Whew, this post has been a LONG time coming. Outside of healthy food and lifestyle, natural skincare and kids/family questions, the next most-asked-about topic in my DMs and email inbox has to be home design. Which always makes me smile, because even though home and design and creating a space that feels light and balanced is something I personally LOVE, it isn’t necessarily something I share about often. I’m not an expert by any means, but I do love the slow process of creating a home that feels good to be in.
As you know, I’m all about the feel. Of anything, really: people, emotions, future goals, work projects, clothes and textures themselves, the energy in a room, etc. The empath side of my self can’t not feel, so when it comes to our home, I’m the same way. I want it to feel calm and peaceful (as much as it can for having 2 little ones), and light and open. And soothing to the soul. And cozy and inviting.
So when I’ve been sharing little snips of daily life on instagram as I do, I don’t know why it surprises me to get to many questions about home & design stuff.
Just goes to show you’re my people, because you love it too, and want more details, like, yesterday.
For backstory: Last year we bought a house in a dreamy neighborhood spot (closer to our friends, family & a great community), that was technically done and didn’t “need” a lot of remodeling… But hi, have you met us? Lol. We love projects. House projects specifically. And also, hi, most homes in Seattle? They’re all a century old, and most are constantly needing some kind of love and attention and fixing.
We call it charm.
(Some would call it crazy.)
So yes, we bought a house that was definitely livable (my request as I was almost about to give birth to baby June when we moved). But not done well or in a high-quality way, or to our style necessarily. But great bones, great light, and again, a great location for this next season of life with our babies and family.
So, we’re slowly over time fixing it up, refreshing the parts that didn’t get any love, and thinking more long-term about what we’d like, and need.
There’s something so satisfying about it. Taking something old, keeping all the charm and beauty, but refreshing it a bit to make it more updated, functional or beautiful. Sometimes it’s as simple as a new fixture, or new rug that fits the space better. Or moving something that used to be in a different room in the house, to another space entirely.
And sometimes, it means weeks or months of living in chaos as bigger projects are underway. (Us, currently, as we re-do our full backyard and install overhead lighting in our family room, basement, and upstairs hallways right now. Dust is our vibe around here this summer.)
But the result? A home that feels peaceful, calm, cozy, happy, and a place we have those we love over all the time. It makes it all feel so worth it.
Today I wanted to share a few of my favorite home finds so far, because lord knows how many hours (and hours, and hours, and hours) I’ve scoured online looking for things that I love and fit the vibe of what I’m going for.
I also have to give a very special shoutout to my friend Jessica Nelson Design, because there were a few rooms I needed some extra help with, and she is just beyond amazing and talented at pulling spaces together. And so much more quickly than I can! She’s helped us with our dining room, living room and primary bedroom, and it’s given me back so much time to do so. Go check her out on insta at @jessicanelsondesign, she’s the best!
Best home design investment pieces for years to come:
Our dining room rug: love that the colors somewhat hide any oopsie spills from the kids, but it still brings some texture to the space. A fun neutral that isn’t over-the-top in any way.
Our dining room console table: this was a Jessica pick, and I was a little nervous about the black but I LOVE it now that it’s in our space. It balances out my love for all white/neutral everything lol. We needed some grounding. Runner ups: this subtly textured wood sideboard, and this more funky wooden one.
The dining room chandelier: ok, lighting. The trickiest of all for the pickiest of all about mood lighting… Aka, me. Especially over my table— I want soft, diffused, peaceful lighting. Nothing with an open bulb, please… and you’d be shocked how many fixtures that rules out. The dining room fixture that was there before was pretty, but not the vibe I was going for in the new space. I wanted more of a statement piece, and this large scale one was a Jess find. I love it so much. Airy, bright and soft lighting all at once with the most gorgeous woven element.
Living room rug: this took me MONTHS to find one I actually liked. And now I’m in love. Neutral but not boring.
Mounted ceiling lights: to replace any old, boob lights (you guys know what I’m talking about, right?). Love the drama of these while still being simple,
Primary bedroom arched mirror: maybe my favorite purchase for upstairs.
Best home decor steals, saves & deals:
Bedside table lamp: I’m obsessed with these. They look so much more fancy than the pricetag for sure, and are bigger scale. Paired with these specific lightbulbs for the ultimate spa-like bedroom feel.
Upstairs runner: aka, kids runner. Love the neutral pretty design, and great price for the look.
Downstairs runner: probably not great for super high traffic areas because of the light color, but soft and pretty and no shedding.
Star anise structural pod: for tabletop decor. I love the lines of this.
These European sham pillow inserts: so comfortable, and comes in a pair of two. I love propping my legs up on these at night as I read.
Storage baskets: love that they have lids to hide away any mess/toys/not-cute blankets. The pretty neutral weave is everything.
I hope this gives you some ideas and inspo for making your own home even more cozy, light and relaxing!
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