Smile And Wave

Our Colorado Home: Dining Room Tour

Our dining room may be my favorite room in the house. It's large, open, and gets as much sunlight as a girl could want throughout the day thanks to those gloriously large, West-facing windows. Other than having my heart set on a more modern drum shade rather than the original fixture and a second layer of curtains for night time privacy, this room is finally finished. 

It's very different than any other dining space we've had as our last home didn't have a designated area so we made things work at one end of our living room. The rental before that had a medium dining room but I used it primarily as studio space. I've had the yellow fiberglass chairs for about two years after buying them from a friend in Springfield and found the two vintage school chairs in an antique shop near Oklahoma City for a song. They used to go with the kitchenette that I stole those hairpin legs from.

Don't hate me but I found the vintage rug in a warehouse moving sale in a tiny town in Oklahoma for $35. I had asked about a few things in the store that weren't marked and was frustrated that none of them seemed to be for sale and was about to walk out when I spotted it. I almost squealed when she wanted $35 and couldn't get to the cash register fast enough! This is the only room in the house it'll fit since it's so long but I love how it's become the focal point for the rest of the decor.

I found the vintage record table recently at a flea market as well as the minty blue typewriter. It's my favorite out of my whole collection. The yellow typewriter was thrifted awhile back in MO. The wooden #3 was purchased at the Alameda Flea Market in 2008 and the plant and planter are from Lowe's.

The mirror and gas station sign were thrifted in Springfield and the vintage school table was gifted by my in-laws. It makes a great record stand for our Crosley. I keep our growing record collection in a large metal milk crate below the desk but we may need to figure out another system soon.

The large white wardrobe used to be Ruby's makeshift closet but has been repurposed as our office space. I found it at a mom and pop used furniture shop in MO and power sanded it and painted it while eight months pregnant with her. It was a labor of love! The vintage globes have been collected from various thrift stores in MO and the large vintage map was an Etsy purchase. The DIY for adding dowels to a map can be found here.

The vintage kids' table was Ruby's Christmas present. I thrifted it and the brown chair in Springfield but found the aqua school chair way back in 2008 on our move from Fresno, CA to Springfield, MO. It rode on my lap most of the way. 

Our growth chart needs updated.

I found the wooden folding chair at a thrift store for $5 but it had a torn cover so I reupholstered it as a project in my Modern Patchwork e-course. It hasn't had a place to sit out for over a year so I'm glad I can finally enjoy it.

That little nook was a good spot to hang this old sock dryer. I have three of them in various colors that have been waiting for some extra wall space to be displayed! I recently noticed on Instagram that my dear friend, Rubyellen, has one as well in the same color!

You can see into our little hallway and bathroom here. The plant stand was a recent thrift here in CO but the mirror has been in various parts of the last two homes we've lived in.

You can read all about my dining room table search that turned into a DIY here.

I bought this from YeeHaw press about a month ago and just learned they're going out of business. I know they'll be missed.

I'm taking this photo from the front of the house looking through to the back where you can see our kitchen. Our living room spans the front width of the house and I've turned it into two sitting areas but it's not quite ready for it's full reveal. You'll see why in a minute. 

Basically, everything in this photo was thrifted except for the IKEA pillow and sheep skin and the pink Modernica shell chair.

This is the view from the kitchen looking to the front of the house. I've recently taken down the flannel cranberry curtains that were hanging over the sheer drapes and it's made it feel like a whole new space. It's amazing how something that doesn't fit your aesthetic can change your feelings about your environment. It's so much brighter now, although we can't walk around naked at night.

You do it, too.

Just to keep it real, here is the other side of our living room. The laundry pile has been there for over a week, the homeless chalkboard panel was moved out of a previous shot and propped up here, there are toys usually strewn about in one corner or another from that week's activities, and I still have lots of stuff that I haven't found a place to put (floor lamps, picture frames, etc.). You can also see into our little bedroom. Our bed was unmade and those ugly curtains were draped across the top waiting to be folded and bagged until we move out.

I spent a lot of time getting my dining room clean for these photos and while this is the general structure in it's ideal form, things are usually in much more 'lived in' conditions unless company is coming over. We don't mind it that way and I'll gladly share our everyday messes on Instagram and in future posts but I like seeing it like it at it's very best, too. 

I'm going to continue to share room tours of our new space as those rooms feel put together. It's good motivation for me to get things done!

I'm happy to respond to any questions about my aesthetic or where I found something in the comments below. I've also shared almost everything I know about designing a home you love in my e-course, Style Your Space, if you're looking for something much more in depth.

Thanks for reading!

-Rachel

Boring Basement to Boutique Style Closet

When we moved in to our new house we made the small sacrifice to switch rooms with the kids so they could have the bigger bedroom. That left us with about 18" on either side of our bed to roll out of in the morning before hitting our wall and about 18" between the foot of our bed and our dresser. We sold our canopy bed frame because of the ceiling fan and moved Brett's dresser into the kids' room. Our single closet is smaller than the one in my freshman dorm room which meant Brett's wardrobe and shoes would fit but mine were kind of in purgatory. Basically, we had just enough room for doing married things in our bedroom and not much else.

After much contemplation about how to store my clothing so it didn't look like we were living in a garage sale I decided I could borrow my friend Rachel Burch's brilliant idea of turning part of the basement into a closet! Our basement has a room on each side of the stairwell leading down there so I designated the bigger, brighter side as the potential closet space and the darker, crowded side full of boxes as the storage space. The closet side has a permanent sink and houses the water softener and some other things that came with the house but there was enough of a nook and decent light in the morning and I just knew if I got creative enough I'd be able to make it into something I'd enjoy using.

My first step was to clear out the excess boxes and organize things in the large cupboards opposite the photo above. Then I swept the floors, wiped down the walls, and brought in pretty, multi-faceted light bulbs. My first bright idea was to install a floor-to-ceiling curtain to cover the tiny window and stained wall behind it. It matches the pre-existing white and yellow color scheme and I already had the vintage sheet on hand and still lets plenty of soft light in.

One of the biggest projects was to build my own clothes rack from steel pipes. I've always wanted a boutique style rack but have never had the space for one in my bedroom. It's kind of ironic that my lack of space has led me to finally making one. 

Another makeover project was spray painting a vintage, metal stand I found on my last trip to my secret thrifting spot in Southern Missouri for $3. It just needed a coat of black paint to match the rest of the hardware and is the perfect size for storing most of my shoes. The vintage mirror above it was found at a local D.A.V and was $5 with my military I.D. It's pretty and helps bounce light around.

The third big makeover project was turning a cheap rug into something a little more fun. I found this one at Lowe's and went to town with some freezer paper and spray paint. You want one, too? Don't worry. I've got a tutorial for that.

Two little accessories from IKEA that I've always wanted to utilize in my home made the perfect hardware for displaying my vintage silk scarf collection and favorite sunglasses. 

The last big DIY for this space was creating a standing jewelry and handbag display from a pre-cut piece of lumber. It rests against the ugly cement wall covered by the curtain and was a great solution for the awkwardness of that space.

I took advantage of every inch of space by hanging my four vintage, floral suitcases by size on the wall. This not only shows of their great patterns but provides more storage for out of season accessories like gloves, beanies, wool scarves, etc.

I was stumped on how to display my enamel pin collection until I realized I could just pin them onto the back of a pretty quilt square Brett's grandma gave me. There was just enough wall space left and I only had to make one hole in the wall.

I almost stopped at making one little nook in the basement pretty but then realized it would be simple to create a little curtain of sorts to cover the ugly sink and water treatment equipment. Once that was out of sight I realized our full length mirror was still boxed and that it would fit nicely at the other end of the room. Once that was in place I brought down the chair I also found at the same secret thrift spot in Missouri and paid only $3 for, added a basket to hold my belts, and strung up the wire basket turned lamp shade that I've used in my studio spaces for the last four years.

I'm still using dresser space upstairs for unmentionables, work out clothes, and t-shirts and jeans but now I won't have to deal with piles of clean clothes draped on top of it because there is no place for them. It's like a Christmas present to myself!

Best of all, I didn't have to spend a fortune. The most expensive project was the clothes rack but it's something I know I'll always utilize in the future and the rest were either quite affordable little DIY's or thrifted. I'm sure we'll probably bring in our little trampoline or set up a coloring area so the kids can enjoy hanging out in this happy room, too. Let's just hope we don't have a spider problem!

Yikes! Cover that thing up.

It was a lot of work but now I actually want to go spend time in my basement! Ruby's already been through trying on flats, rearranging the jewelry, and walking around with a purse on her shoulder like she owns the place. It's so fun for me to see her pretending to play dress up because I know exactly how she feels. 

Find my full, step-by-step tutorials for the polka-dot rug, steel pipe garment rack, and jewelry stand on A Beautiful Mess.

I hope you've enjoyed this little peek into my mini basement makeover. What kind of closet space do you have? What does your dream closet look like?

-Rachel

Living Room Tour: Christmas Edition

Like many bloggers, I got the tree out a few days before Thanksgiving because I just couldn't wait any longer! Pulling out the boxes of vintage Shiny Brites and bottle brush trees was just what I needed a few weeks into Brett being gone to give me something to look forward to. The boxes covered the dining room table and spilled over onto both sides and sadly stayed there for weeks. I'd get some corner fixed up and then get stuck again. I didn't want to waste any great opportunity to do something creative but with little time and energy left over at the end of the day, my efforts were stalled and my enthusiasm wained.

I finally got the last of the boxes cleared away the day after Brett flew home for Christmas so we could eat together as a family on Christmas Eve. It was our first Christmas at home as a family this year and I didn't want to forget a thing about how it looked since we'll be in another house next year! I spent most of Ruby's nap on Christmas day picking up and photographing the living room. It only looked like this for about two more hours but it is still leaps and bounds better than it has been the last few weeks!

My MIL found our white tree at a garage sale for $5 and gave it to me for my birthday a few years back. I've never missed having a real tree but Sebastian asked me why ours was white this year. We may get a small one for the kids to decorate next year. I did thrift another 4 ft. white tree about two weeks ago that I decorated with gold and silver bulbs for our bedroom. I feel really lucky to have two!

I finished sewing the Christmas stockings a few days ago and then added one for Sunday after Sebastian decided she needed one, too. My vote was to put a lump of coal in it for those three instances in the back of the Volvo (shudder).

Next year, I'll be tackling the DIY I had planned for our little nutcracker collection but this year the time just wasn't there. This was Ruby's favorite vignette. She'd climb up on the chair and sit on the edge of the desk to play with them. One morning I found a blackberry in the big one's mouth. His beard is purple-ish grey now. The nutcrackers were either thrifted or found at the $$ section of Target.

I made the stockings from coordinating new and vintage fabrics I had in my studio. I used a standard stocking size as a template for their shape and then added a large bow to each of ours and a small bow to Sunday's. I used my favorite floral fabric on mine! It's from Melody Miller's line Ruby Star Rising and I used a different fabric from the same collection for Brett's. You can read more about the vignette on top of the locker here.

Most things in our home were found at flea markets/garage sales/thrift stores. Other than electronics and a few random decor accents, everything is vintage or handmade. It's been collected over the last few years and I've switched things out as our needs/spaces have changed.

And just so you don't go wondering how we keep things so clean with two kids and a puppy running around...

This feels more like it these days.

We call them the Glimmer Twins because they're trouble when they get together. They're either leaving a trail of toys, chewing on something that doesn't belong to them, or creating little emergencies. If you're a mama or a puppy owner, you know the routine.

We have thoroughly enjoyed getting to spend these last few days together again as a family. Brett has been taking the reins with housework and entertaining the kids so I can spend some time catching up on things that make me feel balanced and refreshed. He's pretty fantastic!

More Christmas photos to come as well as a little recap from the last few weeks. I hope you had a special Christmas this year. Do you keep your tree up through New Year's or is it already down?

xo,

Rachel

See my Cafe Mom Holiday Home Tour from 2008 here.

Home Sweet Home: House Tour with Carrie Ellegaard

 

Carrie was kind enough to let Janae and I into her home a few weeks ago in order to share it here on Smile and Wave. One of my favorite parts about this feature is having a great excuse to peek inside the gorgeous homes of new friends and Carrie's home that she shares with her husband and three children is no exception. It's bright and cheerful with interesting pieces in every corner. The care that has been put into renovating their house is evident in each room and the way their style flows seamlessly throughout their three levels (basement not shown) is a testament to their strong sense of style. Oh, and do you see all of those windows in their kitchen?!

Q: What kind of home do you have and how long have you lived there?

A: It's a Bungalow built in 1918. We've been here for over nine years now...since the day we got married. It's our first home and hopefully our last.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: I wouldn't like to say my style is "cheap" but it is definitely un-expensive. Sometimes I wish I wasn't such a bargain hunter because I find myself buying things only because they're cheap! Then I spend the whole way home with buyers remorse, crossing my fingers that it works when I try to mix it in with my other "in-expensive" things.

 

Having a Danish husband and a childhood friend in Sweden, I have had the opportunity to travel to Scandinavia a few times now. A lot of what I hope influences my style is from what I have seen over there. I’ll have to say the Scandinavian styles are my favorite, maybe that’s why I married one.

Q: Has your style changed/evolved over the years?

A: A lot of times when I see something really cute, anxiety sets in and I think, “it’s time for a change”. Usually it’s short lived though because I always come back to the things I’ve always liked, plus, I can't have a garage sale every day. 

 

I want to be one of those people who can maintain their own personal style, even with fads and styles changing all the time. They seem to know exactly what they like and that’s how they “make it their best.” I find that decorating comes easiest to me when I don’t try to duplicate another style that I think I like but that’s not me.

Q: What kinds of changes have you made since you've moved in?

A:  I loved most everything about this house from the first day I walked into it but some things needed to go! Soon after we moved in we gutted the bathroom, tore the carpet out, took wallpaper and border down, scraped popcorn ceilings, (which is kind of fun) got rid of all the eighties ceiling fans, and painted throughout.

 

Since then we have focused more on the details like stripping doors, repairing the old plaster walls, and stripping, sanding and repainting all the trim. We also reworked all the old windows, refinished the wood floors, fixed up the basement, got new storm windows, painted the outside of the house, and added the 2nd floor. We have been working non-stop on our house since we moved in, but we love it. I guess that’s what they say, it’s part of living in an old house.

Some might think we’re crazy putting so much time, money, and energy into this house because of the side of town we’re on. It doesn’t have the best reputation, not to mention resale value. But, we don’t do it for those reasons, we do it because we love living in this house and we love our surroundings. We live right across the street from the elementary school and our neighbors all the way up and down this particular street are as good as gold...oh yeah, and maybe I should mention that my favorite local thrift stores and flea markets are within walking distance! I don’t think I could find a better neighborhood for us if I searched my whole life.

Q: Favorite room in the house and why?

A: Right now I'd have to say the basement since we just got a new wood burning stove down there. I'd spend all my free time right in front of it if I could. 

It's an unfinished basement, but it’s dry so we painted the floors and walls, added some rugs, made a kids toy area, my sewing corner, a guest bedroom, and put a couch and TV down there. It's so cozy during these cold nights to get a bag of popcorn and watch a movie with the kids and the fire going. And since it's the basement, it's ok if it gets messy. 

Another room I'm thankful for is our garage. I can go in there on a whim and be sure to find any tool I need in seconds. It is a sight to behold! You wouldn’t believe how crazy organized Michael is! (Which is sometimes nice because it really shows in his work). He somehow makes art with all his wrenches and such. Sometimes I go in there just to look at how perfectly lined out his tools are... then I just shake my head.

Q: Proudest DIY?

A: I've always liked the contrasting look of wood doors with white trim so I got this idea that I would strip and refinish them all! I quickly found out the hard way how much work it is!! I didn't realize what I was getting myself into, but after I did one, I had to do them all! It took some years but I'm proud to say it's done! 

But, I'll have to say the most practical thing we did was turning the unused attic space into two bedrooms, a playroom and a bathroom. It was a huge project but it was so nice to go from two bedrooms to four with three kids!  And since we did most of the work ourselves, it made it that much more rewarding.

Q: What's one thing on your home decor wish list?

A: I have a real weakness (border-line problem) for rugs and throw pillows. They seem to be a quick easy way to add instant color and softness to any room. Those things are always on my wish list no matter how bad I DON'T need them.

Thank you, Carrie, for sharing your beautiful home with us! If ever you need to part with your fantastic couch pillows (or anything else in your house) you be sure to let me know! Thanks, again, to Janae Hardy for her beautiful photographic eye and talent in capturing the beauty of these homes and the women that live in them each time.

Feel free to leave comments here for Carrie to read about how much you loved their home, too! I'm off to find a round coffee table to paint.

xo,

Rachel

 

Home Sweet Home: House Tour with Cindy Hosmer, Part One

Home Sweet Home: House Tour with Cindy Hosmer, Part Two

Home Sweet Home: House Tour with Amy Boyd

Our House Tour: Parts One, Two, Three, and Four

House Tour with Rachel Burch

House Tour with Brooke Biette

Home Sweet Home: House Tour with Cindy Hosmer, Part Two

Last week for Home Sweet Home, Janae and I shared the downstairs of Cindy and Bob's charming vintage/modern abode and we're back this week to give you a little tour of the upstairs portion which includes three of their four childrens' rooms. If you love vintage infused kid's rooms as much as Janae and I you're going to love this post! I've asked Cindy to share a little bit about whose rooms these are and the stories behind a few of her favorite finds.

Q. Whose rooms are these?

 A. Upstairs sleep 3 of my 4 children. My oldest ,Silas, is going to college and living on his own. The other 3 children's rooms are Ruby:15, Vivian:8 and Georgie;5.

Q. Do your kids have strong opinions about the design of their space? Have they ever helped out on how it's set up/designed?

A. As far as the little ones go, they have no opinion. I can barely get them to clean up off the floor. Ruby, my 15 year old, is highly opinionated which really cramps my style sometimes. Although, I'm not going to complain because it will really come in handy someday for her. Right now, we go back and forth.

Before Silas moved out his room was painted a beautiful dark grey. When she took over the room, she really wanted it hot pink from a picture she found in a House Beautiful magazine. I tried to convince her by saying she could add in some hot pink to the grey and it would look nice. I obviously didn't win that battle. It is very hot pink! It's growing on me. The color is happy, just like Ruby.

Q. Where did you find items in each room? Is there anything you searched extra hard for?

A. I would say the matching beds in Vivian's room are what I searched the hardest for. I believe matching twin beds are hard to come by. I finally found them at a local flea market. Ruby and Vivian used to share a room and slept in the matching beds until Silas moved out.  Ruby, in her teenage years, finally has her own room. It's really cut down on the sisterly fighting. I catch them every once in a while having a pleasant time together in the old room.

I really like decorating with books in adult rooms but it is so much more fun in a children's room. There are so many beautiful children's books. I wish I could display them all! I also love dolls. There is a doll in a high chair that is in Vivian's room that I saved my money for when I was a girl. I think it took me a year. The draw was that she had partial real hair and she was made in Germany. Vivian plays with her quite a bit and that makes me happy. The doll is still getting good use.

Vivian has a red clothing bar that Bob made her from a picture I found in a magazine. I looked a long time for one before I asked him to finally just make one. She has a hard time seeing her clothes up high in her closet.  It is nice because it puts all her clothes right in front of her.  Ruby has a doll that she puts on her bed (on the rare times that she makes it)  A friend of mine made it for me as a baby gift when Ruby was born. It has black hair and blue eyes. Just like Ruby.

In Georgie's room there is a large shelf that my sister helped me find at a local flea market. My sister has a good eye. The shelf originally had doors on it, with ugly wood and I couldn't see the potential. My sister nonchalantly said, "why can't you just take off the doors and paint it?" Needless to say, I thought it was a great idea. Georgie loves trucks and cars. I have a few trucks that I covet. I found them in the trash when someone was moving. I try to put those way up high on his shelf so he can't get to them. I know, that's sad. Bob, my husband, made Georgie's toybox with sliding doors. I saw it on an online website and wouldn't quit bugging him until he made it. It houses a lot of his junk toys.

What I love most about Cindy's style is her use of vintage throughout her kids' rooms in a way that represents their interests and personalities. They're colorful, practical, and inviting and it's easy to see how their spaces are set up for creative play. I love the standing, open wardrobe in Vivian's room, the three little bears family in Georgie's room, and that Ruby saw something she liked in a magazine and wanted to recreate it on her own terms.

Thank you, again, Cindy, for sharing your beautiful home and a little bit about your sweet family. Head over to this post to see Part One of Cindy and Bob's house tour which features the entire first floor.

Janae and I have another house tour lined up for November that has a playroom that ensures only kids can enter and enjoy! It's another local stunner and we're eager to share it with you on Smile and Wave.

xo,

Rachel

Home Sweet Home: House Tour with Cindy Hosmer, Part One

Home Sweet Home: House Tour with Amy Boyd

Our House Tour: Parts One, Two, Three, and Four

House Tour with Rachel Burch

House Tour with Brooke Biette

Home Sweet Home: House Tour with Cindy Hosmer, Part One

 

I'm back with another gorgeous house tour! Janae and I have teamed up to feature a few of the interiors that belong to some special women in our neighborhood. What would you say if I told you this home belongs to the sister from the last home tour? I know, right. Good taste runs in their family!

This is the warm and inviting home of Cindy and Bob Hosmer. It's such a beautiful mix of modern and vintage with nostalgic touches throughout. I about died when I walked into their remodeled kitchen/great room. There's so much space and light! I won't keep you any longer, though. Come on in...

Q: What kind of home do you have and how long have you lived there?

A: Our home is a Colonial Revival house. I have always thought of Colonial Revival as formal but with the addition in the back it seems a bit more casual.

We bought this house almost two years ago. We knew we were going to have to remodel some of the rooms. It seemed overwhelming at the time but I'm so glad we did it. Our family is so blessed to have it. It's perfect for us!

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: This is a hard question considering I don't like to be classified into one category. I just know what I like when I see it. I would say a good mix of modern and old would be my pick. It's easy to do that with this house considering the original house was built in 1939 and the addition was built sometime in the 1950's.

Q. What kinds of changes have you made since you moved in?

A. My dad's great aunts, whom were very close, lived in this home for 40 years before we purchased it. They were 96 and 98 years old when they passed away. They slept in the same room until they passed away which is very sweet. They lived on Walnut Street here in Springfield, Missouri and lived across the street from my dad and his 9 siblings when he was growing up. The city tore down their beautiful home on Walnut to build John Q. Hammons hotel. Our house is the home they moved into. There is one piece of furniture that was left in our home when we bought it. It is a large bookshelf. We heard that it was original to the aunt's Walnut Street home and the only piece they saved. We were pleased they left it for us.

We remodeled a tiny kitchen in the center of the house into one large master bathroom and a powder room. The bathroom and walk-in closet in the back of the house was remodeled into a large kitchen overlooking the backyard and family room which became a "great room" when we tore out the walls separating the two. We also did a major remodel to the first floor master bedroom, while adding a master bath. The great room and master bedroom needed new flooring. My husband put in all new hard wood floors in both these two rooms. He is incredibly handy! (I can't believe I got this far without mentioning that.) You would grow tired of reading if I told you everything he has done.

Q. Favorite room in the house and why?

A. Our living room/kitchen or great room. It just has a warm feeling to it, plus, we love to dine and entertain in these areas!

Q. Proudest DIY?

 A. Again I have to say our kitchen. It was a lot of work. Bob, my husband did a lot of it. He made the concrete countertops, put in the floors and the tile. My husband has a full time job but he enjoys working on the house but finding the time is not always easy, so let's just say, we all had to be very patient! 

 I will have to mention myself on the DIY question so Bob doesn't get all of the credit. I painted like there was no tomorrow. I am still painting. Who knows how long it will go on. 

Q: Has your style changed/evolved over the years?

A. Yes, I think it has. When I was younger I wasn't sure what I liked but now that I've grown up, I know the style I like. However, I am constantly changing things according to my changing taste. I feel more comfortable with my style.

Q. What's one thing on your home decor list?

A. Does it have to be “in” the house? Well, I have to admit, I have fantasized quite frequently about an in ground swimming pool. I think that will have to be in the future. For now, we will be focusing on landscaping in the backyard. It's roomy back there, but plain, so we need some landscaping to liven it up a little. Too many projects and not enough time. So common for people who live in old houses. Although, it brings us much joy!

Janae and I loved getting to hang out with Cindy and hearing stories about her great aunts, her upcoming feature in a local magazine, and where that beautiful old map from Missouri came from. The eye candy doesn't stop here, though! Part Two of their beautiful home tour will feature the upstairs bedrooms of three of their four children.

A big thank you to Cindy for sharing their stunning space with us! Your taste is impeccable, lady.

What was your favorite part about their home?

xo,

Rachel

Home Sweet Home: House Tour with Amy Boyd

Our House Tour: Parts One, Two, Three, and Four

House Tour with Rachel Burch

House Tour with Brooke Biette

Home Sweet Home Sneak Peek

It's another stunner, folks. I just got the photos from Janae this morning and I almost can't stand to wait another day to share but self-control is important in such situations. Right?

xo,

Rachel

Home Sweet Home: House Tour with Amy Boyd

Welcome to the beautifully curated home of Amy and Jim Boyd - neighbors and friends whose home I'd heard about long before I'd met them. I approached Amy this summer about possibly sharing a house tour online after getting a personal tour myself and was thrilled when she agreed! Their home is full of thoughtful layers that easily blend modern and vintage pieces to create a warm, rich environment. As I walked through their home I found myself noticing that every single thing in their home was intentional and seemed to hold a story. More than once I asked Amy where she found that amazing (fill in the blank). I know you'll enjoy their home as much as I did.

Q: What kind of home do you have and how long have you lived there?

A: We moved into our Rountree, California Bungalow home 14 years ago, when our third baby was nine months old. She’s fifteen now. Sometimes my kids get itchy for a change and say stuff like, “when do WE get to move?”….like my sisters both did recently. But we have put so much blood sweat and tears into this house that I would never be able to leave it. I’m like Scarlett O’Hara….nothing was going to make her leave Tara. She wanted to die in her home…even if it was virtually falling down. 

photo above: Julie Blackmon

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Sometimes I feel like I’m too comfortable with the way things are decorated. A true decorator (I always thought) changes her home weekly or monthly. I’m surrounded by family members who love to decorate…so I always felt like I should be periodically changing my home also.  

Our family spent four years in a three story, four-square home in Warsaw, Missouri, on a one acre lot when I was little (while my dad worked on the Truman Dam)…good times, I might add! Mom and dad furnished that home with the first furniture they ever bought brand new…and kept that furniture their whole lives. And even though styles came and went, their furniture remained sure and true and actually came back into style eventually. I’m jealous that they were ok with their home and style during their child rearing and older years because now they have this fabulous, traditional home that will endure for years to come. So, I would say my taste is one of a little bit traditional (which my family and I call “TRAD”), a little bit Scandinavian (which we call “SCANDI”) and a little bit modern. 

Q: Has your style changed/evolved over the years?

A: About five or six years ago I couldn’t get enough of “modern” and clean, sleek-lined, uncluttered décor. But even modern grew weary at times….and I longed for Persian rugs, knick-knacks and comfortable couches again (after purging some of my older things….and owning several uncomfortable, vintage sofas and chairs that lasted only a couple of years at best).  I still love a good vintage sofa….but with vintage being so popular right now they are hard to find. Our sectional sofa is from Macy’s….and we think it’s enough “TRAD”, that it will hopefully endure, despite fads and trends changing.    

Unfortunately, when you live in a home that turned 100 years old this year, the work you did 12 years ago to renovate becomes dated and in need of another facelift….due, in part, to changing times…but also everything eventually wears out and needs another coat of paint, or something rots out and needs replacing…which is a GREAT excuse to change something!

Q: What kinds of changes have you made since you've moved in?

A: When we first moved in, the current owners (and more than likely several owners before them) had apparently shut off the front part of the house and lived in the back (where the kitchen is) in the winter because there were no storm windows. There were four layers of drapes covering the picture windows in front….the glazing and sashes were rotten from years of condensation. So removing carpet and fixing the double-hung windows was the first to be done. The hardwood floors were too thin to refinish (someone had sanded them down to 1/16 of an inch thick), so our most efficient move was to just paint the floors instead of spending $10,000 on all new ones.

My husband, Jim, is the handiest guy I’ve ever known. We have never hired a plumber or an electrician, and he has done almost all the work on our house - a full bathroom renovation, all new lighting throughout the home, a laundry facility - and finishes the honey-do list every weekend without complaining!

I waited a good two years before we did anything to the kitchen. It was very dated and sad! We resurfaced the kitchen on a dime….and have kept it that way even now (although if I had my druthers, I would sink a little $$ into the kitchen right now….as we speak!). As I said before, not only are times changing, but it needs a new floor and new countertops (out of necessity….right????).

There is an element of sentimentality to restoring a home from the beginning. I could never do it again, but am willing to keep going so the integrity will last. 

Q: Favorite room in the house and why?

A: I have to say that my kitchen is the place where my heart is. With five kids, it seems we are always either cooking/eating, doing homework or just hanging out. We seem to gravitate to where the flavors and noises are. My mom loved to cook and I think I take after her…..only now that cooking is a necessity; it takes a little fun out of it. But, nonetheless, we are all together at the end of the day and we know where to find comfort!Q: Proudest DIY?

A: Half of our kitchen was originally a bedroom (which we could have certainly used since we proceeded to have two more babies in this house). But we knocked down a wall, tore out carpet and put uniform flooring on the whole room. Jim built a window seat (with storage underneath) in the area where the previous owners had their kitchen table (a kitchenette the size of an apartment). Proud moments pop up all the time when you live in a house that’s not too big (or unmanageable) and you do the cleaning and work yourself!  Q: What's one thing on your home decor wish list?

A: If I could do one thing to my house right now it would be to put bookshelves in my living room. Last winter Jim and I spent some time on this woodworking program he has that takes the measurements and designs the area for you. I was mesmerized by it….and anxiously awaited the day when he would have time to make these “floor to ceiling” shelves. I have magazine pictures strung out and hung all over my house so Jim will get the hint and start making them….ha! I’ve even purchased books to fill them. I’m still waiting…..

Thank you, Amy, for sharing your gorgeous home with us! Also, a special thanks to Janae Hardy who shot this home tour. We're teaming up again to photograph and share another lovely home later this month that is equally beautiful! New favorite hobby? Um, yes.

xo,
Rachel

Happy Spots In Your Home - A Photo Challenge

There are a number of places in my home that make me happy but sometimes I notice a certain arrangement of things - leftovers of time spent playing together, remants of a project, groupings of colors - that stop me in my tracks.

Don't worry about clean or messy, perfect or imperfect. Pay attention this weekend to places in your home that make you especially happy.

What do you love about that corner? Are there certain items that are nostalgic? Evidence of a good time had? A bargain piece?

Feel free to share any happy spot photos on your blog and link up in the comments section below for everyone to see.

xo,
Rachel

 

 

Creating Space In Our Little Kitchen

We keep upgrading kitchen sizes every time we move but things are still pretty tight up in this place. The space against this wall used to be empty because the door to the studio opens against it and there is an oddly placed floor vent that keeps things from scooting clear of the door. What do they call that...a First World problem?

Yes. That.

Introducing the vintage industrial cart purchased at a country garage sale for $7.00. It adds some vertical space without adding too much bulk. It brings the dog food and water bowls up off the floor nicely (easier to sweep around) and disguises them a bit. I now have a place to stash pretty dish towels and vintage cloth napkins in a vintage metal container just like my MIL has done. Aprons on the side soften things up a bit and it all fits nicely under the wall hanging.

I'm most excited about a place to sort mail and packages going out. I've got scissors and tape stored in a safe spot away from curious toddler fingers but this is the perfect spot for large and small packages to be contained until we can deal with them. I can keep smaller items in the black wire basket such as thank you cards and photos to include in letters and larger things such as magazines we want to keep or documents that need attention in the larget basket.

Attaching our stamp stash to the side of the basket came out of a need to remember where they are! Brett keeps them in one spot and I usually move them to another. We are always running out of them when we need them most, too. This way they are front and center.

I had those baskets on hand and they happened to work together so that the round one nested on top of the rectangular one. If you ever run across a wire basket you like that fits your budget, pick it up! They are SO handy.

The best part about this sturdy little cart is that it's yellow! I brought it home only because it went well with the rest of the colors in my home. I'll probably use it in my studio whenever we move.

Having a strong understanding of your taste and style can help you pick up pieces that you'll not only want to keep for a long time but that are versatile in your space. It allows things to stay fresh without having to start over every few years. It's also easier to pull things together from odd corners of your home when they all fit within your aesthetic.

How do you save/make space in your home? Do you like things out in the open or behind closed doors? Do you have any tricks to share with us?

xo,

Rachel