I'm Back... Oh, and we Moved!

Thank you for all the sweet comments and emails over the past few weeks!  So touching, and it really means so much!  So much has been going on (and so much is STILL going on), but I've really missed my little blog and wanted to check in with you all!

In the last month since I checked in, the big update from my world is that we've moved!  It was a very tiring Saturday for me last weekend - especially after getting back from NY in the wee hours of the morning - but we survived! Even in the rain!

This is what the dining room in our new apartment looked like on Saturday morning before the movers started unloading...

And.... here's what it looks like now...

This is my life.

Not to scare you, but this room is looking 100% better in the above picture than it did at the end of moving day!  We've probably unpacked half of the boxes that were in there before, so this is a HUGE improvement! Just use your imagination to picture what this looked like Saturday night.  You literally could not walk through it... this is progress my friends!

More exciting news... I finally unearthed the box where I packed my underwear... so that's a plus.  I've been living out of the suitcase I'd packed for NY and was at the end of clean clothes, so it was vital that I found that box last night.  Mission accomplished.

I'll post more "before" pictures of the apartment for you all before we do anything in regards to updates, but I wanted to talk about the entryway for a few minutes.

This apartment, unlike our last apartment, actually has a little entryway.

This is the view walking in the front door.

Immediately after walking in there are two archways leading to the formal dining room (on the left) and living room (on the right), so this little entryway is the bridge between these two very open spaces.

This picture (above) is taken standing in the middle of the living room, looking back through the hall to the dining room.

And this picture (above) is taken standing in the middle of the dining room facing back through the hall to the living room.

Bright, light, and airy - which we love - but because all the rooms are connected, this means that as we decorate, all the colors and patterns in each space need to speak to one another since you'll easily be able to see them all.

The hardwood floor is also great, but there is a lot of it in a very open space which means that its EXTREMELY echo-y right now. The answer to this problem is rugs. The entry space is not necessarily wide enough for a 4x6 rug, and I'm not the hugest fan of the circular rug, so I think a runner in the entry is our best bet.

Right now, the walls are a creamy yellow color, and it's not bad at all, but I really want to accentuate how bright and pretty this space is.  There are holes to be patched, and the place hasn't been painted in at least 4 years, so it's the perfect opportunity to freshen things up.

I'm thinking a fresh white paint in the entry will bounce around as much light as possible from the bay windows flanking each of the surrounding rooms, and it will serve as a neutral background between the living and dining rooms (for which I'm thinking a pale grey).

So now that I've got the color palette of the walls somewhat settled, I set out looking for a runner, and ended up finding one really quickly that I like.  Oh and did I mention that it's extremely discounted?? It's ~$50... With free shipping.

Does it get better??

Isn't she pretty?

Navy in my mind is the softer, more preppy version of black.  I love it.

If you remember, we also had a somewhat similar grey trellis rug in our living room and in the last two years, it has served us well.  Not only has it held up, but we haven't tired of it one bit.  In the new apartment it has moved from the living room to our bedroom.  There's a new natural fiber rug in the living room which totally changes the look and feel of everything.

While the navy runner has a similar feel to the grey area rug we already own, it's different enough (in both the pattern and colorway) to be distinct.  I'd originally been thinking of a rug with a more linear pattern... maybe black and white... but I think that the majority of this being navy, and that the accent color is creme (not white) will really help mask dirt from heavy foot traffic.

I unfortunately wasn't able to sell Kris on the look of a worn rug... can't win 'em all folks... and since he really likes the grey trellis we have, I think this is something we'll both be really happy with in the end.

Now that I've picked out what runner I want... it's time to think about coordinating rugs for the dining room (that will most likely end up as an office).

I found a few that I like, and threw together a quick inspiration board just to see how they'd mesh next to each other...

Option I: Creme Colored with Abstract Ikat

Pros:
I love that this feels a little masculine, and I love that the pattern is really distinctly different from that of the runner.  I also like that the colors are pretty much identical so in terms of coordinating, they match, and while the colors are identical, each rug has the inverse color-weight of the other (one has more cream, one has more navy)

Cons:
Is it too matchy matchy in terms of colors?  I don't know.  I also just sold the off white rug that had been in our bedroom because I was never fond of how "off white" it was.  I always wished the colors had been inverse, with the cream color in the trellis print, and the background the richer taup-y color... will I feel the same about this?

Option II: Ikat Damask in muted blues 

Pros:

I love that this looks sort of aztec while also feeling somewhat traditional at the same time.  I love the tassles on the end, and the variation in the blues.  It's just really pretty to me... and I also like that it's not only VERY different from the runner which is really geographic, but that it's different from any other rug we have in our house right now.

Cons:

It looks really flat.. which I like (visually) but I worry that it will move around too much on the hardwood floor because it's lighter and has less structure.

Decisions, decisions...

Honestly I see the pros and cons to each, and I think I'd be happy with either, but I need input. I know which one I'm leaning towards more, but what do you think??

While I'm not 100% certain about which rug it will be, but I do know one thing for sure...  It feels good to be back!  I've missed you guys!

xo

2013 in Review

Happy New Years Eve my friends!!

I know I've been completely absent for the past few weeks, but I have to say... it felt GOOD to completely check out like that.  It's been all about enjoying family, friends, and recovering from the worst cold/flu that is still lingering after almost three full weeks.

While this blog is a little pet project of mine, my favorite thing about it (aside from seeing it grow, and making all sorts of fun blog friends) is the self reflection.  The ability to document our life, and look back at the end of each year.  Without getting all ooey-gooey, I wanted to look back at some of the most popular posts from 2013...

My DIY Roman Shade is at the top of that list... not just for this year but for all time on my little blog.  I still get emails and comments from readers about how I sewed on the loops, or what brackets I used to mount.  I'm happy to say that this little roman shade is still going strong in our hallway, and it's still one of the projects I'm most proud of.

A close runner up was the Dresser turned TV Stand.  And I mean... I can't be surprised!! Who DOESN'T love a good Ikea hack??

We love everything about this dresser - it's super functional, hiding a TON of stuff that hoarders like me can't part with, it has cute little lion heads for the pulls, and the ultra-marine blue paint is so rich and pretty.

Oh yeah... and we can see our TV when we're laying in bed now.  LOVE!

You guys also loved The X-bench Makeover... possibly the easiest and most satisfying DIY I worked on this year because it took me maybe an hour to complete.  There is something to be said for instant gratification my friends!

The benches are super functional and have added additional seating to our living room; they are super solid, and have been holding up well, and I am still absolutely loving the grey chevron fabric I went with.

I'd say that's a win!

If the x-benches were the easiest and least labor intensive DIY of 2013, my next project was just the opposite.  The post I get privately emailed about most often is the Upholstered Headboard with Nailhead Trim which took me and my parents a full weekend, and quite a few curse words to complete.

Regardless of the time it took, it was well worth it to me - it's perhaps my favorite project I've worked on to date.  I am so thrilled with how it turned out, and I think about it every day when we make the bed, or when we lean back against it to read or watch TV at night.

It's mainly laziness that keeps me from writing up the full DIY, but that's a goal I'll be carrying with me into 2014...

I SWEAR... it's coming!

And finally, my Cheap-o Wine Rack Makeover rounds out the list of most popular posts of 2013.

Things got real when I my best friend called me and said that my house showed up on Google as she was searching for a wine rack.

It got even more real when I was on Pinterest and saw my wine rack in our living room "pinned" from some random woman.

I was so excited I just had to screen shot it and send it to everyone I knew...

All in all it's been a really great year, but I'm ready to say goodbye to 2013.

It started out rough with Kris' accident, but got better as it went. It was hard watching my love be hurt and sick - lots of late nights, lots of hospital and ER visits, and lots of stress.  Thankfully he's well again, and the long nights are just memories now.

It was a year of new beginnings... starting a new job, getting out of my comfort zone, and working harder than I knew I could. Again, lots of late nights, travel, and stress... a few tears and weak moments when I feared I'd made the wrong decision, but I've come out stronger and happier than I thought I could be.

This year didn't have any big exciting moments - no huge vacations, or big life changes.  I was talking with girlfriends the other day about 2013, and I think we all agreed that it was a year of transition.  A year with heartache, and new - sometimes scary - beginnings.  My theory is that 2013 was the year to set up 2014... a year that is going to be filled with big changes, like learning to live with my best friend on the other side of the country, a year of making another house our home, and another year with the love of my life.

Sayonara 2013... I'm ready for 2014.

Cheers to a year of health and happiness.  Be safe tonight my loves
xoxo

Living Room Envy and Tartan

I am crazy in love with Erin Gates of Elements of Style.  She has great style - what I wouldn't do for 5 minutes to paw through her closet - but her home is what I'm most obsessed with.  They bought this home roughly a year ago, and have been renovating pretty much ever since.

While we've had a few small glimpses into the new spaces (the kitchen for instance, and her fabulous stairs), she just posted a few first images into her newly remodeled (and styled) living room - it's A-MA-ZING.  It's been all done up for the holidays and it's TOO GOOD not to re-post!!

Right?!?!?!

The neutrals, those custom draperies (with the taupe greek key trim)... and that brass rod??  So SOOO good.  The layered rugs (if you look closely you can see a sneak peek of a zebra print cow hide), the hammered brass and glass coffee table, the pops of green... oh my gosh, the antique buffet is so beautiful, and of course, that chair.  That chair is (in the words of Rachel Zoe) "everything".  It is absolutely the crown jewel of this room (aside from her sweet little puppy).

Let's have a closer look at it, shall we??

I mean.... stop it.  That chair is SOOOO GOOD.

But you know what subtle little accent I loved??  The tartan throw, draped over the arm of this awesome chair.

My sister and I had these adorable tartan holiday dresses when we were little girls, and I've always loved the classic look of this pattern.  

While it might be a little much to dress up in an adult sized tartan dress for the holidays, I love the idea of cozying up a formal feeling living room with a tartan throw.  You still get to wrap yourself up in the classic pattern, and its 100% acceptable...

I've gone ahead and rounded up a few of my favorites - some more affordable than others *cough* Williams Sonoma *cough* and all have distinctly different patterns.

Love!!

Sierra Trading Post

Doesn't the camel version kind of look a bit "Burberry"??  There were a few other color-ways, but these were my favorites from Sierra Trading Post.

Williams Sonoma

Williams Sonoma is WAY overpriced for their throw - double the price of any other option here, but it is an easy one-stop-shop, so if you're running around for a last minute gift, it might be worth the premium...

Pendleton

Always a classic - and they come with a cute leather strap for toting this around on picnics... so cute.  Do I even need to say more??

Land of Nod

This is actually a kid's blanket, but who cares????!  You could totally make it work for a grown up's living room, and it's the least expensive version on this list.  It's a win-win!

What is your take on Tartan??

Love it?  Hate it??  Is it something you're planning to incorporate for the holidays??

Living Room Design Board - a House Tweaking Knock-off

That's "House TWEAKING"... not twerking... no matter if that's how it reads in my weird twisted mind...  and it's a blog I've recently become completely obsessed with.  

I forget how I discovered House Tweaking to begin with but it doesn't really matter... it's a new instant favorite for me.  Trust me when I say that her taste is SO GOOD. The kind of good where when you look at the clock you realize that you've spent 2 hours blog-stalking her. I feel that if we met in real life, we'd be the best of friends.  We both share a love of finding a good deal, Sherdog, and restrained color palettes. Oh and interior design.  That too.

This is her living room.

Hello lovely.

Plush rug...  Check.

Pretty light greys...  Check.

Chevron...  Check check!

Tripod lamp.  It's love.

You know who else would approve?  Emily Henderson.

They are like style kindred spirits.  That explains so much about why I'm obsessed with this room.  She has the "effortless" look nailed.

I felt inspired... and so to the drawing board I went to recreate a similar room on a budget.

Obviously, it's a little different, but I think that this inspiration board comes pretty close to achieving the same look and feel.

I've also included links to purchase if you are so inclined to recreate this on your own.

WHERE TO BUY:
Rug, Bamboo Roman Shade, Grey Curtain Panels, Tripod Lamp, Slatted Bench / Coffee Table, Sofa, Grey Arm Chair, Yellow Chevron Throw Pillow (pair), Woven Native American Pillow, Cream Colored "Lacey" Pillow, Cream Colored Knit Pillow

Happy Monday!!

Happy Weekend, and Happy November

Well hello November, it's nice to see you again...  

October was a great month - warm weather along with the first few real tastes of fall weather, and my little blog hit an all time high for site traffic.  When I started this blog, I had no idea people would actually read it, so to see how it's grown is just crazy to me.  Thank you to all who read, and comment, and message me privately - it really means a lot :-)

I was looking back at some of my old posts from last November, and it's hard to believe that was just a year ago... it's funny to read and remember some of the projects I'd worked on (and posted about) that totally flopped.  Some of them I totally forgot about, but this blog is like a living timeline of my life, so even though there are some I'd like to forget... it's all there in writing.  

Remember this Gold Leaf Barware DIY??  Those glasses went to Goodwill shortly thereafter.  I'd almost forgotten that failed project.  Also... our hallway had STRIPES... NARROW stripes.  Another "what was I thinking" moment.  Such a terrible idea for such a small space.  But you know what? That's all part of it.  Some of the DIY's turn out to be AMAZING... like this Wine Rack Makeover... or our Ikea Dresser / TV Stand Makeover... but there are plenty that are realllllyyyy bad... and I'm sure there will be more in the future that don't quite work out, but that's part of the fun.  Trying new things, trying to stretch our budget, and trying to make our apartment feel like a home.

This week was a quiet one for me on the blog, but I have a little project I worked on the other night that I'm excited to share with you all.  

Need a hint?

Source

Source

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Any guesses??

Well, you'll find out for sure next week.  Have a lovely weekend!

xoxo