We've Moved!!!

Although it is sad to be leaving the place where we started.. this is an exciting time for Macanoon Designs. We have officially moved to our new and improved website. 

Please check us out there at www.macanoondesigns.com !!

What to get Dad: Father's Day Gift Guide

If you're anything like me... finding the perfect gift for the old man is always a challenge. It's gotta be something that shows them you appreciate everything they've done for you.. but something that they will enjoy as well. Here's the ultimate father's day gift guide for the best presents for dad. Think hobbies!

Living Like a Parisian

Cinque Terre: Travel Guide

I'm pretty sure we died and went to heaven... A.k.A Cinque Terre. It was by far one of the prettiest places we have been to thus far!  Although it was a tiring day hiking up the cliff sides in our sandles ( clearly bad choice on us!), we truly loved every bit. For those of you who don't know, there are five different villages that make up Cinque Terre; Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, And Riomaggiore. 

Venice & Florence

                                   

Barcelona Wonders

 

We're Back!

Checking in.. We are so sorry for our recent absence. We have been off the map-literally! We are finally in Europe and have graduated college all in the past two weeks! It has been extremely hectic to say the least, but things are settling down now and we are finally in Europe to begin our month long adventure to Spain, Italy, France, London, and Ireland. You'll have to bear with us because wifi isn't the greatest here and we'll be limited to iPhone pictures until we get home..but if you can stand it check in for some tips for traveling, some of our travel stories, and some design inspiration. We'll be sure to post the good pictures when we get home. Since we've accomplished so much.. Here is a picture of Morgan and I at graduation and a few to give you a sneak peak of our time in Madrid, before we travel to Barcelona tonight!

Mother's Day Gift Guide

With it being Mother's Day on Sunday and all, I decided to help all of you out with some great gift ideas. Finding the most thoughtful gift that expresses just how much your mom means to you can sometimes be difficult. So I hope that this gift guide helps you find something special for your mom. 

With much love, 
Morgan 



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The best seat in the house: Window Seats

Window seats are often underrated.. but these can be some of the best places in the home if treated the right way. What better place to sit down and read a few chapters of your favorite book, or listen to the new music you just downloaded then in front of the window where you can look out over your beautiful yard. With a simple cushion and pillow combination, a nice big window, and some drawers or shelves, this space can become something special!

Friday's Favorite Moroccan and Cement Tile

There are so many different ways to use title now a days, between the actual design of the tile and the way it is applied. I am have been loving this new age of moroccan and cement tile. These tiles create the perfect piece of art work for any room. The best thing about these types of tile is that they last for a long time, making them a timeless investment.

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With much love,
Morgan

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From TV Sets to Reality

People are always asking me what I'm going to do after school.. especially since graduation is only 2 weeks away. Yes I said it.. I will be graduating college in t-minus two weeks. Holy Crap. The most common question I get is "What the heck does interior design have to do with your Communication major??". Well, a lot actually. Not to mention that I also have a Studio Art and Arts Management minor.. so they all come together to create some sort of 'creative business framework'. Well, at least that's what I like to call it. It sounds legit if you ask me, and totally has to do with starting an interior design business. 

But anyways.. today I came across a real and true connection between my Communication major and interior design... besides those that I like to come up with on my own. Production Design. This means creating those cool houses and rooms that we fall in love with in all of our favorite TV shows and movies. Now this has a real connection between the two! How cool would it be to sit down to watch Revenge or Scandal and say HEY! I DESIGNED THAT! I think it would be pretty sweet. So.. this could be a future aspiration.. we'll see. But for now, I've decided to use these sets for some design inspiration. So here's some of my favorite TV homes and how to get these looks for yourself!

Revenge: If you were as obsessed with Revenge as I was you will know what I mean when I said I had an obsession with Emily's style and even more with the Grayson Manor and the Beach House. Here's how to recreate your very own Hampton Beach House just like Emily Thorne. 

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Monday's Trend Report: Effortless Beauty

The trend of effortless beauty has and (I think) always will be prevalent within both the fashion and design realm. In the fashion world there has been a huge uprise of the "natural"look, both in the way were wearing make- up and the way we are dressing.This overly simplistic yet sophisticated look has only gotten more popular with age.There is something so appealing when things look beautiful all on their own,  without falling into the rhythm of constantly editing and styling. I am always a sucker for a simple outfit that looks 
polished but that's also functional; same thing goes for interior spaces. I think that in our society it is easy to over decorate rooms and over accessories outfits. But if we take a step back and recognize what the overall function of the room is, then you will have an easier time choosing pieces that are effortlessly beautiful all on their own. 

Friday's Favorites: The best of Anthropologie This Week

One of the reasons I love Anthropologie is because of their unique assortment of items.. and the fact that they have both a home section & a clothes section. It's the best of both worlds! Oh, and their world famous window displays are amazing too; they've truly mastered the art of installation. The shopping experience in the store is just too much fun. I was browsing through the site today and found some really cool things, so for today's Friday's Faves.. here are my top 6 (because I couldn't decide on 5) must haves for the spring!

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xoxo Nicole

Veggie Lo Mein Recipe

As many of you know I love anything interior design and fashion but what most of you don't know is that I also love cooking. With recently joining the vegetarian life style, it can sometimes be difficult to find a recipe that is flavorful but that is also healthy. I am a huge sucker for Chinese food (especially the Lo Mein!) but always hate the way it makes me feel when I order take out. So after many failed attempts (and I mean many!) I have finally reached my dream dish! ( hey its hard finding the perfect noodle, let alone the perfect sauce!). 

Picture by: Me (Yay!) 

Ingredients 

1 pound lo mein egg noodles or spaghetti 

3 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon sugar + 1 teaspoon hot water to dissolve the sugar in

pinch of five spice powder (optional)

1 tablespoon oil

2 tablespoon shaoxing wine or any dry white wine 

1 scallion, chopped 

1/2 yellow onion, chopped 

1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, julienned

2 small carrot, julienned

a handful brocoli, trimmed 

a handful snow peas, trimmed

a handful of leafy greens (bok choy, choy sum,)(optional)

Directions: 

Boil water in a large pot for the noodles. If using the lo mein egg noodles, you can skip this step, as those noodles do not require any pre-cooking. But if using spaghetti noodles, you will have to boil them. Just cook until al dente, drain, and rinse in cold water. Set aside.

Then in a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, dissolved sugar, and five spice powder if using. Heat oil in a wok over high heat and add the garlic,yellow onion, and the white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry for 30 seconds and add the peppers, broccoli and carrots. Make sure your hot is searing hot, and then hit it with the shaoxing wine or any dry white wine . Stir fry for another minute.

Next, add the snow peas and leafy greens to the wok and cook until the greens are just wilted. Then add your noodles. Make sure that before you add them to the pan, they're somewhat loose and not all clumped together (you can rinse them in warm water to loosen them up before adding them to the pan).

Pour your sauce mixture over the noodles and stir-fry until the color of the noodles are uniform. . Once everything is well-combined, dish out the noodles and serve.


Hope you enjoy!

With much love,
Morgan 

Cafe Style

One of my dreams is to open up a cafe one day, one that bakes its muffins and bagels fresh the day of and serves the most delicious lattes. One of those cute ones that all the locals love and all the tourists migrate to. A social space, a place to work & a place to indulge. Some of my favorite interior design inspiration is found from various cafes that I have visited in the past. Starbucks always has a great look to it.. but my favorites are the small cafes in little towns that I pass through. I love the industrial rustic look. I want my future cafe to look like these! I love the mix of classic design with some organic touches. Taking some inspiration from your favorite places and translating it into the spaces in your home can help you create a home you absolutely love. 

Here are some of my favorite cafes...

Emmas

Dust Jacket Attic

Friday's Favorites: Outdoor Spaces

When thinking about what to blog about for today, couldn't help but think about how excited I am that the sun if finally out! So what better topic to talk about other than, Outdoor spaces?!? I personally love outdoor spaces. One of the biggest things that I try to incorporate in much of my design, is breaking the boundary between indoors and outdoors and one of the easiest ways to do this is creating an outdoor space. The pictures below show some interesting ways to bring the indoors out...

Getting Stuff Done 101

Sometimes I have a hard time getting motivated. With this year coming to an end quicker than I could of imagined, it's important for me to stay motivated these next few weeks. Between thesis papers, apartment hunting, launching the Macanoon website, and preparing for Europe adventures, there's a lot on the 'to-do' list. So, it's crucial I stay focused in order to get everything done...This time of year comes with a lot of things to do, which is made especially hard when the weather is finally beautiful! That's why I thought I'd share with you my coping mechanisms to stay motivated even when it might seem like the most difficult task.

Upcycled Treasures

How to stay focused & get stuff done...

Monday's Trend Report: Stylish Closets

Anyone with as many clothes as me will understand the importance of a closet. Not only does it need to be big enough for everything to fit, but it also has to be extremely organized so that you can find what you need. I am always on the look out for new ideas on how to organize closets and accessories. It can sometimes be difficult to figure out what organizational system will work best for you but if you are true to yourself you'll be able to find one that works. One of the first steps in creating an organized closet is understanding what you have and how much of it, that way you can create enough space for everything (and even donate things you don't need!).

Friday's Favorites: Inspiration Boards

Sometimes we all just need a little push in the right direction when it comes to getting things organized. I'd like to pretend I am a pretty organized person, but sometimes the craziness of life gets in the way. It's hard to stay organized at all times, especially when it comes to your thoughts and ideas (they are easy to forget!). Doctors appointments, birthdays, deadlines, etc, all get in the way making life that much more hectic. So besides writing a million to-do lists anywhere I can find a place, something I really like are inspiration boards. It's a simple way to remind yourself of your thoughts and inspiration and keep them organized in one space. This is an especially good idea for the office, and it makes for a functional and stylish way to spice up the wall. For this week's Friday's faves I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite inspiration boards. 

Cameralink

How to Make Your Bedroom an Oasis

Every since I was a little girl, my bedroom acted as my sanctuary. I would always go there for time away, whenever I needed space. Im not sure if it was due to habit but i'm still the same way today. I love my bedroom! Something about the art of crafting a perfect bedroom is always so much fun for me. I love being able to create a place that speaks to the inhibitor but also acts as their haven. When creating a bedroom there are a couple of important aspects to keep in check to make sure you are achieving the most relaxing experience for your self.