personal style Archives - Cupcakes and Cutlery

10 Ways to Put Your Style in Your Holiday Decor

November 13, 2014 by Sharon Garofalow 11 Comments

*Today’s post is sponsored by Thymes, but my love for their Frasier Fir collection is all my own! My pine addiction is pretty much lifelong…

Holiday decorating is always hard for me. I don’t love holiday decor. Can I confess that the holiday fragrances are more magical to me than the decor? And I also don’t love that unless you go on a real hunt for cool, less traditional decor, you are stuck with whatever look the stores are selling that year. Thank goodness some of the larger stores are really stepping up in the design area and there are usually some good finds. Over the last few years I have been taking the time to go through the decorations in the garage and getting rid of the things that were bought on a whim, but I don’t love. (A few things I am holding on to simply because the smell reminds me of some awesome childhood memories). I’m trying to grow our collection to include things we are really drawn to and fit our personal style. Today I’m sharing 10 ways to put your personal style in your holiday decor.

1. Pick a color palette that YOU like. While most stores bombard you with decorations that are green, white and red, you can go in a different direction. Whites and silver, with a little sparkle, like in the image above) make for a super wintery look. Similarly, if you love hot pink, add it! Either diy something store-bought or let your friends and family know what you are looking for so they can help you scout out those harder to find decorations.

2. Don’t pack away the great pieces that you love the rest of the year. Figure out how to incorporate the pieces you love and still have your house feel holiday ready. Create little vignettes for visual interest. And see if there are ways to play up the holidays. Done right, a sleigh bell swag draped on this horses’ neck would be awesome and seasonal appropriate.

3. Try new plants and flowers in your home that have a holiday feel. Whether they are real or faux, go for something different. Look for berry-like stalks or even forgo flowers and use just greenery. Trader Joe’s is the best for finding unusual, seasonal plants and flowers. Even using just a small amount, mixed in with your usual decor will change the look of the room and have it feel more festive. And that simple Thymes Frasier Fir Pine Needle candle adds the perfect winter look to pair with unexpected foliage.

4. Look for great vessels, that match your holiday decor aesthetic, and use them to house your favorite succulents. Tuck in a few berries or even rosemary sprigs to take them from summery desert to wintery and lush. The modern looking white woodgrain soap dish from the Frasier Fir collection would be perfect for a succulent arrangement!

5. Add some flair in unusual places. Pine branches and glittery, decorative picks add warmth and whimsy to a room and is unexpected when placed in a magazine holder. Skip the usual mantle garland and instead add your greenery around the room at different visual levels. While most things are set on tables or shelves, don’t forget to survey your floor space to see if you can style something on the ground as long as it won’t impede your usual traffic.

6. For a lot of us, our trees go up much closer to December 25th (here in CA they dry out and die if you get them too early) which means that we don’t get a lot of time to enjoy our favorite ornaments. There is no rule against using ornaments on house plants. And you get to have your favorites up earlier so you can enjoy them longer. This Botancial Ornament does double duty as both decoration and room fragrance.

7. There are standard phrases used to share holiday cheer, like Noel, Merry Christmas, etc. But I took a cue from my kids, and their excitement for the season, to use a new word for our wall decorations. I mean, with all the presents and the treats and fun events that happen over the holidays, could there really be a better word? Also these mini mylar balloons are a super fun, celebratory way to decorate. They make your room feel like a party.

8. Tuck holiday themed candles around your living space to play up the season. Candles, like this one from Thymes, are really nice looking and don’t steal the attention from the style of your room but rather blend in with it. They special holiday scents with a variety of decorative candles so I’m sure you’ll be able to find one that fits in with your style. Some of the gingerbread items come in this gorgeous amber-colored glass!

9. Choose a signature holiday scent. For me, I’m a pine girl all the way. My soaps, candles, etc. are all in this scent. This year I’m using Thymes Frasier Fir collection. The scent is a mix of fir needles, cedarwood and sandalwood. All of the products layer nicely together to bring a subtle scent to the house all season long. They even created home care products in this scent so even my cleaning can feel more seasonal. I love this reed diffuser set for the smell but also because the reeds mimic the pine needles to me. And like I mentioned in number 6 above, we don’t get our trees for a while. I have to get my pine fix in! And the smell just makes me happy. Yes, I could use it year round, but for me, pine IS the holidays. But if it isn’t for you, they also have gingerbread with spicy notes of cinnamon, cardamom and ginger, yum.

Smells always evoke memories for me, but especially around the holidays. I can easily think of the various smells found in my mom’s boxes of holiday decorations. There’s the Avon candle from when she sold their cosmetics. There is the smell of the ornaments and the tissue they are wrapped in. There is peppermint from the candy canes that get put away with all the other decorations, inadvertently, every year. And there’s pine. Always pine. The scent that I look forward to all year. It signals the holiday season and the joy that I get to share with my own family now.

10. Don’t forget the kitchen! I don’t know about you, but the kitchen rarely gets decorated for any holiday. BUT that is where you spend a lot of time during the holiday season with all your baking and holiday hosting. So from this year on, I will be switching to my favorite scent in the kitchen too. And this white, faux wood holder, that this sink set comes in, is sleek and chic but feels wintery. While I can’t say that this will make me look forward to doing the dishes, I do know when I smell the Frasier Fir, I will have a moment of joy.

Head over to the Thymes site to check out all their amazing scents and shop for yourself or others on your gift list. Once there, you can redeem your exclusive offer for a free Fragrance Studio Sample Kit with any purchase of $25 of more! Thymes creates fragrances that are a mix of familiar and intriguing rooted in botanical perfumery. Drawn from nature, their unique formulations are artfully crafted to create products that are skin-compatible, environmentally friendly, effective and a pleasure to use.

Thank you for supporting the brands, like Thymes, that let me keep blogging. Especially the ones that make the most glorious pine-y fragranced products that make me swoon.

Filed Under: Holidays Tagged With: Christmas, Frasier Fir Fragrance Collection, Holiday Decor, Holidays, personal style, Pine Candles, Thymes Fragrances

Getting a Modern Look in a Traditional Space

March 26, 2014 by Sharon Garofalow

*This post is sponsored by Sauder. All opinions and tips are my own. My husband and I have really been discussing our home design aesthetic lately. We are currently giving our living room a makeover. But the process can be a long and difficult task when you are short on money and long on individual opinions. Add to the fact that we are renting our home and we kind of have to work with what we have. Our “base” is pretty traditional while our tastes run more towards a modern look. The modern feel we love nods to mid century modern with a clean, uncluttered vibe that is full of natural light. We struggle with just how modern we want to go (my husband – all the way, me – a more laid back, homey modern approach). We also struggle with the use of colors. I LOVE colors, whereas to keep it looking clean, my husband prefers to have only a few pops of one or two colors. As you can see from the mantle, most of the color comes from the flowers while the other accessories remain neutral. We don’t always have fresh flowers in our house, but they are the perfect way to add more color to a room, temporarily. And you can keep them in just a few colors or really mix it up with a colorful bouquet. Our biggest hurdle has been finding affordable furniture, that fits our budget, that will have big impact on the style of our room. But I think we finally have a solution in Sauder furniture. Until we decide on what furniture we need and how to lay it out in the room, we have focused more on the decor elements of the room to get us closer to the look we want.

To keep a clean, modern look, everything should have a use. To me, that can look a little to sparse and cold. So I’ve been searching for accessories that have a modern vibe. I found this vase, which reminds me of a high end modern pottery designer’s products, at my local craft store and was able to purchase it with a coupon. With the traditional look of the fireplace, we really need to try hard to add modern touches through decor.

Because I need to buy a few pieces of furniture to make this room over, I’m really trying to watch how I spend my money in other areas of the room. By repurposing things I already own, I am able to style the area without spending money. Here I’ve used an empty whiskey bottle and a wooden candlestick holder as vases (the wooden candlestick holder actually has a little metal insert for the candle so it can hold a smidge of water to keep that flower alive for a few days). The brass candlestick holders were purchased on clearance around the holidays and provide a little shine to the mantle. And while I used to hate the wall of mirrors, it is needed to keep that room bright all day. Thanks to the position of our home, that room loses natural light just after lunch time. But thanks to that wall of mirror and a sliding glass door opposite, light gets bounced back in to the room.

I think it is also very important when designing a room, even if you are trying to keep to a certain look, to put some of yourself in the room including one or two conversation pieces. Those tend to have big impact while not cluttering a space. This George Washington pillow is the only throw pillow we have on the couch (otherwise, my kids would make a fort out of them) and it demonstrates both my love for U.S. Presidents and my husbands love of Americana perfectly.

Modern rooms tend to be clear of clutter and with everything having a purpose. The media console we have now does not provide a spot for us to hide the DVD player. So it sits out on top of the console which I think is an eyesore. In this case, I felt a little styled vignette was in order to draw the attention away from the DVD player. And look, it is holding our Apple TV remote so that counts as function, right?

The media console is one of the pieces of furniture that we will be replacing. I am in love with the clean lines and modern vibe of this media console from Sauder. And guess what? My husband and I both love the style. You know how you find a new company and get super excited over their stuff only to click through and realize that you can’t afford any of it? Well, that is not the cause with Sauder. Not only do they carry pieces that perfectly fit our modern aesthetic, but the prices are totally affordable. This company gets it. They think you should be able to furnish your home in style without breaking the bank. Amen. You can see the entire Soft Modern collection, which is TOTALLY amazing, on their website or their Pinterest page. And they have styles to suit all different tastes. With these pieces, we can achieve the modern look we want in this house but can take with us if we move again. And because the furniture is so affordable, we can change out some of the other pieces that don’t fit the look we are trying to achieve. Awesome. This room is far from finished but I am super excited with how it is coming together. I can’t wait to feel good about inviting people in to our home!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Sauder Woodworking. The opinions and text are all mine.

Filed Under: Family Life, Home Decor, Lifestyle Tagged With: design, home decor, lifestyle, personal style

There’s No Place Like Home – Especially these

February 13, 2014 by Sharon Garofalow 1 Comment

Image via Sugar and Cloth

It is time. We’ve been in our place or almost a year. It is still undecorated and it is freaking me out. I think part of the problem is that I a worried about how the compromising will go with my husband. We both have very distinct tastes. And since this is my place of business (blog aside, as a stay at home mom – this is my office) I am the one that will be enjoying it or not enjoying which ever the case may be. I’m starting to make sure I note when I am really drawn to an interior that I see online. I’m going to ask the hubs to do the same. And we’ll see what we come up with! Will this be a project that will be done soon? Nope. We don’t have the time or money for that. But this is all about developing our style and finding the pieces that feel like us.

Ashley‘s living room drives me wild. I love her art work (I think she made most of it herself) and the clean lines are comforting. That rug wouldn’t last a second in our house though with two little boys. So I’m wondering what options are out there that will help keep a room bright but hide dirt.

Image via Marie Cox via Glitter Guide

I’m addicted to pretty much anything that Jamie from Furbish Studio does. Every time I come across one of her interiors it stops me in my tracks. It fits me perfectly. I adore her mix of colors and patterns. There is always something playful that goes well with my sense of humor. And the spaces feel homey and not over-styled. How will I be able to pull off this layered look without a ton of knickknacks? I know myself and how much I do not enjoy dusting around tiny items.

great color and feel for growing kid's room

Photo via Mor Til Mernee

I love how this wall of art doesn’t feel like a typical gallery wall. Maybe it is the pops of bright colors coupled with the sleek storage. I’m going to be studying this to see how I can mimic it.

A few other issues:

Do we finally give up our ridiculously comfortable couch for a style better suited for our eyes? Our eyes don’t have to lounge on it to watch TV at night.

Do we go with a console table, bench or buffet for the wall where we will hang a lot of our framed art? I hate that our couch provides our only seating in the room when we have guests over. Everyone sits facing the TV and the window and interaction is odd. I could totally use the storage space of a buffet but could we address the seating issue by adding a bench against that wall that could be moved when we entertain? Or would it end up looking like a bench pushed against the wall?

What do we put under our TV? It needs to store a shit load of Skylanders, DVDs and hopefully the DVR and DVD player (yes we still have one of those. I am not sure why). Most media consoles seem to be either super modern and stark or super country and grody. Will we find one that lands somewhere in between?

Will my husband be able to handle the pops of pink that I think is integral to any perfect room? I like a little bit of neon pink here and there. Is that so wrong?

Will my kids ruin all our new stuff? To be determined.

Filed Under: Family Life, Home Decor, Lifestyle Tagged With: art, design, home decor, personal style

Fashion Risks in Palm Springs

August 16, 2013 by Sharon Garofalow 10 Comments

So first I need to direct you to the amazing recaps that both Lauren and Tammy did of our recent trip to Palm Sprigs. I had SO MUCH FUN. I have many more images to share from the weekend but I wanted to start first on what I wore. This trip was all about being creative and finding inspiration so I decided it would be a great place for me to step out of my shell and take some fashion risks. You might look through these photos and say, that wasn’t all that risky. And I totally get that. But it was a good place for me to start. I really enjoy fashion and want to continue working on my personal style. The weather in Palm Springs was a lovely 105 degrees. I love the heat but that certainly did play a role in the outfits that I picked. For the drive up I went with my favorite easy leopard pants (you guys I am pretty close to needing a leopard print intervention…) and a black silk racer back tank tucked in. So here is where the risky part is. The tuck in. I usually wear things loose and drapey. Sometimes it works and sometimes I feel sloppy. Tucking in and allowing my buns to be on display (you guys, my insecurities run deep!) was a big step. And no one pointed and laughed!!!

For dinner the first night I threw on a simple hi-lo black dress (can someone please make a dress with a straight hem? For real, I’m pretty much done with the reverse dress mullet but that is all you can find!) Um, boring, you say. Yes. Lauren said, “I thought you said you were taking fashion risks?” The risky part here is that the top is a bit loose. I wore just a bra under it and didn’t wear a tank top. I am not well endowed up top and I don’t know why I feel the need to hide behind my clothes. I just do. So from the outside this doesn’t look like a fashion risk but to me it was very freeing. And those shoes. Those were definitely a broken ankle risk.

The next day for some shopping and lunch I wore my favorite kaftan from Novella Royale (no longer on the site but this is similar). I’ve had it forever and worn it a ton, but ALWAYS with skinny jeans or leggings. I do not wear shorts. Or mini skirts. So this was HUGE. I certainly wasn’t comfortable going without anything so I paired it with some black slip shorts I have. Having a spray tan helped my confidence. And I have to be honest and say that I have not worn shorts since I’ve been home. And while there was day drinking involved in Palm Springs, I certainly wasn’t drunk when I picked out my outfit that morning. I need to dig for this confidence again and aim to add shorts back in to my summer wardrobe.

The other part that I wanted to overcome was having my picture taken. I really don’t like it and I don’t know how to do it. I had Lauren and Tammy spend a few minutes in this parking lot with me while the other gals went thrifting. I am laughing in this picture because they were trying to tell me how to pose. And I kept getting it all wrong. I am not a natural in front of the camera and I accept that. But I would like to try to learn how to not look crazy insane and stiff when someone takes my picture.

Then Lauren told me to walk. So I turned and strutted my stuff across the lot. “Walk better” she says. What does that even mean?! She explained I was walking like a burly man and that I should think in my head that I was on a runway…

So then I BROUGHT IT.

You guys! I wore a two piece!! Earlier this summer I decided that I was no longer young enough or fit enough to wear a bikini. So I bought a cute, sort of retro one piece from Old Navy much to my husband’s dismay. I wore it on my first girl’s trip to Scottsdale (more on that trip soon!) and then again when I got home. And then it broke! So I took it to Lauren’s and asked her to help me mend it with her sewing machine. This was the suit I intended on wearing to Palm Springs. In the mean time, I started looking for a bikini that covered a little more area. And found one on clearance at Target! Lo and behold, Lauren “accidentally” forgot to bring it to Palm Springs…I think it was her way of ensuring that I wear the two piece. But I’m glad she did. I pretended like I was totally comfortable walking around in a bikini and think that helped. And guess what, that one piece is not going with me to Mexico. I can do it.

For dinner that night, I decided to just rewear my Novella Royale kaftan. I just added heels, a sparkly necklace and Lauren did my hair. She is the BEST to travel with!

So these are probably the biggest risk I took the whole weekend aside from wearing shorts. I picked up these harem pants from a thrift store over a year ago and have dying to wear them. I decided to pull them up to my knees to create a blousey effect. Which I realize now, was not the right move. They are much more flattering to wear as actual pants at the ankle. You live and you learn. I also didn’t do my hair this day and only have minimal makeup on so taking this picture was extra hard for me.

Being that this was a girl’s weekend, everyone shared insecurities that they had. What I loved about this group was that the concerns were voiced and then moved past. No one let their insecurities keep them from having a fun time. And, of course, everyone was super supportive and would go out of their way to make you feel good about yourself. Aside from just having ridiculous amounts of fun this weekend taught me a lot about myself. I’m grateful that, even at my age (super old, you guys) I can still grow and make positive changes.

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: fashion, girl's trip, Palm Springs, personal style, vacation, what I wore

Personal Style – Coming in to Focus

June 3, 2013 by Sharon Garofalow 4 Comments

Yes. This picture is blurry. But there is a reason I decided to use it anyway. I think it perfectly sums up where I’m at with finding my personal style. You remember I did a style coaching session right? And while I came away with an end goal of how I want to dress, there is a definite transitional phase as you really get the hang of what fits in your style profile. This photo was taken when I went to a blog networking event. This was a real risk for me. Although I LOVE the dress (my friend Carole gave it to me and it fit me like a glove) I haven’t worn a dress that short in years. I know, it’s not even that short. But it was out of my comfort zone. But I paired it with my favorite pair of black booties and felt like I looked pretty cute. I paired it with a black leather jacket of my husbands that has a black sweat material hood. I felt like it perfectly fit the look that I love: a little rock, a little tough, casual, put together. So while this outfit worked it is still not super easy for me to put outfits together.

I still find things in my closet that do not belong. I really need to do another round of cleaning out. Every time I walk in, I see things, that while they are cute, they don’t belong in my closet. This will continue to be an ongoing process. And I find it really exciting! It is such a great way to learn more about myself. And while before I assessed my style, I loved fashion, it is almost more fun now when I see something that I just KNOW is my style. So I’ll keep plugging away. Do you have a clearly defined sense of style for yourself?

Filed Under: Fashion Tagged With: fashion, personal style, style, wardrobe coach