Finding your inspiration

Have you found yourself going back and forth on paint colors or ideas for rooms?

I went to home depot and literally picked out 79 colors. Mostly whites, greys and some pinks.  I'm sure you're thinking right now, "she's exaggerating, no one takes home 79 paint swatches". It was a lot of paint swatches. 

But in the end I couldn't pick a color because I really didn't know where I wanted to go with the room.

Have you been in this place before?

Needing inspiration, but coming up empty.

Picturing how it will all turn out but not loving the end product in your mind?

That's how I felt with my daughters room.

One of my road blocks is that we are putting our house back on the market in April. And as much as I hate to admit it, I do make wall paint decisions hoping that the colors are neutral enough and don't turn anyone off.

One of my issues when I was picturing the room was boring-ness, un-funness, not Kennedy friendly enough.

So we went to the store and Kennedy picked out this really cute owl pillow, and I really liked the crib sheet that went with it. From there, it was amazing. We went to a couple different stores, and it was AMAZING how it all started coming together. 

So my advice on how to find your inspiration is get out there and go shopping! I have been playing for weeks online with lack luster excitement.

Pinterest is amazing, and inspiring, but it leaves you sitting with lots of pins and sometimes no motivation or time, or energy to get up and go.

I definitely shop online, but touching and feeling and comparing is part of the amazing part of designing. Its hard to compare two items when they are on different sites sometimes.

 So if you are feeling like you need that inspiration, GET OUT THERE AND SHOP. That's it. Walk away from the computer, put down the magazine, don't you dare pin another item, and go and walk around a store, touch things, imagine things, let your design voice out

All of these pictures can be found here on my pinterest board.

And just so we are clear, these images and rooms are amazingly inspiring.

Mover & shaker

I've been thinking lately about how I decorate my home. One of the things that I often do is buy something that

A. I really love and cant imagine my life without this item (slight sarcasm, but not really)

B. know the item is versatile enough that it can play nicely with the rest of my home

Do you do that?

I'm a mover and shaker. For those of you reading this saying "whats a mover and shaker in design?"

It means that things dont have permanent homes. Items may live in spots or locations for a day, a week, a month, a year, but most likely they'll be relocated because I like change, and I like to shake it up.

 I know a lot of people decorate once and then change it in 15 years when they realize their stuff is way outdated. But when you move things around, it feels new, it feels like you went shopping, it feels fresh. 

Items that I especially like to be versatile-

A. Rugs

B. Lamps

C. Bookcases and storage solutions

D. Mirrors

E. Art

F. Accessories

This does not mean that you have to buy a beige rug, and silver lamps, and boring accessories.

But keep in mind other rooms in your home. This rug for instance was first off $77, so not a huge investment. But I also thought it could be nice in our master or my daughters nursery when we make it over. So even though black and white chevron is so not neutral, it kind of is for my home.

 These lamps are mercury glass and they could live in any room in my home. The fun blue chevron side table? Maybe not. Not everything has to be versatile, if you love something go with it, don't be afraid to make bolder choices. (just to remind everyone that side table was found on the side of the road, and I used 75% off oops paint). 

So when I'm buying items I like to think about them in different places. This is not exactly neccessary for a .50 blue mason jar that you find at a garage sale. (but who are we kidding, they look great every where)

photo of case of jars via iDIY/photo jar with tulips via Wedding Bee

For bigger items think about how you could incorporate them into different rooms in the future, that way your items can play nicely and you can make your home feel new again and again!

Here is the list again of items

Items that I especially like to be versatile-

A. Rugs

B. Lamps

C. Bookcases and storage solutions

D. Mirrors

E. Art

F. Accessories

Good luck & have a fabulous day!

Perfect Is Over Rated

Perfect is over rated. I've talked before about being brave, and that's how I want to live in our home.

 I'm joining The Nester today in her It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful link party

That being said...I want to talk about some imperfections in my home, and things that I want to change. 

Recently I've been thinking about our dining room. I'm ready for a change. I feel like it needs to be brighter and fresher. There's nothing wrong or imperfect about the color really, I just want a lightness that this room doesn't possess. 

I think with the brown walls, brown wood floors,brown rug and brown chairs, its just too much.

Since we hang out in the living/dining room all day I like to think of them as one living space. 

I've been trying to add in more yellow in the living room. So maybe painting the dining room yellow will be the perfect solution. It certainly will make the room seem bright and sunny, and I think it will be a nice transition from the living room.

And these no sew curtains (hot glued) I'm really proud of, but they don't really fit my style anymore.

I hate the idea of buying new curtains since we are trying to sell our house, but that's not really a reason to keep something I'm not in love with anymore. I think I might just take down the curtains and rods, fill up the holes and paint the walls something fresh.

Do you have any suggestions for paint colors besides yellow?

 I wish that I could keep my home better organized while I was doing makeovers

Even though the process is not perfect, I enjoy the final product

I have never seen anyone put a yard stick on a new desk. I'm sure someone out there thinks its ridiculous.

But the truth is, I love it. I smile every time I see it, it just makes me happy. I stuck it on with mounting putty so its not permanent, I don't think you could get any more imperfect.

 Every day I try to embrace the imperfection and live in the now. Let the dishes clutter the sink every once and awhile. "I'm busy living", I tell myself. 

I still enjoy the beauty where I can find it, and make notes on things that I'd like to change

I feel like our house is such a dark grey it really needs lighter items where ever we can find them.

I plan to add white flowers this year, I wont put the stars back up, and I might paint the wicker furniture white, and I might just buy some of those. Or better yet, just buy a few more of these chairs because they are cheap and clean and white. My wicker is really falling apart.

There will always be little imperfections that I want to change, but I think the key is not let them stop you from enjoying your life or home right now.

Hope you enjoyed, and will become a follower

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House Tour

Real VS Ideal in our homes

Hi Everyone,

Today I am going to be over at my hand crafted home I do hope you'll go over and see what I have to say about real vs Ideal in our homes.

I will say that there is a video of me, and for some reason my husband never told me to brush my hair, but I didn't want to shoot it again...so now everyone gets to see!

Also have a wonderful weekend!

Be Flexible in Design

I realized while I was doing my office makeover that I was challenged quite a few times. I made a plan, and then that plan didn't work, and I had to come up with new ideas right then and there.

Its important to look at design as flexible, if something doesn't work, then think of a new plan, or maybe a couple. I'm really good at visualizing what something is going to look like, but if you aren't good at that you can always try an online mood board. Or if the item is small you could always buy it, and return it if it doesn't work. Just check the stores return policy first.

Here are the random annoying things that happened while I designed my office, they are the same annoying things that I think made this project way better. 

I originally wanted to paint all white walls, and do grey stripes. I ran out of white paint, and with 120 year old walls, I was worried about how long it would take to measure out the stripes. I ended up painted the bottom grey.

 I ended up picking this bold rug that I definitely wouldn't have bought if I did the stripes. And even though I love stripes, I love that I can take this rug wherever we go.

Ikea didn't have the desk I was looking for...so I decided to just get creative and make one.

I wanted white shelves originally with my white walls with stripes. But then I didn't do the stripes and my white shelves were out of stock, I didn't stress. I picked the glossy gray, which ended up being better in this particular room.

Originally  I was trying to decided between a vintage desk and a more modern desk. I ended up deciding I could have 2 desks. I am so happy having 2 desks. I love each desk and the area around it so much, but I also love how they play off each other.

Originally I thought these shelves would look really cool with all globes on top. In the end I made it work with free accessories I had around the house. Maybe in time I'll add some globes, but I'm glad I didn't spend anymore money. I'm also glad I didn't try to shop all thrift stores in a 20 mile radius looking for globes. (ps this totally sounds like something I would do). The truth is now that I'm not looking for them, I'm sure they'll find me. 

Don't be discouraged when your plans don't work out, and don't be afraid to think of the next plan, sometimes its even better than your first.

If you'd like to see my whole Office Makeover & the details you can go here

Office Details

 Yesterday I wanted to show you my office in all its glory, but today I'll be going through the pictures one more time and telling you all the details.

I'm really excited about this dresser. It was white, but I painted it Nimbus Cloud by Martha Stewart, it was left over paint from our bedroom makeover. The lamp was in my attic with the chalkboard. I painted it grey on the frame and the blue from my desk. Origninally I was thinking of painting the dresser in that blue, but I wanted the desk to be special and I didnt want it to be too matchy matchy.

I thought this was a cute way to add in a little punch of green.

I got the basket, the moss rocks and the magnifying glass from my attic

I switched out the 2 skinny billy bookcases for this one, because I want the whole piece to stay together. So the 2 bookcases are now in the hallway.

I added this little basket which was in my attic, but everything I just took from the bookcases

I plan to do a little project with closepins, and for some reason I just like looking at them.

And here is this side of the room all together.

My blue desk. In behr distance. The walls are behr ultra pure white, and the bottom is an oops paint. The desk was $1 from habitat for humanity. The little silver tray on the desk was $8 from Ikea. And the white frame was also $5 from Ikea

 

The rug was $77 from Wayfair. 

The shelves are Ikea Lack glossy grey $17 each

All accessories I already owned, and found in my attic

I am particulary smitten with this area. The desk was $66 from Ikea, the frames were from Ikea for $5 each.

These metal boards I thought would just be perfect for organizing my ideas and inspiration. They were $12.50 each

This yard stick I found in my attic, its vintage and has marks on it, and I love it. I added it to the desk to make a little modern vintage baby. I put it on with scotch tape at first to see if I liked it, and then when I did just added mounting putty. I prefer not to hot glue it so I can change my mind, or change it up, but I love it.

And the light. I changed out our kitchen lights here, and I bought the wrong lights at Ikea, so you know me, I just made it work. And then I realized if I put one of those new old bulbs in it, it could look really cool by itself. Well I am just in love with it.

I had this old crate but I hadnt really found a home for it yet.

The little clock is so cute and vintage looking upclose it was from Ikea for like $6. And my 1,2,3 jars were $2 from Christmas Tree Shop

I love it. And the grand total for everything was $246

An Office Makeover Completed!

 My Office is finally done! I am so excited, and I wont leave you in suspense any longer!

 

Just to remind you a little bit of the before

And now the after

I"m so thrilled with this room, I just want to hang out in here all day  

I'll go over all the details here, and paint colors and where I got everything, and cost, but today...just pictures of pretty things.

I hope you really liked my office makeover, I'd love for you to follow!

Linking up here