Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Home Renovation: Guest Bathroom Progress

 I'm currently redoing the bathroom in my century old home, and I wanted to share a progress update with some photos. This is a total gut and remodel of the bathroom, which is long-awaited and exciting (but also a little bit scary and more than a little stressful, especially with the COVID-related product and construction delays). 

Bathroom renovations need the careful, professional eye of a designer - I would never recommend going it alone, especially one as big as this one. My project needs all new electric, plumbing, insulation, sheetrock, and a window. That's the unsexy stuff my contractor is doing, and I'm obviously selecting the finishes, hardware, tile, and the rest of the elements.

That part isn't always as fun and easy as it sounds, though. You might love a tile in the showroom, but that gorgeous pattern can become overwhelming in a smaller space, or you might need a designer's watchful eye to ensure your contractor installs it the way it was spec'd. 

A lot of clients get tripped up on the finishes, worrying about whether the faucet coordinates with the hardware, etc. This is the biggest value a designer can provide in a bathroom or kitchen project, where there's a lot of "hard" elements like plumbing fixtures, light fixtures, hardware, and tile and not many "soft" ones like furniture or fabric. The "hard" ones are very difficult for most non-designers to decide upon across all elements. 

For example, my bathtub comes in three colors - dune, biscuit, and white. Ask your husband what the difference between those three colors is - he'll probably have no idea. Your contractor will also ask you to spec things like the tub drain finish, something you probably didn't even know to think about. Most non-designers get really stressed out when facing these zillions of decisions, and it can be a costly mistake when you choose dune when you should've chosen biscuit, and now the tub looks off with your paint color.

An interior designer will ensure that your tile, grout color, flooring, plumbing, hardware, vanity color, paint color/wallpaper, lighting, mirror, shower door, etc. choices make sense in a cohesive way throughout the room. 

I'll give you a sneak peek at the in-progess photos so you can see the space before it fully comes together, and share a mood board of my final plan. 

Get in touch at Lavender Fields to design your space









Wednesday, November 24, 2021

The Lavender Fields 2021 Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide Roundup

 We have hundreds of gift ideas for everyone on your list, so we've put together this ultimate holiday gift guide roundup for our readers. 

For more gift ideas, head to our website to shop our curated gift shop, by recipient, by price, and more. 

Best Holiday Gift Ideas for the Hostess 

When attending a holiday gathering, you never want to show up empty-handed. For a holiday cocktail party or dinner, we like to bring a beautiful soap for the powder room, a festive candle, or something tasty like our Stonewall Kitchen jams or artisanal chocolates.

If you know that the host/hostess are into cocktails, try one of our White's Elixir cocktail mixers and coordinating bottle of liquor. 

Holiday Gift Guide for the Hostess
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: june & december the fronds towel | seda france holiday toile candle | marine hobnail glass candle | sofia cocktail glass | white's elixirs cosmopolitan mix | seattle chocolate mexican hot chocolate bar | stonewall kitchen holiday and sour cherry jams | roland pine soap | moher Soap co. wild rose soap | spruce foaming hand soap | country home slate cheese board

Best Holiday Gift Ideas for Her

Our customers come back every year for gifts for their moms, sisters, wives, and themselves. This year they're loving everything cozy, spa-like, and pretty.

For a relaxing gift, plush robes and soft pajamas are always popular. If you want to give an at-home spa experience (or add something special to a spa gift certificate), try a sleep mask or one of our amazing Spongelle soaps (they're these beautiful flower-shaped sponges filled with fancy soap - just hang them in your shower, no need to add body wash). 

Candles, fragrance, and our curated beauty products are also popular gifts or stocking stuffers. 


CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: violet glass jewel earrings | gal strawberry lip balm | sage eau de toilette | pine cone hill ditsy pajamas | seda france lavende candle | spongelle french lavender soap | pine cone hill sheepy fleece 2.0 juniper robe | silk lavender eye mask

Best Coastal Inspired Holiday Gift Ideas

If you're looking for a gift for someone who loves the beach, we have a fantastic coastal gifts section. This is a great place to find stocking stuffers like soaps and apothecary goods, or pretty gifts like pillows, totes, and fragrances. 

One of our favorite gift ideas are the Backyard Candles - delightful candles housed in real coconut shells. They're naturally mosquito-repellant, and are great for either sitting by the shore or pretending you are. 


CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: taylor linens beach pillow | dash and albert stripe tote | sea garden body mist | beach at night backyard candle | beach piper ornament | pre de provence ocean air soap | sea salt soap

Best Holiday Gift Ideas for the Mixologist

This is one of our most fun curated gift guides this season! We've sourced some really fab finds for every cocktail lover on your list. 

A great gift is one of our Stonewall Kitchen or White's Elixirs cocktail mixers with the coordinating bottle of booze - tequila for the Margarita mix, vodka for the Bloody Mary mix, etc. 

Our stemless wine glasses go great with the antler bottle opener for a festive holiday hostess gift.

For a really special gift, try a handcrafted ice bucket with a special bottle of champagne. 

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: blue pheasant nelson bar collection | white's elixirs cocktail mixers | colette olive glassware | watercolor cocktail shaker | antler bottle opener | stonewall kitchen bloody mary and pomegranate cosmo mixer | woodland stemless wine glass set

Best Holiday Gift Ideas for Tweens 

Who said tweens are hard to shop for? Our tween girl tested-and-approved gift guide has all the bright, colorful, fun items that the young lady in your life will adore. 

For stocking stuffers, our lip balms come in a range of tasty flavors. We also have so many fun bath bombs, including ones with hidden surprises like keychains inside. Cozy flannel pajamas are another popular gift. 


CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Gal Lip Balms | Orange creamsicle lip balm | pine cone hill skaters pajamas | spongelle bulgarian rose wild flower soap | hello glow face mask | geode bath bomb | pick me up puzzle | good luck bath bomb | sunshine and rainbows bath bomb

Looking for more gifts this season? Shop Lavender Fields entire collection here! Get free shipping over $50 and free gift wrap, too.