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Wednesday, March 25, 2015

92

A Happy Home Office with HomeGoods

There have been a lot of really amazing and fun opportunities that have come my way over my blogging years, and with each one, I find myself in awe.  Blogging has gone from a fun hobby to a complete passion and I absolutely love to write about our home journey, document our renovations, share our organizing solutions and connect with the best audience around.  That's what it has always been about, everything else is icing on the cake!

With that, I have always been really selective about the brands I partner with and the opportunities I say "yes" to.  This has allowed me to create really solid relationships and stay true to why I come back here each day, yet some of those opportunities have stretched me and allowed me to grow in many new ways.  Ways that I ultimately get to bring back here!  Sounds like a bit of a full circle moment, doesn't it?

Last week was one of those really incredible moments.  HomeGoods was hosting an event at a loft in New York City as part of their #makehomeyours campaign, and they invited me to design one of the spaces!  


I know right?  Amazing. 

HomeGoods is all about offering beautiful and unique items for individuals looking to create a home that tells their personal stories.  Stories of favorite memories, of travels, of hobbies and passions.  The stories that make your house a home.  They challenged three different bloggers to design a room using only HomeGoods products (as well as a few of our own personal items), to not only portray our style, but to tell our stories.  They really wanted each room to be a reflection of how we live within our own homes.

The other two bloggers?  The talented Gabrielle from Design Mom and Claire from The Fashion Bomb Daily.


Can you tell which room is mine of the three finished spaces below?


OK, I know I sort of gave it away in my post intro photo, but what I love about the images above is that each room is so distinctively different.  You can read about Gabrielle's family room here and Claire's bedroom here.

The space I was challenged to create was a home office!  Love.


Being that I work from home, I spend many, many hours in my home office.  So I was really excited and passionate about creating this space for the event.

There was definitely a bit of prior planning in the days leading up to the event; furniture checklists, color selections and talks about key elements.  When I arrived in New York, I took a trip to HomeGoods and felt like I was on a TV show.   They gave me a cart and said, "Shop until you drop!"  The goal was to have a lot of items to select from back at the loft space to be sure the room would come together in time for the big day.

Monday afternoon the loft was a complete blank slate.  When I arrived, they were putting up walls and panels to divide each room.  A lot of magic happened within 24 hours to pull together each space and prep them for the filming and media visits.


A lot of thought goes into designing a room, it is more than pretty colors and textures.  I started with a color palette that makes my heart smile, and it is pulled from the sea.  Living in a cold and dreary state half of the year, I find so much joy designing with aquas, navys, teals and greens.  Especially because trips to the Florida Gulf have become so special to our family over the past couple of years.  Also found in the south are vibrant pink flowering plants and shrubs.  So, I say yes to pink as well.  It is my favorite color after all.  So yes, even the colors selected for the space have deep rooted meaning.  Here are a few more tips I used when creating this beautiful home office.


FIND YOUR MOTIVATION MOJO

When it comes to both organizing and designing a space, select pieces that inspire you and will motivate you to want to use and maintain the space day after day.  For me personally, I get all giddy inside when I open a drawer and see pretty papers showing through acrylic organizers.  That prevents me from wanting to toss random items and piles in on top.  In fact, acrylic organizers just may be my favorite things ever.  #obsessed


And filing paperwork might feel like a chore some days, but it is a bit easier when you are smitten with the cabinet you are using to hold those important documents.



INJECT YOUR STORY

Feeling at home in a space is all about filling it with things that you love.  For me, my family is my passion, so I brought in framed family photos and artwork created by my children.  I also pinned up my favorite Instagram photos on the memo boards right in front of the desk.  Those memories make the space feel like home to me.



FIND YOUR WOW MOMENT

If you have been reading here for awhile, you know I am big with graphic statement walls.  Our birch tree stencil wall in the playroom has brought so much life to that space and the wallpapered closet nook is about the happiest space in our home.  Oh, and our stenciled dressing room wall is amazing, I still get asked all the time where I found the "wallpaper".  Love that.

I wanted to recreate that moment in this space, so I used HomeGoods gift wrap to deck out a wall!  Their papers are so thick and the patterns are always so fresh and fabulous, that you would never know it isn't wallpaper (bonus: each roll I used was only $2.99 for 10 ft of wrap).  A little double stick tape and I had an instant wow moment.  The best part, gift wrap is temporary and you won't feel as bad taking it down as you would painting over a stencil or tearing down expensive wallpaper.



CREATE A SETUP THAT WORKS WELL FOR HOW YOU WORK

One thing I have found to be really helpful in my own office, is having two workspaces that serve as different functions.  I appreciate having a counter height option that allows me to spread out and wrap gifts, write out cards and work on small craft and DIY projects.  And sometimes I just want to stand!  By having the second space, I can leave out my projects and go to a clean desk to sit and do the computing and business side of things.  It is always important to think about how you use your space, and set it up accordingly, yet don't be afraid to continuously tweak it until you find an awesome daily flow.



THINK OUTSIDE OF THE STORAGE BOX

One of my biggest tips for setting up a space, is to be open minded when you are sourcing your storage and furniture pieces.  One of my favorite office supply organizers in this space was actually found in the cosmetic department.  The craft desk is a console table intended for living and dining spaces.  Rolls of gift wrap are stored in an umbrella stand and a planter from the garden department. 


I also used a bar cart to act as a tech station, perfect for docking a computer and/or printer.  Add a few boxes and baskets and you can store reams of paper, printer cartridges and small media.  Seriously, bar carts are amazingly versatile and so gosh darn adorable in any setting.


Oh!  And don't be afraid to put organizers into organizers!  Some of my favorite storage solutions were as simple as placing mail slots and drawer organizers inside of the baskets on the shelves.



FAMILY FRIENDLY OPTIONS


Although I am the primary user of our home office, I welcome my boys into my workspace with open arms.  They do their homework there, they craft there, they live there.  I want them to know that my space is their space, so I keep baskets of their favorite books and toys out in the open to encourage them to hang out with me.  Crafts are always within their reach and I make sure to have enough working surface so they can join me whenever they wish.  I also select kid friendly finishes and products; rugs that hide stains, an easy to clean sofa, soft sided furniture and surfaces that wipe up in a jiff.  A kid filled home can still be a beautiful home.


DECOMPRESSION SPOT

Space permitting, it is nice if you can carve out a corner for relaxation and taking a mental break.  A chair, bench or sofa is not only fantastic when you just want to sit and look at a magazine or write down thoughts in a journal, the seating spot also offers visitors a place to get cozy in your space.


I knew we would appreciate having a bench in our home office, but I never expected it would get as much use as it does each day. 


SIR SURE MIX A LOT!

Truly, mix and match it all.  Although I was only in the space for a couple of days, I fell for it hard.  There were so many elements that I loved, but what I really appreciated was the variety of finishes and patterns.  The variety and combinations really made the space come alive.  I had geometrics on the wall, florals on the floor, damask on the chair and bits of whimsy in the pillows. 


Same story for hardware finishes; a bronze task lamp, rose gold accessories, nickel nail head trim and gold photo frames.

Beautiful wood toned console paired with a clean white parsons desk and a playful teal filing cabinet.  Acrylic pieces galore matched up with woven baskets.  Oh!  And a coral inspired bowl on top of a faux croc tray on top of a linen tufted bench.


Everything in the space is all so different, yet it all works together whether through color, pattern or the story behind each piece.


Over the course of the day, I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with a lot of media.  I shared with them many of these same tips and I really appreciated the opportunity to build a variety of new relationships.

Can you believe that everything in this space, minus my photos and children's art, is from HomeGoods?  Every last basket, organizer, accessory and piece of furniture.  I really appreciated that I was able to create a cozy home office that really reflected the way I live at our home each day.

What is something you are sure to inject into each space you design?  I would love to hear more about how you #makehomeyours. 

Photos by Matt Harrington for HomeGoods.

92 comments:

  1. I think is the first one!!!All pics are so beautiful! Love your outfit also!

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  2. I just love every square inch! You did an amazing job! Congrats!

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  3. You are amazing. This space blew me away. And all the thought that went into it. I love the "inject your story" advice. You are such a rock star. A beautiful one! Congrats on the awesome opportunity, too!

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  4. Congratulations! Can you share the sources for your outfit? It looks great on you.

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    1. Thank you! <3 The skirt is from Express, the shirt is from Ann Taylor and the necklace is H&M. :)

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  5. Fabulous space! Is that plant in the corner sold at home goods just like that or did it get your own touch? You're an inspiration! Thanks for share your talent with us!

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    1. Hi Bruna! The plants and flowers were all from HomeGoods also. I just popped the corner plant into a basket to bring in a little texture. :)

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  6. A) you are the first person I have ever seen make pointed toe kitten heels look smashing!! And B) I clearly need to travel to a different place and visit. Home Goods. The one here is horrible! Everything is broken or overpriced. Garden dept? What? I'm so jealous of you getting to go to one with such a selection!! Such a beautiful space.

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    1. A) Thank you! B) That is a bummer to hear. I know that there is definitely a variety between all of the stores in our area as well. Fingers crossed you can find a store that changes your HomeGoods experience. xoxo!

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  7. I love this post...and I love the pens in the drawer in the picture "Find Your Motivation Mojo". I bought these various colored pens (with the erasers) from Home Goods a year ago and the last one just ran out of ink. Any idea how I can get my hands on some more? I haven't been able to find them in any of the Home Goods stores around here.

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    1. That is the one thing about HomeGoods, every store has a different selection and you just don't know what you will get from store to store. These were still available in the stores near NYC, but each store has ever-changing inventory. xoxo!

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  8. This is awesome! Congrats on the opportunity - you did so well and definitely deserve it :)

    I have always admired how you don't keep things too matchy-matchy, but still have a cohesive feel. Good work, as always!

    Sarah
    Sweet Spontaneity

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  9. You've done an outstanding job with this space! I work at HomeGoods, and sometimes I get overwhelmed, but this is such a beautiful space! You are such an inspiration, and your advice really hit home for me! Great job again on this!

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  10. Home Goods is absolutely my first stop for organizing, decorating, or tweaking any room. In fact, I'm heading there tonight to shop for a few outside pieces for the deck!
    The space you designed is gorgeous and absolutely your style--I could definitely pick it out of the three (all beautiful!) spaces that were designed for this project. You rock as always!

    Visiting from LorimerLiving.Com
    XO, Jaclyn

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  11. Love love love that you matched your outfit to your room, although knowing you that wasnt planned, just a product of the color scheme you love and tend to run with. The space looks amazing. Really, I think you have outdone yourself. I'm sure it helps that money wasnt a factor since it was a show room, but I know I can always count on you for the high-low inspiration in your regular posts. As for what I like to add to my spaces...Its always DIY art. I've always been a creative type, so I can manage to knock off my own versions of some insipring things online or in catalogs. Ive found that when I bought art in the past, I was a. floored by the prices of something that is more or less a photocopy and b. pushed into a corner design wise by what was available in the sizes and price I needed as well as my color schemes. And i've learned over the years that art doesn't have to match the couch! I really feel it should be something you really like or have a personal connection with. There is nothing more personal than creating it yourself! Plus, im not crying over the money I spent on it if I want to change it up.

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    1. Love this Nicole! What a great way to add your personal touch to your home. <3

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  12. I love Home Goods and you did an outstanding job on the space. What a fun project and I love acrylic organizers too! I love including pink when I can - it's my favorite color. Cute outfit too!

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  13. The room is amazing! You really suit that pop of pink too, the skirt is super cute! You never fail to impress me with your talent, you are always inspiring and the room came together beautifully.

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  14. This is so great! I work from home but my office is so traditional, like the rest of our house. Dark, heavy wood furniture, dark walls...in a word, depressing. What were we thinking! I love how this design is colorful and cheery and clear. Great job!

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  15. Hi Jen! That looks amazing! Did that horse art also come from Home Goods? That would be absolutely perfect in my own office!

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    1. It did! I have spotted a few different horse prints at their stores. I am a fan!

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  16. Such a beautiful space,and you look ADORABLE! What a fun experience :)

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  17. Jen you did such a great job with your space! It reflects your style and aesthetic beautifully. And that acrylic bar cart is insane...I need it in my life!

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    1. I know right? I am already scheming for a place where I could make it fit... Queue the evil laugh now... :)

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  18. I love that white coral bowl on the blue tray. Ahhhh. Beautiful job!

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  19. I am so in love with every nook and cranny of the spaces you create! I just discovered HomeGoods last year and my home is now filled with fabulous finds that have taken my house and really made it my home.

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  20. AWESOME!!! And it looks so incredible!

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  21. It was pretty obvious which room was yours, but although i like the style of your home, i don't like what you did there. Don't get me wrong, its not totally Bad, its just not my style at all. But i kinda like the bedroom, although it is a little bit too much of everything XD but the oppertunity you got there is pretty awesome:)

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  22. What an amazing experience! Love Homegoods :) You really did a fabulous job designing the office space. I just bought that very same desk so I was overjoyed to see you included in that room. How cool are those drawers lined with black and white quatrefoil? I couldn't get it in my car fast enough! :) You did a beautiful job and you look fabulous too!
    XO,
    Amy

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    1. Seriously, that desk is incredible. And even better that the drawers were already lined. Jealous you snagged one! :)

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  23. Wow, what a beautiful opportunity this was, congrats! Your space is gorgeous! I agree, that outfit does look amazing on you.

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  24. W O W!!!

    That room you created is drop dead gorgeous. Well done and congrats! What a thrill and an honor!

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  25. Gorgeous! I love everything!♥ I am so obsessed with acrylic organizers / stuff (love the acrylic trolley). Used the cosmetic organizer for paper clips, post its... lined drawers... cute wooden drawer... Love the colors! Congrats! Your space is fabulous! Love your outfit too (especially the skirt)! ♥♥♥♥♥

    www.butterflycharms.blogspot.com


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  26. That teal cabinet is amazing! I love the color and the functionality of it.

    Connie | Sponsored by Coffee | Bloglovin’

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  27. You did a great job pulling together that office "room". Love it! And you look absolutely stunning!

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  28. Wow you've done a spectacular job! I want to live there now :)

    www.girlcandress.blogspot.com

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  29. Jen,
    The space is absolutely amazing, I love all the bright cheery colors. What a wonderful opportunity for you. Do you happen to know the name of the paint used on the desk wall? It's a lovely light shade of gray. Thank you for sharing this beautiful space with us! Sincerely, Lori Swearingen

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    1. Thank you so much Lori! The paint color is Aloof Gray by Sherwin Williams.

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  30. Okay, I love this color combo.
    I WANT IT IN MY LIFE!!

    xx Sabrina
    http://thinkcreateframe.com

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  31. All of the rooms and spaces looks great x

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  32. You look beautiful ! And so does everything you create as usual !

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  33. Your room was gorgeous. Oh we so need Homegoods here in Australia xx

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  34. Very beautiful! I always encourage clients (and myself) to have a plant of some kind on or near their desk. It can be used to obscure an outlet, or just to bring some "life" to a space that can feel dry. Looks like a fun project to be a part of:)

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  35. MUST FIND that horse picture!!! is that a Home Goods find as well?

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    1. Yep! I have been seeing more and more horse prints popping up there lately. :)

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  36. Wow, great job! Love the colors, and of course, the organization. I love Home Goods, it was the first store I shopped in after we moved, literally the first....before groceries! LOL I love to garden and I find lots of things to bring the outdoors indoors. I can't count the number of pots and planters I have bought there. But that is what I NEED in my home....plants!

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    1. Haha, priorities! :) And I agree, plants are such an amazing way to add life to our homes. If only I had a green thumb... teach me your ways! ;)

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  37. This is simply fabulous! I love the spaces and your room is beautiful, such meaning behind it and functionality. I love the wrapping paper idea and now really want to try that in my home! (we'll see if the landlords will allow it hehe). Congratulations on the opportunity, it looks like so much fun great work!

    On a side not I absolutely adore your outfit!

    I'm working on creating a home I love with features and functionality that work for me and my fiancé, it's a work in progress and learning along the way. Placing things I love, like vintage pieces I find or little gifts I have been given around my home to make It personal. Its something I need to come to terms with and embrace more!

    Thanks for sharing this!

    Lauren | LB Designs
    xx

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  38. Love the space! What is that pink (red?) thing on the floor around the front left leg of the white desk? I keep staring at it and can't figure it out...

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    1. Hi Megan! It is a flexible power strip. Great for home offices with an abundance of tech cords. :)

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    2. I'm glad someone else asked! So cute. I love the room and your outfit too. And New York - what fun.

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  39. This is an absolutely amazing room!! I love the way you were able to make the room both comfortable and sophisticated at the same time! Could you tell me the paint color you chose for the walls?

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    1. Hi Kimberly! The gray walls are Aloof Gray by Sherwin Williams.

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  40. oh so excited for yo Jen. The work you have done is just amazing! I love to see your fresh style through every and each object you chose! So inspiring! So amazing!

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  41. How exciting! Totally knew the middle one was your space, definitely your color scheme and taste! However, all three designs were awesome - all three were very inviting spaces and fun.

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  42. Love the space. Such light! And that console. I need that one in my living room.

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  43. I love the rug!! I've never seen one quite like it. I also like the wallpaper / wrapping paper idea. I probably wouldn't be brave enough to apply it to such a big wall, but I would love to try it in a closet or in the back of a bookcase. I love that it's cheap and temporary!

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  44. oh my goodness!! It's perfect Jen! Amazing job!

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  45. Forgive me is it is posted somewhere...the budget. Can you provide an estimate of what you spent? Thanks.

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    1. I am not sure of the overall budget for the space, but if there are any items you would like specific prices on, I can reach out to their team to find out for you. :)

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  46. Gorgeous, Jen, simply gorgeous!!! I love Homegoods and go there sometime to walk around, "just because", even if I shouldn't spend any money.

    I think it would be awesome, if Homegoods released how much it cost (retail) for you ladies to create each room. :-)

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  47. Ohh I love Home Goods! And your outfit is AMAZING!

    Her Heartland Soul
    http://herheartlandsoul.com

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  48. This is a little bit mindblowing.Everything is from HomeGoods?! All the rooms are beautiful, but yours is really my favorite. The teal and pinks and gah, I love it all. Our HomeGoods is new, obviously I'm going to have to make regular visits. Thanks for sharing this!

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  49. Such a great job as always! LOVE your style and your blog!

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  50. i love absolutely everything. I feel inspired to go to Home Goods now and do some home updating.

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  51. I adore your style! The wall treatment adds so much without being to overwhelming. You did a fantastic job! Glad I found your blog on Bloglovin Look forward to gathering inspiration from you!

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  52. I am absolutely, positively swooning over here in Starbucks. So much inspiration my brain can't even handle it. I love every single thing!! Home Goods always does me right :)

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  53. Sounds like a lovely event, and your room is beautiful. Every now and then I style up a little corner of the HomeGoods store whenI'm shopping. Shhh, don't tell.

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    1. Haha! I love that! I have done that with things on their shelves at the stores also. So funny! ♥

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  54. Beautiful space and colors. Love your various storage units you use other then what they are originally for. And that console table is fabulous - did you purchase at HomeGoods? Not to mention the bar cart and love that you used gift paper on the wall, very creative. Thank you for sharing your space.

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  55. Your outfit is so cute and feminine! Dress slacks wouldn't match you as well. :-P Have LOVED getting to know you and your creative organization thru your blog the last couple months! I didn't realize how much I {{adored}} de-cluttering and organizing til after I got married 10/13. As I said to my hubby after reading one of your older posts, "She hit the nail on the head... it's a HOBBY!!" :-P Learning how to make my organization PRETTY from you! Anyway, great work! I love your family-focus as well. <3

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    1. Thanks so much Laura! I always love to hear when others get excited about decluttering and organizing. Especially when you can find ways to keep it fun and exciting. So happy you found me! ♥

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  56. Congrats on this amazing opportunity! The space is beautiful and you look gorgeous!

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  57. I am SOOOO happy for you!!!! What an amazing experience! Which you totally deserve. You are majorly talented and I can't get enough! Keep up the amazing work Jen, you're an inspiration.

    http://mattersofamodernmom.blogspot.com/

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  58. Congratulations! The room is beautiful. I particularly love the coral-inspired bowl and the blue-green boxes that look like Kate Spade ones.

    What I love about your blog is that you give do many details on how to do things, what inspired you and so on.

    HomeGoods is one of my favorite stores.

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  59. Congrats, you did an amazing job. You're definitely a blogger inspiration!

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  60. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!! I am shrieking with pride and excitement and joy!! Where do I start!? Can we take a sec and gush about your outfit!!? OBESSED. I can see you know... #HGTV "Iheart Organizing" marathons on Sundays! I mean really, you're ready to take it to the tube. Go girl! This is so fantastic.

    You have no idea how often I refer to your blog for tips, tricks and mostly inspiration. It works every time. Thank you for sharing all your secrets and your charm. Cheers!

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    1. You are so incredibly sweet Sarah. Thank you for being such an awesome cheerleader! ♥ #blushing

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  61. You are amazing!!! That room is pure you, and so so good! What an awesome experience...I'm so proud and thrilled for you!! xo

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  62. Wow, it looks amazing! That wrapping station is gorgeous, LOVE the flowerpot idea to hold the gift wrap. I will definitely revisit Home Goods on my next trip to the USA.

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  63. Your designs are beautiful and functional...you really have a gift and are so inspiring.
    plus, you look gorgeous!
    God bless your beautiful family!

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  64. The room is adorable and so you. My only issue is , while the wrapping paper wall is cool for a showroom, it would never be practical in real life.
    I would also like to know why HomeGoods does not sell online. There are only 2 stores in my ares (both are about 30 mins away).

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    1. Thank you Kim! After living with the wallpaper/gift wrap wall at the NYC loft, I do think that in small spaces or low traffic areas, a thicker wallpaper could be a fun, temporary wall solution. That said, it also works great in the backs of bookcases or to line drawers and cover boxes. Options are endless and that was the overall message in this space. :) And yes, online would be amazing!!

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  65. Eeek! What a fabulous opportunity, Jen! And such a stunning room. You did an amazing job. And now I need to run off to Home Goods and shop... ;) Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

    ~Abby =)

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  66. You, your pink skirt and the room you designed are simply the best!!!!!!!!!!

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  67. Wow! So many things to love in these rooms. Adore the papered wall (never would have thought to use gift wrap!), the different storage, and the acrylic cart.

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  68. Do you know the source for the rug in your room? It is gorgeous!

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  69. I love the wooden desk in front of the gift wrap wall!! Do you know how much it is?

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