...because home doesn't happen overnight.

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.*

Congrats to Jada who just aced her cholesterol screening! Way to go girl!

This week’s giveaway comes from Kirkland’s. Last week I announced I was participating in the ‘Ace Your Space’ campaign sponsored by the home decor store. I’m using a few of their items in the nursery for Mabrey. Since not everyone is in need of a nursery, I thought it would be fun to put together two totally different entryway looks using Kirkland’s products.

The first is a feminine, somewhat cottage, look. Paint a backdrop of Sherwin Williams Comfort Gray, throw down a striped Dash & Albert rug and you’ve got a welcoming drop zone for mail, keys, shoes and bags.

feminine entry - kirkland's

Sources: metal loop mirror, mercury lampvintage oval framecream storage console, hyacinth baskets, driftwood fish hooks, ikat storage ottoman

The second is a simple masculine look. Paint the walls Sherwin Williams Perfect Greige, lay out a natural sisal runner and you’re far from blech bachelor pad status.

masculine entry - kirkland's

Sources: studded mirror, wood frame, walnut cabinet, black metal floor lamp

Did you find something you like? Great! See entry details below for a chance to win a Kirkland’s gift card and bring home some affordable decor of your own.

PRIZE: $100 gift card to Kirkland’s. Find store locations here.

RULES: You must be at least 18 years old and have a U.S. shipping address {no P.O. boxes please} to enter. One entry per email address.

TO ENTER: Leave a comment on this post proclaiming “ACE MY SPACE!”

DEADLINE: Enter before Thursday, August 16th at 9:00 p.m. EST. One random winner will be chosen and announced Friday, August 17th.

WHILE YOU’RE AT IT: Since we’re talking about acing things…tell me a memorable test that you aced. It could be a vision test after an eye procedure, a board exam or your driver’s test. I’ll go first. When I took my driver’s test, I didn’t have a car of my own. {No money.} I had intended to borrow my cousin’s little Ford Escort thereby increasing my chances of passing the maneuverability portion of the test. But then my dad informed me that if I ever wanted to use his car {a Lincoln Town Car which was a long boat of a car!} on the weekends, I’d have to pass my driver’s test in it. So, I set up orange traffic cones in the driveway and practiced maneuvering that big a$$ car forward and backward through the pretend course over and over. On the day of my driving test, I was so nervous. No worries though. I passed with flying colors! More importantly, I got to use my dad’s car on the weekends.

 Find Kirkland’s on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and online.

I received compensation for my Ace Your Space blog post. Kirkland’s partnered with several bloggers like me to raise brand awareness in the month of August. All purchases and content are on my own accord and reflect my personal opinion and style. Kirkland’s blogger outreach policies abide by the WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

images: polyvore collages created by Dana Miller, linked within

08.10.12 / Window Shopping

I mentioned that I’m participating in Kirkland’s ‘Ace Your Space’ campaign. I’ll be using items purchased from Kirkland’s to decorate Mabrey’s nursery. Before I bought anything, I did some window browsing. Wanna see?

Mabrey was my helper. Since everything’s going in her room, I wanted her to approve.

I’m a sucker for mirrors and Kirkland’s didn’t disappoint. I adored this large mirror with a peacock painted motif on the frame. At $30, it was a steal! It would be perfect in a cottage entry and I can even see it in a white bathroom above a dark stained vanity.

The layered metal frame of this mirror reminded me of fish scales. Who knew metal could be so textural?! This mirror would be great hung above a bed in a master bedroom or above a mantel in a living room. Divine. At $120, it would be a worthy investment.

I thought this mirror looked like it was made from a bunch of giant paper clips. {Don’t mind the rectangular gold mirror behind it.} It’s hard to tell from the picture but it had an ombre effect to it. The center of the mirror frame was dark bronze that progressively lightened up to a brassy gold at the edges. I really wanted to take this mirror home with me but I couldn’t think of a good place to hang it so it stayed high up on its shelf. That mirror is going to make someone happy for $120.

I almost snatched up one of these organizer chests. I think they’d work well in a mudroom or kid’s room. The fabric bins had little tabs on the front to make pulling them out and pushing them in a cinch. At $160, it would be an affordable solution for corralling hats, gloves, scarves, sunglasses, dog leashes, etc. in a mudroom or toys in a child’s room.

I thought the woven baskets of this $150 traditional console gave it a unique, laid back feel. I can see boots and bins camping out on the bottom shelf with slip-on shoes resting underneath the shelf. It’d be a great drop zone for keys and wallets near the front door. It’s slim enough to slip into a hall as well. The black version of this console is stacked on top…that’s not part of the console.

I liked this unique version of a tripod floor lamp. It was $50 and I could see it hanging out in an office or living room.

This seagrass table lamp also caught my eye in the lighting section. I loved the chunky seagrass mixed with the matte black hardware and linen shade. It’d be the perfect textural element in a beachy bedroom or family room.

I was reminded of a Dear Genevieve episode when I spotted this moroccan table lamp. At $30 each, a pair of them on some bedside nightstands could be interesting and budget-friendly in a bedroom boasting a few more nonchalant moroccan themed items. Perhaps a wedding blanket?

Sarah Richardson came to mind when I saw this turquoise and white chevron vase. {Is it me or am I the only one who sees a home decor item and immediately connects it to an HGTV designer?} The picture doesn’t do it justice – it was HUGE! I could see two of them stuffed with raw birch branches flanking a fireplace. Sorry, I didn’t check the price on this vase because I had Mabrey in one arm and was leery of turning over a big fragile vase with the only free hand I had left out of fear of it toppling over into pieces.

Anything with an owl on it is trendy right now. I know. But I thought the glossy white of these owl vases gave them a better chance at standing the test of time. At $10, you wouldn’t be broke if you decided to follow the trend.

Totally wanted to make this textured red bowl my new sugar bowl. It kind of looks like a strawberry but the gold patina that runs throughout gave it a less fruity appearance. And the $7 price tag? Score!

This assortment of labeled wooden boxes was cute. I’m not a tea drinker but that little tea box is practical and stylish enough to be left out on the kitchen countertop. I think the prices here ranged from $2-$10.

I liked the idea of using this lazy susan organizer in a craft room for thread, measuring tape, buttons, etc. Or it could be just as happy living on a desk with paper clips, post-its, rubber bands, your phone, etc. organized in it. It really did spin too for easy access to everything. It was on sale for $17.

I was going to buy this frame with five oval openings {just enough for our family of 5!} for the nursery. However, I slipped out to the car to nurse Mabrey and when I returned it was gone. It was the last one. At $6, it’s easy to see why. Boo. It would have been perfect.

Last but not least were these vintage looking metal arrows. Meant to be hung on the wall {the lights really do light up!}, I thought they were a great industrial accessory for an old warehouse turned loft. I knew my boys would love them for their bedroom but I couldn’t come up with a good place to hang them, so they stayed in store as well. They were $18 each.

So, what d’ya think? I was pleasantly surprised to see that Kirkland’s has evolved and seems to be carrying more modern and less frilly decor. And I just love walking into a store, singling out items and imagining them in vivo. It doesn’t cost a dime. Tune in next week for a related giveaway and find out what did make it into my house.

Find Kirkland’s on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and online.

I received compensation for my Ace Your Space blog post. Kirkland’s partnered with several bloggers like me to raise    brand awareness in the month of August. All purchases and content are on my own accord and reflect my personal opinion and style. Kirkland’s blogger outreach policies abide by the WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking