Meditations On Life + Style: What Dayka Knows For Sure

My final guest is Dayka from Meditations on Life & Style. I met Dayka over a year ago as I was shopping in Restoration Hardware. She told me she was a blogger and an aspiring interior designer. Dreamy I thought... So since that day, I have kept in touch with her and have sort of adopted her as my "blogger mentor". She is now a full-time talented designer who has a passion for thrifting and refinishing furniture. Here is what she knows for sure about that...

What I know for sure is refinishing furniture.

I don't profess to be the best in the world, but give me a beat up old piece of furniture that someones discarded and I'll be like Rumplestilskin and spin straw into gold.

I passionately believe in recycling furniture, buying pieces intentionally, and creating a look with character that tells a story. My motto is live with what you love, and for me this means shopping secondhand. Even if refinishing isn't your thing, try picking up a pair of old lamps from a thrift store and updating them with a new custom shade! It puts a new spin on an old favorite and gives you a story to tell in the process.  

What I knew for sure about furniture refinishing is that it pays to do what you love. Who knows---you may even be like me and find your purpose in the process....

"Finding purpose in the process..." Love that and love the post! Thanks Dayka! Dayka is also a co-founder of Room Service Atlanta, a non-profit group of local designers that aid other charities in Atlanta. Their first project will be to install home interiors to the Nicholas House, which is an organization that helps individuals and families transform from homelessness to self-sufficiency. It's a wonderful thing so check it out! 

Dana Eason Photography: What Dana Knows For Sure

Happy Monday! My first guest for this week is Dana of Dana Eason Photography. She is an AMAZING photographer who specializes in lifestyle photography- but she does an outstanding job of photographing anything!

Here is what she knows for sure...


What I know for sure... 

Love is the best home accessory.

© Dana Eason

xo

Isn't that the truth! Thanks Dana! Click here to see more of her beautiful photos!

Just Saying Hi!

Hi friends! I know I said here that I would be out for the next two weeks, but I just wanted to peek my head in the door and say hi. I miss blogging...

Did you enjoy my guests this week?? I thought their posts were fabulous! A big thank you to Donna, Natasha, and Kim for filling in for me!

I also want to welcome my new friends! Thank you for your sweet comments and I hope you enjoy my blog. 

I leave you with these gorgeous images. I LOVE the fresh look. I'll be living vicariously through them over the weekend- wishing I could spend my it in this kitchen cooking, baking, drinking wine and entertaining friends. Don't you love the legs on those barstools??

I'd love to host a lovely Sunday brunch at this table... 

Modern meets rustic... Lovely combination here.

I'll be back on Monday to introduce my guests for next week. I think you will love them...

Have a great weekend!

Images: House Beautiful

Chattafabulous: What Kim Knows For Sure...

Hi Savor Home readers! I am so flattered that Tiffany asked me to fill in for her during her busy season at work. The subject matter stumped me for a bit - "What I know for Sure about ______. " After much inner debate, I decided to go with What I Know for Sure About Your Mama's Decorating Rules.

Of course, what I know for sure about old decorating rules is that they're made to be broken!

Take the old rule that says dark rooms should be painted in white or light colors. Simply not true! White rooms need tons of light to bring them to life, so if you have a room that gets very little light - don't fight it! Go with a paint color thats deep, dark and dramatic!

And then there's the rule that says your furnishings should "match". Nothing could be farther from the truth! A well-curated mix of styles and finishes creates an engaging space that has depth.

Finally, we've all been told that small spaces should be furnished with small pieces. Not so. These next images demonstrate how large-scale items can trick the eye into making a small space feel bigger!

So, these are some of the things I know for sure! Thanks for having me, Tiffany!!!

Schue Love: What Natasha Knows For Sure...

Hi Savor Home readers!  I'm Natasha visiting from Schue Love and I'm so excited that Tiffany asked me to fill in for her today.  She asked me to write about what I know for Sure About...and today I want to talk about Style!  Now, I don't consider myself an expert, but I like to look to those who exude style for the rules that all women should look to for advice--whether it's in fashion, home decor, food or day-to-day living. 

"Fashion fades, only style remains the same."  

—Coco Chanel

Trends are great, but it's the classics that never go out of style.  You will never go wrong with a strand of pearls, your signature scent, and a great pair of black stiletto pumps.  

See what I mean?  A true test of style is when you can still wear something today, that was worn several decades ago.  Classic.

“Modesty is great, and quietness is nice, but sometimes it’s much more fun to be decadent.”

—Interior designer Robin Standefer of Roman and William

Nothing is worthwhile without risk and a little drama.  Plain and safe is not style...it's simply boring.  So the next time you grab for the beige pillow, lamp, duvet, towels, rug...whatever it may be...consider the bolder choice!  You may be surprised with what a difference it makes.  Speaking of decadence...

"Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first."

—Ernestine Ulmer

Food, like so many other things in life, should exude style.  It's not worth eating if it doesn't look appetizing.   Variety and color are always essential when sitting down to eat, after all, your eyes always eat before your stomach does!

"Why change?  Everyone has his own style.  When you have found it, you should stick to it."

—Audrey Hepburn

Style is not a trend.  Style is confidence...and who better exudes that then the style icon herself?  At the end of the day, as long as you love it and really believe in it, you'll never stray too far away.

Moral of the story?  What I know for sure is that style is all relative.  It's about the individual.  So I'll leave you with this thought:

So...what does style mean to you?  :)

xo natasha

Photos via Pinterest

a perfect gray: What Donna Knows For Sure...

Hello, Savor Home fans! I'm Donna from a perfect gray and I'm thrilled to be at Savor Home today while Tiffany works her way through tax season. Good luck, Tiffany, and  thanks so much for having me.

One thing I know for sure about my style is....it's all about the mix. Old and new, high (end) and low, a good mix of treasured items gives a home character and style.

I'm a nut for antiques but I find that mixing them with new pieces really makes them stand out.

in my living room

I have a pair of antique french wallpaper panels hanging in my living room. I bought them from my favorite antique dealers years ago and I'd consider them more high-end. Over both of the panels, I hung sunburst mirrors, and the one you see is brand new from a discount store!

in my dining room

I recently bought this chandelier at a thrift shop for forty dollars. It's a higher end look, but for a great lower price, just like the chippy garden statue and the over-sized wine bottle on my console. I like the mix of those pieces with my antique mirror, a much more expensive auction purchase.

in my kitchen

I love this little silver-plated pitcher with a Bakelite handle and top. I also found it at a thrift store for a couple of dollars. It's a great stylish yet low-end find for my utensils.

It's definitely harder to achieve a mix in your home but so worth it. I am constantly inspired by other bloggers and I always have fun trying different things. 

Tiffany, thanks for letting me share a little of my home and style with your readers. You're the best!

donna

A Special Announcement!!

I have a special announcement! As you may know, this is my busy season at work and the next two weeks for me will be filled a whirlwind of tax returns. So unfortunately for me, I am signing off for the next two weeks so that I can focus on work.

BUT!!!

Fortunately for you, some wonderful and very talented ladies have graciously agreed to keep you entertained while I am gone. They are participating in a two-week series I am hosting called,

"What I Know For Sure About____."

In this series, they will blog about what they know for sure about a topic of their choice. I have been following their blogs since I started blogging and trust me, they know a lot about a lot of things that I am sure you will like love.

The posts during Week 1 of the series will be brought to you by these three talented ladies...

First up is Donna of a perfect gray. Not only is she incredibly nice, but her blog is absolutely beautiful. She has the ability to show how the color gray can look good ANYWHERE! She also has a love for antiques. She buys them, brings them home and gives them a whole new life! The chair above is one of her gorgeous finds. Love it. She is sharing some of her finds with you tomorrow, so make sure you tune in! 

{via}

Next is Natasha of Schue Love. She was one of my first "I have no idea who she is" followers and that's a big deal for a new blogger! She also presented me with my Stylish Blogger Award last week. Her blog is

adorable. She talks about everything from fashion to food to interior design. She uses really beautiful images like the one above to convey her thoughts. I just love that picture! It's just a fun blog that makes you smile. She has great style and is telling you her thoughts on that topic on Wednesday, so stop by!

Thursday's post will be by Kim of Chattafabulous. Kim was the first professional interior designer to comment on my blog (bless her because I am FAR from professional), which is how I found her great blog. Kim has a passion for turning dated spaces into modern gems. The picture above is an example of her work. Love that bathroom... She is especially savvy with vintage furniture. She can make a vintage piece look like a million dollars by using just a sander, some paint, and a few pieces of fabric. I love her work and I'm sure you will, too.

Thank you ladies for filling in for me! I will be back briefly on Monday the 11th to introduce you to my guests for Week 2. I hope you have a great week!

xo
Tiffany

Friday Favorite: Stylish Blogger Award!!

Yesterday, I almost fell out of my seat at work when I read a comment from Natasha at Schue Love. She awarded me with the Stylish Blogger Award and I could not have been more thrilled! Such a big deal for a new blogger like me. So a huge thank you to Natasha! She has the cutest blog ever by the way, so please make sure you check it out!

As a result of winning the award, I am supposed to share 7 things about myself and pass the award to some of my favorite bloggers. I am super busy with work, so I PROMISE to do that when things slow down.

But I couldn't wait until later to share the news, so thanks again Natasha!

OH! I do have an announcement next week, so make sure you stop back by!

Have a great weekend!