Room Style: Eclectic Vintage Boy's Room

One of our most recent room styles turned out absolutely perfect! Our client had a pile of items she had collected for her son's room but desperately needed help pulling it all together. She wanted fun, vintage & eclectic. Three words we love to hear! 

What is a room style you ask?

Room styling is different from interior design. We take what you already have (or purchase for you a few new items) and arrange, hang & style them for you. Often, you know the look you want for a certain room but don't know how to pull it together for a cohesive look. That's what we're here for! We come, tools & lattes in hand, and bring your inspiration to life!

How did we get into room styling you ask?

We have both always loved interiors & DIY. Sarah was found rearranging her room furniture continually growing up while flipping through home & garden magazines and Kamin drew inspiration from parents who could make or build just about anything (her mother a seamstress & father a carpenter). It's in our blood & we love it! Being editorial photographers for a combined 14 years has fine tuned our eyes to not only take beautiful photographs but also arrange, style & compose a room to look visually intriguing. It's like a life size puzzle!

How do I find out more about our home styling services, you ask?

We offer FREE consultations in your home where we walk through the rooms you need styling & estimate labor & items needed for each room. Since every home is different, we price accordingly. You can e-mail us at sparkandarrowcreative@gmail.com to set up an appointment!

Now, on to this sweet boy's room! 

Here is a before pic of the room...

And here is a pic after we got our hands on it!

We started by rearranging the furniture to give the room some movement. The dresser in front of the window was a little too tall so we moved a small bookcase under it instead. A pair of long window panels brought this vignette together from ceiling to floor. 

These shelves were the perfect place to display a collection of vintage toys & with some pull out bins provides storage for her son's newer toys. Books line the bottom shelves for easy access.

The dresser was moved to an opposite wall where we also added a fun gallery arrangement of various decor. We used a clipboard & old suit hanger as artwork displays that can be changed out as her son pleases!

A lighted ampersand, old books & vintage photographs were among the many fun items our client had laying around!

By placing the bed in the middle of the room we gave her son a great place to tumble over to get from one side to the other. We try to imagine how our rooms will be used as we style. It's important to make them look good but also be livable. We hung a burlap covered headboard for the bed and arranged a paint by number horse & unique paper mache rabbit head above.

We created a F-U-N reading nook with a Pottery Barn bookshelf. The letters we made by our client form old magazine clippings. A couple baskets underneath provide open storage for sports equipment & various toys.

Old children's album covers stacked four high filled a small space between the door & closet.

Small touches throughout the space completed the look. A small ladder and basket were used for displaying her son's costume collection & a vintage pull along toy works as a doorstop.

Here's a few more details for your enjoyment...

Our client sent us the most precious video of her son seeing his new room for the first time. He thanked us for all we had done & she says he still thanks God for his new room in his prayers every night. Does it get any better than that? We think not. 

We would love to help you spruce up your home. It's the perfect time as you take down Christmas decor & get organized for the New Year! Contact us today!

Spark & Arrow

(Styling & Photography by Spark & Arrow)

At Home With Sarah: Christmas Decorating

We can't believe it! It's Christmas week already! 

Today we're giving you a glimpse into our lives with a Christmas home tour with our co-founder Sarah. We also included an interview with this woman of many hats (photographer, artist, wife, mom, believer, volunteer, advocate, mess maker & ground breaker) as she shares some of her Christmas traditions and ideas.

The Arrington's love their 1926 American Foursquare nestled close to downtown Birmingham. When Sarah's husband purchased the house 3 years ago it was in need of some love. With a background in construction, he took it on as a project & they love being able to work together turning it into a cozy family dwelling. 

Christmas decorating starts the day after Thanksgiving & not a day earlier. "I think you should enjoy every season. Take it in & follow it through until the end. Thanksgiving Day is turkey & dressing and fall air. The day after is fraser firs & Christmas jingles," says Sarah.

Upon entering the home you are greeted with a beautiful staircase & a small sitting area usually filled with shoes & belongings at the end of a busy day. An antique cane back sofa that the couple found at a thrift store & restored goes perfectly with the home's style. 

A simple pine garland drapes the stairs with red burlap ribbon & mercury glass ornaments. Small touches of Sarah's style are mixed in. "You could say my style is Vintage Remix. Well, really I don't know what you would call it. If I like it I buy it. I love old elements but also surprise myself sometimes by throwing in something new," she says.

This vintage deer family is one of her favorite Christmas decorations found yet again at a local thrift store. A small basket of pinecones is a simple way to add a seasonal touch.

Antique printer trays stacked vertically on the wall are spruced up with small jingle bells & simple cuttings. "They almost look like twinkling lights against the dark wood of the trays. I had leftover jingle bells laying around & thought this would be a fun touch!"

Moving into the family's living room we're greeted by the family dog, Zoe a 9 year old Golden Retriever. "She's a little perturbed right now. The Christmas tree is sitting where her bed usually is." This space is where the Arrington's spend the majority of their time hanging out with friends & playing with their 9 month old daughter. 

"A few years ago, we came home with the shortest tree on the lot. J is always looking for a deal & I think we paid $20 for this particular tree. At first the idea of a small tree turned me off because I grew up with always having a tree that was just a few inches from the ceiling. The bigger the better. I'm sure I was a little upset, too. But that year there was something so special about the simplicity of that short little tree as I stared at it night after night. So, for the past few years we get short trees."

Sarah found an old galvanized watering trough to put the tree in this year and used black & white herringbone ribbon and red wooden beads to mingle throughout its limbs. Vintage glass ornaments mixed with new mercury glass ornaments added pretty reflections throughout.

Vintage touches are throughout the room & get a few clippings for the season. Sarah collects these vintage French tip plates to use as coasters. They used to be used in restaurants for guests to leave their bill & tips for the wait staff. Old bocce balls are also a fun way to add color to a space.

Things get a bit more formal in Sarah's dining room but her signature style still remains. An antique carved buffet gets a mix of Christmas charm including Sarah's collection of tiny vintage ornaments. 

An antique mirror is adorned with a simple wreath and china is displayed on top of a salvaged mirrored door. "Taking an item & using it in an new, unexpected way is part of my wiring. I would come home from a junk sale with a car load if we had a place to store it all. J would probably just shake his head."

The old mantle in the home (one of two) is Sarah's favorite spot to decorate. Pine garland mixed with red dyed pinecones set the stage for her silver platters & mercury glass votive holder.

Stockings from West Elm spell out the essence of the season with zinc letters spelling "JOY". Sarah found the vintage Greek key patterned tablecloth at a yard sale earlier this year.

Going upstairs the decor stays simple. You enter a small family room at the top of the stairs. In the morning this area is filled with their daughter's babbles and laughter & at night snuggles and music sessions with Daddy.

"I love this space. It's fun, unexpected & the perfect spot to come together as a family." A few of Sarah's thrift store finds hang on the walls & an heirloom music box from her husband's childhood sits on the side table with a few vintage bottles. Colored glass beads drape across a salvaged mirror with surprising reflections.

Their daughters room gets its own silver tree adorned with pink & gold vintage glass ornaments. "I'm sure these will get broken in a few years," Sarah says and then bites her lip, "Next year it'll probably go on top of her dresser." For now though, a vintage stool is the perfect place for this adorable tree.

A few small touches including a gold garland over the couple's bed & another tiny silver tree with vintage ornaments wraps up the home's decor. Simple yet meaningful touches.

We sat down with Sarah for a few questions to get to know her better...

What is your favorite item to decorate with for Christmas?

Vintage ornaments! You can find them all over the place & they always have the best patina. A close second is live greenery. I always go to the local farmer's market & grab clippings & long strands of garland that can be used all over the house. It smells like Christmas & usually looks better than the fake stuff. If you already have fake garland, you can just add in a few clippings to beef it up. You can also use clippings & floral wire to make your own garland.

Do you have an Christmas traditions?

We usually don't spend much on ourselves for Christmas. Which is good because neither of us can stand Christmas shopping crowds. It's a time of giving for us as we celebrate God's greatest gift. Every year, we sit down, J & I and eventually our daughter, and we pray as a family for several organizations to donate to. We write checks to these places & pray for God to use them this Christmas & throughout the year to impact people's lives for His glory. We also spend time with the various ministries we are involved with giving our time & resources to those who need them more than we do. It's the best gift we could give ourselves & the best way to show our daughter how to love God and people.

Favorite Christmas song?

"O, Holy Night" The line that gets me every time is "Long lay the world in sin and error-pining, 'til he appeared and the soul felt its worth." Those words pack a punch & offer so much hope. And I'm sure there is no judgement if I say Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas" is a close second. 

Thank you for joining us on our Christmas home tour. We hope you are blessed this Christmas with the company of friends & family and memories to last a lifetime!

Much joy- Spark & Arrow

(Styling & Photography by Spark & Arrow)

Meet our Friends & Vendors: Malinda Kay Nichols

Three words... Gourmet. Chocolate. Bars.

Sounds classy & delectable, no?

And complicated? Absolutely not!

Our dear friend Malinda has outdone herself yet again & developed three simple candy bar recipes anyone can make. These are the perfect gifts for co-workers, teachers, neighbors & the like and take just a few minutes to whip up! Empress Stationery is also posting a free label download later this week!

Supplies:

Chocolate bar molds* (Malinda found hers here.)

*You can also use parchment paper placed in a small shallow baking pan

Good quality melting chocolate (Wilton, Candy Quick, Guittard)

Ingredients for each bar (See Recipes Below)

Parchment paper

Downloadable labels from Empress Stationery or festive scrapbook paper.

Steps:

1. Melt chocolate according to package directions.

2. Pour chocolate into molds; tap it a few times on the counter to let the chocolate settle and release any air bubbles.

3. Add your ingredients on top while the chocolate is still melted.

4. Pop molds into the freezer and let the chocolate harden completely.

5. After unmolding each bar (and if needed cutting them to size), wrap it first in a layer of parchment, then your label or scrapbook paper.

Each of these bars not only taste amazing but are also pretty to look at! A gourmet gift straight from your kitchen!

White Chocolate Hazelnut

You'll need:

White chocolate melts

Nutella (Microwaved for about 15 seconds and swirled in while still melted.)

Chopped hazelnuts 

Chocolate sprinkles

Follow instructions above.

Want a new spin on a tradition pumpkin pie? Why not make it into a candy bar?

Pumpkin Pie

You'll need:
Wilton Pumpkin Spice melts
Chocolate melts

Graham Crackers

1. Swirl melts together & pour into mold. 

2. Press Graham cracker on top

And lastly our favorite, Kitchen Sink! 

Kitchen Sink

You'll need:

Chocolate melts
Anything you have on hand, we used:
Golden Flake potato chips
Pretzels
Fresh coffee grounds
White chocolate and butterscotch baking chips
French gray sea salt

Follow instructions above.

There you go! Such a sweet, unique & thoughtful way to spread Christmas cheer this season!

As always we love for you to get to know the talent we work with. We asked Malinda a few questions in a mini interview:

How did you fall in love with crafting?

When I was little, while the other kids were playing outside or joining t-ball teams, I loved to sit in my room and play with construction paper, glue and popsicle sticks. I remember one time I put on something I called “Camp Craft” with my friends while our brothers were at Boy Scout Camp. I loved watching Martha Stewart’s Saturday morning show back in the 90s, and that opened up a whole new world of “making” to me. In 7th grade I started making my own clothes, and ultimately majored in fashion design in college. Being inspired and then translating that into something pretty is a really fun and cathartic process for me. I am definitely at my happiest when my fingers are covered in glue and glitter.

What inspires you?

My husband and I love to travel and have had been blessed to visit some pretty incredible places. A tiny hand-crafted bowl I bought in Istanbul 4 years ago inspired this year’s Christmas gifts for my daughter’s teachers; the hair accessories I saw on the women pouring out of a 800-year-old church in a little village in Ireland after a wedding inspired a line of headbands I made a few years ago.

I also have this perfect little girl named Evalyn June, and having her bound around our house has inspired me in so many ways. I love to color with her, make things for her, and dream up what her “big girl room” will look like! Life is definitely very pink these days, and I love it.

What’s next for you? 

I’ve been scheming with one of my best friends for quite some time about implementing “Birmingham Craft Night.” Pinterest has opened up a whole new world of creativity, but I think people get intimidated at the thought of implementing these ideas into their own lives. We want to bring Pinterest to the masses, do craft nights where we bring the supplies and the know-how to your group of friends, and walk you through step-by-step on how to create something, all while eating cupcakes, drinking some Prosecco, and hanging out with your girlfriends!

Thank you for sharing Malinda! Check out her website here!

Until next time! 

Your Spark & Arrow girls, Sarah & Kamin

(Recipe & Styling - Malinda Kay Nichols / Photography - Spark & Arrow / Labels - Empress Stationery)

Home Style: Hood Family Christmas

When homeowner Sherree approached us about styling her home for Christmas we were thrilled! She has incredible taste but needed help bringing it together for a cohesive & lived-in look. A fire destroyed their home last year and the Hood family has spent the months since rebuilding not only their home but their lives. Christmas is a special time for this family and Sherree wanted a fresh new start to her Christmas decor to enjoy for not only this year but years to come! 

We found her a few new pieces that would still work after the holidays & added in fresh greenery for a simple yet refined look.

With 2 kids in the house we wanted to keep the dining room table simple so they could still sprawl out for homework & dinner. A simple runner & a couple reindeer are just enough and easy enough to move out of the way when needed. 

Fresh pine greenery & holly berries adorned the chandelier and small swags of greenery tied with black & white ribbon spruced up the chair backs.

Sherree wanted a special place in her home to hang her advent calendar from Naptime Diaries. These cards are beautiful prints used for devotional time each night leading up to Christmas. This is also the perfect place for Christmas cards from family & friends. We repurposed a crib mattress and used small red clothespins to secure the cards. A pretty swag & ribbon finished off the look. This piece can be used after Christmas as a memo board & photo display.

Moving onto the kitchen, we had a beautiful canvas to work with. We love this home's neutral palette and industrial inspired touches.

Sherree already had this large wooden tray. We added a pretty mercury glass pillar, fresh greenery and holly & a few pinecones. Trays are great for islands since they can easily be moved to accommodate large food sprawls. 

Over the sink we hung a fresh fir wreath which we added a gold mercury glass ornament wreath to. The way the light hits the ornaments is so pretty! A ball jar filled with cuttings & a milk bottle with festive straws sits by the sink.

We added more cuttings of greenery throughout the space, a cloche with red and white pinecones & a pretty magnolia wreath on an adjacent room's door. Don't be afraid to mix greenery types when it comes to Christmas decor. This mix creates fun textures throughout!

Styling bookshelves is one of our favorite things to do! There's so many options you have when arranging pieces that you love. You can add in or takeaway as the seasons change and create new look by doing so. We added in greenery, old books, a few teal mercury glass candles & an adorable globe to this bookshelf. And everything but the greenery can be used after the holidays! Mixed in with various Christmas items of Sherree's we created a lovely display to greet guests as they come into their home.

Sherree had this beautiful tree from Balsam Hill and a fantastic collection of ornaments she had been collecting. We added our touch with a custom made garland using black & white twine and various sizes of pinecones.

Since the home doesn't have a mantle the stockings were hung on the TV console. We created a beautiful garland of pine, magnolia & fir and added in a few coordinating accessories.

A gold mirrored side table got a mini "faux tree" made of clippings & vintage ornaments.

Small touches of Christmas throughout this home makes it the perfect place for the Hood family to come together & enjoy this wonderful season!

Thank you Sherree for letting up add that extra spark to your home & we look forward to helping you with your future home needs!

Do you need some help styling your home or event for the holiday? We would love to help!

Contact us at sparkandarrowcreative@gmail.com!

Stay simple & merry,

Spark & Arrow