10 Ways to UpStyle Your Closet

I love a beautiful closet and think it’s one of the easiest ways to enhance your life.  A beautiful closet makes your clothes and accessories look better and I believe it can also make you feel your best each and every day.

Many of the design clients I work with struggle with making the most of their closet, from organizing it to making it a design statement like the rest of their bedroom.  No matter how big or small your closet is, there are some design tricks you can use to make it a beautiful, functional and inspiring space.

1.  CREATE A POWERFUL FIRST IMPRESSION

If you don’t have a walk-in closet, don’t let that stop you from creating a dynamic first impression with your closet.  Painting your closet doors, adding trim work or using wall paper to add a graphic punch is a great way to up-style your closet.

2.  ADD PAINT OR PAPER

Adding a little pizazz to the inside of your closet will not only energize the space but your clothes will look more glamorous surrounded by pretty paper or paint.

 

I love the idea of wall-papering the inside of a closet door.  It creates such a pretty backdrop to display outfits against.

Paint your closet walls your favorite color which is sure to lift your spirits.

3.  ORGANIZE BY COLOR

 

Organizing your clothes by style first (shirts, pants, skirts etc.) and then by color will give your closet a stylized feel and make getting dressed easier.

And don’t forget that the hangers are part of your style statement so use all one style of hanger to give your closet a streamlined and  cohesive look.

4.  KEEP IT ORGANIZED

I can’t stress how important an organized closet is to starting your day on a good foot.  Keep like items together and use shelf dividers to keep things tidy.

 

5.  USE STORAGE BOXES AS A STYLE ELEMENT

Storage boxes are another great organizing tool.  Invest in study boxes with stylish details.  Storage boxes can become part of your closet style!  If you come across plain boxes at the thrift store, an inexpensive roll of wrapping paper and double-sided tape  can transform them into decorative boxes in a flash.

6.  PUT THINGS ON DISPLAY

I love to incorporate decorative accents into a closet space.  Hanging a piece of art or displaying accessories or personal care items on decorative risers can transform your closet into a special space.

7.  MAKE IT PERSONAL

If space allows, why not incorporate a small vanity desk or chaise into your closet space.  It my not seem like you’d hang out in your closet but I promise this will become a special retreat for you.

8.  ADD A TOUCH OF GLAMOUR

One of the easiest ways to up-style your closet is by hanging a chic chandelier or pendant light.  This change alone will make your closet feel special and personal.

9.  ADD SEATING

Ok, who wouldn’t want this gorgeous ottoman in their closet.  Seating, whether a chair, stool or ottoman will give you a place to put on your shoes and turn your closet into a salon.

10.  ADD A RUG

Adding a decorative rug as a style layer in your closest is a quick and easy up-style tip.  Go bold or stay classic but layer a rug to give your closet a sense of warmth and coziness.

If you’re looking for ways to make your closet a more inspiring space, try one or more of these Closet UpStyle Tips!

Happy Decorating!

If you’d like help creating a home your absolutely love, CONTACT ME about my design services!

all images can be found on MY DREAM CLOSET pinterest board.

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Best of Etsy: Stylish Desk Accessories

Since I spend so much time in my office, I feel the need to surround myself with pretty office accessories.  Having an organized & stylish office space is not only necessary to fuel my creativity but it also spurs me to keep my small space organized and tidy.  There are a few essential elements I think every office space needs like a desk lamp and desk chair and beyond that there are some really stylish pieces that I think every office could use.  Today I’ve rounded up some of my favorite inspirational office spaces and a handful of adorable office accessories I found on Etsy.

Check it out….be inspired and then get back to work, in style!

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I love the simplicity of the space.  The striped rug adds just enough pattern to keep the space interesting and that mirror is a definite style statement.

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I love the idea of a hanging light over the desk and the bold color that is balanced against an all white space.

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So much to love about this space.  Why go with a brown wood desk when you the color pink exist?   And that animal print bulletin boards is so stylish.

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Upgrading a simple metal file cabinet is just a few paint strokes away.

Stained Glass Business Holder and Pencil Cup

Patterned Desk Tray

Paris Pencil Collection

Personalized Chevron Mouse Pad

Designer Clipboard with Zebras

Chevron Letter Holder

Framed Bulletin Board

 

You might also find inspiration for your office space here and here!

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Lucite Tray Love

Good Monday to you all!  I hope you are planning for a great week ahead.  Me, lots of paperwork and computer time on the to-do list!

Just wanted to pop in today and share one of my all time favorite accessory pieces for the home, the Lucite Tray.  What was once relegated to the office cubicle has now become a chic and stylish way to add organization, storage and display to your home!

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I’ll be back later in the week to show you a couple of  DIY Lucite Trays I made recently!

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TWO Easy and Creative Ways to Display Bracelets

I buy jewelry because it is the easiest way to add a little something-something to my wardrobe and it helps me express my personality.  When it comes to storing my jewelry, I look for ideas that are just as creative as my personal style.  Lately I’ve focused on ways to keep my bracelet collection organized and on display.  Here are two super ideas I’ve come across that I think are pretty fabulous.

For more creative organizing and jewelry display ideas, check out my Jewelry and Baubles board on Pinterest!

 

Other post you might like:

Jewelry Storage Taken to a New Level

Creative Jewelry Storage

Do You Have a Signature Style

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New Additions to the Shop

Just wanted to pop in and let everyone know that I’ve got new Designer Clipboard patterns added to the ConfettiStyle Designs SHOP!   

 

Handcrafted by me, just for you!

Thanks for stopping by!

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Office Organization Made Easy {and Pretty}

Since the month of January at my house is all about organizing, I thought I’d share some of my favorite office and work space inspiration with you. And as an added bonus I’ve included three of my tested and proven organizing tips.

Organizing Tip #1:  A Pretty Workspace=A Productive Workspace

I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be work in a space that is uninspiring and lacks a sense of style.  Creating a stylish workspace can be done by simply investing in a few colorful and chic desk accessories to hold your office tools and papers.  Head to your local big box store and shop the kitchen section for decorative glass jars, platters and baskets.

Flea markets and thrift stores are also a great resource of silver trays, bowls and dishes that will add an elegant touch to your desk.

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Organizing Tip#2:  Organize From the Floor Up

The floor space under your desk or next to it is often unused.  This valuable space can help you stay organized if put to use in the right way.  Stack decorative boxes or lidded baskets under or to the side of your desk. Use them to hold extra printer paper, notebooks or other large office supplies that would normally sit on the top of your desk.  If the space allows, build a shelf under the desk to hold file and magazine boxes which you can easily reach when needed.

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Organizing Tip#3:  Keep your projects Close to Keep you on Track

One of the best and most stylish ways to set up function and organization in your office is by incorporating a decorative bulletin/inspiration board.  The board becomes a great place to hang to-do list, materials for projects in progress and inspirational photos.  Incorporate a bulletin board that coordinates with your décor for added style!   Even in a limited space, you can make a bulletin board would for you.

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A final note on organizing…be creative!  I love this idea of using a picture frame and a piece of fabric to create a desktop organization station!  The link to the original source is not working but it looks like a pretty simple DIY!

I’d love to know if you have a favorite organizing tip for your home office so please leave a comment and share!

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Jewelry Storage Taken to a New Level

Last year I needed to get my jewelry, specifically my necklaces sorted and stored in an organized way.  At the time I wanted to use ribbon to do a simple update on a standard cork board which I would hang my necklaces on.  This is what the board looked like with a little ribbon added around the edge.  Simple, effective and not very attractive but given that the board hangs behind the bedroom door and no one sees it I was fine with it.

Over the course of the year my necklace collection grew and I ran out for room on the board.  After giving a little thought to what I could do, I came up with an idea to create a Jewelry Closet for my necklaces.    Here is it.

This simple project doubled the storage space for my jewelry and allowed me to add some additional style to my bedroom décor.

Here’s what it took…

 Two framed cork boards purchased from Wal-Mart

Paint–I used acrylic paint from Michael’s 

Two Schlage Brass Plated hinges from Home Depot

A piece of fabric (measured to fit the face of the board)–I got this from Hancock Fabrics

1 decorative knob

Suede cording for the closure loop (from my stash)

And here’s How I Did it…

First I painted all edges of both boards in red to match the new color change I made in my bedroom for spring.

Next my sweet hubby attached the piano hinges on one side of each board to connect them.  The cork surface of each board in facing in.

We then added a decorative red and white striped knob which I purchased from Hobby Lobby last year on clearance for $.50 cents.  (p.s.  they have tons of knobs that they just marked down to 66% off–check their sale section).

Finally I added the decorative fabric to the front of the outside board, tacking it in place with gold thumb tacks.

  What I also like about my new Jewelry Closet is the added bonus of using the front to pin inspirational style images.  What fun!

Hey, did you notice that I have some empty space in my closet to add some more jewelry?  Whoopee!

Have a great weekend!

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Preparing for the Holidays: 10 Things to Do

 

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 I’ve mentioned several times on the blog that I’m a pretty organized person.  My organization tends to get a little off-balance during the holidays so it’s essential for me to develop a plan, make a list (or two) and employ a few tricks to get me through the season in one piece. 

As I’ve begun to pull together my personal and business plans for the holidays, I thought I share with you my list of essential things to do to get ready for the season.  These are the things that keep me sane and let me to enjoy all that the season has to offer!

image via BHG

1.  DEVELOP A PLAN–Everything runs smoother when you have a plan!  My first step in getting ready for the holidays is to outline everything that needs to get done.  My list includes things like the areas of my home I plan to decorate, the items I need to buy for decorating, things I need to pull out of storage like holiday linens and dinnerware, and a list of holiday events we need to attend.  I usually outline my plan in a little notebook that I can carry with me at all times.

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2.  STOCK UP ON WRAPPING SUPPLIES–Early November is the perfect time to take stock of your gift wrap supplies and begin stocking up on the necessities:  Gift Wrap, Ribbon/Bows, Tissue Paper, Gift Tags, Gift Boxes, Gift Bags and Double Sided Tape!  My favorite sources for holiday gift wrap are The Container Store’s Gift Wrap Wonderland, The Paper Source, on-line paper store Paper Mojo and IKEA (which sell out of their paper fast)!

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3.  MAKE YOUR CHRISTMAS CARD LIST–Creating a list of everyone you plan to send a Christmas card to will help you when you sit down to write out the addresses.  As you make your list update any addresses and figure our how many stamps you need to buy.  I’m planning (as in hoping) to make my Christmas cards by hand again this year so a list will help me identify how many cards I need to make and aid me in purchasing any supplies that will be needed.

4.  CREATE A GIFT LIST AND BUDGET–I have some very difficult people in my family to buy for so a list is essential for me.  I also like to allocate my spending money as I create my list, so I can stay on budget and make sure I have a little “me” spending money too! As I ‘ve been out shopping earlier in the year, I’ve made notes in my phone of items I’ve come across that would be good gifts for family and friends.  This has given me a bit of a head start in the gift buying department.

 

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5.  OUTLINE YOUR HOLIDAY PARTY SCHEDULE & PLAN YOUR WARDROBE–I don’t know about you, but I hate scrambling at the last-minute to find something to wear to a holiday party.  Outlining all the events you will be going to, the type of party and the dress code will keep you relaxed and calm as each event approaches.   You’ll be able to enjoy the party more if you plan out what you’re wearing (or need to buy) and have everything ready to go.

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6.  PULL OUT YOUR DECORATIONS–Plan to pull out all of your Christmas decor a least a week before you plan to decorate.  Locate all the extension cords, ornament hooks, the tree skirt, wreath hook etc.  Stage everything in a spare bedroom or the garage so when decorating day comes you’ll be ready.

{Believe it or not but my holiday decor will start going up Nov. 20th–that’s the life of a designer whose really busy decorating other people’s homes}

7.  DEVELOP A MENU PLAN AND SHOPPING LIST–Hitting the grocery store during the holidays can test the best of us.  It is not the time to be wandering the aisles hoping that the item you drove to the store to get pops into your mind.  For all of your big holiday dinners, create a menu and make a shopping list of everything you’ll need.  When you arrive at the grocery store you’ll be able to go directly to what you need and get in and out in record time.  Here’s a great downloadable list you can print.

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8.  SET ASIDE A DAY OR TWO TO DO YOUR GIFT SHOPPING–Plan into your schedule one or two days to hit the malls and stores to get all of your holiday gift shopping done!  Planning ahead will let you map your route so you’re not wasting time or gas.  If you’re buying clothing make sure to list the sizes next to each person so you’re not guessing.  And, as part of your planning process gather up store coupons and store rewards cards so you can take advantage of special offers and deals that will be out there.

I’ll be posting my 2012 Holiday Gift Guide starting November 12th!

9.  OUTLINE TRAVEL PLANS IF YOU’RE GOING OUT OF TOWN–We will be traveling this Christmas and will probably be breaking our travel time into two days instead of one.  That means a hotel room for one night and maybe even needing to make dinner reservations.  If you’ll be on the road for Christmas take the time to map out your travel plans, your stops along the way and even sites and attractions you want to see along the route.  Plus, make a list of essential items you need to remember to put in the car like bottled water, games for the kids, cd’s and blankets & pillows.

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10.  TAKE TIME TO ENJOY & RELAX

One of the most important things you can do this holiday is to make sure to schedule some “me” time.  Take some time to enjoy your decor at home, take a ride to look at Christmas lights, attend a holiday play or get together for a casual night out with the friends!  Just think of it as a little gift to yourself!

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There is lots to do between now and Dec. 25th, but with a little planning it will all be a breeze!

Thanks for stopping by.  See you back here tomorrow with some Entertaining Inspiration…Thanksgiving Style!

If you’d help creating Your Holiday Home, contact me about my holiday decorating services!

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