Hello from NJ and Some Spring Decor

Hello friends! I have received many lovely messages asking for more blog posts and you all have convinced me to take the time to put some thoughts together here once again. Thank you for that encouragement and for checking in with me. I had been posting much more regularly on Instagram but have hit pause on that over last couple of weeks mainly because I don't want to minimize this difficult time in any way. So many are struggling in so many ways, whether it be with health, finances or emotional well-being. I have many conflicting emotions and thoughts every single day and posting pictures of our home feels a bit insensitive and frivolous compared to the work that our friends who are health care workers and first responders are doing. Here in Bergen County, NJ, just across the Hudson River from NYC, we are fighting a fire that is still raging with this pandemic. So far, thankfully, our family has remained well. My husband continues to go to work (he's a retired police officer who works in security for the state) and our son volunteers as a firefighter in 2 towns. We are being as careful as possible to limit any other exposure but these are stressful times indeed and it is overwhelming to think about how different out lives will remain for the foreseeable future.

With all that in mind, we are all spending more time in our homes than ever before. I had decorated and photographed our home for Spring before this all began so I have some pictures to share with you. I hope they add even a small amount of brightness to your day. Let's start in the kitchen today and then I will put together a few more posts that include the other spaces in our home.

I used a green and white lattice print tablecloth to make a sink skirt. On our windows, I hung curtains made from napkins that I purchased at HomeGoods. I wonder if HomeGoods misses me as much as I miss them? When I took these pictures, I had a big bunch of tulips that I had purchased at Trader Joes on the stool. I miss Trader Joe's too. We have been doing our grocery shopping as infrequently as possible in large orders at one store and it seems like keeping 5 people fed for all their meals day after day has become my full time job. Along with the constant disinfecting of surfaces, our dishwasher has never worked so hard and neither has our vacuum. How have you been handling grocery shopping these days?

I brought up this runner that I had purchased last year on Amazon. I like the cheery colors and Dax enjoys lounging here when I cook. I think dogs everywhere are thrilled to have their people home with them so much.

I found this old chippy yellow stepladder in one of my favorite shops called Foothills in North Creek, NY in early March. I like the vintage style and pop of yellow that it brings to our kitchen. I found the vintage tablecloth I have displayed on it there too.

I picked up the little "Sunny Days Ahead" sign that is hanging on the rail (it's from Ikea and called Fintorp) at the end of our island at the Target Dollar Spot and I really had no idea how important hopeful sentiments like that would become as we moved through this spring. 

I received a new order of candles from Cultivated Candle Company a couple of weeks ago and I am enjoying their spring scents. This one is the Peachy Eucalyptus scent and it's poured into a vintage blue mason jar. I am enjoying the charm these candles add to our kitchen.

I had switched our dining and living spaces around over the winter and this arrangement has worked out well for our family, especially during quarantine. We have 3 students (2 college/1 high school) doing online learning at different spots in the house each day and our split level has turned out to be great for everybody having their own space to work. 

I added a new indoor/outdoor rug from Target to the living room space for Spring.

Thanks so much for the visit today. I hope your family is hanging in there and weathering this storm as well as possible. One thing is for sure, home has never mattered more as a place to provide safety and shelter.