One of the most inexpensive ways to add style to your home is with a simple collection from nature, right ?  I’m a huge fan of bringing nature inside, and decorating spaces with inexpensive (or free) finds from the great outdoors ! 

“Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.” 

- Frank Lloyd Wright

Shells on display, sand from a nearby coast, starfish or even sand dollars fashioned into wall hooks – the beach is a great source of inspiration when it comes to decorating your home.  Place items inside glass jars and they become instant focal points. 

  Credit: Country Living; Traditional Home; Nest; BH&G; JLDesigns; Pottery Barn; BH&G.

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What a whirlwind weekend friends, whew !  I made some serious progress on my boy’s bedroom – the walls and closet doors are finally all painted, now I just need to add some accessories and hopefully pull it all together soon ! 

Meanwhile, I was thinking about ways to decorate your home in a cost conscious way, and one of the ways to create big impact with little cost is to unite art on the wall with frames all painted the same color. 

Here are some of my favorite examples:

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A few weeks ago you all saw the new color I painted in the refreshed kitchen !  Every morning it’s like a breath of fresh air walking into this space, and I’m so glad  I took the time to add new paint and accessories.  So I thought I’d break down the step-by-step on how I painted the kitchen cabinetry, specifically the island, and wrap up a few other details as well. 

Here’s a quick reminder of the island, Before and After:

Here are the steps I followed for refinishing my kitchen cabinetry in oil with a brush technique.   For projects larger than this, consider renting a professional paint sprayer for quicker and smoother application.

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Grazie, merci, mahalo, danke, gracias, thank you thank you thank you for all your kind comments yesterday.  Kitchens are one of those spaces where there is so much you can do with so many different materials !  For us, we wanted something light and bright and inviting with plenty of space for cooking and entertaining.  This guided much of our choices.  Some queries came up via email or in the comments, so here’s a few answers.   

What are your countertops made of?  (Charlotte ) What type of marble do you have ?  (Samantha)   Tell me about your countertops  (Sue). 

The countertops are a combination of marble and cherry wood.  Yes, it’s true, I chose the two most high maintenance countertops.  Everyone tried to talk me out of it, but I held my ground and I have no regrets.  I ripped this image out of a magazine many years ago and stapled it to my forehead.

I didn’t care if wood countertops were as impractical as high heels in a marathon.  I had to have them.

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