Archive for ‘Home Design’
Scout by Bungalow Stylish Storage – Hang-10 Bin
Scout by Bungalow is an online store specializing in stylish storage solutions. I reviewed a Scout Hang-10 Bin and I wish we had about a dozen more. They look great on a bookshelf or as a stand-alone toy (or other storage) box. Scout storage boxes are strong, but lightweight enough that my toddler can haul them around himself. Our bin is soft enough for him to climb on and dump out without risk of injury. (Sitting inside it and then tipping over entirely is another story, but I digress.)
Some other fun uses for a Scout bin could include:
- Flower planting – The liner seems like it could be waterproof enough, or use it to hold potted plants on your patio.
- Garden or BBQ supplies – Outdoor storage.
- Magazine or yearbook holder – Prop it up on its side for a fun way to display your periodicals. (I bet you could even mount it on the wall for a cool floating bookshelf in your bed or bathroom.)
- Imaginative play box for kids – See our take on a play stove below.
- Craft caddy – I have a feeling our box will become kids craft supplies storage soon.
The Scout storage box I received looks similar to a kids storage box we have from IKEA, but the quality and durability is far superior. It’s also a lot cuter, with very vibrant colors. The box feels sturdy and holds quite a bit – Right now it is in our living room, housing a load of Duplos. I feel strongly that your home should be equally welcoming to everyone who lives there, meaning that Sebastian’s things are in every room of the house. An attractive box makes it more about the design – You don’t immediately notice that pretty box is full of blocks!
Here we used the Scout bin for a makeshift play stove. You can see how sturdy it is!
One Hang-10 bin costs $23, with their other size boxes at higher price points. Honestly, that seemed a little steep to me at first, but the quality is there. If you can afford it, these are definitely worth the price, and when you think that you could get three for less than $100, it doesn’t seem so expensive. (And like I said, they are much better than the cheaper ones I’ve seen elsewhere.)
The design I reviewed seems to be discontinued but I especially love this leopard-print bin from the Scout website. Some of their prints are cute enough to design a whole room around.
Want to buy your own Scout products? Use code freeship for free shipping on any order over $150!
I received a Scout Hang-10 Bin from Scout by Bungalow for the purpose of this review. All opinions here are my own.
Custom address plaques add personality to any home
I’m on quite a home design kick right now. I’ve been DVR-ing The Nate Berkus Show everyday to watch while the kiddo naps, spending more time on Pinterest, and stalking my mailbox daily in anticipation of this year’s IKEA catalog. We’ve been really trucking away at the inside of our apartment, building a small gallery wall arrangement in the living room and finally purchasing a cozy little dining table this week! I really want to become “house proud,” to really enjoy our small family apartment and entertain more often.
As the weather warms up, I’ve been turning my efforts toward making the outside of our home pretty as well. We rent, but are lucky enough to have a sizable patio space. Along with planning for a container garden with a mix of flowers and edibles, I’ve been bookmarking cute and clever ideas for displaying house numbers, such as personalized address plaques. In our case, I’d like to display our apartment number more prominently, like we own the place. 
Along with lots of DIY options, there is a website that sells just residential address plaques. Especially when renting, every little bit of personalization counts, and custom address plaques are a great (and very affordable) way to embrace your space.
Give your mood a boost without toxins – The safest scents for home and body
“Fragrance” is a largely unregulated term, with the sweet smell of many products actually being the most toxic component. Companies aren’t legally required to disclose what goes into their fragrances, so it’s no surprise that many commercial perfumes, home sprays and air fresheners are full of unsafe chemicals. Toxins in home and body fragrances are bad news for anyone, but especially bad for expectant mothers and children. Chemical fragrances cause harm to the skin and respiratory system, and can have a lifelong affect on the various systems of little bodies. Scents are specifically designed to linger, so it’s especially important that we choose safe fragrances for use around our families. Fortunately, there are healthy alternatives that will let you enjoy mood-lifting aromatherapy without the dangerous side effects.
Fragrance for body
A Perfume Organic are hand-poured perfumes out of Manhattan. The scents themselves are certified USDA organic, and the packaging is not only recyclable, but is embedded with flower seeds for you to plant and enjoy. A Perfume Organic products are also fair trade, vegan and cruelty-free. The brand offers five scents to choose from, or select the sampler pack to mix and match your own signature scent. Prices are comparable to department store fragrances but much better for your family and the environment. — If you act within the next 24 hours or so, you can pick up these fragrances at a great discount through my affiliate LovingEco.
Harvey Prince is my favorite fragrance brand right now. I was lucky enough to review their line of non-toxic scents and I am a legit fan. My favorite scents are Ageless, Eau De Lite, and Coupling, which are rich enough to wear alone and also smell amazing layered. You can read my Harvey Prince review here.
Essential oils are another healthy way to wear fragrance. Pure oils should always be diluted in neutral carrier oil such as coconut oil or organic body oil, and can be applied to pressure points (I like wrists, neck, and on my hip bones) for a highly therapeutic fragrance. Grapefruit and other citrus oils can offer an uplifting effect while scents like lavender are known for their calming properties.
Scents for the home
Those home air “fresheners” you see advertised on television? Toxic toxic toxic! I refuse to review brands like Glade on this blog for a reason – Because they’re disgusting! There are healthier brands you can try – Method
Adding plants to your home will improve air quality and flowers will give your home a natural, fresh scent. Avoid naturally toxic plants (duh) and keep even safe botanicals out of reach of small children – It only takes a few minutes of boredom before they’ve ripped off every leaf and petal in classic “loves me, loves me not” fashion.
Create your own home spray. This Freshen Up spray from The Well Daily uses white vinegar and essential oils. If you’d rather shop than DIY, scroll down on their page for some healthy aromatherapy options you can buy, including these aromatherapy diffusers
- – The Well Daily is a website and daily email I discovered recently. Browse the site or sign up to have a fun wellness tip delivered to your inbox each day. I highly recommend it!
Brew fragrance on your stove top. Boil orange peels in a large pot along with a handful of cinnamon and cloves for an aroma that will fill your entire home.
Burn non-toxic candles. I am obsessed with candles, but they are not necessarily a safe fragrance option. When shopping candles, high-end versions are typically safer – Definitely avoid the dollar store for candles, although you can find some cute glass candle holders for cheap! Candles that produce soot around the rim are actually releasing that carcinogenic soot into the air.
If you are a candle lover like me, don’t fret – Inform yourself with this great post on avoiding toxins in candles and go on enjoying your scented candles guilt-free! Your best option is 100% soy or beeswax candles, which are safe and clean-burning. I personally love-love-love Bluecorn Naturals soy candles.
Chase Me Home
Chase Me Home Antiques, Reclaimed Art and Used Furniture – Located on the corner of 2nd & Hood in downtown Gresham
Our favorite local secondhand clothing store, Chase Me Again, recently opened a consignment furniture shop. Conveniently located right next door, Chase Me Home sells secondhand furniture and home items. Some pieces are individually consigned while others are set up into cultivated booths. On our first visit this week, the husband and I found a couch we absolutely loved (and at a great price!) but unfortunately it was already on hold. We’ll definitely be checking back often! Sebastian loved the new shop too. It isn’t exactly a kid-friendly store but he did really well, practicing his “nice hands” with delicate objects – Gotta start him on antiquing young! Like Chase Me Again, Chase Me Home has awesome, affordable prices. They could probably charge a lot more but shhh, don’t tell them that! — In all seriousness, both stores have a great heart, with profits benefiting My Father’s House Family Shelter. I love that my dollars & donations help local families, and that their stores themselves are accessible to those with limited income.
This booth is full of projects straight from Pinterest – I’m sure the seller will do very well.
I believe the prices go down each month items remain unsold in the store, keeping plenty of room open for new items.
Vintage baby doll dresses
Not my normal style but that ‘Tacky People’ potholder made me LOL
It was Donny’s idea to stop into Chase Me Home and I’m so glad that he dragged us in! We’re still working on fully furnishing our apartment and I think this new shop will be getting a lot the hard-earned cash we’d previously ear-marked for Ikea.
Overall, I highly recommend you stop into Chase Me Home if you’re in the Gresham area. Portland has a lot of wonderful thrift/antique/secondhand shops but this one (as well as Chase Me Again next door) really stands out in both price, mission and customer service.
© 2012