WELCOME TO HAVERFORD MANOR

My first flip! I cannot begin to tell you how excited and nervous I was at just the idea of doing a flip! I mean, this is the dream, right? Free rein of design, a whole house to play with? And Chip and Joanna Gaines make it look so dang fun 😀

And yes, it’s obviously a ton of work too.

Originally built in the 50’s this guy was in need of some serious love. I don’t think it has been updated at all since it was built except for the living room which looked like it was an addition, as well as the weird laundry/sitting room that looked to have been the old garage. So, while they did increase the square footage, let’s just say we had some other improvements in mind.

The biggest change we have planned? Adding a whole floor! That’s right, we are taking this puppy vertical. We’ll be putting the primary bedroom and three other bedrooms upstairs along with a MUCH improved primary bathroom + closet. Jon literally could not believe his eyes when he saw this bathroom. Not only could he not even fit into the shower, but the overall functionality and layout, woof. That’s not even mentioning the pink plastic shower.

The biggest item we had to figure out was where to put the stairs and how to maximize the kitchen. There were a few issues with the location of the Mudroom and its proximity to the kitchen because I didn’t want that entrance to interrupt the kitchen or to lose counter/cabinet space to that door. So, we are adding a hallway from the back door that will have access through a pocket door to a HUGE pantry. So you’ll be able to easily drop off your groceries and access the kitchen if you’d like to, but also be able to walk through the hallway to the front of the house as well. We’re also going to be making the powder room way more glamorous than the scary one they had in their “garage”.

The only downside to the plan we have right now is that we are not able to provide a formal sitting room and/or dining room. Now, personally? I never used either of those rooms when we had them. And most people don’t want a formal dining room now days. I totally get it! But I would have loved to have been able to offer the option of that. Instead we are making the entrance the absolute best that it can be. And to be honest? Jon is already scared that we are going to move into this house because it is going to have an awesome kitchen nook 😂.

A benefit to adding a second floor is that it is no problem to raise the ceiling heights as well! So we’re aiming for 9’ all around the first floor and I’m hoping to find a way to vault the living room. I’m hoping we can afford the roof pitch to be able to include some dormers as well! I know there are going to be so many things that I’m going to have to give up and I am fully prepared for the final project to look VERY different from what I have in my head, but as long as I can manage those expectations and stay within budget? I’ll be a happy girl, and this will (hopefully) be a beautiful home!

I’m so excited to share more of the plans with you as they become a reality!

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DECOR

11.7.21

HOLIDAY HOME TOUR

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year”, and my house is feeling it for sure. I love decorating for the holiday season but have only really ever been able to fully go for it a few times. Now that we have all of our decorations in one spot, we know we’re not moving and all that fun jazz, let’s do the darn thing! Garlands, candles, wreaths, oh my! My favorite spots to work with are stair railings, fireplace mantels and front porches. These are really easy spots to be able to add a little kick of holiday cheer. And our fireplace in our new place is ssssoooo much better than our old house so I knew I had to do right by her. But first? The ribbon…

If you think that ribbon makes things too frilly or girly, I have three words for you: frayed, vintage, velvet. My goodness there is some gorgeous finds out there but the kind I’m using this year I think might be my favorite. I went with what is labeled as “brown” but to be honest it’s more of a beautiful rust color. I thought it would pair well with the new ornaments I got from Brooke & Lou that oooohhh my goodness you’re gonna die when you see them! I knew they were large, but these are the largest Christmas balls I’ve ever seen 😀 Right, back to the ribbon… and you can use it anywhere and you don’t have to tie it into bows if you don’t want to. It adds more texture and color without any frilliness (can you believe that’s actually a word?). It’s also a great way to decoratively hang your wreaths inside your house. If you don’t like command hooks or not sure how to hang them, I think that this is a great way to do it because it also adds a pop of color and ties the decor/rooms together.

I have to say, our mantel is my favorite. Our fireplace as a whole is kind of amazing and now that we have some decor around it and get to use it with the colder temps? Just makes me love it that much more. I didn’t want to do much with any height on the mantel because of the TV as well as the speaker, which, is unfortunately used a lot :-/, but thought that by adding some candlesticks to the opposite side of the stockings that would be a good contrast. I mixed in some standard pillar candles to give it a little more substance. The log holder is here all the time, but it fits perfectly with holiday decor. There are some fun festive finds that you could get to be creative if you’d rather. But I like the classic look of this one to anchor the space.

If you want to make sure your mantel garland is full, double up! I used the 9 foot and the 6 foot together. The 9 foot provided length so that I could drape it over the side, and after I layered it with the 6 foot and fluffed the greenery a bit, it was perfect. Fake garlands can be tough because most of the time they aren’t super full. Really good ones can be, but then they’re like $200 or more. I thought that these were affordable enough and I liked the cypress so thought that doubling up would do. And don’t get discouraged when you first lay out your garland! It’s going to take fluffing and playing with. And even when you think you’re done and it settles, you’ll have to fluff some more.

Now for the front porch! We haven’t gone all out yet since it is still only November, but added the slightest little changes to make it feel al little more festive. The best and easiest way to make a change? The bottom layer outdoor rug. I love this one because it has a subtle holiday vibe to it. I have used these planters all year long and was able to pop these outdoor trees from Target right into it! The coal bin is an old style from McGee & Co but I t think it adds a little charm, especially with the bundle of logs in it! Can’t beat it. I think the key to any good front porch is finding items that you can use several seasons throughout the year like this vintage crock and the planter. there isn’t anything particularly trendy or overdone about this set up and I think will work all November long! Might get a little more festive as the weeks go on, but for now I think understated is the way to go.

Check out the entire Holiday Shop to see tons more holiday decorations to add that finishing touch to your home. Still to come at our house? Putting the tree up and using our new tree skirt as well as putting up these wreaths in our kitchen. One for each 😀 and maybe even adding some garland to the beams outside. Stay tuned!

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DECOR

10.24.21

OUR ENTRYWAY + ENTRY TABLES

We’ve never really had a foyer before, so this is a new challenge for me. And I think one thing that I’ve learned while moving into this house it is that we are not “fancy” people. While our home has nice things and we want it to look nice, the “glamorous” items and style isn’t really for us. With that, the foyer was an interesting space because we didn’t want it to feel too fancy but also wanted to use the space and make it a nice entrance for those coming into our home.

Continue with the fancy conversation, we immediately switched out the pendant. It was a little too glam for us and the rest of the house. Plus we found that there was a very complimentary pendant to those we have in our kitchen so to tie those spaces together, we went with that one.

The former owners had two console tables set up on either side of the opening to the living room, which was a good idea and I had even considered two antique Demilune tables on either side but then I reconsidered. There is just so much character and detail in the trim and millwork that I didn’t want to cover that up! Plus it would have left so much empty space in this very long zone, so we went with a pedestal table.

Only select spaces can fit a pedestal table in an entryway, while most are more suited to a console. Jon was initially hesitant because he thought it would inhibit the flow of traffic, but even I don’t get that many Amazon packages 😉 We got the right size to not get in the way of the door, and because the space is large enough it is easy to walk around when needing to. The upside is that this isn’t a heavily trafficked pattern, meaning walking into the office from the dining room and vice versa isn’t a common path we take. So we weren’t worried too much about it getting in the way.

Something to think about in any room is the focal point. Is there one in the architecture, or do you need to create one with your selections? That’s what we did by putting this piece front and center at the front door. It accentuates the pendant and gives the eye direction when coming or looking into the front door.

This piece was custom, which I don’t do often but needed to for the size. Any entry table needs to be a tad taller than a traditional side table so it was difficult finding one that was high enough but not too wide. I started looking at small dining tables and bistro tables, but nothing fit the right dimensions or the look that we wanted. So I sourced this and am so happy that I did.

If you’re on the lookout for some entry tables, here are a few finds that I discovered on my search.

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DECOR

10.15.21

OUR BOOKSHELVES

We have tons of shelves in our living room, like, tons! Which is great and so much fun but is also a design challenge. A few bookshelves are great, but have a bunch and you have to find a good balance. I was looking back at old pictures I took of when the previous owners lived there to see if I liked how they styled it. They had too many objects; meaning vases, jars, and boxes. That’s kind of all that was on display. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good vase and adore decorative boxes, but when that’s all you have on your shelves it can look more like storage than intentionally decorative.

I used tons of books to break of the monotony of objects as well as to lighten up the space. The color is a lighter version of urbane bronze so it’s pretty dark already. So I used old paperback books, turned them around, and did three shelves allllll books. I love how it turned out, and I loved that I got to put my old reads to good use! This is a much simpler way to display books, you don’t have to worry about titles, or colors of the binding, and the variation of paper colors gives nice dimension. It’s subtle, but enough.

Now, this took me months, and I’m still tweaking. Every time my husband catches me looking at the shelves he tries to avert my eyes because he knows that I am thinking of was to improve/change them. And you know what? I’m sure even when I absolutely love them I’ll find antique favorites that I’ll want to incorporate which is such a fun way to subtly change your room.

A shelf styling trick? The triangle method. Put similar items at each point of a triangle, so if you have three white jars? Spread them out a bit at those three points. It might take some moving around a bit and trying things out but it helps bring balance to the shelves without being monotonous.

I stuck with neutrals because we had so many shelves. I didn’t want to try and include pops of color because to do that consistently would be pretty tough with this many shelves. Plus, I’m just a sucker for neutrals anyway 😀 I also spread out the different finishes. There aren’t a lot, but I have a few pops of brass with the bookends and objects, and then those vintage trophies that I love so much. But spreading those out helps to keep anything from clumping up too much. But by adding finishes like that those can serve as your pops of color.

But one of my favorite parts about these shelves is how many unique items there are! I have been collecting goodies from antique shops since last Spring and I think it really paid off. That’s a great way to get a unique and chic look going in your home that no one can truly replicate because you can’t find these items from your regular retailers. As long as you know what your overall look and theme is you can hone in on your search. Things will come together over time and you will be able to mix in other staples like books and vases to keep it from feeling too “old”.

SOME OTHER GREAT FINDS

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OUR HOME

10.3.21

OUR FALL FRONT PORCH

I’ve grown to love styling my front porch. Even at our old place where no one could really see it, I loved the outdoor accessories and styling that you could do with a few square feet. And don’t even get me started on the holidays and seasonal decor. So exciting!

Our front porch in Nashville is on full display for the neighborhood so I really wanted to step up my game. I did have to upgrade our doormat and outdoor rug which we had out for a few years in Minnesota. They are linked below and while they are a little pricier than some, they really hold up and are amazing quality! Keep in mind, we left them both out during the summer and only took them out during the worst winter months so, I think lasting a few years is pretty good! I kept the doormat the same, but decided to change up the rug layered underneath.

I wrote a post about layering rugs a while back, and if you scroll to the bottom it shows a graphic of how to and not to layer outdoor rugs. I’ve seen all kind of no-no’s out there, so check that out there and make sure you aren’t one of them! The general rule of thumb is to stick with a 3×5 outdoor rug and your doormat to be about 2×3. Some of the less expensive ones will likely be smaller so make sure to try and get the larger ones if you have room for it.

DOORMATS

OUTDOOR LAYERING RUGS

You can’t forget the planters!! Even if you don’t want to get a planter and just get a basket to plop a plant down into, the effect I believe of having live plants styled at your front door will immediately raise your grade 😀 I’ve had these rattan planters for years and love the basket-like feel to them as well as the neutral color that is great to pair with a stone planter. I found mine from a local garden center, but love the neutral look because it can go with any shade of pumpkin :-D.

Don’t have room for two planters? No big deal! You could get one large and one small, put them on either side and pair with some lanterns at varying sizes as well. Smaller planters are also great if you have steps. You can intersperse them with pumpkins in the Fall or lanterns throughout the rest of the year. Tons of options!

PLANTERS

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OUR HOME

8.23.21

WHAT’S IN MY CART

I’ve been shopping for my own home a lot as we have been getting ready to move into our new place. And since we’ve had all Summer to really think about things and sort through all of the options, I have been able to find some gems and currently have them in my cart and ready to pull the trigger to get them in the house.

Let’s check them out!

The Miraya Vase

We have tons and tons of open shelving in our living room. Like an entire wall of them so I have been on the hunt for shelving decor from day 1. Because it’s in our living room and the shelves are a dark color, I’d like to get contrasting decor to lighten it up as well as simplify the look. I don’t want too many colors or items so things like this are perfect!

You Are Here Artwork

Artwork can be really tricky and I am trying to find the right blend of unique/vintage and not letting the house feel too old. I absolutely love this piece to put in my study! I am thinking of putting it front and center in the open shelving but might have to rework that idea once we get in. The message is just the best though! A good reminder everyday.

3′ x 5′ Plaid Outdoor Rug

I love this rug to layer under your doormat outside for the Fall. It is plaid without being overtly plaid (doesn’t scream lumberjack) and is a great neutral color so odds are whatever material your front porch, or color your house, it will go well!

Theresia Side Table

If you have the space for a nice sized side table, I say go for it! We’ve never really been able to have one because of the layout of our living rooms. And to be honest I’ve always kind of overlooked them. But I think that missing side tables can make a room feel unfinished. So I’m really excited to get more pieces into our living room to make sure that this one will in fact work!

Montford Floor Lamp

I love these little classic library lamps. I think that they are the perfect solution to when you want a floor lamp but are short on space and don’t want a big looming lamp shade in your face. I am considering getting two to put on either side of a little settee in the study!

OTHER ITEMS I HAVE MY EYE ON

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OUTDOOR

3.27.21

OUTDOOR + PATIO FURNITURE

This is my favorite time of year! Well, pretty much any time that I can sit outside or do things outside = my favorite time of year! And I will find any excuse to get outside too, just ask my husband. I love yard work merely because I get to be outside. I will sit on our patio with my coffee and my book first thing in the morning just to be able to be outside for a few hours before it gets too hot in the summer. And last year in particular it was needed. To be able to have a space other than a home office or our living room to spend some time, well, it made the quarantine less constricting.

While I think that people’s home improvement projects will remain focused on home offices, gyms, and other functional areas, I think people might be looking at their yards a ton this Summer too! A lot of people might have already done a bunch of interior projects, so with outdoor entertaining becoming more and more possible by the minute, those beautiful patio set-ups are looking a lot more appealing.

I’m personally in the market for a new lounge set up as well as a dining set up! So I’ve been on the hunt for a bit and found some absolute beautiful combinations. I personally love the mix of light textiles and vibrant materials: like a teak dining table or woven light pendants. I also think that outdoor dining doesn’t have to be boring! If you think of mesh dining chairs when you hear “outdoor dining”, I’m here to help cure you of that. There is no reason that this space can’t be just as chic, elegant and inviting as your indoor dining room.

This is a design concept I put together that I just love. I’m a sucker for natural light pendants, and think that if you have the ability to do so, adding stylish lighting to your outdoor space will elevate it immediately!

I know what you’re thinking: upholstered chairs are bold and/or just silly to put outside! Not when they’re slipcovered!! If you are doing any chair in a dining area I URGE you to make it slipcovered. Even inside! Even if it’s a performance fabric, to have the ability to remove it from the chair and wash it is huge! Now you have the ability to keep it looking clean and new as well as having a softer look to your dining space. This is also a great opportunity to add in style when you have two different kind of chairs; one at the head of the table and another along the sides. You’re going to want them to be complimentary, but just different enough that they can stand out from each other. Like in the concept above, the fabric on the woven side chair’s cushions could be the same fabric as the upholstered chairs. Or just making them the same color and you’re golden.

Here are some other great outdoor furniture and decor finds that will make your outdoor space, no matter how big or small, seem like an oasis.