A One King's Lane Sale not to be Missed!

As I've mentioned once, or twice, or maybe even twelve times, I am knee-deep in the home decor world these days. I have learned to bargain hunt, to never trust the first price I come across, and to really search high and low for the best products out there. One site I keep returning to time and time again is One King's Lane.

Let me preface this post by saying that One King's Lane tends to be a little pricier than the typical discount sites, but they also tend to carry higher end brands which means while you might be paying a tad more, you're getting a fantastic deal. Yay!

Today and tomorrow, One King's Lane is running a 20% off sale with the code OKLSHARE20. While there are some exclusions...including the lamps I was planning to buy...I digress...tons and tons of their items are on sale. I love One King's Lane for their curated, high quality goods that really fit into many different home styles. I am always drawn to their French influences, but you can find amazing art and gorgeous knick-knacks too. If you have bookshelves or coffee tables to style, now is your chance to stock up! Below are a few of my favorite OKL items.

Being playful and taking risks in decor

Let's get something out of the way: renovating a house is hard, but do you know what's even harder? Filling it with furniture and decor. For one thing, it's not exactly easy on the budget to buy items for rooms that never existed before. For another, it's just plain challenging to make decisions. Like I mentioned on Wednesday, one of the things that has really helped me is keeping my 5 words in mind. Another helpful tip I try to remember? Not to take myself (or my home) too seriously. 

Being playful with decor is super important to me. I like to think that I am fun, and so I want my home to represent that. I love mixing patterns and colors. Navy blue next to kelly green? Yes, please! A splash or four of pink? Of course! I love mixing furniture from different eras. French provincial chairs? Yep. Jenny Linds spool bed? Be still my heart. 

While none of our rooms are finished, or are anywhere close to being finished, I think you can really see what I mean in our downstairs guest room. This room used to be our bedroom, and it has had quite a transformation. Take a look at the before: 

Since this room isn't done (please ignore the lack of rug), we'll call this the "during" phase: 

We inherited the antique bed from Hunter's grandmother. It was that typical mid-century yellow wood, but my mother in law painted it a glossy jet black. The plates are another antique gift from my husband's family. The typewriter is from my grandparents. It belonged to my grandmother. It's super heavy and rusty, but it's such a neat piece to have, especially since I make my living as a writer. The trunk is full of Hunter's childhood baseball cards. And my favorite addition is the emerald Robert Abbey Delta lamp. The modern shape goes totally against the other antique decor, but it works! Not only is it the right scale for the height of the bed, but the punchy color is unexpected yet playful. And ding ding ding! Playful is one of my house words. 

We still need a rug and the fabric that will actually be used in Euro shams is unreal and will really make this room complete, but for now, this room is exactly where I want it to be. Unexpected and playful with a few timeless pieces thrown in. 

How to choose 5 "words" to drive your decor style

While we were renovating, I kept several words in mind to help keep me on the right path. It can be incredibly overwhelming to choose finishes, fixtures, paint colors, and all the other home fixings, but by keeping those words in mind, I was able to narrow selections a lot easier. 

I actually started this post intending to go one direction, but when I thought about how I used those words to drive my design choices, I thought the concept might help some of you. Here's how I developed my own set of words (and how you can develop yours too!):

1. Start by going through all of your inspiration images. Yes, all of them. That means pouring over your Pinterest boards, the magazines you've been hoarding, and those saved images on Instagram. 

2. As you scroll through different rooms, write down what you like about them. Here's an example of a room I love from BHG: 

What words would you use to describe it? For me, words like classic, timeless, colorful, serene, preppy, French, and fun all come to mind. Essentially, do this step for several rooms/photos that you love. Write down as many words as you can. 

3. Next, go through your list of words, and circle the words that pop up again and again. If you wrote it down more than 2-3 times, circle it darker (or highlight it or make a new list). 

4. Finally, narrow down your words to your top 5. Make sure these words are not only the ones that were the most prominent, but are also the ones that speak to you! No use having words on there that don't actually describe what you like. Want to know what mine were?

- Playful

- Southern

- Charming 

- Classic

- Timeless 

5. Keep these words somewhere safe. Mine are on my phone in a note called "Words to Describe the House" - no secrets here. ;) 

As I chose hardware, fixtures, tile, and even paint colors, I kept coming back to these words. Now that I've shifted my focus from finishes to decor, I'm doing the same thing. Each decision that I make, I pull my list out. Does the lamp, rug, artwork or piece of furniture fit into one (or all) of those words? If not, I leave it behind. Sure, I can still love it, but I know that it's not necessarily the right fit right now. Not only does this keep my house consistent, but it keeps me focused! Plus, when I speak with store associates or design professionals, I can easily describe what I'm looking for. 

Give it a try, and let me know if you do! I'd love to hear your words. 

How to make your spaces POP!

When it comes to interiors, there are some things that I'm really good at. I love choosing lighting and hardware. I can put different pieces of art together. I've even started understanding pattern play a little bit too. However, there's one thing that I really struggle with: styling surfaces. Our coffee table is basically a holding spot for magazines, remotes, and a lone candle. It's not exactly magazine worthy. 

Recently, we purchased a large sideboard to go underneath our television in our master bedroom. Yes, I know a sideboard traditionally goes in a dining room, but this one provided us with the storage we needed as well as the look we were going for in our master, so into the bedroom it went! And I kind of love it there.

Here's the problem: it's a LARGE sideboard and there is a lot of surface area. On one hand, that's great for storage because that means there are deep cabinets and enormous drawers. On the other hand, the top of it looks really empty. Even though we've only had the piece for a few weeks, it was starting to drive me slightly crazy as to what I could put on top of it. 

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I love *things*. I have a lot of books, a lot of trinkets, and a lot of little memories that I can't part with. However, when thinking about our dresser (aka. the sideboard), I wanted to make sure I didn't clutter it. I wanted useful items that filled the space while serving dual purposes, but I had no idea where to start, so I turned to SwatchPop! for help.

SwatchPop! is an online interior design service where design professionals are at your fingertips. Here's how it works: start by creating a profile and filling-out a detailed survey about your design likes and dislikes and the stores you regularly shop. The more specific you can be here, the better! Next, choose your pops. In my case, I wanted to style my dresser as well as another little nook nearby for a total of 3 pops (1 pop for the dresser styling, 2 pops for nook furniture and wall decor).

Then, you tell your designer (who you'll soon meet!) what your needs are as well as a little bit about your style. This is your opportunity to share inspiration photos, measurements, and your budget. Again, be as specific as you can! Finally, chat with your designer and let the magic happen. Within a few days, you'll be on your way to a newly designed space!

I loved hearing from my designer (almost daily for a week) and seeing progress along the way. I truly felt as though she got to know me and my style which meant that the process was a quick one. Within a week, I had renderings of my space along with a product list of where to find the same items (and even alternates if things were not affordable or unavailable). 

Perhaps the best part was the affordability of everything! Your first pop is $49.95 and each pop after is $29.95. So let's say that you need furniture ($49.95), wall decor ($29.95), and rug help ($29.95). You can get an entire room designed for $110! Even better? SwatchPop gave me a code for anyone who wants to try the service. Just type in PolkaDots to receive 10% off. Woot! 

I truly loved the experience of SwatchPop! and I'll definitely be using their services again in the future. Stay tuned in the coming weeks to see the dresser and nook project come to life! 

Thanks so much to SwatchPop! for the complimentary services. All opinions (and excitement) are my own! 

5 Favorite Online Home Stores

Now that the renovation is finally starting to wrap-up, I am busy researching my little heart out for decor, especially for our guest bedrooms. Admittedly, we're going to have three of them, and beyond the bed itself, we don't have much of anything. We'll need mattresses, bedding, and even decor. 

I've been scouring the web trying to find different home stores. Not just ones that are unique, but ones that not everyone shops at. It's hard to explain, but I want to be excited about each item I put in my house. Hence why I'm so hell-bent on treasure hunting instead of big box shopping. 

Plus, I get to discover some fantastic small businesses which is always fun for me! I'm loving the ease of online browsing, and even though I haven't bought anything yet, I'm sure I will soon! Here are 5 of my favorite online home stores.

Lulu & Georgia: Lulu & Georgia has long been one of my favorite places to browse, and now that I have a few more rooms to fill, I'm looking forward to actually making some purchases. I've always loved their lighting the most, so I've got my eye on a few table lamps. What table lamp doesn't need tassels? 

Serena & Lily: Oh, Serena and Lily, how do I love thee? I already own the Capiz Scalloped pendant (going over my new tub!!), and there are so many other things I'd like to make mine, too. Like an upholstered chair or two. 

Simons: This store has some really beautiful options for duvet covers. I love the idea of having one folded at the foot of the beds. The scallop duvet is most definitely one of my favorites, but I can't help but love the gold ribbons cover either. Gimme all the gold. 

Dear Keaton: Dear Keaton is a local Atlanta business, but since they're online, everyone can get in on the action! I love that Dear Keaton's items feel collected over time, and you know I love that. Their mirrors are gorgeous and their pillow collection is unmatched.

Belle Botanica: With tons of walls to fill, I've been on the lookout for collections that are essentially already done for me. Belle Botanica is basically THE jackpot. I'm pretty sure I'll be adding a set of hummingbirds to my dining room, but I've been torn between those and their French Camellias. Camellias are special to me, and I know I'd enjoy looking at these every day. 

PPD Renovates: We Have a Roof!

Before

We've officially been under construction on our home renovation for just over a month. Construction started on November 21, so we've come quite a long way in a short amount of time...which is a good thing! We're very satisfied with our team so far, and things are moving along with the project. 

Not going to lie, after a long, drought-ridden fall, as soon as we took our roof off, and I mean AS SOON AS we took our roof off, the rain came down. In those weeks, we had many nights waking up wondering if our floors and ceilings were being drenched in water. Luckily, we had very little water damage, and now that we have a roof and almost all of our windows, we shouldn't have anymore sleepless nights. 

Roof off! This lasted for a few weeks and was basically just complete stress. 

The very beginning of framing. You can see the original wood siding underneath our blue. 

Since I am such a type-A planner, I've had all of our material selections ready to go for months. This was especially helpful for both our plumber and our electrician. It's crazy that all of the electrical work happens during framing, so having my lighting ordered weeks in advance allowed us to  know exactly what height to hang things like sconces. Plus, I loved choosing lighting. I'm pretty obsessed with the sconces for our dining room, but the master bath and powder room ones have my heart, too. 

Starting to look more like a house again!

Other than lighting, we've spent a lot of time choosing brick and thinking about our paint colors. I met with a paint specialist last week to help us wrap our heads around it. I really want to have different paint colors throughout the house, but I want them to work together seamlessly. I'm not sure if you've ever looked, but there are thousands of paint colors out there, and unlike lighting and tile stores, paint reps don't exist. Having an expert is going to be so helpful! 

As of Saturday, December 31, 2016, we have a roof, shingles, windows (!!!) and all kinds of newness on the inside. 

As far as the exterior goes, we still have siding to add, a brick fireplace & stoop, expanding the stoop, and moving the front door. The new front door will be directly under that middle window and will finally give me the symmetry I've been craving. We're hoping to have drywall up in the next few weeks which means another update will be coming your way soon!  In the meantime, let me know if you have any questions about renovation/adding-on to your home. I'm becoming an expert slowly but surely! 

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

No, I'm not talking about a puppy...although mine has most definitely been the gift that keeps on giving. Instead, I'm talking about linens. Before you click away, hear me out: how often do you buy yourself new sheets, blankets, or towels? If you're like me, chances are you don't buy yourself these things often, and if we're spirit animals, you never buy yourself linens. Linens just get pushed way down on my priority list of things to buy. I always justify purchasing something else instead. But think about it: we use linens every single day which is why they make a great gift. I still remember the people who gifted us our first towels for our wedding (hey Lindsay & Erin), and I definitely know who gave us a set of sheets. 

The holidays are a great time to snap up linens for others. One of my favorite places to shop for linens is WestPoint Home. It might actually be the one place I consider myself as a lifetime shopper. When I was little, there was a WestPoint Home store near the Alabama/Georgia state line. It had a beautiful fountain outside of it which I referred to as the "dancing water." It was always a landmark for our trips to and from Mobile. 

WestPoint Home has recently opened a new store at the North Georgia Premium Outlets, and they're celebrating their grand opening tomorrow. During the grand opening event, you can receive free monogramming on personalizable items which make it a prime opportunity for shopping for gifts. I took a word of advice from myself and stepped-up the fun factor by getting our house number monogrammed on towels. These will be right at home in our new Jack and Jill bath. 

Let me know if you find yourself at the WestPoint Home opening tomorrow - and let me know what you get!

I received the towels seen here in exchange for this post. 

Holiday Home Decor for Less

As you all know, we're in a temporary residence this year, and that has made getting in the holiday spirit a little challenging. We made the executive decision to leave 99% of our holiday decor in storage this year for ease of moving things back and forth. Admittedly, I've been a bit depressed without the usual days of decorating and coming home to a Christmasy space every evening. 

We brought one of our smaller, more slender, faux trees, but opted to leave all ornaments at home (for shame!!). I left all of my pretty table linens and mantle decorations, too. Last week, I finally decided I couldn't really take the lack of decor anymore, so I made a plan to beef up the cottage a little with the help of some of my favorite look-for-less shops. 

I've always loved the crewel pillows from Pottery Barn, but since I know this space is temporary, and I'm not quite sure what our living room will look like next year, I didn't want to splurge on them. World Market to the rescue! I nabbed this winter scene pillow (on sale) for $21 this weekend! I paired it with some green velvet pillows ($6 each!) for a cozy set-up. World Market has some fantastic holiday decor items this year, and I've rounded up my favorites below.

I also ventured OTP to find the perfect Christmas wreath. I love a gorgeous wreath, and I'm usually pretty good about jazzing one up myself, but with the hubs at the golf course and some time to kill, I headed to a local Christmas Tree farm to see what I could find, and I'm so glad I did. You'd be surprised with what $25 can get you! I was able to score a beautiful wreath filled with greenery of all sorts, red berries, and a cute bow. Done and done. 

When it comes to finding holiday home decor for less, look to your favorite mid-range retailers like Pottery Barn for inspiration, then head to places like Target and Home Goods to make the look happen. Splurge on items like greenery that serve the dual purpose of looking fabulous and bringing a little of the outside in. And it goes without saying that if you can wait a few weeks until after Christmas, you're bound to find some amazing deals! 

Staying Cozy

We're finally dipping into cooler temperatures around here: breezy evenings and cold mornings are here, y'all...and I kind of love it. When we hit this point in the year, I start pulling out all of my coziest items. My favorite oversized quilt to layer on my bed. My go-to college Phi Mu sweatshirt that my husband has begged me repeatedly to give to Goodwill (NEVER!!!!). My long-pant pjs. My old as dirt Uggs that I just can't seem to let go. They all come out of hibernation. 

Of course, layering up my morning wardrobe is just part of staying cozy. Another huge part? Cozying up my home. This will be especially true before I bust out holiday decor as well as long after it's gone. To help me get started, PB Teen kindly sent over one of their fur throws from their Junk Gypsy collection. Have y'all met the Junk Gypsies? These ladies are two junking (antiquing) sisters who have created a business out of their signature gypsy style, and they even wrote a book. Now, PB Teen has partnered with the Gypsies (better known as Amie and Jolie Sikes) for their very own line that speaks to the wanderer and dreamer within every teenage girl. 

I'd be lying if I said that this collection didn't speak to me just a tad. I might not be a gypsy spirit now, but I definitely had this streak growing up. It's part of what helped me take a risk and go to college separately from all of my friends. Honestly it might be that same streak that helped me move on from teaching and start my own business. Either way, the collection is certainly something worth noting. 

As you cozy up your own home, add wintery textures like faux fur and leather, incorporate patterns like fair isle and plaid, and swap your pastels for metallics and jewel tones. One tip? Add coziness that already works with what you have; no need to reinvent the wheel. Use your sofa as a base and swap your pillows and blankets, then add your holiday decor to that. The result will be the perfect winter-inspired home for the season. 

Prepping Your Guest Room

With the dawn of summer comes the dawn of summer guests. Even though our house is small (but mighty!), we're lucky to have space for family and friends to stay when they visit. Because our guest room houses my closet and my overflow drawer items, it's important that the space feels like an inviting, comfortable place for guests as well as functional space for me. Over the years, I've dramatically changed this room, one little item at a time to make it light and airy while remaining sweet and cozy. 

If your guest room has to be a space for you as well as your guests, I wanted to offer a few tips to get it in tip top shape. As you prep for your own guests this summer, keep these things in mind:

Bedding will make or break a guest's stay. Seriously. I would be lying if I said that I had considered this before. If I am being totally honest, I only recently decided it was time for our guest room to have some great sheets. Before just a few weeks ago, our guests cozied up under big box sheets, and while cute, these aren't exactly the most comfy. Perfect Linens saved the day with their Second Skin sheets. These 400 thread count, Egyptian cotton sheets are airy without clinging. And can we talk about the gorgeous embroidery? I chose Fern Green to match some of the other elements in our guest room, but I'm eying some of Perfect Linens' other color ways for my own room...like these scallops? Yes, please! What I love about Perfect Linens is that they are the sheet experts - they're the only website that sells only sheets, and there is research behind their brand including objective tests and fabric analysis. Talk about commitment to quality! And guys, they're incredibly soft. I can't wait to hear my guests' rave reviews! 

Note: Perfect Linens is offering 15% off of any of their sheets! Use the code PolkaDots15. 

Make room in the closet. Okay, so maybe you don't use your closet for overflow clothing like me, but I would bet that you use it for some sort of storage. Be courteous and make room in the closet for your guests to hang their clothes. Another great touch? Leave a few empty hangers front and center. It screams "use me!" 

Add the finishing touches. I wish I had my act together enough to put together a fantastic welcome tray full of flowers, snacks, and other essentials, but since I don't,  I have to improvise. I do like to add a little something special before guests arrive. This Diptyque candle was gifted to me (real blogger status), and I love the scent and how it looks on the night stand - which doubles as a trunk for storage. I'll leave a cute box of matches, too. Add an extra blanket and pillow along with towels, so guests have everything they need for a great night's rest. 

What are your guest room prep tips?

This post is in partnership with Perfect Linens. All opinions are my own.

Growing your Halloween collection with Yankee Candle

It's no secret that I adore Halloween. In fact, on my list of favorite holidays, it ranks at the tip top and well surpasses Christmas. What can I say? I was born just two days before All Hallows Eve, and as a certified Scorpio through and through, I can think of no better holiday than one where strangers gift you with free candy and Hocus Pocus airs on repeat all season. 

Because I love Halloween so much, I usually get a head start on decor around my house. I start small with displaying pumpkins here and there, and before you know it, there are witches and ghouls all over the place. This year, I scoped out the Halloween home decor at some unsuspecting places and found a few favorite new items at Yankee Candle. Halloween candles inspired by treats like candy corn? Say no more. 

The beauty of Halloween decor is that the color scheme is always consistent, so you can build your collection over time. With shades of purple, green, orange, of course, black, you can mix and match everything without creating a hodgepodge look. I was able to pull out a few old favorites like the chalk-board wicked sign and complete the look with a few new finds from Yankee Candle. I paired my Deadly Diva tea light holder, who is described as "a sultry songstress with cold-hearted intentions" (too cute), with an adorable Steam Punkin hat, a watchful sequined owl, and a beautiful mercury glass pumpkin. These items look great together, and I love seeing my collection grow over time. 

For a limited time, Yankee Candle is offering you the chance to get a buy one, get one free coupon just for taking 30 seconds to watch this freakishly good video all about decorating your home for a frightfully fun Halloween season. Just click the image below to watch! 

I love the silhouette haunted house seen in the video and will most definitely be adding that piece to my decor, too! After all, Deadly Diva has to have somewhere to sing her soulful songs. 

Naturally I had to give my collection of travel ghost story books some air time in today's posts. I've been collecting ghost stories from all over the world at each haunted location I visit. While I'm the first to admit that I'm a total scaredy cat when it comes to stories like these, I also appreciate folklore and history behind the tales. I have an entire shelf dedicated to ghastly tales on my office built-ins...which is exactly where you'll find the rest of my Yankee Candle Halloween decor as Halloween continues to approach. 

As you start to see Halloween items here and there in stores, don't hesitate to head to Yankee Candle for all of your decor needs. After all, you have that buy one, get one free coupon practically burning a hole in your pocket, right? 

Check out my other Halloween decor posts here, and learn how to host a bewitchingly fun Halloween wine tasting party here. In the meantime, enjoy prepping for Halloween!