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The Reno Recap is an update on our home renovation project. This is our very first Reno Recap as we just got started on the project October 1st! This is Demo Week as there is lots to remove as we are remodeling the entire house, so we got a 4 ton dumpster and we are hoping it is enough! My hardworking husband Andy spent the weekend removing all of the dark laminate flooring in the house (crazy, right?) and it has already made a huge difference. There is so much more light in the house and this is a good tip to those home renovators out there, if you house lacks natural light, steer clear of dark flooring as it will absorb the light and make the space appear much darker. Andy also was able to knock out most of the demo in the Primary Bathroom but ran into a little hiccup with the bathtub surround as they decided to make is solid concrete, so we left that up to the demo experts to complete and the bathroom now has not a whole lot left, except the stacking 4 door cabinet in the corner which we plan to reface. I have a hard time losing good storage like that as we all need more places for our stuff. Once demo is completed and the walls are prepped, it will be time to paint so I have been busy planning my design and choosing paint colors for the entire house. We will be adding wall paneling and wainscoting to various rooms in the house so that needs to be decided as well as the colors. The house lends itself to ranch style but was updated probably 15-20 years ago to have a more open modern concept. I think this style lends itself well to a modern cottage/farmhouse style mixing elements of old and new, traditional and modern to create a look that on trend, but also timeless. I have a few paint color options below I am working with for various rooms, but I am still editing and adding to as I have a week or so to go to make my final decisions. Greens Considering Lafayette Green, Benjamin Moore (Left) Crisp Romaine, Benjamin Moore (Center) Regal Leaf, Magnolia Home (Right) Backwoods, Benjamin Moore (2nd Row) Black and White Colors Black Magic, Sherwin Williams (Left) Shiplap, Magnolia Home (Center) Soot, Benjamin Moore (Right) I am also considering a few different wallpapers for the project. Nothing has been finalized but it could be fun and inspiring to share some of my ideas: Wallpapers via Magnolia , McGee & Co. , McGee & Co. , Magnolia , LuLu & Georgia Well that is all for now. Until next week, Brianna If you like what you see, please follow me on Instagram & Pinterest. Thank you for visiting!

I can't help it. I love Target. If I haven't been to Target for a couple of weeks, I get the shakes (kidding of course). I think it is because it covers all the bases for me: 1) Affordable Home Decor for days (obsessed); 2) Food & Drink; 3) All the drugstore things I need; 4) Did I mention cute affordable clothing?....I could go on..... Anyway, the reason for the rant is there are so many amazing things at Target that I wanted to feature my favorites each week. It gives me the excuse to go once a week because I am "doing for the blog". I think this will be a fun feature! 4 PC PUMPKIN CARVING KIT - HEARTH AND HAND WITH MAGNOLIA $19.99 via Target Ummmm.... I love everything about this. The tools are made of steel and have wood handles and have this cute carrying kit. Pumpkin carving is such a fun pastime for the kiddos and they will be so excited to have such professional tools! Hearth & Hand is one of my favorite brands at Target, I actually used to work for Magnolia in Waco for a brief time, and I love everything they do and they will probably be featured here all the time. GREEN WIDE BRIM BOWL - STUDIO MCGEE $30.00 via Target This rimmed bowl by Studio McGee looks expensive with its stoneware crackled finish and is only $30! It is a great choice for decorative shelving, or open kitchen shelving to pair with other decorative items. Target is a wonderful place to find home decor on a budget but without sacrificing style. WATER LOO SPICED APPLE SPARKLING WATER 8PK $3.99 via Target I am always looking for zero calorie drinks with an essence of flavoring and I love sparkling waters because they are free of the artificial sugars and you can drink them guilt free. Spiced Apple is very nice and is a seasonal flavor that is available now at Target. WALL MOUNTED PAPER ROLL HOLDER - HEARTH AND HAND $44.99 via Target This paper roll holder is so fun. It comes in green and white and would be great in a kids playroom, in the kitchen, or in a craft area. It can be used to make grocery lists, wrap presents, torn to be used as scribbling paper for the kids, etc.. There are so may uses for this and it adds a unique element to any room's wall. MRS. MEYERS HAND SOAP, ACORN SPICE $4.89 via Target Mrs. Meyers is one of my go to household product companies. Their hand soaps are all natural and have wonderful scents. This Acorn Spice seasonal scent is fun and festive for the fall and is nice touch in a guest bathroom. Those are my picks of the week! Happy Fall! Until Next Tuesday... Brianna If you like what you see, please follow me on Instagram & Pinterest. Thank you for visiting!

When October 1st rolls around and the morning air starts to cool, 2 main thoughts come to mind: 1) Hallelujah it is finally cooling down and my favorite time of year is here (October, November and December!!) & 2) Pumpkin Spiced Lattes. I don't know why #2 pops into my head, as I have NEVER been a party to the pumpkin spiced latte craze....I just don't like them? Although, I do LOVE the idea of Pumpkin Spiced stuff and know, based on the sheer volume of pumpkin spiced products out there, I must not be the only one. I figured it was a good opportunity to share some of the pumpkin spiced things I love to have, use, cook with, etc.. Links to purchase these items are available in the title of each item. Enjoy and Happy October! VOLUSPA: SPICED PUMPKIN LATTE CANDLE Large 18oz, $34 I had to start with the candle that has pumpkin spiced latte in the name! I mean come one, right?? Like I said, I don't like to drink them, but boy do I love to smell them and this candle does the trick. I love Voluspa candles because they have beautiful glass containers that look pretty out on a coffee table or kitchen counter, the price point is great for the quality, and they smell amazing. I have yet to try one that I didn't like. TOO FACED: PUMPKIN SPICE SECOND SLICE EYESHADOW PALLETE $54 With the arrival of fall, it is time to change up our eyeshadow colors to reflect the season and Too Faced has created a Pumpkin Spice Eyeshadow Palette that gives us what we want. Their eyeshadows are very pigmented and this palette just reminds me of fall so I thought I would share. It is a little pricey but if you sign up for Too Faced emails they regularly send 20% off coupons and have site wide sales, so I always buy directly from their website and wait for the discounts. GREENIES: PUMPKIN SPICE DENTAL TREATS 43ct/12oz $15.99 I learned about Greenies when we made a visit to the visit with our dog Elvis and she recommended them for his teeth. I guess he hadn't brushed in years, so she said this was the next best thing for him. It would be unfair to leave out our beloved dogs as they deserve to get a little taste of the spice as well, don't you think? Seriously though, Greenies are great for dog's dental health and really have been recommended by our vet, so give them a try if you are feeling fun! VILLAGE CANDLE: SPICED PUMPKIN BREAD CANDLE 21oz, $21.95 If the Voluspa candle is out of your budget, I strongly recommend this candle. I will admit I found this candle at Home Goods (which needs its own blog post as there are so many amazing finds there) and probably only paid $12, but at just under $22 this candle smells like pumpkin spice heaven. I have been burning it all day for a number of days so it is long lasting (although pro candle tip you should only burn candles for 2-4 hours at a time to increase the life of the candle). If all you can afford is one pumpkin spice item this fall, I would buy this one, hands down. TREE HUT: PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE SHEA SUGAR SCRUB 18oz, $10.49 I have dry skin and have learned that exfoliating your body is just as important as exfoliating your face and my go-to for the price are the Tree Hut sugar scrubs. If you hurry, there is a sale at Ulta for $7.87 right now ! I recommend all of the Tree Hut scrubs and am using their Vitamin C scrub currently once a week and it works great to get rid of old, dead skin and allows the skin to accept the moisture better from lotions and oils. POO-POURRI: PUMPKIN SPICE 2oz, $9.99 I know, I know, a product for the toilet, totally gross...but hear me out! If you have not tried Poo-Pourri, I promise you it will be transformative. A few sprays in the bowl and it is like no one was ever in the bathroom and that is how I like to keep it. It's a miracle spray and when I saw they have a pumpkin spice version I had to share. Let's keep the nose happy if we can, ok? GOOD AND GATHER: PUMPKIN PIE SPICE 1.7oz, $1.99 Pumpkin spice is used to make so many great pumpkin recipes and I use it in a couple of ways that cut the calories that normally come with pumpkin spice foods and drinks. Instead of a sugary coffee latte or drink, I sprinkle it in my morning coffee with almond milk (or if I am being decadent half and half) and add your sweetener of choice. I like splenda, stevia or sugar in the raw. Another way I love to use this spice is to jazz up some cottage cheese which can be a filling snack. This spice is much easier to find this time of year and I like to have it in my spice rack year round, so I always think about buying it come fall. There seems to be the insatiable appetite for pumpkin spice and it comes in all different forms. Although the lattes aren't my cup of tea (haha), I do love pumpkin spice and I hope this blog uncovered a pumpkin spice something that will get you in the mood for October. Happy October! Brianna If you like what you see, please follow me on Instagram & Pinterest. Thank you for visiting!

Green is my favorite color. I believe the green kitchen trend has true staying power because it is bold and beautiful, but also feels timeless. As I will continue to lament over and over again-- choosing a paint color can be tough! But don't fret as there is no need to recreate the wheel, instead find inspiration below and feel the freedom to find a green that speaks to you! Here are some of my favorite green kitchens. I will start with our last kitchen project, the Waco Colonial. Fig & Ash Design Co. Paint Color: Magnolia Home Regal Leaf I wanted this quaint little kitchen to be the star of the house and knew painting it Magnolia Home Regal Leaf would do just that. Regal Leaf is a good name for this color because it feels regal, stately and impressive. It is a dark green with blue undertones and worked very well with the grey blue/green calacatta quartzite countertops. Don't be afraid to paint small spaces darker colors. It can actually help to define the space and make it feel larger, especially if there is ample light throughout the room. DeVol Paint Color: Cross between Emerald and Racing Green DeVol is hands down my favorite kitchen design company. They take risks that pay off every time which inspires me to also take risks as a designer. I almost left this green kitchen off because they created a bespoke color for this kitchen, but don't worry I found two colors below you could mix to come up with a close match. It was just too gorgeous to pass up: Racing Green (Hunter or Forest Green are similar colors Above): Benjamin Moore Hunter Green Emerald Green (Staircase photo): Sherwin Williams Country Squire Jean Stoffer Design Paint Color: Stoffer Home Eden Green Jean Stoffer is another designer I admire. Here designs are classic and timeless, much like the color green and she incorporates green in many of her designs. This is a beautiful color she has created for her Stoffer Home collection. This is the perfect olive green that pairs well with browns and natural wood tones. Heidi Caillier Design Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Oil Cloth If bold is not your speed, Benjamin Moore Oil Cloth has a very traditional look and soothing feel. It is classic and pairs very well with the soapstone countertops chosen for this Heidi Caillier design. It would also look great with white countertops and provide a farmhouse vibe. Either way, this is another green color choice where you can't go wrong. Which kitchen is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below and don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter on my homepage to get exclusive content and be in the know! Talk soon! Brianna

September has just eeked out on its last day a surprise for Andy and I, keys to our new house (well its not really new it's from 1985 which is the year I was brought into this world and it frankly needs A LOT of work)! Even though it needs some TLC, I have learned throughout the years that I have a weird sixth sense about houses. It's like an out-of-body experience where I know as soon as I walk through the door that the house will be ours. I knew as soon as I stepped inside we would be living here, I can't explain it but it has happened all 5 times we have purchased a home: Oddly, I can be a very indecisive person when it comes to little things and you will find, if you continue with me on this journey, that is the case *sometimes* when making design decisions too, but I am human and I am sure you will be able to relate to how mind crippling it can be when there are a million choices! Sometimes I think the hardest part of design is too many choices. A psychologist named Barry Schwartz coined the term"choice paralysis" and argued more choices makes us less likely to take action and less satisfied with our ultimate decision. I completely agree and will share in future blog posts about the pitfalls of giving yourself too many choices (like with paint colors) and how it can steal the joy of the process by paralyzing your decision-making. I can speak to this because I have done it many times, and maybe I can help you avoid the agony. But I digress, and this blog post is really about showing you the house we will be renovating for the next number of months so I created a little video "walkthrough" to show you the before so we can document everything from the very first day! The video was taken when our offer was accepted and today the house is officially ours! (Apologies on the size of the video, I have learned to take videos horizontally to create full sized videos...its a learning process.) It's a big day, but not time to pop the champagne yet, it's time to get work. We will save the champagne to celebrate when we can get to a stage where we can move in. That should be soon, but it also feels very far away. I am excited and nervous with anticipation to begin this project, but as my coach used to say back in my competitive sports days, nerves prove it means something to you, and isn't that the truth because this adventure of renovation, blogging about it and starting my own design company means A LOT. Stayed tuned, this is just the beginning. Brianna P.S. If you like what you see, please follow me on Instagram & Pinterest. Thank you for visiting!