The holiday’s are here and the spirit of the season is all around us. Can you feel it loves?! This is the time when we welcome friends and family into our homes more than any other time during the year. I don’t know about you, but I feel like home is where the heart is and I always want my home to feel comfortable, special and inviting. I’m so excited to be able to share that together, Raymour and Flanigan and I are going to show you how you can make sure your house feels like a home to those who visit. Having grown up in New England my whole life, I’ve been a big fan of R & F for years. Not only have myself and other family members bought furniture from them, but I have used their furniture for decorating a client’s home. What I love most about Raymour and Flanigan is not only do they offer an eclectic mix of furniture/home décor, I love that they are a family owned and operated business. They understand what it means to be family.
With the love of family at the helm, Raymour and Flanigan and I have collaborated together this season to give back. Back to family. Helping a family in need with making a house into a home. This loves is what Home for the Holidays with Raymour and Flanigan is all about. Giving to those in need.
There is this woman I know. A strong, beautiful, funny, charasmatic and smart woman. In the past, this woman appeared to have it all… a family, a beautiful home in the suburbs and a successful career giving back to her community working in the field of social services. That was her life for 12 years. Behind the scenes, what many people, including myself, didn’t know was that she was struggling with domestic violence issues. Domestic violence happens to so many women behind closed doors, but often times it is something they are ashamed to say is happening to them. This took it’s toll on her a few years ago. She was forced to go into hiding with her two young daughters and start over. It was a hard decision for her to leave her job and her family and friends to runaway, but she did. She had to so that she could be safe. She was afraid for her life. She lost EVERYTHING she owned and had to start over. Through it all she had to become stronger for her daughters. Not only did she have to become mom and dad, she had to make the adjustment of living in safety and comforts of the suburbs to struggling as a single mom living in a urban environment. This wasn’t something she and her children were used to but she has overcome and has found a way to give her daughters a fresh start in a small little home. This woman is my sister. I have seen her in the best of times and in the worst of time. I’ve seen the smiles and I’ve seen the tears. She appears to be strong, but I know at times she is broken. I also see the strength in her that I wish I had. She is my hero in many ways and I’m so happy that Raymour and Flanigan has allowed me to help her make her new little house into a home this holiday season. If there is anyone who deserve this, it’s her.
I was able to makeover both her living room and dining room. Although the spaces are small, my challenge is to maximize the space for her when it comes to seating and having meals with her daughters and family. My first task. Picking the living room furniture.
As you can see, just over a week ago these pics were taken. She had water line breaks in her heating system that effected the living room, dining room and kitchen. This was hard as she and the girls had no heat for over a week in very cold temperatures.
Here is the dining room. Old chandelier and all. She loves my decorating style and previously I did help her paint the living and dining areas in Quiet Moments from Benjamin Moore. It’s a favorite color for both of us because it’s such a relaxing color. A few months back, I had picked up the EAT letters for her from Hobby Lobby. After all the damage to the water pipes was fixed and the holes in the ceilings and walls were patched and painted, I was able to move on to the next steps. Picking the furniture. I was choosing between the below 3 living room sets.
The Howell Collection: I so loved the rustic chic look of this. The tufted backing is so elegant and polished but the shape of the pieces still say “come sit here”. Comfort and luxury in one. This was one of my favorite collections in the entire store.
The Tatiana Collection: The clean lines on this say comfort through and through. It’s a VERY eclectic collection. Fits into any style whether your style is contemporary, rustic, or cottage this collection works for you. Also, the pillows WOW… so fluffy and soft.
The Bellina Collection: The nail head trim along the edge had me at hello. Always such a pretty touch on furniture. The paisley pattern and color on the accent pillows are simply gorgeous! This is an ideal collection for those who live a contemporary lifestyle, but again, it’s a very eclectic collection.
One of these have been selected for my sisters living room set as part of the makeover. I can’t wait to reveal it to you!
