My Home

Catalina Rockers from Serena & Lily

Catalina rocker in driftwood

Catalina Rockers

 

My outdoor update continues and I am so excited to share more Serena & Lily gorgeous pieces with you. Over the past few years, I have been slowly adding some Serena & Lily pieces into my home and I will share those with you as well. I have come to love their quality, coastal style, and exquisite craftsmanship. There are tons of imitation pieces on the market, but nothing, in my opinion, compares to Serena & Lily’s craftsmanship. In my last blog post, view here, I furnished the left side of the front porch using the Pacifica bench, from Serena & Lily. I loved the Pacifica bench so much that I decided to continue the same sort of modern coastal style on the other side of the porch. Today, I will be showing you the right side of the front porch. I chose 2 Catalina rockers for my front porch in driftwood to complement the Pacifica bench. These rockers are just so generously sized. According to Serena & Lily “Inspired by the look of wickerwork and rattan, our handcrafted resin designs offer the same attention to form and texture – plus a weather-friendly construction that’s made to last”. This is so important to me because it rains a lot in Chicago, and although, I have these rockers at the covered front porch right now, I also move them to the backyard pool area when needed. See below.

They look amazing by the pool! Right? My husband and I often sit here and watch the sunset or drink our morning coffee here. Where do you think they look better? The front porch or the pool? I cannot decide. The other day, my husband rocked himself to sleep right here! This is the perfect spot for catching up on my bookclub book and watching the kids jump in the pool and do cannon balls. The Catalina rockers add to the modern, yet coastal vibe that I have aimed for in my backyard. They are just perfect. I am thinking that I will leave them here for the summer while the pool is open and bring them to the front porch, once we close up the pool for the season. If you have been following me for a while, you know how much I love versatile pieces. By versatile, I mean pieces that look good in several places in your home and have great functionality. The Catalina rockers have proven to be great versatile pieces that I know my family will enjoy for many many years to come.

Summerland Lanterns

In the photos above you will see the Summerland Lanterns, also from Serena & Lily. These light and airy, open- weave design lanterns add a touch of texture and artistry to my backyard. I love the ambiance they bring at night when lit and what I love most of all, is that they are made of a weather- resistant rattan that will last for years in my climate. The driftwood colorway looks amazing against the driftwood Catalina rockers as well.

Cayman Pitcher Drinking Glasses

In addition to the Summerland lanterns, we use the Cayman pitcher and glasses from Serena & Lily. Made of recycled glass with rattan removable covers, they are the perfect addition to my summer entertaining collection. I love using them with guests for lemonade by the pool, or myself for some iced-tea. They are so much more interesting than a typical drinking glass and they add to that modern-coastal feel that I just love!

As you can see in the photo above, my front porch is now complete and it welcomes guests upon entering our home. It gives the front porch the modern coastal feel that I have been craving for this space and it continues into the backyard. Slowly, but surely I will be adding more pieces from Serena & Lily to complete our outdoor pool area!

My Favorite Serena & Lily Essentials

Below, I have all my Serena & Lily essentials linked for you. I cannot wait to receive my 2 outdoor hanging chairs, which I will be hanging both indoor and outdoor. Outdoor in the summer and indoor in the winter.

These pieces have changed our life in many ways. The rockers gave us a place to rest and watch the sunset after a long day of work and they have given us a great spot to watch the kids at the pool. Over the past few years, Serena & Lily has quickly become my go-to for coastal-modern furniture pieces that will last the test of time. Having high quality stylish pieces around my home is such an important factor in furnishing my home. I can’t think of a better place to find these essential pieces. Yes, you may have to pay more than HomeGoods, but it is worth every penny. Trust me! I have been so impressed with everything from Serena & Lily. I hope this inspires you to add some great-quality outdoor pieces to your outdoor space from Serena & Lily!

My Home

Serena & Lily Outdoor Update

When I first set out to find some seating for my front porch, I knew I wanted something to withstand the harsh winters here in Chicago. Not only that, I wanted it to greet people upon walking up to the front door. I want them to be impressed and have it set the tone for the rest of my house. So, I decided to reach out to Serena & Lily** and they helped me get the Pacifica bench in driftwood.

**This blog post is sponsored by Serena & Lily

 

I knew the color would be timeless and stunning against my white brick. The Pacifica bench is made out of classic wicker with outdoor-friendly materials. According to Serena & Lily it is made out of an all-weather resin, expertly woven that lends to the look of woven rattan. The color tone is a sunbleached driftwood, which honestly reminds me of the cafes in Paris. As you know, my husband and I traveled to Paris several times and I am always looking for timeless pieces that remind me of Paris, yet have a coastal feel and Serena & Lily pieces are so well known for this! In addition, their quality just cannot be beat! I topped the Pacifica bench with a few of my favorite Serena & Lily throw pillows. I love that they also sell the cushion for this bench as well. That is something that is one my wish list.

In addition to this Pacifica bench, I also added 3 outdoor Riviera swivel barstools to our grill area and they are stunningly beautiful and I could not believe how heavy and sturdy they are. Think Serena & Lily’s signature French inspired bistro design in an outdoor stool…ummm, yes please. Once again, that touch of Paris is just everything to me. These are the highest quality resin and while there may be copycats out there, the quality on these from Serena & Lily are so evident. They do not tip over and have the same gorgeous driftwood tone that I love.

The powdercoated aluminum frame is to withstand our harsh winters here in Chicago, and our rainy Spring. The woven wicker repels water, resists mildew (I’ve had this on some outdoor furniture, trust me, not fun) and stand up to extreme heat (we have west side exposure in the back by our pool, so this is so important). I have some items that are not from Serena & Lily outside and they have been fading, and they look horrible. I cannot wait to have my entire backyard set up with Serena & Lily items!

These stools are just so functional, as they are beautiful. I do not want to be switching out my outdoor pieces every year because they did not make it through the winter, so I know that the Serena & Lily quality will last me for years and years. And lastly, these cute Palisades chairs in natural have been so fun next to my pool. We move them around tirelessly and they add the perfect fun touch to our backyard pool oasis!

 

I hope this inspires you to freshen up your outdoor space!

My Home

Butler’s Pantry reveal

I have never been more excited about a project. This small project is something that I have always wanted to do. For 5 years now I have dreamt of having a gorgeous brick wall inspired by the Costwolds cottage homes that we visited 3 years ago. It was village that basically has stopped in time and is uninterrupted by the modern architecture of today. I felt like I was in a fairy tail when we visited and since my home is on the older side (100 years old), it fits this aesthetic perfectly.

Here is the before…

I wanted open shelving backed by a gorgeous wall of Moroccan brick tile. When I first discovered this Zellige tile from Riad Tile, I wasn’t sure if I was going to put it around my main range wall or here in the butler’s pantry. Since we did not know if we will be doing further updates in the kitchen, I decided to go with the Butler’s pantry. This gorgeous handmade clay tile has special characteristics that make each tile unique and individual. It is truly one of a kind. I received the 2×6 tile in the color Snow.

The first thing my contractor did was remove the upper cabinetry. Let’s take a look at the before… At first I was not sure if I was going to remove the upper cabinets, but as soon as I received this tile from Riad tile, I knew it deserved it’s own uninterrupted wall of tile from counter to ceiling. It deserves it. I was going for a European look and the cabinets would continue to bother me if I kept them in place, so down they came!

When I first thought of redoing this area, the first thing I wanted to toss this weird sink. I did not know what this thing was made of when we first moved in. It always looked dirty so I started doing some research online and the middle line dividing the two sinks was quite unique. It was a squiggly line. I researched and researched online until I found the sink. Lo and behold, I found out it was a real silver sink retailing at about $5-6K. Because our home is older it is definitely a vintage piece and definitely a keeper. I thank God that I did not make a rash decision and toss this beauty to the curb.

This sink now makes sense with the addition of the tile. The whole area looks like it was meant to be, like it is from a home in the Cotswolds and that is the feel I wanted this space to have-a European vintage feel. My vision came to life, as soon as the tile was grouted.

 

As my contractor was laying the tile, I started to become nervous, but I forgot that tile looks so different without grout. You must wait for the grout, you must! As the tile went up, huge sighs of relief started to really help my anxiety. I knew it was going to look amazing and my vision was being realized.

I told my contractor that I did not want any trim around the window. He removed it. He then asked me if I wanted the edges to be mitered or painted a similar color to the tile. I am so glad that I told him to miter the edges. This is a painstaking process that must be done by a professional or somebody very skilled in tiling.

After the wall of tile was completed, they were ready to grout the tile the next day. Then, he came back one week later to install the white oak shelves. I told him the thickness that I wanted as did I the length.

He brought the shelving and put a coat of poly on them on-site. Then he hung them into the studs. As the first one went up, I sighed a huge sigh of relief. Nailed it. This is exactly what I wanted. I was so happy I stuck with a light white oak. What I love about the open shelving versus the glass cabinetry is that they serve as function and beauty. I can place our white dishes on one side and I can have a coffee station on the other side within easy reach and most importantly, I can see that gorgeous Riad tile!!!

I chose 2 simple picture lights to hang above each set of shelves on each side. These are the Ridgewood picture lights from Hudson Valley Lighting #sponsored. I chose the brass and I love the way they look against the zellige tile wall. I also, I planned to put art on the upper shelf, so it will serve as a great spotlight!

I hope this inspires you to remove some upper cabinetry and get creative. Do not be afraid to think outside the box/cabinet (no pun intended). I know I don’t live in the Cotswolds, but at least I can pretend to everyday as I use this space. It seriously takes me to that world instantly. Happy renovating!

 

My Home

The Kitchen Edit

Do you have to gasp for air every time you are cooking and cannot find that lemon pepper? Or, do you hate looking for a sponge under the kitchen sink? Well, I have been moving along with my determination to get organized this January. The next area I really needed to tackle was my kitchen. Two areas that gave me complete anxiety were my spice and under the sink cabinets. I set out to tackle that spice tornado first. Every time I cook, I find myself fumbling the spices and trying to get to the back of the twilight zone of spices to reach the cumin or the paprika. Enough was enough. Let’s take a look at how this space looked first. You can see why it was nearly impossible to find that container of sumac!

I knew there had to be an easier way. I never liked the ready made spice jars that came with spices because I knew I had big quantities of some items, while others I didn’t need that much. So, I hopped on Amazon and I couldn’t believe how many options they have nowadays. In addition to function I wanted something stylish (of course). So, I found some clear glass jars with bamboo lids and I was sold. I immediately put them in my cart. I even found ready made labels that are chic, simple, and modern…in the cart they went too.

Here are the items I used.

I had an empty drawer sitting next to my range and I knew these should be in the drawer! So, I anxiously awaited my Amazon delivery and got busy….then, BOOM.

I have never been more excited about spices in my life!!! What the what? Where have I been! Seriously, I highly recommend this little activity. It will change your life. Below are all the items I bought from Amazon and the container store.

Look at everything that I will be tossing…

Ahhhh, I feel so much better now! Now I can find everything and if I really wanted to go the extra mile, I can alphabetize these too, or that would be a fun activity for my kids!

The next spot that seriously gave me anxiety was under the kitchen sink! Whenever I would need a sponge, or some cleaning supplies, I found my hands lost in another dark hole! Well, it was time to tackle this once and for all. I went to the Container Store to get some ideas. I did not want to spend too much, so I really thought about what I needed. I thought it would be so helpful to have something like a lazy-susan to have my cleaning supplies on so they don’t get lost in the back of the cabinet. Next, I wanted to elevate one portion of under the cabinet so that I can double up on storage space. Then, I also wanted to line the bottom of the cabinet so that if a solutions spills, it doesn’t ruin the wood. It also serves as a very clean looking bottom and it is easily wipable. Let’s take a look…..

BEFORE

AFTER

This may not look like a huge change, but believe me, it has made my life a whole lot easier! Little changes like this can make a big difference in your life. Trust me, now I love using my spices. I hope this inspires you to clean/organize just one drawer or cabinet in your home!

My Home

The Shelf Edit

One of the hardest things that I find to style is a shelf. But, over the years, I have learned that less is sometimes more. If you carefully choose what to place on a shelf, it should be much easier on the eye and draw your viewer in. I set out to declutter and refresh my living room shelves. Rather than completely clearing the shelves, I looked at the shelves and knew that I had to divide these up somehow. So, what I did is visually divide each section into two. It’s much easier to work with a smaller section. I chose 1-3 items to place in each section. In this case, the stack of books I have counted as (one) item. Once I did that, I started removing things and editing until my mind felt at ease. I immediately knew I wanted

the shelves to be mostly neutral and maybe have a pop of color. So, I flipped the books over so that the pages show rather than the binding. Once I flipped all the books over, I started choosing items that are meaningful and work well together, leaving 2-3 items per shelf.

I kept editing, stepping back and I kept working. I even took photos over and over. I find that looking through the lens helps you see things differently than with your naked eye. Every time I would remove another item, I would hesitate, but once I did, the shelves looked so much better. I left areas that are void of anything and this is okay. I always tell my clients that you do not have to fill every wall or every inch on a shelf. Our homes need room to breathe. This process took a few days of revisiting, but at the end, I felt like I had accomplished a much more decluttered look, and simplicity is what I am craving during this New Year!

THE AFTER (LEFT SIDE)

THE AFTER (RIGHT SIDE)

Now, let’s talk about some must haves for your shelves… Books, are the number one thing you must have. I love mixing books with other items. I love mixing vintage or faux vintage pots, knots, vases, candlesticks, and vintage art. Some paper mache’ bowls add texture, or baskets work well too. In my living room, I opted not to add baskets because I wanted it to feel very artistic and sculptural. I have linked some of the items that worked really well on my shelves for you below and some things that can really look beautiful on your shelves.

 

I hope this gave you some inspiration to freshen up your shelves or any little space or corner of your home. Just start somewhere and you will be so happy with the outcome!

Thanks for stopping by!

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These are the moments…But first, my fave beach towels, and everything @serenaandlily and everything is 20% off now!! Did you know this dress I’m wearing is also from @serenaandlily ? AD …….this past weekend, my 5th grader finally made this shot that he’s been practicing and his confidence just soared! This is likely going to be a core memory for him and something his momma will always remember. The excitement was the perfect ending to this video and to the day. Now I just need to get some gorgeous pool loungers to complete the look during this sale. What say you? Head to my @shop.ltk page to shop (link in bio). 💫💫💫Head to stories to see what famous Netflix star we met yesterday!!!
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I’m walking around my house sharing my favorite @serenaandlily items ever. Everything on their site is on sale. 
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#homedecor home decor #homedesign home design #interiors #interiors #interiordesign interiordesign #exteriordesign exterior design #homefinds #modernhomes modern homes #organicmodern #japandi #japandistyle #modern home #homerenovation home renovation
Please don’t judge my technique 😅 I’ve tried so many Amazon mugs and this is by far my favorite. I know a lot of you have it. How many of you already bought this cute lady? Linking to stories and it’s in my @amazon shop (link in bio)! I’m at my daughter’s swim meet and then heading to my son’s 5th grade party, we have gorgeous weather today ☀️ ☀️☀️
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#amazonhome #amazonfinds #amazon #homedesign #homedecor #kitchen #kitchendesign #kitchendesignideas
Some of you asked me if the @by_crea Sella dining chairs would work a dining room…. so, I did a little experiment this morning, I moved my four Sella dining chairs to the dining room and O.MG. they look fab here. So, if you’ve been considering these for your dining room, they would definitely look amazing! I think I’m getting closer to finding chairs to my dining room because I now know the style! Head to my link in profile to purchase via my link using code REEM33OS for free worldwide shipping for these high-quality, chic, Swedish chairs or anything on their site.  I will also add to my stories today and I have a highlight reel saved! 
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#weekendvibes #foryou #fyp #instareels 
#diningroom dining room #diningroomdesign dining room design #modernfurniture #modern furniture #modernhome modern home
My husband takes pride in his work😅😅 This 200 gallon deck box has finally made things so much easier for him. Now he loves stowing things not in use in this box, rather than running to the garage to stow it. Can you believe how large this is? Love that it comes on wheels too! Check out @yitahome for all their outdoor goods. I’ll be linking this to stories a coupon code and of course, it’s in my @amazonhome shop (link in bio). 
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#amazon #amazonhome #amazonhomefinds #yitahome 
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I picked these from my yard 2 years ago and they are still going strong! The only downfall, they are messy, so have your cordless vacuum handy! And I’m sharing my fave one (under $40!) in stories today! also, sharing this vase, plus many other faves in my @ltk.home page-link in profile! 
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#hometips #homehack #newfloors #europeanwood #homedecor #homedesign #modernorganic #organicmodern #organichome #homestyling #reels #reelsinstagram #livingroominspiration #homeinspiration #interiorstyking #interiordecor #homeinterior #homedecor #reelitfeelit #ltkhome #neutraldecor #modernfurniture #jennikaynewomen #neutraldecor
I get asked this question daily! Let me tell you why I LOVE quartzite and I want you to tell me which counters you have and if you love them! Head to stories for more on this today!

This is Taj Mahal btw….

1. It’s a natural stone, so it has natural veining and variation similar to marble in appearance
2. It’s more durable than marble. It doesn’t etch when exposed to acidic liquids like marble does 
3. It’s the hardest stone (harder than granite)not soft like marble, so it’s difficult to damage
4. It’s extremely scratch and heat resistant
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#marbledesign #kitchencounters #kitchendesign #kitchendecor #kitcheninspiration #kitchenremodel #kitchendecor #quartzite #quartzitecountertops #marblecountertops #marblecounters
About one year ago, we replaced our front porch. It was such a daunting decision for me to make. I’m the end, I stuck with something classic and timeless…bluestone in a diamond pattern and we love how it turned out. We did so much more, like adding crushed bluestone to our beds and it’s so much easier to deal with than mulch. I’ll show you in stories today. We still have some mulch and I’d love to transition over to all pebbles one day soon. 
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#newporch #bluestone #bluestonepatio #frontporch #exteriordesign #exteriors  #exterior #exteriorsofinstagram
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