One of my favorite spaces to style is a dining room that needs a little love. It's not terrible, it's just lost its luster. The dining room is an important place in the home. Gone are the days where dining rooms were a place you visited only on special holidays. Families are using them daily for meals and homework, and game night on the weekends.
I'm going to show you three of my favorite dining room space makeovers.

1. Beth
Beth's dining room looked like this the first day I visited.

The table was beautiful and staying. The chairs were in good shape, so I suggested we reupholster the captain's chairs and paint the side chairs. The plan became...
1. Paint the walls and trim
2. Replace the ceiling fan with a light fixture.
3. New rug
4. Paint the existing side board.
5. New lamps
6. Turn the table the other way to open up the space between the living and dining areas. (Note: in the above photo we turned the table around so I could show her what it would look like)
7. Add drapes
8. Use textiles she already owned (like the suzani) and make them into art. 
Here is how the room transformed.

2. Sheri
Here is what the dining area looked like before...
(Note: it was housecleaning day so that's why the chairs and curtains are out of place)

The design plan
1. New table and chairs
2. New light
3. Add a rug
4. New drapes
5. Add plantation shutters
Basically this makeover was all cosmetic. Sheri and her husband have two young kids and they use this space all the time, so it had to be functional and durable. 
Here's how it turned out.

3. Valerie
When I visited her house for the first time, she told me two things had to stay in the room--the art and the chandelier. So I designed the space around them. Here is what the room looked like before.

The design plan was this...
1. New colorful rug
2. New table
3. New chairs
4. Add accessories
​5. Add drapes and art

Product links below:
1. Beth's house
Rug
​Chandelier
​Otomi fabric on end chairs

2. Sheri's house
Chandelier
Dining table
End chairs
Side chairs

3. Valerie's house
Dining table
Rug
​End chairs
Side chairs

Have a room ready for a makeover? Contact us for rates and appointments. We also do E-design! 

Not surprising that our Holiday Cocktail post from last year was one of our most popular. I mean, when you are home with family for days upon end, there are only so many Hallmark movies you can watch before going bonkers. Truth be told, we never NEED an excuse to try a new cocktail, but holiday gatherings, family events and parties are prime opportunities to venture outside the cocktail box. Beyond the Moscow Mule, you might say.
​This year, we turned to our friends at The Spruce and their food and drink site The Spruce Eats for recommendations for our Holiday Cocktail round up and the selection didn't disappoint. Coffee drinks, cold weather drinks, festive drinks, there's a LOT to choose from. Our selections were strategic in that they go from morning brunch and coffee to after dinner in front of the fireplace. 

Nothing new and spectacular about bubbles and cranberry juice, but the addition of this garnish gives it a bright kick. 

This boozy smoothie is the perfect way to kick off Christmas Day. Plus Shauna's kinda partial to the name. 

A caffeinated jump start to your day, or as an after meal treat, this liqueur infused coffee drink is at its best whe made with dark roasted beans. 

It takes a little extra effort to make the cinnamon simple syrup for this cocktail, but it's worth it. Go ahead and make up a big ol batch to have with your tamales on Christmas Eve.

A lovely alternative to egg nog, this dessert cocktail is a dreamy end to a festive dinner. For a larger party, serve in shot glasses to give everyone a delicious dose. 

The first of our hot drinks, this spicy, fruity drink will warm your bones after a brisk walk or snowball fight. Let it simmer on the stove to fill your house with its spicy yumminess. 

Picture it: A roaring fire. Christmas Vacation on the TV. A pile of crumpled wrapping paper. A snuggly throw. The only thing missing is this classic cocktail, now warmed up for the longest winter night. 
​Enjoy responsibly, my friends. And best wishes for a happy and safe holiday! 

The last of our holiday gift guide is all about the kids. We've found some really cool, unique gifts that go beyond baby Yoda and whatever else is hot this year. Some of them may even be *gasp* educational. But don't tell the kids. That's a sure way to get something quickly stashed in the back of a closet somewhere. If you are still hunting for gifts for the adults in the fam, check out our Gifts for Him and Gifts for Her posts, or find EVERYTHING gift related in our Gift Guide. 

This post contains affiliate links and we are compensated for purchases made via these links. 

Poor guys. It's always a sweater. Or another pair of socks. I read in a book recently a letter the male author wrote to his wife about what guys really want and the answer could be summed up to be "anything that has an on/off switch or needs batteries". His wife replied that their vacuum cleaner had been acting up and well, that fit his description to a T! NO! We are not advocating getting the man in your life a vacuum cleaner. Although those Roombas are pretty bad ass. But we DO have some pretty sweet sweaters and socks mixed in with gadgety and techy and one-of-a-kind finds for your special guy. Check out more of our gifts for him in our Shop page, and click here if you missed our Gifts for Her post. 

This post contains affiliate links and we are compensated for purchases made through these links. 

In a former life I wrote a fashion style blog and put out a Gift Guide every Christmas. My husband quickly figured out that that gift guide was his ticket to winning at gift-giving. I mean, how lucky for him that I gave him such a vast list of great items complete with links to purchase directly? He also realized that this treasured guide was ALSO the winning ticket for all of his male co-workers who no doubt struggle every year with what to buy for the women in their lives, and sent out the link to all of them explaining that their gifting dilemmas had been solved.
Fast forward through several job changes and alas, the Gift Guide blogs went by the wayside. And every year about this time, my husband would lament over its loss and was once again left stranded on the gift idea island. 
Imagine his joy when I joined the SGD team last year and started writing blog posts again. In fact, he asked me just over the Thanksgiving holiday when my Gift Guide was going up as he was ready to get shopping. Well, my dear. Wait no longer. In fact, you not only have the items in this post to peruse, but so many more in the Shop section of our website. 
For the guys who were blindly led here by a concerned friend, welcome. And trust us, here you can find everything you are looking for for that special woman in your life. 
XO
​Kalen

Check out our previous Gift Guides for her, him and millenials for even more ideas, and for our favorite holiday decor, click here. 

It's crunch time now. Make those lists and check them twice. We've been making our lists for a week or so now, and are excited to share with you not only some great products from companies you may or may not know about BUT you can WIN all of them on Instagram during our "12 Days of Giveaways"! Today? A preview of all the goodies. Then check our Instagram feed daily over the next 12 weekdays and enter  to win the featured gift on each day.
Contest Rules:
To enter to win the featured item, follow Instagram account for featured company, and tag 2 friends in the comments.
Winners will be selected at 9pm CST each day, so follow, comment, tag, enter before then.  
Winner will be notified via Instagram direct message within 24 hours of winning.

Now for the goodies! 

Listed top to bottom:
1. Lillian Farag Leather Coaster Set: Set of four hand-painted coasters in a splatter dot pattern on natural tanned leather. No two are alike so its like an original work of art!
​2. Annie Selke Java Plum Wristlet*: Purple python embossed leather and the perfect size for all your essentials; phone, ID, credit cards. 
3. Weezie Makeup Towels: No more makeup stained white towels with this set of 2 soft cotton navy towels made just for the task! 
​4. Chantal Ceramic French Press: Pretty enough to sit out on the counter, this 4 cup ceramic french press keeps coffee warmer way longer than the glass versions.
5. KT Woven Diamond Blanket: Seriously one of the best blankets we have come across recently. Gorgeous colors, perfect weight and soft cotton that softens every time you wash it! If you can't wait, buy now and save 20% with code SHAUNA20. 
6. Annie Selke Como Voile Kaftan*: Be one of "those" girls who wears a kaftan just because you can. Exclusive tie-dye pattern from artist Laura Park.
7. Annie Selke Citrus Garden Spa Set*: Ease away the stress of the day with this lavender infused flaxseed pack. Matching eye mask also included! 
8. Annie Selke Mora Camel Suede Tote*: Rich camel leather tote is hand crafted in Ethiopia and designed to hold everything you can toss at it. 
9. Annie Selke Gold Hide Tech Case*: Gold accented hide leather pulls double duty as a case for pads and tablets or a go-to clutch for a night out. Perfect for travel!
10. Faribault Everyday Throw: From our friends at Hygge & West, this cozy woolen throw is made from 100% repurposed wool. Buy now and save 20% with code THANKYOU. 
11. Alana Kay + Shauna Glenn Dessert Plates: Created and designed by artist Alana Kay and Shauna, this set of 4 melamine dessert plates brings bright and bold colors to your holiday table. 
12. Dana Gibson Leopard Accent Tray: Serve your holiday cocktails on this uber chic metal tray and maybe buy another one for your friend who will surely be jealous. 
*Save 25% on select Annie Selke products with code CYBER19

Be sure to follow our Instagram for our daily posts! Yay for Giveaways!