRTY y'all...but I think a good bleaching and scrub will have them looking good as new! Do you have any tips for washing cushion covers from IKEA?
I'm also thinking about painting the wooden frame black..any thoughts?
xox
Tiffany Leigh
ps. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and happy mother's day to all the mums out there!

Favourite Furniture Fridays: Courtney Lane

Hi guys! I'm Courtney. I'm an interior design student in Seattle, and I blog about my love for design over at my blog, Courtney Lane. I was so happy when Tiffany asked me to come over and share my favorite piece of furniture with you guys!

The piece of furniture I'm showing you today is something I recently bought at a thrift store and am making plans to majorly update this summer!

I'll be honest, I'm not a huge DIYer. I know, I know. A blogger that isn't a DIY guru, what? I do like to do crafts, but usually when I see a DIY project that has more than 3 steps, I quickly decide to do something else. 

But every once in a while, especially in the summer when I'm free as a bird, I get in the mood for a bigger project.

When I saw this sewing table at the thrift store, it was love at first sight. I had recently been given my own nice sewing machine for Christmas, so I definitely didn't need another sewing machine. But it was definitely a plus that this one was in good working condition too. But I saw this desk and had visions of keeping my sewing supplies in the drawers and just having an extra work space. I loved how the machine could fold down into the desk too if I needed more room! 

Then I came back to reality and realized I should check the price tag. I guessed it would be closer to $100 dollars and then it would be out of the question. But...score! It was only 35 dollars. So my mom and I hauled this cute thing out of the store and brought it home.

My plans for this sewing table are still coming together, but so far I know that I want to paint it either an antique white, a light gray, oooor a fun color. {I really narrowed it down there, didn't I? Ha}. I also want to switch out the handles for some cute Anthropologie ones like one of these styles:

 

Library Pull or Bubbled Glass Handle

I am so excited to get started on this project when I'm out of school in June. I already love this little desk but I know I'll love it even more when it gets transformed :)

Thank you so much for having me today Tiffany! 

  

No thank YOU darling, for sharing this beautiful piece with us! What colour do you guys think Courtney should paint this baby? I'm leaning towards grey...or maybe a turquoise? Go check out her blog NOW! You won't regret it. 

Wanna participate in this series? E-mail me at thedesignerlifestyle@gmail.com! 

Ice Bucket Round Up

Spring is in full swing, meaning that the season of outdoor entertaining is upon us. Did you guys see the perfect monogrammed ice bucket that Mackenzie added to her inventory in her Design Darling Boutique? It inspired me to compile my fave ice bucket picks for bbqs and picnics with friends and family!

1/2/3/4/5

Now go enjoy a lovely summery bevvy...You deserve it (It is almost the weekend after all)!
xox Tiffany Leigh

Wednesday's Doodlings

A little chair I drew up. Lovely. Hope your week is going well!

xox Tiffany Leigh

Basics with Versatility: The Striped Shirt

Nautical striped shirts are right on trend at the moment. They are definitely a neutral piece, making them a wardrobe basic with a TON of versatility. I recently purchased a navy and white striped top from H&M for $19.95 and I absolutely love it! Here are three different looks you can achieve easily with this piece:

Which is your fave look? Do you own this simple wardrobe staple?
xox Tiffany Leigh

Pretty Personality, or Just Plain Clutter?

A talented reader recently advised me to avoid cluttering up my new lease. I definitely agree. Too many objects in a small space can overwhelm the room and leave it feeling messy.

That being said, I love a good vignette, and I also think that little trinkets add personality to a room. Without them, a space just doesn't feel complete.

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 I came across a quote in the June 2012 issue of Canada's Style at Home magazine that perfectly exemplifies this:
"Shereen's home was lovely in terms of the basics...but she had very little art, no tchotchkes, no bits from travels. I kept saying to her, 'You can't tell who lives here'"
-Nancy Riesco, Designer

So, I think that organized clutter may be the answer. A little can go a long way in making an impact that is uniquely you.

 Here are my tips for small spaces:
1) Keep clutter organized within a pretty tray

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2) Showcase your most beloved trinkets only

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3) If you have a large collection, rotate it!


Feel free to weigh in on the clutter debate!
xox
Tiffany Leigh

New Lease: Fabric Scheme Options

I'm torn about what to do with the sofa area of my new room. I want a white sofa (is this a dangerous idea?), but I need to decide on the fabric options for the upholstered bench and throw pillows. Here are the choices I'm toying with...

 Which do you prefer? The sunny and fun option or the calmer, more feminine scheme?

xox
Tiffany Leigh
Update: The boyfriend weighed in and likes number 1 the best

New Lease: Planning the Layout

If you all saw yesterday's post, you know that today, I'm continuing to discuss my new rental!

Here are a few more details:

I move in in September.

I'm sharing a house with five other girls (none of whom I know yet!). We have a common living room, kitchen, dining area, laundry facility and backyard. While I'm sure I'll get along with everyone, I also like my personal space (and I'm not sure they will share my love of watching HGTV 24/7). That's why I'm happy that my room is big enough to create a studio style space that will include my bed area, office area, and own personal living room area.

Last night, I whipped up this floor plan quickly to track my ideas so far:

What do you guys think of this layout? Stay tuned because tomorrow, I'm going to show you my fabric scheme options!
xox Tiffany Leigh

ps. If you need help mapping out a floor plan, send me an e-mail at thedesignerlifestyle@gmail.com. I'd be happy to help!