This mom shares her budget-friendly secrets to make your home look 'pretty' and feel 'welcoming' — even when you have kids
Open up the pages of any home decor magazine and you’ll see a seaside dream house: huge windows overlooking the water, airy open layouts, an ocean-inspired palette of blues, greens and neutrals. You can practically feel the salty breezes blowing as you read.
In a perfect world, you’d wake up every morning to the sound of the waves and the sun peeking through your pristine white shutters. But in the real world, it’s not actually all that hard to achieve the same feeling, even if you don’t live by the shore.
Lauren McBride, a Connecticut-based blogger who writes about raising her family and creating an effortlessly stylish home, has just launched her first home decor collection, Lauren McBride x QVC. The exclusive line of home accessories includes lamps and lanterns, decorative throws and pillows and accents like baskets and trays, all under $100. While you definitely won’t find any seashells or lighthouses in the chic collab, you will find a subtle beach influence throughout the pieces. And it’s this serene aesthetic that has helped McBride to amass over 270,000 followers on Instagram, where she pulls the curtain back on her “cottage by the shore” lifestyle.
“I live by the water, but not everyone does,” McBride tells Yahoo Lifestyle, “The whole line has this little bit of a coastal vibe to it, but not too close to where it won't fit into your home.”
The palette mostly comprises the whites and neutrals she loves in her own home, and has hints of sea greens and blues. She points to the lamps in the collection, one of which is a vivid cobalt, while the other has a layered wooden base.
“That blue lamp is just so gorgeous and makes such a statement. It’s so on trend right now. But if it’s not for you, we have another gorgeous neutral lamp,” says McBride.
The lanterns, which come in two finishes, can be used indoors or outdoors, and have flameless candles controlled by remote timers. They’d look just as at home outside on a wicker patio table as they would inside on a granite mantle. The same with the set of baskets, which could hold beach blankets or firewood, and the marble accent tray.
“This is the first collection that I've actually been able to hands-on design,” McBride says. “That's always been a passion of mine. My mom is an interior designer, so I feel I got that gene from her. It’s always been something that’s intrigued me.”
In fact, her wildly popular lifestyle blog started as a way to show relatives across the country her DIY home decor projects, while she and her husband were newlyweds and living on a tight budget. That foundation is definitely present in this line. “I tried to focus on pieces that we’re frequently switching around in our homes,” explains McBride, “and can make a big statement without spending a ton of money.”
The two styles of throw pillows — wool striped and solid designs — are also the kind of neutrals that will beautifully complement any home decor style.
The same with the two blankets: the spring knit throw with tassels is a subtle light blue, and the other spring knit throw is neutral with either blues or earth tones woven in as accents. Even though they’re light, they’re also easy to clean.
“My kids are 6, 4 and 2, and I’m a mom first,” she says. “I love my house to look pretty and feel welcoming, but I need things to be accessible and functional for them too.” Almost everything in the collection can be cleaned in the washing machine, except for the wool pillow, which can be spot cleaned.
“I wanted the pieces in this line to be something your family can come in and actually use instead of feeling like you can’t touch it,” says McBride. “My own house is set up this way, and I feel this line is too.”
This article was paid for by QVC and created by Yahoo Lifestyle's custom content team. The Yahoo Lifestyle editorial staff did not participate in the creation of this content.
