We’ve explored the emotions linked to 11 popular colors. This room mood color guide will fill you in on the best colors to use for your home.
Outdoor Furniture Materials
Home Decor & Furniture, Outdoor & Patio IdeasLearn more about the different types of outdoor furniture materials, and which is best for your climate.
A Guide to Coastal Décor and Furnishings
Home Decor & FurnitureCoastal decorating draws from the natural elements of the beach, like sun, wind, sand, sea, and sky. A tastefully designed coastal home encompasses a collection of rustic furniture and décor to create a tranquil atmosphere.
Earthy Home Décor Essentials
Want to achieve an Earthy aesthetic for your home? Get inspired and check out these earthy décor essentials for any room in your home.
Buying Guide: Fire Pits
How To, Seasonal, Winter InspirationCheck out XO Ashley’s guide to choosing a fire pit! Learn what to look for in a fire pit, what types of fire pits are best, and where to place your fire pit.
2023 Home Decor Trends
Home Decor & Furniture, Ideas & TrendsStay trendy with Ashley’s round-up of 2023 home decor trends! Learn more about the styles and colors that will dominate next year.
How to Furnish Your First Home: Checklist & Tips
Home Decor & FurnitureJust purchased your first home? Learn how to furnish your first home quickly and on a budget with our checklist!
A Guide to Refreshing Your Master Bedroom
Bedroom Ideas, Home Decor & FurnitureMakeover your master bedroom with these easy tips to create the bedroom of your dream.
How to Spruce Up Your Bedding
Find the best tips for sprucing up your bedding to make the perfect cozy bedroom.
Spring Decorating Ideas & Inspiration for Your Home
Seasonal, Spring InspirationMake your spring decor spring into life with these tips and tricks!
Balancing Old and New: Finding the Perfect Combination of Furniture
Check out how you can blend modern and traditional furniture for a cohesive look with these ideas from the XO Ashley blog.
How to Create a Peaceful Home
Read our tips for how to create a peaceful home that promotes relaxation for you and your guests.
Sofa Buying Guide: How to Choose Between Sofa Styles
Home Decor & Furniture, Living Room IdeasRead our Sofa Buying Guide for tips on how to choose a sofa type. Learn whether a loveseat, sectional, or sofa is best for your home.
Summer Décor Ideas
Guides, Ideas & Trends, Summer InspirationCelebrate the arrival of summer with refreshing decor. Check out XO Ashley’s guide to decorating your home for summer.
Minimalist Decor Ideas to Brighten Your Home
Guides, Home Decor & Furniture, Ideas & TrendsFrom minimalist neutral decor to lighting, learn how to brighten up your home for spring with our minimalist decor ideas.
How to Make a Gallery Wall
Home Accessories Ideas, How ToLearn how to make a gallery wall! Get tips and tricks for how to choose your art and frames, as well as how to arrange everything.
Outdoor Materials Guide
Guides, Home Decor & Furniture, Outdoor & Patio IdeasLearn more about the different types of outdoor furniture materials, and which is best for your climate.
Boho Décor Essentials
Home Decor & FurnitureTrying to achieve an effortless bohemian look for your home? XO Ashley shares our boho décor essentials and popular color palettes for this style.
How to Decorate a Bookcase: Ideas & Inspiration
Bedroom Ideas, Home Accessories Ideas, Home Decor & FurnitureHave an empty shelf on your bookcase? Go beyond books and get inspired to decorate your bookcase with ideas from the XO Ashley blog.
Bedroom Ideas, Home Accessories Ideas, Home Decor & Furniture, How To
How to Create The Ultimate Earthy Bedroom
Do you dream of bringing your love of the outdoors into your bedroom? Here are several tips to help you create an organic, earthy escape.
Bedroom Ideas, Dining Room Ideas, Home Accessories Ideas, Home Decor & Furniture, Home Office Ideas
We Still Blush Over Millennial Pink
People across age groups have been obsessing over Millennial Pink, keeping it on the trend radar for almost five years. The love of this muted pink has transcended the apparel and interior industries to capture the world’s attention. Although first popularized by young people, this pastel blush has been a key player in fashion design for half a decade.
Bedroom Ideas, Home Accessories Ideas, Home Office Ideas, How To, Living Room Ideas
How to Find The Rug That Fits Your Personality
Find the perfect rug based on your personality. Explore various style offerings to find the one that best suits your future rug needs.
Bedroom Ideas, Dining Room Ideas, Gift Guides, Home Accessories Ideas, Living Room Ideas
The Perfect Gifts For Mothers
Mother’s Day is around the corner! If you haven’t started getting ideas for her already, then now is the time to find that perfect piece she will adore.
Not sure between leather and fabric? Here’s a general comparison chart of the advantages and disadvantages of most leather and fabric upholstery.
Home Accessories Ideas, Home Decor & Furniture, Outdoor & Patio Ideas
Enliven Outdoor Spaces with Rugs and Pillows
Gorgeous furniture designs are taking indoor sophistication and comfort outside, making your backyard an extension of your interior style. But why stop there? Adding several area rugs and throw pillows elevate your outdoor level of comfort even more. Here’s how:
Define your space with vibrant area rugs.
If your outdoor deck, patio or lanai is large and undefined, you may need to set some boundaries. Rugs create visual borders that break up large areas and make it easier to determine furniture placement.
Add a little color– or a lot of – for visual impact.
Just as you would an interior room, design your outdoor living space with a theme and color scheme in mind. Here are a few options:
Patterns Pop – The geometric design of this rug stands out beautifully against the neutral tone of the sectional. Changing out the rug and throw pillows results in a completely different look.
Neutral’s Nice – Slate gray and other earth tones are universally appealing and always in vogue.
Color Counts – Bright colors liven up any area. Pair several hues together for a lively look that’s anything but boring.
Increase your comfort level with an outdoor rug or two.
Warm weather begs for bare toes, but concrete, tile, and hardwood decks can get scorching hot in the dog days of summer. Soft rugs underfoot offer respite from the heat, while strategically placed comfy cushions create much-welcomed back support.
Relax. Nuvella® fabric and outdoor rugs are long lasting & easy care.
While outdoor furniture is loaded with indoor style elements, it’s still…well…outdoors. Choose pillows covered in weather-resistant fabric such as Nuvella, a high-performing, durable fabric. This all weather fabric repels moisture and stains, and, with proper care, will continue to look bright season after season. Ensure that area rugs are indoor/outdoor, and read care instructions to prevent formation of mold and mildew.
Entertaining, Home Decor & Furniture, How To, Outdoor & Patio Ideas, Seasonal
How to Arrange Outdoor Furniture
All eyes are on outdoor furniture, and it’s no wonder why. Exquisite style merges seamlessly with all-weather materials for furniture you’ll love relaxing in throughout the changing seasons. However, just as you would with interior spaces, give careful consideration to furniture placement. Read on for a few tips on how to arrange outdoor furniture to best suit your landscape and lifestyle.
THE EYES HAVE IT
Your eye is naturally drawn to a focal point when you enter a room, even if that room is outside. The focal point could be a fireplace, a paved veranda, or a pool. If your outdoor area doesn’t have a natural focal point, you can create one with furniture. A sectional is a great place to start as it’s substantial enough to draw attention.
TIP: Measure your space before purchasing to avoid overcrowding.
MIND THE TOES
Similar to decorating inside, keep in mind the traffic flow. Consider how guests enter and exit your outdoor living space and place furniture accordingly. Try to position furniture so the heavy traffic areas are behind or to the side of the main seating area to prevent foot traffic in front of you or guests.
TIP: Use an outdoor area rug to define your space and provide comfort underfoot.
DIVIDE AND CONQUER
If your outdoor area is large, consider multi-purpose zones. You might have a sectional seating group in one zone, a poolside bar in another, and a dining table and chairs in the next. To increase eye appeal, coordinate the zones by keeping color and/or furniture styles consistent, so it doesn’t look like a mish mash. Even if styles are different, just adding color coordinated cushions and outdoor rugs can help bring it all together.
TIP: If you’re a grill master, make sure the cooking equipment is away from the main seating area to avoid enveloping your guests in smoke.
LESS IS MORE
Even in the great outdoors, you can feel cramped and crowded if there’s too much furniture. In tight spaces, think about ditching the large dining table and opt for a smaller seating group. You might enjoy a fire table with deeply cushioned lounge chairs for comfortable, casual entertaining. Even better, choose a fire table with enough space for drinks and nibbles.
TIP: Furnishings that can pull double duty are ideal for smaller spaces. Ottomans or tables with storage space can help keep the area tidy.
Don’t forget to pin your favorites!
If you aren’t an Airbnb host yet, chances are good that someone in your social network is. Meet Rachael G., who along with her husband have rented out their Nashville home since early 2016. In addition to the added income, Rachael loves being in control of when and who she rents to, as well as the rental fees. Here’s a few of her tips for being a host and making guests feel at home.
Get the Proper Permits
Many municipalities require hosts to have a short-term rental permit. “We learned about this the hard way,” Rachael said. “The city monitors Airbnb. After reading reviews on our page, the city served us with a court date and we ended up being fined for failure to produce a permit.”
Know the Costs
Listing on Airbnb is free. They take a three percent host service on each reservation. More than one tax may be involved, depending on where you live. “We pay the six to eight percent city sales tax and a $2.50 occupancy tax for each night’s stay,” Rachael said. “Put aside money from each stay to cover all the taxes. If you don’t pay the city by the end of the year, they won’t renew your short-term rental permit.”
Identify your Audience
“We rent all year long but summers are huge in Nashville, mostly because of the (Country Music Awards) and Fourth of July. You can rent your house out every weekend if you wanted. But we’re being picky and renting only to couples, bachelorette parties (Nashville is second only to Vegas in this past time) and other all-chick getaways.”
Keep Your Keys Safe
“Guests are given a code to the lock box on our front door. We keep one key in it and if they lose it, we’re always nearby to get them back in. So far, there’s been no reason for handing out multiple keys.“
Lock Away Personal Items
“If you really treasure something, put it under lock and key. My husband and I stow all the important papers and valuables in two deadlock bolted closets.”
Make Your Home a Hotel
“We have separate sheets, pillows, comforters and towels for our guests and of course, we launder them after every guest visit,” says Rachael. “There’s also a dedicated space in our pantry and in the fridge for guests to bring their own items.”
Create a Guest Booklet
To make the Airbnb guest experience even more personal, Rachael created a booklet to help them get acquainted with the hosts, the home and the neighborhood. “We tried to cover everything a guest would want to know—for example, how to use the WiFi and TVs, where extra linens are stored, things to do and where’s the nearest Walgreens.”
Be Flexible
“Flights get delayed and canceled. Guests enjoy the city too much and don’t leave on time. Things happen!”
If you have an Airbnb hosting suggestion, share it here.
Trying to achieve an effortless bohemian look for your home? XO Ashley shares our boho décor essentials and popular color palettes for this style.