A foyer makeover was on my list of things to do for the end of August. I’m thrilled that I finally figured out how to design it. The entryway to my house is small but well defined. The area just ended up a bit forgotten, I never thought of doing anything with it until I partnered with Home Depot. I’m doing a fall refresh for my house and it includes a guest room makeover (coming soon!) and updating my foyer!

I had a choice at the COCOCOZY Design House…be safe or be bold. I chose to be bold when it came to the rear balcony of the house. Design house partner Cement Tile Shop helped me take my new found design boldness to a new level. They came on board and provided us with everything we needed for tiling exterior spaces. I used Cement Tile Shop Bordeaux IV pattern in neutral colors on the balcony and front entrance.

You have seen the front walkway several times on Instagram and here on the blog…today, I’m so excited to share with how this outdoor space on the back of the house looks with the new tile.

I absolutely love this green trellis sitting room in Sara Ruffin Costello’s New Orleans home. I visited this house during design showcase years ago and stood in this very room and loved it. So much fun running upon it again!

Some of the ways to decorate your space inspired by this look.

I have some black Chloe scalloped flats that I bought last season and am loving right now. They are amazing and they were expensive.  Thought it might be helpful to do a round up of the most stylish and affordable flats for fall. Nothing like a good stylish comfortable flat for running around town to get things done.

And this year has so many amazing, different styles. Gone are the days of just your average ballerina flats. Here are 17 of the best affordable flats for fall and winter 2018/2019.  Most on the list are under $100!

Summertime means outdoor dinners out on my patio!

I recently decided last minute (per usual) to cook Sunday night dinner for my family making my famous summer grilled chicken with a lime cilantro garlic marinade. I invited two people and then naturally that number grew to five after giving everyone a heads up only three hours beforehand.

As it goes… I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare, but my first step was to set up a simple summer table! I couldn’t wait to put my new AERIN Ardsley collection (by Aerin Lauder) from Williams Sonoma to use.

Work on the COCOCOZY Design House continues.  

Next step — lighting! This has been THE single most difficult design decision for this house by far. Lucky for me, Lamps Plus came on board to help me solve the dilemma. As one of our fabulous anchor partners in the COCOCOZY Design House project, Lamps Plus offered to give me lighting for all areas. Wait, what? All rooms and outdoor! Again, what?! All lighting! Yes.  

Lamps Plus does have some brands they make themselves like Possini, Franklin Ironworks, 360 Lighting, John Timberland, and a few more… but in addition to those, they carry tens and tens of thousands of lights from other brands. I whittled down my selection after several visits to two different Lamps Plus stores here in Los Angeles. This was a real exercise in decision making!

Decisions, decisions! As you know, we have been hard at work on the COCOCOZY Design House. Today, it’s all about two main exterior hardscape surfaces — the front walkway and back balcony.

Curb appeal is everything when designing a house… especially one that is going on sale! Sometimes a book is judged by its cover. Lucky for me, the facade of this house is already so amazing — my main goal is not to mess it up!  The Cement Tile Shop has come on as a partner to help me in that effort.

The photo (above) is what I’m using as my main inspiration for this part of the project. Now, before I go any further, I just want to note that this house is a work in progress. Please read using your imagination for what the space will look like. And don’t worry, I will show you all the final result as soon as I can!

Time for some kitchen planning!

The cabinets have been ordered, appliances have been selected, and now I am thinking about counters. I am super duper lucky to have another wonderful company on board to provide product for the COCOCOZY Design House. Caesarstone has generously agreed to supply all of the countertop material for the kitchen and the baths.

I had Caesarstone counters in my first house — you all may remember that tiny little cottage in the Hollywood Hills. Now for my first COCOCOZY Design House, I went to Caesarstone as my first choice for counters!

Taking a quick break from the COCOCOZY Design House craziness for a Laurel Canyon home tour!

I lived just east of Laurel Canyon for such a long time, so this one hits home for me. I love the rustic nature of living in the hills above Los Angeles. One of my favorite things is finding a really refined spaced in the midst of the windy roads. This grand 1925 Mediterranean-style mansion belonging to interior designer Brigette Romanek and her husband Mark is quite fantastic. It is a 2800-square-metre untraditional family home (previously owned by legendary music producer Rick Rubin) that has true California refinement and obvious musical history.  

Let’s take a peek (below)!

Major life update alert!

If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you already know that I’ve started my first big COCOCOZY design house project! And now that I’ve got my footing, I want to bring you all along on the journey with me in hopes we can learn a thing or two together!

Basically, I bought this house as an investment property a few months ago in an historic area here in Los Angeles called View Park. The Spanish Style home is 1860 square feet and was built in 1931. It sits on a large, magical lot surrounded by palm trees and birds of paradise. It was 3 bedrooms and 3 baths — but now we are morphing it into a 4 bedroom and 3.5 bath home!

If you know me, you know I was admittedly OBSESSED with the Royal Wedding!

I am still on a detox after days of being glued to the TV, live streams, and social media soaking up every detail I could about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. I can’t be the only one who cared that much, right?? Help me please.

One thing I can’t stop thinking about from the magical weekend is the Cliveden House, the exclusive hotel property just outside of Windsor where Meghan and her mother, Doria Ragland, stayed the night before the nuptials.

As you can imagine, the dreamy seventeenth century estate located in the quaint Berkshire countryside is incredibly historic and sits on about 400 acres of land. Surrounded by trees and gardens, the venue also offers stunning views of the River Thames. Inside there are ornate chandeliers, gold-plated furniture, heavy-canopied beds, oil paintings, and velvet couches. The definition of glamour!

The macramé trend has found a second wind!

The bohemian textile art form of knotting and hitching is best known for its popularity in the ‘60s and ‘70s — and now (thanks to Instagram and Pinterest, probably), it’s back and better than ever!

From plant hangers, wall hangings, curtains, chairs, pillows… I’ve been seeing macramé more than ever!

Check out some of my favorite room inspiration and shoppable items (below)!

We’ve talked about dreamy freestanding tubs before, but now I want to chat about two-toned clawfoot tubs!

I just bought a vintage clawfoot tub for my latest design project — and like most of my finds, it’s in great shape but needs just a bit of refurbishing.

Full disclosure, I never in my life thought I would want a clawfoot tub… it seemed a little too quaint for me. Never say never, I guess, because now I’m obsessed with the idea of having a two-toned clawfoot bathtub — black and white in particular.

Below I’ve rounded up some of my favorite photos of the trend for inspiration!

Spring days call for Spring Gray!

I keep spotting rooms, architecture, and home accessories with gray accents — and I just love how the typically-drab color is being used to make other colors (including white!) pop.

Incorporating gray can keep your space sleek, neutral, and of course, oh-so cozy!

See some of my favorite spaces for inspiration (below)!

Introducing my cozy breakfast nook!

I love having a special space in my home that is bright and inviting — the perfect place to have a cup of coffee and start my day!

Whether you have a whole room or just a corner, these ideas will help you create a charming place to grab a quick bite before heading out or dine with the whole family. Have a look (below)!

Who says decorating stops at the ceiling?

If you ask me, the ceiling is the fifth wall in a room… and it should not, nay will not stand for being ignored anymore!

Statement ceilings are a huge trend in 2018, so I’ve rounded up some of my favorites — like the one (above) from Rue Magazine — for inspiration for simple but detailed, unique designs!

Check out 21 incredible ceilings (below)!