source: Mandi Ehman

If you’re planning for the arrival of your little one, find the nursery paint you and your baby will love with Baby Room Colors from Glidden® Paint, as seen in What to Expect When You’re Expecting (only in theaters).

Use the My Baby’s Place quiz from My Colortopia to discover the perfect colors for your baby’s nursery. Just answer a few questions about your parenting and design style to discover ready-to-go color palettes for your nursery:

And then head over to Circle of Moms for a chance to win a $2,500 Walmart gift card to use towards a dream nursery, buying items such as cribs, bedding, and Glidden® Brilliance Collection™ Paint. The sweepstakes runs from 5/17/12 through 6/7/12, and the winner will be announced at MyColortopia.com during the week of 6/18/12.

This post is sponsored by Glidden brand paint, but the thoughts and opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Win $2,500 from Glidden Paint to Design the Perfect Nursery is a post from Life Your Way

© 2010-2012 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of DIY Your Way subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please send an email to contact@yourway.net to let us know. Thanks.

The following post is from Myra of My Blessed Life:

source: julipmade.com

One of my favorite decorating accessories is the tray. It is functional and can be used in an immense variety of ways.  Trays are made from a multitude of materials – melamine, sisal, wood, mirrored glass, brass, silver and even an old vintage soda box or drawer.

If you love a deal and you enjoy do-it-yourself projects, look for trays at thrift shops and yard sales.  Many times spray paint and decoupaged scrapbook paper will make over a tray to perfection.  Trays are a wonderful accessory to collect because they are versatile, easy to store and wonderful to decorate with.

Here are 5 simple ways to decorate with trays…

Organize

Do you struggle with keeping the television remote in the same place? Or are your bathroom toiletries all over the counter?  Enlist the help of a tray to corral everything in one location. Your coffee table and bathroom counter will thank you for keeping them clutter free!

source: honey we're home

Display

Create a coffee bar or breakfast area in your kitchen and display canisters, mugs, and more within a tray on the counter top.  Using a tray gives the illusion that things are neat…even if the items within the tray are not perfectly organized every single day.

Hang

Vintage trays or sentimental family pieces make beautiful wall art. Whether hung as a gallery wall collection or a single tray, hanging trays on the wall can add visual impact as well as creating an interesting conversation starter.

source: pottery barn

Serve

What is more fun than being served breakfast in bed?  Trays make eating in bed {or in the living room} more enjoyable.  It is a thoughtful touch when entertaining friends or family to serve treats and drinks from a tray.  Again, I love how a tray keeps everything {including potential spills} in one place.

source: today's creative blog

Style

Trays add visual layers and texture; so, use them liberally in your home decor. I’ve mentioned a few places that trays can be used – on the coffee table, on the bathroom counter and in the kitchen. While trays should be functional, that’s not all they do. Design a simple vignette on a table or buffet and include a candle, a stack of books and a glass vase on a tray.

There are endless options for decorating with trays. I hope I’ve inspired you to do some organizing, displaying, hanging, serving and styling with trays in your home!

Do you use trays to decorate your home?

	Myra has a B.A. in Interior Design and is currently self-employed. When she’s not spending time with her little man, thrifting, creating, shopping or working on a project, Myra enjoys date nights with her husband and blogging at My Blessed Life.

5 Simple Ways to Decorate with Trays is a post from Life Your Way

© 2010-2012 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of DIY Your Way subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please send an email to contact@yourway.net to let us know. Thanks.

source: Mandi Ehman

In our home, my husband is the stylish, creative one, while I’m the practical one who just wants things to be accessible and organized. Thankfully, his minimalist style blends well with my minimalist lifestyle so that our home reflects both of our needs and wants.

Despite the difference in our priorities, we’ve been able to find a balance between practical pieces that meet our needs and beautiful items that complement our decor.

And when we can’t find what we’re looking for? Sean steps in and builds it himself, which is pretty handy!

To us, the things in our home need to do something and not just look pretty. We look for items with built-in storage (or alternatively, storage that looks pretty), décor that is easy to clean, and while we don’t shy completely away from things that might get broken, we do look for things that are at least kid friendly.

For example, when we were looking for something to fill the large wall next to our staircase, we chose a giant clock that not only looks amazing but also fills a practical purpose:

source: Mandi Ehman

Similarly, we’ve added bookshelves to space that would be wasted otherwise, and we choose easy-to-clean materials whenever possible!

On that note, CarpetOne’s stain-proof carpet, Resista, is perfect for busy families who want to live life without worrying about stains. For more information on Resista Carpet visit www.carpetone.com.

Giveaway

In your home, how do you balance your practical needs with your style wants?

Share your thoughts to be entered to win a 5′ x 7′ Resista area rug!

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

Balancing Style with Your Family’s Needs is a post from Life Your Way

© 2010-2012 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of DIY Your Way subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please send an email to contact@yourway.net to let us know. Thanks.

The following post is from Myra of My Blessed Life:

source: ivillage

Spring is in full swing in most parts of the country and flowers are blooming left and right. Tulips and daffodils have made their appearances in the South. Now the Iris blossoms are following suit.  One of the most easy ways to add color, life and extra texture into your home decor is to decorate with fresh flowers from the grocery store, a florist or your back yard.

Here are 5 tips to decorate with fresh flowers…

One Simple Vase

This probably seems like a no-brainer, but using one simple vase opens up so many possibilities.  You can use a clear vase, a white pitcher or an old bucket or bottle.  I find the most unique, inexpensive containers at thrift stores and yard sales. Don’t be afraid to push the envelope flap a little. I decorated my Spring Mantel with tulips in an old minnow {yes, used to hold fish bait} bucket.

A Collection

On the flip side, using a collection of vases can add a powerful visual impact to a table or shelf.  Using all clear vases, all white vases, a colorful collection or an eclectic mix is completely up to you.  I love how vases in a line with a single flowering stem looks. It is simple and very elegant.

Simple tip: When decorating with a collection of vases, stick with odd numbers. You’ll be surprised how well odd numbers work!

Monochromatic

When varying the vases that you use, try sticking with a monochromatic {using the same color} flower palette.   Doing this will soften the various colored vases and will really allow the flowers to shine.

Bursts of Color

You can also buy flowers already put together in bouquet bundles. Most of the time these flowers are accompanied with baby’s breath, greenery and a wide range of colors. That’s okay too!  It all just depends on your personal taste, style and where you’re going to display the flowers.

Flowering Tree Branches

This time of year there is a plethora of flowering trees. Tulip trees, pear trees {although they don’t smell too great!} and dogwoods are just a few that are in bloom.  By filling  a vase {or several} with flowering tree branch cuttings, you can add a great architectural dimension to a floral design.  The hard, knobby texture of the wood along with the soft flowers is intriguingly beautiful.

I hope you’re inspired to add some fresh flowers to your home decor this Spring!

Do you typically decorate with fresh flowers in the Springtime?  What is your favorite flower?

	Myra has a B.A. in Interior Design and is currently self-employed. When she’s not spending time with her little man, thrifting, creating, shopping or working on a project, Myra enjoys date nights with her husband and blogging at My Blessed Life.

5 Tips To Decorate With Fresh Flowers is a post from Life Your Way

© 2010-2012 Purple Martin Press, LLC | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of DIY Your Way subscribers. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited. If you are reading this content elsewhere, please send an email to contact@yourway.net to let us know. Thanks.