REFRESH WITH ARTICLE PART TWO

This post is sponsored by Article.

It is completely normal to decorate a space, live with it a bit, and realize that you need to tweak some things to fit your lifestyle needs. Perhaps you like to put your feet up when you read a book, but you didn’t think to purchase an ottoman? Perhaps you need just one more pillow to give you better back support on the couch? Don’t be discouraged to learn that you need to continue to iterate, add or take away something to find satisfaction with your decor. 

I’ve partnered with Article again to show some small updates to Rennai’s living room after she and her family lived in it for a month. Check out the before and after below. Can you spot the changes?

This was before we added the following:

We added an ottoman - Rennai’s husband is very tall. He loves sitting in the Sven Charme Tan armchair and reading, but he prefers to have his feet up. We added a black jute ottoman to create more comfort for David. The ottoman can also double as additional seating when they entertain. 

We added an extra pillow for comfort - When Rennai’s little kids sit in the leather chair they find it’s too deep. We sort of had a goldilocks problem. Haha! So, we added a pillow to help prop them up when they want to enjoy the reading nook.

We updated the coffee table to be oval instead of square - When we added the ottoman, the size started to compete visually with the coffee table, so we swapped the square table for the oval Walnut Lenia coffee table.

We layered another rug to anchor the table. Once the new table was added to the space, we realized that the scale looked off. To help make it not look too small for the large room, we added a 5x8 rug to anchor the table and establish its presence. 

We added another tree to the space. Plants help spaces feel alive and refreshing. That side of the room needed something extra without adding clutter. A skinny fiddled fig tree was just the ticket. 

Now, the space is finally complete and meets all of their lifestyle needs. It just took some tiny tweaks here and there to get it just right.

Be sure to check out many of these items on Article.com. They are offering flat rate shipping of $49 for all items under $1,000 and FREE shipping for all items above $1,000. They’ve also introduced Contactless Delivery so you can order and receive furniture from them stress-free during this time. 

Photos by Rennai Hoefer

ONE BENCH THREE WAYS WITH ARTICLE

This post is sponsored by Article.

I’m sure, more than ever, you are itching to decorate or redecorate the rooms in your home now that you have been quarantined for two months and stared at the same walls for hours. I know I am! I’ve already hung many frames and paintings that have been sitting on the floor of my closets, and it feels so good.

Well, perhaps you are in need of a bench, and I have just the one for you. I’ve partnered with Article to show you how to utilize a modern, classic bench three different ways. The Sente Devon Ivory Bench is as versatile as they come. It isn’t just a generic wood bench. Nope, it’s a comfortable wood and fabric bench that invites you to sit down and stay awhile. 

ENTRYWAY 

That’s why it’s great for an entryway. To be greeted with such beauty and comfort the minute you step into your home feels like you are being greeted by your gorgeous, uber-stylish aunt for Thanksgiving dinner. Kick your shoes off and set them underneath the bench or set your handbag on top and stay for a while. You can style the bench with pillows for extra texture and comfort. You can even style a throw on it or set a tray down with a plant on top.

LIVINGROOM

This bench provides extra comfortable seating for living rooms too. If you have a large family or you like to entertain often, this is a great option to be able to add additional seating without having to overwhelm a room with a massive sectional sofa. You can add some pillows for back support or lay across the whole bench for a movie, both options work. 

BEDROOM BENCH

Benches in the bedroom provide seating for a room that’s all about lying down. Rather than sit down on a smooshy mattress to tie your shoes, sit on this bench for easy getting-ready support. It’s also extra space for folding laundry and leaving piles of clothes overnight without having to put them on the floor or sleep with them on your covers (I never do that...teeehee). 

I’m telling you this bench is the ONE if there was only ONE you could choose from. Check it out on Article.com. It comes in a black tweed as well as a bold, graphic patternl. Flat-rate shipping is $49 for all items until $999. Buy now and get it delivered to your door with Contactless Delivery that’s safe but still convenient. 

Photos by Rennai Hoefer

LIVING ROOM REFRESH WITH ARTICLE

This post is sponsored by Article.

There are many functions of a home. I believe the primary function of a home is to serve as a sanctuary from the chaos and busyness of the outside world. When you walk into your home you should be able to exhale a sigh of relief that you are in a safe, comfortable space. I’ve partnered with Article to refresh Rennai Hoefer’s (my photographer’s) living room with Article’s latest Refresh Collection, and breathe new life into a space that hasn’t felt very relaxing and comfortable to Rennai for quite some time.

When beginning a room design, most people focus on the function of the space. For example, a living room is used for conversation and watching TV, so seating orientation and the amount of seating matters. However, we forget that spaces evoke emotion in us. We also forget that we laugh, cry, fight, celebrate, mourn and live out life’s various emotions in our homes. So, the amount of light, the colors, the textures...all of these variables impact our experience in a space just as much as its functionality. 

To break it down even further, you can purchase the right amount of seating and orient the room for optimal TV viewing, but you can feel incredibly uncomfortable even though your design goals have been met. Thus, when you begin designing a space, be sure to identify the emotions that you would like to experience when you are in the space in addition to the function of the space.

Because of everything I just mentioned above, design matters. Article is a company that carefully balances function and form - never sacrificing either with every piece they create. Article is attune to offering various colors, textures and surfaces while paying close attention to the lines and functionality of the pieces. You can’t go wrong when designing a space with Article home accents and furniture.

Before I refreshed Rennai’s living room, Rennai’s seating consisted of one oversized sofa that couldn’t fit many people. The sofa became worn and tattered, and it didn’t allow for much else in the room. It also focused all of the attention in one direction of the room ignoring the adjacent dining space and kitchen. The gray-ish brown color of the sofa also overpowered the room creating a drab experience.

We solved their functionality issue with one sofa that comfortably seats three people, one bench that could sit three kids (or two adults), one large reading chair, and one conversation chair. Seven or more people can easily have a conversation in this room now. But, more importantly, we breathed relaxation, serenity and comfort into the space with various wood textures, warm gold accents, soft leather, wool and velvet fabrics. We also played with a cheery green color, which communicates life, growth and energy heavily used in Article’s Refresh Collection.

When we finished designing the space, Rennai texted me the next morning saying, “The morning is so pretty. The colors are very serene and calming and peaceful inducing. It’s like therapy in a room right when I need it.” That’s when you know you have done your job well. When someone can feel like their home is a sanctuary, you have completed your goal.

Of course, rooms are constantly evolving. Sometimes when you set a up space you continue to iterate on it to achieve the optimal experience. Just be sure to start with quality furniture elements (i.e. sofa, chairs, table) as a solid foundation and build from there.

Stay tuned to see how this space is tweaked over the next couple of weeks to achieve our ultimate living room experience. 

Also, if you didn’t know Article has FREE SHIPPING for orders over $999. They go out of their way to make everything easy down to the box.

List of products used:
- Green Burrard Sofa
- Ivory bench
- Leather reading chair
- Leather conversation chair

Photos by Rennai Hoefer

Geome Sideboard & Ivory Rug from Article

This post is sponsored by Article.

It’s time. It’s time to create again. It’s time to design again. It’s time to write again. This is the first time in two years that I have added new furniture to the inside of my home. For 10+ years I have been a lifestyle blogger constantly updating spaces, watching design trends and sharing my finds, but grief stole a lot of that passion for the past two years. Now, I find myself able to accept my new life and dream once again, which means that I’m finally able to plan new spaces in my home. With the help of Article, I’ve transformed a space that has sat empty for too long. 

Great rooms can be a challenge, and there is a transitional area between my family room and my kitchen that has sat vacant since the divorce. The kids have just used the empty area to wrestle, dance and ride their bikes inside the house (insert eye roll). They didn’t seem to mind furniture missing, but I sure did. It has been an eyesore to me, but not anymore! 

I’ve always thought a beautiful sideboard would be perfect for under the window, and this solid oak with walnut veneer Geome storage unit was perfect. The sideboard serves as storage for board games and toys with easy to use, push-to-open doors. It looks incredibly sophisticated, and my plants sure have found a happy home.

To anchor and define this nebulous space, I placed the softest, handwoven ivory rug. The Texa rug is 9 ft by 12 ft. It looks like it could be jute, but it’s made with wool from happy, healthy sheep. It’s as soft as your favorite sweater, and my kids love playing Legos on it. If you ask me, it’s the perfect option to cover stone or wood floors.

I may or may not build on the space, but for now it’s much improved from a vacant hardwood floor thanks to Article.

If you’re in need of some modern furniture this holiday season, Article offers free ground shipping on orders over $999, and for orders under $999, Article offers a flat shipping fee of $49 (or $19 for small shipments). Article also offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee so you can try out your new furniture in your home worry-free. I know that we’ve all grown more accustomed to shopping online for various needs, but furniture feels like the last great hold out. Trust me when I say that my ordering experiences with Article have consistently been a breeze. Their collection is carefully curated (no sifting through hundreds of mediocre products to find the one diamond), their photos are not only stunning but true to the product, and their assembly services at the delivery point also remove the stress of putting complicated furniture together. If you’re curious, you can learn more about their various shipping tiers at a few price points here.

And if you’re looking for a bargain, their annual Black Friday Sale is on right now (up to 45% off select pieces). Shop it here.

Photos by Rennai Hoefer

UPGRADING YOUR OUTDOOR SPACE WITH ARTICLE

It has been a hot (or shall I say cool) minute since I sat in my swimsuit or threw an outdoor dinner party. I couldn’t be more excited to be outside in the summer sun, especially now that I have some gorgeous pieces from Article.

To put it simply, Article seriously stepped up their game this season with their newly expanded outdoor collection. Not just in style and value, but also in how easy they’ve made it for you to upgrade your outdoor space — no matter your style.

They’ve curated three distinct looks to choose from: Garden Scandi, Boho Patio, and Industrial Pop. So there’s something for everyone. They even have a QUIZ you can take if you need a little extra help defining your style. For me, I was so drawn to the modern, clean lines and timeless, neutral qualities of their Garden Scandi collection.

You all know how much I adore Article. I have a sofa and two green velvet chairs from Article that I cannot stop raving about. Well, now my outdoors look like my indoors.

The Teaka dining table is SOLID. Solid in style and make. The teak wood comes raw. You can seal it if you would like or you can let it weather. I would recommend sealing it if you live in Arizona because the sun can be super harsh.

I chose the Svelti white outdoor chairs to go with the table because they are easy to wipe down (it gets dusty in AZ) and they won’t burn you when you sit on them. They are very comfortable and light-weight, which makes them easy to store in a garage or indoors during the cooler months. Pro tip: The armed versions of these chairs stack if you need to store them during the off-season.

I styled the table with blue, vintage earthenware that I grew up eating on. Blue is a hot color right now, and it looks beautiful outside with the blue sky or near a blue pool.

Because we live in the pool 12 hours a day during the summer, I thought a sectional that I could easily wipe down and lie on would be nice to have. I like the shape of the Tezra sectional, and I felt the darker gray would show less dirt. It’s SOOO comfortable. My friend Pete likes it too.

The Toba Driftwood Gray coffee table was the perfect shape to balance the rectangular design of the sectional and the color coordinated well with the solid teak table and dining chairs. The wood also comes raw. So, if you want to avoid water rings, I would recommend coasters or sealing it.

Elle, Levi, and I are set for summer thanks to Article. If you’re in the market for affordable, modern outdoor furniture, I highly recommend checking out Article’s expanded collection. Be sure to also see how Vintage Revivals and No Whey Lady styled their pieces.

Photos by Rennai Hoefer; location Lexi Grace Design