HIS AND HER- LIVING ROOM PART 1

We all go through transitions while in our twenties.  Graduating, moving across the country, moving in with a roommate, moving in with a significant other, starting new jobs etc.  On top of all the changes, we are left to decide how we live.  I am not talking about habit or what people do in their free time, but how to dress your home.  What do you come home to after a long day at work? One of the biggest changes that I have made is moving in with Michael a couple of years ago.  It took some time to adjust with our opposing habits- how to clean, leaving the toothpaste cap off, dishes, and laundry, (we now have a customary system etc,) but most importantly where would our stuff go and how to make it work.  Since I was still in school, buying all new furniture was completely out of the picture.  Also, keep in mind, Michael moved in with me from Dallas to Chicago, so narrowing down what he needed to bring up was enticing.  We managed to survived.  Today, after moving our miss-mated furniture, back to Texas, we are now in a place to upgrade, slowly getting rid of our dormy furniture and developing a home. There are endless options on what to consider.  You have to think of a color scheme, comfort, longevity, and style.  This is where it has gotten tricky.  We both have different taste, obviously, and having the means to "start over" can be a headache. For example, I like bright colors like orange, and Michael likes darker greens. Can you imagine what our space would look like?

Solution: I devised this plan on using a "base" of neutrals.  I love brown, tan, white, and every color in between, but lets not forget about the darker shades- blacks and grey and charcoal.  Selecting a scheme between browns or grey gives a space of uniformity, simplicity, and class.  These colors never go out of style and contrasts well with natural light.  When I say "base," I am talking about you main features of a room- walls, coffee table, shelves, sofas, love seats, end tables.  Keep in mind you do not have to have just one neutral color.  Mix black and white and grey or brown and whites and grey.

Once a base is set, have fun.  Pick a couple of accent colors to add little hints of personality to your space. This can be done, with an inexpensive accent chair, rug, accent pillows, curtains, flowers, wall hangings, and knick-knacks.  Keep it minimal though.  I like to think of accent colors as something with a time-frame.  I like different colors at different times of the year- yellows in spring and dark reds and purples in the fall.  So selecting things that you know in the back of your mind that you will replace within the next year or so makes it a little more fun.  To keep the cost down though, keep and eye out on sales and venture to your local flea market.

Within the duration of this blog I will be posting deals and steals, so stay tuned.

I will also be sharing the process as we are going through our upgrade.  Our first project is the living room than the bedroom.

Until then, below are some inspiration that I found through Pinterest.

Let me know what you think!

A Place at the Table

 

Just recently I started a book club.  It's a great way to get all your girlfriends together monthly and mingle while also meeting friends of friend too.  Sipping on wine and having in depth conversations of the selected book gives a more classy and intellectual vibe on any given night.  However, when a gathering happens during the week, it can get rather stressful for the host.  For example, making sure your home is suitable to the guests, from cleaning, to cooking, to setting a table to making sure you have a great selection of wine.

Here are a list of things that I came up with to have a successful evening.

• Use brown or white butcher paper as a table cloth. 1) easy cleanup 2) Having a solid background gives you food and decor more of a pop 3) Give a great way to label your treats
• Rather than trying to do everything, come up with 1 appetizer, 1 entree, and 1 dessert- in this case less is more 
• I like to add color with decor and labeling. ie: flowers, napkins, glasses, and using an orange sharpie for labeling
• When thinking about placement of food and such, I like to keep it sporadic.  It makes everyone look at everything at once especially at a buffet type setting.
• And lastly, the obvious- Make sure to plan ahead that way you are not stressing or making last minute trips to the store.

Cheat:  A tip that I learned when I was in Chicago is how to make pizza quickly.  Not from scratch of course.  We bought a couple of the most inexpensive cheese pizzas you can find in the frozen food section and dressed them up with our own toppings.  It's fast, low maintenance, and plus you can give the option for your guests to create their own.

I wish I had better pictures and lighting.

Let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions on hosting.