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Deck the Halls: 5 Simple Ways To Kit Out Your Home This Holiday

The holiday season is well and truly upon us and with it comes a whole load of ways in which to dress up your home. The only trouble is, kitting out your apartment space is at a minimum can be a great deal more difficult than you had envisaged. After wrestling with a Christmas tree, knotting your twinkly lights and getting yourself entwined in tinsel, you might be all but ready to throw in the towel. It might simply be time to change things up a little. Approaching this year’s decorations with an innovative eye can help you out enormously, making it even simpler to give your home a festive touch.

Festive Textiles

It’s not just about the Christmas tree when it comes to kitting out your home. Bringing in the right kinds of colors and tones can make all the difference to the space, grounding the area in a festive glow. Swapping in your regular accessories for a few Christmas themed items might seem like a cheesy way in which to get in the spirit but done right, the flourishing can seriously pay off. Adding a few festive textiles to your furnishing collection can make it easier for you to decorate your home in the coming years, giving you a ready made arsenal to dip into. Don’t feel like you have to go overboard to make it count; a festive cushion and a few cozy throws can be all that it takes to prepare for the holiday without going overboard.

Hanging Stockings

Don’t have a fireplace? It doesn’t matter! Practically any surface can be used in order to suspend a festive stocking or two, bringing a touch of the season to any room in the house. If you’re not sure how to suspend yours without making a permanent change to the hardware, try investing in a pair of festive ornaments. The items can work to keep your stockings in place while giving the room an extra festive kick. In terms of stockings, the sky really is the limit. Going for a coolor tone to match your living space can bring a more minimalist tone to the space while opting for a classic choice can make things feel all the more festive. Hang your stocking for the world to see and let the rest works its magic.

Greenery and Lights

Even if you’re not opting for a tree this year, there are a number of ways that you can add a festive feel into your home and use the traditional color tones. Turning to greenery and lights can be a great way of cheating your Christmas design, bringing in the design of a festive tree without actually having to go out and get one. If you’re short on space, arranging a vase of greens and red berries can warm up the color tone of the space and create a festive corner in the room. Adding lights to frames and furnishings will add in an extra glow, giving you the illumination of a Christmas tree while saving space.

Christmas Crockery

If the holiday is more of a subtle affair in your household, you can let your existing furnishings do all of the talking for you. Swapping in your normal plates, mugs and cutlery for seasonally themed alternatives will help to base your home in the holidays without going overboard on the design. Using the mugs and plates for a few weeks during the year will make them feel a whole lot more special, bringing in a sense of excitement before the season has come to a head. Don’t be afraid to arrange your plates and mugs for the world to see; you want to show off your design!

Seasonal Treats

A sure fire way to get your guests into the festive spirit? Leave out a few snacks and treats in festive bowls! There’s something undeniably cozy about surrounding yourself with a few seasonal treats and by leaving them out for your guests, you can create an air of comfort into your home. If you whip up your own, it’s all the better; you can design the look of each snack and present it for all of your visitors to enjoy:

Hannah Lamarque by — November 29, 2016 in Lifestyle 1
Get Cozy: Affordable Ways To Spruce Up Your Sleepwear

With the cold weather comes a whole new set of reasons why you should be getting cozy. Making the most of your interior space is one of the best ways to enjoy the winter and when it comes to warming up, there is no better way in which to do so than with a great set of loungewear. With everyone from celebrities to lifestyle enthusiasts singing their praises for sleepwear, there has been no better time in which to get on the cozy train. If you’re new to the whole thing, then you have a whole load of options right at your fingertips. These affordable sleepwear designs will help you to make your debut into the clothing style, giving you even more reason to stay in when it’s cold out.

Flannel Pajama Set

First things first, you need to set your sights on the ultimate pajamas. Opting for a flannel-based product can really serve you right, helping you to stay warm and feel all the more comfortable. While there are any number of styles out there, a traditional tartan number will always be a classic choice. This set utilizes a classic design for a fit that is both flattering and comforting; it really is the best of both worlds.

Fluffy Knit Slippers

There’s nothing worse than a frozen set of toes and if you’re battling a particularly cold winter season, you might be more used to sporting ice-like feet than others. It’s time to take a stand and invest in a really great pair of slippers. Knitted booties are always a good option to keep in the house, particularly if you know that you’re going to get a lot of wear out of them. This simple gray pair is plush and cozy, helping to keep your toes, feet and ankles toasty and warm no matter the state of the weather.

Embroidered Nightshirt

More of a nightshirt kind of person? You’re well covered in the sleepwear department. Opting for a loose fit, buttoned number is a simple way to get into the winter season and sport something that’s going to keep you warm. This classic embroidered number is simple and chic, finished off with all the trimmings. The simplistic pocket detail sets the look apart from the rest, helping you to kick back in style.

Dreamy Striped Pants

Mixing and matching your sleepwear is a great way to make more out of each clothing item and experiment with your style. Individual loungewear items are always a perfect pick and if you select within the same color palette, you can easily pair up a whole load of different items. When it comes to cozy basics, these striped night pants take some serious beating. Well fitting and adjustable, the pants make a great item to wear around the house, giving you even more chance to relax when you want.

Maxi Pyjama Kimono

If you’re less than thrilled about the thought of layering up with a bulky dressing gown, why not try turning your attention to on oversized kimono? Swathes of material don’t have to be heavy and synthetic and by covering yourself in an item that is light and loose, you can protect yourself against the cold without feeling weighed down. This chic and flattering kimono can hide a multitude of sins and might soon become your favorite item of clothing to wear around the house.

Printed Pajama Pant

Sleepwear is a great way to experiment with your style and with any number of designs out there, you can go as daring as you like with the whole thing. Opting for a small print can serve you well in the sleepwear department, making it even easier for you to mix and match existing items you already have. Neutral tones and soft fabrics are the ultimate winter combination, giving you a great deal to play with when you’re pairing off individual items.

Hannah Lamarque by — November 22, 2016 in Fashion 0
Staycation: How To See More When You’re Staying At Home

Vacations are a great way to see the world, get out of your comfort zone and expand your horizons. What happens, then, when you’re staying at home? With everyone jetting off at all times of the year, it can begin to feel like you’re getting left behind. It turns out, however, that adventure could be waiting for you. Your hometown is bursting with opportunity and even if you’re staying at home for your holidays this year, you can still have a great time. It’s all about adjusting your perspective. Once you take off your resident hat, you can see your town through the eyes of a tourist. There is a whole world out there to be discovered and it starts with where you live!

Throw Your Routine Away

Your vacation time is your chance to kick back, relax and forget about who you are for a little bit. If you’re going to make the most of traveling where you live, you need to throw your normal routine to the wind and explore your local area in a different way. Forget about the places that you normally go to and look to a different part of town. To make your task a little easier, you can try renting an Airbnb or hotel room in a different part of town. Treat yourself to the things you normally would if you were on holiday. Get up late, take a long bath and make yourself a special breakfast. Give yourself a cultural task to do for the day and try that bakery on the other side of town. The aim is to explore further, so don’t be afraid to think outside of the box.

Turn Off Your Emails

Just because you’re still at home, it doesn’t mean that you should make yourself available to work emails at every moment. While staying at home might make you feel like you have to keep checking in with work, you should try and take a break from your usual schedule in order to kick back. Turn off your email alerts and put your out of office on your phone. Give any pressing information to your colleagues and tell them to phone you only in the case of an emergency. This is your time to relax, so you should make the most out of it.

Eat Out, Often

It is so often the food that makes our holidays memorable. If you’re used to eating in when you’re at home, try treating yourself to a few great meals out when you’re on your staycation. Make a list of all the places you’ve been meaning to try and make a few reservations. Try choosing somewhere a little more expensive than normal, or stopping in for a coffee and a pastry on your way home. Making each meal an event of sorts is a great way to really kick back and feel like you’re having the vacation of your dreams.

Make A Local Bucket List

We all have a number of places in our local towns that we’ve been meaning to try but simply have never got around to. Your staycation is the perfect opportunity in order to get more done. Before your holiday comes into effect, try making a list of all the places that you’ve been meaning to try. Experiencing your hometown through the eyes of a tourist can help to up your appreciation of where you live. Add as much as you like to the list and get exploring!

Keep Your Camera With You

A staycation isn’t really a staycation unless you capture a few of your memories along the way. Reaching for your camera when you’re on holiday might be second nature but when you’re in your hometown, you might struggle to find an opportunity to take a snap or two. To create a memorable experience, try taking a camera with you wherever you go. The chances are that if you do, you will begin to look at places in greater detail and spot areas that you had never seen before. Taking the time to document small details will help to boost each experience and help you to capture the essence of your staycation!

Treat Yourself

One of the joys about going on holiday is the opportunity to splurge a little now and then. While you don’t need to drop huge amounts in order to have fun, you can allow yourself a little extra spending here and there in order to make the most out of your time off. Try going for a nice meal, treating yourself to a new clothing item or seeing every museum in the local area. You’ve already saved a huge deal on flights and hotels, so don’t be afraid to go the extra mile for yourself.

Hannah Lamarque by — September 27, 2016 in Travel 0
Storage Solutions: How To Make The Most Out Of Your Closet

When you look at your closet, what do you see? Are there rails of neatly ordered clothes, ordered by season, color and style? Or, instead, is everything thrown together in a heap, knotted in piles in a vague attempt to make it fit inside the shoebox that is your bedroom? Dealing with limited closet space is something that happens to many people and while getting used to poky living spaces is all part and parcel of young adult life, there are a number of ways in which you can get the most out of your closet.

Want to expand your storage, all without actually moving home? You got it.

Freestanding Racks

Log on to any interiors Pinterest page and you will likely find yourself surrounded by images of perfectly curated bedrooms, dotted with industrial standing racks and metal works. While once an object of fashion shoots and retail storage space, freestanding racks have fast become one of the most popular interiors objects, helping thousands of people to get past their limited closet space. Simplistic, minimalistic and easy to move, the freestanding rack is one of the least obtrusive ways to make your space go further, wherever you are. Better yet, they are a great way of showcasing your seasonal wardrobe and making the most out of your clothes.

Wardrobe

Investing in a really great wardrobe or armoire is one of the simplest ways in which you can make the most out of your storage and keep all of your clothes in one neat spot. Great for storing hanging and folded objects, the furniture can make finding all of your clothes incredibly easy and will also keep any clutter well hidden from prying eyes. Tall, narrow and perfectly formed, the wardrobe won’t eat up much of your space, leaving you the room to do what you want with your home.

High Storage

So often, we don’t make full use of the storage available to us and rather than looking elsewhere in our homes for potential space, we expand onto the floor. If you look upwards, however, you might be surprised at what you can find. Making use of high ceilings can be a great way in which to expand your storage options and, simply by installing a few high level shelves, you can double the amount of space your have in your room and increase the look and feel of your bedroom. More floor space and higher ceilings? Now there’s something that we can all get behind.

Shoe Racks

More often than not, it is our shoe collection that eats up all of that valuable closet space, taking away room that could be used for other, more delicate items. If you’re finding your shoe collection growing at an alarming rate, then you might want to think about open storage and moving your footwear out of the closet. Investing in pieces like racks, ladders or cabinets on which to store and display your footwear can massively increase the amount of closet space you have at your fingertips. Better yet, you have an even better excuse to show off your collection!

Seasonal Storage

Can you separate your winter woolies from your summer dresses? If the answer is no, then you might need to start thinking about seasonal storage space. Storing out of season items in boxes or cabinets away from your closet is a great way to make use of the little space that you have, making searching through your current collection much more easy. If you want to go really streamlined, you can try rooting through your wardrobe at the end of every season and donating any pieces that you know you won’t get any further us out of. The less clutter that you have, the better use that you can get out of your closet space!

With expanding wardrobes and decreasing living spaces, it can often feel like your storage is getting the better of you and that eventually, you might be forced to live under a clothes volcano. By simply shifting around your living space, searching for hidden nooks in your room and getting a little experimental, however, you can massively increase the size of your storage. Thought your clothes were getting the better of you? Think again.

Hannah Lamarque by — March 29, 2016 in Lifestyle 0

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