Thank You, Anthro!

As soon as I buy new book cases I'm totally doing this:

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Also, I am requesting either (or both) of these couches as a housewarming gift. 

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Start pinching your pennies, people!  We need to can make this happen!

Living Room Inspiration

Despite the fact Ryan and I have no idea where we'll be moving to in the near future, I've got design inspiration on the brain.  We've narrowed our choices down to two houses (even though those plans can change in a second), and I'm already dreaming up furniture layouts.

I posted about the colorful vs. neutral quandary I was having, and some of the owners of those lovely living rooms gave the tip that I should keep the big things neutral and bring in color via accessories.  Well, I've been Pinning like a madwoman, and here are some of the ideas I've slapped together.

As much as I love bright, colorful spaces, I just can't get neutral rooms out of my head.  So here's a sort of not entirely logical progression in lieu of going from entirely neutral to adding that perfect pop of color.

Completely neutral and completely perfect.  I think one of the things I love most about neutral rooms is how much plants shine in them.  This room would border on boring if it weren't for some simple potted plants.  Downside: my cat looooves chewing on house plants.

Again, the perfect shades of white with the same lovely plant action.  What can I say?  I love leaves.

The next two design boards are by the lovely and talented Darlene of Fieldstone Hill Design.  The way she adds subtle colors to an already beautiful neutral background makes my heart pitter patter.  This is more in the direction I want to go in with my own space.

And then there's this living room.  Designed by Jamie Meares of i suwannee, it is probably one of the most prefect rooms I've ever seen.  I especially love the fact that it's a gorgeous room that looks like you could actually live in.  I'm especially diggin' those dark orange velvet chairs.

So, there you have it.  Aside from writing music for my high school group, these living rooms are pretty much the only thing I've been thinking about lately.  And of course, Ryan thinks I'm completely crazy.

P. S.  This pillow is going to come live with me someday.  Hopefully that someday is in the very near future (A.K.A. after I pay rent!)

Hope you all are having a lovely week so far!

I'm Torn!

Ryan and I are looking at moving in together after the new year.  Let's not even talk about how scared I am to take such a big step.

I'm SO sick of looking at Craigslist and realty websites.  I've been stalking streets with Google Maps, trying to discern if the neighborhood is "sketchy," and whether or not the house in question has a fenced back yard.

Of course, not being the most practical of people, I'm already dreaming of how I'm going to decorate our new place.  Let's keep in mind that Ryan is way more opinionated about decor than any sane man has a right to be.

So, here's my dilemma: Do I go colorful or neutral?  Because I am drawn to both!  I know, I know, keep big things like furniture neutral and then you can change it up with accessories, but who really has an extra closet for things like throw pillow covers?  Also, Ryan is drawn to what he dubs modern, while I like a mix of old and new.  So, some inspiration photos from both sides of the color argument.

Colorful:

Kristen F. Davis Designs

Danielle Oakey Interiors

Neutral:

Haute Indoor Couture

For the Love of a House

There's so much to love about all of these rooms!  I'm instantly drawn to bold colors and pattern, but neutral rooms are the ones I find myself thinking about again and again.  I also have a mild obsession for anything old.  The more falling-apart, the better.  I also have a dog who makes keeping anything clean impossible.

Help!  Where do I begin!?

Why I Refuse to Buy an E-Reader

As a six year-old child, I had one design goal for my future home.  It looked a little something like this:

Not much has changed over the years.  I'm slowly building a book collection.  The bookshelves won't fill up as quickly as I like because I have one rule that I refuse to waver from: I have to read each book before it finds a home on a shelf.  For me, bookshelves aren't about being "styled."  I don't want my bookshelves to hold vases.  I want them to hold books.  Books that I have read and treasured.  I don't want to buy books because they fit with my decor, or can be used as design filler.  I buy books because, for me, there's nothing better than getting lost in a story.  I've always been this way.  I blame my mother and Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Every book in my apartment has been read at least twice.  Some of my favorites have been read upward of a dozen times.  When I see walls and walls of books like this, I see the endless possibility of stories, adventures, and knowledge.  I want to pass a library on to my children someday.

Also, having a ladder is not an option; it's a requirement.

All images via my Pinterest.

My Bedroom: A Bucket List

So before I started this blog, I read somewhere that to be successful, you have to blog every day.  And I totally did for three days.  And then something happened.

That something was Band Camp.

Yes, you heard that right.  I am a total dork.  So much so that now I'm a semi-grownup dork, I'm teaching younger dorks how to be better at their dorkishness.

AKA, I'm getting paid to teach high school kids how to march and play drums at the same time.  Because I do that (play drums).  Being a drummer totally reduces my dork factor, right?  Right?

Anyway, here's a peek into my bedroom.  By no means am I any kind of fancy pants designer, and there are still a lot of projects to be completed, but here we go!  Disclosure: My room is actually filled with lots of wonderful natural light.  I just suck at taking pictures.