Let's go Patio Seating Furniture shopping

In the last few weeks we began prepping our backyard for warm days where we can enjoy outdoor dining and family fun activities, but much of that can not be done without comfortable seating furniture. 

Since we had our patio re-done last year, we never got around looking into furniture options, but this summer our backyard will get a major transformation. 

Few things on the "Must Have" list:

1. Wicker furniture with beige, soft and deep cushions. 

2. Seating height must be not less than 17" to accommodate my tall hubby.

3. Three seating pieces (one sofa and two love seats)

4. One side table is a bonus.

5. Budget is $2,500 or less.

Now, as a budget shopper I have narrowed down choices by dollar value and quality, which Costco seem to cover it all. Without further ado,  here are the choices that I have in mind. 

Option 1: Terra Vista 7 piece Patio Set - $2,000 (great value, but concerned with a seating height)

Option 2: Nikko 6 piece Patio Deep Seating - $2,000 (is also smacking price and is by far the most versatile option). But I am concerned it maybe too little of a seating option that can fit up to 5 people. Cushion color is of a mild concern as the picture shows more of taupe of khaki color, while reviews do mention it's more on a beige side. I know the Costco return policy is great, but not sure I am comfortable with making such large size returns in case it does no work. 

  

Option 3: Portofino Comfort 7 piece Patio Set- $2,600 (the most pricey option so far, but seems to offer everything on my wish list. It does include a coffee table, which we don't necessary need since we are planning to have a fire pit/table in the middle. 

Decisions, decisions! 

Beauty Special

If you are a Califonian girl and love DryBar, you can get sweet gifts from local participating DryBar providers by booking your appointment today. Sharing my special promo with anyone needing some pampering on this February day.

Offer available Tuesday, 02.10.2015 at Palo Alto, Burlingame, Santana Row, Pacific Heights and Union Square locations only.

Incredible Spaces

I am a big fan of Pinterest interior design posts and decor inspiration. Over time, I have collected magnificent design inspirations for all rooms and as with any homes, the beautiful decor should start the moment you step your foot in the house. Here is what I am loving for the entryway or a hallway.

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Earlier I wrote this post on creating a cozy entryway for small spaces. When we first moved into our house, I absolutely didn't like the absence of the entryway space as there was no definite separation from a nook or a dining space previous owners used and the living room. In fact, this room was the challenging one to design for its awkward layout and dead corners. This is how the room looked like at the time we purchased our house.   

This is my game-plan for creating a separating an entryway from the nook space and the living room.

This is what the space is currently. 

Mirror ZGallerie, Console Table Wisteria, Shoe Tray Target, Pouf  Homegoods

Geometric wall art

After taking a break from blogging, I have so much to share and I am very excited to jump start on all the fun events and projects I've been working on in last months. 

First of, I had a very productive weekend tidying up few small projects I've never had the time or desire to work on. Well, this was the time and I was energized and ready to take roll up my sleeves and get them all done. My house is clean, new decor that we purchased months ago has finally been put around the house, my hubby and I did some gardening (you know, it's warm in Cali in January), and we even started on building window cornices and even I did a geometric wall art in less than 24 hours. Very productive!

Without further do, here is my geometric wall art project

Resolution 2015 Progress

I always thought setting New Year resolutions is an effective way to keep yourself on-track for achieving goals, however, time after time again many of us don't keep them 6 months through the year. Lets face it, how many times did we say to ourselves that in the new year I will get in shape or will change my diet to a healthy one... by the time February comes around the local gyms become emptier, and will be back to their normal occupancy in March or April months. We all have been there and done that! So I've decided to set more realistic resolutions for 2015 and proud to say that I am going strong at the end of January.

Here are my resolutions and what I am planning to do to keep them:

1. Lose 10 pounds and get toned- Now, notice that I set a defined goal here (that is 10 pounds AND get toned). Human psychology is such that a defined outcome of your goal motivates you to stick with your workout routine and pushes you to upkeep your health diet more than an abstract goal of "getting in shape or losing weight".  So far I have got my gym membership and been going there 3 times a week. Additionally, I have signed up for 3-weeks of group classes in a private studio where I am taking fun classes (Bootcamp, Zumba, Buts & Guts, Pilates, etc). Even though I have not lost a significant weight, I know I am getting in better shape by the way I feel.

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2. Eating healthy-  This one is easy! When you maintain an active lifestyle with consistent workouts, your body craves healthy food (at least that's how it works for me). I have always made homemade food for the family, where I've used mostly organic produce and balanced meals. My husband and I do go out to restaurants once a week, but we always order healthier dishes on the menu. I can not wait for Spring to come so that we can start our vegetable garden this year!

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3. Being more kind and patient- Being a busy person and always on the go, I often forget that small gestures of kindness and patience do matter. That being, being a bit more understanding and kind to people around me, and really do try to cut them some slack when things go wrong, because people do make mistakes and learn things in their own terms. And of course, I should not forget about kindness and patience towards myself, as the right mind set helps to concur amazing things in life. This is a hard goal to achieve, but I am working on it!

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4. Figure out my path- Where do I start with this one? I have many-many ideas and even more important events coming up this year, that I need to set the priorities and learn the best way to manage my time, career goals and family goals. I am the type of person who is struggling with making radical decisions, in fact I don't like to be put in a position where I need to make a "life or death" decisions on a fly, but I feel that this year is a core changing one for me and I need to get comfortable. I often times think I can do it ALL, but time after time again I realize that I am a human and some things are just out of my reach. This one is a difficult one, and I hope I am strong enough to make through it.

I will be documenting my journey and progress on here this year, and hope to report improvements soon!