I got the idea for this DIY when we were on our Friday Harbor vacation. I really wanted to see whales, and I kept saying stupid whale puns, like "I whaley hope we see some today!" Then it hit me...a whalecome mat! How cute would that be? I did a quick search and couldn't find any, so I decided to make my own. This project is really easy, and the same principle could be applied to make a doormat with whatever saying or design you like…although, of course, if you want to copy this same design you are totally whalecome to (ahaha).

To begin with, you'll need a plain woven jute rug (I got one that was 2'x3' from World Market). You can also use a coir doormat, but we had one of those before and I got soo annoyed at how much it shed. You'll also need a piece of paper cut to the same size as the mat, and some latex porch paint. I think spraypaint might also work, but I wanted to be sure that the paint would stand up to the elements. If you try this project using spray paint, let me know how it lasts!

The next step is to draw out your design on the piece of paper and cut it out to make the stencil.

Next. tape the stencil to the mat so it doesn't move, and start painting! If you have designs like eyes that you don't want to be filled in with paint, make sure to do those first (you'll have to freehand them). Then carefully paint around them.

Let the paint dry fully, then remove the stencil. That's it! Paint doesn't really bleed on jute, so the lines should be nice and clean. My parents saw our doormat last weekend and totally thought we bought it. That's the best kind of DIY--the kind where no one can tell you made it yourself!

Let me know if you have any questions about this project...and if you decide to do it, I'd love to see photos!

There’s a combination that I can’t get enough of right now, whether it’s in the office, the bedroom, or the kitchen. But especially in the kitchen. Take a look at these inspiration photos. Can you guess what it is?

Yep, painted white furniture + cup pulls (also known as bin pulls). So good! Oh, and that walk-in closet is dreeeaaamy, isn’t it? It’s decorated by Jillian Harris, who I just love.

More inspiration! All those little drawers in the kitchen on the right are so pretty. Maybe not the most practical, but I love how they look.

And if you really want to get me excited, add a butcher block top.

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Here are some shopping sources so we can all “get the look." You can also buy cup pulls from just about any hardware store if you’d like to update the furniture you already own!

1. Dresser / 2. Desk / 3. Hutch / 4. Bedside table

What combination have you been obsessing over lately??

This post was written in partnership with Fortune Woods.

Happy Monday, friends! I wanted to start this week (and this month) with a cheery house tour that I found on Apartment Therapy. It’s the home of Gigi Eligoloff, editor of Gransnet…and it’s full of candy-colored details, vintage pieces, and quirky touches.

I am totally obsessed with Gigi’s Rangemaster stove. It’s so chic against with that simple subway tile. The floor in their kitchen is pretty great too…and of course, I love the open shelving!

I also really like how she painted the rungs of those barstools mint green.

And she has a pink sofa!!

It looks like she took that same mint green paint from the chair rungs and added it to other pieces of furniture throughout the house. I really like how she painted the doors and drawer on this table, but left the rest of it wood. It’s a nice contrast! And having that consistent pop of color helps to tie all the rooms together.

What did you think of this house tour? Did you see it on Apartment Therapy the other day? If not, be sure to check out the full tour and read more about Gigi’s candy-colored cottage in the article here.

Photos via Apartment Therapy

My parents are staying with us this weekend (they came in last night), so I decided not to write a full blog post so we could clean the house and spend time with them. This week has been really crazy…I can hardly believe we had Monday off. It seems so long ago! Ben and I work at the same company, and we moved buildings this week, so it has been pretty hectic at work. Not to mention the fact that we’re having to re-figure out our commute (and on Wednesday, it took us almost 2 hours to get home….ahhhh!) Despite all that, I am in a good mood today because…it’s Friday, and it’s peony season! If that doesn’t make you happy, I don’t know what will. Get yourself down to the farmer’s market or the grocery store--or anywhere that sells peonies--and pick up a bunch this weekend. Instant mood lifters! Just look at those pretties.

Happy (almost) weekend, everyone!! Hope you have a great one.

Photo by Julie Mikos