Alright, alright, so I have a problem with swapping out things in my home and Retro Den only enables me. Don't look at me like that. I could have worse habits like popping my knuckles.
So naturally, I have had three different rugs in my living room over the past year and a half. And now, for your entertainment and mine, I'd like you to join me for a review of my rug swapping journey.
Read MoreWe do home styling for people. We come into spaces that aren't quite done and leave them beautifully finished. We move, we shift, we work with your style, we shop your home and give you resources. That's what we do. What we don't do, however, is completely reconfigure kitchens.
Ashley Palmer and I both have kitchens needing help, but we were struggling with the logistical side of the redesign–what materials would work best in this situation? Who do I hire to make cabinets? Can I knock that wall out? Palmer checked out various contractors who couldn't relate to her design sense, and I have had a year of troubling, sticky small home renovations with craftsmen who didn't quite work out. It wasn't fun.
Read MoreThe other week I invited Daly over to help me prep for a photo session we had scheduled at my house. I've spent a lot of time and energy over the past year and a half decorating our home, but one room I had somewhat neglected was the den.
The den serves many purposes for our family. It's a TV lounge, an office for my husband and a play area for our daughter. In other words, it gets lived in a lot. The den was actually an addition to our 1950s ranch house that was built in the 60s. Luckily, they matched the stone to the main part of the house, so it doesn't look like an extra room tacked on from the outside. However, on the inside, there are a couple of interesting things going on.
Read MoreLast year when I dreamed of sleeping under a giant macrame headboard, I knew who to call. Natasha Ball of House Sparrow Fine Nesting (HSFN) is not only a friend of ours, but one talented woman when it comes to all things textile.
Well, needless to say, Natasha made my dream a reality. Not only is this giant gal a beautiful piece that adds warmth and interest to our room, but I love knowing how much passion and care went into her creation.
Read MoreWhen we quit our jobs and bought a vintage furniture shop, we knew our lives were going to get weird. As in, a lot less stability and money, but a lot more fun and flexibility. Plus, we soon realized there were strange perks that came with this small business life. One of the perks is getting to wear workout clothes as often as we want. Another (more relevant) one is getting to swap out the furniture in our homes on a whim. This perk is perfect for me as I am a self-admitted chronic re-arranger.
Read MoreRead our blog for home tours, home styling tips, and plant care advice!
At the moment of writing this, our dear friends Sarah and Adam Heatherington's Lortondale home is up for sale! We've had it on our list to take photos for a home tour, so we ran over there as soon as we heard our time was dwindling. We are so happy to share this thoughtful home with you.
We always say our clients are stylish people, but this has never been more the case than when we worked with local blogger and house renovator Emily Netz. Emily and her husband Jeff recently renovated their 1920s Tulsa home (which you can see and read about here) and Emily designed and furnished nearly every space except for her boys' room. When it came to this room, Emily felt stuck on how to create the space she had imagined in her head and wanted an extra pair (or two) of eyes to help bring it to life. We were more than happy to help!
Well, I can't believe it. Our kitchen is actually done. Done, I say! It's been so long, I'm ashamed for you to look back to see the date of the "before" kitchen post.
Okay. It was April 30th.
So that means the kitchen's been about six months in the making. Now to be completely fair, our kitchen has been functional since mid July, but the "finishing touches" took nearly as long as the bulk of the demo/installation. But whatever. It was our first renovation and we went at it without a general contractor and it's done now, so who cares if it took six months? Who's even counting, right? (I can say that now that it's over, because I did care. I was the crazy woman counting!).
The difference between minimal and unfinished decorating
I've been lying in bed thinking about this quite a lot over the past year. My life ritual is to swing from one extreme to another, then gently wander my way into middle ground. I did this with boyfriends. I did this with work. I'm doing this with my bedroom decorating, duh. So my once packed bedroom became quite a blank canvas this past year. And it's from this place, I have been contemplating the difference between minimal design and something not quite finished.