I moved, it's mostly put together, you guys want to see, right? I figure I'll do this in the same order that I'd show it off to a new guest.
Welcome Friend! (I know - this is going to be cheesy to the max. You'll love it, I swear.) Please enter our home.
Not much to say about this area, although the slogan that came above the door was adorable so we have no plans to remove it ("Every heart was whispering 'Home, home at last!' ") and we'll probably add a storage bench opposite the hall closet so that we have somewhere to sit and put shoes on. (And just because storage benches are awesome!)
Here's our big empty ballroom. It's actually a bit less empty now that we've got rugs, art, stools, and a couch. But it still has that open floor plan feel that attracted us to the house in the first place.
In the past we've had a unified theme of Medieval European for the whole house. Since we've got so much more space, we're trying to branch out a little. For the main floor, we're going more Japanese/medieval Asian, but toned down. Clean, simple lines for the furniture, with a few fun touches like our Chinese guardian dog bookends! Oh and plants, both to add interest and to help purify the air, a la Nadine's post from last year (I ended up choosing aloe).
Not much to say here - it's cute, everything works, and we finally have a pantry! No more need to stash extra foodstuffs above the cabinets or in plastic storage containers against the wall.
This area is awesome! Ryan rigged the runner for the dogs, so it's easy to let them out and wander around despite not having a fence, and without getting quite as tangled as they did with the long leashes (plus the poop bags are right there so we can't forget them!). We're still figuring out what to do about lawn burn, but this setup has been awesome in the cold, snowy season.
In the quest to reduce stuff and clear off our horizontal space, the mirror I acquired (we were in serious need of a mirror big enough to see an entire outfit in) is also a jewelry organizer. So for the first time ever, I can see all my jewelry at a glance without rotating through several different organizers. I'm a little sad that it's not out and visible, but it is easier to use this way, if less pretty.
The bathrooms in this place were already pretty gorgeous, so this is just waiting its turn for a pop of color (we have a toned down blue green planned for this room).
The other 2 bedrooms were about the same size, but Roommate sensibly chose the one on the end of the hallway with the larger closet (not a walk-in but surprisingly spacious). While Roommate's bedroom and bathroom are excused from the virtual tour, this 3rd bedroom became our "library" and puzzle room. I've got paint plans for this room (beige with a marbled brown top glaze), and we talked color schemes, but I'm not really feeling it yet. Maybe Tuscan, maybe Persian. We'll figure something out. For now it just houses Roommate's huge book collection, my more modest one, and all of Ryan's 5 books (just kidding - it's perfectly respectable to only own 5 books), plus some leftover furniture that we typically only use for parties.
Since most of our other living spaces from the old place migrated down here, the basement is already pretty well furniture-ed and decorated. We're keeping the medieval stuff down here, so you'll see swords and sconces, as well as everything gaming-related. All the computers live down here, which means we work and play down here as well.
And that's it! You've gotten a fuller tour than even the people who have visited in person (because I usually forget some of the rooms or I don't want to bore them). Since I've been in full-on decorating mode, I figured I'd share some of the places I've been using to make our home prettier and more efficient.
Entryway
Welcome Friend! (I know - this is going to be cheesy to the max. You'll love it, I swear.) Please enter our home.
Not much to say about this area, although the slogan that came above the door was adorable so we have no plans to remove it ("Every heart was whispering 'Home, home at last!' ") and we'll probably add a storage bench opposite the hall closet so that we have somewhere to sit and put shoes on. (And just because storage benches are awesome!)
Main Floor
In the past we've had a unified theme of Medieval European for the whole house. Since we've got so much more space, we're trying to branch out a little. For the main floor, we're going more Japanese/medieval Asian, but toned down. Clean, simple lines for the furniture, with a few fun touches like our Chinese guardian dog bookends! Oh and plants, both to add interest and to help purify the air, a la Nadine's post from last year (I ended up choosing aloe).
Kitchen
Not much to say here - it's cute, everything works, and we finally have a pantry! No more need to stash extra foodstuffs above the cabinets or in plastic storage containers against the wall.
Deck/Backyard
This area is awesome! Ryan rigged the runner for the dogs, so it's easy to let them out and wander around despite not having a fence, and without getting quite as tangled as they did with the long leashes (plus the poop bags are right there so we can't forget them!). We're still figuring out what to do about lawn burn, but this setup has been awesome in the cold, snowy season.
Upstairs
The "Nook"
This little space here gave us a bit of consternation. My mom jokingly suggested that it become an "art gallery" and we've been talking about our nonexistent bust of Venus (allegedly to hold the center spot here) for a month or so. But then I realized that my former kitchen paintings don't work with our Asian theme and I still really like them (plus the framing was expensive), so... maybe we will have an art gallery after all. Plus we have tons of paintings from Painting with a Twist - so we're thinking this'll be our spot for our own art, plus family photos and mementos.
Master Bedroom
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| White balance was seriously off here but whatevs. |
It's green! I finally got to paint, which I've been wanting to do for years. Green wasn't my first choice, but I have to concede - it turned out well. Of course, we now have to replace the curtains and bedspread, but I think we're well on our way to having a soothing, comfortable room to unwind in.
Also green! After sharing my uninspired picture and closet woes, and receiving some great suggestions from you guys, I've fixed it up a bit. I got my cube organizer, which makes my heart leap every time I see it, and acquired a variety of boot shaper/hanging products, as well as a double pole thing for double-tier hanging. I also bought a somewhat frivolous cube thing for seating (again for putting on shoes), but it's the perfect size to tuck away under hanging clothes or leave out, and I like the pop of white against the green walls. After seeing how beautiful my half of the closet was, Ryan requested a cube organizer of his own, which we still need to set up, but this little room has already become something of a haven for me. It's the best place to be at the end of a long day, to unwind, drink tea, and ready my mind for sleep.
In the quest to reduce stuff and clear off our horizontal space, the mirror I acquired (we were in serious need of a mirror big enough to see an entire outfit in) is also a jewelry organizer. So for the first time ever, I can see all my jewelry at a glance without rotating through several different organizers. I'm a little sad that it's not out and visible, but it is easier to use this way, if less pretty.
The bathrooms in this place were already pretty gorgeous, so this is just waiting its turn for a pop of color (we have a toned down blue green planned for this room).
The "Library"
The other 2 bedrooms were about the same size, but Roommate sensibly chose the one on the end of the hallway with the larger closet (not a walk-in but surprisingly spacious). While Roommate's bedroom and bathroom are excused from the virtual tour, this 3rd bedroom became our "library" and puzzle room. I've got paint plans for this room (beige with a marbled brown top glaze), and we talked color schemes, but I'm not really feeling it yet. Maybe Tuscan, maybe Persian. We'll figure something out. For now it just houses Roommate's huge book collection, my more modest one, and all of Ryan's 5 books (just kidding - it's perfectly respectable to only own 5 books), plus some leftover furniture that we typically only use for parties.
Basement
Since most of our other living spaces from the old place migrated down here, the basement is already pretty well furniture-ed and decorated. We're keeping the medieval stuff down here, so you'll see swords and sconces, as well as everything gaming-related. All the computers live down here, which means we work and play down here as well.
Here's my little space! I've done my best to make it inspiring with the corkboard, efficient with my cord organization, and ergonomic with the footrest (my desk is a weird height so either my wrists hurt or my knees do). Plus it's heated so my circulation-less toes don't get cold! I spend well over half the week here, so it only makes sense to make it as comfortable as possible. I wish I could present you a perfect, clutter-free desk but alas! Life isn't perfect and neither are my home pictures.
And that's it! You've gotten a fuller tour than even the people who have visited in person (because I usually forget some of the rooms or I don't want to bore them). Since I've been in full-on decorating mode, I figured I'd share some of the places I've been using to make our home prettier and more efficient.
Where I Shop
- AllPosters.com - I really like the "wood mount" option for something that feels more polished but isn't super expensive (screw frames - seriously). Or "canvas art." AllPosters has done me really well when I had something specific in mind, like "old world map" or "Renaissance poster." Straight up browsing is a little overwhelming because there's so much stuff.
- Amazon - Derp. Everything is on there and it's usually the best prices (although quality can be pretty up in the air, but since they have such thorough reviews you usually know what you're getting into). I mostly use them for practical things and organization stuff rather than decorative elements.
- Ashley Furniture - In part because it's local, and partly because they have furniture with the extra detailing that we like so much. It's not my favorite store ever, but with bigger stuff it's nice to be able to see it instead of just trusting to the Internet, and I like a lot of their inventory (customer service - meh). We bought end tables from them a couple years ago and, more recently, the couch on the main floor.
- Bed Bath & Beyond - A fairly recent discovery - I was struggling to find decorative hand towels for the many bathrooms we now possess (four, we have four bathrooms). Great selection! I love the color and pattern on the towels I got (the red and gold ones in the basement bathroom pic) - they're not super soft, but they're absorbent so it doesn't matter that much. No one's using them to shower with.
- FabuArt - Such gorgeous stuff! So far we just have that red and gold painting on the main floor, but I love everything they have, and am already trying to find a way to fit more of their art into our home. Plus, great deals on Groupon!
- Home Decorators Collection - They have some really amazing organization furniture and tons of stuff that fits our antique-y/medieval style. Most of my purchases have been décor, but Ryan and I are seriously eyeballing their storage benches for the entryway.
- Target - I really haven't used them for much, but I was trying to find decorative candles to put on holders whose contents had finally burned themselves out and IT WAS SO HARD! I was really surprised, but it seems like all the more popular candle purveyors tend towards candles in glass holders and that's not what I wanted at all. I found Keystone Candle, which had decent options and I might try out sometime in the future, but Target was the only place I found that had candles that were both decorative and scented. I bought these for the basement and I'll probably buy some of the other layered ones for other rooms in the house.
Where do you shop for home décor? What's the most ambitious home improvement project you've tackled?
