Friday, August 19, 2011

Making your home work for you.

I have a folder that is busting at the seems with pictures I have torn from magazines, sketches, paint samples, etc. Anytime we get ready to make a purchase for a certain room I will look through these images and remind myself what I love about each picture and how I could incorporate a similar concept into my home.


This is one that is in my folder...I love this master bedroom. It is from the movie It's Complicated...as soon as we saw that movie I told Jeremy that I loved everything about the house or set that it was filmed in...mainly the way it felt. Lived in, comfortable, like you don't want to leave...that is my goal for our home.

Right now I refer to our bedroom as the "bachelor pad" because we just have the box springs and mattress on a bed frame. No head board or actual bed to speak of...we are in the process of looking, but when it comes to my own house I am easily distracted with other projects and the last thing I want to do is buy something and then change my mind (happens frequently)...so we could be sleeping in the bachelor pad awhile.


This is the kitchen (also from the movie) again lived in and warm


This picture from Traditional Home has been the inspiration behind Libby's room.
Her room is a very light turquoise (not this vibrant).
I had a bed custom made for her, fully upholstered - a full size day day bed.
I love it, when I sit there I think of what a great slumber party bed it would be...it just kind of hugs you. And she looks so little and sweet sleeping in it.
Built-ins on either side are on the list, but not a priority yet.
One day I will get pictures up of her room.


This picture is similar to the one I have that is the inspiration for the built-ins in our den...I didn't want them white or the same color as the trim throughout...our painter thought I was crazy, but it turned out great. 



All of these inspirational images are great, but it's not everyday that I can make my dreams come true and execute these things. The honest truth is, we don't make these purchases often...so, I have to get creative. In a previous post I mentioned that my home was my canvas. Being on a budget you don't want your home to scream, "we are on a budget!...can you tell?"

So, lately I have been looking for ways to really appreciate my home without spending money on it. (hence the title of this post) I am not going to walk around and wish and make a list of what to purchase next or focus on what we don't have....I am going to make my home work for me. (this is a decision I have to really be deliberate about because my job requires me to go into other peoples' homes and tell them what they need).

With my new outlook on my home I have done a few things that have only cost me a little bit of time that have made a world of difference. We have a bonus room upstairs (future playroom) that is a catch all for the entire house. With the kids being the ages they are, I am not going to send them upstairs to play there alone. There is a closet in there that was just holding our suitcases.
We also have a guest room where our guests would stay and where I would do my sewing. I found myself having to clean everything up when company would come in town and then I would neglect all of the sewing projects I was in the middle of (out of sight, out of mind).

My mom suggested that I should move all of my sewing stuff into the playroom so the guest room could stay nice...what a great idea. why didn't I think of that? Sometimes it takes someone who doesn't live in your house to mention the no-brainer that never would have occurred to us.

So I did. The guest room closet then got cleaned out (all of my sewing & wrapping stuff got moved to the closet in the play room). I was then able to give Jeremy a whole closet for his winter/hunting gear in the guest room. This was non-existent before...so really it's like our house got bigger....and it didn't cost a penny.

Other things that I have been doing that aren't as fun but give the same level of satisfaction are cleaning/organizing. I have already dedicated  a few nap times to cleaning out closets, the shoe basket and coat rack in the back hall & deep cleaning the den. The den is a place where I would love to put hardwood floors and a rug in the future...but until then I will live with appreciate the carpet that is there now and try to keep it as clean as possible.

So, until we take on our next big project around here...I will be doing the little things around here that I can to make our home even more enjoyable. I will put up some pictures soon of things we have done since moving in!

No comments:

Post a Comment