February 16, 2009

Decorating with the Everyday

This is our mudroom.  The hub of activity and the go-to place for when I hear, "Mom, can I have a snack?"  It's the first room that greets me when I arrive home, so I wanted it to be functional, yet welcoming.  The cabinets are our pantry.  The hooks are for purses, bags and coats.  The bench below the hooks (shown here ) is for bookbags and shoes.

I like to use the everyday to decorate.  The jute giraffe bag is a fun touch to the mood of the room, yet it is functional.  It collects junk that I might need on the way out the door: extra gloves, some pens, a warm hat.

While I don't use potatoes and onions everyday, the basket helps the airflow and prevents early rot.  I love it when practicality and design collide!


Glass containers are a great way to decorate with the everyday.  Yes, we do use the doggie treat one twice daily.  That's why it has a metal (non-breakable) lid.  It's a little more kid friendly.
The other glass container holds our extra rice.  I like the texture and how it doesn't fight with the rest of the room.
As always, decorating doesn't have to cost a lot.  Be creative.  I have a friend that doesn't have a lot of storage room in the master bath, so she uses a glass container to store unwrapped bars of body soap.  The blue bars look so refreshing on the side of her tub.

What kind of everyday items do you decorate with?  Share your ideas!

Jeanne Winters is having a wonderful giveaway.  Check her out!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

That room should be in a magazine...seriously! What a great tip about the basket for potatoes, I get so tired of throwing mine out. It feels very wasteful. I'm buying a basket today! I don't really think I decorate with the everyday, but after reading this I'm going to try. I do like to use a pretty glass tea pitcher for cut flowers instead of a generic vase...does that count? :)

-Hayley

trish said...

Your mud room is pretty! :o) In fact, your post seals it for me ... I will paint my laundry room/sewing room, brown! :o) Yours looks so pretty!
I also prefer practicality in decorating. :o)
Sincerely ~ Tricia Anne

Shell in your Pocket said...

What is that big picture of windowpane...it looks VERY neat!
-sandy toe

Mommy of M's said...

We just started a mud room project over the weekend. We moved my washer/dryer to the basement for more space and we are turning what was the first floor laundry into a mud room. You gave me LOTS of ideas.

Anonymous said...

We have the same granite. That amuses me because otherwise, nothing else in my house looks remotely like any of your pictures. And I was thinking of asking you over for dinner, but now I'm intimidated.

That being said, I love to use Mason jars for flowers and I save my jelly jars (the particular brand I like has a neat shape) to use as tealight candle holders.

Jo said...

Lovely mud room. By any chance do you remember where you got the fleur de lis hooks?

I use antique Mason jars in my craft room to hold many different objects. I have Longaberger baskets throughout our home to hold various treasures. I have one in my truck that holds extra "just in case items" that you don't often need but when you do, it's a must.

Have a great day,
Jo

Jo said...

I'm SO jealous. I've gone to our dollar store and never have I found anything worth spending 100 pennies on ~ Ugh!

Enjoy, your room is lovely ~ that's saying a lot for a room that is centered around mud! ;)

Have a great day,
Jo

Amber Filkins said...

I agree that your room should be in a magazine. I love it! It's perfection! I love the hooks, I love the huge window pane on the wall, I LOVE the wainscotting, and I love that little bird house on the top. I just bought one last night @ Goodwill, but it's blue, so I'm going to paint it white.

I also put white Dove soap bars into a pretty container in my bathroom. I love that look.

Love, love, love!

Can't wait to see your kitchen!

Unknown said...

Nice room! Can you tell me what the name & brand of paint? I'm looking for a nice brown for my craft room.

Unknown said...

Love your room! Can you tell me what the color/brand paint your used. I love it and am looking for a nice brown for my craft room.

Gretchen said...

The color is 'chestnut' and it is Valspar paint (from Lowes, I think)