Nauti Style at Home: Carolina Coastal

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In honor of my upcoming trip to Hilton Head, this installment of Nauti Style is Carolina Coastal—a laid-back, seaside approach to nautical decor. Relaxing spa blues echo the tones of the ocean, and balance with sensible whites, linens, and natural materials to reflect the landscape. Airy curtains let in the light (and the sea breeze) with a pattern reminiscent of starfish shapes. A woven magazine basket also holds all of those fabulous beach reads you just can't travel without. And how cool is this seahorse lamp?

I'm already dreaming of the sun and sand, and the smell of ocean salt...

I'll be taking the next week off from posting, so I'll see you guys when I get back! If you want to live vicariously through my beach pics, you can follow me on Instagram or Twitter. Hope you enjoyed this little bit of seaside style — catch you soon!

Mother's Day Weekend

Happy Monday, everyone!

I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted, and my green tea's just not quite doing it for me. We had a busy (and fun) weekend over here, though, so at least I feel accomplished and ready to get this week over with (which sounds negative, but I leave for Hilton Head on Friday and I pretty much can't wait)! 

We hosted Sunday brunch for Mother's Day for both of our families, which was so nice, and also a great excuse to overeat and fill up on bloody marys and mimosas. 

This bar cart, I'm telling you, best DIY we've done. I love using it!

About to dig in

My little (or not so little) party helper, who just had his first haircut!

We took Cooper up to Detroit to pay a visit to our breeder, who gave him his first grooming and also put up his ears (no worries, this does not hurt him)! He was getting really shaggy, so he just got trimmed a bit in the body, and then quite a bit in the face. He looks like such a little gentleman now — he's growing up (tears)!

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I finished off the weekend with a class at Pure Barre, which is my new obsession, and hopefully burned off some of that brunch indulgence. I have never been a big gym rat, so finding a fitness regime that's challenging but also really enjoyable for me is pretty rare. My first class was tough—but I came back for more, and I still crave it on my off days. The staff is so helpful and welcoming, which leads to such an encouraging environment. I couldn't recommend it more!*

I'm looking forward to getting in a few more last-minute classes before I head to the beach on Friday. Did you guys treat your moms (or yourself) yesterday? 

*This post was not sponsored – all thoughts and opinions are my own!

DIY: Gold Art Deco Mirror

I've been hoping to share this DIY post for a while, but have been holding off because I haven't had the slightest clue what happened to my process photos. Those are, you know, usually helpful so you'd at least have a clue how we made this mirror! But alas, I've searched all of my devices and come up with nothing. So I'm sharing the final results with some instructions, and since you are all just so talented, I know you can figure it out!

This is a great way to give a plain, old, or cheap mirror a new life. This mirror has somehow been dragged from place to place each time we moved, despite us never liking it/having a place for it. When I put together my vanity table, I thought it would be the perfect fit, but just needed a little glam-ifying :) It's perfect to share this week, too, since The Great Gatsby premieres tomorrow, and we'll all be having a love affair with Art Deco after that!

You'll need:

A wood mirror
Fine grit sandpaper (300+)
Gold spray paint (or any color you choose)
Clear gloss spray lacquer
Blue painter's tape
Newspaper
Pencil and ruler

How to:

1) Gently run the sandpaper over the entire frame of the mirror, going with the grain of the wood. You're not trying to sand away imperfections, you just want to give a light buff to make it easier for the paint to stick. Wipe the dust off with a soft, dry cloth.

2) Put newspaper over the mirror area inside the frame, trying your best to tuck the newspaper under the wood frame to prevent any overspray from getting on the mirror. You don't need to tape it in place at this point.

3) Begin your measurements – start by measuring the dimensions of the entire mirror. Divide each length by two – this gives you your center points. Mark your center points on all four sides lightly with a pencil. You will do all of your measuring starting with those points and working your way out to the edges. Then, you'll want to do some simple math to determine where your stripes will be placed. Depending on how wide you want them to be (mine were about 1.5"), you can divide that into the space you have in each half (from center point to edge) to see how many stripes you can fit in. Then, you'll make pencil marks where your tape will go. It's tough to tape off diagonal lines, so I diagrammed it a bit below so you can get the idea:

4) Now, you'll tape off the areas where you want the wood to show through. Run the strips of tape around the inside lip of the frame and onto the newspaper (covering the mirror) to make a continuous line. Then, make sure your tape is sealed tightly to the surface of the wood by running your fingernail along the edge (key tip)! I left the areas around the center points untaped, to create a triangle shape. I think it adds that Art Deco touch, and makes the stripes look like they're radiating from those points.

5) Now, spray! You'll do two coats of gold, waiting a few hours between coats (or whatever is listed on the can). Let the gold paint dry overnight, then peel the tape off. Use a sharp x-acto blade to gently scrape any paint areas that might have snuck under the tape.You should hopefully be happy with the results, at this point, but it gets better!

6) Use the clear gloss lacquer over the entire frame (you'll need to re-set some newspaper back over the mirror), following the directions on the can. This not only sets the gold paint nicely, but gives the mirror a sealed, factory-like finish.

Let it dry, then hang and enjoy! I'm really happy we were able to give this mirror a second chance, because it was headed for the donation pile. The clear lacquer even makes the wood look richer than before, so it's a major improvement. I'm definitely happy to see it every morning when I get ready.

I think this would also be cool to do to a picture frame. That's why I love spray paint — you can use use it to transform just about anything. What have you guys been making over this spring? And who's going to see Gatsby?

Nauti Style at Home: Midwest

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I knew the second we bought our house that I wanted to infuse a little dose of nautical into every room. Decorating with a theme in mind, however, can start as "nautical inspired" and end up in "seafood restaurant" territory rather quickly. I'm not one to shy away from a challenge, so I've decided to do a little blog series about nautical decor, broken up by different regions and inspirations.

There is such a broad range of what it means to be "coastal," and the design influences vary as much as the geography. So I've started here in familiar territory—the Midwest—with a collection that looks a lot like my own living room.

Midwest-inspired nautical represents those of us living along the Great Lakes, or an inland body of fresh water. It's not pastel, or beachy, or ocean-inspired, but goes a little bolder. Prints are more graphic, colors a bit richer (think navy or cobalt) and textured neutrals add that bit of "grit" that us Midwesterners are so familiar with. Industrial accents, like the wire basket, are functional and bring that rust-belt touch to the room. A bit of metallic gold here and there (like the chevron pillow and round woven mirror) adds a bit of sophistication. And, of course, you need a killer model boat for your mantle. Add in lots of white and natural colors, and you'll have a balanced look that keeps your graphic patterns from looking too strong.

The driftwood candle hurricane shown here is actually from Anthropologie, but I did a DIY last year with driftwood from Lake Erie, which made it even more special! I linked to it under the image, if you'd like to give it a try.

In the rest of the series, we'll cover the west coast, the east coast, and everything in between. I'm also open to suggestions about cities/areas/types of nauti style for future posts, so if you guys have requests, leave them below in the comments! 

the style letters' Re-Launch Party

Last Sunday was the ever-so-awesome Madewell party to celebrate the redesign of the style letters! Not only was it a really fun shopping experience (how can it not be – the clothes are amazing) but everything down the flowers and the macarons complemented the design of the blog. Talk about attention to detail!

The blogger herself, and me — how cute is her map dress? Her dress, necklace, and my chambray top are all Madewell. 

Pink lemonade and pink blooms

A tray of treats – salted caramel and raspberry chocolate!

An array of Madewell's signature piece: the chambray shirt

One of many fitting room shots — I am obsessed with this skirt! They didn't have it in my size, or I would have definitely walked out with it. The two-tone chambray shirt was a definite keeper.

The loot I decided on — some brights, some stripes, some lace, and a few casual pieces

I could seriously shop here all day — I always find something unique, and the quality never fails to impress. It was even better to have a store full of shopping buddies — from Maria's friends and fans, to the amazing Madewell staff, there was someone there to give advice and/or enable your shopping habit.

You can see even more photos of the details and outfits over on the style letters. Congratulations, Maria, on being a super great client, having a brand new blog, and on a successful debut party!

The store we visited was located at Beachwood Place, so if you're local, be sure to stop in and say hello to Jen, Liz, and Bethany!

Weekend Wrap-Up

Happy Monday, everyone!

Hope you're all staying dry out there. This is the time of year when the "season of frizz" descends upon us, and keeping my hair straight and manageable becomes basically impossible; but alas, April showers bring May flowers, right? I'm ready for the rain to end!

This weekend was crazy productive and crazy fun (when does that happen?), with lots of events happening around town, and a huge yardwork overhaul starting over at our house.

Friday night I got to check out the launch of Cleveland's own Georgie + Elaine line at Banyan Tree with miss Maria, and it was a blast. The line brands itself as "Romantic American Luxury," which is reflected in the sugary pastel palette and the high-quality materials — the fabrics are all silk or silk-blend with only natural fibers. 

The lighting is a little harsh here, but you can see how nice all of the colors look together.

This rose-gold lace mini skirt was probably my favorite piece — the color and execution were so spot on. We tried on a few other pieces, and sadly I left without the skirt, but I'm sure I'll be back to say hello to it, like visiting an old friend..;)

After a little wine and desserts (okay, a lot of desserts) we headed for a nightcap at Ginkgo, which is the modern little sushi lounge tucked underground, below Dante in Tremont. The sushi was great, and the cocktails were amazing (this is the ginger martini, and there was another one I had that reminded me of a mojito, with a Japanese twist).

Saturday was backyard-makeover day — we took advantage of the gorgeous weather and finally started whipping our yard into shape. I took a few photos, but since we are planting grass where an old concrete patio used to be, our yard is mostly just a dirt pit for the time being! That's definitely a post for a different day. Hopefully we'll be seeing some progress with the grass soon, and we can begin planting just in time for summer.

Tomorrow I'll be sharing photos from Sunday's launch party for the style letters at Madewell, that I mentioned last week. It was so much fun, and I got some great stuff! Can't wait to share!

How did you use the awesome weekend weather?

Blog Design: The Style Letters

A project many months in the making, this week was the official launch of my dear friend Maria's blog, the style letters. Back in January, Maria and I had a conversation about giving her blog a little facelift, and after hearing some of her ideas and inspiration for the look, I was in! I got an instant visual from hearing her explain what she wanted — pretty, boutique-y, blush and coral, touch of sparkle — so I couldn't wait to get started making her blog dreams come true (yes, blog dreams are a thing)!

Maria and I met over many working happy hours (at Beer Engine, and Pier W to name a few) and decided on a logo, business card, and finalized a style guide (above) for her blog and branding. With the need for a web and print presence, we pored over Pantone books to give her a perfectly tailored color palette for online use and printed brand materials.

I dove into the blog template to extend the columns for larger, more impactful photos, and to add in a specialty typeface (Josephin Slab) to make her words shine. For her branding typography, we went with two beautiful classics: Bodoni Bold, and Futura Light.

The entire blog was rebuilt over a fun (and delicious) working session at my house, with more candy than any person should ever consume, a mac and cheese pizza, and some spicy grapefruit margaritas.

The project came together without a hitch (so far!) and I'm so proud to have played a part in Maria's brand new look. You can read more about the process, photographers, and upcoming features on the style letters right here.

We'll be celebrating the launch with a Madewell shopping party at Beachwood Place this Sunday, from 3–6pm. Anyone is welcome to stop by and say hello! Perhaps I'll see you there, and if not, I'll be sharing plenty of photos here, and on Instagram. Cheers to fresh starts!

If you have a blog project of you're own you'd like to discuss, you can email me at novak.rachael@gmail.com.

Nauti Style: The Ropes Maine

The second I first learned about The Ropes Maine, the anchor in my heart doubled in size and almost exploded, kind of like the Grinch's heart in, you know, that Christmas movie. It was love! The Ropes was founded by designer Shana Aldrich Ready, a Maine native, who uses Maine ropes and hardware to construct her bracelets. They're so sturdy and well-made, and come in so many colors that stopping at one seems impossible.

The Ropes recently partnered with Baublebar to create a few exclusive designs, and I was able to get my hands on one before they started selling out (I think there are only a few styles left).

This one was my favorite because 1) stripes 2) stripes (deserves repeating) and 3) neon! It makes for the perfect summer accessory, and will be even more appropriate during our Maine trip this August. Not to mention, a little Lake Erie summer boating..! You can find The Ropes online, or check out their vendor list to see if they are carried at a store near you. 

*This post was not sponsored by The Ropes, and is my own opinion

Easter Weekend Snaps

Happy April, friends! How was your Easter? My pants feel super tight today, so my Easter = success. I had Friday off, so I was able to enjoy a nice long weekend with friends visiting, and family get-togethers. 

Banana walnut muffins for breakfast

Hooked on this flowery dress from Madewell — it was perfect for Easter brunch

New additions to my tape collection, in springy bright colors

Spent Sunday afternoon cuddling with the little fur monster!

Now that I'm coming down from my sugar high, it's time to get ready for our spring house projects—which are now focused on the outside. With the bulk of our indoor work completed last fall, we hibernated through winter and are now ready to give the house the curb appeal it so desperately needs. We also have a big front porch, and a second floor rooftop porch to furnish and design, so it feels like we're dealing with two new 'rooms' in the house. It's a lot to think about, but so fun. Stay tuned for a post on our design—can't wait to share more!

Beer Sweet Beer

There are few things in this world I love more than beer. Close to the top are actually the things that make great partners with beer — namely pizza, burgers, anything salty, and summer. I'm craving summer so badly, it feels like torture.

For now, all I can do is stare at this print and dream. I recently got a tip from a pal that spotted it over on the Food Network blog for a St. Patrick's Day round-up — super exciting! If you're feeling like a lush, you can head over here to get yourself one, to further tempt you into warmer days.

What's your favorite summer beer? Do you see it in the print?

Jenna Lyons on 'Shiny Ponies'

"I think inspiration comes from everywhere. It can be an old movie you saw, it can be something you feel like you're missing in your closet. Sometimes that design inspiration is a little bit like a river, picking up things along the way."

"Anyone who thinks that your shoe isn't informative about who you are is...making a mistake."

Love this little short, and obviously love all of these shoes. So much goes into these little pieces of beauty! It's nice to hear her talk about J.Crew's process and her vision. Which ones do you want? :)

Home How-To: TV Gallery Wall

Happy Monday, everyone — hope you all enjoyed the amazingly warm weather yesterday! My car got a much-needed wash from top to bottom, and the house got a huge dose of spring cleaning. 

As for the house, this is a post I've been meaning to share for a while, but wanted to wait until all of these frames were filled with the right pieces. I'm still thinking about swapping a few out, but I'm really happy with it for now.

When we moved in, we really only had two placement options for our TV: the large wall opposite the front door, or above the fireplace. For me, the mantle is a definite no-no unless it's the only spot you have to work with, so we decided to mount it on our large wall. The sheer size of the area forced us to solve for the space, so the TV wouldn't look lost, or force us into getting a bulky entertainment cabinet.

I found a few images online where the TV was 'hidden' among an artfully designed gallery wall, and knew that this would be a perfect way for us to fill the space and display our favorite pieces of art. There are a few different approaches to pulling off this look — you can either use the same color frames or monochromatic artwork to unify the collection, or you can go for a more eclectic mix like I did. This can look a little busy if you're not careful, so you'll just want to keep a good balance of variety in mind. 

I started by collecting some of the artwork that I knew I would hang, as well as some empty frames to be filled later. If you have the space, plan your wall layout by placing your artwork on the floor. Measure your TV, and use some painter's tape to tape a TV-sized area out on the floor (not pictured, but I did it!) This way, you can move your frames around and experiment with placement.

Once you have your frame layout decided, you'll want to start by hanging one picture, and basing the others off of it. You don't have to measure too precisely, because it's better to have the frames be optically balanced (hold them up the wall, and eyeball it). Get the first one right, and the rest will fall into place easily.

Isn't this "Erie Life"print by Chad Tibbits amazing? I saw it in the WMC Fest gallery show back in June and new we needed it for our house. It's the biggest feature on the wall, besides the TV!

I added in a small white floating shelf on the right side of the TV to balance with the white antlers in the top left corner. Adding dimension to the wall breaks up the clusters of frames and gives the wall a more eclectic feel. I've put everything from candles to a small vase of fresh flowers on the shelf, so it's fun to have some flexibility, too. 

Add texture where possible; an antique portrait adds warmth, while a shadowbox featuring a shell collection feels like a piece from a natural history museum. A metallic gold ampersand on warm kraft paper adds a bold, modern focal point.

P.s: doesn't our new ceiling look great? :) You can see the 'before' pictures and process here.

We're both really happy with how the wall came out, and it serves as a great conversation starter when guests walk through the front door. It's the perfect focal point, not only visually, but as the entertainment hub of the living room. I'm glad we didn't have to resort to putting the TV over the mantle, so now we can allow the mantle to be the more classic centerpiece that it was meant to be.

Have you had a hard time finding a place for your TV? I would love to hear some other creative solutions to solve this first world problem ;)