[Outfit Links: Alp n Rock Sweater | White Jeans | Hair Clip]

After moving back into my childhood bedroom this year (🤪..life) I decided it was due for a big girl makeover. Byeee lime green walls and exit sign from 6th grade. This room went through allll the phases (hot pink walls, inflatable furniture, NSYNC/Usher poster wall shrine), and now it’s just a hodepodge of Chicago/NYC furniture as you can see:

I’m very excited to be working with one of my favorite interior companies, Kathy Kuo Home, on this project. KKH has an incredible collection of classic yet design-forward furniture and decor on KathyKuoHome.com. I’ve decorated several rooms with their beautiful home decor ~ and @kathykuohome is one of my favorite accounts to follow on IG! KKH also offers design services that begin with a free one-hour consultation. Regardless of your size or location, they’re super eager to help bring your ideas to life in your home 🙂

Since we’re temporarily living at my parent’s house and because this is the room we’ll stay in every time we visit, I wanted to make it feel like a home away from home. My mom and dad did such a good job of decorating together over the years (dad sketched the design for the entire house back in ’93!), and although it’s almost 28 years old, it still has a contemporary feel.

The overall direction I wanted to go in for with the room was : A clean and sophisticated look with a Parisian-chic flair. Since my parents have this modern, Greek-aesthetic thing going on throughout the house, I thought adding a little touch of France would mix well with the European vibe. Also, my mom has never been to Paris, but we’re dying to go together someday. So this felt like a fitting theme for her guest room!

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To get started, I sent the KKH team this initial moodboard of pieces I loved from their website:

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Along with my Pinterest board of ideas…[click here to see my full board]

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Within a couple days they came back with a design proposal that captured exactly what I was going for..but better. Raleene, the talented designer I’m working with, even sent me TWO mock ups (below) to choose from based on my ideas. Vote in the comments of my post on my IG tonight for which is your favorite ~ Design A or Design B.

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I love so many things about both and think the team totally nailed it. Crisp white bedding and curtains, metallic accents, and a combination of ornate and contemporary pieces are a few ways we’re going to capture that effortless, yet polished Parisian vibe. I can’t wait to take you along on this process and keep you updated on everything!

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Also need your help on IG stories tonight picking the fabric for the bed ~ deciding between different shades of white/cream is never easy lol..

I’ll continue to share what it’s like working with the design experts at Kathy Kuo over the next couple months, but in case any of you are ready to get started now, the KKH is offering a special discount code (OLIVIA) to any of my readers who want to use their team to help redesign a room (or rooms!) in your own homes, GET STARTED HERE. They are also offering 20% almost all products on their site with the same code, OLIVIA at check out.

Here are a few links to some of my favorite pieces we have in mind for this room so far 👉🏼

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Minted Figure Drawing No. 16 + Drawing No. 17 (30×40 Gilded Wood Frame, Matted)

Caracole Floating Away Hollywood Regency 3-Drawer Dresser

Marcus Modern White Classic Shag Rug

Dionne Hollywood Regency Gold Steel Performance Dining Chair

(If you missed Conner’s childhood bedroom makeover ~ read this post next!)

(Coat #1)

@rinkdaddy taking over! In his new Nordstrom gifts head to toe 👏🏼 Dad hadn’t updated his wardrobe in years, so for Christmas we dove deep into the men’s section to find him some new timeless staples…

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(Coat #2)

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My dad has the most shoes out of anyone else in the family and he’s known for color coordinating his tennis outfits from head to toe in every shade of neon on the color wheel. I think it’s clear where I got my love of fashion from 😉 Nordstrom has always been his favorite place to shop for clothes. They have such a wide selection of refined, sophisticated, and elevated pieces to choose from…

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(Coat #3)

Dad- Your ability to connect with literally anyone and make them laugh is my favorite thing about you. Your goofiness, confidence, brutal honesty, and work ethic are all traits I try to emulate. Thank you for teaching me to never take myself too seriously, always aim to be my best, and for making life so wonderful for all 4 of us kids. I’m so lucky to have such a good role model to look up to and learn from in life. It’s been such a blessing to have this extra time at home with you guys. I know the past few months of nights spent around the kitchen table talking, laughing, drinking wine will be some of my favorite memories ❤️

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Details for everything we picked out for him (A lot of these are on sale right now!)

Camel Colored Wool/Cashmere Overcoat

Linked Here

Black Wool Car Coat

Linked Here

Black Speckled Wool Blend Overcoat 

Linked Here

Grey Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater

Linked Here

Black Stretch Turtleneck Sweater

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Dark Wash Straight Leg Jeans

Linked Here

Black Suede Chelsea Boots

Linked Here

My Pink Coat

Linked Here

Similar Boots

Linked Here

Thank you to Nordstrom for partnering with us!

Today’s a sad day because it’s the last day of our week long Hyundai Palisade Loaner! We LOVED every minute of getting to test drive this car all week. Hyundai graciously loaned us the Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy model for the last 7 days to help get us around town while we finished up last minute holiday errands.

Conner and I were both so excited to have our own car to drive after not having one in NYC (him for 5 years, me for 2.5).  In NYC, cars don’t really make sense for us…but in wide open Indiana, it has been A TREAT. No joke, when Hyundai first dropped the car off, we went out and sat with it parked in the driveway for 30+ minutes to just enjoy it lol. Seat heaters, music, coffee, and no phones. It’s the little things 🤓   

During our week of test driving we: Christmas shopped, drove through the Christmas lights in Winding Brook (a tradition my parents have done with us since we were babies!), drove aimlessly along country roads near us in Northern Indiana with Christmas music playing…and snuck in a couple romantic Qdoba date nights 😉

I was blown away with how many responses I received on Instagram from people who either have the Palisade and are obsessed with it, or have had their eye on it and are waiting to pull the trigger. So if you’re in the second boat, this post is for you!

First Impressions…

MSRP: Starting at $32k and topping at $54k

MPG: Up to 26 MPG HWY

Seating Capacity: 7 or 8 (depending on configuration)

What We Drove: Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy Model in Becketts Black

There’s no denying this is a really darn good-looking car. The sleek black exterior, silver detailing, and dramatic grill are just 🤩 And, her inner beauty def matched her outer beauty with the clean, minimalist design. It was the quilted leather doors and seats for me! Also, it has a massive panoramic sunroof 😎

The Palisade is a fully functional 7 or 8 passenger SUV depending on how you have it configured. It’s a big car but not huge, which makes 4’11” me feel safe but not overwhelmed. Definitely didn’t have the “can’t see over the steering wheel” problem, haha.The front cabin is ~very~ roomy and comfortable with easy-access third row seats and second row seats that slide forward and fold by pushing a button.

Favorite Features:

The Heated Seats + Steering Wheel: We have about a 5 minute drive to the gym in the morning and they’re already warm by the time we get there!

The PUSH Buttons: ok I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand “over-the-top fancy” touch buttons (👵🏼). Especially when I’m driving. I seriously love the practical design of the buttons on the dash and how easily you can adjust things. There is also a 10.25” screen that fits a map, your music, and the weather all on one screen.

6 Drive Modes: there are six drive modes ranging from the modest Eco for the most efficient commute to AWD Lock (AKA snow mode) for slippery roads. Con loved the Sport mode 🙂

Cup Holders: yes, they’re worth mentioning lol. Fun and functional the way they pop out.

Blind Spot Cameras: When you turn your signal on, a side-view mirror camera shows a video of the Palisade’s blind spots on the dash right in front of you. 

Wireless Phone Charging: right in the center console…major!

Extra Storage: underneath the center counsel, there is an easy access bin for additional storage (such an underrated feature!!). Perfect for bags/laptops/etc 

XM Radio – to blast T. Swift’s new(est) album

Driver Talk: ok, irrelevant for us with no kiddies yet, but this one’s for the moms! Not only is there room in the back for plenty of munchkins, but the driver talk feature allows you to quiet whatever is playing through the speakers and projects your voice through to the backseat to lay down the law.

7 USB Ports Throughout: a must for this generation haha.

Heads Up Display: your speed is virtually projected onto the windshield to help keep your eyes on the road.

One of the best attributes? It’s price. You absolutely get the luxury feel at a much more affordable price range.

Giving Back..

In addition to the loaner, Hyundai also generously provided us with a donation to the charity of our choice. We chose to give to The Tim Tebow Foundation whose mission is to emulate Jesus by loving people in all of its outreaches. Conner and I have always admired the way both Tim and Demi boldly and publicly live out their faith. They dedicate so much of their lives to changing the lives of others while making a lasting impact on the world. Very thankful for the opportunity  to partner with brands like Hyundai who make giving back a priority. 

For a more detailed look at the car, safety information, etc., visit the Hyundai website. If you have any questions, ask in the comments of my IG post tonight and I’ll do my best to answer based on our 1 week test drive!

Sponsored by Hyundai but all decisions regarding the sharing of Holiday Giveback funds were made by me!