Peony Love!

I just love spring. I was born in the spring. I hate being cold. Not to mention, the flowers start blooming. It has been spring in the Pacific Northwest for a while now. But cutting some peonies for my kitchen island truly gave the house that "spring vibe" that I am planning to cherish for a few more weeks. Spring is a state of mind for me. I notice it every year. 

xoxo,

Megan Hayne

That Was Fast!

The plum branches have bloomed and they are beauties. It sure helps to brighten this dreary day.

xoxo,

Megan Hayne

Centerpiece

We pruned our plum trees this weekend. It was a little sad to have to cut branches with little buds on them, but it is for the long-term health of the tree. I saved a couple of branches from the pile. They look elegant like this on the kitchen table, but I really hope they bloom! Will keep you posted.

xoxo,

Megan Hayne

Flowery Fun

Can you believe I bought this Azalea at Costco? Me neither. It was my third time ever at the store, and although it wasn't my favorite shopping experience, I do not regret buying this beautiful housewarming party centerpiece. Come on spring! I'm ready!

xoxo,

Megan Hayne

Year Round Wreathing

Ever since we bought a beautiful holiday wreath from the local boy scouts, I knew that our door would always need a wreath. Once you have a wreath, the door looks bare without it. Since we are having a housewarming party this weekend and it is basically spring in the PNW, I bought a humane society wreath to replace the old one. This one is made of fresh lavender and rosemary and it smells as good as it looks. Should provide a pleasant welcome to our guests tomorrow!

xoxo,

Megan Hayne

Decorating with Lights!

My interior decorating style is one for working with the changing seasons (bringing the outside in). My husband and I are not religious (unless you count Buddhism), so it is more of a Mother Nature seasonal situation here. There are so many ways to play with seasonal textures, materials, scents, and even sounds. In these darker winter months, I have been craving more light (especially since most community members have taken down their Christmas lights). This cute little nightlight (made by my MIL) is just what the decorator ordered. It is subtle, like winter light, and adds some much needed warmth and cheer to my hallway.

xoxo,

Megan Hayne

Plaid in Portland

People in Portland Oregon love plaid. It is crazy popular here. No matter how formal you might think an occasion will be, there is always at least one person wearing a plaid shirt. Yesterday, I was in a coffee shop and I looked up and half the people in the place were wearing plaid shirts. In the spirit of bringing the outside in, I realized I need to incorporate a little plaid in my décor. Luckily, I had the perfect piece; a vintage wool blanket from cleaning out my grandparent's house this fall. It looks right at home on my super soft vintage chairs (I love playing with texture, but that is a post for a different day). Keeping an eye out for more plaid pieces!

xoxo,



Megan Hayne

Baby Trees

Spring fever has set in. All this winter gloom has me in the mood for some spring. Taking care of house plants has always been a good way for me to relieve the winter blues. I recently purchased a little baby olive tree and a baby palm tree. Planting these little guys in large pots that they will grow into was my morning medicine today.

Since moving in to the new house, I have purchase quite a few house plants from a company called Hirt's Gardens on Amazon.com. I was skeptical about ordering house plants online, but after I have seen their care in packing and the quality of their plants, I don't hesitate anymore. Ordering these tiny plants was super inexpensive, and I bought these large pots on a super sale at Ace Hardware (I think they were leftovers from last year).

xoxo,

Megan Hayne

Bringing the Outside In – Window Coverings

As someone who has lived in several different cities in different regions, I have had the chance to decorate many different spaces. Now, as a first time home owner in the Pacific Northwest, I have been enjoying this new chance. One of the things I am realizing is that rather than try to change this space, I want to work with what is already there. A second realization is that I love it when a house “brings the outside in.” The PNW is such a utopia of natural beauty. My house in particular is surrounded by large cedar and fir trees. When my husband gently reminded me that it was time to get window coverings for all the large windows in the living room, I hesitated. Why would I want to cover up the lovely trees surrounding the room? Although I still leave the curtains open most of the time, I was able to find a tree-like print on Overstock.com (in green) that still matched the room. The slight shimmer in the fabric makes sure they don't look like camouflage, and the white background gives them a lightness. I love what the curtains have done for the room.

I did the same thing for covering the French doors leading to the bedroom balcony. I wanted something even lighter here, as the trees give us a ton of privacy. I like waking up to natural light in the room. These sheer curtains from Bed, Bath, and Beyond have been perfect!

xoxo,

Megan Hayne