I finally did it! This outdoor patio makeover is something I’ve been meaning to get to for a long time. My upper patio was in need of a transformation. Thanks to Outer, this space has never looked better! I’m in love with their armchairs that have an awesome self covering feature to help protect the outdoor pillows. The chairs are so comfortable and look great with my COCOCOZY rug. Now my outdoor patio is a great place to relax or even work if I’m in need of a change of scenery.

It’s time to say goodbye 2020 and hello to 2021! A new year means reinventing yourself, and what better way than to start with a new wardrobe? Let’s leave everything from 2020 in the past, start fresh and ring in the new year with these new fashion favorites of mine that are sure to become yours too. Here are some brands that are sure to add some new staples and styles to your collection this year. I have highlighted not only some go to clothing brands, but have added accessories such as handbags and shoes to complete any outfit.

Whether you prefer neutrals or colors, prints or leather, I have provided a wide range of brands that offer all that and more. These brands are not only fashionable, but sustainable as well. What better way to head into a new year with new fashion favorites that are unique and environmentally friendly?

If you aren’t sure where to start shopping this new year, I have curated a guide to help you find your new go to brands. Here is another Shop Watch that includes brands such as Anima Iris, Brother Vellies, Mango, Veronica Beard and Vince.

Christmas is this week! I’m sure I’m not the only one who is shopping for last minute holiday home gifts. Finding that perfect gift for your friends, family, and/or co-worker can be hard. Walmart made it so easy! I love their large collection of cute and affordable items that are perfect for gifting. I found so many fun and stylish home gifts from Drew Barrymore’s new collection with Walmart. I love their other home gifts too!

My suggestion…if you are like me and still struggling to find that PERFECT gift then check out Walmart now.  Since I am into all things house and home, I of course gravitate to home gifts. There are so many fast and easy ways to order or pick up your items. I placed my order and it was delivered within two days! And if that’s not quick enough for you, then you can select same-day delivery. Walmart has a large selection of affordable and quality products. They have an awesome “Gift Finder” tool that makes online shopping so much easier. I was looking for spa and beauty items to give to my sister. The tool made it so easy to navigate their site for the right gift.

They have something for everyone! Yes, even those who are hard to shop for! We all have one of those. There is nothing better than getting all of your holiday shopping over with before Christmas.

I put a few gift ideas together for you…in my last minute holiday gift guides!

During this holiday season, I want to highlight some fabulous black owned brands. There are so many black entrepreneurs and businesses out there that deserve a spotlight. And the holiday season is the perfect time to explore new black owned brands to try. Also, make sure to check out my style guide for the holiday season.

Estelle Colored Glass

Estelle Colored Glass is a luxury black owned brand of hand-blown colored glass cake stands and stemware. These pieces made in Poland are vintage inspired, with a modern twist. Created in both jewel tones and soft pastels, these pieces are a must have to add to your collection. The founder Stephanie Summerson Hall, was inspired by her grandmother, Estelle. And her love for colored glass pieces.

Holiday Style Guide – COCO’s Picks

It’s time to enhance your holiday style. And you know what that means…shopping! Here are some of my holiday essentials that will make you more stylish for the holidays. Whether you are shopping for yourself, a friend, or a family member, it can be an overwhelming process. Are you trying to find the perfect outfit? Or are you struggling to find the perfect gift? I have created a guide to help inspire you and make shopping for this holiday season less stressful. This guide includes new arrivals and must-have items from some of my favorite brands: Veronica Beard, Nic + Zoe, Revolve and Express.

Bedroom nooks are a great way to transform your bedroom into a cozy oasis. After reading a New York Times article about a chateau in Normandy, I became inspired and wanted to share some of my favorites with all of you. As some of you already know, I love researching chateaus and castles. At the Chateau Saint-Calais, there is a beautiful yellow bedroom that has a nook right behind the bed. It has an elegant graphic design that becomes the centerpiece of the room. It’s a unique way to add luxury and charm to the bedroom.

Also, nooks are a great way to create usable space. Small bedrooms can be difficult to decorate. Creating a nook allows for more space in a small bedroom. It gives you the ability to add furniture, decor, and other home accessories that wouldn’t be able to fit in the space.

From old chateaus to modern designs, there are so many ways to redesign a bedroom nook in your home. They are the perfect place to relax in bed with a good book and a fresh cup of coffee. I’m now thinking of different ways I can incorporate nooks into my future home designs. For some inspiration, check out my list of 9 cozy bedroom nooks.

Shop Dinnerware

This Shop Watch includes 9 amazing dishes & dinnerware from ABC Carpet & Home that will take your home dining experience to the next level. I wanted to bring back one of my favorite series, Shop Watch. ABC Carpet & Home is one of my go-tos when it comes to looking for dinnerware. They have a large selection of home accessories from stylish dishes to unique flatware. I wanted share some of my favorite items with you to help make your home dining experience a little more fun.

There are so many different ways to accessorize your table. Depending on the occasion or holiday, there are so many ways to dine in style. Create a cozy space for your family dinners or a vibrant table for entertaining guests.

11 Fantastic Black and White Baths

Looking for new bathroom inspiration? Here are 11 fantastic black and white bathrooms that I love. The black and white look is one of my favorite styes when it comes to designing a bathroom. After designing my black and white bathroom, I decided to share some of my favorite baths that use the classic color palette. Black and white is timeless! In fact, this style can transform your room from basic to luxurious! There are many different styles and techniques that can be explored using this color scheme.

It’s important that the room is visually balanced and stylish. I specifically chose bathrooms that use various different styles of the black and white look. Additionally, I pulled together some of my favorite designs created by my friend Steve Jones, @BetterShelter, who I worked on the COCOCOZY Design House project with. And other interior designers that perfected the black and white aesthetic.

The color palette adds modern elegance to the home. Black and white baths are a simple way to enhance the space. By adding matte lighting fixtures and accent tiles, your bathroom can become one of the best rooms in your house! Adding fun details and accessories can enhance the design even further. Don’t be afraid to play with prints and patterns to add your own twist to the classic look.

Walmart Finds: Home for The Holidays

With the holiday season right around the corner, I have found some of my holiday must-haves from Walmart! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I usually spend the day with my family, eating delicious food and enjoying each other’s company. Due to Covid-19, our Thanksgiving will probably look a little different this year. However, that does not mean that we can’t create a wow worthy breakfast table for Thanksgiving. And it can be done on an affordable budget by shopping at Walmart! There’s no better feeling than creating a beautiful space without breaking the bank. The holidays are about enjoying time with your loved ones. I wanted to help make shopping for Thanksgiving easier so you can focus on your family, friends, and your holiday traditions.

The holiday season can be overwhelming and expensive. Finding the perfect table decor and dinnerware, can be added stress that we all do not need right now. Some of my favorite items from Walmart’s Home for the Holidays Collection includes: Gold 20-Piece Flatware Set, A Mint Green Cutlery Set with Wood Block, and a Teal Dinnerware Set. Whether you are looking for new cookware, serveware, or table decor, it is all right here! There are so many ways to make your home holiday ready.

While looking for some new inspiration, I came across these gorgeous kitchens. Renovating a kitchen is a lot of work, but it’s worth it in the end. Are you looking to create a modern masterpiece? Or a cozy contemporary space? Will you use a vibrant color palette? Or stick to neutrals? There are many ways to design a kitchen. It makes the process that much more exciting! Here is kitchen inspiration from top interior designers like Nate Berkus, Jeremiah Brent, McGrath II, and Pamela Shamshiri.

If you’re looking for even more kitchen inspiration. Check out my kitchen renovation from my COCOCOZY Design House Series.

Let’s travel to Scotland…How gorgeous is this gothic greenhouse! As some of you already know my two favorite things are: travel and castles! The architectural details of castles are unique and tell their own story. This gothic greenhouse was originally a boiler room. It was specifically known to grow camellia flowers. That is how it got its name. You can find this greenhouse on the property of the Culzean Castle. This castle was owned by David Kennedy. He was the 10th Earl of Cassilis. He had the castle reconstructed in 1792. The transformation took 15 years to finally complete. 

Some of you have already seen a sneak peak of this greenhouse on my Instagram. This greenhouse is stunning. I wanted to show you more of the architectural details throughout this structure. Especially the two-story windows that allow natural light from all angles. The property has vibrant formal gardens. And unique archways that flow from one room to another. I cannot wait to travel to Scotland to tour old castles. It is an amazing experience to explore other countries and learn about the history of the buildings.  Apart from being a beautiful country. Scotland is a wonderful place full of art, history, and culture.

Style Your Home with Roman Shades

The Shade Store’s Roman shades are the perfect window treatment to turn your room from dull to chic! For those who do not know, Roman Shades are made by one piece of fabric that will fold up as they’re raised. The reason I love these shades is because they’re functional and stylish. Also, they come in all different fabrics, textures, and colors. You can create a bold look with fun patterns or compliment your minimalistic style with a neutral solid linen fabric. They’re perfect for making your room feel elegant. It’s time to update your living rooms, kitchens, and bedrooms.

As you know, window treatments can be overwhelming! Especially, since there is a wide variety of styles to choose from: vertical or horizontal blinds, curtains, panels, and more. The wrong choice will make a room look outdated or too loud. Using the perfect window treatment will take your room from “oh” to “WOW.”

Specifically, these types of shades are normally seen in more traditional homes. However, now they’re starting to be seen in more modern style designs. They’re great for creating clean and modern looks. Also, you can also choose a graphic pattern to add some character to your living room. Roman Shades are amazing to play around with to find your own style.

Veronica Beard

I’ve been scrolling through the internet trying to find the perfect blazer to add to my collection. As some of you know, one of my favorite brands is Veronica Beard. After browsing their site, I knew I needed to highlight some of my favorite items for all of you. Specifically their dresses and blazers! They have a great selection from strong blazers to flirty dresses. There is something for ever woman’s mood. Also, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to bring back my Shop Watch series.

About the Brand

Veronica Beard was created by two sister-in-laws, both named Veronica. How cool is that? Their mission is to create trendy and stylish clothing to help women feel more confident and empowered. Their brand’s motto is: “look good, feel good, and do what you love.” How do you not support a brand that wants you to feel your absolute best? Their blazers and dresses are always so beautifully designed. They have a great range of fashionable prints and patterns. Their designs come in many different fabrics like leather, silk, and even corduroy. However, they’re never too bold or two gaudy. Their brand makes you look fashionable and sophisticated. Find the perfect piece that compliments your style!

I wanted to share the kitchen makeover process from the COCOCOZY Design House series. I realized that I never shared the before and after process of the kitchen renovation with you all. As some of you already know, this was my first time remodeling a home, which was thrilling and overwhelming. Now, it’s so satisfying to look back and see where the project started and how it turned out after ten months of work. Personally, I think that the kitchen is the most important room in every home. It’s the designated room for dinner parties, family gatherings, and entertaining guests. The kitchen is the soul of the home and needs to make a big impact when it comes to interior design.

The Kitchen Makeover

My vision for this kitchen was to make it feel bright and open, but still complemented the Spanish Colonial feel of the home. It was important that the kitchen was not only beautiful, but usable too. I wanted to create a new layout that I call a livable kitchen. It’s a concept that utilizes a space to cook and a space for dining and entertaining. It creates a more fluid environment within a home. This livable kitchen concept was used throughout this kitchen renovation. 

The original layout limited the home’s true potential. It was divided into three separate rooms, making it feel dark and small in size. I knew that this house deserved a stunning updated kitchen that can enhance the character of the house. By adding an archway, it brightened up the entire room and gave the home some fluidity it so desperately needed. Tearing down the walls and adding my own personal touch to the design, helped increase the value and appeal of this home. Having an amazing kitchen is an important investment when it comes to renovating a home. 

Some good news today. I am so excited to announce that I have partnered with FTD and ProFlowers to design my own bouquet! This hand tied flower arrangement is named The Classic bouquet by COCOCOZY!  I wanted to create simple pretty flowers for home and I did it. I’ve been keeping this under wraps for months so it is a relief to finally share it with you all.

I worked in conjunction with the FTD design team on creating a bouquet that is soothing, lush and elegant. Neutral and easy on the eyes in green and white.  White roses, alstroemeria, Star of Bethlehem, eucalyptus and much more all in a beautiful hand tied bouquet. In a time where we all need a little brightness and happiness in our homes, this partnership is particularly meaningful.  I am hoping people will send this bouquet to their loved ones, family, friends, co-workers, teachers or even treat themselves.

Today we are exploring 15 sofas under $800. You heard me correctly – under $800! Nothing is more challenging than couch shopping. Whether you are looking to save or splurge picking out a sofa is no easy feat. The best part? There is a surprising amount of attractive sofas for under $800. This is perfect for someone on a budget, renting, new homeowner, or a temporary fix. Let’s get started!