5 Best Places for One of a Kind Home Decor

When it comes to decor, my style is atypical. While I enjoy hints of tradition, I don't like contemporary overkill either. I would describe my decor style as classic, with a hint of vintage, and a sprinkle of contemporary or modern. So many retailers give you one extreme and not another, simply because that's their personal style and the trend that they market. But, there are a few retailers out there that I feel hit all styles and all trend preferences, and have an array of great finds that can take your space or your decorating project from a 1 to a 10. I have 5 favorites that I live by, and outside of antique or thrift stores, are where I go for just about all of my personal, as well as my client's, home decor. 

So, lets do this Letterman style and work our way down the list- starting with my #5

5.) Hobby Lobby

www.hobbylobby.com

The people at my local Hobby Lobby know me by name and check in on Ahava projects and whats coming up on the blog next every time I stop in- which is minimum once a week. I absolutely love me some Hobby Lobby. While traditionally Hobby Lobby had been an arts and crafts retailer primarily, they have become very heavy on home decor and home furnishings. And its absolutely divine. A good chunk of the accent decor in my home has come from Hobby Lobby. It is great quality and priced even better. So whether you want to DIY it or buy it already made, move over Michael's- Hobby Lobby gets the win. 

Oh and don't forget that every week half of the store is 50% off and there is always a 40% off coupon on the app for that item you love that may not be on sale that week! 

Take a look at this weekly ad! Every week, a good selection of home decor accents are 50% off. They are excellent quality and very trendy!

Hobby Lobby's cute accent furniture is 30% off everyday! 

Get their app from the app store to have the coupon at hand and to know the weekly items that are 50%. It's free to download!

Some of my favorite items to find here:

Accent Decor, Accent Furniture, Framing, DIY Materials/Craft Supplies

4.) Ross

Before I discovered their stash of decor and linens hidden in the back, I avoided this place like the plague. The crowds, the lines, ugh! You would never catch me in Ross. But, one day I ended up in there after a dear friend recommended that I give their home decor a chance. And boy I am glad that I did. On many different occasions, I have found the savviest little accent pieces and "randoms" floating around there. Quality items and even brand name items find their way on the shelves of Ross and there truly are some great finds there. 

Ross always has a wonderful selection of curtains and pillows in an array of colors and styles.

Check out this beautiful copper vase above, an import from india, less than $20.

This gorgeous, petite Eiffel Tower shelf - $59.99. Rod iron and wood. Adorable!

They have a great selection of small accent furnishings at great prices. And unique indeed.

Some of my favorite items to find here:

Curtains, Pillows, Vases, Storage, Accent Decor and Furnishings

3.) West Elm

www.westelm.com

Ummm can I say love at first encounter? Ha! I absolutely love their style. While Nordstrom is the leader in fashion trend, West Elm is the master of home decor trend. Period. If Restoration Hardware and Eurway had a baby, this would be it. While there are many modern items available, they still have the classic and clean element working for them. West Elm features a nice selection of "stand out" pieces, as well as the chic but traditional staples too. I absolutely love their linens and accent furniture in particular. And while they are what I would indeed consider a luxury home decor retailer, there are many affordable pieces and those that may be more of an investment, but one worth investing into for sure.

The linen selection and accent decor is uber trendy, but the classic colors and styles keep it balanced. 

Some of my favorite items to find here:

Linens, accent furniture, decor accents, kitchen accessories, PILLOWS!!

2.) World Market

www.worldmarket.com

I discovered this gem too late in life. We met and fell in love in the Summer of 2014 and have been together ever since. How we hadn't become acquainted sooner, I will never ever know. World Market is first class. I had never found a place that satisfied all of my trend, decor, furniture, and grocery needs all under one roof. The quality and the style are second to none. World Market has some of the best cookware and kitchen items that not only are exceptional quality, but that will bring a classic and chic flare to that eating space. Many of their rugs, tapestries, and wall art are elegant pieces and are sure to make heads turn!

World Market is my personal favorite and go-to for many of the furnishings in my own home. Easy assembly, solid durability, and again always scores a perfect 10 on trend. 

This is one of my favorite collections shown above, the Cala accent and coffee tables. These chic and one of a kind imports from India will surely make a statement in any space. 



I love their framing, wall art and decor, and rugs. Amazing prices! Great quality! 

World Market provides exceptional customer service, and has a FABULOUS wine and grocery selection as well!

Some of my favorite items to find here:

Furniture, Framing, Accent Decor, Kitchen Decor, Kitchen Ware, Rugs

DRUM ROLL PLEASE…….

And the Number 1 spot goes to...…

1.) Home Goods

www.homegoods.com

Ok, so I discovered this little lovely after a conversation over dinner with one of my best friends who in speaking about a piece of decor in the restaurant as being random but cool - her exact words were, "it's like something you would find at Home Goods." As we laughed, I asked her to tell me more about this Home Goods place. I had seen it in passing, but had never actually went in and checked it out. She described it as "Random Capital". And I couldn't have described it better myself. The randomness and uniqueness of what they carry is what makes them my number 1. 

Home Goods carries products ranging from bath, to bedroom, to kitchen, to accent furniture, to accent decor, to garden, to linens and pillows, and even pet decor/furnishings. There is too much goodness under one roof here! Their inventory changes all the time, which makes their finds pretty exciting! Every Home Goods piece in my home are what I call conversation starters because I guarantee your guests will never have seen anything like them before.

They have an extensive storage selection with good variety!

Home Goods has such a great selection of the most rare accent pieces. I don't like matchy-matchy decor, so home goods has transformed my decor life and satisfies many of my decorating needs!

Some of my favorite items to find here:

Accent Decor, Accent Furniture, Pillows/Linens, Storage

These are my 5 go-tos, but I am always looking to expand the pool! If you have any photos or recommendations for any other great decor retailers around the DFW metroplex or outside of DFW that we can shop online, tweet them or post on our Facebook page and share the wealth!

Until Next Time,

XO

Old School Terra Cotta Clay Pots Repurposed

As spring time draws near, the garden sections of Lowes, Home Depot, and any local nursery are bursting at the seams with an array of new beautiful flowers, gorgeous trellises, and a few classic staples too- good old fashioned terra cotta clay pots. 

While they aren't the savviest of items, there is so much more that those little lovelies can be used for. I have 5 cool and quick project ideas, each with 5 steps, that can take clay pots from dull to chic and multi faceted. Here we go!

1.) Simply Chic: Whitewashed Vintage Clay Pot

While this project may not give you a new and unique use for your clay pot, its designed to help you take them from this

to this!

(Whitewash Photo Courtesy of Pinterest)

Materials:

• A Few Clay Pots
• Whitewash materials (Click here for the whitewash materials and tutorial)
• Iron On Stencil
• A Small Jar of Modge Podge
• A foam brush

1.)  First, whitewash your clay pots. Click here for a quick Ahava Whitewash Tutorial 

2.)  Find your favorite french inspired iron on stencil and cut it out pretty close to the edge.

3.) Apply Modge Podge directly on the front side of the stencil and apply it face down on the pot where you want the design to be. Let it dry overnight.

4.) Peel it off slowly and use a little warm water to help you remove the remaining residue.
5.) Enjoy!

2.) Cupcake Tower or Food Display

I decorate for events often and one of the hardest things to do sometimes is find cake trays and cupcake towers that fit so many different themes and color schemes. So, I came up with a creative and inexpensive way to create an array of display trays for any and every event! And using 3 small clay pots and 3 clay saucers I might add.

Materials:
2 clay pots, 3 clay saucers (pots - same size; saucers- 3 different sizes -Small/Medium/Large)
A white spray paint primer
A can of krylon or rustoleum spray paint
A tube of E6000

1.) Using a can of spray primer and a tarp, prime your pots and saucers.

2.) Select a high quality Krylon or Rustoleum spray paint and then spray your pots and saucers. I recommend two good coats.

3.) After they are completely dry, seal them with a clear coat sealant, and let them dry in their entirety 24-48 hours.

4.) Using a tube of E6000, adhere the pots to the saucers as shown below.

5.) Let it dry overnight, and then use a gentle soap and warm water to wipe out the inside of the trays before adding food to them. 

3.) A Jewelry Holder

Simply use the same materials above, as well as follow steps 1-5 from above, yet instead of displaying cupcakes or sweet goodies, add your jewelry to it! Check out mine below!

4.) A New Kind of Coaster

I am so over these boring things….

So here is an idea to create some coasters with a little more pizzazz! 

Materials:

• 4-8 small clay saucers
• A white spray paint primer
• A can of krylon or rustoleum spray paint
• A tube of E6000
• A piece of white paper and a pencil

1.) Since they typically come in sets of 4-8, pick your lucky number of saucers. Remove any labels and prime them.

2.) Select a Krylon or Rustoleum spray paint and spray them. I recommend two good coats. After they are completely dry, seal them with a clear coat sealant, and let them dry in their entirety 12-24 hours.

3.) Using a paper coffee filter, trace around the inside of the saucer as shown below. Cut out the pattern and then use it to trace and cut out the scrapbook paper that will fit on the insides of the saucers. 

4.) Use a foam brush to paint Modge Podge on the back of the scrapbook paper, then stick it in the inside of the saucers and allow them to dry 45-60 minutes. Then, brush over the top of the paper and along the inside of the of the saucer with Modge Podge to secure it. Apply two coats minimum and let them dry completely.

5.) Use your original pattern from earlier and cut out the felt. The felt is advesive, so peel it off and neatly stick it to the bottoms of the saucers. And you're all done!

5.) A Classic Candle Holder

Materials:

• A small clay pot
• A small glass vase (dollar tree recommended)
• A white spray paint primer
• A can of krylon or rustoleum spray paint
• A tube of E6000

1.) Prime your pot
2.) Paint your pot, let it dry. Seal it if desired.
3.) Place your pot face down, and using the E6000, adhere your vase to the bottom of the pot. Let it sit overnight to dry well. 
4.) Add your favorite candle
5.) Light it and enjoy!

Until next time!