Hope you’re ready for some pictures of our trip! It took me forever to narrow down our photos, and this post is still pretty long--consider yourself warned. I've split my trip recap into three posts, starting with the first country we visited: Iceland. This place absolutely blew me AWAY. I didn’t have too many expectations for Iceland, since Ben did most of the planning for this portion of the trip (it was his top choice). I don’t know if I would have ever picked Iceland on my own, but I was sooo glad Ben did! Everything was amazingly beautiful and unlike anything I’d ever seen before. We kept saying we felt like we were on an alien planet, the landscape is so unique and otherworldly.

We started in the capital city, Reykjavik. If you think the spelling on that looks confusing, wait til you see the names of some of the other places in Iceland (Eyjafjallajökull, anyone?).

Our flight got in early in the morning, so we decided to hit the ground running and get adjusted to Icelandic time as quickly as possible. Our first stop was coffee and breakfast at a cute place called Bergsson Mathús, then from there we checked out this unique church in the heart of the city. It’s called Hallgrímskirkja--told you their names are a mouthful! We took an elevator to the observation deck at the top, which gave us a great view of downtown Reykjavik.

I looooved all the cute buildings with their colorful roofs.

Next, we checked out Harpa--this stunning concert hall with floor-to-ceiling geometric windows.

For lunch, we tried the famous Icelandic hot dogs. They’re lamb-based, and they come with crispy fried onions and remoulade on them (yum!). Fun fact: Bill Clinton ate here once. After that, we just wandered around the city and tried to take it all in. If you’re planning a trip there, we stayed in this Airbnb, which I’d definitely recommend. It was cute, affordable, and in a great location!

The next morning, we woke up early and headed out to do the Golden Circle. I loved the countryside in Iceland even more than the city. My favorite parts were the adorable houses (almost all of them were white with red roofs), and the abundance of sheep and horses (they were everywhere).

One of our first stops was at an area right off the road with several geysers and hot springs, including Geysir, the first geyser recorded in history (it's where the English word comes from). We watched the geyser above, called Strokkur, go off a bunch of times. It was amazing! See the people on the right hand side of the photo for scale.

After that, we went to Gulfoss, the first of many waterfalls we saw while in Iceland. It’s super impressive and powerful, comprised of two stages at a 90 degree angle that plunge into a deep crevice.

Another of my favorite waterfalls we saw that day was this one: Gljúfrafoss. I liked it because it felt so hidden, magical, and unique. We waded through the stream that runs between those two cliffs in order to see it up close. It’s not the biggest, but it’s definitely worth checking out! It’s also on the same turnoff as Seljalandfoss, another cool waterfall that you can walk behind.

By late afternoon, we arrived in the Vik area. It's the southernmost town in Iceland, where we stayed for the next two nights. You can actually rent out this lighthouse (how cool would that be?!) but it’s not where we stayed. Maybe next time :)

This is called Dyrhólaey, which literally means "door hole.” Apparently someone once flew a plane through that hole! From the top, you have a spectacular view of the sea stacks and black sand beaches that seem to go on forever. If you go in August, this is also a popular nesting spot for puffins, which I definitely want to go back and see...I was sad that we missed them by just a few weeks.

The next morning, we went to the other side of Dyrhólaey and checked out the basalt stacks at nearby Reynisfjara. I thought they were SO cool.

And then we went on a day trip to explore more of Southern Iceland!

It’s pretty crazy driving in Iceland. The roads stretch on and on and on, and sometimes you won’t see another car for miles.

The landscape is really beautiful and varied, too…everything from Viking houses built into the hills (above) to lava fields covered with spongy moss (below).

And glaciers…we saw LOTS of glaciers.

Our destination that day was the Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon, and it was well worth the trip. It was truly incredible, unreal, and all of the superlatives--and we didn’t even see it on a clear day! I can only imagine if it hadn’t been cloudy. It's a big lake at the base of a glacier, full of tons of gorgeous blue icebergs that have broken off from the glacier. We were totally mesmerized, watching these guys maneuver their boats around the icebergs and just taking it all in.

The next morning, we headed back to Reykjavik, stopping along the way at a few more attractions, including this gorgeous waterfall: Skogafoss! It was huge and so beautiful.

We got soaked, but it was worth it. That's what jackets are for, right?

We also stopped at this eerie landmark: the site of a U.S. Navy aircraft that crashed on an Icelandic beach in 1973. The crew all survived, but the plane was abandoned and now you can drive out to see the wreckage.

Even the parts of our drive that weren’t specifically landmarks were amazingly beautiful. I mean, take this shot for example: a herd of horses, some cute farm buildings, and a waterfall, all on the side of the road. No big deal.

Back in Reykjavik, we ate some Icelandic fish ’n chips at Kaffivagninn. They were SO yummy, probably the best fish ’n chips I’ve ever had (sorry, Ivar’s).

We also stopped by the Kex Hostel briefly to check it out. Super cute decor, but that floor was really what grabbed my attention.

THEN, we headed to the Blue Lagoon! On every big trip, we try to keep most of our accommodations pretty affordable, but we splurge on one hotel that seems unique. The Blue Lagoon was our splurge hotel of this trip, and I absolutely thought it was worth it. Our room included two tickets to the main Blue Lagoon, and the hotel had it’s own private lagoon that, honestly, we liked even better. Plus, it was gorgeously decorated. Scandinavian design is where it’s at!

This is the main Blue Lagoon--one of the 25 wonders of the world. It’s a geothermal spa with bright blue water in the middle of a lava field. It’s actually a manmade lagoon, fed by the hot water from the nearby geothermal power plant (see it steaming in the background of this photo). It was fun to explore, but it’s also pretty crowded, which is why we liked the private blue lagoon back at our hotel even better. We had such a memorable night, hanging out in the hot water with the cold air on our faces, watching the stars come out, and later, the Northern Lights! Truly magical.

Disclaimer: We are not professional photographers, plus we wanted to experience the Northern Lights firsthand rather than fidget with the camera a bunch…so this is the best shot we got. It was pretty surreal to see them dancing across the sky though! Such a great way to end our trip in Iceland.

We saw so many amazing things in the short four days we were in Iceland, and we both loooved it. We’re already talking about making a return trip to see the entire island. Definitely add it to your bucket list, if it’s not already there!

Other things to note: Icelandic lamb is delicious and their butter is soooo good. Make sure to eat them both. Everyone speaks English, so you don’t have to try and pronounce those crazy intimidating words. And flights to Iceland are super affordable--plus if you live in Seattle, you can get nonstops. Just saying. I didn’t post everything here, just the highlights, so if you’re planning a trip and you want more tips, shoot me an email!

I’m back! We had a truly amazing vacation, and I can’t wait to share the photos with you guys (I’ll be posting some trip recaps soon)…but first, I’m honored to be included in the book tour for Caroline Rowland’s first book, The Shopkeeper’s Home. I think we can all agree, one of the best places to find inspiration for the home is in stylish retail spaces. I love shopping at beautiful boutiques for exactly that reason: I sometimes leave with a purchase, but I always leave with some new ideas. So I was really excited when I heard about Caroline's book! It takes us inside over 30 creative shops around the world…and then it goes one step further and also gives us a peek into the owners' personal homes. That second bit is the part that intrigued me the most, as I’ve often been curious what stylish shopkeepers’ homes look like. Do they mirror the decorating style in the shop? Or does the owner create some purposeful differences between their work and home? This book explores that relationship with 223 pages of absolutely gorgeous eye candy, along with insightful commentary and tips from Caroline. I devoured this book in one lovely afternoon, and I know I’ll revisit it often. Definitely one of my new favorites!

For my portion of the book tour, I get to show you three of my favorite shops and homes in the book (and trust me, it was hard to pick favorites). Ready? Let’s start with...

The shop: Father Rabbit, a lifestyle shop in Auckland, New Zealand.

From the book: Father Rabbit is a modern-day general store stocking utilitarian yet carefully crafted products for everyday life. Their approach to styling the shop is to give their products lots of display space…objects are often grouped together in multiples and lined up neatly and evenly. The lighting is bright and clear, and there is minimal clutter, making the space feel refreshing and clean. The color palette is muted, with lots of items made from natural materials, creating a sense of calmness and integrity.

The home: Claudia and Nick’s home incorporates a more relaxed level of precision and order than their shop, but it displays the same sense of minimalistic comfort. Color is again mostly pared back, though there are some subtle additions, such as the pastel cushions on the sofa, and the pea green walls in the hallway.

The shop: Room to Dream, a homeware shop in Munich, Germany.

From the book: Flooded with natural light from the large front window, the shop is bright and airy, and filled with furnishings and accessories of mainly Nordic origin. A lover of all things Scandinavian, Sabine says she is influenced by the Scandi way of life and the importance that a beautiful home holds for those Nordic dwellers. Good design and quality craftsmanship are central to her product range, and she stocks many classic pieces as well as her own Room to Dream line. While Sabine is very hot on current trends, her ethos is very much focused on how to combine old and new looks. Rather than discarding last seasons’s items and replacing them with the new, she enjoys the challenge of blending the two.

The home: In her home, Sabine’s goal was to create a space that made it easy and quick to unwind in. Although Sabine uses color boldly in her shop, at home she prefers a white backdrop, with moveable furniture and textural color on paintings and soft furnishings, to provide visual interest.

The shop: Black Oveja, a craft shop in Madrid, Spain.

From the book: Maria and Alfonso applied their strong sense of design to their store aesthetic. Here, they’ve created clever, practical and cohesive display solutions with a few fun design elements thrown in. Uniformity and order are key to the neat, innovative displays, while cute do-it-yourself ideas and mismatched furniture add an element of fun throughout this quirky and inviting store.

The home: The couple’s home also mixes modern pieces with recycled elements and vintage finds. In contrast to their retail space, with its rainbow palette of yarns and fabrics, their home has a relatively neutral color scheme. But it is clear Maria has an eye for color, as pops of watermelon pink, turquoise blue, and mint green have seated a subtle theme throughout the space.

It’s so interesting to see the shops and homes together, and notice how a person’s aesthetic can influence their personal and professional spaces in different ways (or the same). I love the concept of this book, and it was such a treat to peek inside all the inspiring spaces featured inside!

You can see more sneak peeks on Decor8, Yvestown, Lobster and Swan, Apartment Apothecary, and Makelight. Plus, check Happy Interior Blog tomorrow for the conclusion of the tour. Then of course you’re going to want to buy the book for yourself, because you won’t want to miss one page! :)

Father Rabbit home photos by Duncan Innes/Homestyle Magazine. All other photos from The Shopkeeper’s Home by Caroline Rowland, published by Jacqui Small.

Today’s the day!!! We are heading to Iceland, Italy, and France for three weeks and I am SO EXCITED. I don’t have any guest posts lined up so it’s going to be quiet around here until I get back…but if you miss me, I’m pretty sure I’ll be flooding Instagram with photos, so you can always follow along there (@athomeinlove)!

I’ll be back in mid-October! Can’t wait to tell you guys all about it :)

My favorite DIY projects are easy, inexpensive, and practical as well as pretty. This one fits the bill, if I do say so myself! I partnered with Kendall-Jackson to make a simple, modern wine rack that you can DIY in minutes, with just a few inexpensive supplies from the hardware store. Head over to their blog to get the how-to!

Ben told me that my wine rack looks kind of like a torture device on it’s own (whoops, not my intention)...but once the wine bottles were in, we both loved it!

The sleek, clean design lets the wine bottles be the stars of the show. And it’s super customizable, too! You can easily adjust the instructions to make your wine rack wider, taller (even floor-standing)--whatever works for the size of your wine collection.

Thanks to Kendall-Jackson for partnering with me on this post.

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