A Home Decor Refresh

The dining table and chairs I alluded to in my last home decor post. To add a pop of colour, I chose one orange chair to go with three white chairs and the glossy white dining table.

The boy and I invited a couple of friends over for an impromptu dinner/Oscars viewing party last night. On walking in, my girlfriend exclaimed, "Wow, it looks so much more put together now!" Indeed, the past couple months have given us an opportunity to shift things around slightly and shop for the little things that make a space feel more like home. Buying these little things has also pulled our decor scheme together and better highlighted the key accent colours in every room (blue and orange with a touch of silver).

A lot of what you'll see in these photos comes from CB2. Full disclosure: I'm not sponsored by them (although that would be pretty amazing because it would save us a lot of money). CB2's functional, modern and sleek wares just happen to jibe with the boy's sense of aesthetics and mine--stylish enough for me, masculine and streamlined enough for him. So without further ado, here's a glimpse into our home.

Orange tulips on our dining room table to go with the orange chick tealight holders you probably remember from previous posts. The glass vase is actually an ice bucket from The Cross; I love how the bubbles add a textured twist to something basic. Sometimes if I want to switch things up, I'll move the candleholders to the coffee table or fill the ice bucket with mandarin oranges.

Obsessive that I am, I bought the blue-and-white coasters (also from The Cross) because they went with the blue-and-white trellis rug so perfectly. A silver bowl holds cough drops, while a square bento plate acts as a tray corralling all our remotes in one place. Fashion magazines are stacked neatly on the side in case I want to do some reading on the couch.

In a minimalist bedroom, simple things like proportion and bedding go a long way. I've always loved how the nightstands are the exact height of the bed, keeping sight-lines clear. We've stowed away our Marimekko bedding for the next few months at least, opting instead for a graphic duvet cover and a new look.

A mercury glass trinket box holds stray hair clips and elastics, and dresses up a plain nightstand. When I finish burning the gold mercury glass candle, I plan to save the votive and use it as a mini bedside vase for single blooms.

A few tweaks since my workspace was featured on The Anthology: A monogrammed mug holds stationery supplies atop a blue box that corrals together business cards; a silver tray groups together small sundries nicely; and a small turquoise glass vase finishes off the tableau (again, great for single blooms like gerber daisies).

Sometimes the funnest finds also happen to be the least expensive. Case in point: this neon heart-perforated basket that I scored for a mere $2 at Daiso, which now holds beauty product samples on my desk.

P.S. Speaking of the Oscars, what did everyone think of the award winners? This was the first year the boy and I had seen most of the nominated films, and overall I thought the right nominees won in most of the important categories.