Modern Pineapple

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March 29, 2015

Modern Calligraphy Name Card Ideas

Calligraphy

This afternoon I’m heading out to a calligraphy class with Quill London {have you seen their site yet? It’s filled with the latest from Kate Spade, Sugar Paper and Rifle Paper Co to name just a few.} They offer workshops for beginner and intermediate levels, along with brush lettering – so intriguing!

I’m really excited to try my hand at modern calligraphy, though am slightly worried the ink will end up more on me than the paper. My goal in time is to train myself to create beautiful letters for name cards for the table. Though I’ll start with paper, I hope to get as creative as these chic little ideas below to add that little something extra for guests to remember.

Oyster Shell Modern Pineapple

Leaves Calligraphy Modern Pineapple

Calligraphy Menu Modern Pineapple

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Posted by Kristen Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Entertaining, Guests Tagged: Calligraphy, Modern Calligraphy, Tablesetting

March 16, 2015

After Guests Have Gone

I love welcoming guests, and we have had a wonderful time with my husband’s parents in town this past week. It was lively, fun and we made such great memories. I tried my hardest, but teared up as their train left the station for Heathrow this morning.

Once guests go, there are a few tasks to do to get ready for future visitors. I recommend breaking this down into a three day process to move it along, but not feel stressful. {You just hosted, afterall!} It’s helpful to decide what is most important to you, and tackle that first. Here’s my go-to routine:

Day 1: Wash the table linens {tablecloth and napkins}, strip the guest bed, and wipe down the bathroom.

Day 2: Wash the guest sheets and remake the guest bed, dust furniture with a damp cloth, and toss out any wilted vegetables or expired items that you didn’t use {as much as I like to use every little thing, sometimes this just happens — it’s okay!}.

Day 3: Wash the towels, vacuum the carpets, and straighten any miscellaneous items.

By using this process with laundering a different group of items every day, it also makes it easier to complete before and after work if needed. After just 72 hours — ta da! All set for the next guests to visit.

MP Tablescaping

So many beautiful nights spent around the table. Till next time!

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Posted by Kristen Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Guests, Organize Tagged: Cleaning tips, Hosting, Post-guests

March 2, 2015

Inside the Guest Bathroom

One of our wish list items for our first home together was having two bathrooms {in a city that isn’t always an easy feat!}. We knew we would have all kinds of visitors, and it would feel so much more comfortable if guests had their own space. I love ours with the standing shower, heated towel rack and most importantly, a medicine cabinet.

The medicine cabinet is fully stocked with basically anything I thought people might need, from shampoo and conditioner for overnighters to floss and mint gum for dinner guests {you never know!}. We didn’t go out and spend a fortune here, instead saving the toiletries we acquire from traveling or store gift sets. I can’t recommend this enough. They fit nicely inside, plus give a wide variety of options.

MP Medicine Cabinet

Start with the basics:

  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner
  • Body wash
  • Lotion
  • Bar soap
  • Floss
  • Toothbrush
  • Toothpaste
  • Tissues

MP Asprey London

The trick to making it look clean is giving space between the toiletries, reducing clutter. I also like to collect one brand, like Asprey London Purple Water. A collection, or a number of items within the same brand, make it looks complete and stylish. If you’re not traveling all the time, it’s easy to pick up a few travel-sized items from a local drugstore that won’t break the bank. Stock up on brands your guests will know and love, like Origins for face wash and Jergens for hand lotion.

If you have more space, I also suggest adding:

  • Mouthwash
  • Disposable razor
  • Shaving cream
  • Nail polish remover
  • Nail file
  • Brush/comb combination
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Vaseline
  • Face mask
  • Eye cream
  • Tums tablets

MP Girl Toiletries

The other reason I really value stocking these toiletries for guests is to give independence. When I’m a guest, I really hate to bother my host with extra requests. They’ve already gone out of their way to have me in their home, so the last thing I want is to go ask for something else. Plus, guests won’t have to tell you {their host} when they misplaced their nail file in their purse or overnight guests forgot their shampoo as they were running to catch their flight {anyone else? just me?}. I promise you your guests will be silently praising you for having these around during their stay.

MP Hermes Soap
MP Refinery

MP Dental

MP Guest Bathroom

MP Matouk Linens

These Matouk monogrammed linen hand towels are my favorite little accent {also love these}.

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Posted by Kristen Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Guests Tagged: Guest bathroom, Hosting, Toiletries

February 17, 2015

Guest Room Must-Haves

Traveling is exciting, wonderful and, at times, majorly stressful. I love staying in hotels, resorts, B&Bs, with friends… but when I’m not in my normal environment little things I need to help maintain my day-to-day can be worrisome, from will there be a hair dryer to where’s that plug!?

By working in travel PR, I’ve spent a lot of time in hotel rooms {a lot}. I’ve taken note over the years on ways the best make stays special for their guests, and incorporated them into our home. Here are my favorite ways to make our guest room a little haven for friends and family:

Wifi Password – Let’s be serious. It’s going to be one of the first questions after opening the door and hugging hello (especially for us where our guests might not be using international calling plans, instead relying on wifi). I used a cute design from Michelle Hickey {love her printables} and put it into a frame on the dresser.

Wifi Password

Fresh flowers – There are few things as special as waking up to fresh flowers on a nightstand. I place seasonal blooms in the room the morning guests are set to arrive. They’re the perfect greeting upon arrival, and each time they’re in the room.

Flowers

Charging Station – With living in another country, I know our guests probably won’t have a charger for their iPhones, iPads, and other electronic goodies. Behind the nightstand, I set up a power strip so there are multiple outlets available {there’s nothing worse than having too few outlets in a room you don’t know} and put extra chargers we have in there. Use tags to label the chargers so they know what to use for each device.

Clean Towels on the Bed – It’s easier to have towels folded nicely and placed on the bed so guests know those are theirs to use. I save our travel toiletries from different hotels, and include those on top as well.

Towels

Books & Magazines – On the nightstand, I put out a few interesting books for reading pleasure, along with a couple of that month’s magazines. Based on who is visiting, I’ll pick up something I know they might like. {When my parents come, I’ll get Architectural Digest, for my best friend it’s British Vogue}. It’s also great idea to have a local magazine or newspaper. We get a couple free ones {The Kensington Magazine and The Resident} every month, so I save that for our guest room. It’s both inexpensive and thoughtful. I also keep a notepad and pen in the nightstand drawer, just in case they need to jot down some notes.

Keys – Chances are you won’t be with your guests 24/7. Let them feel comfortable to come and go as they please with their own set of keys. I bought a cute London bus keychain to go with ours, picked up at one of the tourist shops for less than £1.

Keys

A Local’s Map – Unless you’re planning to welcome home family, your guests don’t know the area fully. For us, that’s beyond true. Urban living means big cities and so much to explore. I put a map of London on the dresser with the keys. It has places of interest, the tube system and shows all the city’s neighborhoods.

Space in the Closet – This one is the hardest for us, I will admit. We use our guest room closet for all of our seasonal clothes. Still, while our guests are here we will take out some {ideally all} of our clothes so they can hang their with the extra hangers I keep in the closet.

Luggage Rack – My favorite thing. It’s such a little luxury, but I love having my suitcase on a luggage rack in hotels. That little elevation makes all the difference to me, and will to your visitors too. {They’re worth the minor investment! I purchased ours from Amazon.}

Luggage Rack

Blankets – I always have a blanket folded across the foot of the bed. Everyone’s body temperature is different, so I like to make sure people have easy access to extra warmth.

Special Tools – I try to always pack in a carry-on if it’s a trip of five days or less. That means I’m really looking at cutting down space and it’s only essentials going with me. I figure my guests want to do that too, so I keep a hair dryer and curling iron in a basket in the guest room. I also keep a flashlight in the nightstand drawer, just in case!

 

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Posted by Kristen Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Guests Tagged: Decor, Guest Room Ideas

February 12, 2015

Pillow Talk

A few months ago, my husband and I had the most amazing in-hotel bedding experience ever. So much so that I practically stripped the sheets to see where they were made {and found the goose feather down mattress topper — aha}. Right now, we are on the hunt for new bedding for our guest room and want to make it as incredible as that experience was.

After I arrived in October from New York, we moved into a new flat with two bedrooms to host many of our family and friends from home. With our first guests arriving next month {my husband’s parents!}, we are finalizing those last minute details of hosting overnight visitors for the first time in a new home.

We currently have my bedding from NYC on there. It’s taupe, complete with a down comforter and so many pillows, and I loved it. Now with the mahogany furniture we have in the room (and it’s cozier size), I’d like for us to opt for something much lighter to make the room feel fresh, breezy and casual. Here’s a bit of the bedding inspiration I’ve been perusing…

Guest Room 1Big fan of the monogram pillows and duvet on the foot of the bed.

Guest Room 2That Trina Turk Greek Key accent pillow.

Guest Room 3Really this just makes me want to be on a white sandy beach with a pina colada, pronto.

It’s been both fun and a challenge to decorate from British brands with our super American style. We did ship quite a bit over from the States, but there was so much more we needed as we joined forces into one home (!). So far, most of our furniture and decorating details have come from department stores John Lewis and Selfridges, local stores Graham & Green and India Jane for mirrors and special tables, and of course West Elm for decor (dreaming of the opening of Pottery Barn and Williams-Sonoma).

West Elm might be our go-to for the linens — they have so many pretty white options and a sale right now. I’m also looking into, as in lusting after, Yves Delorme, Matouk (swoon), Sferra, and Peter Reed, an English bed linen brand. I’ll unveil our before-and-after guest room a few weeks from now. Stay tuned!

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Posted by Kristen Leave a Comment
Filed Under: Guests, Home Decor Tagged: Guest Room, Home Decor, Linens

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