When decorating for the holidays, I try to push myself a little and not do the same thing every year. I like to remix some key pieces that I've acquired over the years, switch up my color schemes, and showcase something different without feeling obligated to buy something new. This year I was inspired by the pillow covers that we've been collecting since spring to create a black and white Christmas.


Giving a nod to the vintage furniture company Chairish and their "What do you 'Chairish'?" campaign, I decided to feature one of the most sentimental pieces in our home, a vinyl Mid century modern chair that belonged to my late maternal grandmother. After she passed away, I remember our family going through her pieces and my mother asked me what I wanted to take home with me. Hidden underneath a few articles of clothing was a chair that looked to be in almost perfect condition. Somehow I had never seen it before, but my family said it had been there for years. My mother, sister, and aunt looked at me with confusion when I said that I wanted it. I had just finished design school so I knew what a gem it was. They thought I was crazy, but who in their right mind leaves a Mid century modern ANYTHING behind, especially if it's part of the family? The chair went home with me.

Flash forward a handful of years... after keeping my grandmother's chair in our office for so long (due to the fact that I didn't quite how to work with its avocado vinyl) I finally felt confident enough in my style to make it work. I decided a few months back to take the leap and integrate it into our living room along with all of our brightly-colored furniture and accessories. The pillow covers I chose for our mini holiday makeover embraces the avocado vinyl and the chair looks right at home.   


How perfect is that leopard pillow? Also, the blue sequinned one gives a nod to the star of our room, our movie sofa


Notice how the top of the arms are a little lighter than the rest of the frame. After I acquired the chair it went into my parents garage where it resided for a full year. When I Brandon and I finally got our own place, I took the chair home and began to wipe down the frame. To my surprise, the stain came right off to reveal the wood grain underneath. Instead of re-staining, I decided to keep it that way. I think it gives the chair more character.


One day I may have it re-stuffed and recovered. But for now I think it looks just fine. Because my aesthetic is very modern, and I often find great deals on brand-new items, I don't own many vintage pieces of furniture. There is however something to be said about adding one to your space. It gives a room some soul. It gives the room a story. I'm glad that I was able to make it part of our home. I'm sure my grandmother would approve.


Bright and delightful... 

Around this time of year, I always get a little frustrated about the amount of expectations placed upon us creative folk. Not that I can't rise to the occasion - shop until I can no longer stand, decorate a beautiful tree, morph into a professional gift wrapper, and sprinkle holiday goodness all over the house while holding a perfectly-crafted holiday martini in my hand. I must admit, Instagram and Pinterest have completely done me in to the point where I feel like I almost can't keep up. The professional bloggers I follow post gorgeous images of the fresh, new pieces they're using to decorate with for the holidays, all while I'm struggling to find a moment just to assemble our artificial tree. 

What I'm getting at is this: Does the illustrious imagery of social media make us feel bad about ourselves, like we're not putting enough creative content into the social atmosphere? How am I supposed to handle the holiday hustle and bustle gracefully, a midst working the full-time design job I love and spending spare time with the people I love? There must be a balance. Well this year instead of running myself crazy, I decided to stretch myself creatively by simply decorating with what I have and being grateful for it.  This year I made a few small changes (instead of trying to keep up with the Jones') and I'm so glad that I did.


This year I decided to go with a monochromatic look and use my chandelier crystals along with the feather ornaments that I made last year. The CB2 orbs served a different purpose this year...


I wanted to try something different and showcase a few of the toys that Brandon has been acquiring from his loot crates and Mr. Lovenstein art pieces. Above is a Mr. Lovenstein ninja star original.


Game of thrones, anyone?


And how would a Christmas decor transformation be complete without a baby Transformer?

So long story short... this year I'm doing what I can with what I have. I mean isn't that what the holidays are supposed to be about? Being grateful for who and what we have? I may never be able to keep up, but I love my life and I'll continue to share what I can (when time allows) right here on my little piece of the internet. :) 
I work, you work, we work. Let's face it, we all work somewhere. Some of us work in an office, in our bedrooms, in a cave, in a cube, but we all need a place to land and organize ourselves. Luckily, my full-time job is away from home, but I do have a dedicated workspace for paying bills, writing blog posts, poking around on Pinterest, you know... a place to take care of important things and be creative. 

Inspired by the offices at WeWork, a co-working company that provides collaborative work spaces for creative entrepreneurs and start-ups, I decided to share my little office space with the inter web. While my space is at home here in Atlanta, We Work offers workspace in many major cities all over the country and abroad. The short story is if you're on the cusp of starting your own biz, or you're pretty established but in need of more space, community, benefits, and services, WeWork is pretty much your jam!

Ever wonder where my blogging magic happens? Well, today I give you a small peek into my side of our second bedroom (which we use as our "office / storage / my husband's closet overflow / everything that doesn't fit in other parts of the apartment end up here" room). I try my best to keep all of the miscellaneous stuff-age at bay, but to be truthful, it's not an easy task. We live in a small space, and if you couple that idea with the fact that I am a home furnishings hoarder (think chairs, lanterns, accessories, Goodwill artwork) with the fact that I married a wonderful man who collects various technology, comics, anime, and loot crates, then what you end up with is too many interests, and not enough room to thoroughly express them all at the same time. It's sad, but so, so true. 

But anywhoo, what I have for you today is a rare look at my side of the office. Nothing particularly special or glossy-magazine worthy, but it's mine all the same.



As you can see, we're still rocking the Karlstad chaise. It's great for kicking back and reading a magazine, or piling your unfolded clothes on top of - whichever you need at the time.




On top of my Expedit is where I store the majority of my school books. They're great references and I could never, ever see parting with them.

Here's where I attempt to keep myself minimally organized. I soooo wish I gotten a white desk. Black brown is soooo over, feels so heavy, and produces dust faster than you sneeze.


I scored this succulent garden from Kroger last week for under six dollars! Yes, I'm trying succulents again. No, I don't plan to kill them this time. My strategy this go-around is to just leave it alone and should it ever scream out  for help give it a nice, but stingy mist.



I found a set of Futurama post cards in a random pile of my hubby's things and thought this one was particularly hilarious.


I love when the leaves change a bright red. I think fall is when mother nature looks her most beautiful.


And it just so happens that I have a nice, little view from the sixth floor. I mean, who could complain about that?


So there you have it folks! When I'm home, you can find me either here or chillin' on our movie sofa.


Not too bad, but could be much better! What do you think?  :)
 

So I was walking past West Elm a few months ago, just minding my own business when I saw this!


Yes my friends, the Parquetry nightstand, usually $349, was down to $99.99. NEW IN BOX! So naturally I scooped 2 up to replace the small tables on either side of our bed. Now, here's what we're working with!


Bowl/basket -TJ Maxx
Lamp - oldie but goodie from the TJ Maxx when I was still in college
Vase - IKEA
Branches - They are literally months old (Kroger's Manager's special)
Clock - Target
Bottle - IKEA

Honestly folks, this is how my bed side usually stays... sweet and simple. But can we talk about how amazing this nightstand is? And how I finally have a drawer! Which is pretty much empty because I've never had one to fill. 


Here's Brandon's side.
Tiki cup - was a present from B's late grandmother
Vase - a re purposed bottle of incense my brother-in law gave me for Christmas.
And for the curious ones, below is a close-up of the Mr. Lovenstein art!



It reads:
How to make friends as an adult
Step 1 Latch onto their leg firmly.
Step 2 NEVER LET GO.
sigh... wanna play Mario Kart? SUCCESS!

And as for the bottom sketch - if you can make it out, great! If not,  it's funny, but also inappropriate. :)

So what do you think about the new nightstands? They're kind of awesome...


Let's go back. Way back... back to June when I had the incredible opportunity to go the IKEA Service Office in Conshohocken, PA. Me along with 2 of my amazing co-workers were chosen to be the store planning team for IKEA Atlanta under the title "operation new kitchen". It had been a dream of mine since finding out what the service office was to go there simply because this is the place where all major IKEA US decisions are made. I was scared, excited, and so delighted.


As you can see, design-wise it lived up to every expectation I had for a workspace. As far as corporate headquarters go, it simply felt like you were home - in  a Scandinavian modern dream home, but still home.  


Billy on top of Billy, on top of Billy. It was beautiful.



The central staircase was dreamy and every time we went up and down it felt absolutely surreal.


Everywhere I looked there was inspiration, in the form of decor or text. Our company culture truly is the best thing about working for IKEA. 












I know I've been  missing for a while, but today I thought I'd keep simple and talk about one of my favorite spaces in our little apartment. The star of this show is definitely our Eames chair. It's simply the coolest, most famous, and least expensive chair that I have ever scored, and it makes me so happy that I can't help but smile whenever I walk by!


You may remember a few years back when I scored this 100% authentic Eames chair for a mere $2.92 at Goodwill. It was the best find ever, and I'm still slightly convinced that my Goodwill "mega luck" ran out the day I found it. But you know what?  I think I'm totally okay with that. :)


Because it's white, I like to surround it with colorful accessories, and it serves as a nice canvas for my mild obsession with pillows. My favorite thing about the chair is its chrome base, which is incredibly intricate, yet so beautiful. I can't help but think of the Eiffel tower (of course) when I look at it straight on, and a pinball machine when I catch a glimpse from below.


A few of our guests have asked me, "How in the world did you recognize this chair, and how did you know that it was worth so much money?" Well, Mid-Century Modern was just one of many 20th Century furniture style groups that I had to study in school. But if you're ever in doubt (while you're out and about) check the bottom of the chair first to see if you can pin down a manufacturer. If it's origin is still a little fuzzy after a quick bottom glance, I came across A Complete Guide to Modern Chairs on One Kings Lane that's comprehensive enough to point any furniture enthusiast in the right direction!


Of course what's a little sweet spot without a little bar? Our decanter collection is growing and I'm loving it! At this point, half of what we own was acquired brand new, and the other half came from treasure hunts at Goodwill. Notice that most them are filled with brown liquor because my boo loves a good whiskey neat. He also likes a good Samurai sword!


So what's the sweetest little spot in your crib? Drop me a line... and link a cute pic! :)
Hey People! Long time no, see! Shame on me, I know. Anyhoo, I just wanted to stop by and show you that I finally hung up my Goodwill art - shortly after my last post actually, but I've neglected to take pictures and share. Check it out!



Pretty chic, huh? I was a little hesitant about hanging them (for fear of knocking too many holes in the wall) but it actually worked out quite nicely.


A sexy lady, a pensive grandpa, and woven basket... now that's what I call some intriguing art! 
All under $10? Yes please!


As you can see, our peace lily is thriving and has bloomed again! I'm a proud mama! My next goal is to do something about the Billy. It's starting to look a little haphazard, and the mail sorter isn't helping either. Brandon wants me to actually turn it into a real bookcase with books! Imagine that! I may just do that, and throw in some shelf styling bits along the way. 

Sidenote, does anyone know how to remove the Billy handles once they've been installed? Left to my own devices, I placed them too low when we first assembled the bookcase (and if I read the instructions this never would've happened) but I can't seem to take them off without fear of breaking the glass. Any ideas?


I've been busy adding little touches to our home to make it more, well... happy. Adding accessories and rearranging furniture totally make the difference, and because I put myself on a furniture diet (I can't buy any more furniture because there is literally no more space) I living with what I have to transform our space into a truly happy place.



I took my grandmother's MCM chair out of the office where it had been wholly neglected and gave it a home in the living room. It definitely makes the space feel more eclectic with a vintage piece amongst all of our new pieces. It's actually the oldest piece of furniture I own and I love it. Eventually I would love to have it sanded down, restained, and reupholstered (perhaps a bright color like lime, hot pink, or orange tweed. You know me, I love color.) The pillow is part of the IKEA PS 2014 collection, and the new books were gifted to me by my lovely hubby for my birthday.


On Friday I went downstairs and bought two new house plants. This time I put rocks at the bottom for drainage! Check out my first attempt here. I also got rid of the orchid leaves in the first picture knowing that the plant was never going to re-bloom. No biggie though. I know how to cut it down next time. I replaced it with a cute, little leafy plant that should last for a while as long as I don't drown it. The combination of books on the coffee table were gifted to me by my Mother-in-law for my birthday, and my hubby for Valentine's day. Needless to say I have a lot of inspirational reading to do, and I'm truly excited about that! :)


If you follow me on instagram, you may have seen a version of this photo already! :) I bought the woven basket and stand from Goodwill, and the print and frame came from IKEA. For once I really like how this dresser in our bedroom is styled. Brandon calls the print "little hipster deer".


I other news, I'm still playing around with Caesar! Everything on this tray (including the tray) came from Goodwill. I've decided to start keeping our wine corks in our apothecary jars because they've simply outgrown everything I've put them in so far. What can I say? We consume a lot of adult beverages.


I've been adding to our little tea light collection as well. The light bulb, hedgehog, and modern home came from CB2 (my favorite place). Below you'll see them all lit up. The star and the turtle came from Goodwill, and the links are IKEA PS tea light holders that I got a while back.


I've also been contemplating where to hang some of my Goodwill artwork. For some reason I always have anxiety about hanging things in our place. There's something about making holes in the wall that make me nervous, especially if things don't work out. I'll get over it soon enough though. These pieces have sitting in front of the tv stand for a week now. I should really get on that already... Perhaps next to the Billy?


Oh, and Kroger never disappoints when it comes to the flowers. I sure do love Valentine's Day because the days following are awesome for buying beautiful budget blooms at a heavy discount. This is only about 3/4 of my bounty. I sure do love a good manager's special!


Okay, I think that's good for now. That's what I've been up to. What have you been doing to make your home more happy?
Before our Markethall remodel could officially get underway, we had to remove a couple of things (i.e. furniture). The whole bath shop furniture area to be exact! Yes, crazy I know.

 A few weeks ago, I was called upon to create a floor plan for a temporary bath shop using the existing furniture from downstairs. Long story short, a week later we - Marianne, De'Airra, Nkosana, Amber, and myself were moving hundred-pound sinks and sink cabinets upstairs to condense within one room to form a mini studio. Yes, it was definitely as crazy and labor-intensive as it sounds. Here's how it turned out.



The mission was to show each style, width, and color of bathroom cabinet that we sell, as well as a sampling of each faucet and sink type.

Godmorgon - 5 widths, 5 colors
Lillangen - 4 of the 5 types, 3 colors
Hemnes - 3 widths, 2 colors
Ronnskar family
Fullen family

We also included the most popular high cabinets, mirrors, shelving units, and carts - a sprinkling if you will - in different finishes.








Loree and Sarah busted out this mirror wall so fast that it made my head spin! You ladies are so talented and wonderful!


Across the hallway from the mirror wall is where we planned the more traditional bathroom cabinetry - the Ronnskar and Hemnes families. I think it turned out great.


A HUGE thanks to everyone that was involved with this large undertaking. De' Airra and Marriane, thanks for being there with me down to the very end. Also extra thanks to De'Airra for helping me plan the mirror wall and Hemnes area. Thank you Amber for your giggles and for helping us out. Also thank you Nkosana for your building skills and muscles. David, thanks for all of the construction, and thank you to Loree and Sarah for the lovely mirror wall! As they say, teamwork makes the dream work!