entertaining

3 Ways to Style a Grown Up Halloween Party

October 18, 2018October 17, 2018By JoannaPosted in holidays, entertaining

I wanted to do something a little bit different for this entertaining post. Instead of sharing just one tablescape inspired by fall and Halloween, I thought it would be way more fun (and helpful for you guys), if I shared 3 different options. I’m definitely way more excited about chic, modern styling for Halloween, instead of a traditional spooky vibe, so if you’re looking for grown up Halloween party inspiration, think of this post as your style guide! I tried to cover a few different styles including traditional, rustic, and, of course, dark and moody. Each option also complements the centerpiece DIY that we shared yesterday.

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How to Prepare Your House to be Vacation Rental

September 25, 2018September 25, 2018By JoannaPosted in home decor + interiors, entertaining

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Schlage. The opinions and text are all mine.

As I mentioned briefly before, once #mytinybungalow is totally finished, we plan to use it as a vacation rental. Initially, I thought a normal rental would work, but the more we think about it… the more we want the flexibility to stay at the house whenever we feel like it! This strategy would fit in nicely with our longterm goal of owning and living in a cabin in the mountains, so every home improvement project we take on is with these goals in mind. Today I partnered with Schlage to share tips for how to prepare your house to be a vacation rental — especially so you get great ratings and repeat guests!

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An Early Fall Themed Tablescape | Small Space Entertaining

September 12, 2018September 12, 2018By JoannaPosted in entertaining, small spaces

I can’t help myself: I am kind of excited that fall is on the horizon — especially after Sarah’s centerpiece DIY yesterday. Here in Seattle, we’re still in the early fall stages where the leaves are sloooowly changing and the light is shifting. Everything feels a little bit moodier, which I absolutely love. There’s something about darker light that makes colors pop more and creates even more of a dramatic feel. For this fall themed tablescape, I embraced the sunset tones that make me think of this time of year: dusty pale pink and coral orange, especially. Then I used natural tones of woodgrain and linen to make them pop just a little bit more. I’m really happy with how unexpected this tablescape feels for me, too… like a departure from some of the past tables I set.

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A Summery Brunch Tablescape | Small Space Entertaining

August 9, 2018August 15, 2018By JoannaPosted in entertaining, small spaces

Wow, it’s been a hot minute since I shared a tablescape with you! In the heat of summer, I usually keep things pretty casual on the entertaining front… simple white plates with a buffet-style food serving situation — then tons of outdoor seating! Recently, I hosted a brunch for my girlfriends where I wanted the vibe to be a bit more curated, but still very casual. I pulled the inspiration for the tabletop pieces from Sarah’s all-white floral centerpiece, so there is plenty of clean white, natural wood tones, raw linen, and a touch of gold metallic (cuz every tablescape needs a touch of gold!).

A Summer-Inspired Brunch Tablescape

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how to host guests in a small space

June 26, 2018June 27, 2018By JoannaPosted in entertaining, small spaces

Living in #mytinybungalow, I get asked A LOT about how on Earth we ever have guests stay with us. And you know we have them because my bestest friends live in totally different cities! We tend to get lots of house guests because people love to visit Seattle (ahem, only in the summer)… and because I always insist that people stay with us. What can I say, I’m proud of owning my own house! But anyways, everyone is always curious about how to make it work space-wise, so today I’m here to answer this question.

There are a few key things you want to make sure you do to
host guests in a small space:

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how to go on a shopping freeze without turning into a hermit

June 13, 2018June 13, 2018By JoannaPosted in personal essays, entertaining

Ok, today’s post is going to cover a question I’ve been getting lately regarding going on a shopping freeze. I think it’s a super legitimate concern and one I’ve had myself, so it deserves its own post.

The question: how do you go on a shopping freeze without completely turning into a hermit?

To be frank, I think every situation is what we make it, and it’s no different for a shopping freeze. For me, I try not to make it a big deal to myself or others. If I keep a more relaxed perspective, and not worry about things like becoming a hermit because I want to spend my money more wisely, then the pressure to avoid it kind of floats away. That’s not to say I never have those thoughts, though. So when I do find myself in certain situations, this is how I’ve been handling it:

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