Welcome Fall In The Hudson Valley

Posted on September 22, 2016 by Ivy de Leon

Happy Fall!   Today is the first day of fall!    Fall is a beautiful season.  Are you excited?   Over the weekend we warmed up the front porch for early fall.  I shared our porch updates on the HomeGoods Blog .

ivydeleon.com welcome fall

You know I love a great table setting .  L.V. Harkness & Co  has the a beautiful selection of dinnerware and accessories, if you are looking for fall tabletop inspiration.

The apple orchards are open here in the Hudson Valley .  If you are in the area come visit and  enjoy apple picking, cider donuts and  wine.

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Off the beaten path, we like the apple orchard close to home on Distillery Street, Warwick, NY.  Come early to enjoy a full day in the country.

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Hope you are enjoying  this beautiful fall day!  Thanks for stopping by.

 

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Power Monday: Keep Your Focus on Your Goals

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Ivy de Leon

ivy de deleon inspirational quotes

what to wear ivydeleon.com

 

 

Happy Power Monday!   September has been a busy month thus far.  Trying to stay focus and motivated this week.  Sharing a few blog posts on business, an article on fashion, and healthy recipes.   Keep your focus on your goals. Wishing you all a successful week!

  1.  Need a little help with Instagram images? The Smell Of Roses
  2. How to Get Started Design Sponge
  3.  Building Your Brand Voice – Tory Burch Foundation
  4. Fuel Your Body – Bee Fit With Tracy
  5.  From City Glam to Country Chic  – Daily Mail 

 

 

 

 

Image: Hello Big Idea /
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5 Laundry Room Ideas To Stay Clean And Organized

Posted on September 7, 2016 by Ivy de Leon

Now that fall is in the air, I’m hoping to start a fall project. Laundry is a chore I do not enjoy. Perhaps a more functional space would help me enjoy washing laundry.  The small room that is off the kitchen has several functions.  The space integrates a laundry room, mudroom, informal entry, backstairs and garage entry.  As you could imagine, the space is high traffic. There a few things I want to incorporate to update the laundry room area. For example, installing built-ins above the washer and dryer for cleaning necessities.  We also need a new washer and dryer.  The washer and dryer is original to the house. The washer sounds like a freight train during the spin cycle.   I’m looking to give the laundry room the attention it deserves so I could wash laundry with a smile.

Simple and clean, with a little sparkle.  I’m hoping to install doors to close off the laundry area.

Living Spaces

 A bar for hanging clothes and counter top for folding clean laundry.

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 A large, deep farmhouse sink.

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An ironing station would be helpful.

NKBA Award-Winning Laundry Room

Wookie and Campbell would be pampered and feel happy too with their very own designated feeding area.  The hideaway food dish holders would keep the laundry room area clean and organized.

Hideaway Pet Dish Holder

These are my top five laundry room ideas to improve the space.  Have any ideas you would like to share?  Please leave a comment.

Thanks for stopping by.

Ivy de Leon

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Time for Power Monday Women In Business

Posted on August 29, 2016 by Ivy de Leon

Happy Monday!  Starting each day with a positive image or quote helps me get through the week.  I really enjoy the Power Monday post for women in business.  Tory Burch has been an inspiration for me.  I saw here speak at my son’s college graduation at Babson College. Tory has been helping women in business with the Tory Burch Foundation and educational program in partnership with Goldman Sachs 10,0000 small business and Babson College.

time inspirational quote ivydeleon.com

If you are a women in business or stay-at-home mom, time can get away from us.  Someone will fill up your time if you don’t make yourself a priority.  This is a message my mother routinely shared with me.    The message hit home again more recently when First Lady Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey sat down  at The United State of Women Summit, co-sponsored by the Tory Burch Foundation.   They sat down and shared their insight on careers, motherhood, gender equity and how we can advance a better future for women everywhere.

Here is what they had to say…

Thanks for stopping by!

Ivy de Leon

via: Fit Possible/ Tory Burch 

 

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Drummonds Bathrooms To Inspire Weekend Relaxation

Posted on August 26, 2016 by Ivy de Leon

Drummonds recently opened a flagship showroom in New York City called Drummonds at Lapicida which resides within the Lapicida showroom in the D&D building on 3rd Avenue and 59th Street. The showroom has fully designed vignettes of almost all of Drummonds product offerings.  Drummonds offers classic bathroom products.  Drummonds’ baths are made from solid cast iron using the time-honored sandcasting technique first used by the finest Victorian foundries.   Quality bathroom details bring luxury spa feel at home.

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Two Humber baths and freestanding towel rails

I’m crushing on the Humber bath and free standing towel rail.  A  country estate are what dreams are made of.    What do you think of this country bathroom?  Paneling on the walls, instead of marble tiles, and wallpaper with a country scene bring the outside in.

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A personal space to relax and enjoy.  Just as beautiful is the Usk roll top bath, the centerpiece to this elegant bathroom. The cast iron of the bath has been polished to give it an eye-catching shine that reflects the light and elegantly pairs with the nickel Skye taps, Double Lowther basin stand, rectangular tilt mirrors and floor-to-wall heated towel rail.

Drummonds makes it possible to bring luxury details into your home. Which of these luxury bathroom detail would you include for a weekend relaxation retreat at home?

Ivy de Leon

Description and images via  Drummonds

 

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Fall Essentials For The Home

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Ivy de Leon

fall 2016 ivydeleon,com

Hello again!  The past few days I  was out shopping, styling and making fall flower arrangements.  Fall arrives early when you are a blogger.  Let me take you on a little tour of what I’ve been styling in our home.    Come say hello on the HomeGoods blog.  There you’ll find my five fall essentials for the home.

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I think Campbell likes the new look in the living room. Let me know what you think?  Have you started fall decorating? Where are you finding inspiration for your upcoming projects?  Share your comments below.

Thanks for stopping by.

Ivy de Leon

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Four Pinterest Pins To Inspire The Weekend

Posted on August 20, 2016 by Ivy de Leon

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What are you doing this weekend?  While the kids are heading to the beach, it’s easy to stay home and catch up on cleaning and laundry.   Let’s enjoy the next few weeks of summer.  I’m taking day trips to a few of my favorite towns: Cold Spring, NY and Beacon, NY.   Now that we have a pool, I’m finally going sit by the pool with a good book and catch some rays.  Some juicy, cold watermelon sounds just right on a warm afternoon.

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Come dusk, I plan to head outdoors with a picnic basket and catch a concert on the lawn.

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Or perhaps, stay home and  share a bottle of wine and try a new recipe  from my Pinterest  board: Recipes I’m Willing To Try

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Gotta go!  However you decide to spend the weekend, be good to yourself and others. Have a fun and relaxing weekend friends!

Ivy de Leon

 source:  The Huffington Post Treasures and Travel  Margo and Me
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First Apartment Hunting & Decorating Ideas For Him

Posted on August 18, 2016 by Ivy de Leon

Autumn is almost here. While most of you are preparing to send your children back to school or college, I am finding it hard to believe I have two grown young man at home who have graduated college and are ready to move out on their own.  Feels like just yesterday I was dropping them off at preschool.   Let me tell you, apartment hunting is not easy in NYC. Of course, there is the rental application, but what I wasn’t prepare for was the co-signing and paperwork involved. Unless, you have a rich uncle or deep pockets, forget renting alone.

Barclay sofa, Pollard Rectanglar Cocktail Table Glass Top and Metal Base, Leo Chair

Barclay sofa, Pollard Rectanglar Cocktail Table Glass Top and Metal Base, Leo Chair Bernhardt Furniture

Most young men and women have two or three roommates. What may be a two bedroom apartment is partition into a three bedroom.  If  they are lucky to have a comfortable living room, I hope to help them take it from dorm room furniture to semi-sophisticated living space for all to share.

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I am gathering a few ideas for the boys to think about when it comes to furniture selection.  The eclectic mixture of  rich textures and vintage influence from Ralph Lauren Home Hoxton Collection is masculine, stylish and lofty.

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 Let’s face it, boys like their leather.  You know I love pretty interiors, but I have an equal major crush for masculine decorating.

Thanks for stopping by.

Ivy de Leon

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Home Decor Cheat Sheets Book Review

Posted on August 16, 2016 by Ivy de Leon

ivy deleon home decor cheat sheets

Home Decor Cheat Sheets
Need-to-Know Stuff for Stylish Living
By Jessica Probus and Alice Mongkongllite

 

Are you looking to work on a room in your house and don’t know where to start?  Maybe you know exactly the look you want to achieve but need  help with design principals?   I want to share a book to help you simplify the decorating process.  Home Decor Cheat Sheets will give the Do-It-Yourself decorator the confidence with design principals to help decorate your home.

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The 127 page book is full of dos and the don’ts of design rules. The hand-drawn illustrations are simple and the text is short and to the point.   You’ll learn the ideal height of a side table,  the correct size of a dining room rug, bathroom lighting tricks and much more.

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If you are a Do-It-Yourself decorator Home Decor Cheat Sheets offers value with over 300 illustrations, available here.   Why am I sharing Home Decor Cheat Sheets?  I believe everyone should have a functional and beautiful home.

Hiring a decorator?  You too could benefit from Home Decor Cheat Sheets.   It will help you communicate with your designer and give you a better understanding and appreciation for the interior design profession.  Thanks for stopping by.  Hope you’ll come back for more decorating, entertaining, makeovers, gardening, party & inspiration.

Ivy de Leon

Images: Courtesy of  Ulysses Press

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Power Monday: Desk Envy, Inspiration and Lifestyle

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Ivy de Leon

desk space

Ivy de Leon design and life style

Ivy de Leon Decorating & Life Style

ivy de Leon decorating and life style trench coat

Hello again!  Celebrating the small victories.  Our site had a small hiccup this morning, but now it’s back up and running.  I couldn’t be happier to get back to blogging.  Starting to think layers for autumn?  Tory Burch’s Gigi flats caught my eye.  They come in the most amazing colors. A favorite, the trench coat is classic and could be easily dressed down for the weekend.  Come Monday, I have a beautiful home office to walk into.  If you are looking for interior decorating ideas for your home office, One Kings Lane has a wide selection of desk styles to refresh your work space.   If you are working with what you have, remember simple styling could make a big difference.  Sending you good vibes only.  Thanks for stopping by.

Ivy de Leon

 

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