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Mother’s Day is coming up fast — and while we’re all for the flowers, the brunches, and the beautifully wrapped presents, there’s something quietly powerful about the humble card. Yep, just a card. A folded piece of paper with your handwriting inside. Sounds simple, right? But don’t underestimate it — because when it’s filled with real, honest words from you, it can mean everything. In a world where emojis often do the talking, a handwritten note stands out. It’s intimate. It’s personal. It says: I sat down and thought about you. And when it comes to celebrating the mother figures in our lives — biological, chosen, or otherwise — that kind of thoughtfulness goes a long way. You don’t need poetry (though if you want to rhyme “love” with “above,” go for it). Just speak from the heart. Remind her of the little things she’s done that made a big impact. Tell her what you’ve learned from her, what you admire, or even what memory makes you laugh every time. Of course, if you also want to throw in a fun little something — well, we happen to have a few lovely, cheeky, and “ooh-I-need-that” gifts in the shop. But we truly believe that the words matter most. So whether you scribble a note on a sweet card or get a little something extra, just say the thing. She’ll love it. Promise.

If the words “I’m hosting Easter” send a chill down your spine… take a deep breath, grab a chocolate egg (or three), and hear us out: hosting can actually be fun — yes, even during the holidays. The truth is, you don’t need to cook a five-course meal or turn your dining room into a Pinterest board to create magic. What makes a gathering memorable isn’t perfection — it’s the little moments, the details, the feeling that someone cared enough to make it special. That’s where the everyday rabbits come in. You know… the not-so-fancy things that become extraordinary with just a little love. A cheerful placemat. A cute set of napkins. A bunny figurine peeking out from behind the deviled eggs. Flowers that say “spring has sprung,” even if it’s still chilly out. Here’s your low-stress guide to hosting Easter like a pro (or at least like someone who’s enjoying themselves): 1. Start with the Table You don’t need a whole new tablescape — just a few fresh touches. Think a seasonal placemat (hello bunnies!), playful plates, and napkins that pop. Mix-and-match is your friend here. Don’t overthink it — if it brings you joy, it’ll bring the table to life. 2. Bunnies. Everywhere. A little bunny here, a bunny there… suddenly it’s Easter without you lifting more than a finger. Whether it’s a ceramic cutie on the table or a bunny-shaped place card holder (yes, it exists and yes, we’re obsessed), these little guys instantly say “festive” without screaming try-hard. 3. Flowers > Stress Grab a couple faux florals or clip a few branches from your backyard. Pop them in a jar. Boom — instant centerpiece. Nature does the heavy lifting so you don’t have to. 4. Create a Vibe, Not a Masterpiece Light a candle. Put on a playlist that makes you happy. Pour yourself a mimosa while setting the table. Hosting is about creating a vibe people remember — not executing a flawless dinner party. Because in the end, it’s not about the perfectly folded napkins or the Instagrammable spread — it’s about how people feel in your space. The laughs, the clinking of glasses, the little moments that turn into memories. And with just a few sweet details? You’re already halfway there. 💛 Want to make your Easter table shine with minimal effort? We’ve got the placemats, napkins, bunnies, and floral goodness ready to go. Shop the collection here or visit us on Instagram @shoplivingroom.co—we’d love to help you host happy.

Step inside Living|Room, and you’ll notice a certain long-eared character greeting you from our wall—a rabbit, but not just any rabbit. Meet Pedro, the Everyday Rabbit, our logo, our mascot, and the embodiment of everything we stand for. Here at Living|Room, we believe in elevating the ordinary. You know those little, often-overlooked things in life that bring unexpected joy? The perfect coffee cup, a thoughtfully designed card, that one candle scent that makes your whole space feel like home? We call those things Everyday Rabbits—small, unassuming, but full of magic when you really pay attention. Pedro is the ultimate Everyday Rabbit. Rabbits are everywhere, a familiar sight in nature and folklore, but there’s something about them that always feels a little whimsical, a little lucky, a little unexpected. And that’s exactly what we want to capture in everything we do. Pedro reminds us that the most beautiful things aren’t always flashy. They’re the ones you turn to every day, the ones that make your world feel a little softer, a little brighter, a little more you. So next time you spot Pedro in our shop—or out in the world—take a second to appreciate the everyday magic around you. It’s there. You just have to look. Welcome to Living|Room, where the everyday is anything but ordinary.

Who says Kitchen & Tabletop essentials have to stay in the kitchen? Just because something was designed to hold olive oil doesn’t mean it can’t serve up a little unexpected magic elsewhere in your home. Let’s reimagine some of these everyday items and give them a new lease on life beyond the dinner table. 1. Oil & Vinegar Cruet = Chic Skincare Dispenser That sleek glass cruet you bought for your best balsamic? It’s practically begging to hold your toner and makeup remover in the bathroom. Not only does it look elegant on your vanity, but it also makes your skincare routine feel just a little more luxe. Bonus: No more dealing with clunky plastic bottles ruining your aesthetic. 2. Cheese Knife Set = The Cutest Beauty Tool Organizer You know that adorable cheese knife set with the tiny dog, mouse, or whatever delightful design caught your eye? Turns out, those little stands and holders are perfect for corralling makeup brushes or eyebrow pencils. Suddenly, your vanity looks curated and intentional—because who doesn’t love functional and adorable? 3. Cast Iron Paper Towel Holder = Unexpected Doorstop A sturdy paper towel holder isn’t just for the kitchen—it can double as a stylish doorstop, keeping breezes from slamming doors shut. The weight of cast iron makes it the perfect solution for propping things open, and if you’re feeling fancy, you can even wrap the top in twine or ribbon to match your decor. And of course, this feline friend can always double as a handy dandy toilet paper holder. The Takeaway Your home is yours to curate, and no rule says a kitchen tool must stay in the kitchen. With a little creativity, you can find new uses for your favorite pieces — ones that make your space feel more unique, playful, and personal. So go ahead, rethink that cruet, that cheese knife set, or that paper towel holder. The possibilities are endless, and honestly, a little reinvention never hurt anyone.

Spring Decorating!

"The days are long, but the years are short" is a phrase that is often tossed around to parents of toddlers by well-meaning onlookers observing your kid going completely boneless on the floor of the bathroom at Target. Not that that has ever happened to me, of course.  The truth is, I feel the same way about the passage of time since we started to plan for Living|Room Collective to open in the Liberty Street Mercantile.  The first time we walked through the building, the first floor was an open cavernous space, but Kirsten Moore's vision was intoxicating, and we knew we could not pass up the opportunity to be a part of something as special as what she had planned.  The past six months have brought a few construction delays - as is often the case with construction, so the answer to "when will your storefront be open" is a bit of a moving target. If you've driven by 76 West Gay Street recently, you know construction is progressing, but there is still a ways to go. It is exciting to drive by and see the outside entrances being built as well as windows being installed. Still, you may be wondering - what's going on inside? Our little shop is shaping up beautifully inside the Liberty Street Mercantile. The floors are down and paint is up. From this vantage point, you can lookout over the store as if you are sitting at the cashwrap. If Amanda, owner of Parentheses Books was standing in her entrance, we could wave at her. Won't that be lovely?  If you enter the building from the door on the Liberty Street side, our shop will be inside to your left. The mix of the old and new has become a theme in how we are developing the look and feel of the shop. We have been scouting auctions and thrift stores for display pieces as well as working with local craftsman and artists to curate an unique environment we hope you will want to visit often.  So as for that "when are you going to open" question - well, we're working on it. I've been saying Summer 2023, and I believe that holds true. In the meantime, we are hosting at least one more pop-up and will be a vendor at Brunch with Beauties. Local friends can shop our collection at anytime here online, and we will deliver it for free with a 10 mile radius of downtown Harrisonburg.  We are grateful for the excitement for what's to come at the Liberty Street Mercantile. I promise it is worth waiting for! 

Our First Visit to AmericasMart Once we made the decision to move forward with our vision of opening Living|Room Collective, we knew one of our first steps would be to plan a trip to AmericasMart in Atlanta. AmericasMart is a complex (three buildings with over 7 million square feet!) where thousands of wholesale apparel, gift, decor, furniture, and lifestyle brands showcase their collections during markets held throughout the year.  The two big gift and decor markets take place in January and July. In January, many brands showcase their new fall and winter collections, while in July, you’ll see what’s new for next Spring. These are the largest two markets as all of the permanent showrooms are open as well as a slew of “temporaries.” The temporaries are brands that don’t have regular representation at the Americasmart and set-up (you guessed it) temporarily for these larger market events. It’s a great opportunity to find unique lines and items to bring into our regular collections that we plan to sell.  Our plans to attend the January market were thwarted when I woke up with a temperature of 102 and tested positive for Covid the morning of our flight. "Bummed" doesn’t even begin to describe how disappointed we were to not attend. Americasmart also hosts a Spring Market for buyers to wrap up their orders for the year. Not all showrooms will be open, and we did miss out on temporaries, but we were eager to have another opportunity to attend so soon. We changed our flights, rebooked our hotel, and refocused our buying strategies for the year with a plan to attend the Spring Market - which has finally arrived this week!  While I’m bummed to miss out on the energy and excitement of the larger January market, I am looking forward to our first trip to AmericasMart to be a bit quieter. It’s an overwhelming task - we will have two and a half days to make it through as many of the showrooms as possible to source items for our summer, fall, and winter collections at Living|Room.  Here are three ways we have prepared for our first visit to Americasmart: Preparing both mentally and physically. The first may sound silly, but we needed to assess our shoe situation. With a seven million square feet to cover and a history of plantar fasciitis, function over form wins the day here. Mentally, it has helped us prepare to consider what our personal weak points may be during a long day of sourcing and sensory overload. I’ll definitely be carrying water and snacks. When I’m hungry and dehydrated, especially during that mid-afternoon slump, I tend to just shut down. As an introvert, planning quiet mornings and early nights back in the hotel makes the most sense to keep me in forced-extroversion mode throughout the day. Creating vision boards for our brand and our collections. Our shop has a very seasonal focus, and our seasonal collections will be highly curated. Looking ahead at trends and finding pieces that will also have long-lasting appeal is important to us, so creating a vision board gives us a framework to say “yes, this!” or “this is cool, but no” while we are sourcing. You can sneak a peek at the vision board for our opening collection at the bottom of this post.  Scheduling time to debrief. Mary (interior designer for Living|Room) and Paul (my husband and co-owner) are coming along as well for this sourcing trip. Keeping our vision boards fresh in our minds will help us all stay on track, and with nightly debrief sessions (before my introvert recharging time) we hope to be able to make cohesive and smart decisions about what our purchasing will look like and how it fits with our overall vision of the store (and budget!). As a bonus, our debrief sessions with coincide with the dinner reservations Paul painstakingly researched and made.   We will be sharing lots in stories on Instagram (@shoplivingroom.co). I hope to meet you there as you follow along. And, I'll be sure to update you here with the lessons we learn and fun things we find in the next few weeks. Be sure to subscribe to our email list below to never miss a beat!