Rue La La » Living

Add Some Color to Your Home (No Design Team Required)

Anna Kuchinsky — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:00:42 +0000

Spring is all about color, and that goes for the home, too. Let’s be honest – a full redo every time the seasons turn? Kind of a daunting task. But don’t let that stop you from infusing some springy cheer. Instead of opting for a total makeover, trade out your wintry décor for pieces that are a little more warm-weather friendly (read: colorful). They’re a quick way to make on-trend updates to your home without the work of full-fledged redecorating.

With some simple swap-outs and additions, your space instantly becomes spring-ready. If you need some inspiration, check out the season’s home color trends.

For all your decorating (or redecorating) pleasure, our Get Ready, It’s a Big One: The Spring Home Takeover Boutique (and our Get Ready, It’s a Big One: The Kids’ Home Takeover Boutique for the little ones) opens Thursday, March 28, at 3PM ET.

By Anna Kuchinsky, Staff Writer

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Instant Inspiration: 5 Pinterest Boards We Can’t Get Enough Of

admin — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:30:34 +0000

1. Proof that we might need chevron in every room of our house.

2. We’re kind of obsessed with Harper’s Bazaar‘s collection of incredible fashion photos.

3. We have a feeling we’d do a lot more work if our home offices looked anything like these.

4. Just color us happy, please and thank you.

5. This Pinboard of outdoor spaces has us dreaming (and wishing) for warm weather, stat!

Can’t get enough Pinterest inspiration? Check out past boards that caught our eye.

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Repurpose Your Clutter with These DIY Ideas

Anna Kuchinsky — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:00:02 +0000

The hardest part of spring cleaning? Disposing of all the stuff I’ve deemed clutter. But in an effort to be a little more DIY-saavy this year (in no small part thanks to Pinterest), I’m challenging myself to come up with crafty ways to reuse old items. Here, some spring DIY inspiration:

An old drying rack makes for a great, makeshift file organizer. Extra shower hooks? Hang them in the hall closet as bag holders. Save the drawers from that old dresser you’re replacing and mount them for some extra storage space. Replacing jiggling door knobs? Use them (or a rake head) to store and display your jewelry. Even old cans can be mounted as jazzy new storage for utensils.

There are so many possibilities and ways to repurpose those old items. All it takes is a little crafty thinking and some extra effort. (Okay, some skilled handiwork doesn’t hurt, either.)

By Anna Kuchinsky, Staff Writer

What are your favorite creative uses for old household items? Share in the comments below, or tweet us at @ruelala.

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5 Personality-Packed Pieces for a Relaxed Home

Anna Kuchinsky — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:00:38 +0000

For me, the home is so much more than just a place to eat and sleep. It’s where I can unwind in full and regain my sanity after a long, busy day. And that means it needs to be full of personal touches and creature comforts. Call it a result of my upbringing, but I can’t imagine living in a place that feels stiff. Give me a comfy homestead instead of cookie-cutter one any day.

So forget the pages of that catalog. Instead, opt for some of these pieces, sure to pack your home with comfort and personality that’s undeniably yours.

Our The Stylishly Lived-In Home Boutiques open Wednesday, March 13, at 3PM ET.

By Anna Kuchinsky, Staff Writer

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Conquer Spring Cleaning With This Storage-Friendly Furniture

Anna Kuchinsky — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 20:00:28 +0000

Spring cleaning. Just the words fill me with a sense of dread. But it doesn’t have to be that way – sometimes, the organization solution lies in the furniture. Instead of stashing and storing your stuff, why not add some new pieces that can house (or hide, in some cases) the little odds and ends that make the big cleaning such a daunting task?

The key, of course, is finding pieces that not only work for storage, but add some style, too:

Our A Twist on Traditional: Bernhardt Furniture Boutique opens Wednesday, February 27, at 3PM ET.

By Anna Kuchinsky, Staff Writer

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No (Home) Designer? No Problem

Anna Kuchinsky — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 15:30:10 +0000

Maybe I’ve been watching too much HGTV, but lately I’ve been daydreaming of a home makeover. While a full renovation may not be in my (er, my landlord’s) budget, I will not be deterred. Instead, I’m starting small, with my home’s problem rooms. You know the kind: those spaces that are just too weirdly shaped, or are lacking windows, or are all too cozy. In my old Boston home there are plenty of nooks and crannies that, no matter what I do, just haven’t worked – yet. Here, some crafty tricks to make even the strangest space feel like it was designed by a pro.

Our Safavieh Home Furnishings Boutique opens Thursday, January 10, at 3PM ET.

By Anna Kuchinsky, Staff Writer

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Rue Road Test: Twinkle Light Garland

akuzia — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 20:00:47 +0000

With just under a week until Christmas, I’m still fighting the urge to go ballistic with a surge protector and a few dozen more strands of twinkle lights.

This season, however, I’m trying my hardest to prescribe to a “less is more” approach when it comes to decking my halls (please note: this does NOT apply to presents). So, I tried my hand at creating a simple (and season-friendly) twinkle light garland that you won’t have to stash in the attic with the waving Santa from your front yard come January.

What you’ll need:
•  String of lights
•  Fabric scraps (I suggest burlap, lace, or grosgrain ribbon)
•  Scissors

How to do it:
1. Cut your fabric or ribbon into pieces approximately 6 inches long (2 inches wide, max).
2. Tie each piece to the strand of lights in a single knot, allowing the two ends to hang down evenly.
3. Use about two pieces between each bulb, alternating in color or material for textured visual appeal.
4. When you’re done, the fabric should cover the majority of the green wire, so that just the lights poke through.
5. Use this to decorate a door archway, your tree, or even the posts of your bed.

By Grace Romanowsky of Valenki By ACE, Staff Writer

How did your road test fare? Share it in the comments below or tweet us at @ruelala.

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Guests are Coming! It’s Time to Prep the House

Julia Ivins — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 19:30:45 +0000

Have a horde of house guests coming for the holidays? (Can’t they just stay in a hotel? Kidding, kidding. We love them.)

Don’t panic. The Home Sale has everything – and I mean everything – you need to make every out-of-towner feel at-ease and leave ever-impressed. Here are a few quick tips to get you started.

Bedding
Tuck some crisp sheets in tight and load up on the pillows. It’s probably a tad chilly outside, so leave a few extra blankets stacked on a chair, just in case. Guests are always apprehensive about asking for things (even when we tell them to make themselves at home).

Coffee & Toast
Is there anything better in the morning? (Okay, maybe pancakes.) But there’s no need to go overboard – you’re probably preparing the big dinner feast. Have coffee brewing, offer some fruit or toast, and take them to your favorite breakfast diner.

The Bar
Keep it stocked. Come 3PM (it’s the holidays, we don’t judge), someone will be jonesing for eggnog, and you’ll be ready with the rum. From ice buckets and decanters to every type of cocktail glass and goblet, this Boutique has everything you need to become the world’s best host(ess).

Our Get Ready, It’s a Big One: The Home Sale Boutique opens Friday, December 7, at 3PM ET.

By Julia Ivins, Staff Writer

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Hotel at Home: Fall Asleep in a Five-Star Suite

Julia Ivins — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 16:00:37 +0000

Whether you’re entertaining out-of-towners for the holidays or looking to spruce up your own sleeping space, follow these easy at-home tips to create a bedroom that’s all about relaxation.

1. Make the bed. It may sound obvious, but if you’re anything like me, you know how temping it can be to throw that comforter over a pile of jumbled sheets and call it a day. Get into the habit of making the bed right after you brush your teeth, and after a long, tiresome day, it will feel as if housekeeping stopped by to tuck in your covers.

2. Stick with one color palette, & upgrade your thread count. Nothing feels more like a hotel room than crisp, white, freshly washed linens, but a soothing sky blue or neutral tone will have the same stress-relieving effect. And if there’s one thing to splurge on in the bedroom, it’s the sheets (not the TV). Up that thread count, or choose a luxury cotton like Egyptian or Supima.

3. Fresh flowers. We don’t often think of buying flowers if we’re not entertaining or greeting someone special, but a freshly cut bouquet perched on a bedside table or vanity circulates oxygen and heightens the room by adding color and pleasing aromas.

4. Snack fridge & breakfast tray. If space allows, designate a small area in your bedroom for these little luxuries. Store late-night snacks or a bottle or two of wine in a mini fridge, or have a breakfast-in-bed tray on hand for lazy Sunday mornings.

5. Ample lighting & blackout curtains. Lighting is key to any satisfactory hotel room. Floor lamps, desk lamps, reading lamps – there’s no such thing as too many. Install dimmers to adjust the mood and blackout curtains to ensure a restful sleep. Quick tip: Hang the curtains from the ceiling instead of the window frame (just make sure they’re long enough to sweep the floor). This gives the room a grand illusion of high ceilings.

6. Photos & memorabilia. Hotels often provide local magazines and guidebooks to help guests feel at home in a unfamiliar place. To build a connection with your space, adorn bedside tables with framed pictures, one wall with a favorite painting, and shelves with beloved books. Choose these pieces selectively – a hotel should be an escape from chaos and clutter, not a haven for it.

7. Move the furniture. Every so often, shift the bed to a different wall or move the dressers and side tables. For a split second when you open your eyes in the morning, you’ll forget where you are. (Which is, of course, the coolest feeling ever.)

Our W Hotels Bed Boutique opens Tuesday, November 20 at 11AM ET.

By Julia Ivins, Staff Writer

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A Peek at the Rue Living Holiday Event

jberliner — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 18:00:47 +0000

It’s a given – holidays are about the home: Gathering around the (gorgeously set) table to share a meal. Opening gifts fireside, against a backdrop of ornaments and wintery accents. And no one knows this better than our expert Rue Living team, helmed by our savvy Home Editorial Director, Eddie Ross.

So this Wednesday we hosted a home-centric event in a stunning SoHo loft to preview the holiday home items that will be available in the Rue Boutiques this season. The guest list? A bevy or editors and design bloggers – from Lucky editor Jane (below) to others from the likes of InStyle, House Beautiful, Country Living, Martha Stewart magazines, Glamour, Brides, and more. Below, peep at some of the event’s highlights:

Eddie (above) curated a beautiful NYE table featuring products that will be sold on Rue throughout the holiday season.

The wine sponsor, Wolffer, served delicious white and red, and a signature holiday cocktail – sparkling wine with a splash of pear and cranberry, finished with a rosemary sprig.

The Rue Living Christmas trees were all gloriously lit up and decorated for the editors to preview.

Cloud Catering & Events served apps like tuna tartare and short rib mini quesadillas.

Everyone left (oh-so happily) with a special holiday-themed gift from Rue Living.

By Joanna Berliner, Editor

Inspired? Look out for these home finds in the coming weeks, then tweet us your holiday decorating tips @ruelala.

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