We have the 50 in. Samsung Frame TV. This is what it looked like when we first got it. Originally I was going to do the basic frame that you can purchase on their website, but I decided to go for something a little more show stopping.

One of the popular frame tv frame makers is Deco TV Frames. We went with the Ornate Gold Frame , which I just love! It makes such a big impact. They also have a lot of other pretty frames to pick from! If you want to see how other frames look in real life, definitely check out their Instagram.

I’ve also seen a lot of really great DIY frames so if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, I would definitely look into that as well! Feel free to drop any questions and I’d love to answer them as best as I can!

Pros of Vinyl Flooring

We went with the Innova Howell Mountain Herringbone Vinyl Flooring. We had heard that vinyl flooring was a little softer than hardwood, which would be nice since Summer is learning to walk and we didn’t want her to constantly be falling on really hard hardwood flooring AND hardwood can be difficult to maintain. The vinyl flooring is also waterproof which is a BIG plus!

Color and Size

The hardest part about picking out the flooring was getting the exact look we wanted. I do not like the look of big planks of wood in the herringbone style and I also don’t like wood that looks too gray. It’s always nice to see what a whole room of it looks like as opposed to the samples they show you. The photo below makes the wood look way lighter than it actually is, but I wanted to give y’all a reference for how wide the planks look.

Cost and Overall Thoughts

A lot of different retailers sell this flooring so I would shop around to get a good quote for it! We ended up spending about $3.29 per square foot and that does not include the labor. When it was installed, it did seem a little darker than the photo examples online, but I did end up really loving it!

Whenever I think of a dream space it always has to include a little pink and this pergola was no exception! If you’ve followed along for a while, you know I’ve been very into painting and finding the right color combos. I went to Lowe’s Home Improvement and found a huge display of Color Collections from HGTV HOME® by Sherwin-Williams(the collections are exclusively available at Lowe’s). I usually will spend up to an hour staring at paint colors to get the right colors to compliment each other so the Color Collections were helpful as I was trying to create a vision in my mind of what I wanted. I ended up going with the Vintage Finds Color Collection because I just loved the overall vibe of the colors!

So the next big part was ordering a pergola. I got a pergola kit, which has all the parts you need to build your own. I didn’t want the pergola to be just pink(the name of the color I picked is called Lotus Flower) so I chose a really beautiful cream color called Choice Cream to compliment it. Whenever I paint, two things I look for is that it has a primer in it already and that it’s one-coat coverage. This saves so much time because you’re not having to do extra steps and you don’t need to spend extra time painting over and over. The type of paint I picked was the HGTV HOME®by Sherwin-Williams Everlast Exterior Paint & Primer. Another benefit to this paint is that it uses Water Beading Technology to prevent moisture damage because after doing all that painting, you’re not going to want it to get damaged!

So I was actually shocked that it only took a gallon of each color to complete the entire pergola. I painted the pieces before assembling and friends, let me tell you there were A LOT of pieces. Something to keep in mind is the ideal temperatures to use this paint is between 35°F and 90°F. I painted at 70°F at nighttime and 85°F during the day and it seemed like the paint dried faster at 85°F.

The hardest part about this project was definitely the assembly. When put together a lot of the pieces were very heavy. This took about 8 hours to assemble, but the result was well worth it!

Here’s how the pergola turned out! When I was picking out furniture, I used the Vintage Finds Color Collection to find items that fit within the color scheme I wanted. I used colors like Blue Nile, Refresh, Tailpot, Frolic, and Softer Tan to compliment the Lotus Flower and Choice Cream.

After I laid out the furniture, it felt like something was missing and I realized there was just too much empty space at the top and corners of the pergola. I picked up some plants and just arranged them in those spots to create a more decorated look!

Last, but not least, I strung string lights at the top of the pergola to give the space a warm feel. This is what the lights look like when they’re on at night and it completely transforms the space to feel super cozy!

This was probably the biggest project I’ve ever attempted. I went out of my comfort zone and tried some bolder color combinations and am so happy with how it turned out! Feel free to drop any questions you have about the pergola below!

Can I tell y’all a little secret? This project scared me! I have been wanting to hang some outdoor bistro lights, but I’ve been putting it off because it seemed like a lot of work, HOWEVER, after eating some ramen, doing the dishes, and trying to find any other excuse to put it off, I got to work.

Gathering the materials was pretty easy, since National Hardware sent me a Bistro Light Kit that included their new hardware line Placement, which included Q Hangers. I took my Q Hangers, got on my ladder, and drilled small holes where I wanted the Q Hangers to go. After that, it was SUPER EASY to twist the Q Hangers in by hand. This next part is a little embarrassing, but I took my q hangers, got on my ladder, and tried to screw them in with my hands. This did not work whatsoever. So after thinking about it for a bit, I got my drill and drilled small holes where I wanted the q hangers to go. After that, it was SUPER EASY to twist the q hangers in by hand.

Next, I took the lights and started threading them through the q hanger. WhWhat’s great about these hangers is that you can easily take the lights out if you want to change them out for a different set or hang something else from them. They are also made of stainless steel, so I don’t need to be worried about them rusting outside.

These lights they sent were purchased from Amazon, and came with two extra bulbs in case some of yours go out. Also, if one does go out, the rest of the lights will still work, you just need to replace them!

This is my happy place! I’m so excited to spend nights out here, reading books and drinking apple cider! The lights make everything feel so cozy and it really only took me 30 minutes to finish!

Let’s be honest, while having a party may seem fun, hosting a party is a whole different story! Most of the time you’re expected to be checking in on everyone, making sure that there’s enough food for all the guests, and basically overseeing all of the happenings. To be honest, it can be an extremely tiring job. While I know the goal of the party is to spend time with people I love, more often than not, I get caught up in all the imperfections and end up in a bit of a frazzled state.

Lately, I’ve been working on changing my mindset so my main focus is spending time with loved ones. My mantra is “What can I make easier?”. One of my favorite remedies is ordering dessert instead of making it. When I order desserts, I always make sure to get a variety of items so there is something for everyone. My absolute biggest fear when throwing a party is that people won’t like the food so if you order a little bit of everything, there’s more of a chance someone will find something they really love!

One of the huge pros to ordering from Cheryl’s Cookies is that you can look through a whole catalogue of different treats. Another pro, is you don’t have to go to the grocery store. For some reason, I just don’t like grocery store shopping. It’s easier for me to look through online because there’s less chance I’ll forget something! As you can see in the picture, all the cookies ended up looking so pretty together! I purposefully ordered a variety of shapes, textures, and colors to get a more beautiful overall look!

I ordered the Marshmallow Frosted S’more Cookies, Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies, Brondie Brookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Fudge Frosted Pumpkin Cut Out Cookies, and the Peanut Butter Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies. The Chocolate Chip Cookies were actually just launched in honor of Cheryl’s Cookies 38^th anniversary! When I first opened them, I could see the sea salt on the top and it blends three different types of chocolates(Belgian wafers, semi-sweet morsels, and milk chips!). As I write this post, I’ve already eaten one Chocolate Chip Cookie, but I intend on eating at least 10 more! If you order anything, ORDER THIS! It’s sure to be a hit at your next party!

Side note: I loved that the desserts from Cheryl’s Cookies came in such pretty containers. They recently launched a collection of new fall and holiday products, which make the perfect teacher’s gift or hostess gift! As a former teacher, I can confirm that many teachers would be ecstatic to receive something so cute and delicious!

I found these cute paper cups and decided to throw a little Halloween candy in them to add some color to the tray. It took literally 30 seconds and made all the cookies really pop!

One of my biggest tips is to use trays for an easy and simple presentation! It doesn’t take much time at all to place the cookies and the presentation makes such a huge impression!

And of course, for that perfect fall feel, I added pumpkins, tea lights, and sunflowers to the dessert table to really make the area pop! While this dessert table might look elaborate, it was actually quite easy placing everything and I didn’t have to spend hours in the kitchen baking the treats! I’m excited to order cookies in the future because that means one less thing on my list to do! You can browse the cookies and desserts featured in this post by going to Cheryls.com!

Patterns are everywhere during the fall! When I was creating my tablescape, I wanted patterns that could be functional during the fall as well as all the other seasons of the year. I decided to go with a color scheme that could be used during the spring and summer months as well. The trick to designing to this tablescape was adding different elements that distinctly reminded me of the fall. Lots of rustic touches, candle holders, and tea lights all give me the feeling of the season.

The most difficult part about designing the tablescape was mixing the patterns. Spoonflower has an incredible selection of fabrics and I loved being able to express myself through different designs, however there were just SO MANY cute fabrics, I couldn’t decide. One of my biggest challenges was getting all 3 fabrics to  work cohesively despite them all being different patterns. I used a bold table runner print with lemons and then decided to do a minimalistic, pink floral napkin. The curtains also were a solid color with white floral designs. This really tied everything together and ensured there wasn’t too much going on in the space.

The hallmark characteristic of the fall is a feeling of warmth and coziness. I lit candles and tea lights to create that feeling. One thing I liked about both is that they were very neutral colors and didn’t at all take away from the lemony runner.

Overall, I’m so excited with how everything turned out! The dining room was a huge project that I wanted to get done and the fabrics from Spoonflower really made the room come to life!

Nearly Natural was kind enough to give me an amazing 20% off code to share with you all! You can use the code “MICHELLE” to get the discount! Also, there’s a 30% off code for the cutest faux cactus and my 5′ golden cane palm! You can use code “1stTime4Faux” to get 30% off!

This past year I’ve discovered the wonders of faux flowers/plants that look real at first glance. Obviously, if you go up close to a fake plant or flower you can touch it and realize it’s plasticky or silky, but I’ve found that the best faux greenery makes you look a little harder. You actually have to touch it or look carefully to see if it’s real. Here are a few of my favorites!

I am a firm believer that balance is everything! I personally love a mix of artificial plants and faux plants. This cactus is one of my latest finds from Nearly Natural! The spines are very rubbery and overall gives me peace of mind that my cats aren’t going to get hurt if the brush up around it.

The plant on the floor in a basket is a faux sansevieria. It is one of my all-time favorites and I am constantly having people comment on how “healthy” it looks, which is basically the ultimate compliment!

I love hanging plants! They instantly fill up a space and give off a lush feeling. I try to dress mine up with woven baskets and macramé hanging planters. Most of the hanging plants that come from Nearly Natural already come in a white, plastic planter and have an attachment for you to hang it with. On my piano I have a pothos and philodendron. Honestly, I could use about 5 more of these faux hanging plants because I use them to frame a lot of different spaces. I usually try to hang them from high up because they really fill out an empty space. The leaves are detachable so I try to keep them in higher spaces I know Frumpy won’t get to because I don’t want him to eat them.

I used hanging plants in my bedroom as well. I find that they look really great on shelves! If you look to the left I have an arrangement of silk roses. This is one of my new favorites because it blends in so well with real flowers and plants! Although it’s an arrangement of artificial flowers, you can’t really tell until you get a little closer. Plus, the color is AMAZING!

The other day someone asked where I bought my palm and what type it was because they thought it was real, which had me really convinced it was a good buy! One of the big reasons I got into faux plants was because I had 2 cats and I was constantly anxious that they would nibble on the wrong plant and get sick.

I used to think that faux plants were so so TACKY, but now I swear by them! The artificial arrangements and plants truly have made a world of difference in my home! They’ve allowed me to create a whimsical and warm environment, while not putting my fur babies in danger! Feel free to check out Nearly Natural and to use code MICHELLE for 20% off your order and code “1stTime4Faux” to get 30% off the faux cactus and my 5′ golden cane palm!

I’ve been dreaming up the ultimate coffee corner for a while now and this past week I finally got around to putting it together! I actually ended up styling it two different ways and am not quite sure how I want to keep it so feel free to let me know which design you like the best in the comments!

Obviously to design the coffee bar cart I had to first decide on what coffee maker to go with. The one I’m now using is the Mr. Coffee Easy Measure 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker and it fits in really nicely to my morning routine. In the mornings I’m usually rushing to get things done and I’m always late for appointments! One of my favorite features is the brew later option. You can actually set the time for when you want the coffee to start brewing!

There’s also a coffee grounds scooper included that shows how many cups you will get per scoop. I really am not an expert at making coffee so I love that Mr. Coffee already has already done the measurements for a consistently great tasting cup of coffee!

To figure out how much water to add, all you have to do is pick how many cups of coffee you’d like and match the color on the scooper to the color on the coffee maker and fill it up to that mark.

If you’d like to brew the coffee immediately, you can just do the measuring, press a button, and wait for the fresh scent of coffee to fill the room! Another great thing about the Mr. Coffee Easy Measure 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker is that it includes a 2-step Advanced Water Filtration System that improves the taste by removing impurities in water. It will also show you how many hours since the coffee has been brewed and will automatically shut off after 4 hours. Friends, I can’t tell you how many times I have left the house and forgotten to turn something off. I also am super forgetful and sometimes can’t remember if I turned things off or not so this gives me a little peace of mind that I don’t have to worry about if I did or not!

Our household cannot live without coffee. My husband is obsessed with coffee and is a little bit of a zombie before it so being the great wife that I usually brew us both a cup to start the morning off! Just out of curiosity, how many cups of coffee do you usually have in a day? Feel free to leave the number in the comments below!