~rooms FOR rent~

This Week's Top Pins

2015-02-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

Ahhh we survived another week! At this point, I view every week that goes by as one more week of winter done, and one more week closer to spring. There is a reason new englanders love their coffee so much, I don't know how anyone survives winter without it! Well coffee and Pinterest, right!?!?! Here are my most recent fav's.

This bath:

via : BHG

This dining:

via : Kati Curtis

This layered office:

via : Amanda Carol at Home

This gallery wall:

via : Laurel Bern Interiors

This cabinet:

via : Maisons Du Monde

This cozy corner:

via : Skonahem

This table top:

This scarf:

via : System 63

Stay in touch!
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Have a decorating question, or need help creating that perfect space?!

e-mail me at

doucettedesign@comcast.net

My Story

2015-02-05T08:36:00.000-05:00

Right before all the holiday craze, I was asked by the beautiful Kennesha, over at Restoration House Interiors to share my story. I've always gone back and forth with sharing more intimate details here on the blog, wondering how many of you who come to visit for beautiful pictures of interiors and pretty decorated room, really want to read more intimate details on my faith and how I got to where I am today. But sometimes I think there is freedom that takes place when you know more about someone, other than seeing their highlights online displayed in perfectly staged photos. So while we get ready to launch a new site for my business and a new site for my blog, I thought it would be fitting to share my story here with you, in hopes it gives you courage to take a step of faith in the direction you are feeling called.

Welcome!! I'm so glad you are here. Grab a nice hot beverage and get to know a little bit more about me. I am passionate about interior design, and love all things decor, but I'm even more passionate about others being set free by God's saving grace. Breathing that freedom in, walking in that freedom, and ultimately serving God in that freedom. Perhaps it's because I've experienced that freedom time and time again in my own life, that I'm so passionately for others to experience it too!

I've been in church my whole life, however that doesn't mean that I've had it easy or a perfect life by any means. I first experienced God's saving freedom when I was 13 and my family was broken apart by divorce. I had every reason in the book to turn my back on God then, but He showed up in such a powerful way and saved me from going down a very destructive path. Fast forward a few years, I started dating my now husband, and we have been happily married with 2 little kids for almost 10 years. I had always dreamed of becoming an interior decorator, it was something I enjoyed doing early on. I think I was the only 12 yr. old who would create vignettes in her room out of all my friends. I would rearrange my displays just for fun, and turn any flat surface into a beautifully decorated canvas. I would cover my walls in giant collages of cut outs from magazines and photos of me and my friends. There wasn't an ounce of wall left to be seen, and it all inspired me. It wasn't until we had settled into our first house, and after the birth of our 2nd child that the passion to decorate started bubbling up again. I had always decorated our apartments nicely, and thankfully had the freedom to paint in both of them, but this was different. This time we owned and I was bound to put my mark on it. I started my blog so I could document all the changes along the way.

About 9 months after I started my blog, I began to feel my heart strings tugged again to start exploring becoming an interior decorator. I had my hands full with two babies eighteen months apart, a new home I hadn't even scratched the surface on all my plans for yet, and still I had this undeniable urge to start my own business. You see though, I had been here before. Everytime I got this close, I came up with an excuse as to why not, and talked myself out of it. I would either tell myself I don't have the time to take the classes, or "I never went to school for that, so who would want to hire me anyways"? Then I started having kids, and put all my energy and focus into that. My husband was so supportive along the way. Seeing my desire to create and decorate, he always encouraged me, or put up with it when I was trying something new out. This time was different though, this time I had seen others, who maybe hadn't been to school, and they were doing it. I had done enough decorating for family members and friends and finally been asked one to many times when I was going to finally starting doing this as a business. Something was still holding me back, and it was more than just doubt. I wasn't afraid of failing, this went much, much deeper than that.

Have you heard of Holley Gerth? She is an amazing christian author, and talk about a women who is obedient to doing what God calls her to do. She has such a gift for expressing God's heart towards us, and has written many books. She wrote a devotional called "God's Heart for You" and it was at the end of this devotional that I experienced God's freedom in my life once again. Of course it was in the very last chapter of this devotional when God's truth spoke over me, and I realized I had been believing a lie for the past 18 years. I read the verse "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6. I read that scripture and instantly I was taken back. It touched me to my core, but then I smirked. And instantly I asked the God to forgive me for doubting His word, and asked him to show me where that came from.

He took me back to when I was in elementary school, and I over heard a conversation between my 5th grade teacher, my mother and my rivals mother. Now there was no issue, it was friendly conversation. But you all know what I mean. There was that one girl who no matter what you did, she did it better. She was a better student, a better athlete, got voted for all of the superlatives. She was just your all around A+ student, star athlete, the most popular. She was everywhere in all my classes, all the sports I played, she always got the positions I would try out for. I felt like I lived in her shadow. Well one day, in casual conversation, my mother was talking to my teacher about how well of a student I was, boasting, like any mother does. I remember smiling with confidence, and then the other girls mother said "oh that's nice, but it just comes naturally to Susie(fake name), she's just better at everything" And looks at our teacher for affirmation. Instant defeat I felt, I wanted to hide behind my mothers legs and cry. I don't even think they knew I was listening. But it was that very moment that I took on the lie that "I was not good enough". I carried it with me through the rest of my school years, throughout every sport I played. Anything I put my hands to, I never put forth full effort because deep down inside I always believed I wasn't "GOOD ENOUGH"?!

I broke when God revealed that to me. That in my heart all these years, despite being saved, and doing many great things He had lead me to, I carried this around everywhere I went. It might as well been tattooed on my forehead. Oh but I hid it well. I concealed it so good I wasn't even aware it still existed. I asked God instantly to heal that part of me that had been broken so long ago, and allowed Him to speak truth over me. No longer was I believing this lie anymore. No longer was I doubting myself anymore. I used to shrug off compliments or words of affirmation, thinking I was never good enough to amount to what people were seeing. You can imagine the deep sigh of relief I felt after that sob session of realization. But it was truly releasing those lies to God and asking Him to show me how he sees me. The purpose He created me for. My own divine gifts. At the end of each chapter in Holly's devotional she closes with the most heartfelt of statements. True affirmation for the area that God is speaking to you on in that chapter. I want to share that chapters statement with you today, and allow His truth to wash over you!

You are God's Masterpiece -

started in His heart, formed by His hands,

and offered as a gift to the world.

Much more that a work in progress ...

you're His good work.

What He started in you

will gloriously unfold for a lifetime

and be completed in heaven.

He sees beauty in you

because you are made in His image

and redeemed by His love.

It's true.

God says you are ...

created, chosen, cherished, celebrated

His forever.

~Holly Gerth

I shared this with my husband later that day. He prayed with me, affirmed in me, and encouraged me to stop holding back, and to walk out in all that God had called me to be. I now felt purpose. Like I was seeing things clearly for the first time. No longer did I brush things off as wishful thinking. We came up with a business name, and for the past 3 years I have been "Inspiring others to Love the Space the Live in". We also build custom furniture, and create custom decor pieces as well. I still write my blog, and share most often on Instagram my interior design. I wear many hats, I am a wife, a mother, a sister, a daughter, a friend, an interior decorator, But most importantly I am His. And I am walking in His freedom, creating by His grace, and I want you to experience that freedom too!

Boys Bedroom

2015-01-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

The last time I showed you the kids bedroom, they were sharing one. However, once our son started kindergarten this past fall, and we did a bit of room shuffling, it was time for him to have his own space.

I don't know what he was more excited about not having "girl" things (i.e. his sisters toys) in his room, or not being kept up at night by her constant chatter! Which he thanked us numerous times for letting him have his own room, so his sister wouldn't talk his ear off all night. It was really cute, and although it's always been a little tough on my mom heart strings watching them no longer look like babies, but turn into tiny people, and now look more like grown-up kids, this change was fun, because it meant I got to create a new space for him, one that was all his own.

I used left over paint I had from when I painted their bedroom together, which is Jogging Path by Sherwin Williams, lightened by 50%. It's a nice cool shade of gray, that has a bit of a green undertone instead of a brown or too blue undertone you sometimes get with grays.

The bonus to having a neutral room before, meant I didn't have to go and buy all new things. We moved his furniture in, and just a few boyish touches were needed. Since his bedding was all white and gray, I added this blue buffalo check duvet cover from H&M.

Next up for the floor, his room his the only bedroom that carries the original hardwoods in it, so I wanted a rug that felt a little masculine, but wasn't defined by age. Something fun, but still neutral enough that it could grow with him as he grows. I found this tuscan trellis rug, from Rugs USA, in charcoal, and felt it was just the look I was going for. Being a huge fan of their quality, and thickness of rugs, there was no doubt in my mind that it would keep his toes warm in the winter, and be plush enough to play on.

He loves the pattern, he says it's perfect for setting up his battle zones between the good guys and the bad guys. The vintage metal posters were a gift from a friend, that she got form Hobby Lobby. He loves them because the scream super heroes. I love them because he loves them, and that's about it.

His wicker trunk next to his bed holds all his super hero costumes and is a perfect spot to hold whatever bedtime books we are reading. You can read here how I painted the stripes on it. The american flag above his bed, I made a few years ago, and now has the perfect spot to hang.

There are still a few more things I want to add to his space, but overall he is quite pleased to have his "own" space, and loves that he can set up his toys and shut his door so no one, i.e. his sister can get into them!

In case you missed it yesterday, I shared our new look for the blog and what our new LOGO will be, and some changes coming to the blog!

Stay in touch!
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Have a decorating question, or need help creating that perfect space?!

e-mail me at

doucettedesign@comcast.net

Blog Face Lift

2015-01-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

I shared yesterday about some exciting changes that are taking place with our business. Our new logo, and a new website coming, just for the business, getting ready to launch very soon.

I'm very excited to share with you today, that the blog is getting a facelift too! One of the very first changes that is happening, has actually already taken place. Rooms for Rent, now has it's own domain name. Before, our url was "www.roomsforrentblog.blogspot.com".

It was long, sometimes confusing to people if you didn't already have it book marked, and a mouth full to give out verbally. I went back and forth on this one, but felt the easiest way to keep things consistent, and hopefully differentiate me as a blog, instead of an actual site offering "rooms to rent"

was to keep the word "blog" apart of my url. So we shortened it up a bit, and now we are www.roomsforrentblog.com .

Over the next couple weeks I will be finalizing things as we move, from blogger to wordpress. Which if you are like me and don't really understand the difference between the two, other than their names. It's basically a different platform that allows me to do a lot more with my blog appearance, and features. Including adding a fun monthly news letter, that will be free for anyone who signs up, and every month will include blog news, a monthly design tip, and my favorite decor item that month! There are many behind the scene options it gives me as well, but I won't bore you with those details. One of the biggest differences you will see is the blog will finally have it's own logo!

Crazy to think I've gone this long without one. I've always had my banner photo on the top, and that has acted as my "look" per say, but it was time again to embrace growth and with the new business logo, I wanted the blog to have the same look and feel, but still be distinct on it's own. I enlisted the help of Leslie Vega Design once again, and she knocked my socks off, literally! I'm so excited to share with all of you today what our new look will be.

She captured our look and feel perfectly, and I feel like it reflects everything I want this blog to represent. It ties in with our business logo, keeping the fonts and general body style the same, but adds a bit of flair with the additional elements!

If you haven't done so already, make sure you save our new domain name

www.roomsforrentblog.com

that way when we make the move you come with us.

Don't worry there is still time, this will not be happening over night, but I'm excited to finally see an end in site with all of this lovely transition, and embrace the change we are needing to grow.

Thank you so much for following along, without you, non of this would even exist, and I'm so glad you're here to share all of my design loves with! I will be sure to keep you posted on when we will be moving over to our new platform.

Stay in touch!
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Have a decorating question, or need help creating that perfect space?!

e-mail me at

doucettedesign@comcast.net

New Business Logo

2015-01-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

I've mentioned briefly here and there that we were working on updating a few things around here, and we are getting close to revealing those changes. For those of you that don't know my dream of being an interior decorator became a reality 3 years ago, when I took the leap and started my own business, Doucette Design.

We started small, like anyone does I guess, and it has been so fun to watch it grow. Last summer we reached a point where we either stayed small, or embraced the growth that was knocking on our doorstep, it was time for Doucette Design to be more than just an extension of this blog, it needed a face. Change can be scary sometimes. The unknown of what's around the corner, but with my husband standing beside me we began to prepare for the next step. We hit the drawing board again, and began to plan a website just for the business. How exactly we wanted the website to look, and what we wanted to offer on the website. Our original logo which you see in the photo above, and what has been my Facebook profile picture for so long was something I created to get us started. However to move forward we were both wanting something a bit more substantial to carry us through this new season. I enlisted the services of Leslie Vega Design, and she totally brought our vision to life! Allow me to introduce the new face of Doucette Design Co.

Our website is just about ready to launch, which I will be announcing on here when it does, but with all this growth brings more exciting news for the blog! When I stop and think how much this blog has grown since I first started, and the opportunities I've had, and have coming up, I'm speechless. I had no idea I'd be where I'm at today, and it looks nothing like I thought would, which is a sweet surprise!

To have a place where I can share my designs, and loves, and have so many liked minded friends, is well, awesome! And with that I have grown more in my blogging that I expected.

So while the business was getting an upgrade I decided it was time give the blog an upgrade too, and I can't wait to share what that will look like with all of you tomorrow!

Stay tuned, part 2 of this makeover will be revealed here tomorrow, and I can't to show you what it will look like!

Stay in touch!

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Have a decorating question, or need help creating that perfect space?!

e-mail me at

doucettedesign@comcast.net

New Runner in the Kitchen

2015-01-23T09:15:00.000-05:00

* I partnered with Rugs USA for this post. While they provided the rug, all opinions and thoughts are my own.*

I shared a little sneak peak on Instagram the other day, but we have a new rug in the kitchen!

I haven't shared much about from my kitchen lately, primarily because it's always a mess. I love my island in so many ways, but it is the first thing to be piled high with everything that is in our arms as we walk through the door. And if it's somewhat cleared off from all of that, it's usually a craft zone for the kids, which I love. At least it's pulling it's weight around here!

Since we moved in, I always dreamed of having a runner for the kitchen that ran the length of the island. Our floor gets SO cold in the winter, so I needed a runner that had some warmth too it, and would be durable enough to hold up to this high traffic area.

I recently shared with you our new barn light pendant over the sink. I'll share more next week, but I wrapped the cords on all our pendant lights in the kitchen with twine to bring in a little beachy vibe, but it also ties them all in together.

I had been looking at runners just about everywhere for the past few years, but nothing held up. I have always been impressed with the quality Rugs USA holds in their product. I've bought a few rugs from them myself, and they are also my go to for clients. You might remember but I used to have this very rug in our living room in navy blue, so I loved the pattern, but this time I opted for a more subtle hue. This color is their "Blue-Grey", found here, it looks a bit more gray in these photos but it has the prettiest undertone of light blue mixed with gray. It's the perfect pop in my very white and neutral kitchen. It doesn't compete with the design, but rather compliments and completes the look. AND it is so warm!!

I also shared a little sneak peak on Instagram of my new drying rack (found here) courtesy of Painted Fox Treasures! It is the perfect addition to my farmhouse kitchen!

On instagram I showed it off holding our recycled drinking glasses, here you see it with my favorite mugs easy to grab for a warm cup of coffee, during these cold winter months.

p.s the muffins were gone as soon as my son got home from school!

Baked goods don't last too long around here :)

After lots and lots and lots of searching, I remembered I had used these same trellis runners in a clients home, and when I installed them I was dying inside because I loved them so much and was wishing it was my home!! HA HA. So when it came time to making a final decision I remembered how great they looked in my clients house, and they have held up great in her high traffic home.

I'm so happy with this newest addition, and everyone that comes over remarks on how thick and plush the rug is as well!

P.S. If you are looking for a new rug, or even want to get your own Morrocan Trellis rug, Rugs USA is currently having a %75 off sale!!

Stay in touch!

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Have a decorating question, or need help creating that perfect space?!

e-mail me at

doucettedesign@comcast.net

Holiday Housewalk

2015-01-20T09:07:00.001-05:00

So I woke up to a fun surprise over the weekend. You may remember I entered my Christmas Home Tour in Jennifer Rizzo's Holiday House walk link party.

If you aren't familiar with it, every year at the end of her famous holiday house walk week, she has a link party for others to share their holiday homes, and have a chance to win a spot on next years tour. I've been following this Holiday House walk since I started blogging. I've even linked up before, but there are so many beautiful homes shared every year, just being in the link party was exciting for me. I never really thought I had much of a chance, because honestly there were SO many beautiful homes shared this year. Until this past Saturday, when she announced the winner, and to my surprise it was ME!

You can imagine my shock (really), I even got all teary eyed. I've always looked up to houses that were apart of the Holiday House walk, and even gleaned from them for inspiration in my own holiday decorating. Talk about a blogging dream come true, that I will get to join them on next years Holiday House walk! I can't wait!! Thank you so much to all of this years participants who voted for me, you will never know how much that meant to me.

You can catch Jen's post here, and if you are new around here and missed our Christmas tour, you can catch that here.

Stay in touch!

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Have a decorating question, or need help creating that perfect space?!

e-mail me at

doucettedesign@comcast.net

This Week's Top Pins

2015-01-16T05:00:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I've shared my favorite pins from Pinterest here on the blog, but if you follow me on Pinterest, you know I have not stopped pinning. So to start this new year off right, I've rounded up some of my favorite recent pins for you today! It's a nice way to end the week, don't ya think ?!

This view:

via : Alice Lane Home Collection

This cozy corner:

via: Georgica Pond Interiors

This entire space:

via : Better Homes & Gardens

This pergola:

via : Arcanum Architecture

This kitchen:

via : Julie Nightingale Design

This pantry:

via : Hayburn & Co.

This look:

This dessert:

via : The Candid Appetite

I'm still licking my lips over that last one! Well if I'm being honest over all of them, lol! I hope you have a wonderful weekend! To keep up with me on a daily basis, you can always find me on Instagram!

Stay in touch!

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Have a decorating question, or need help creating that perfect space?!

e-mail me at

doucettedesign@comcast.net

7 Brick Houses Done Right

2015-01-14T05:00:00.001-05:00

Brick Houses wouldn't be my top choice for an exterior, however I wouldn't shy away from them either. There is a timeless elegance that shines from these stone homes, and today I've gathered a few of my favorites to share with you!

If I did have to choose brick, my top choice would be a white washed look or lime wash, as some put it. It softens the look dramatically while still allowing the brick to peak through here and there.

via : Southern Living

My second choice would be to completely paint the brick. My husband and I disagree greatly on this, so let's just hope we are never faced with this choice, LOL. I love both color options here in gray and white.

via : At Home

via : Claffisica

via: Better Homes & Gardens

Lastly, sometimes in it's original state, it is just stunning. This timeless classic look is found in many historical homes built 200 years ago, and still remains beautiful today!

via : Flickr

What are your thoughts on brick? Are you a fan? Or would you opt to paint it if you had the chance?

Stay in touch!

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Have a decorating question, or need help creating that perfect space?!

e-mail me at

doucettedesign@comcast.net

5 Tips to Make any Space Come to Life

2015-01-12T08:21:00.000-05:00

It's a new year! The christmas decor is put away, and initially our rooms feel a bit bare. Maybe the new year bring new possibilities to freshen up that space you've always been wanting too?! Maybe on the top of that to-do list for the new year is finally attacking that space that's been driving you nuts?! I've shared these tips before over at Beneath My Heart, but thought they would be helpful as we all look to tackle some indoor projects during these winter months. So today I'm sharing with you my top 5 Tips to make and space come to life.

One of the most common issues I hear from clients regarding their space is that it's lacking something, and they just can't put their finger on it. They usually try to define the lack by using words like flat, blah, no character, uninviting, but the truth is it's lacking life! So today I want to share with you some quick easy tips to help bring life into any space.

1. Window Treatments : Ok, I know right off the bat that some of you are like "Thanks Bre, I already have curtains, tell me something I don't know!" Right?!?! Just bare with me for a minute, or if you are completely content with your window treatments skip to number 2. You would not believe how many homes I show up to and there are no curtains, or even blinds, nothing! Talk about making a dramatic difference in a room, and if you are searching for some much needed warmth, drapes are your friend not your enemy. The next thing I look at is the hardware, and then to see if they are layered with say a wooden blind or something similar. We are going to talk about texture in a minute, but one of the best ways to add some depth and warmth to your space is pairing some paneled drapes with a natural texture blind. Not only does it instantly add warmth, but now you are bringing in dimension, and your room has a bit of depth and feels more alive. An inexpensive go to drape for me are these from IKEA, also shown in the photo below.

2. Texture : I said it before and I will say it again, texture, texture, texture. If your rooms is lacking that oomph, take a look around your space and asses how many different textures you have in the room. Texture can come in many different forms, whether it's adding baskets either to collect items off the floor, or tidy up a bookshelf. On window treatments as mentioned previously in different forms of blinds. Raw, unfinished wood architectural pieces not only bring in a different texture, but add more dimension to your space as well. Chunky knit throws or pillows, all add texture to a space and keep interest flowing throughout your room.

3. Plants - Real or Faux : I have what you would call a black thumb, however fresh flowers throughout my house is top on my list! When adding real plants to a room, it's a no brainer that they will add life, because they are alive. However I still feel like they are overlooked. If you tend to kill every plant you touch (like me), or prefer something with little or no maintenance faux is your friend. To show you how key this element can be I created a mood board with no plants or flowers in the space, and then did a side by side comparison with plants and flowers in the space. Even on screen the space comes to life!

4. Lighting : Lighting is key! I know just about every room is equipped with one over head light, smack dab in the middle of the ceiling. Let me tell you right now, those are not my favorite. Yes obviously you can use it for chandeliers, and if you must a ceiling fan, but having table lamps and floor lamps make a space feel more intimate and cozy, and also add character and depth to your space.

5. No Matchy - Matchy : Ok so the last one I'm sure you are probably thinking is a bit silly. However, for a warmer, cozier look, you want the overall look and feel of your room to be one that was put together over time, not buying the entire set of furniture off the showroom floor, with matching table lamps and rug. If you have a certain look in mind, refer to your inspiration photos. Study them to find the common denominators, a recurring theme, and items that you absolutely love, and the ones you don't. Begin piecing together your room, with the large main objects first, and then fill in the space around them with accent pieces. Choosing an accent chair is a great way to add warmth and interest, and key to helping a space look cohesive without matchy - matchy. Adding some secondhand pieces, or even some great weathered pieces from HomeGoods is an affordable way to bring life to your space, and gives the impression of a room put together overtime. Choosing your favorite pieces to put a room together assures a room you will love for a long time, although it takes some patience, the reward is well worth it in the end.

Thanks so much for hanging out with me today! If you need help putting a room together, e-mail me at doucettedesign@comcast.net, and check out Doucette Design for assistance or having your own custom mood board put together. We're here to Help you Love the space you Live in. Have a great Day!

Green Enamel Warehouse Pendant {sneak peak}

2015-01-08T05:00:00.000-05:00

Just popping in today to share with you a new light fixture we finally got up in the kitchen! I found this green enamel warehouse barn light back in August at a local barn sale, and scooped it up for $24!!! It had a few tiny chips here and there, but FOR REAL, I could not beat the price. I had been wanting a new light over our sink, since just about forever, but was waiting until I found the right one. Since you know I'm not a matchy - matchy kinda gal, once we replaced the lighting over our island, the hunt was on for the perfect compliment. It's safe to say the search is over!

I've already done a tiny bit of tweaking to her, so that's why this is just the sneak peak! But to remind you what it looked like before,

I have this lovely photo from W A Y back to remind you of what used to be there.

This was pre-kitchen updates and new paint. We swapped out the original island lighting they installed when we bought the house, because it burnt out, literally the wire fried in two. So we installed these pendants, and did a DIY- barn light finish.

You can see in the photo above the before lighting fixture over the sink, it just wasn't flowing with the farmhouse feel I was going for. I'm so thrilled with my find, we removed all the old wiring, and bought a simple lighting kit from Lowers, so all we had to do was attach enamel shade.

So we can cross that one off the honey-do list! I can't wait to show you how I made it a bit more personal and tied all three of the lights in together.

Stay in touch!

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Have a decorating question, or need help creating that perfect space?!

e-mail me at

doucettedesign@comcast.net

Highlights from 2014 and cheers to YOU!

2014-12-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

It has been quite a year! Looking back my first thought was "woah! when did we have time to do all of that!" but in a good way. It certainly gave me a good sense of accomplishment. I felt satisfied with all that we did. As a do-er, one of my downfalls is, I tend to be a bit hard on myself for feeling like I haven't done enough, finished enough projects, been the most efficient with every minute, of every hour in the day. But the truth of it is, I am. When I stop and look around I have a lot to be thankful for, and a deep sigh of relief for my accomplishments.

New Farmhouse Table

It's hard not to focus on the things that everyone else is doing, but rather just focus on what I need to do. Be the best me that I can be, because after all there is only one ME. And that's something I desperately want to instill in my kids. God made you so perfectly and uniquely YOU, that the most accomplished feeling you can have is when you are fulfilling all that he has for you. Not Susie home-maker next door, who happens to be insanely talented at everything she puts her hands too, while homeschooling her 8 children. {p.s. if you happen to have 8 kids that you home school, my hat is off to you, because that is not something that I could do even with the slightest bit of grace, and you clearly are rocking it}.

DIY Printers Cabinet

But that's my point, even with that made up neighbor, we all come across those women that ROCK it, and I mean they have got it going on! But instead of feeling discouraged, I think the best thing we can do not only to help ourselves, but help them too, is to compliment them in their success's. I mean who doesn't like a little pat on the back for the hard work we put forth.

Neutral-Shared Kids Bedroom

I turned 30!

I love that God made us all so uniquely different and versatile that we each have something SO beautiful to bring to the table, it refreshes our souls to be around the women that do just that! I have some pretty amazing women in my life who are so gifted in areas that I don't even come close too. It puts a smile on my face when I think of them and how they so selflessly offer their gifts to me without the slightest hesitation. They offer their friendship, their time, their resources, their wisdom, and have my back where I fall short.

Simple & Sweet Home Office

Creating a Neutral Living Space

They give me G R A C E to just be me. Not the person who tries to have it all together, or the person behind the pretty pictures of what looks like the perfectly kept home. Nope! They allow me to just be me, in my short comings, in my failures, in my struggles. I mean lets be real, who DOESN'T have struggles (said no one ever!). They celebrate with me in life's big moments, and the smallest acknowledgements too! And the richest time I treasure with them is sitting over a cup of coffee chatting about everything in between.

Summer Home Tour

Bold Accent Wall

As I look back over everything that we did this past year, I can't help but thank that small tiny village of people I have in my corner who have kept me going and helped me be ME. So even though I'm showing you all the fun things I've done this year, I'm showcasing those who are behind the scenes.

Pebble Beach Painted Buffet

Those who have come to my rescue. Those who have celebrated with me in life long dreams. Those who have let me be real and fall apart in front of them, or laugh ridiculously too long over drinks at a much needed moms night out. All friendship offered through text messages, and e-mails and phone calls, and coffee dates. It's those moments I look back and am most thankful for.

Grey Washed Dresser Re-do

And even though we may have never met, I am SO thankful for you! Because without you this blog wouldn't exist. I meant it might, but it would just end up being a glorified e-mail to a small amount of family members who are interested in my rantings. But you have made this all worth it! And absolutely those family members still reading, because after all you were here first. But I am so thankful for my loyal friends here on the internet. The ones I have connected with through this blog.

Thanksgiving Tablescape

After all, You get me the most! It's our common thread, or the desire to create something beautiful, even if you are just starting out. I am honored you are here, and so so so very thankful

for each and every one of you who have made this year so exciting,

and a true JOY in my life.

Christmas Home Tour

Cheers to YOU!

And thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here!

Merry Christmas from Our Family to Yours

2014-12-24T12:36:00.001-05:00

I shared a quick glimpse of our Christmas Cards on Instagram the other day,

but I just wanted to pop in today real quick and say

Merry Christmas

from our house to yours!

As I was looking at this years christmas cards it's always been fun to look back and see how the kids have changed. I always loved seeing when people would take the same photo in the same spot every year to show how their kids have grown and families have changed, and always wanted to do that, but could never seem to get around to it. Then I realized while looking through our christmas cards from past years, I sort of accomplished that without even planning on it. Which means that as long as I continue to do picture christmas cards I will have accomplished this!

I included all four cards in this post, so you can look back with me too!

Starting with this year's {2014} card and going backwards,

it's fun to see how much our munchkins have grown!

2014

2013

2012

2011

I hope you have a truly Wonderful Christmas, and taking some of my own advice will be taking some time off to spend with family and soaking up as much time while our family enjoys this holiday!!

Until then you can keep up with me on Instagram!

Merry Christmas!

Holiday Giveaway Winner!

2014-12-19T08:55:00.001-05:00

And we have a WINNER!!!

Thank YOU so much to everyone who entered!! I was honored that so many of you wanted to win some of my favorite things!! It was so much fun, and will def be incorporated to next years Christmas theme as well!! I know you must be anxiously awaiting to find out who that lucky winner is?!?! Congrats to Heather Nicole you are the lucky WINNER of the Holiday Giveaway!! Check your e-mail so I can get your goodies right out to you and CONGRATS!!

I hope you have a wonderful Holiday Season!!

Stay in touch!

Instagram / Facebook / Pinterest

Have a decorating question, or need help creating that perfect space?!

e-mail me at

doucettedesign@comcast.net

Deer Christmas Decor

2014-12-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

Today I'm sharing with you some of my top pics for deer themed christmas decor! I know there are plenty out there, and this little list probably doesn't even scratch the surface, but I wanted to share some of my personal favorites that caught my attention! I know I mentioned in my Christmas Tree post how I'm so not over the deer craze for christmas decor this year and figured I would show you a few more reasons why. And if you aren't either, than this post is for you! I compiled some of my favorites in deer - themed christmas decor, fully linked so you can get yours too, or make your own!

Throw Pillows

DIY

Decor

And of course my free Christmas Printable, a deer as well!

Ok, and please oh please tell me I am not the only who hasn't officially started their christmas shopping yet?!! I mean I think I have grabbed 1 or 2 things here or there, but no where near started, almost finished or done! I have big plans to get it done by this weekend, so next week I can just rest, and make christmas cookies with the kids. However I think my major Christmas miracle this year is I actually got our package to my inlaws in the mail EARLY! That totally counts right? Usually I'm headed to the post office the week of christmas, 2 days before christmas, one year I think it even went out after christmas (oops), but thankfully that is one thing I can cross off my list!

And THANK YOU to all who entered the Holiday GIVEAWAY!! I was so thrilled how many people were excited to enter, and I will announce the winner by the end of the week!

Stay in touch with me @

pinterest.com/roomsforrent

facebook.com/DoucetteDesign

instagram.com/roomsforrent

Woodland Glam Christmas Tree

2014-12-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

I mentioned in my Christmas Home Tour that I would share more details on my tree, and I'm here today to do just that! My tree really helped spur on the rest of my decor, which honestly it pretty much does every year. I get stuck in christmas paralysis where I can't really decorate the rest of the house, until the tree is done. For me, the tree sets the pace, and thankfully I'm not in a Design Star contest with David Bromstad yelling in the background "TIMES UP!!". For me it's a process, just like in decorating anything else. I start thinking, I get a vision, I start collecting, start installing, and BAM vision comes to life. This year I was craving a little extra oomph to my 'Pinecones & Mercury Glass' theme from last year, and I was quite pleased with the outcome.

Of course I wanted to add more deers this year. After seeing my free christmas printable, you had to have guessed I had deers on the brain. So that got the ball rolling in the woodland department. As much as I adore those cute little owl and squirrel twig ornaments I wasn't 100% sold that was the direction I wanted to go. However I did love the idea of incorporating some grapevine to highlight the woodland feel. The only problem is grapevine garland proved hard to find. Then I saw this beauty, and the wheels started turning. Surely I could deconstruct the wreath and wrap it around my tree?! Well the wreath was so pretty when it arrived I contemplated it, for 2 days!!! I finally got up the courage to tackle it, at 5:30 at night, when naturally is the time you feed your kids dinner ( I don't know why my 2nd wind of project mode comes into play then, but I promise you my kids did have something for dinner that night!). I know what you are all thinking, did it just magically unroll? Not quite. There was a lot of cutting involved, a huge mess of debris tangled in my jute rug,

but there was success.

I did say my theme was "Woodland Glam", I love mercury glass, and all things shiny. I used sparkley pinecones, and champagne and silver colored ornaments throughout the tree.

I found three little white deer heads at Joanne's, and they even shimmer!

I alternated the grapevine garland with this beautiful ivory and burlap ribbon from Save-On-Crafts.

I was SO impressed with the quality. I've seen similar ribbon at other store before, but not the nicest made. This ribbon was so soft it almost felt silky, and had just a hint of wiring too it, so it fell naturally, but could hold a bend if I needed it too. Me thinks I must stock up for next year!

Not to mention it ties in perfectly with our Angel! She has a very soft burlap dress that has a silver sparkle over the whole thing. She was a gift from my mom a few years ago. And secretly I kinda love that she has brown hair, because that's my natural hair color too! Odd the things we relate with :) I am in no way an angel. But my kids think I am, so that is super sweet!

I hope you enjoyed taking a closer look at our tree, and don't forget to check out my Holiday GIVEAWAY. I picked all of my favorite go-to decor items and gathered them all in one pretty giveaway for one lucky reader!

AND if you are just now starting your christmas shopping, which I totally am! Check out Between You & Me Signs for some lovely gift ideas, or perhaps a present for yourself?!?! For a limited time you can use the code: ROOMSFORRENT15 and receive 15% off your purchase. But hurry that offer expires this weekend! To see how I decorated with my Between You & Me sign click here.

I hope you are having a Wonderful holiday season!

Holiday GIVEAWAY

2014-12-10T13:12:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned yesterday in my Christmas Home Tour, I have a very special holiday giveaway for you today! It's special, because all of the items in the giveaway, I hand picked, and are my most favorite items to decorate with for the holidays! If you enjoyed my christmas home tour, well now is your chance to bring a little rooms FOR rent decor into your own home!

There's a little bit of everything in here for you! I listed a breakout below, but I just wanted to bless one lucky reader with a little christmas cheer of their very own! All of the items I chose, bring a smile to my face when I decorate with them, and I hope they'll do the same for you!

These are my go-to, my first choice when it comes to decorating, and I can't wait to share them with you. One lucky reader will win a set of six mercury glass votives for extra sparkle throughout your house, along with one large and two medium sized mercury glass ornaments. I also included a set of four book page ornaments I make myself.

A large Yankee Candle tumbler of "White Christmas" my favorite holiday candle. It fills my house with the smell of the holidays whenever it is lit. Twelve hand stamped holiday tags and pretty bakers twine to go with. And for the ultimate in christmas decor, the lucky winner will receive a $50 store credit to Shabby by Melissa for the decor of their choice!

(The antler bunting shown in the photos is one of the items from her shop)

To enter it's simple.

Use the rafflecopter below, every line counts as one entry

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck, Winner will be announced on Dec. 17th!!

Woodland Glam Christmas Tour {2014}

2014-12-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome!!! I'm so glad you are here today!! Before you continue onto my christmas home tour, click here, in case you missed my post from yesterday where I shared a bit of my heart, and my heart for you, yes YOU, as we celebrate this wonderful season, and not allow ourselves to get stuck in the trap of not feeling good enough :)

I feel like today is the grand finale from my entire year of blogging. As this past year comes to an end {which I can't even believe I'm writing!} it feels like it all comes down to Christmas! Which I absolutely love. I mean why not end the year with a BANG!! And I L.O.V.E. seeing everyones beautiful christmas home tours year after year! The other reason I feel like it's the grand finale, is because this post has to single handedly have the most pictures than any other post I've done this year. So welcome, come on in, and I hope you'll stay awhile and relax.

I figured there was no better way to properly welcome you, then to have you enter our house as if you were truly here. We live in a country setting, in a traditional New England house built in 1846. It has been fully updated, but we love all the charm and character it still has.

We have a farmers porch that runs down the side of the house, which leads straight into the kitchen. We use this as our main entrance, so come on in!!

Our kitchen is primarily white, and painted Grey Owl by Benjamin Moore. So I focused on bringing in simple touches of fresh greenery. I love how it pops against the white, and brings in just the right amount of holiday spirit.

On our island, this tray usually houses our fruit bowl and a white pitcher of fresh flowers, but for winter I filled it with different sized mason jars filled with faux snow, bottle brush trees, and pinecones.

It sparkles just enough, while still feeling like a wintery display

that can stay up even after christmas.

To the left when you walk through the door we have a bench with crates underneath

to hold all our shoes.

Here's where I displayed our Advent calendar, which you can read more about here.

My vintage maple syrup bucket is constantly changed out for the seasons.

For christmas I filled it with fresh pine and juniper branches, along with these beautiful lit snow covered branches, you can find them here.

On the other side of the kitchen I hung a beautiful boxwood garland to display our christmas cards on as they come in the mail.

It's the perfect spot to display them, and remind me of all my family and friends I am so thankful for.

The boxwood garland is also from Save-On-Crafts. They have some beautiful boxwood selections at great prices, it was hard to not scoop them all up!

Our back mudroom gets the same simple touches carried throughout the rest of the kitchen.

Simple pine branches strung together and tied with twine.

Looking back into the kitchen we come into the rest of the house.

You pass through the dining room, which we will come back to {promise},

and enter the living room.

After finally getting my neutral rug, I was already dreaming of decorating for a neutral christmas.

Using cremes and whites, and tans for a soft glow of warm winter whites.

You may remember my Between You & Me sign from here. The adorable antler pillow is new from Shabby by Melissa, as well as the grey stag pillow in the photo above.

I pretty much sprinkled mercury glass everywhere I could, anyway I could!

For our coffee table, I filled the tray with my large glass hurricane stuffed with pinecones and a white candle. I surrounded the hurricane vase with more mercury glass, fresh cedar and an antler.

For our tree this year, I used a lot of the same ornaments from last year,

and added to it.

Of course I filled it with my most favorite mercury glass ornaments,

and a mix of other silver and champagne colored ones.

First you might have noticed there are no presents around that metal bucket under the tree, we wait and put them out on christmas eve. Our 2 munchkins are totally wrapped up in the fairytale of Santa, so we play along while it lasts.

I wrapped the entire tree in this ivory and burlap ribbon, which tied in with the rest of the colors in my decor. Next for the grapevine garland, I deconstructed this wreath, also from Save-On-Crafts, which let me just tell you it was difficult for 2 reasons. First, it was so pretty as is, I toyed with the thought of leaving it alone and using it as decor in it's original form, and second trying to start the deconstruction process was not as easy as I thought it was going to be. It made a huge mess, but now that's it's finished and on the tree, my vision has come to life, and I think it's totally worth it!

I will share more on all the details going into our tree later this week, along with these cute white stag ornaments I picked up!

As mentioned previously this plush grey stage pillow is made by the lovely Melissa, who is offering one lucky reader an item from her shop as apart of my holiday giveaway!! There will be more details at the end of the post you won't want to miss.

The white plaid pillow is from H&M, and the tan cable knit pillow I got 2 years ago from HomeGoods.

The dining room and living room flow openly with white columns diving the two rooms,

so with the open concept I carried the same feel into here as well.

I kept the table simple, with just my favorite tray from Painted Fox in the center.

I filled it with my most favorite christmas items, which I love having all in one spot

together to gaze at.

On the opposite end of our dining room is my recently refinished dresser,

that serves as a buffet.

If you caught my Between You & Me christmas sign reveal,

than you recognize this area.

If you didn't, than you can click here to see more on that. This vignette has to be my favorite throughout the entire house. For me the icing on the cake is the fresh garland I made cascading over the whole thing. I'm not gonna lie, I will have a hard time seeing this bad boy go!

Before you walk back into the kitchen, I have three black wall ledges I love to change up throughout the year. I kept them simple this year with a few seasonal touches, and mostly just adding fresh greenery.

Even though our presents aren't out, wrapping has begun. And even though it drives my husband crazy, I like to coordinate our gift wrapping with my christmas decor. He doesn't get it,

but the designer in me goes wonky when I see something that doesn't match!

All the wrapping paper you see here is either from TJMaxx or HomeGoods. I think they know what they are doing when they place them in the checkout line while you wait to go to the register. I swear one or two rolls always end up in my cart before leaving!

I like to use simple twine, and compliment it with sparkly mini ornaments, hand stamped gift tags, and fresh sprigs of whatever I have left over.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

I hope to have spread some christmas cheer to you today.

If you liked what you saw here today, I have a great holiday giveaway for you tomorrow. Filled with my favorite holiday decorating decor, and go to items for christmas. One lucky reader will receive these items before christmas, to use them in this years decor, if you want to!

And it's not too late, if you still have had your eye on a Between You & Me sign for christmas decor,

or a gift for someone?! You can still get a 15% off discount using code,

ROOMSFORRENT15 at check out, but hurry it won't last much longer!

To keep the fun going there are some more lovely tours lined up today:

Town and Country Living | On Sutton Place
Design, Dining and Diapers | At Home with The Barkers
Cottage in the Oaks

Stay in touch!

Instagram / Facebook / Pinterest

Have a decorating question, or need help creating that perfect space?!

e-mail me at

doucettedesign@comcast.net

Christmas Hospitality & Inspiration

2014-12-08T08:46:00.000-05:00

Tis the season for Holiday Home Tours! I'm so excited to be sharing my house all decorated for christmas with you tomorrow, and to be apart of this fabulous group of talented ladies all sharing their homes with you as well.

Monday:

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Rain on a Tin Roof | Making Home Base | The Wood Grain Cottage | Capturing Joy | Making Lemonade

Friday:

Migonis Home | Just a Girl and Her Blog | Fox Hollow Cottage | City Farmhouse | Ciburbanity

There are so many wonderfully beautiful homes being shared all around blogland right now!

I get so inspired by looking at all the beautiful pictures, of beautifully decorated homes, with perfectly styled spaces. It's easy to be captivated when the photos are BIG and crisp and bright, and glowing in all their splendor.

However, if we aren't careful sometimes our inspiration turns into comparison, and we can loose our joy. I believe it happens to all of us at some point. We love to be inspired, but if we look too long, or linger past the point of inspiration, we can sometimes find ourselves in a trap of discontentment and discouraged in our own efforts to spread holiday cheer. I would be lying if I told you this doesn't happen to me. I am no stranger to those feelings, and have struggled before with feeling over whelmed by the bombardment of beautiful homes decorated picture perfect for the holidays. Because I'm no stranger to it, I have learned to recognize it quicker when it tries to set in. I even felt this way just last week. I got caught up in looking at beautiful home tour after beautiful home tour, and started feeling inadequate not wanting to post mine because they had better decorations, and I didn't decorate that way, should I decorate that way for my post?! All very real thoughts swirling around in my head. And I'm not just saying they were beautiful, these women are truly talented, and their homes were just stunning. But when my appreciation turned into feeling inadequate, it was time to take a step back. For those who aren't familiar with my story, I've shared it here before, and will be sharing more of it on here soon, but for a long time I was stuck in a trap of not feeling good enough, and that effected me in almost every area of my life. Now I'm not saying that anyone of these women posted their christmas tour with the intent to make us feel that our homes aren't decorated pretty enough. Not at all! I know for a fact, they did it with love and kindness, and a whole heap of hard work, to provide us with breathtaking inspiration! What I want to make sure is, as we soak in all this season has to offer, lets not let the seed of comparison steal our joy. Lets not let our appreciation and applause for a beautifully decorated home turn into discontentment or feeling inadequate.

Over Thanksgiving I had invited a newly single friend to join our family for dinner, she was so blessed by the invite but then quickly responded by not wanting to intrude so she said she would just come for dessert. I knew instantly that it was a false feeling. I lovingly reached out to her, and assured her that a.) she was not intruding, but more importantly b.) told her it is not about the meal, or the food on the table, it about fellowship and the reason for gathering.

So my heart for you today, and throughout these next few weeks, as you prepare, and decorate your beautiful homes for the holidays - "It's not about the decorations, or even how big your house is, it's about the reason we are celebrating in the first place, and the ones we hold dear".

I hope I didn't completely shock you with my heart-to-heart today. It was something I was feeling so strongly as we got to the end of last week, and I just wanted to share. Partly because I've been there (still there), but mostly because I care so much for all of you, and don't want you robbed of your

J O Y this holiday season. I can't wait to see you back here tomorrow as I share our Holiday Home Tour with all of you!

Stay in touch!

Instagram / Facebook / Pinterest

Have a decorating question, or need help creating that perfect space?!

e-mail me at

doucettedesign@comcast.net

Wood Planked Advent Calendar

2014-12-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

If you follow me on Instagram, then you have gotten to see a few sneak peaks as I have started decorating for christmas! I'm so excited to share our Christmas Home Tour with you all this coming Tuesday, but until then, I wanted to show you our Advent Calendar this year.

You may remember it made it's debut last year. A custom wood planked sign I had the hubby make for me, and then I created the white tags with card stock, and stamped the numbers on them.

New this year are these lovely snow covered lit branches from Save-On-Crafts. The fit perfectly in my vintage maple syrup bucket with fresh pine and juniper branches. They were just what I was wanting to add to the wintery mix, and the branches are nice and sturdy, but bend nicely to spray they way you want them too.

Our Advent sits in our kitchen, above a bench flanked under the two windows right when you walk in. The kids love it because they can hop up on the bench and count how many days are left until christmas!

Have you started your christmas decorating yet? I have a few final touches, but thankfully for the most part am done !! Don't forget that there is still time to order your Between You & Me sign for christmas, and you'll receive a 15% off discount using code : ROOMSFORRENT15 at check out! To see how I decorated my dining room hutch with mine, click here. They also make wonderful Christmas gifts.

Stay in touch!

Instagram / Facebook / Pinterest

Have a decorating question, or need help creating that perfect space?!

e-mail me at

doucettedesign@comcast.net

Between You & Me Christmas Sign

2014-12-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to be sharing our new Christmas sign with you today from Between You & Me.

You got a sneak peak, in my free christmas printable post, but I'm SO excited to be sharing it with you today all decorated for christmas.

This years Christmas decor is all about neutral colors, shiny mercury glass, and of course rustic pinecones and woodland touches. I have adored this christmas sign from Between You & Me, and Tara was so kind to work with me, and make all the font white with a distressed black background to work in beautifully with my decor theme this year.

I styled around the sign with one of my silver reindeer (an old HomeGoods purchase), and some cute little bottle brush trees under a cloche. I placed them all on a birch tree slab I found in clearance at Micheal's. So bummed they only had one left!

The banner is from one of my favorite pillow shops on Etsy, and I will be sharing some other fabulous finds from Melissa I used to decorate for christmas this year, along with a holiday giveaway apart of my Christmas Home Tour next week!!

I love fresh garlands, and when I was done working on this little area in our dining room, I knew the one thing that was needed was some fresh garland. However I couldn't find what I was looking for, so I decided to make my own using fresh pine and cypress branches, and created this plush garland draped over the whole vignette!

Now for the fun part!! Tara has so graciously offered a 15% OFF discount to any rooms FOR rent readers craving a Between You & Me sign of their own! So if you missed out on the discount last time, now's your chance to order your own, just use the code ROOMSFORRENT15 at checkout. Maybe signs aren't quite what you want, but I bet there might be someone on your christmas gift list who would love one! I know I would!!! I will share more on this sweet deal throughout the week, but don't wait too long, they are the perfect touch for your holiday decor.

Stay in touch!

Instagram / Facebook / Pinterest

Have a decorating question, or need help creating that perfect space?!

e-mail me at

doucettedesign@comcast.net

Holiday Entertaining

2014-11-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

With cooler weather upon us, and yet a longing to connect with one another, after what may have been a summer full of fun travels. We switch our focus from outdoor entertaining, to gathering around a table in a cozy room, perhaps with a warm fireplace, and comfort food filling the air. Entertaining can some times feel like a daunting task. To fully capture the term “hostess with the mostess” may feel impossible, or perhaps like something that isn’t capable at all so we don’t attempt it. Some of you however may be obligated to host a holiday meal or family get together because you just might be the only one with a table! Or perhaps your like me, and jump at the opportunity to entertain? Whichever category you fall into, I believe this look is something that anyone can create, and on any budget. As a host, I like to engage whomever comes into my home by including as many of the 5 senses as I can. I also like to share a bit of our family with them. And I’ve found whether it’s friends or family coming over, that this tablescape works nicely for both. I layered our table with a coordinating color scheme, but with an extra special touch.

Picking a color theme, not only makes any space look pulled together, it also helps you make decisions when decorating your table. I love the classic look of black & white. It has truly held to the test of times, and also remains neutral so it doesn’t clash with the rest of the rooms decor. To add my special family touch, I chose some of our favorite family photos, that are near and dear to us, priceless moments captured, and took advantage of a great deal on Shutterfly to have them printed, so I only had to pay dollars for shipping.

To carry the theme throughout the room, I also used simple bakers twine and paperclips, and strung up a few photos above our buffet, we often use as a drink station.

It is such a personal touch that allows our guests to see what we’ve been up too, and catch up quickly on highlighted moments we’ve had in the past.

Using family photos to create this tablescape, is not only an easy way to keep friends and family in the loop, it can serve as a great conversation piece throughout the entire night.

Need help coordinating ideas for your next holiday party? Along with Interior decorating, I love helping clients plan for an event or social gathering. Need a few extra ideas to make that holiday entertaining go a little smoother? Email me at doucettedesign@comast.net and we can discuss your design needs further.

Happy Entertaining!

Stay in touch with me @

pinterest.com/roomsforrent

facebook.com/DoucetteDesign

instagram.com/roomsforrent

Free Christmas Stag Printable

2014-11-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited to be sharing my free christmas printable with all you today, along with some of my favorite blogging friends! If this is your first time here, Welcome!!! If you want to see more of our house, you can view this tour here. And if you want to know more about me, click here! Now onto the goodies!! Like I said I'm joining a fantastic group of ladies, to give you some great christmas inspiration!

Last year, I started making my christmas a bit more neutral, and plan on adding to that this year. I love mercury glass, and pine cones and greenery. So everything else falls in around that.

I love chalkboards. Like L.O.V.E.!! Did you hear me, Love! So for this printable I was dying to make one with a chalkboard looking back ground.

The glitter deer is new this year. I picked him up a few weeks ago at Hobby Lobby, and love how quaint and little he is.

I'm still not over the whole "deer craze", so I hope you aren't either. I have plans to add some more antlers to this years christmas decor, and can't wait to show you, but it was a no brainer for me to want to incorporate a deer silhouette in this printable.

"I'm dreaming of a White Christmas" is my favorite christmas song, it just gets me in the christmas spirit instantly! So I chose "Merry & Bright" from the lyrics of that classic christmas carol.

Click here to get your own copy.

Make sure you stop by and check out these other fabulous bloggers to see their

beautiful vignettes and free printables!!

Free Printable Vintage Christmas Advent Calender from Ella Claire

Printable Glitter Christmas Sign and Gift Tags from Yellow Bliss Road

The Names of Jesus Isaiah 9:6 Printable from Nest of Posies

Joy to the World Christmas Printable from The Lily Pad Cottage

God Bless Us Everyone Printable from Sweet Cs Designs

Red Buggy Christmas Printable from Craftberry Bush

Joy to the World - Vignette and Printable from AKA Design

Simple Christmas Wrap with Printable Gift Tags from My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

DIY Printable Christmas Village {Anthropologie Inspired} from Thoughts from Alice

Keep Warm and Drink Cocoa Printable from Top This Top That

Cookies and Milk for Santa Printable from It's Overflowing

The Most Wonderful Time of The Year Printable from Making Home Base

Ten Minute Holiday Vignette with Free Printable from The Chronicles of Home

Christmas Mantel with Free Printable Banner from Just Destiny

Free Christmas Stag Printable from Rooms for Rent

Christmas Mantel and Free Printable from Town & Country

Cocoa and Cookies Party from Migonis Home

Hot Chocolate Bar and Free Printable from Finding Silver Pennies

Elf Movie Free Printable from Eclectically Vintage

Free Christmas Printable from My Sweet Savannah

Sleigh Ride Printable and DIY Canvas Sign from Clean and Scentsible

Free Christmas Printable from City Farmhouse

Fun snowman printable and DIY frame from Jennifer Rizzo

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Christmas Inspiration

2014-11-14T09:52:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday Friends!!! The weekend is upon us! I know that most of you probably haven't started decorating for Christmas yet. There once was a time where I thought it was absurd to even see Christmas decor before Thanksgiving, but without shame I can say those days are long gone. I don't quite view it as rushing the season, or skipping over Thanksgiving, and honestly if I hosted Thanksgiving I would wait to decorate for Christmas. But I don't host Thanksgiving, and I really love to decorate for the holidays, so I more view starting early as a way to soak in all the Christmas magic I can. Today, I'm sharing with you some of my favorite Inspiration via Pinterest for Christmas this year. I started swapping things out yesterday, and have all sorts of ideas swirling in my head, I can't wait to share this years decor with you!

via: Better Homes & Gardens

via : Traditional Home

via : Better Homes & Gardens

via Golden Sycamore

via: Dreamy Whites

via Country Living

So I have to tell you, every August I always wish I had my own pumpkin patch, because I would use pumpkins everywhere in my decor for fall, you can never have too many! Well every November I always wish we had our own Christmas tree farm! Oh my word, I would go crazy!!! I love all the little trees and fresh greens throughout the house. It's my absolute favorite. Someday I keep telling myself, someday! Til then I will vicariously live through Pinterest,

and all the lovely photos with fresh greenery!

You can catch all my sneak peaks on Instagram before the

full Christmas Home Tour on December 9th!

Hot Chocolate Bar

2014-11-12T13:49:00.004-05:00

Last week you got to see a sneak peak, during the Grand Finale of Thanksgiving Tablescapes,

of my new 3-tiered wood and tin tray from Painted Fox.

Can I just tell you it is every bit as lovely in person as it appears to be.

I was surprised by how much room it actually had in each of the trays, and pleasantly surprised because that meant I could fit more things in it. While it has many functional uses, with the holidays right around the corner I thought it would be the perfect spot to set up my hot chocolate bar.

I had plenty of room on each tier for my tea kettle with hot water, stirring spoons, all of my cups and saucers, my creamer, of course the hot chocolate and extra goodies too!

It is so convenient having everything in one spot, and ready to use.

Talk about a time and space saver. No, hustling after dinner to offer a hot beverage, it's all right there, and guests can help themselves if they like.

Of course what caught my eye with this wood and tin tray, was the weathered finished and the tin detail around each tray. It matched my style perfectly.

I absolutely love the Painted Fox's tag line "Farm House Swag", I knew instantly I was going to fall in love with everything I had seen, and I sure did. If you haven't visited their website yet,

check them out here. You can follow them on Instagram, where they announce special deals, like currently all trays are 20% off, just like mine, using code : TRAY20 at checkout, but it's only going for a little bit more.

Happy Entertaining,