Gray is one of the hottest trends, so of course you want to add this elegant yet natural color to your home. However, what do you do with the brown leather sofa you’ve invested in, and there is no way it’s leaving? Ahhh..the gray and chocolate dilemma.
But is it really a dilemma? Gray and chocolate is a color combination seen in nature. Think of the black sand beaches or the trunks of maple trees. If creation has this color combo, then why are we so culturally worried about combining the two? No worries! Thanks to today’s trends and products available, it is quite okay to combine the two colors which we were once forced to choose between. When combining the two, keep the following in mind:
Choose One Dominant Color
It’s a good idea to choose one dominant color, in this case, gray or brown. Allow the dominant color to be in ⅔ of the room while the secondary color is in the remaining ⅓ of the room.
Photo: Pinterest
Keep a Consistent Undertone
Not all grays have the same undertone. There may be a brown, olive or purple hue to the gray. It’s important to keep the undertones in your grays consistent as well.
Brown and gray hues from Benjamin Moore
Pull It All Together
Choose 3 to 5 key items to pull the color scheme together. Throw pillows, lamps, rugs, ottomans and small accents are all easy ways to create harmony.
Moxii's Tia Throw in chocolate is a great addition to a couch or chair.
Moxii's Charcoal Vivacious Hook Rug combines both gray and chocolate in its design.
Stick with Your Style
Most of us have settled into a design style we feel represents who we are as a person. Don’t compromise your style when combining gray and brown or any color scheme for that matter. Stick to who you are and the style you appreciate. Keep in mind you will see the perfect shade of gray accessory, but this doesn’t mean that lamp is the perfect fit for your space.
Use various shades of chocolate accents within your style against a gray backdrop.
Photo: Decor Pad
Structured and striking, each piece works well together.
Photo: Pinterest
by Katherine Bailey
Katherine is a licensed interior designer and co-founder of moxii. Her style tips can be found here on the moxii blog and B Metro magazine blog. She and her team offer their design services all over the Southeast.
Who said organizing had to be boring? We think it should be a way to express your style and personality. Plus, we also know that an organized room makes for an easier transition from home to dorm living.
Below are a few of our ideas for dorm room organization originally featured on MyHomeIdeas.com at Birmingham Southern College.
Display Your Accessories: What to do with all those scarves and hair accessories? Use an interesting object like this ladder to display them. It takes up little space and your items are easily seen and accessible.
Make the Most of Drawer Space: Compartmentalize your drawer space with baskets or various containers to help stay organized and tidy.
Keep Your Reminders and Memories Near: moxii has several memo holders that help keep your to-do lists and pictures organized. They also serve as decorative wall art.
Get Creative with Closet Storage: Keeping your closet organized is much easier with various storage containers serving specific purposes. Instead of tossing your shoes to the bottom of the closet, use a handy hanging shoe organizer to free up space and to keep track of each pair. Use baskets for blankets or bulky clothing like sweatshirts.
We Recommend:
Grasshopper Laundry Bag, $66
Classic Mail Organizer, $18
Sunflower Hook Set, $29
Summer Day Jewelry Holder, $22
Metal Bird Card Holder, $19
Photography courtesy of Laurey W. Glenn
Whether you love a touch of whimsy or sophistication in your space, moxii’s new decorative pillows are sure to be a match!
As you may know, our decorative pillows are truly unique. Some are hand-stitched and moxii one-of-a-kind’s. If you’re looking to brighten your place without breaking your budget, try adding a few pillows to give it a fresh look.
We love giveaways mid-week because we know that everyone needs a little pick-me-up to make it through to the weekend!
This giveaway is hosted on Kendi Everyday, one of our favorite style blogs. Head on over to Kendi’s blog to enter to win a $50 gift card to moxii. Plus, you may get a little inspiration for a new outfit!
0
The welcoming side entrance
Moxii had the privilege of shooting the latest collections at a new development of luxurious condominiums called Hallman Hill. Located in the heart of Homewood, AL, Hallman Hill captures the essence of this quaint community.
“Hallman Hill is set among all of the charm and convenience of Homewood and combines an urban lifestyle with traditional features. Our buildings are made to look old from their first day out of the ground. Each building embodies a Homewood feel that you can’t find anywhere else.”
The moxii lifestyle captured in the courtyard of Hallman Hill
Each building of the condo captures a different area of the city, which is reflected in its fixtures, style and colors.
Known for its picturesque homes, welcoming sidewalks, and its many boutiques and interesting restaurants, Homewood has it all.
Included in the city are areas with unique antique shops, art galleries, and local favorites like Saw’s BBQ and Fretted Instruments. These small businesses have been around for decades, proving the locals’ loyalty and support.
Setting itself more apart from other cities, Homewood also embraces the new like SOHO Square where exciting restaurants and shops are being opened.
Moxii also lives out this same mantra of combining vintage with modern. We appreciate timeless pieces that have been the inspiration behind our vintage style items, such as our glass vases, kitchen linens and quilts. Joining them with whimsical, decorative pillows and vibrant art, the moxii style is one-of-a-kind.
Coming soon to the moxii online store is our Stylebook including more of Hallman Hill and of course, our beautiful bedding. See below how we’ve combined the old with the new.
Combining the ruffled Chelsea Quilt with vibrant pillows
A minimalistic, modern look with the classic style Grace quilt
How do you personally live out this same idea?
Bring a friend or your roommate for this FREE event. And enjoy a sweet drink and treat!
We’ll provide you with
- dorm room layouts from colleges in the area
- tips for maximizing storage space
- ideas for designing your room to match your personality
- ideas for coordinating bedding with your roommate
- a checklist for dorm living essentials
Come by the moxii design studio for a FREE consultation with Interior Designer Katherine Bailey. She will assist you in designing your space with moxii style. We encourage you to bring your inspirational pieces like pillows and art work.
Call ahead to reserve your spot. 205-307-6694 – ask for Katherine or Brittany
We couldn’t be more excited to introduce our new bedding line! We have new featherweights, quilts and decorative pillows.
This year, we now provide you with collections. These collections allow you to own the complete look without the guess work. Covering all ages, our new line is sure to be a fit for anyone who appreciates the moxii style.
Browse today, and let us know what you think.
View our newest quilts, featherweight, and collections here.
So, you’ve decided that it’s time to take control of your life and get organized. But do you know the first steps to get started?
I’m sure you think that the first thing I’m going to tell you to do is to start chunking or tossing items out the door. But you’re wrong. Organizing is not the act of throwing things away. Organizing is the act of creating a system to effectively and efficiently manage the items you own. On the flip side, de-cluttering is the act of chunking and tossing items. So, with that being said, what are the first steps to getting organized?
1. Determine your organization style. Decide if you like things organized and concealed or organized and set out on display. Do you like things labeled or do you like having a master list to cross-reference where things are located? By identifying your organizational style up front, you reduce the amount of time it takes to plan your organizing project.
2. Determine where to start your organizing project. To avoid becoming overwhelmed or frustrated early on in a huge project, start with a small room or a small section of a larger room. Some good ideas would be to start with your kitchen pantry, linen closet, or bathroom cabinet. A huge organizing project, like the garage, can be daunting. Opt for taking baby steps towards reaching your goal to become organized.
3. Determine what is required in that space. What items do you use more frequently and what items can be tucked away for infrequent access and retrieval? Obviously, you don’t want to have to dig to find items you use on a regular basis. Make sure you have everything required for the everyday operations of your household. If something is missing, now is the time to add it. For example, if you always have to grab something from the utility room every time you do laundry chances are your laundry room is missing a key requirement to complete the task.
4. Have fun getting organized. Create a system to effectively and efficiently manage the items you have in that space. If some items belong in another space, move them appropriately. But don’t get side tracked. Return back to your current project so that you can finish it before you move on to another. Think about tying an imaginary ribbon around your completed project before you start the next one. One organizing project will probably lead to another, so get ready.
Once you know the first steps to getting started, finishing will become second nature. Getting organized is a lot easier when you know your organization style. Pick a small space in your home and determine what is required. Take a small baby step and start your first organizing project. Before you know it, you will be heading towards a future of having a more organized life.
By Leslie Kate Thornton
Follow Leslie on Twitter and visit Staging Designs website here.
Leslie Kate Thornton is a real estate staging expert and professional organizer, and is the owner of STAGING DESIGNS based in Birmingham, Alabama. Leslie holds a B.S. degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and has extensive consulting and project management experience. Leslie is passionate about transforming properties to make lasting, first impressions. She is the master of clutter and infuses eco-friendly ideas into each property.
Store Wide Sale: 40-60% off linens, decorative shower curtains, gifts and home accessories. 10% Off EVERYTHING, including all furniture, yes, Aidan Gray and Best Slip Cover!!!
- The Big Sale starts Monday, Feb.7th through Sunday, Feb.14th.
- Retail Store Hours: Open 10 a.m. -6 p.m. Monday – Saturday, Downtown Auburn and also online at moxii.com
This is a great opportunity to purchase moxii quality and style at a wonderful discount.
After seeing Stephanie Drake’s chair transformations, I’m sure you wondered how she finds such treasures. After all, scouring thrift stores can sometimes be daunting. But somehow she is able to find treasures among all of the junk. But how does she do it?
Well, we asked her! You’re welcome. 
Below are Stephanie’s 7 Tips for Treasure Hunting:
1. Keep an open mind. There may be a stigma associated with shopping in second-hand stores like Goodwill, America’s Thrift, Salvation Army, etc. The fact of the matter is, people just like you and me donate really great stuff all the time. Either we outgrow it, downsize, or just get sick, we get tired of perfectly good items and send them on their way. With an open mind, these shops can be goldmines. Not to mention, you are indirectly helping those in need with your purchases and RECYCLING!
2. Don’t be afraid to mix NEW with OLD. The trick to decorating any space is not to get stuck trying to conform to a particular style or theme. If you see something that strikes you, any item you are immediately drawn to, grab it. You will always find connections that make your thrifted items cohesive within your home.
3. Thrifting furniture is about the BONES. When looking for vintage sofas, tables, or chairs, try not to get too caught up in cosmetics. The current color or fabric can be changed. It’s the underlying structure you are interested in, so you’ll want to make sure it’s sound. It may take a few coats of paint, reupholstering, or maybe both, but you can score an awesome deal on a piece with potential and have money left over to make it look exactly how you want. (Check out my chair makeovers here).
4. Instant Collections. If you want to create instant, mini collections, thrift stores are perfect. Ball jars, milk glass, depression glass, tea cups, candle sticks, etc. are abundant in these sorts of stores and look great in groups. You can start a decent sized collection or grouping without breaking the bank.
5. Go Forth + Go Often. Since thrift stores literally accept donations daily, you will find a constantly changing inventory. Find out what days your local thrift stores restock shelves then show up early for the greatest selection. Go as often as you can. You are competing with all sorts of Ebay resellers and Antique Roadshow types for the best stuff, so the more you go, the better your chances of finding a diamond in the rough.
6. Know the Sales. Yes, the thrifty shopper can be even thriftier! Most second-hand stores have special days where they offer their wares for up to 75% off the ticketed price! Check with your local thrift stores to find out the extra savings days. Remember to show up early, the better the deals, the more people you will have to fight off to get to your treasures!
7. Have Fun! Don’t get discouraged if you don’t find something amazing every time you go thrifting. See Tip # 5. Remember that half the fun of thrifting is the hunt and the story you get to tell after you’ve uncovered a great find!
by Stephanie Drake – owner and event stylist of Proper Measures
Visit her website here.