Flash Sale Friday: Lighting up Your Space

It's time for another...

Each week, I will be featuring some of the week's best picks from my favorite Flash Sale sites and creating a room inspiration board for all of you to enjoy!  If you have a room that needs decorating and you are looking for some inspiration, feel free to email me what you are looking for, and I'll see what I can come up with for you, and you will be featured in a future Flash Sale Friday post!

If you would like to become a member to one of the sites featured in this Flash Sale Friday post, feel free to create an account from the links I have provided below.

55 Downing Street
Beyond the Rack

One Kings Lane

Joss & Main
Hautelook

Rue La La
HomeSav
MyHabit
Wayfair
Ideeli
Gilt

Fab

I love lighting, and with as many sales there were this week on lamps and outdoor lighting, and pendants, I thought I would feature lighting this week.  Choosing lighting for your home can be very difficult - there are so many different materials that lamps can be made of, never mind colors, and of course, the style of the shade that you choose.  In addition to that, choosing the perfect lighting for your home or your outdoor space can be a lot of fun. 

The different styles that I have chosen for this week's Flash Sale Friday are all over the place. I have everything from super-modern to very traditional and classic, and of course, everything in between. Plus, I had to include an Arch lamp, like the one that D and I recently picked up from a family friend - you all wanted your own anyway, right? I think it's safe to say that in this week's picks, there is something for everyone!

1. Samuels Table Lamp Set in Fern Green via One Kings Lane  2. Zuo Gravity Floor Lamp via Gilt  3. Zuo Cyber Table Lamp via Gilt  4. Karl Stacked Crystal Ball Lamp Set via One Kings Lane  5. Yellow Twitter Bird Contemporary Accent Lamp via 55 Downing Street  6. Janae Table Lamps in Dark Brown via Wayfair  7. Knot Table Lamp Set in Yellow via One Kings Lane  8. Candice Olson Lighting Scope Telescoping Table Lamp in Bronze/Satin Nickel via MyHabit  9. Cut-Out Steel Tree Pattern Accent Table Lamp via 55 Downing Street  10. Pulaski Brunswick Table Lamp via Joss & Main  11. Wilde Light via HomeSav  12. Angela Table Lamp Set in Silver via One Kings Lane  13. Zuo Cosmic Floor Lamp via Gilt  14. Blog Table Lamp in Walnut via Wayfair  15. Control Brand Arch Floor Lamp via Gilt  16. Stromae Table Lamp in Smoke via HomeSav  17. Table Lamp in Green via Wayfair  18. Zuo Supernova Table Lamp via Gilt  19. Zuo Small Sapphire Ceiling Lamp via Gilt  20.  LexMod Spun Style Table Lamp via MyHabit  21. Knot Table Lamp Set in Orange via One Kings Lane  22. Classic Pendant Kit with White and Orange Cord via Fab  23. Shine by S.H.O Farren Pendant via MyHabit  24. Eleanor 3-Light Chandelier in Satin Nickel via Joss & Main  25. Patterson Natural Iron Finish Mini Pendant via 55 Downing Street  26. Shine by S.H.O Reyn Pendant via MyHabit  27. Concrete Pendant Kit Emerald via Fab  28. Chantrell 5-Light Chandelier in Oil Rubbed Bronze via Joss & Main  29. Possini Euro Belladonna Wall Sconce via 55 Downing Street  30. Loop Dark Bronze Plug-in Wall Sconce via 55 Downing Street  31. Double Box Chrome Wall Light via 55 Downing Street  32. J Du J Mission Hills Outdoor Ceiling Light via 55 Downing Street  33. Lewes LED Outdoor Wall Light via 55 Downing Street  34. Nadine Outdoor Wall Sconce via Joss & Main  35. J Du J Sierra Craftsman Wall Light via 55 Downing Street  36. Franklin Iron Works Silver Arch LED Outdoor Wall Light via 55 Downing Street  37. Right Angle Bronze Wall Sconce via 55 Downing Street  38. Jenine Vanity Light via Joss & Main  39. Stratus Collection Downbridge Wall Light via 55 Downing Street  40. Jo 3-Light Semi-Flush Mount in Chrome via Wayfair  41. Possini Euro Ruched Ceiling Light via 55 Downing Street  42. Possini Euro Geneva Crystal Ceiling Light via 55 Downing Street  43. Limidee Spotlight via HomeSav  44. Jo 2-Light Flush Mount in Chrome via Wayfair  45. Satin Brown Frosted Glass Ceiling Light via 55 Downing Street

Which lights could you see using in your home? Do you think I missed a style in my search?

Please Note: All of the images in this post have been used with permission. Images were not modified or altered to fit in this inspiration board. Flash Sale invitation links may provide me with rewards if items are purchased by a new member.

Rhody Goes West: Moab - Part 3

After our thirty-mile drive over from Arches National Park to Canyonlands National Park, D and I grabbed our Subway sandwiches out of the cooler and walked out to the Green River View Overlook, which is about 6 miles from the entrance to the park.  The overlook ended up being only a walking path with a barrier between you and the cliff, so we walked a little off to the right to one of the boulders that was alongside the barrier and sat down to eat our lunch.  Looking out over the canyon was beautiful, and it was really neat to be able to see the Green River from where we were eating lunch.

View from Green River Overlook - Canyonlands National Park, Moab, Utah

We didn’t stay too long here because there was a hike that we were planning to make, so we finished up our lunch, and hopped back in the car, only to realize that we probably should have filled up the gas tank before leaving Moab.  The closest gas station to Canyonlands was about 20 miles away, and with less than ¼ tank, we figured that it was probably not a good idea to drive the additional 25 miles to the other overlook as planned without having much gas in the tank. 

This leads me to a point about Moab – I didn’t realize how far apart things were when I was doing research for the trip.  While Arches National Park is about five miles from the center of Moab, Canyonlands is not.  In fact, Canyonlands is actually divided in the middle by a canyon – go figure, right?  So there are two different sections to the park.  The one that we focused on was called Islands in the Sky, whereas the other one is called The Needles.  The Needles section has more long and difficult hiking trails and biking paths, whereas the Islands in the Sky section is more driving and smaller hikes.  When I was researching the parks, I didn’t realize that the two different sections of Canyonlands were separated by a canyon and therefore did not connect unless you were to travel by boat or raft on the Green River.  And to my surprise, the entrance to Islands in the Sky and The Needles are over 100 miles apart!  Unfortunately, this meant that we ended up having to choose one over the other and ended up visiting only Islands in the Sky since it was closer and we didn’t have very much time.  When we go back in the future, which we plan to do, we will definitely be planning on spending almost all of our time in The Needles section. 

Prairie land along the roadways in Canyonlands National Park, Moab, Utah

Ok, back to what I was saying before – we were running low on gas, and we didn’t think that putting the extra miles in would be worth it right then, especially since we were planning to come back the next morning before heading out of town.  So, on our way out of the park, we stopped at the short hike that leads you over to the canyon on the East side of the park, where Mesa Arch is.  When we got to the parking lot, we noticed that there were a lot of cars there, and when we got to the arch, there were tons of people there.  We didn’t end up spending as much time here as we had wished to because of how many people were there, but it was really beautiful, and looking through the arch across the canyon was a very cool thing to see.

Me sitting under Mesa Arch - Canyonlands National Park, Moab, Utah

Canyon overlook from Mesa Arch - Canyonlands National Park, Moab, Utah

On our drive back to town to get gas, we decided to head back to the hotel to restock on water and snacks, and then head back into the park to check out some of the other areas that we hadn’t seen yet, and to watch the last sunset we would see in Moab. 

Have any of you ever been to Canyonlands? What are your favorite parts, and which section did you like better, Islands in the Sky or The Needles?  Any suggestions on good hikes in The Needles section for when we go back?

Rhody Goes West: Moab - Part 2

On our only full day in Moab, Utah, we woke up early ready to tackle the day’s worth of driving and hiking that I had planned for us.  After grabbing breakfast in the hotel, we started out our day in Arches National Park, arriving back in the Windows section of the park at 8am.

D and I at the entrance to Arches National Park in Moab, Utah

With so much to do that day, we wanted to get an early start, but that ended up working out better than expected, because we hadn’t quite adjusted to Mountain Time yet, so 8am actually felt like 10am!  Instead of going over to the arches that we saw the night prior during the sunset, we went over to the West side of that area to where Double Arch is located.

Double Arch - Arches National Park, Moab, Utah

Inside of Double Arch - Arches National Park, Moab, Utah

Selfie of D and I at Double Arch - Arches National Park, Moab, Utah

Double Arch was incredible, and we were actually able to time it so that we were the only ones there with the exception of the first and last ten minutes of arriving and leaving, and we spent well over an hour climbing the rocks and taking pictures of how beautiful the red stones looked against the blue sky.  Having this arch all to ourselves was so peaceful, and really allowed us to capture some of our favorite pictures from the trip, since no one else was in the way of the scenery. 

D climbed up to the conjoined part of Double Arch - Arches National Park, Moab, Utah

D at the bottom of Double Arch - Arches National Park, Moab, Utah

After spending much more time at Double Arch than anticipated, we drove North to Devil’s Garden, which is where the campground is and a trail that has about nine different arches along it.  I had originally only planned for us to see Landscape Arch, but after coming across it, I wasn’t all that impressed. The pictures that you see online of Landscape Arch are much different than those that you take in person. And yes, I know that quality of camera and being selective of the pictures that the park uses for advertisements make a big difference, but I’m talking about the arch not looking anything like what it did in person.

Landscape Arch in Devil's Garden - Arches National Park, Moab, Utah

I was kind of disappointed, so we didn’t end up spending much time there, and instead, we hiked further into the trails to see some of the other arches.  We ended up stopping at Partition Arch and Navajo Arch, both of which were beautiful. 

Navajo Arch in Devil's Garden - Arches National Park, Moab, Utah

One of the best parts about being in this section of the park was that if you wandered off of the paths a little bit you found yourself in the middle of nowhere and you didn’t have to worry about being around a bunch of other tourists.  If you haven’t picked up on it by now, D and I don’t really like being in a big group of people, so avoiding tourists while on vacation is something we really try to do. 

Scenic Overlook near Navajo Arch - Arches National Park, Moab, Utah

While we were at the Navajo Arch, we decided to go off trail a little bit and ended up climbing up some boulders, which brought us out onto a ledge that gave us a 180 degree view across the park. It was absolutely stunning, and having it all to ourselves made it even more spectacular. 

Panoramic view of the West side of Arches National Park, Moab, Utah

With that view in our minds, it was just about lunchtime, so went back to the car to head out towards Canyonlands National Park, where we planned to eat lunch overlooking one of the canyons. 

How awesome are these pictures? Doesn’t this make you want to check out the area? It definitely makes me want to go back, that’s for sure!

Flash Sale Friday: Modern Black and White Office

It's time for another...

Each week, I will be featuring some of the week's best picks from my favorite Flash Sale sites and creating a room inspiration board for all of you to enjoy!  If you have a room that needs decorating and you are looking for some inspiration, feel free to email me what you are looking for, and I'll see what I can come up with for you, and you will be featured in a future Flash Sale Friday post!

If you would like to become a member to one of the sites featured in this Flash Sale Friday post, feel free to create an account from the links I have provided below.

55 Downing Street
Beyond the Rack

One Kings Lane

Joss & Main
Hautelook

Rue La La
HomeSav
MyHabit
Wayfair
Ideeli
Gilt

Fab

When looking through all of the Flash Sale sites this week, I noticed a theme with office furniture.  I've covered a lot of other rooms in previous Flash Sale Fridays, but one of the ones I haven't featured yet is a home office.  I took a little spin on this though and gave options for also having a lounging area in the space, just in case you don't have a room that is specifically for your office, you could very easily devote just a corner of your living room or family room to your office, and with just a few pieces of furniture, you could have a great work space off to the side.  

The black and white colors that I chose for this room bring in a modern vibe, which really works with the modern style of the furniture that I have chosen.  The neutral colors also allow for you to accent with color through accessories and wall paint.  I chose the bold turquoise color on the wall because it's not too feminine or too masculine, and the color works well with green and yellow accents if you wanted to bring more colors into the space.  

1. Volo Design Marion Floor Lamp via Ideeli  2. Umbra Elapse Wall Clock in White via Wayfair  3. Set of Two Document Boxes with Lid in Black Silk via One Kings Lane  4. Two Storage Bookcase via Rue La La  5. Modway Pillow Office Chair in White via Hautelook  6. Set of Three Stackable Storage Boxes in Black Silk via One Kings Lane  7. "Soho" Hand-Tufted Rug via Rue La La  8. Set of Two Three-Compartment Organizer in Black Silk via One Kings Lane  9. Uma Globe Sculpture via Gilt  10. Modway Le Corbusier LC2 Genuine Leather Sofa in White via Hautelook  11. Home Base Frank Desk in White via One Kings Lane  12. Filing Cabinet via Rue La La  13. Modway Le Corbusier LC2 Genuine Leather Armchair in Black via Hautelook
14. Home Base Fred Console in White and Silver via One Kings Lane  15. Home Base Emory Bench in Black and White via One Kings Lane

What color would you pair with black and white? Is this too modern for your style? What would you rather see instead?

Please Note: All of the images in this post have been used with permission. Images were not modified or altered to fit in this inspiration board. Flash Sale invitation links may provide me with rewards if items are purchased by a new member.

Rhody Goes West: Moab - Part 1

As I already told you yesterday, D and I just returned from a much-needed vacation.  Our trip out West was based around D’s cousin’s Bar Mitzvah, but we wanted to take this opportunity to do some sight-seeing since neither of us have ever been out to that area of the country. 

For the first part of our vacation, we flew into Salt Lake City the Saturday before the Bar Mitzvah. Within an hour of landing, we had grabbed our suitcase and car and were on the road to our first stop, Moab, Utah.

Welcome to Utah!

In case you aren't familiar with Moab, it is a small city that survives on tourism and driving, is about four hours South-East of SLC.  Moab itself is very small, having a population of about 8,000, but because of it’s proximity and home to a few very popular National Parks, Moab gets about one million visitors per calendar year.  D and I were two of those million visitors.

The drive down to Moab was beautiful. The topography is nothing like we have here on the East Coast, and it reminded me of all the Western movies that you watch on television.  It was so mesmerizing, and I couldn't stop taking pictures of what everything looked like. Plus, the weather we had was perfect. The sky was so blue, and the colors of the grass, brush and rocks were gorgeous.

We were only spending two full days in Moab, so we had a packed schedule with trying to fit in both Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park.  With our flight arriving in SLC in the early afternoon, we were able to drive into Moab, check into our hotel, and then grab some dinner before heading into Arches, which was only a five mile drive from the hotel we stayed at. 

For dinner, we checked out a Mexican restaurant right on the main strip Downtown, called Miguel’s Baja Grill, and it was delicious. D ordered the fish tacos, which has been the best seller on their menu for thirteen years, and they were delicious.  The fish was flaky and tender, and the sauces that came with the tacos were really flavorful.  I ordered the chicken tacos, which were also very good, but the fish tacos definitely won the competition.

After dinner, we drove the four miles from the restaurant to Arches National Park to check out the sunset.  We drove into the Windows section of the park to see the North and South Arches, and the Turret Arch, and to watch the sunset across the horizon and above the red cliffs. 

The North Arch

D standing in the North Arch

You’ll notice that we’re in normal clothes in some of the pictures, so I just wanted to explain that we didn’t think we would actually be climbing up rocks, or walking the hikes in that area because of the time we entered the park, so we didn’t think anything of it after dinner.  However, we did enjoy the sunset and climbing up into the arches.

Sunset on the horizon - Balanced Rock on the far right

Turret Arch along the sunset with the moon in the center

Once the sunset had ended, we exited the park so that we could get some rest and try to adjust to the two-hour time difference that comes with traveling from East Coast Time to Mountain Time. After all, we had a long day of sightseeing ahead of us!

Have you ever stayed in Moab? What was your favorite place to eat?