• Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Collaborate
  • Blog
  • Parties
    • Children’s Parties Ideas
    • Holiday Parties
    • Adult Party Ideas
  • Holiday Ideas
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Fourth of July
    • Spring
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Seasons
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Autumn
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
  • Project Gallery
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY
    • Good Ideas
    • Tutorials
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

  • Book
  • Speaking
  • Meet Vanessa
    • Featured

February 13, 2019

How to Decorate an Entry Table

Did you know that harem style pants (a la MC Hammer) are making a comeback? Yep. The other day, in a Facebook group I’m apart of, someone shared a photo of an advertisement for an outfit that was a romper version of this ‘style’ and I couldn’t help but think that there are some trends that were so bad the first time around that they really should never make a comeback. And they actually made it even worse! I mean, can anyone actually pull of that look? Every time I see those pants they remind me of when my kids tried to walk around with fully loaded diapers.

And, it made me thankful that I am at a stage in life where I know what works for me and what doesn’t, both in my wardrobe and in my home. I wasted so many years trying to fit into a certain look or trend and I can’t even begin to explain how much freedom there is in embracing your own style.

Case in point, this table in my entry has seen many manifestations. Some of them make me cringe now when I look back at them. Because it was just trying too hard to be something it wasn’t.

But, when I finally struck the right chord, it was as if it let out an audible sigh of relief. And the final piece of the puzzle came recently in the form of the perfect free-ish lamp.

All of my shopping at TJ Maxx/HomeGoods/Marshalls resulted in a generous rewards certificate which completely covered the cost of this ceramic beauty. I can’t tell you how much I loved marching up to the counter with it and walking out without paying a dime.

The rest of the tabletop decor came together from things I already owned. The little oil painting is a cherished treasure. When my husband and I were dating, he left for a few weeks to backpack through Europe with some of his college buddies. He brought back this sweet painting for me and I love having it on display here.

A stack of books with a mercury glass box on top add just the right touch of sparkle to the display. The creamy linen-covered book is actually ‘Life in Season‘ without the jacket and I just love how versatile it is. I think you might need one in your house too! Hint…hint…

An orchid from Trader Joe’s is a thrifty way to have flowers without having to buy them fresh every week and I just plunked it down in an urn to add some height.

Trends will come and go and come and go again. I have to admit that hearing the word ‘retro’ to describe styles which were popular when I was growing up might make me feel super old but the beauty of this season of life is that, by now, most of us are more comfortable in our own skin even if it is a little more saggy.

I wonder if MC Hammer will dust off those pants he wore when he danced across the TV screen in his music videos now that they are making a comeback. Somehow, I think even he knows that it’s better to let them stay in the past.

Staying true to yourself and embracing what works for you and your home is always in style. But, can we agree that maybe that doesn’t need to include saggy bottom pants? 😉 “Can’t Touch This!” 

I’m so thrilled to be teaming up again this month with my friends on the Thrifty Style Team where we bring you all kinds of budget friendly ideas and inspiration. Make sure to pay them a visit!

An InLinkz Link-up


16 Comments Filed Under: Decorating, Good Ideas

Subscribe

Get the latest goodness straight to your inbox!

Previous Post: « I Have Two Questions For You
Next Post: Fun Announcement! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Deborah says

    February 13, 2019 at 7:15 AM

    I totally agree and this totally fits you. A simple and beautiful elegance.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      February 13, 2019 at 11:53 AM

      Thank you friend! xoxo

      Reply
  2. Margaret says

    February 13, 2019 at 8:01 AM

    I have a dresser (old family piece of furniture) almost identical to yours .
    You have inspired me to bring it out of the basement and use it either in the
    entry or in a bedroom. Yours looks beautiful the way you have used it.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      February 13, 2019 at 11:50 AM

      Definitely bring it out of the basement Margaret!! I was so thrilled with I found mine in a second-hand shop. It’s beautiful and functional as we store all of our scarves/mittens/etc. in the drawers. Thanks so much for stopping by today!

      Reply
  3. Michelle @ The Painted Hinge says

    February 13, 2019 at 11:18 AM

    I love the lamp! So cool you were able to pick it up with your rewards certificate! And I can totally relate with the relief of finding your own sense of style – it makes life so much easier!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      February 13, 2019 at 11:53 AM

      Thanks Michelle! I know that I had to spend money to earn the certificate but I like to just pretend that it really was ‘free’. LOL! 😉

      Reply
  4. Mary Beth says

    February 13, 2019 at 1:22 PM

    Your new lamp and the entire display are so beautiful, Vanessa! That little painting is so pretty and the back story is so sweet. Also, I love the harem pants analogy…made me chuckle!

    Reply
  5. Courtenay says

    February 13, 2019 at 3:21 PM

    This just really speaks to me. You’ve definitely struck a nice balance that feels like what I’m always trying to achieve in my own home. Also, thanks so much for the trip down memory lane! I wore those pants with the best of them when I was 7!

    Reply
  6. Kristi Dominguez says

    February 13, 2019 at 4:18 PM

    This lamp is beautiful, Vanessa! It looks perfect alongside the rest of your gorgeous decor!

    Reply
  7. Julie says

    February 13, 2019 at 4:54 PM

    I didn’t know the trend left us? lol. I see it all the time. …it’s okay as long as they don’t go completely to the knee, lol!!! Your lamp is so pretty! And FREE!!!!!!!

    Reply
  8. Cindy says

    February 13, 2019 at 5:15 PM

    What a pretty lamp, perfect size for the table! I’m guilty of buying something I don’t love bc it was cheaper, and then wishing I’d waited!!

    Reply
  9. meegan says

    February 13, 2019 at 6:47 PM

    I know the feeling, exactly what you mean! It is fun to see the trends come back around-like they are something new. Your home is always lovely and inviting. Your book adds the PERFECT touch to your space. 🙂

    Reply
  10. Shelia P. says

    February 13, 2019 at 9:20 PM

    Hi Vanessa! I love your new lamp and that beautiful piece of furniture it’s sitting on! That little painting is so sweet and even looks European leaning there. It’s a keeper. I can totally relate to it being so strange hearing people referring to things I grew up with as Vintage. It makes me feel so ancient! But at least my mind is still young! lol! 😊. It’s so good to finally feel comfortable in my own skin, even if like you said, a bit saggy, hahaha! Thanks for a wonderful post. Glad to have someone who can relate. Have a great evening. 😊

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      February 14, 2019 at 10:22 AM

      Hi Shelia! Isn’t it so strange to have those things we grew up with called ‘vintage’ or ‘retro’?! Makes me wish I would have saved some of them for my daughter but most things were super ugly even then. LOL! Thanks so much for stopping by and for your kind words! 🙂

      Reply
  11. laura janning says

    February 14, 2019 at 2:44 AM

    Hammer Time! love your free-ish, new-ish lamp .

    Reply
  12. bliss says

    February 15, 2019 at 3:57 AM

    Right before I started blogging I was purging stuff feeling like I just had too much, and then it looked empty around here. I learned it wasn’t necessarily too much, just that I hadn’t displayed it to the full potential. I still struggle with getting it right, but it’s day and night from where I used too be with it.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Search This Blog

Get the book!

Invite Vanessa to speak at your event!

Stay updated!

Must Reads

Recent Posts

  • Why We’ve Chosen Vacations Over Projects April 26, 2022
  • A New Look for the Family Room March 1, 2022
  • Christmas Kitchen and Family Room December 19, 2021
  • Christmas Home Tour Part One December 10, 2021
  • Easy Hot Cocoa Station November 21, 2021

Footer

Stay Connected!

Instagram

This is one of my most favorite projects from my b This is one of my most favorite projects from my book Life in Season! 

Because, if heaven has a fragrance, I’m fairly certain it smells like lilacs.

I think that somewhere along the way the verse in the Bible that said, ‘heaven will smell like lilacs’ just got lost in translation. But it HAD to have been in there at some point, right?

When I bury my head in the blossoms (which I absolutely MUST do every single time I walk past them), I immediately feel a stirring in my soul.

It seems like I wait forever for my lilac tree to bloom. Every year I anxiously watch as the buds begin to form on the branches and then when the blossoms finally burst forth I begin that agonizing process of deciding the absolute perfect moment to snip them and bring them inside.

And then, after all of that waiting and watching it’s just over…done. Because, unlike heaven, lilacs don’t last for an eternity. So, making my own lilac room spray seemed like the perfect way to enjoy their fragrance long after the blossoms have faded.

Here’s how to make it! Ingredients: Water, Vodka, Lilac fragrance oil. Directions: Fill spray bottle with 50/50 ratio of water to vodka. Add 12 drops of lilac oil. Give it a shake, spray and if the scent isn’t strong enough, simply add a few more drops of lilac oil.

Once you’ve made this lilac scented room spray you will be very tempted to spray it in every room in your house. And someone may want to use it in the bathroom to cover up other less…ummmm….pleasing aromas.

But, do not, I repeat do NOT, let them.

You’ve captured the fragrance of heaven in a bottle and you wouldn’t want to go and tarnish it now would you? 😉
We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most we’ve had in a LONG time) and now we are back to pouring rain. This has officially confirmed what I’ve know to be true for awhile now.

I’m a MUCH better version of myself when the sun is shining! 🤪 So I’ll just be over here today plotting and planning how my husband and I can be snowbirds someday when the kids are out of the house.

If you could spend your winters (and apparently most of spring too!) in any part of the country, where would it be?
Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of rain lately (which is saying something when you live in Oregon) and I’ll admit that it’s affecting my moods a bit. I feel like I’m dragging and struggling to find the energy to get stuff done. So don’t mind me if I’m over here looking at photos of my garden in the summertime and finding that it keeps me hopeful about those days to come. They will come, right?! 🤪. 

What are your favorite plants that you look forward to seeing in the summer?
We’re going to be giving our laundry room a make We’re going to be giving our laundry room a makeover soon. It’s LONG overdue! In fact, the folks from the counter company were just here taking measurements. While we have made some simple, inexpensive updates over the years, it still has many of the original elements from when the house was built in 1992.

Two of our bathrooms are also in need of major makeovers. And we’ve saved up enough money over the years to tackle those projects. But, for the most part, we made the decision to use the bulk of that money in another way. While we knew that it was financially wise to invest in our house, we also knew that the greatest investment we could make was in our children. 

I’ll admit, there are times where I see other people doing massive overhauls of their entire home in a matter of months and I feel a prick of envy. But, we decided that if our choice was between waiting a bit longer to enjoy a renovated bathroom or going on adventures as a family, we would choose adventures every time. And we don’t regret that decision for a single second. It’s not that we haven’t tackled home projects (we’ve done a lot!). It’s just that it’s been a slow and steady process. 

Most recently, we let our son pick where we would travel for spring break since this is his senior year of high school and we are trying to make up for lost time. With so much of life ‘paused’ for two years, we have appreciated these moments more than ever. And, since he’ll be heading to college in the fall, we are very aware of how important it is to spend this time together while we still have a modicum of control over everyone’s schedules.

We have many years left to remodel our home but only so much time left to make memories with our children.

And, while I’m always happy to look around my home and see rooms that are updated and more reflecting of our style, it doesn’t compare to the joy I feel when I look around my home and see the people I love the most who have been shaped by the many adventures we’ve experienced together.
Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and h Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and hail and snow) we are finally getting some sunshine and warmer temperatures. I’ll be honest, it’s really affected my spirits having one gloomy day after the next. So this is a much needed reprieve. Our cherry trees are showing off outside my kitchen window and we plan to get outside and make the most of these days while we have them.

What’s the weather like where you are?
“The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and “The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and boast, the pangs of life will sting for a while longer, but don’t worry; the forces of evil are breathing their last. Not to worry…HE’S RISEN!” (Charles R. Swindoll).

Happy Easter! He is risen indeed!
Who has believed our message? And to whom has the Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

For he grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; he has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to him.

He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face, he was despised, and we did not esteem him. Surely our griefs he himself bore, and our sorrows he carried; yet we ourselves esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

But he was pierced through for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon him, and by his scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him. (Isaiah 53)
I try to always remember to put a water bottle in I try to always remember to put a water bottle in my car before I go to pick up my daughter from school. She didn't ask me to do this, but a few months ago I began to notice that she was often thirsty when she would get in the car. Her water bottle filled up at the beginning of the day was empty by the time school got out and she would ask if she could have some water from my hydroflask. So I make sure to have one waiting for her. It's just a simple thing, really. But, I want her to know that I'm paying attention, that I see her.

Isn't it amazing how small gestures can make us feel less invisible? Knowing that someone is thinking of us and takes the time to meet a need that we might not have even realized we had? These little acts can have big impacts. What is something that someone has done for you recently that made you feel valued and seen?

What have you done for someone else to remind them that you are paying attention to their needs?

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
― Charles Dickens
“The next day the large crowd that had come to t “The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’ – John 12:9-19
#palmsunday
When the Lord blesses you with a glimpse of the pa When the Lord blesses you with a glimpse of the payoff of your investment in your children, it is truly one of the greatest gifts. We had that experience twice this week with our 18 year old son and were overwhelmed by this opportunity we had to watch as he handled two very different situations (one personal and one professional) with grace, maturity, integrity and courage. Those of you mamas of little ones, don't ever minimize the job you are doing in raising this next generation. 

Every story read at bedtime
Every correction made to strengthen character
Every outdoor exploration
Every nose wiped
Every bandaid applied
Every time you say no when the world says yes
Every night of helping with homework
Every difficult conversation
Every prayer uttered

The final pieces of the puzzle of his childhood are falling into place and the picture revealed is one that is more wonderful than we could have imagined. And we know that it is only by God's grace on us as we sought His wisdom and guidance that we have come to this point. We have been FAR from perfect parents, but one of my most sincere prayers for the past 18 years was that the Lord would stand in the gaps that were surely to be revealed by our imperfections. And He has answered those prayers again and again. He's taken my humble petitions and most sincere intentions and knocked our socks off with the young man we are so privileged to call our son. And we can’t wait to watch as his future unfolds!
Load More... Follow
Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2022 At The Picket Fence