nature necklace

sweet. simple. lovely. 

{Zach, I kind of love this pretty agate}

my home...

{dresser}

Today I'm wishing for summer break, when I have more time to spend at home.  Tomorrow we're closing on our house!  I'll be sure to post a SOLD sign picture on here too - we can't wait to get settled in.

moving: 2 ways

Last August, we moved into our current little rental house from a downtown apartment.  I had all summer to pack.  Everything was boxed, labelled, and ready-to-go.  We moved everything in one day, down three flights of stairs, competing with another group for the freight elevator.  Curtains and pictures were hung, beds made, dishes washed and put away by the end of the night.  Our families are pros.

{amazing moving crew}

{piles of pillows and a ubiquitous poster}

{our moms unpacking the kitchen and living room mess}

This time around Zach and I are both busy with work, and packing has not been possible yet.  The plan is to pack as we go and move all the little things over in our cars after work (read: lots of little loads).  Then the big pieces will be moved on Saturday.  Somewhere in there I'd love to clean out all the cupboards and closets of the new house too.  My perfectionistic self does not like this haphazard plan as much, but I'm thankful to have a new home and friends to help us move. Hopefully it all comes together! 

favorite lonny pictures

More blues, antique wood, and oil painting...

Baby ferns, big mirror and simple (uncluttered) entry...

Now, how do I get my husband to help me recreate this?  Where do we drop the mail?  It is our biggest clutter problem!

{lonny}

blue + neutrals

I'm feeling inspired by shades of blue.  Paint swatches, fabric, and a trip to the beach are making me crave the cool, calm colors.  In the rooms we'll be painting, Zach and I are leaning towards several blue-greys.  We've had lots of red in our living room (pillows, blankets, curtains), but I may change those to  more natural shades to play up the blues.

I picked up the painting and blue votive at a thrift store this week, and I love them both.  The painting reminds me of our trip to California last summer, and my mom has the same votive holder in her house (only in green). 

 

{thrifted blues in my house}

{ikea rug, $199}

{anthropologie}

 

{house beautiful}

I love the neutrals mixed with blue, and would LOVE that painting in my house.  So relaxing.

lighting ideas {schoolhouse style}

I love the classic design and styling of these schoolhouse lights, and I'm dying to get them in my kitchen (and maybe the bedrooms} to replace that terrible track lighting.  For me, they are the perfect mix of vintage sentimentality, clean lines, and practical ambient lighting.  It is intimidating to order them online and not be able to see them in person, but I haven't found anywhere that carries them locally. 

{remodelista}

{rejuvenation}

{schoolhouse electric}

{bungalow bungahigh}

{restoration hardware}

 

{rejuvenation}

{home depot}

If you're interested in schoolhouse lights, I'd recommend watching this video as well. 

lighting {the before}

We purchased a sweet Craftsman bungalow, and we're moving in less than a month!  It has some charming details, but some of the lighting is woefully out of style with the rest of the house.  Let me show you....

{painful to my eyes}

My husband says this ceiling fan is staying in the screened porch, regardless of my pleas to rip it out.  Do you think removing the light or painting it all white would help? 

I think paint will be a different post altogether, but please know that the black, red and green interior will be changed pronto!  Seriously - who thought of that???

{dining room monstrosity}

We have zero dining room furniture, so replacing this bad boy is tricky.  I would like to replace it with a simple chandelier, but then we will have to duck under or around it until a dining room table is in the budget.  I also don't want to waste money on a temporary light.

{plain jane master bedroom}

We have a Hunter pedestal fan for our bedroom, so I'd love to put a chandelier light here with some sparkle.  Finding one with a bit of sparkle that isn't overly-feminine is my goal.  I have no leads on this one yet, but I will have more time to hunt this summer.

{track lighting in the kitchen}

This light is directly adjacent to an original farmhouse-style pendant (see below).  It is almost laughable how different they are.  This is where I would love to install a schoolhouse style light, but more on that tomorrow!

I really like this light with the exception of the speckle paint.  I would like to try and paint it, but I'm not sure what color to use (black, grey, white?) or how it would look with a schoolhouse light. 

This is your chance....weigh in and let me know what you would do!  I'll be sure to post "After" pictures once we decide and get settled in.