First House: Bedroom Inspiration

Biscuit Katie Duvet / Biscuit Blue Border Shams / Floral Print Pillow / West Elm Hanging Cord Lamp / Reclaimed Wood Vanity DIY / West Elm Mirrored Side Table / Floating Wood Shelf / Turkish Towel / Kate Spade Saturday Nesting Boxes

Hello again! I hope you all had a fab weekend. I was busy trying to get things finished before I leave for Go Blog Social this Thursday!! So excited it's finally almost here. The past couple weeks I have shared my inspiration for the kitchen and living room in the new house project I'll be working on. My boyfriend bought a house and I'm thrilled to have an entire house to play with and decorate! We can't move in until May, so until then, I'm brainstorming decor ideas and creating mood boards for each room in the house. If you'd like room updates or want to see more inspiration photos, follow along with me on Pinterest with my Bedroom, Kitchen, Upstairs Living Room, and Entryway boards. I'm constantly pinning new ideas!

The bedroom is super important to me because that is where my office will most likely be located. As you can imagine, I'll be spending lots of time in there writing blog posts and other fun projects so it needs to be inspiring, bright, and cheery. I'm sticking with the same blues, greens, and reds that are used in the living room and kitchen to keep things unified. My boyfriend likes rustic, so I'll add some natural wood pieces like the hanging light and floating wood shelf. I need to do some measuring to see how big the room is and what size of furniture will fit. The room is long and narrow so I may have to get creative when arranging. I love this DIY wood vanity (using IKEA legs and a slab of wood) with the TV mounted above, but if space is too tight I'll have to resort to something like the hanging wood shelf instead. I can't wait to get in the house to start making final decisions!

My bf has a nice headboard already, and we both have dressers so I'll need to figure out what space we have for those. We need major storage solutions, but I'm afraid two dressers won't fit. When you have a shortage of storage, use wall shelving! It gives you more space and doubles as both storage and decor. The floating wood shelf could display my jewelry and pretty perfume bottles, and colorful cute handbags or scarves could hang on the hooks.

Congrats to Cait on winning the Maddelyn bag from the Mishqua giveaway! Thanks everyone for participating!

Look for Less: Color Block

Neon skirt $59 / Old Navy tie front blouse $32 / Nine West heels $80

I'm having a major crush right now on everything Rach of Pink Peonies wears. Do you follow her? She has a pretty feminine style, wearing lots of color (pink and lime) so I love that obviously, but she looks so put together and pairs together pieces I would have never thought to do myself. That's one of my favorite things about following fashion bloggers. They are so talented and creative with their entire closet, and combine the most unique patterns, colors, and textures. It inspires me to think outside the box when I'm getting dressed in the morning.

However, being the well-established fashion blogger that she is, Rach has a tendency to wear designer items that are SUPER pricey. Valentino bag, Jimmy Choo shoes, Prada…things that are definitely not in the budget right now. So while I love Rach's outfits, I have to source my own pieces and recreate my favorite looks. But that's what makes it fun!

Today I recreated Rach's minty lime outfit she posted a couple weeks back. It's incredibly simple and unfussy yet totally chic. Now that's my cup of tea. In her version, she wore a J.Crew skirt and blouse (both of which are now on sale) and Jimmy Choo shoes, but I found lookalikes that are even more affordable. It's a win win!

This Sunday we're having our monthly Midwest Bloggers coffee date in Des Moines and I hope to see you Iowans there! :)

Today is the LAST day to enter the Mishqua giveaway for a chance to win the most fab little pink bag!

Blending His & Hers Home Decor Styles

One peek at my blog or Instagram and you notice my love for color, especially pink. Growing up my favorite color was always purple, but these days I'm constantly drawn to hot pink, whether it's a bag or a tray. In my own apartment I don't have any problem plastering my place in shades of pink, but since I will soon be sharing my home with my boyfriend in his house, I want a place that reflects both of us and that means taking the girly notch down a bit. It's kind of nice to have someone keep me in check from buying anything pink in sight. All of my current pink items will find their way into our place (spray paint is my best friend), but when it comes to new purchases, I am thinking about how they will fit both of our styles. My style leans toward mid-century modern with a touch of glam. His style is a little more traditional rustic.

His and hers decor can be tricky, but the it's all about finding balance. When you are decorating with two different styles, you want to incorporate different elements from each into your home. A good blend makes for a well-decorated space, instead of a mismatched mess with no clear direction. For me, I'm choosing to stick with more traditional textiles and colors, and simple and modern furniture lines. If you have your own separate office (or any other room) in the house, go ahead and lean towards your preferred aesthetic, just keep one or two elements that it tie it back to the rest of the home.

Take a look at this amazing home transformation combining his shabby chic style and her mid-century modern by Sabrina Soto. Sabrina, interior designer and host of HGTV's The High/Low Project, is one of my favorite designers. We share the same budget decorating mentality, so that pretty much makes us BFFs. The entire look is completely different but she only brought in a few different pieces! The before and after photos are seriously amazing!

Do you and your significant other have opposite tastes? How do you blend both?

If you haven't already, head on over to enter for your chance to win a Mishqua vegan leather handbag! It's one of my all-time favorites and retails at $70. Enter here.

All images via

Best Color Combinations

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 Happy Monday! I'm feeling extra chipper and ready to work today! The past week I was on spring break and it was so nice to have a break from classes and get a little extra time to cross a few things off my to-do list. Although it would have been nice to be basking in the sun somewhere warm, I'm pretty happy I got to work on a few projects and just relax. I love a change in pace, but I'm ready to get back to my daily routine and in the swing of working out. A girl can only handle so much green beer and fried food!

The warmer temperatures may have something to do with my extra boost of motivation on a Monday, but these gorgeous photos don't hurt either. I'm ready to break out the lighter textures and colors in my closet and home decor and and bring on bold colors. I was browsing Pinterest and came across some of the most beautiful color combinations that made me even more excited for spring, so I decided to make an entire post out of it. Whether it's an outfit, home decor, or even a flower arrangement, these color combos are seriously inspiring.

What is your favorite color combination?

H&H has joined Facebook! Be sure to like our page to receive blog updates and more DIY tips and tricks :)

In other exciting news, my twin sister got engaged! I'm beyond excited to help with the planning and throw some amazing parties. Let me know if you want to see bridal shower decor, wedding decor, etc. on the blog.

The Perfect Spring Handbag + Mishqua Giveaway

When spring arrives, the first thing I do is trade the boots for flats and swap out my handbag for something more spring-y. I love switching handbags as the seasons change. During the winter months I usually carry a black bag, and for spring and summer I like to lighten it up a little, just like I do with the rest of my wardrobe. Come spring, I want something with color and a nice, convenient size for all the essentials, but nothing too big. Lucky for me, Mishqua seemed to read my mind and came up with the perfect spring bag! Meet the Maddelyn. The prettiest blush pink bag that also doubles as a clutch. Mishqua Handbags is one of my favorite lines for bags because she designs them all from scratch, and as a bag lover herself, she knows exactly what her customers are looking for. Mishqua (she shares her name with her handbag line!) truly understands her customer and always comes up with the freshest ideas for colors, patterns, sizes, and styles. I'm obsessed!

One of the things that makes a bag extra special is the pretty lining on the inside. The Maddelyn has the most colorful lining that just makes me burst with excitement every time I see it. I have carried my Maddelyn for a week now and received so many compliments on its cute design.

In celebration of spring, we partnered up to give away one Maddelyn handbag to a lucky winner! You have until next Friday, March 28th to enter the giveaway. Don't worry, if you can't wait to get your hands on the Maddelyn, you can get yours here! 

Good luck and happy Friday!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post was sponsored by Mishqua Handbags - thank you for supporting the sponsors that help make A Hammer & Heels possible! All opinions are always my own.

Shop Feathered

Wishbone / Balloon animal bookend / Pineapple antler jar / Stationery / Print

When I'm decorating my home, I'm always thinking how I can add personality to make it "mine." I use colors and patterns, select furniture styles I like, but it's the accessories that really make a home stand out and reflect who you are. How you style a shelf, coffee table, and what sits atop your dresser are all ways to display your style or tell a story through items with fond memories. I call it the art of layering. A home with lots of layers and accessories feels more cozy and overall lived-in -- which is exactly how it should be, right?

Insert Feathered. The cutest shop with the best home decor, pillows, and prints. Every single item is unique -- I want my home adorned in it all! I mean, who wouldn't want this sitting on their kitchen counter? Feathered is perfectly curated by Kelly of Fabulous K. I have been obsessed with her blog for a while and was thrilled when she opened up Feathered a few months ago. It truly is a reflection of her blog; full of inspiration and pastels. 

With spring right around the corner (tomorrow is the first official day!), what better time to decorate your home with a bunny cake (or jewelry) stand or wishbone wall hook.

First House: Kitchen Inspiration

IKEA table / Ghost chairs (only $55!!) / Lulu & Georgia cowhide rug / Target bar cart / Leif napkins / Home Depot cabinet knobs / This print in red

I'm jumping right into another inspiration post for the new house makeover! Last week I covered the living inspiration, colors, and how I want the house to feel. After seeing this photo I am now inspired to bring a little fire engine red into the house as well. Maybe by painting the front door. But, that's another blog post. In the kitchen we are keeping the same bright, open, and comfortable theme throughout, so the walls and cabinets will be white and all new hardware will be installed. The floors and counters will be updated eventually.  Luckily, they are pretty neutral so it won't be a problem with the rest of the kitchen decor right away. I'm actually thinking about painting the counters with a faux marble technique. It sounds scary but it looks so great here that it might be worth a shot so I can still have my marble! There are tons of cabinets with space for a table and chairs. As usual, I plan on scouring Craigslist and Goodwill for a table, bar cart, and fun decor. I'm loving this tulip style table and it's the perfect size for the cozy nook. With a well-stocked bar cart and some pretty napkins there will be plenty of color in the space. By the way, if you are looking for pretty tabletop decor, you should check out Leif. They have the most beautiful napkins, trays, and even serving utensils!

Cowhides are very durable rugs so it will work great in the kitchen where there is lots of traffic. I have been dying to find a way to incorporate ghost chairs into the home and I think in the kitchen is the perfect place. If you have shopped around much for ghost chairs you know they can be pricey. They usual start around $100 each, and you have to double check measurements because there are child sizes that sound like a great deal, but ultimately wouldn't work in my home. I was so excited when Kristen discovered these adult size ghost chairs for only $55 each! You go girl.

What do you think of the kitchen inspiration? What kitchen challenges are you facing in your home?

What I'm Wearing

1. Zara striped skirt / Modern Citizen cropped top 

2. Zara marble skirt / Sparrow blue blazer / Lulu's pink top / 

Baublebar drop earrings / Sole Society heels

Happy Friday!  I hope you all had a great week and have an even better weekend. March is flying by like usual, and Go Blog Social conference is sneaking up quicker than I expected. Only three more weeks until a weekend in Kansas City chatting blogging, listening to some amazing speakers, learning TONS, and meeting you guys. Can't wait! My business cards arrived, and now one of the few things I have left to do is figure out what I want to wear to the conference. I'm stressing about it way more than I probably should be, and it's kind of taking over my brain the past few days. Since it's my first time attending a conference, I'm a little unsure what to wear and how dressed up others get, so finding two perfect (affordable) outfits has been a struggle to say the least. After way too many hours of searching I think I finally have a couple winners! I'm LOVING midi skirts and they are spotted everywhere this spring, but I have never tried one. Also, how fab is the blazer?! It's so versatile! I'm dreaming up so many outfit ideas, plus you all know how much I love a good blazer. It's hard to picture everything together with just this inspiration board, so I'm hoping it looks as good as it does pictured in my head. As for shoes, I'm thinking about wearing my booties with the second outfit, but we'll see. What are your go-to looks when getting dressed up?

I am going to enjoy my weekend as spring break has finally arrived! No fun trips planned for this girl unfortunately, but I do plan on working on some exciting projects so that's good enough for me :)

Style to Steal: Framed Scarves

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This is one of my favorite ways to personalize those white walls and bring a little much needed color into a space. You may have noticed my current headboard in my apartment is actually a scarf, but I'm loving the look of framed scarves as wall art. Genius, right? It seriously doesn't get any cuter or more affordable! Sure, it probably started when someone framed their Hermes scarf, but that doesn't mean we can't frame our favorite Target printed scarf we have had for years!

Guys, it's that easy. Just do me a favor and make sure you iron that thing so it's wrinkle free when you frame it. The little details count! When I'm decorating my new home it's going to be hard to refrain myself from hanging framed scarves in every room. Since my favorite banana leaf wallpaper is out of question, I have my eye on this palm print scarf that will most definitely make its way into the living room, probably above a credenza.

Thoughts? Do you like the framed scarf look?

                                                          Shop the look:

More Xhilaration...

First House: Living Room Inspiration

My boyfriend bought a house last week. I had mixed feelings about the idea because buying a house is a huge purchase and a lot of work. I'm sure all you homeowners can attest to the stressful process and that's before you even move in. He's living in a different city while I finish up school so I wasn't involved in the buying process much. I expressed my needs/wants and looked at house listings online but that's about it. I toured one house and that pretty much ended all hope for a "spacious, open concept home with lots of light." In fact, I was a little turned off by the whole idea after seeing a sea-foam toilet and tub. I'm confident in my skills to tackle a so-so place into something wonderful, but even the home I toured seemed like an impossible project. Then my bf came across another home. Props to him for not giving up despite my less than impressed reactions. I looked at pictures online and after what he told me, I gave the green light without ever seeing the home in person. Insane of me, I know. He ended up buying the house and I finally had the chance to go look at it this past weekend!

Let me tell you, it's nerve-racking walking into a place knowing its your home for the next year (at least) and seeing it for the first time. I was hoping it was just as he described. Thankfully, he was spot on and I wasn't disappointed. It's not huge, updated, or spectacular, but it is do-able. And I'm bursting with design ideas already just waiting to get my hands on it. It's pretty exciting knowing I have an entire house to decorate! Without (a lot) of pink that is. Which is almost a challenge in itself.

My brain hasn't stopped turning with inspiration ideas since Saturday morning, so I want to share my ideas with you because, honestly, I just can't wait any longer! We won't be moving into the new house until the beginning of May, but I want to have a clear direction come May so we can get to work right away. 

Here's what the living room looks like right now. Check out that flow of natural light! You can just barely see the entryway door to the left in the first photo and the wall parallel to the windows has two doorways. We will be replacing the carpet and painting all the walls and woodwork white. Painting woodwork is always a controversy, but it's not a pretty color and I like things bright and white. I'm kind of funny when it comes to light. The first thing I do when I wake up is open up the blinds and turn on the lights. It just feels more cheerful and happy when it's not dim and dark. I have never been a basement person either. The living room isn't a big space, but I have several tricks up my sleeve to help make the space seem bigger and more open.

When I was brainstorming ideas I knew I wanted the living room to feel open, bright, and comfortable. Anytime you are decorating a space it's important to first decide how you want the room to feel. You then use those ideas when choosing colors, furniture, styles, etc. I'm thinking of doing blues and greens for color, but let's be real, no color is off limits. 

Here's a mood board for the living room. What do you think? What does your living room feel like? Stay tuned for more house updates! 

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What I Bought In February

While February wasn't jam packed with exciting purchases, I still wanted to share the past month's purchase history with you. Earlier in the month I blogged about what's in my Old Navy shopping bag and confessed my new found love for Old Navy. I didn't purchase everything that was in my shopping cart, but I did get a few great things that I've been wearing the entire month. So let's jump right in!

I picked up another pair of the Rockstar skinnies, this time the coated denim in navy. They are on the left side in the photo. These are very comfortable for being a coated pant; not too stiff and haven't stretched out. The only thing I bad I have to say is that they are a bit short. In my first pair of Rockstars I ordered a regular and they were fine, but these are a lot shorter and hit a couple inches above my ankle, which is fine but I wish they were a little longer. I am 5'8"just for reference, and will probably get longs next time.

Next are the Rockstar tuxedo skinnies. I LOVE the wash of these and the tuxedo stripe that dresses them up a little for work. These jeans will look amazing with pointed toe flats in the spring. Oh yeah, they are only $8!!! You read that right, people. Check them out!

When it comes to workout pants I am a Lulu girl. They fit nice and snug and don't move even when I bend down. Lululemon is known for their high prices and I wanted another pair of running capris so I figured I'd give Old Navy a shot. They are just as good! I have an Under Armor pair of capris and they are too stretchy and fall down, but the Old Navy capris fit great and definitely compares to Lululemon.

The white sweater is so pretty in person, but I ordered it on a whim because it actually is a couple sizes larger than I normally wear. I thought maybe it could work as a cute, slouchy sweater but the sleeves are too long and it just doesn't work. I'm crossing my fingers they have this in my size when I visit the store this weekend.

Do you have any fun weekend plans?

More Old Navy...

Beauty Talk

Too Faced Sun Bunny / Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet + / Josie Maran Pure Aragan Milk / MAC Pro Longwear Concealer

Hello! Today we're talking all about skincare and makeup. A topic I love, but I am always looking for recommendations so I hope we can all help each other out and make this a really fun discussion where we all spill our favorite products and secrets. Sounds fun, right?

But first, let's talk skin type. I have oily skin. Some call it combination skin since I am oily in my T-zone, but when choosing products I need something that won't be heavy or greasy so I tend to just consider myself oily. Oily skin also means I am breakout prone. Sweet. I've tried many different skincare products but I am always looking for new ways to improve my skin and switch up my regime until I find the perfect routine. Over the summer I buckled down and finally purchased a Clarisonic. I always thought they were a bit gimmicky and that no way could they make that big of a difference. But let me tell you, they do! I don't know what it is, but my skin looks more even, smoother and my makeup glides on better for an overall better look. They are costly, but definitely worth it. The past couple weeks I left my Clarisonic at my boyfriends and it's been torture not having it. I started breaking out a bit so I began using my Proactiv face wash again and now my skin is so dry. I'm dying to find a happy medium!

So while I am trying to find a good balance in my skincare routine, I'm also perfecting my "palette" per se. My favorite You Tube beauty blogger swears by Sigma brushes. I was using the cheap brushes from Target but wasn't happy with them so I just purchased my first Sigma brush. It's amazing! I got the F80 which is a flat kabuki brush for foundation and it is so much easier to apply foundation with a natural finish.

I love playing with makeup but it can get spendy trying lots of products so I usually stick with one thing at a time. I only have one mascara, one foundation, one brush, one bronzer…you get the idea. So all of my stuff is conveniently running out at the same time and it's time to refill my makeup stash! My friend always has perfect makeup and hair and is a self-confessed beauty addict so I have been asking her for her advice and recommendations on new products the past week. She knows her stuff. So you're looking at my beauty wish list…it's kind of scary to see how much just a few products can cost, but I have used many drugstore products (and still do!) but it is time to find something I really like. Put your best face forward, right?

I still haven't pulled the trigger...

This post was random and has a little bit of everything, but I hope it's helpful! What are your beauty tips? Do you use drugstore makeup? Which are your favorites?

As if this post wasn't random (or long enough!), I am doing the 5 day 5 sunglasses at-home trial with Warby Parker and you guys have to try it! Pick 5 of your favorite pairs of glasses or sunglasses, try them out for 5 days and send them back all for free! They have a huge selection it was hard only choosing 5! I'm picky when it comes to sunglasses (I only own one pair) so I love the at-home option since the closest store is in Chicago. You can sign up for your own free 5 day trial here. If you're curious, I chose this, this, this, this, and this to try.

1 Color 5 Ways: Emerald

Did you guys watch the Oscars? Ellen is officially the best host and I don't think there is anything Lupita can't pull off. Who was your best dressed? While I was watching the Oscars I was browsing on Pinterest and came across so many amazing spaces, and ironically, they all had emerald green. Emerald is not a favorite color or anything, but I just love it in interiors. It is a nice way to bring color into a room without being too overpowering. It kind of just freshens things up a bit. Like plant life, it's an instant mood-booster.

My boyfriend just bought a house, which obviously, means I have another project to tackle and I am thrilled! This time instead of a studio apartment I have an entire house so I have a lot more space to decorate and DIY project to tackle. I'm already dreaming up ideas. Don't worry, I'll be sharing the entire process with you, from inspiration boards, to the before and after, and all the DIYs in between! You can bet I'll be incorporating a little emerald into the home as well. So here you have it, 1 color 5 ways.

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