Happy Saturday, friends! I don’t know about you, but when someone tells me I need to follow someone on Instagram or follow their blog, I immediately take a deep dive into their account and/or their latest blog posts to see if I, in fact, would like to follow them. My wheels have really been turning in the home decor sphere of my brain, and these seven accounts are always providing the inspiration, advice, and some pretty great eye candy that I need to keep the creativity flowing. While each of these accounts deal heavily in home decor, home improvement, diy, and all other things home, some dive into fashion and lifestyle as well. This is helpful to me since those are my two most favorite fields of interest while scrolling the gram and seem to overlap in my own life. Meaning my wardrobe and my home aesthetic often resemble each other (black and white color palette, anyone?). Each photo is linked to their site or blog with a separate link in the caption for their Instagram where I highly suggest you go and hit follow.
Continue reading “Seven on a Saturday- The Most Influential Home Decor Accounts I Follow”Tag: home
Movie Set Monday- Home Again
MOVIE SET MONDAY- HOME AGAIN
I had a friend tell me after she had read some of the Movie Set Monday posts that she had never really paid attention to the homes in movies but that she was enjoying the series nonetheless. Well, I don’t know what camp you fall into, but I am definitely in the one of paying attention to homes in movies. I always have. And I don’t know if you’re enjoying reading these posts like my friend says she is, but I am having the most fun revisiting these homes and putting them into posts to look back on. You never know, I might be building a home one day down the road and want to incorporate some of these elements into it.
Home Again
This past summer Nancy Meyers’ daughter, Hallie, made a film with Reese Witherspoon called Home Again. I knew it would be great because Hallie is the product of movie-making genius. And I was right. And though we’ve only seen one Nancy Meyers film in this series so far, there are many more to come. And the apple doesn’t fall from the tree. Hallie apparently has excellent taste in interiors and understands what her characters would like in home decor just like her mother does.
Let’s dive in, shall we?
We’ll start outside. What a perfect California home, right? It’s everything I would imagine it to be with the Spanish tile roof, a beautiful outdoor dining area, and that pool. 
I want to have coffee with my bestie out there on that porch and in th0se chairs. They look like thrones. I’d feel pretty darn empowered sitting in a throne-like chair some mornings. 🙂
Already we get a very natural vibe from this outdoor dining space. The color palette is very neutral and allows nature to infuse it with color. I would dine al fresco as often as possible if this were my home. I’m talking every night, no dinner party or guests needed. And I see a fireplace that would be perfect for cooler nights aaannnddd perfect for s’mores.
Who doesn’t love a pool? Especially one with such a feeling of tranquility. The vibe of this pool area seems so secluded and peaceful, and that is exactly what I’d want if I had a pool. Perfection.
To the Office 
I know this photo is small, but I wanted you to see the artwork in the office. There are several abstract pieces throughout the house, and as a fan of abstract art, I love how these are paired together. Along with the sconces and the printed curtains, too. Those woven-back chairs are beautiful and add a natural element to the room that fits in so well with the big windows and natural light that comes in.
Reese Witherspoon’s character is an interior designer, and she is using her workspace here to make a vision board for her client. I like how long the desk is and the natural wood material. 
I really love this black and white abstract. It’s so beautiful and right up my alley.
Master Bedroom
The master bedroom may not be exactly my style, but I love it anyway. The headboard is too warm for my taste. I’m not a fan of red, but this one with pops of pink and orange and little bit of green is actually quite nice. I do love the mismatched side tables and lamps. Cohesive but not matchy-matchy.
The simple prints above the bed are perfect for this space. And I really love those pink prints on the chest of drawers and the blue and white ginger jars, too. So classic. I just don’t think you can ever go wrong with blue and white.
The wood elements in this house are all so natural. I love the organic feel it gives to the house. It’s not too done, yet it doesn’t feel undone. Not even a bit. It just feels fresh and clean and airy.
Living Room
See what I mean? It’s the same in the living room. Don’t you feel like you can just sit on that couch and breathe deeply for a bit? It’s all in the monochromatic palette, and those pops of pink are a perfect feminine touch. Reese plays a single mother of two daughters, and I love that pink is peppered throughout the house.
The prints above the mantel appear to be by the same artist as the ones above the bed in the master bedroom. It’s the simplicity that makes them work with everything in the home and in different places. They’re a lovely compliment to a neutral room and allow for any color to be added as an accent. 
The fireplace screen is feminine yet classy, and the round firewood holder is like a piece of art itself. It adds a little modern touch to this beautiful room. Below you’ll see more pink in the art and another ginger jar. And did you notice the architectural elements? Everything is painted white, so it’s a tad understated, but it’s still there, and it’s gorgeous.
Power Outage in the Movie Theater
So here’s an interesting story about when I went to see this movie. My mom and I went to watch it in Montgomery one afternoon, and we got to the part where there’s a little scuffle between two of the male characters. When it’s all over, Reese’s character and her ex-husband are sitting in this room in the picture below. And then the screen goes black.
So we all are sitting there, then someone goes to get an employee, they come into the theater and said there’s been a technical problem and the computers need to reboot. They promised to try to run it back to where it stopped. It took a few minutes, but they got it back to this room’s scene and we were able to finish the movie without any more problems.
It’s another very neutral room. These curtains are the same ones used in her office. But where we have been seeing more pink accents in the rest of the home, blue is the favored accent color. There does seem to be a hint of pink in that lumbar pillow, so it hasn’t been completely abandoned. And there’s more blue and white jars on the side table. Also, these windows are killing me! I love natural light. And I love how this window looks directly out onto the patio. Wouldn’t this be the greatest party house?
Happiest Hallway
Oh, I love this hallway. I’m all about a great overhead light fixture, but these sconces are everything here. I think they’re the perfect option for lighting. And they aren’t just in the hallway, if you scroll back through the pictures, sconces are everywhere. I’ve been craving them for my bedroom in lieu of lamps. However, our current setup doesn’t allow that. (Next house)
The Kitchen
Here’s more blue! The kitchen is so cute. The tile is fun, and blue is a calming and relaxing color. I know that the kitchen can be a place of anxiety for some (myself included sometimes), but how could you be anxious in here? I most love those wood countertops. More of that natural element we’ve seen throughout the home is even worked into the kitchen. Don’t you love when a home feels the same throughout and shares certain design elements in every room? It makes a house just come together.
Yes, yes, yes to this marble top pedestal table in the breakfast area. The yellow in the pillows and settee is perfect for mornings with a cup of coffee, the newspaper, a book, or just some peace and quiet. And can we talk about those french doors? Swoon. 
This little vignette appears to be just off the breakfast area/kitchen, and I think it perfectly marries the pops of pink and natural wood pieces from the rest of the house to the upcoming golden yellow tones in breakfast nook right around the corner. 
Then there’s the indoor dining room which gives us a great view of the kitchen too. The island is spacious and also has that beautiful wood countertop. But I have to say I’m most obsessed with that door. I find that these are the parts of homes I get into the most. I do love the decor and find that furniture, art, and accessories really can make your home feel a certain way and truly embody who you are and what your taste is. But doors and architecture are what give a home character. I would buy this door if I ran up on it in a second hand store and prop it up against a wall as decor. I just love things like that, and I love this door.
The Guest House
In the movie, Reese’s character is out celebrating her birthday when she meets three younger guys who, without revealing too much, crash in her guest house for a while. And if the picture below is the guest house I’d get to stay in, well, sign me up. It’s an excellent space that has it all: character (the ceiling), natural elements (again, the ceiling and the windows and french doors), sleeping, sitting, and working spaces, and beautiful furniture and lighting to boot. I love the openness the tall, white ceiling gives. And when you add all that natural light in, it’s a recipe for perfection. I could model my dream master bedroom after something like this.
I’ll end here with possibly my favorite part of the home, the outdoor dining space. That patio is lovely and acts as if it were just another room in the house. It feels effortless and right that dinner should be eaten around that table.
Have you seen this movie? I quite enjoyed it and would like to add it to my collection. If you haven’t, get your hands on it. It’s a really cute story, and you’ll get to stare at a gorgeous house while you watch.
Happy Monday, y’all and have a great week!
Bathroom Makeover- Before
BATHROOM MAKEOVER- BEFORE
I wrote a Thursday Thoughts post yesterday saying how I couldn’t believe that we’ve been living in our apartment for almost a year and a half. I also mentioned that I’ve got some big and fresh ideas for our apartment to make it more functional for us. It seems to be my pattern to need to live in a space for almost a year before I really know what I want to do in it. If I want to change anything, paint anything, add anything, etc. I have come up with some ways to help make our bathrooms a little prettier and use the space we have to be super efficient.
I have always just known when a house or apartment was right for us. When we bought our house in Louisiana, I went to see it without Paul and knew right away that it was our house. I told him I thought it was the one, he came back for a second visit with me, and we just knew it was right. I sort of felt that with our apartment now, but it was in a different way. I knew we were going to move in to this apartment when we decided to move. It was a bit of a site unseen situation, but I knew I had to trust that it was going to be alright. When I finally did see it (just before we moved), I knew that it was right. It was smaller than what we were used to, but it was going to work for us.
Front Bathroom
I’ve had a tough time figuring out what to do in this space. Part of that was because I didn’t know how long we’d be here, and I didn’t know if it would make sense for me to do anything to it. If I wasn’t going to be here long enough to enjoy it, I’d probably not want to invest the time, money, and effort into making the changes. But as I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I am feeling quite happy here in this apartment. It seems to be the right time to customize the things we can and want to do, because we don’t plan to leave anytime soon.
The previous tenant had the bathroom walls repainted, but the job wasn’t up to my standards. I know that makes me sound like a snob, but there were paint brush hairs stuck to the wall. Nothing wrong with wanting to fix that. Also, I really wanted it to be bright and white. The beige color is a bit warm for my liking, so at the cost of a gallon of paint, I could really make this space over.
The Plan
I want to first say that there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING wrong with this bathroom. Everything works perfectly. I just wanted to make some changes that make it a little bit easier on the eyes…well, my eyes and that would make it function in the best way possible.
Here’s what I’m planning to do:
- Paint the walls, baseboards, and door bright white
- Paint the vanity black
- Change hardware on cabinet doors
- Add shelving above the toilet for extra storage
- Rug or runner
Things I’m keeping:
- Light fixture
- Faucet
- Shower curtain
- Flooring
- Shower/Tub insert
This will in no way be a gut-job. It’ll be a little mini-makeover. Like getting your hair and makeup done. 🙂
Here’s the inspirational photo that most accurately shows what I could do in my bathroom.
I’ll keep you updated on the progress. The colder temps deter me a little from painting because it doesn’t dry as well. I’m hoping it’ll be a quick weekend project, though. I’m looking forward to putting this in motion and showing you the results.
Have any of you done a mini makeover? How did it go for you? Let me know in the comments.
Have a great weekend, y’all!
House For Sale
HOUSE FOR SALE
Happy Saturday, y’all!
Guess what? My family has a house for sale. 
It’s a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house with a kitchen, dining room, living room, and den. The dining, living, one of the bedrooms, and hallway have hardwood floors. The den and other two bedrooms have brand new carpet. The backyard is very spacious with a storage house and plenty of room for a trampoline and playsets.
My grandparents and great aunt lived there for about 10 years before they passed away over the course of this past year. The house has been cleaned up and cleaned out and needs some new owners.
Let’s Take a Quick Look Around
This is the dining room looking into the living room. These rooms are on the front of the house and get incredible natural light. We’ve had so many wonderful meals in this room. Many Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, birthday celebrations and Sunday lunches too. The room is quite spacious. Granny had some pretty substantial furniture in there, and there was room for everyone around the table along with her precious furniture.
The living room is also a great size. It gets great light and was a perfect napping spot since it was far enough away from the den with the westerns on the TV Granddaddy liked to watch and is closed off enough from the hustle and bustle of the people in the kitchen.
Just off the living room is a hallway that leads to one of the bedrooms and a bathroom. The bedroom has a sliding-door closet and those pretty wood floors. It gets good natural light with two windows, too.
The bathroom is a full bath with a tub/shower combo. It has lots of shelving (out of frame) for towels, personal care products, etc. It’s a great bathroom. It has an interesting L-shaped design to it that I always kind of loved. Let’s just say people can’t exactly barge in on you in case you forget to lock the door-you have time to shout out first. 🙂
Leading into the dining room is the kitchen. If only I could taste my granny’s cooking again. You know Grandma’s cooking is the best! The room is actually a great size. I know the trend is huge islands and open floor plans, but this kitchen is a functioning space that has held 1-10 people at once. My grandparents also had a little table pushed against the pushed against the wall (out of frame) where they sat with my great aunt to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. There was still tons of room to move around in the kitchen, even with the table.
On the other side of the house, just off the kitchen, is a den, two bedrooms, and another full bath. This is the larger of the other two bedrooms. It has brand new carpet. The sliding door closet is actually a very nice size. My current closet is the same size as this one, and I have plenty of room with some to spare.
This room gets great natural light with that big window. This is another room that is actually really large. My granny loved her furniture. She filled this room with itand still had plenty of room to spare.
This is the third bedroom. It is a little smaller than the one just above, but this one has a walk-in closet. This room did have a full-sized bed, dresser, chest of drawers, and bedside tables.
The second bathroom has a shower but no tub, toilet, sink, and built in cabinets for storage. None of the rooms have an en suite, but all bathrooms are in such close proximity to the bedrooms that it wouldn’t be any inconvenience.
Out back, like I said there is so much space. This is the storage house. It has a brand new door and is up to code. It might need a coat of paint, but that’s not a big job at all. It’s also really spacious. Granddaddy had so many tools from his workshop stored in there plus plenty more. And if you didn’t need any storage space, think about what a fun playhouse or art studio it could be! 
There you have it. It’s really a sweet house. That front porch is wonderful on those perfect spring and fall days when it feels so good here.
It’s located on Hillcrest Drive here in Greenville. If you know anyone interested in buying a house, please let us know. There is a For Sale by Owner sign in the yard with contact information on it. But I’d be happy to help you out if you needed a phone number or wanted to schedule a time to come by and see it.
Please share this post on social media to help spread the word. Leave me a comment if you’re interested yourself!
Thanks for stopping by today. Those sweet Grandparents of mine had a great house. I’d love for someone else to come in and make it their own.
I hope y’all enjoy your weekend! Come downtown to Open House at some of the shops downtown today and support our local businesses.
XO,
Elizabeth
Recent Home Updates
RECENT HOME UPDATES
After I completed my leopard living room curtains, I kept feeling the itch to check more things off of my summer to-do list. I decided to start with the kitchen curtains.
Breaking Out the Sewing Machine
For these curtains you’ll remember that I was planning to use this fabric.
I am not very well-versed in the use of a sewing machine, but I got one for Christmas a few years back and busted it out for this project. I have to read the directions every time I get it out, and sometimes I have to search a YouTube video or two. I thought I was ready to go so I took my picture expecting my next one to be of something complete. 
And then something just didn’t seem to be going right and here’s what I managed to accomplish: 
Oh boy…..
So, I regrouped, reread my instruction guide, and tried again. I also put my camera away at this point and decided to just focus.
New Curtains
I sewed the curtains, hung them on a tension rod and hated them. They were gathering like Granny’s old kitchen curtains, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t like the gather at all. My original plan was to hang them from hooks like I did the leopard curtains, but I did not like the look I was getting. The fabric, to me, looked better when it was flat. I decided to cut them to fit the width of the window and hung them on small tension rods. 
They just add a little bit of accessory to the white kitchen. I have enjoyed having them up. And enjoyed even more that I didn’t have to ask my mom to make them for me. 🙂 She was probably glad too.
I just love this fabric, and I recently saw it in black as upholstery on a chair. It was beautiful. The above picture doesn’t do it justice. My camera and editing skills are not up to par at all, but you get the general idea. I think it’s better than the before that you can see below.
Another Rug Switcheroo
I also switched a few more rugs around this week. You can see in the picture above the old orange rug I’ve had for way too long. It doesn’t really “go” anymore and, honestly, needed to be retired.
I think I have enough room for a runner along this stretch of cabinets, but I just can’t pull the trigger so quickly on rugs/runners. Plus, “shopping” my house is much easier on the pocketbook, so that’s exactly what I did.
If you remember my first post that shows the entry foyer to our building you’ll see that I had a rug at our door. 
Since we don’t use this door much anymore, I decided I would bring this rug inside and put it at the back door. 
I took the rug I was using at the back door and put it in front of the sink to replace the old orange one. 
Not a major transformation, but something different to enjoy. Always shop your house first! You’d be surprised at what you actually have that works in new ways and in new places.
I Tried to Better the Painting
A few posts ago I showed you an abstract painting that I did to go in our dining space. But if you remember, I didn’t love it. So I decided to add a bit of gold brush strokes around the edges to help it look a bit more like it was “framed”. I didn’t want it to be perfect like I was trying to actually frame it, but I just kept thinking it needed something. I am still deciding if I like the changes. I like it better than before, but I’m still not sure if I love it.
Before
After
Like I said, I don’t know if I love it, but I definitely like it better than before.
Anyone else crafting or having fun playing in your homes this summer? Share them with me in the comments.
Sometimes I think something as simple as switching a piece of furniture with another from a different room or rearranging your bedroom furniture is just as much fun as a full on room overhaul/makeover. I encourage you to do that! Especially for your kids. I was always asking to rearrange my furniture when I was little. Putting my bed on a different wall or in a corner. It gets your creative juices flowing and inspires you to make your home a place you truly love. And bonus to you moms who find it keeps your little ones occupied in their rooms while you get some downtime. 🙂
As always, my point here on this blog is to encourage you to make your house a home, a place that you loved to be, a space to express your creativity, and a safe haven for you to be yourself and make mistakes along the way. That’s part of the fun. Lord knows I’m making plenty of them, especially in the way of decorating, but I’m definitely having fun doing it.
Master Bedroom Before
I’ve often heard your master bedroom should be a top priority on your home decor to-do list. Somehow I’ve never heeded this notion, and the master bedrooms in all of our homes have been close to the bottom of my list of to-dos. 
Nothing’s changed this go ’round either. I’m actually having serious design cloudiness for this room. I think I’ve got the major things nailed down, though. I truly love my upholstered bed from Overstock. You can see some similar ones from Overstock here. The bedside tables and dresser are from the same store (Kayu) in Louisiana as our coffee table and buffet and will undoubtedly be lifetime pieces. 
The bookshelf is a piece we were fortunate enough to acquire after the passing of Paul’s maternal grandparents. It’s beautifully old and clearly busting at the seems with all of my books. (Something I’m quite proud of, actually. One can never have too many books.) 
The dresser currently displaying our TV is a piece that belongs to Paul’s parents. They were kind enough to let me fish it out of the storage closet here in the building, clean it up and set that big TV on it. Promise I’ll be careful not to scratch it up. It’s so pretty and curvy. And that gun case, well, it’s too heavy to move, so that’s where it lives for now. 
So here’s where it gets cloudy. Our current bedding is a quilt set I found at T. J. Maxx. But, I have those two adorable dogs with black/dark hair that shed so badly. I am one of those people who desperately wants to have one of those crisp, white duvets, but our dogs have been sleeping on our bed for quite a while now, and we just can’t stop that out of nowhere. I mean, sure we could, but we’re not gonna. Needless to say, the crisp, white duvet is out. And I don’t know if you’ve ever looked for a dark bed topper be it a comforter, quilt, duvet, whatever; it’s slim pickings out there. I found this really pretty and trendy one that I liked a LOT, but Paul wasn’t really going for it. As you can imagine most men wouldn’t. It sure is pretty, though.
I thought for a hot second about leopard because leopard is totally a neutral in my book. But it has to be done right or it can start looking a bit cheap. I think this styling is gorgeous and would love for this to be my room.
And then I saw a pretty option with a fur blanket that could be pretty when expertly strewn across the bottom of the bed when it’s made but could also be the actual blanket used every night that keeps us warm. But Alabama is HOT in the summer and let’s face it, as much as I’d like to say I make my bed everyday, that’s just not the case. Plus it’s probably not machine washable, and that’s a must with pups.
So, I’m stumped on bedding. 
I’m also stumped on window treatments. I have nothing on those giant windows which makes for some terrible lighting in these photos. I apologize. I originally wanted drapes from this material.
I love it so much and have seen it used as drapes and to cover ottomans and as upholstery for chairs. It’s fun and funky, and I’m in love with emerald green. But every time I try to make them work in this space, I feel like I need a dark wall and crisp, white bedding. *Sigh*
I’m not beyond leopard window treatments. Again, it’s a neutral. It literally goes with everything.
So, I’m stumped on window treatments.
Also, you can see I have not one thing hung on the walls. I’ve planned to hang this mirror, another treasure we got from Paul’s grandparents, above the bed. I just haven’t bit the bullet because I was waiting to see if I knew what kind of curtains I would be hanging and would it “go”. 
I had planned to hang our wedding portrait above the bookshelf, but now I’m not so sure. I have no idea what should go above the TV and don’t even get me started on the dresser. *SIGH* I feel like I’m better than this.
The eagles were also from Paul’s late grandfather. He loves them so much that we always have them displayed in our homes, but I haven’t figured out what to do with them except sit them on top of the massive dresser all alone. Well with the vases that I love. They were a wedding gift and are from Karen Rainey Interiors. I fell in love with them the moment I saw them, and I’m so thankful we were gifted these gorgeous pieces. They need flowers, I know. I’ve been saying that for about 6 years now. (I told you master bedroom decorating was not my strong-suit.)
So, I’m stumped everywhere. This is real life. I’m not going to sugar coat it here. I struggle with this space. I always have in every home, and as much as I love home decor and all things beautiful, I am clearly lacking a bit. I want something timeless and pretty and functional. This is not a space where everything is going to be perfect all the time. We live in this room. Our dogs live in this room. We throw clothes on the floor and shoes on the floor and don’t close the closet doors and stack clothes on top of the dresser and sometimes have three water cups on each nightstand because we don’t always take them to the kitchen every morning and there are dog toys and dog hair, so it’s got to look nice but still function for us which, in my opinion, is important for all areas of your home. Otherwise it would just be a house you live in and not your home.
I know these are first world problems. Please know that this is one of the least important things in my life and quite possibly why it sits so low on my to-do list. But I do want to decorate my bedroom and style it with pretty things and make it functional for our family. Perhaps I’ll figure it out soon and there will be an “after” to this “before” post. If any of you have good ideas/suggestions or want to share some of your bedroom decor that you love and that works for you, let me know in the comments. Or tag me in your photos on Instagram. I’d love to see them!
Home Again
I’m home again. I grew up in this lovely town in Alabama, moved a short 100 or so miles away for college and then further south to the great state of Louisiana for my foray into adulthood. But now we’re (my husband and I) are back to our old stomping grounds as they say, and I think we’re feeling pretty good about it. I had my reservations at first. I have always said I’d never come back here to live. What else is it that they say? Never say never. Hmm… Needless to say, we are back and living in our hometown, and despite what I may have said before about never living here again, we’re settling in quite nicely.
When I moved to Louisiana 8 years ago, I assumed I’d be there for a year for an adventure and then come right back the next year to get a job back in Alabama. I’m a teacher by trade, but I was having a hard time getting a job in Alabama. When my cousin’s wife called to tell me about a job at the school where she had previously worked, I decided I had to take it. I moved in with her and her husband (my cousin) and their six month old baby. (What where they thinking letting me come live with them with a newborn baby?!-God bless them for that!) I ended up actually loving it there. I moved in with a co-worker, who also happened to basically be my teaching mentor and taught me incredible teaching tools and helped shape me into the type of teacher I am today. I worked at this school for five years, made life-long friends, and grew up a lot. Also while working there I bought my first car, got engaged, got married, and bought my first house. (I have searched and searched and can’t find a picture of my house. I know I have them somewhere. Perhaps it’s on a flash drive in one of the 15 unpacked boxes still in the corner of my guest room.)
Anyway, I loved that house. I had to go see it without my husband, but as soon as I walked in the door, I knew it was home. I texted him when I left letting him know I thought it was the one, and the rest is history. We painted every room in that house, put on a new roof, replaced the old, dated laminate floors with beautiful new laminate. Here’s an Instagram picture I screen grabbed from my phone. The lighting doesn’t do them justice. They are such a beautiful light, wide plank, but the lighting in the picture looks so yellow.
You can see more of our old house and what I’m currently up to by checking out my Instagram feed.
We’re not here to talk about my old house or my life in Louisiana, but that’s where my current story starts. I got a call one summer about a Pre-K position that was opening up in a public school about five minutes away from my house. I knew the money would be better and the experience would be different and possibly better as well. So I interviewed and got the job. The people I met there became family. I worked with some of the most amazing women. We went through some very good and some very bad times together in the short three years that I spent with them. They will forever be in my heart and thanks to social media, most especially Snapchat, we’ll forever be in each others “inboxes”. I was about to start my fourth year at this school when I got a text from my sister-in-law about a possible job opening in a town close to home in Alabama. I was hesitant at first, but when we learned that there was a job opening for my husband as well, our ears perked up a little and we started paying attention to the things that were starting to happen in our lives. That job my sister-in-law told me about turned out to be a dead end, but the job for my husband did not. And then, my current job fell into my lap. God was really working to bring us back home. Like, REALLY working. As it turns out, my husband’s parents own a few rental properties that just so happened to become available at the exact time we were entertaining the idea of moving back home. We knew it would be a struggle financially because we would have to worry about selling a house. And let’s just brag on God some more here, okay? Because our house sold in about a month during a massive flood in Louisiana that was literally mere miles from our house. We were so blessed to have our home spared. And it was all God.
So, as I said above, I’m home again. I now live in an apartment downtown on a beautiful street with historically rich buildings all around. I know some of my Louisiana friends have asked for some pictures of our current home, so I thought I’d share some of it here.
Let’s start with the foyer. Like I said, I live in an apartment. It sits above retail space on a main road. We are a one story walk-up from the street that shares a foyer with another apartment. We live on the right. Forgive the wonky iPhone photo.
This building is over 100 years old and FULL of character. Take in those beautiful walls and hardwood floors. I’ve got all kinds of heart eyes for this space. I believe that it is all original to the building. You can’t see it in this picture, but if you were to pan down the sides of both walls there are door ways that look as if maybe it was a boarding house at one time.
Here are a few pictures from our living and dining area. You can see our kitchen as well since it’s an open floor plan, but we’ll get to that later.
The sofa is from Home Furniture. Paul went furniture shopping without me one day and picked out this whole leather living room set. It really is beautiful, but when we moved in to this apartment, all of the pieces wouldn’t fit. Our love seat currently lives in the guest room/office/gym/my closet/my dressing room/storage room. You guys!! I may never show you that room. You would die if you saw it right now. I had to literally step over things just to get to the computer table. (Insert that fun face palm emoji here!)
Sweet Bernie is my little sidekick, so I didn’t argue with her being in the picture.
As you can see we don’t have a whole lot of decor going on. I’ve done a little, but the walls in the dining area are still bare as is the area above the TV.
The buffet and coffee table came from a wonderful store in Louisiana called Kayu that is unfortunately closed now. They are wonderfully crafted pieces of furniture made in India. We have several more of their pieces in our bedroom that we’ll no doubt keep forever.
The painting above the buffet is something I painted a few years ago. I was loving all of the abstract paintings I was seeing on Instagram and Pinterest and decided to make my own. When I scored a canvas on clearance at Joann’s I knew it was time to make it.
This is our door from the foyer, so essentially our “front” door.
The dining chairs are from TJ Maxx about a year or two ago. The round table is the first piece of furniture my parents bought when they got married. They now have a pretty spectacular table that I’ll have to show you soon. It totally trumps this one, but this one is special to me. It’s where I grew up having dinner every night, and I love that I get to have it.
This big mirror is from my in-laws. They also own the retail space that is below my home and while it was vacant, I got to explore and asked if I could have this mirror. It really brightens the space up and I got to hang those fun twinkle lights I found at the dollar spot at Target at Christmas time.
I created this gallery wall just before Christmas. It took me three stinking days to get it all put together, but I did it very cheaply with free printables from Pinterest and some pieces I already had.
I love that the overall shape resembles a heart. Lots of love is represented in those things up there.
I’m standing in our kitchen while taking this picture. I have an idea of what I’ll put above the TV, but just haven’t gotten around to getting it up there. And I also have fabric for some fun curtains for that big window. Can’t wait to get those up and share with you!
Our TV stand came from Rooms to Go. It was a scratch and dent piece that we’ve had for about 6 years and has held up beautifully and through two moves. When we bought it we lived in an apartment on the third floor with no elevator. That same cousin I moved in with when I first moved to Louisiana came over and helped Paul carry it up all those stairs. Again, God bless him!
The sconces came from a precious store in Denham Springs, Louisiana. I can’t remember the name. But if you ever go there and go to that one street with all the second hand stores and other fun stores, it’s the big one on the corner. 🙂 Help me out Louisiana friends on the name!
I believe the rug is from Home Decorators. I found it on sale and fell immediately in love. I think it’s on sale again now! If you look closely, you’ll see Jack up there too behind the coffee table.
It’s such a charming apartment, and I genuinely love our little home. It has two bedrooms and two full bathrooms. It also has a very nice deck that we share with the neighbors. We spend a good deal of time out there every day with the dogs.
I hope you’ll come back to see more. It’s been such a journey making it our home, and goodness knows I’ve got a long way to go.