BECKI OWENS

Guest Prep

Guest Prep: Easy Bathroom Refresh

It’s Thanksgiving week! For those of you hosting, are you ready for your home to be filled with friends and family? Even though there are only a few days left, it is not too late for last minute updates that will be to make your guests feel at home. The bathroom is a space you are going to want to prioritize. It’s a small space that with a few tweaks can be transformed.

Update Mirror and Lighting

Becki Owens Estillo Project

Even an old bathroom can get a major facelift with a new mirror and lighting. And although there are a lot of high end options that look amazing, there are also tons of great choices for those on a budget. Try a mirror in an interesting shape or beautiful frame to make a statement. It can even draw attention away from older tile. This round mirror is an affordable favorite. For sconces at a great price, check out Wayfair and this post on Splurge and Save Sconces.

 

Cornado Casita

Use Baskets to Hide Clutter and Storage

Rita Chan Interiors

You definitely want your guest bathroom to feel like a neutral space for your visitors to make their own for a few days. You do not want them walking in to find a counter full of your cosmetics and lotions. Clear away clutter and bathroom supplies, like tissues and cleaners, by hiding them away in baskets. Baskets are also a great way to display pretty towels while making them easy to find for your guests.

Becki Owens Arboles Project

Display new Textiles

Tiffany Harris

Provide guests with fresh new towels. Not only will they help create a spa-like feel in the bathroom, but can also be put on display to add a layer of pretty texture. Consider a turkish towel hanging by the sink or displayed on a ladder like in my Las Palmas bathroom below.

las palmas bathroom

Becki Owens Las Palmas Project

 

Art

Becki Owens Arboles Project

Leaving your bathroom walls bare is a missed opportunity. Add color and create interest with a beautiful print, framed textile, or fill an empty corner with oversized pottery.

Leanne Ford

 

Swap a Tired Bath Mat for a Warm Vintage Rug

Pure Salt Interiors

There are of course plenty of lux bath mats that would look beautiful and create a soft step for your visiting friends, but another way to go is to warm up the bathroom with a beautiful vintage rug. It protects your floors and makes an artistic statement.

 

Styled Tray of Travel Essentials

100 Layer Cake

Take your hospitality to the next level by providing your guests with essentials that they may have left at home. Style a beautiful tray with a toothbrush, toothpaste, hair care, lotion, and soap. Add a fresh smelling candle a bit of greenery to complete the look.

 

A bathroom is an intimate space. Most of these ideas can be done quickly and inexpensively but can transform your guest bath into a welcoming space for visitors. If you missed our earlier posts on prepping for holiday house guests, read here and here.

Happy Monday!

Xxo
Becki

 

 

Guest Prep: 8 Tips For Styling Your Kitchen

During the holidays your kitchen becomes the true heart of the home with family and guests gathering around cooking, snacking, and chatting. Today’s guest prep is all about how to refresh this important space. We are not focusing on a kitchen overhaul (although if your interested be sure to read this post on an affordable white kitchen makeover), but instead sharing easy ideas on how to style your kitchen to leave it feeling fresh and pretty.

Declutter and Deep Clean

Sarahliz Lawson Design

Before you start styling your kitchen, you have to make sure that you declutter the space. Get rid of the junk mail stack, hide away your ugly tupperware, and only leave out your prettiest essentials.

Update your Linens

Amber Interiors

Dishcloths don’t have to just be useful, they can also be a beautiful and affordable layer of texture and color in the kitchen. Look for an interesting color or pattern. I especially love the texture of turkish towels. They cost very little, but update your kitchen with an interesting global textile that looks fresh and on trend.


 

Display A Few Pieces of Pretty Cookware

Helmick Hacienda

Leave your prettiest cookware out on display. I like adding a pop of color with a pretty Le Creuset dutch oven, but a shiny stainless steel stockpot or rustic copper saucepan also look beautiful.


 

Add A Decorative Tray

Park and Oak Design

Kelly Nutt Design

One way to make kitchen necessities look intentional is to style them together on a tray or wooden cheese board. This is an idea you can use for your oils and your most used spices, a welcoming tray of drinks and snacks, or to collect hand soap and a great smelling candle by the sink. One fun idea to consider is to display your soaps and scents on a beautiful marble cake stand.


 

Streamline your Open Shelves

Katherine Carter Design

Open shelving can be strictly decorative and styled with plants, art, antiques, and pottery or used as useful storage. If your shelves display your everyday dishes, you want to make sure they still look pretty. Streamline the look by sticking to the essentials. For example, you might get rid of the teacups and saucers that came with your set if this is something you never use, or buy low rimmed pasta dishes that can serve as both small plates and soup bowls.

Layer Decor

natural wood kitchen

Becki Owens

Choux Designs

Style your counters by layering several cutting and cheese boards. The grain of the wood, the shape of the board, and a bit of marble or brass becomes a work of art. Enrich the look by mixing in an oil or watercolor. Or think about displaying some of your prettiest cookbooks.


 

Add a Pop of Color with a Rug

House of Jade Interiors

My favorite way to add warmth and interest to a kitchen is to add a rug. It adds color, protects wooden floors, and is easy to vacuum. You could go with a vintage runner for a unique look, or chose a durable flat-weave or jute.


 

Finish with Fresh Greens or Florals

Savvy Interiors

Cottonwood and Co

The quickest and least expensive way to breath new life into any space is to add a plant or fresh cut florals. You might add a succulent, fresh potted herbs, or go outside and collect branches of fall leaves. So pretty and a perfect way to celebrate the season.

Thanksgiving is around the corner, but these styling tips are a quick and easy way to make sure your kitchen is ready for guests. If you missed it, check out this post to catch up on our Guest Prep Series, or this post for ideas on decorating your Thanksgiving table..

Xxo
Becki

 

8 Tips for Styling Your Kitchen

 

 

New Decor For The New Year

Best of Blog: Guest Prep

November is here, and with it plans for holiday get togethers with family and friends. With hosting in mind, I’m thinking of all that needs to be done in my home to be guest ready. From making a great first impression in the entry, to creating a comfortable retreat in the guest bedroom, I think it’s important that friends and family find my home clean, comfortable, and welcoming. Last year, I started a Guest Prep series full of ideas, tips, and favorite finds to refresh each space throughout your home. Today, I’m reviewing those tips with you. Catch up on these great guest prep tips, and then check back soon as we continue our series with inspirations for making your home holiday ready.

Entryway

gray-mosaic-inlay-chest

Your entryway is your guests the first impression of your home. Making a few updates will give it a fresh new look that will set the tone for the rest of your spaces. In our Guest Prep: Making a Great First Impression post, we share several steps to creating a welcoming entry.

 

Living Room

ord-living-room-becki-owens-1-1

There are a few key elements to creating a living area that will feel inviting for holiday guests. In our Guest Prep Living Room post, there are six ideas for making your living rooms cozy and functional for entertaining.

 

Dining Room

becki-owens-las-palmas-dining-room

Las Palmas Dining Room

In our Guest Prep Dining Room Post, we share several ways to make your dining rooms ready for entertaining holiday guests. For example, adding a new statement light, unique dining chairs and a gorgeous rug. Read this post for all our tips on getting your dining room holiday ready + shopping here.

Bedroom

heber project master bedroom

One of the most important spaces for holiday guests is a room to call their own while they are staying with you. Creating a guest room that is a beautiful retreat for your guests is doable. Our Guest Prep: How to Style a Bedroom post lays out all the pieces you will need with items to shop.

 

DIY

affordable white kitchen remodel becki owens

Prepping your homes for the holidays doesn’t have to break the bank! Our DIY Guest Prep post shares some great ideas to give your home a mini facelift for the holidays  – affordably.  Read more about this affordable white kitchen remodel here.

Thanksgiving is coming, but there is still plenty of time to create  a warm welcome for your guests. By adding a few new pieces or comfortable layers, you can completely change the feeling in a room. Check back soon for new guest prep ideas!

Xxo
Becki

 

 

Guest Prep: Affordable DIY Updates

Refreshing your space in time for holiday guests does not have to be a big expense. Sometimes a simple hack can make an old piece of furniture relevant or an inexpensive purchase look rich. Today I’ve gathered a few affordable DIY updates to help inspire you to get a room you love no matter your budget.

Paint your Furniture

I have a few pieces of furniture in my home that I painted to get the look I wanted. Painting is an inexpensive way to transform your furniture as your tastes evolve without the huge expense of replacement.

 

vintage-mid-century-chair becki owens
This is a beautiful midcentury chair that my husband’s grandmother left to us when she passed. By painting it white, I preserved the memory and history of the chair, but made it work within the simple, fresh space I was creating.

 

becki-owens-kitchen-nook-1
In this dining nook, an Espresso colored farmhouse table and benches from Pier One looked too dark and dated. A fresh coat of lacquered paint in untinted white left me with the more polished look that I wanted.

 

Becki Owens Dining Room Ro Sham Beaux
In my dining room, another updated table painted a lacquered gray looks unique and fresh paired with beautiful midcentury dining chairs.

 

Inexpensive Lighting Updates

becki-owens-girls-room-3-2
In this girl’s room, I chose an affordable pendant from IKEA and transformed it with gold spray paint. The gold makes the light look both more expensive and unique. It now matches the West Elm task lamp on the nightstand.

 

becki-owens-girls-room-4

 

Affordable Hardware Swap

affordable white kitchen remodel becki owens

Affordable White Kitchen

When I first updated my kitchen, I chose the IKEA Vinna Handle for my cabinet hardware.  These pulls are very affordable and look beautiful for the price. Changing out the small details in a space, like your hardware, makes a huge impact.

 

Upholster your old Coffee Table

diy-coffee-table

Orlando Soria

For twenty-five dollars of raw canvas, Orlando Soria of Hommemaker transformed an old scratched up coffee table into a sleek upolstered ottoman. Styled with vases and trays, his new coffee table is a fresh focal point of the room.

Style with Plants

Plants and fresh greenery bring new life and vibrancy to a room. I like planting mine in a sculptural pot that adds interest to the space. I have used these fun modern planters from West Elm but found a great DIY alternative from Sarah Sherman Samuel.

plantstand-diy3-640-1

Sarah Sherman Samuel

These DIY copper plant stands are both functional and beautiful. They are a fun quick way to bring new design to an old space.

December is an expensive month, but even on a limited budget your home can be ready for your guests with these few affordable DIY updates. I hope this inspires you to take on a makeover of your own. Good luck! If you missed my other Guest Prep ideas, you can catch up on preparing your guest bedroom, living space, dining room, and front entry. Happy Monday!

 

Xxo
Becki

Guest Prep: Dining Rooms

Today I’m back with some more guest prep ideas. After surviving a fun but busy Halloween weekend, my thoughts are now moving on to Thanksgiving and I’m sharing a few guest prep ideas for decorating your dining room in time for the holiday. Here are 5 tips for making your dining rooms entertain ready….

Update your Dining Table and Chairs

dining-room-remodel-becki-owens

Transformed Tuscan Dining Room

Although a new table and chairs are a big expense, it is a quick way to revamp your dining space without major work. In this transformed Tuscan dining room, a rustic trestle table and white wishbone chairs changed the space from dark and heavy to airy and modern. If you are hosting Thanksgiving, it would be fun to update with a large table and new chairs like the unique ones I used below.

Becki Owens Dining Room Ro Sham Beaux

Ground the Space with a Durable Rug

amber fillerup clark NYC living room

Amber Fillerup Clark NYC Apartment

I don’t always use a rug in a dining space because of potential messes, but in many dining rooms the warmth and interest it adds to the space is worth any extra work. If your home does not have a formal dining room but instead a  kitchen/dining combo, a rug under the table defines the space. An antique rug in a rich color is gorgeous for the season, or you could look for an easy to vacuum flat-weave rug or an affordable and durable jute or sisal.

black-dining-room

Everyday Interior Design

 

Add a Statement Light

becki-owens-las-palmas-dining-room

Las Palmas Project

An amazing light makes a all the difference. I keep most of my dining spaces clean and minimal but make a statement with the light. In my Las Palmas Project dining space, I chose a bold chandelier that draws attention to the round dining table and complements the rattan chairs. Choose a light that matches the scale of the table and room.

brittany-makes-vintage-rug-kitchen

Brittany Makes

Personalize the Room with a Gallery Wall

becki owens kitchen nook dining room

Olympic Way Project

Dining rooms are intimate spaces for friends and family to gather. I like to personalize the space with a gallery wall of photos. Not only does it add color and interest, but it is honors the friends and family in the pictures and is a fun way to remember good times. For tips on styling a gallery wall, read my post here.

 

Style the Table

dining-room-eskayal-wallpaper

Lauren Nelson via Architechtural Digest

If your dining room is already dialed in, then all you have left is to create an inviting table display. For a fresh, minimal look, try a simple row of succulents or monochromatic pumpkins in the middle of the table. Or for a more rustic feel, combine natural foliage with a bit of shine. For more inspiration and tips, read here.

dining-room-white-pumpkin

The Leslie Style

With only three and half weeks until Thanksgiving, now is the perfect time to start preparing. Make sure you check out all my Guest Prep posts for more ideas on readying your home for upcoming holiday visitors:

Guest Prep: How to Style a Bedroom
Guest Prep: Creating Cozy Living Spaces
Guest Prep: Make a Great First Impression

Have a happy Wednesday!

Xxo
Becki

guest prep dining rooms becki owens