Who: Allison Davis

Where: Texas + relocating to Chicago next month

What: adorable newlywed and blogger of Smart and Sassy with Sprinkles

Hello there to all of the fabulous readers of Secrets of Domestic Bliss! I was so thrilled when Ashley asked me to guest post on her blog, because I adore her blog, love her style, and share her fabulous home state of Texas! After the excitement died down though, immediate panic set in realizing what I’d just committed to.; Sharing my style secrets with other people? What on Earth am I going to tell her fabulous readers that they don’t already know? So I took a couple days to let the anxiety wear off and to really think about what makes my home feel like home to me.So I’ve come up with my top six ways of creating a space I don’t just live in, but a space I love to live in.

1. Candles. I know this one seems like a no brainer, but I couldn’t leave it off the list, because its one of my greatest obsessions. I literally have a bazillion candles (yes, really, a bazillion) candles around my home because I think they create the perfect combination of warmth, ambiance, and total chic. If I am home for more than 10 minutes, a candle will be burning. Guaranteed. I adore Anthropologie’s Capri Blue Volcano jar candles, but when I can’t afford a $30 candle (which is often), I look closer to home. Circle E Candles is based out of Fredericksburg, Texas and lots of smaller boutiques sell their lovely scented beauties. Bird of Paradise is my favorite scent; it is beyond heavenly.

2. A soft, comfy robe. I wasn’t always a “robe girl,” but in the last year or so, I have become a robe obsessed girl! I used to get home from work and just lounge around in my work clothes till I was ready for bed. I’d cook, clean, and watch my reality junk, all in a pencil skirt and silk top. But in the last year, something in me switched and am now that person itching to get home, kick off her heels and skirt, and snuggle up in a big comfy robe. I spend most of my robe time in my monogrammed leopard robe (shown above) which I gave to my bridesmaids (and myself) for gifts on my husband and I’s wedding day. However, since then, I’ve decided to become a robe collector, and I’m currently on the lookout for a great, lighter weight, pink summer robe.

3. Secondhand treasures. I love Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel as much as the next person, but if someone offered me an entire room right out of their catalog, I think I’d seriously hesitate on that one. (Ok, I lie, I’m sitting on a mound of debt from getting a darn Ph.D so if someone offered me anything free, I’d take it.) But…if I weren’t sitting on all these lovely school loans, I’d turn the offer down. Seriously. Because no matter how beautiful their things are, they’re all new. And well, sometimes, I like old. I love things that have history, things that tell a story. I love things that have been loved my someone else, things that show they can stand the test of time. When I moved into my first “grown up” apartment, everything but my bed, my towels, and my couch were in some way secondhand via flea markets, garage sales, thrift stores, or hand me downs. I love looking around my house, seeing things others before me have loved and treasured, and I love having things in my house that tell a story. Whether its my great aunt’s opal cocktail ring, the chipping green stool that sits in the corner of my dining room, my great grandmothers cake stand, or picture frames I picked up at a garage sale with my mom, I love having secondhand treasures in my home. It gives it a layered and loved feeling that no PB catalog can match.

4. Ordinary things in pretty containers. I am a firm believer in displaying your everyday, ordinary things in pretty containers. My q-tips and cotton balls are in glass canisters, my chip clips are in an Anthropologie bowl, my cocktail rings are in a vintage ice cream dish, and my bobby pins are in a glass votive holder. I need easy access to these things, so why not make their home a beautiful one? And take a tip from above and shop for these containers secondhand. Thrift stores always have great glass canisters and vintage dishes for super cheap. But better, yet, shop your own home! It’s amazing what can look good in a martini glass, a jelly jar, a tea cup, or a votive holder!

5. An intense stock of entertaining pieces even Martha would envy. I love entertaining, and luckily I married someone who loves hosting as much as I do. And to be honest, it is much easier to enjoy entertaining when you have a faithful stock of entertaining pieces. I have a bit of an obsession when it comes to serving platters/trays/bowls/cake stands/glassware etc. Really, its a sickness. Everything looks better when displayed beautifully (see #4), and food is no exception. However, I am not a fan of matchy matchy entertaining; I love mixing what I love and could care less if its “fancy" or not! I am drawn to white and silver pieces, which allows the focus stays on all the yummy food I ~~bought at the store~~ spent hours preparing :) I’ve slowly built my collection over time, and this is one of those things that I’m always browsing for. Every time I’m in a homestore, I scope out their entertaining-ware. (Is that a word?) And because I’m always looking, I don’t spend a ton of money on this stuff. I shop sales, clearance sections, and end caps for pieces that speak to me. The day I let a plastic tub sit on my table while entertaining is the day Sandra Lee would show up at my house for dinner, I just know it. So I don’t take any chances; I take the extra few seconds to set it in a pretty dish before setting in on my table.

6. Spending time at home. I love my home (even though its the size of a shoebox), so of course, I love spending time there! A few years ago, I was all about going out to dinner, out for drinks, and out for college football watch parties. But now, I’m all about staying in! If we take the time to create spaces that we love, why not invite our friends and family to share it with us? Whether its a wine and cheese party, an OU football watch party (boomer!), or a movie night with my husband, I get so much joy from spending time at home. If we take the time to create a home filled with bliss, then why not enjoy it? :)

{images courtesy of weheartit}

Thanks so much Alison...I am so happy to have you. you are too adorable for words. xoxo