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How to Create an Inviting Living Space

by Deborah Cruz 2017/10/30

You know how they say the eyes are the doorway to the soul? Well, I think the foyer is the doorway to your home, literally and figuratively. The foyer is the welcoming space in my home. It’s where I greet family and new friends. It is where our visit begins. First impressions matter. Having enticing rooms are every homeowners dream. With the help of the Greenwich Interior Designer, that dream can turn into reality.

Beautiful Utility, Wayfair, home decor, utility, utility rugs

My foyer also happens to be a utility spot with shoes and coats. Every day when my girls come home from school, this is where they drop their backpacks, take off their shoes/coats and if we’re being really honest, they change clothes the minute they walk in the door. There is a lot of things happening in my foyer. I used to have some furniture in this area but to have some more space, I opted to donate them instead on Furniture Donation Pick Up.

Beautiful Utility, Wayfair, home decor, utility, utility rugs

With all those layers dropping, shoes being kicked off and school children morphing into human beings in that foyer, I want it to be as inviting and welcoming as possible. I want the girls to walk in and be like, this.is.home. I want the warmth to radiate from inside the house and welcome every friend and family member that comes to my door.

My foyer is not huge but it is big enough to invite a neighbor in on a cold winter’s day to admire the snow and discuss the neighborhood decorations. It is just the right size for 6 excited ballerinas to be dropped off for a slumber party after day 14 of Nutcracker performances. It’s perfect for hugging family as they arrive for a celebration. It is the room where every good thing in our lives begins.

Beautiful Utility, Wayfair, home decor, utility, utility rugs

I wanted to keep it light and refreshing. We painted the foyer a light gray with white trim but it just didn’t have the personality that I wanted. I wanted it to be inviting but the space is very utilitarian, it had to be beautiful but functional so I decided on a utility rug. I chose the Brush Strokes design with watercolor peonies from Home Dynamix the ELLE Décor Collection . It is easy to wipe clean and sweep, perfect for a high traffic area like my foyer.

Beautiful Utility, Wayfair, home decor, utility, utility rugs

A rug is such a simple thing but it can change the entire mood of a room. It can take a room from just a room to a gathering space that welcomes people, invites them to be a part of your life.

What do you do to make your home feel warm and inviting? Do you have a special way of decorating that makes your home feel more cozy and homey?

2017/10/30 0 comment

Food

Cotton Candy Cosmopolitan Recipe

by Deborah Cruz 2016/04/28

written by Deborah Cruz

You know how they say that necessity is the mother of invention, well, I just created a cotton candy cosmopolitan recipe. I’ve always associated the sticky sweet loveliness that is cotton candy with the carnivals of my youth but now, I associate it with my daughters’ adorable little faces happily enjoying the days of summer. Something so simple has given me an authentic appreciation for the sugary sweet air.

Cotton Candy is not longer about whether or not I love the sugary sweet delight but it’s about how it reminds me of my children and unadulterated happiness of youth. Cotton candy is like an old friend that takes my hand and comforts me. Cotton candy fills the room with melodious laughter and gargantuan sticky sweet smiles.

I got myself a cotton candy machine so that we could have the happiness cotton candy brings any time of the year. Then I realized that I could make the sweet confection in just about any flavor I’d like simply by using common candies around the house; gummi bears, peppermints and my favorite, jolly ranchers.

On some days, I just need an adult version of that happiness that cotton candy brings so I thought why not make an adult beverage that incorporates that same sticky happiness. Why not a cotton candy alcoholic drink recipe?

Here’s the Cotton Candy Cosmopolitan Recipe:

Ingredients

2 ounces of Reyka vodka

2 ounces of cranberry juice

1 ounce of pineapple juice

Cotton Candy (I made cherry jolly rancher flavor or you can make bubblegum flavor by using flossugar)

A Martini Glass

READ ALSO: Pina Colada Cupcake Recipe

Directions

Combine the vodka and juices over crushed ice in a Martini shaker. Shake vigorously for a slow count to 10, until well mixed and chilled.
Then take a heaping handful of cotton candy and place in martini glass. I used a margarita glass because I wanted to use a lot of cotton candy.
Slowly pour mixture directly over cotton candy.
The cotton candy will disappear and crystallize at the bottom of the martini glass.
Enjoy!

This Cotton Candy Cosmopolitan Recipe is the perfect cocktail to enjoy on a warm spring evening while the kids chase fireflies.

2016/04/28 0 comment

Thanksgiving, tablescape, thanksgiving tablescape, holidays, thanksgiving recipes,turkey, entertaining, family

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How to make an Easy, Elegant Thanksgiving Tablescape

by Deborah Cruz 2015/11/20

written by Deborah Cruz

Thanksgiving is seriously my holiday jam and this year, I needed a Thanksgiving tablescape to convey that. No joking, aside from Christmas, it’s my absolute favorite holiday. I love everything about it; the food, the family and even the chaos. I love the smell of pumpkin, roasted turkey and sweet potato casserole baking that permeate every nook and cranny of my house. As soon as you walk in the door, it’s like a great big giant hug and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Normally, we host between 30-35 people for Thanksgiving dinner. Don’t feel bad for us. We love it. I come from a huge family and it’s always been my dream to give my girls that feeling of a big family. We host dinner for both sides of the family because we want everyone to be close. For us, it is one family.

Nothing makes my heart soar more than hearing my girls chatter on about their lives to their great grandma Gigi or the way they patiently listen to stories of when their Great Aunt Maxie was a child. I love seeing all of my nieces and nephews laughing and joking together. I love seeing the melding of the Latino and the German cultures but mostly, I love all the love that fills the room like air.

Unfortunately this year our guest list will be much smaller. This year it will be an intimate Thanksgiving dinner for 13. Since breaking my leg, everyone wanted to give me a break this year and made other plans with in laws and such. It’s okay and I do appreciate the thoughtfulness. I’m still not fully walking on my own and I know they’ll all be around my table again next year. But I will definitely miss the house being filled with the warmth of family.

You see a long time ago, my husband and I decided that we wanted to host both families for Thanksgiving and we always would because no matter what happened, we wanted our parents to always have a place to come for dinner to celebrate.

This year may be small but I thought I’d take the opportunity to make it extra special and kick everything up a notch. This is the year for experimenting with a little more elegance and refinement starting with my tablescape.

Normally, there are so many guests that we use Thanksgiving themed plastic tablecloths and paper goods along with plastic silverware and napkins. This year, with there only being a small group, I’ve decided to break out the chargers and the china.

The food is always spectacular (here are all the recipes for the perfect dinner) but this year, I want the dinner to be an experience. I want it to feel special and cozy and warm. We might not have the bodies this year but I still want the house to feel cozy and inviting. I want the people who are here to know that they mean everything to us.

For my Thanksgiving tablescape, I decided to go with warm neutrals with a little bit of sparkle for elegance.

I chose a burlap runner because I feel like it gives the table a natural and inviting feel.

I topped that with small wreaths that I used to surround the bottom of my candleholders.

I chose white candles to accentuate the crisp white of the plates.

I went with robin’s egg blue chargers to give the table a little pop of color and tie in the wallpaper in the room.

I opted for my charcoal grey napkins that have silver and gold striations in them. I felt they tied in well with the centerpieces.

I feel like it looks beautiful and I can’t wait to eat dinner at this table surrounded by the people that I love most. For more great ideas to create the perfect Thanksgiving tablescape check out Wayfair.

What will your Thanksgiving tablescape look like this year?

Disclosure: I am a Wayfair ambassador and this is a compensated post but, as always, all opinions and this Thanksgiving tablescape are my own.

2015/11/20 4 comments

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Adding the Perfect Pop of Color to Your Dining Room

by Deborah Cruz 2015/06/19

written by Deborah Cruz

My style is very minimalist but I crave a pop of color like the air I breathe. I need it. I like clean lines and bright colors but not a lot of “Stuff”. I am not a chochky kind of girl. Mess makes me insane and too much going on is just, well, “too much” for me. Don’t get me wrong I love bright bold colors and patterns but everything in moderation. My dining room is no exception.

We bought an old house, circa 1977, and we are completely renovating it. It’s been a labor of love and it’s going a little slower than I would prefer but hey, if living in a perpetual episode of This Old House gets me the home I’ve always wanted, then I’m all in.

My dining room was stark white. For a brief moment we painted the upper half merlot red but that seemed to date the room and it wasn’t the pop of color I wanted. I wanted fresh and clean. We decided it was just too dark and drab for us. So, we scrapped the whole thing and started from scratch.

Currently, the top half of the dining room is beautiful, soft trellis wallpaper in robin’s egg blue. We are still in the process of adding Wainscoting below the chair rail but that didn’t stop me from feeling like I needed something to really make my dining room pop. After all, the décor is a big part of the dining experience. Well, that and the company!

I usually add pop with flowers because who can resist fresh flowers. My favorite flowers are peonies but mine are all in various shades of pink and I needed something brighter.

My daughters wanted something whimsical but I really crave simplicity so we compromised with LaMont Brights Placemats in Peacock. They come in 3 bright colors; lime, peacock and daffodil.

And we properly set the table for four with my favorite white dishes. There is just something about a cheery table that makes the food taste better and the entire meal more digestible.

For more great ideas of how to add that special pop of color to your home, check out the Wayfair Pop of Color Pinterest board.

What is your favorite way to add a pop of color to your home?

*Disclaimer: A huge thank you to Wayfair for sponsoring this post but all opinions and love for these gorgeous Peacock blue placemats and the pop of color they bring with them are all mine.

2015/06/19 0 comment

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How to Create the Coziest House on the Block this Holiday Season + 15% Off Wayfair Promo Code

by Deborah Cruz 2014/11/20

written by Deborah Cruz

A house is four walls and a roof but a home is your soft place to land. When the Big Guy and I bought the house we currently live in, we knew we wanted some place to make our own; that felt lived in, welcoming and not sterile and brand new. Don’t get me wrong, new builds are amazing, our first two homes were new builds but for all that new shiny house smell, they felt sterile, there were no mature trees and it took a lot to fill them to give them character; to make them ours. For those who are wondering, we found our ideal house just like the houses for sale near me, thanks to PenFed Realty. You can also check out PenFed Realty for more home listings.

The house we live in now is definitely a work in progress. It is almost as old as I am, built in ’77 but from the moment we walked in to the place, we could see past the paneling and fixture updates to the potential; hosting Thanksgiving dinners, birthday parties for years to come, Halloweens spent trick or treating with neighborhood friends and waking up Christmas morning. I could see my girls walking down those stairs all dreamy eyed and imagine them lighting up when they saw what Santa had brought. I could see all of it. It was the house, I wished I’d grown up in. Still, it wasn’t “our” house.

We’ve updated fixtures and appliances; we’ve painted walls, torn out closets, and used powder coating dublin for our aluminum doors and window frames. We’ve laid down wood flooring, removed paneling and replaced cabinetry. We got the cabinets from Unique Vanities. We’ve changed the very landscape of the home, to modernize it without losing that cozy feeling. There is nothing quite like a brand new lush shag carpet for kids to lay on in the movie room floor. Still, something was missing.

I’ve always wanted my house to be a place that family and friends feel at home in like some of the best single family homes I’ve seen on the internet. I want it clean and stylish but I don’t want it to feel like a museum. Life is meant for living and I think waiting for special occasions is overrated. I want my girls to know that life is meant to be experienced every single day.

I’ve never been the mom who says “you can’t play/wear/ use with that” because, in my mind, if I buy a toy, piece of jewelry, clothing, furniture, whatever it may be…I bought it with people enjoying it in mind, not for it to set in a cabinet or closet collecting dust because then what’s the point? Then I’ve wasted money and chances at happiness. Nobody should ever waste chances at happiness. When you die, nobody’s going to remember the perfect condition your furniture was in or how fancy your dishes were, they are going to remember how you made them feel when they were with you, in your home.

So, how do I make the house we live in feel homey? For me, it’s all about comfort. I like nice things and I especially like them if they are comfortable and comforting. Making your house fragrant with scented wax melts is a huge factor as well. I’ve found the easiest way to make a house feel inviting is to make people feel at home when they are there and that can be done very easily with comfort items like pillows, poufs, and throws. Combined with our sofa and table set in the background, it looks so inviting. Oh, my! Yes, I just bought that table set and I’m loving it! Here’s a site to buy living room table sets. You’ll not regret it!

As a family, we spend most of our family time in the movie room because when given the choice, you always watch movies on a big screen while cuddling on a cozy sectional. So, I’ve made it my mission to make it the coziest room on the planet so I’ve been looking at all things comfy and now I’d like your help choosing which pieces I should add.

Moe’s Home Collection Lamb Fur Wool Pillow

Surya Ruffle and Frill Pillow

WovenWorkz Charlotte Ruffled Acrylic Throw

Cashmere Collection Cashmere and Merino Wool Throw

Ikram Design Moroccan Leather Pouf Ottoman

Mi-Zone Madison Park Kelsey Round Pouf Ottoman

But wait, just for you, Wayfair is offering a promo code that will run from November 20 through November 24^th for 15% off ANY Pillow, Pouf or Throw. The code is: WFPTP15

Which pieces do you think would add the coziest feel to the room? How do you make your home cozy for the holidays?

Disclosure: I am a Wayfair ambassador and this is a compensated post but, as always, all opinions are my own.

Alexandra Ferguson “Be Nice or Leave” Decorative Pillow

2014/11/20 3 comments

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15% off Wayfair Promo Code & Renovating with Big Style on a Tiny Budget

by Deborah Cruz 2014/07/28

written by Deborah Cruz

Have you ever bought an old house and had to renovate it? Loads of work? Loads of fun? Lots of money( it doesn’t have to be)? Correct answer? D. All of thee above. Talk about perfect timing, I just became a brand ambassador for Wayfair right as I’m getting neck deep in renovations. Our love affair started long before I ever became part of the Wayfair family. I was a customer who fell head over heels in love with a citron, chevron chair and the rest is history. Amazing product plus amazing customer service and they had me at helloJ Compensation for writing about the things I already love, win: win baby.

Anyways, my family bought our first “older” house almost two years ago. Prior to that point, we had owned two new builds but we really wanted to buy an older home with good bones and make it our own. It just always felt like the new builds lacked the character, craftsmanship and charm of the more vintage homes. So, when we found our “bones” in the neighborhood we wanted for the girls, a little bit of manual labor and hard work just didn’t seem like that much of a deterrent; so we bought ourselves an old house. I call it my John Hughes house because it’s the kind of house and neighborhood that I wished I grew up in back in the 80’s, only it looks like 1980 was the last time anyone even attempted to renovate.

It’s been a true labor of love and sometimes, I feel like its a money pit but slowly it is coming together. When we first moved in, we had to rip all the carpet out because the previous occupant had cats and apparently thought it was a good idea to let them urinate inside the house. I’m not sure a litter box ever saw the inside of this house. I’m pretty sure the cats were feral and maybe even the occupant because the stories I could tell you about this place. Jeez. But rest easy, my friends, I am not living in a feline pee soaked home because we ripped up the carpet, I bleached the concrete (yep, that’s a thing) and opened all the windows in the house and let it air out for a week and then repeated the process. Once the house was sufficiently free from the urine smell, we installed new laminate flooring throughout the first floor (sure, we have it for the second floor but it’s a process people and there are only so many weekends in the year).

We had to rip out all the cabinets and reno the entire kitchen, which is still in progress. Good news is I have all new cabinets and appliances but I spent the last 3 days sanding drywall and smearing my walls with more joint compound to try to rectify the “texturizing” job the last owner did on the wall. It looks as if maybe a monkey was throwing poo at the wall or maybe she tried to bury a body or maybe some extra feral cats who misbehaved. What it doesn’t look is good. It’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen, quite frankly and I’m not that hung up on the superficial. But that’s another renovation story for another day, maybe in a month or so once I’ve sanded and skimmed for the 15^th time and had the balls to put some paint on it.

Let’s just say when we decided to buy our house, it was under duress (we were living with our in laws) and it was time for us to get our own place (for the sake of all of us) and on some days, I think perhaps our eagerness to get back into a home of our own wrote a check that we just don’t have the skill or ability to cash. But, you know me? I’m no quitter. Come on, I can put in the time and effort and read a few tutorials and binge watch DIY Youtube videos as easy as the next gal. I’ve got this! Wait, did I just say that? (This is where I usually get myself into some trouble.) But this is how you save a little money, by getting down and dirty you can save the money you would have spent on labor on actual things and check your favorite websites at least weekly for deals.You will be amazed at the deals you get with a little patience and always google for promo codes before buying anything online.

I started with the easiest room to remedy or, as I like to call it, my favorite room in the house because it’s in the least amount of renovation transition; our media room. We removed the feral cat carpeting ( FYi, I hear it’s the absolute latest in home décor interior design for 2015…no not really , don’t do that!) and replaced it with laminate wood flooring.

We painted the asylum white walls charcoal grey (not Christian Gray because I just couldn’t stand my breath to be hitching all the time like thatJ ). Installed some white crown molding and are going to replace all the 1980’s wood baseboard with more modern white baseboards. We sold our Antique Victorian Furniture and replaced it with a more stylish and modern grey sectional.

I replaced my Victorian his and her’s chairs with two of those lovely citron chevron chairs (try saying that real fast 3 times). I picked up a new more modern lamp and a few pieces of art (I still need a few more) and I just bought some awesome room darkening drapes for the picture window and the entry way (movie room needs to be dark in the middle of the day so kids can watch Isabelle the American Girl Movie and Frozen 27 bazillion times).

So the room is almost done but it is still missing something. I think maybe it needs something to add warmth and coziness. All that beautiful laminate wood flooring just doesn’t scream “cozy” so mama is looking for a new rug then the room will be 85% done (no room is ever 100%) but it would be nice to have just one room that’s finished and not being renovated where I can go and sit, sip coffee and go to my happy place.

So which rug, would you choose? The White? The silver? A mix? I’d love your help. Check out my Movie Room Pinterest page and let me know which one you like.

And because I know that you are all as budget savvy and décor loving as I am, I’m sharing my very own special promo code for you to use to save 15% on all area rugs if you purchase between 7/31 to 8/4/14.

If you are a Wayfair customer already, you know that they hardly ever do promo codes. I mean they run crazy daily sales, clearance, free shipping and a rewards program but a promo code is nearly unheard of so this is VERY EXCLUSIVE!!! And you better believe that I am buying myself my new rug this week too and then my room will be almost perfect.

My Promo code to save 15% on all area rugs from Wayfair is RUGLUV13

Leave a comment and tell me which rug I should go with and let me know if you are getting yourself something pretty from Wayfair too. If you’re just not that into shag ( as I obviously am) maybe check out the jute and sisal rugs, I hear they are great if you are looking for something in a more natural fiber to spruce up a high traffic area.I’m not sure which rug to choose. Obviously not pee soaked is my number 1 quality that I’m looking for in a carpet but I’d like it to be stylish too. Maybe I am superficial…just a little bit.

At first I thought a bright white rug and then I was all like, hey dumb a**, you have kids and a dog and there is not enough Scotchgaurd in the world to save a snow-white shag carpet from those three. So, I’m thinking maybe silver? But I don’t want it to be too monochromatic; I’m just not that cool. I need something in between that says, “ Hey..I’m cool and chic but kid friendly too.” Help!

Which area rug from Wayfair would you choose for this room?

2014/07/28 0 comment

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Wayfair

How to Create an Inviting Living Space

Cotton Candy Cosmopolitan Recipe

Here’s the Cotton Candy Cosmopolitan Recipe:

This Cotton Candy Cosmopolitan Recipe is the perfect cocktail to enjoy on a warm spring evening while the kids chase fireflies.

How to make an Easy, Elegant Thanksgiving Tablescape

For my Thanksgiving tablescape, I decided to go with warm neutrals with a little bit of sparkle for elegance.

What will your Thanksgiving tablescape look like this year?

Adding the Perfect Pop of Color to Your Dining Room

What is your favorite way to add a pop of color to your home?

*Disclaimer: A huge thank you to Wayfair for sponsoring this post but all opinions and love for these gorgeous Peacock blue placemats and the pop of color they bring with them are all mine.

How to Create the Coziest House on the Block this Holiday Season + 15% Off Wayfair Promo Code

But wait, just for you, Wayfair is offering a promo code that will run from November 20 through November 24th for 15% off ANY Pillow, Pouf or Throw. The code is: WFPTP15

15% off Wayfair Promo Code & Renovating with Big Style on a Tiny Budget

And because I know that you are all as budget savvy and décor loving as I am, I’m sharing my very own special promo code for you to use to save 15% on all area rugs if you purchase between 7/31 to 8/4/14.

My Promo code to save 15% on all area rugs from Wayfair is RUGLUV13

Which area rug from Wayfair would you choose for this room?

But wait, just for you, Wayfair is offering a promo code that will run from November 20 through November 24^th for 15% off ANY Pillow, Pouf or Throw. The code is: WFPTP15