Do a quick online search for Valentine’s Day party ideas, and you’re met with a slew of amazing party tables smothered in red and pink. Not that I don’t love red and pink at this time of the year, but I’m on the hunt for something a little less matchy-matchy (even if red and pink are still involved). As it turns out, there are plenty of interesting and unique Valentine’s Day party ideas out there, many of which are created by design bloggers who love putting a special spin on February 14th. If you’re planning a party for this weekend or simply hunting for ways to make the day extra special, this post is for you…

Valentine’s Day Party Decor

Let’s start with finding a look for your party, gathering or date night. I love the chic approach of this Think Pink Valentine’s brunch from Camille Styles, styled by Sophie Collins and Gillian Segal. With tableware from CB2 (such as the roundish mini bowls that hold strawberries below), this girls’ brunch idea has a modern twist. Adding to the modern vibe are the unusual blooms in the middle of the table, which include protea:

Getting creative with your decor requires thinking outside of the box. The hanging arrows and blooms below (left) definitely put an unforgettable spin on this Valentine’s Day shoot from Anissa Manzo of Urban Poppy and Obscura Photoworks (featured at Ruffled). Don’t feel like suspending arrows from the ceiling? Try a simple tabletop arrangement of petals and arrows (below, right).

Fill up on nostalgia with these DIY Conversation Heart Balloons from Studio DIY. Decorate Mylar heart balloons with red letter stickers, and you can channel the look of classic candy while adding a festive touch to your party.

Sometimes the most unexpected party choices are the unusual ones. Mix it up with minerals such as rose quartz. Use them as a backdrop for blooms, or scatter them among a potted arrangement of colorful flowers. [from Rose Quartz Photography and Whim Events via Ruffled]

Try decking the walls or your table with a flower-filled heart container. This DIY floral heart wall installation from A Bubbly Life is easy to put together and makes a fresh, fun impact:

Sometimes the best way to enjoy February 14th is by spending the night in with friends, or your date. In fact, this Valentine’s Day date night from Green Wedding Shoes is extra special, thanks to simple ingredients such as a coffee table, pillows, bud vases and candles, as well as great recipes such as baked mini strawberry donuts and chocolate bourbon strawberry shakes!

Speaking of recipes…

Valentine’s Day Party Food and Drinks

Next up: party food and drinks! Remember this chocolate dessert feast I recently created for Decoist? It illustrates my favorite party rule: make something, buy something. I made the candied oranges and dark chocolate sea salt cookies. I bought the cheese, fruit, chocolate-covered almonds and chocolate bar. Oh, and this whole feast was inspired by the film Chocolat. See more photos and read all about the food here.

If you happen to be sending edible treats home with guests, package it with the help of special ribbons, boxes, bags, tissue paper and more. The selections below are from Paper Mart, featured at Oh Happy Day:

Another idea: create a geo pattern on your bag of choice with the help of Martha Stewart craft glitter. The DIY color blocked glitter gift bags in the next image were crafted by Paper & Stitch:

I heart confetti, don’t you?! That’s why these confetti hearts from A Subtle Revelry caught my eye. Use them to top the baked goods of your choice. They’re an instant embellishment, and they’ll give a homemade look to store-bought treats! Speaking of decorating, how fabulous is this gumball cake decorating idea?!

Another cake decoration idea: this stenciled kiss cake, featured at a Pucker Up Valentine’s Day Party from Studio DIY. A lip stencil and edible pearl dust are the keys to success here. To view free printables and a tutorial from Studio DIY, head on over to Balloon Time.

We can’t forget the power of a special beverage. If you caught my recent post on creative Valentine’s Day ideas, you may already have some fun cocktail plans, but here’s one more to try: strawberry hibiscus rum punch from A House in the Hills,  in partnership with Farra from The Hostess Haven. Special ingredients such as dried hibiscus, honey, white rum and coconut sugar make this drink a real party treat!

I’m heading to the grocery store tonight, and I’m ready to stock up on delicious ingredients for Valentine’s Day. Thanks to the images above, I’m filled with inspiration. I hope today’s post has inspired you too!

You’re reading 12 Unique Valentine’s Day Party Ideas, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

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There are two ways of looking at a home that comes as with a neutral color palette, bland walls and lack of personality. You can either look at it as a boring home without any excitement or can use the opportunity to unleash your creative juices and turn it into an inviting home that reflects your personality. Homepolish interior designer Haley Weidenbaum obviously took the latter approach as she transformed her Los Angeles home, which was a ‘blank slate’ when she moved in, into a cozy and colorful space that is both playful and relaxing.

The entire transformation process was all about resourcefulness and imagination as decor in bold color and pattern was used to drive away any sense of lingering blandness in every single room of the house. An open plan living area with a large dining space and corner kitchen employ some gorgeous pieces such as the Crate & Barrel Bird Chairs and a color-coded bookshelf to make sure the aura of the space is both engaging and inviting. A smashing home office with invigorating pops of orange is undoubtedly the showstopper of the home even as the plush bedrooms in gray with pops of yellow offers a cozy, personal sanctuary.

Art became a vital part of the makeover as the large walls in neutral shades demanded ‘standout pieces’ that seamlessly blended with the overall ambiance. The fact that Haley’s husband Adam is a graphic designer and her father a photography enthusiast meant that she was fortunate enough to fill the home with charming art work without actually spending a fortune on the pieces. Understated and exquisite, this is a home that beautifully blends the vintage with the modern and aesthetics with functionality.

[Photography: Tessa Neustadt]

You’re reading Snug Los Angeles Home Captivates with Color and Ingenuity, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

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Transforming an elegant and timeless four-story Georgian residence in London into a more appealing, modern space is a job that demands both creativity and plenty of care. Adding to the complexity of the task was the historic façade of the house that needed to be left untouched even while giving the interior a refreshing, classy makeover. Taking up this complex challenge and delivering in a grand fashion are the creative folk from DOS Architects, who combined modern comfort and updates with the classic elements of the house to create the captivating Holland Park Avenue. Bringing together the best of both worlds, the 500-square meter home is indeed an absolute masterpiece that seems to transcend styles and eras!

We have seen some amazing, glass renovations from DOS Architects in the past, but this one take s a different approach by simply reconfiguring and updating the interior. Many of the original Georgian design elements of the home are kept intact and the decor used acts as a bridge between the present and the past. Luxurious leather chairs, plush rugs and iconic furniture pieces are combined with the extensive and exceptional art collection of the homeowner to craft a truly one-of-a-kind home. The backdrop of each room is kept as neutral as possible to let these fascinating at pieces shine through even while avoiding a sleek, contemporary art gallery-inspired ambiance.

The classic windows of the house along with modern glass walls and windows are used to usher in ample natural light even as smartly placed skylights ensure that there are absolutely no dark corners anywhere. Lower levels of the house feature the living areas, kitchen and dining space while the top floor houses the opulent master bedroom and bath. A smart private garden and clever artificial lighting complete the extensive overhaul.

You’re reading Classic Georgian House in London Gets a Cultured Modern Revamp, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

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People and animals have enjoyed hot and steamy waters for thousands of years. From the famous Icelandic pools (that have been in use since Viking times) to the Japanese macaque monkeys who regularly warm up in the Jigokudani Hot Springs, relaxing in steamy waters is one of life’s simple pleasures.

Warming up in a hot tub while it’s cold outside—or even better, snowing—is a super-luxurious experience. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll be hooked. Whether you install your own tub on your back porch, or travel to some of the world’s best spas, you can regularly enjoy the muscle- and mind-relaxing benefits of hot tubs the world over if you seek them out. Here’s some travel or home-improvement inspiration if you want to warm it up this winter.

A Sizzling, Steamy Winter!

Hotel Vieux Vicheres, located in Verbier-St.Bernard, Switzerland, is updating its historic buildings and spa. When it came time for new hot tub ideas, this (below) was one of their design finalists. They asked their fans and readers if they preferred a shorter stint in a rousing, bubbly tub, or a longer, more tranquil soak in a traditional Swiss tub. Hmmm….Good question!

Begun in the Swiss Alps in the mid-90s, Iglu-Dorf was initially constructed as a temporary place for snowboarders to sleep on-mountain and wake up to the freshest snow. As friends and visitors began asking if they could spend the night in the handmade igloos, a business was born. Sustainably constructed each winter from local materials, there are now igloo villages to stay in Andorra, Davos-Klosters (new at the junction Slate/Totalp), Engelberg, Gstaad, Zermatt and Zugspitze. And with tired snowboarders come the need for an igloo-hot tub of course, pictured below.

Hot tubs are an outdoor element that you can really personalize to your taste, which makes them ideal for an infusion of style and self-expression. For those with a gypset style, the wonderfully bohemian scene below, from Boats’N Hoes, is a perfect example of making your location the highlight of your home-spa set-up.

Unraveling Alpine Magic

Of course, what could be better than a glass of champagne while enjoying a hot tub in the snow? I can’t think of a thing! This one’s from the private Chalet Spa Verbier, also in the Swiss Alps, which can be rented by you and yours, or serve as a jumping-off point for your own design; this hot tub and stone wall-ringed patio are built into a hillside with phenomenal views to the left of the image.

Bohemian definitely isn’t for everyone; another take on the at-home hot tub is this built-in, cozily ensconced in local stone, and hidden from view by the house on one side and a hillside on the other.

The Twenty26 Boutique Chalet in the French Alps (next to the Portes du Soleil ski mountain) keeps it classy with a hot tub for soaking…. and a sauna for drying off, along with several levels of decks for relaxing. If it were mine to enjoy, I would do the classic Swedish thing: Five-ten minutes in the hot tub, then a freezing douse in the snow, then into the sauna, all of which is great for the skin.

Cozy and Contemporary

Armathwaite Hall in the UK’s Lake District is a classic English manor with fabulous modern upgrades, like this sizable infinity hot tub. There’s also a larger spa and meditation area, and you can sign up to learn survival skills to earn your tub time—or just relax, of course.

Of course, you can always keep it simple. A bank of snow, a steaming hot tub and a warm place to call home at the end of the night: This cozy scene comes from the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, where you can ski in (and, I suppose, ski out) of your very own hot tub.

You’re reading Hot Tub Snow Machine: 9 Totally Unique Soaking Spots, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

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Creating that perfect nursery for your little one can be the most challenging and satisfying task of them all when it comes to decorating your home. If you are expecting a baby girl, then you might already be stuck with a world of choices ranging from the crib design to the color of the room. Shaping a nursery that is both safe and stimulating requires both planning and creativity. While there are plenty of color choices on offer, pink seems to be the absolute, perennial favorite among nursery designs for girls.

Each pink nursery is different and unique in its own special way and the available space in your home and your decor choices will determine its final look. The 20 fabulous pink nursery designs on display today range from the extravagant to the understated should give you plenty of ideas regarding how to shape that perfect pink haven for your little princess!

A World of Pink

Experts says that color plays a vital role in impacting the mood of your little one and picking the right colors for the nursery is a lot more important than you think. Pink is one of those perfect colors that combines stimulation with serenity to offer the best of both worlds! It is a color of beauty, tranquility and femininity, making it absolutely perfect for the baby girls’ room. While rooms filled with light and elegant pink are great, do not forget to add pops of other bright colors to create a more appealing setting. Wallpaper that brings pattern or accessories that add invigorating colors are an absolute must.

Pink can be added to the girls’ nursery no matter what the theme and the style of the room is. Wall decals that depict beautiful butterflies, a lovely rainbow or nature-centric designs will add excitement to this chic nursery. Do not forget to add soothing ambient lighting and make sure your give the ceiling a lot more attention than usual.

Adaptable and Contemporary

We always love kids’ bedroom designs that grow along with their evolving needs without placing too much demand on your time and resources. A modern nursery can also be designed in a similar way to ensure that you will not have to spend a whole lot of cash every two years to change it all up. Kids quickly get bored of the environment that surrounds them and you will soon realize that your baby girl is all grown up and demanding a change in no time! Even if you opt for a color such as pink, keep the backdrop as neutral and elegant s possible to create a bedroom that grows with your little girl. Use plush rugs, curtains, carpeting, decor and bedding to usher in all the pink you need.

Gray is increasingly becoming a popular choice in the world of nursery design as well and it does make for this perfect, versatile backdrop that you are after. Unlike white, it is not too sterile; lets the other colorful additions stand out and will pass the test of time with ease. Pink and gray make a smashing, sophisticated combination when done right and you can even transform this into a Hollywood Regency-styled setting with a few plush rugs and some mirrors! Wallpaper with bold geometric pattern is another wonderful choice for nurseries that might be turned into guest rooms are adult bedrooms down the line.

Plan It to Perfection!

Pink is a color that works well both in small and large nursery rooms with equal ease and can be combined with almost any other bold color without any hassle. In smaller nurseries, make sure that you use a lither shade of pink. Pink pastels are currently trendy and they look absolutely ravishing when combined with bolder blues, coral, red or even gold. The light pink shade also gives the room a cheerful, airy appeal, driving away any sense of dullness.

You’re reading 20 Gorgeous Pink Nursery Ideas Perfect for Your Baby Girl!, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

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