Mi Casa est Mi Casa

We are homeowners. Like whoa. We've owned a home for nearly 4 months and that's just crazy. We live in what some most would consider the middle of nowhere, but our house is simply the best. The walls are already lovingly destroyed thanks to our wild child. Seriously, forget pet deposits when renting, where are the toddler deposits?!  But as we design our space to fit the lives of parents with 2 kiddos AND 2 dogs, we've tried to keep a few things in mind. Kids will destroy it. Now, that doesn’t mean you have to just give up and have a bleh space! I think it requires just a little bit of planning, a touch of creativity, and a whole lot of not worrying about stuff. It’s just stuff. My thoughts on design with a kid are not much different from my thoughts on interior design in general. Do it. Just do it. If it's something you like, go for it. Rarely have the weird design decisions I've chosen to make turned out poorly! Seriously! People always make comments about my design aesthetic, which I lovingly refer to as Tacky Chic, but truthfully it's so easy, it's about loving your space. YOUR space, so if you want crazy mismatched pillows and a bright overdyed rug and mexican blankets, then go for it! Hang pictures and hang them well out of reach from prying baby hands. I've made that mistake. Print and hang ALL. THE. PICTURES. Canvas on Demand, the app Parabo Press, and Mpix are my go to's for photo printing, but also don't be afraid of finding cool pieces in unexpected places. I look for artwork everywhere and don't believe in rules, so if I like it, I go for it. I found an amazing gold shelf in the kid's Pillowfort section of Target, but I don't need any rules how to rock, so it's in our living room. And vice-versa the kid's rooms have almost no decor that was intended for a nursery [with exception of their cribs]. Basically, don't bring yourself down with the don't and rules of design, have fun, spend lots of time on Pinterest figuring out what you like, and be realistic about your lifestyle. Boom. Design Wisdom.

Our living room is probably our most utilized room in the house. We love it.  Nothing is too fancy that we worry about Sir Peanut Butter Hands destroying it, but still feels pulled together and fun! We started with a sectional from good ole IKEA. It’s comfy, hides stains well, and easy to clean! We had our eye on a more expensive option, but ended up choosing practicality. Our pillows are a collection of West Elm and Target. I think the piece de resistance is most definitely our RugsUSA over-dyed rug. It’s a synthetic fiber rug, that looks great and is so super easy to clean making it a major yes. So while I would've loved a antique overdid Persian wool rug, the price point makes our rug well worth the damage my boys will inflict upon it. We don't have any fancy silk pillows or a expensive antiques, but our home is kid friendly all without sacrificing style!

It's still a work in process. We will probably add more art, fill up the gold shelf, and we are having a table made for the boys that mimics our own dining table to use with the play chairs!

rug | sofa | hustling pillow | mexican blanket | shelf | oh joy pillow - similar | fluffy pillow | | kids chairs | pillowfort shelf | lamp | coffee table | black n white throw

Moving Like a Boss

The Captain and I have moved exactly 2.5 million times. Lie. Okay, but we have actually moved 8 times in 8 years. I hate/love moving. I hate it because it's moving. The packing and boxes and dust. I love it because it's a new start, cleansing, and a damn good excuse to decorate. With The Captain's job we have moved around a decent amount and sometimes, like now, into a place for 6 months or less so it's hard to imagine decorating and unpacking only to have to pack it back up in a few months... Which is why we waste no time. My living space is usually unpacked within a few days and sort of decorated within a week, within 2 we are finished. This isn't bragging, this is simply letting you in on the secret. Power through. The quicker you are feeling settled the better you feel and the more enjoyable your temporary time is! Here are a few of my handy dandy  moving tips!!

1. Make a solid checklist of every credit card/subscription/magazine etc etc that needs to be moved to the new address on one piece of paper. I also include the utilities to be shut off and utilities to be turned on with room to write any notes. Write your new address on the list so you will never be caught without it when making these changes. And dude, be a grown up. Forward your mail. It costs 1.05 and you can sign up to get Crate & Barrel, West Elm, and Lowes coupons. Score.

2. Try your best to organize boxes by room and be super descriptive about their contents. I mean, come on, if you are gonna toss random crap into boxes you want to know what's in them. There is nothing worse than running around thinking, where the hell is the one thing that I need to put the other thing together… oh, but that definitely won't be an issue if you follow number 3, below.

3. Tape any loose hardware or unique hanging gadgets to the item. This will make life so much easier. With our platform bed, Mohawk's crib, etc we seriously stuffed the hardware in a ziplock and taped that son-a-bitch right to the furniture. GooGone can take care of any sticky residue.

2. Unpack the Kitchen and the kiddos room first. I would think that this is pretty common sense, but the kitchen is by far the worst room to unpack, so much paper and breakable junk. It's also super important to eat and drink during a move and if your kitchen is all set you will feel better sitting down to have a meal of food. Now transitioning a kid, especially a bambino, is hard enough to do, so having their room set up as close to, if not exactly as it was in the last house gives them some normalcy and sets you up for success.

3. Contain the disaster to 1 or 2 spaces. If your entire house is chaos you are gonna lose your mind! So we always reserve a few spaces to be the hot damn mess of our house, usually the guest room and the garage. You put whatever you need to in these rooms and slowly, on your own time, clean up and empty out the rooms. If you do a little each day they will be cleaned up quickly and you will still get to live in somewhat normal conditions.

4. Hang shit up, quick. The reason is two fold.  [1]Pictures and art work take up precious storage space ANNNDDD [2] once pictures are up your house will feel more like home. BOOM. And not to worry, I'm working to have a post on hanging gallery walls soon!!

[shaggy pillows, etsy | throw pillow, urban | comforter, urban]

5. Buy yourself something pretty. Seriously, buy yourself something for the new place, a fresh start of sorts. I decided to start our bedroom revamp with a few pieces of new bedding. And whether it's big or small it will make you feel better.

Have any moving tips to share!? I know a bunch of you readers are seasoned movers comment with your advice for any newbies!!!!!

Home Sweet Rental

All Pieces Via Modani Except Orchid, Jute Rug, and Patterned Rug

After being introduced to Modani furniture, I thought it would be fun to create a look with their modern sofas. I aimed to decorate the space similarly to the way I would accessorize an outfit. Love that. I hate when I walk into some one's home and can't see a trace of them in their decor. I believe your house should be a direct reflection of your personal style!!!! So I loved this challenge because I decorate pretty much exactly like how I dress. Simple and basic core items like a chic neutral sofa = white tshirt and jeans, tons of colorful, fun pillows = arm party of bracelets, and an exciting rug or chair = a funky jacket or blazer… That's my side by side comparison… because I thought you might've needed that… because I'm just so tired and totally unsure of what you might want… Moving on. This room has made me want to redecorate my entire house starting with the living room. I love this sofa and the reason is two fold. 1. It's leatherette and can handle all kindsa baby drool/puke/poop/etc and 2. It folds into a bed. #winning I think my design is pretty self explanatory. Warm natural wood in modern shapes, a neutral sofa with crisp clean lines, and a ton of texture and color with the accessories. I love layers in a room, much like layers when dressing… They create dimension and a lived-in look. I LOVE creating a space that looks "collected" rather than purchased all in one day. Even though most of it was indeed purchased all in one day… okay, maybe a week... I'm impatient, what can I say!?

Be sure to check out their site!!!

Happy Decorating!

Gold Spray Paint Makes the World Go 'Round

I have this friend, Emily, who thinks you can fix any unsightly home good with gold spray paint. And you know what? I can't argue with that. Gold is the tits. I wanted a new coaster set because the picture coasters [you know you have at least one set hiding in your house] from my wedding weren't quite meshing with my 2013 design sensibilities. Cue Em, "Spray paint that shit gold?" Okay, she didn't say that at all, but it's funnier that way. So she took my coaster holder thingy and sprayed it a matte gold. In my mind she keeps a secret locker full of gold spray paint so she's always prepared just in case something needs a quick spraying. I removed the beer bottle labels that The Captain had lovingly removed from the picture inserts and added super cute scraps of paper I had in my paper box. Yes, yes. I have a paper box. I have a weakness for expensive and pretty paper. Such a weird obsession because honestly what do you do with a stack of pretty paper? Well I put it in my picture coasters. BOOM. 10 points to Gryffindor for using shit you already have in your house! I'm a virtual budget diy pioneer. Okay, I'm getting carried away. I shouldn't have had that 2nd chai latte. Well here's the finished product! Super easy, super cheap, and  looks tres chic.