Bedside Inspiration

I think I officially have the winter blues. The temperatures this past week have been just insane (we're talking -20 degrees Celsius) so I have pretty much been in hibernation mode! Since there is no escaping the cold I have restyled my nightstand in the theme of one my favourite cities, Paris. My nightstand is the first thing I see in the morning and usually the last thing I see before I doze off, so it should be fresh, inspiring and clean. 

Here are a few tips to keep your nightstand Parisian inspired:

Have fresh cut flowers to brighten the space. 

Light a romantic candle.

Have reading material and writing tools at the ready.

A scent diffuser to keep the space fresh. 

Display your favourite things; a pair of shoes, a motivating print or a brooch. Pretty things are not meant to be stored away in boxes!

Catch all tray or macaron box to store dainty necklaces or rings.

A cafe au lait for leisurely reading in bed.  

{l'amour print, book, macaron trinket box, notebook, perfume, shoes (similar)}

Find my DIY Headboard here. 

DIY Headboard

A while back I re-decorated my bedroom, but felt as though it was impossible to find a headboard that I loved enough to justify spending the crazy amount of cash. With the help of the best boyfriend ever, I decided to make a headboard that would be personalized to my liking. Really this project can be completed in a weekend, as long as you already have all the materials. Unfortunately, if  you are as picky as me, it will take months to find a fabric with the right texture and colour. However! A few weeks back the project finally came together and I couldn't be more excited! I'm obsessed with the colour and how soft the fabric is. Not to mention that it feels like a big pillow when I prop up against the headboard! My room is finally complete (yay!… for now), and I feel like I'm sleeping in a bed fit for a queen!

Instead of confusing you with instructions I'll let you read here, or watch this video, and you can get a solid explanation of the process. There are so many tutorials out there, just google it! And, I know it may seem like a daunting task but the hardest part really is getting all the materials together. I promise! If you have any questions feel free to ask away! And let me know what you think of it!

Project Photo Wall

There is nothing less motivating than staring at a blank, white wall. Since my desk was facing this wall of emptiness, I realized it needed a rejuvenation and since doing so, my newly finished gallery wall has brought a smile to my face nearly every time I look up and am reminded by memories, love and all around happiness. I have to admit, before I started the process of sourcing supplies I was a tad intimidated and I wondered if I would ever pull it off, but the whole project turned out to be so fun and easy (especially since my handy boyfriend helped me with all the tough stuff). It was really important for me to personalize the space, so I incorporated not just photos but beautiful cards, notes and prints on the wall.  Most of the items used were things I have been collecting over the years, like the handmade card of Japanese stamps my cousin sent me while teaching there, or the calendar cut out of Audrey Hepburn sitting on a dock. In case you are interested in creating your own personal gallery wall here is the process I followed:

1. Source your pictures. These do not have to be store bought prints. Remember to look through your memory boxe for pretty cards, magazine or calendar cut outs, photo booth pictures, and of course your favourite images.

2. Find frames to fit your items. I found many of my frames in my basement, but also bought a few from Ikea for a steal. Also, use matting to give some pictures a bit of depth. I also used this DIY collage frame so I could display current notes and multiple pictures easily.

3. Using painter's tape, tape off the area on the wall you want to cover. Then measure this area and tape off the exact same shape on the floor. You will use this to decide how you want to display your pretty things. 

4. I wanted my pictures to form a rectangle, so I started placing photos in the box on the floor making sure that spaces were somewhat even and frame colours were balanced. 
**Unfortunately I did not account for pre-existing holes in the wall from old frames so I had to make some last minute adjustments to my display.

5. Take a picture of how you want your gallery wall to look (just in case you need a reminder while you're on the ladder), and start hanging! 

Remember to have fun with it and create something you love to look at each day!

Dresser Update

I finally realized I had a problem around the third week of starting my summer internship. I would wake up and by the time I had chosen an outfit, I could not find any of the jewellery I wanted to wear. The top of my dresser had become a catch-all for anything and everything that I threw off and on in my hurried state of leaving the house. I purchased this format tray at CB2, and it has since prompted me to keep my dresser top as organized as possible. Although my jewellery box still does hold a variety of unused items, I like how I have my favourite bracelets, rings and dainty necklaces in separated compartments. I also made room to display my favourite summer perfumes.  On the other side of the dresser I keep my nail polish jar, and above I have a mini gallery wall (with this DIY boho frame). I won't bother showing a before picture as it was too scary of a sight, but you can check out some details below!