Chad, Jessica, Jet and Aijiahlyn

Friday, November 11, 2011

Nicole, I need your expertise

 My sister has a degree in interior design, and I really need her help.  I put this on the blog because it's the easiest way to share photos and info.  So, here's our house.  We moved in late last Spring, and it doesn't feel like our style yet, but we're very grateful and definitely enjoying it.

 So Nicole, we're just focusing on the living room now, so we don't overwhelm ourselves, but if you have ideas for the other rooms, let me know.  If not, no bigs.  We moved the piano to the spare room to make way for another chair, and because Chad thinks it looks cluttery.  I'm not sure.  It is nice to have the piano out of the front room, because that's where we watch tv.  If it stayed in the LR, I would paint it.
 Here is what things look like now.  Nice-ish....but SNOOZAROO!  It has no pizazz.  There is no fun going on.

Here are our ideas.  Chad really wants get new mid-gray to dark gray carpet, that's less shaggy, because this stuff has lots of stains, and Chad hates it now.  I'm hesitant about the dark gray.  There are stain-proof carpets, but I wonder how stain-proof they really are.  We want carpet, but something that can withstand the dogs and Jet. 


 We move the dog beds to the bedroom at night, and when guests come.

I really want to paint this wall (fireplace wall) charcoal gray.  I would LOVE to do chalkboard paint and draw cool frames and stuff in chalk, but then I have an idea for the other walls, and it would be too much.

We don't like the color of the tiles.  Dingy.  But there is nothing we can do about those.  Wish they were white.  Ol' well.


 Ottoman, ick.  We were thinking two small white leather or leatherish ottomans.  Again, we like low-maintenance fabrics, and we love to put our feet up.  Maybe I could recover this one.  Eeks.
 View from the front door.  Too traditional.  We need more fun.
 This "media center" is warped and chewed.  We want to get a credenza (st. vincent) and paint it a fun color (orange, peacock blue, something fun).  We're going to start using our smaller tv.

On these walls (the one with the tv, and the wall perpendicular to it)  I was thinking of doing large horizontal stripes, in a light gray.  But then I also like the idea of doing horizontal striped curtains, and that's just too over the top. 
We love this mirror.  We love distressed wood.

So, I invited you to my pinterest...but I don't know how it works.  I just want you to see my inspiration boards, so if you need my username and password, let me know.  I'm loving charcoal lately.  SO PRETTY.  I love the mustardy, muted light yellow that's going on right now.  I like black and white.  Anyway, it's just so much easier if you see my boards. 

If anyone else has any ideas, bring 'em on. 

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Halloween Festivities


 Trunk or Treat. 

Jet was the BIG BAD Wolf, Chad was the Woodcutter, and I was Little Red Riding Hood.  At first, Jet was just a bad wolf, because he didn't want to wear his tail or hat.  I have learned that he doesn't like fur.  Whoops, bad costume choice!  I worked around it.  We tried to sneakily pin his tail on, but he caught us, and said "Tail, Tail, Tail" in a sad voice all the way to the church.  Once the games started rolling, he finally just had fun.   

 Okay, I know Chad's shirt is supposed to be a costume, but I actually really like it.   


 Detering Orchards.  We always went here as a family when I was little, so it was so awesome going with my parents after so many years.  LOVED IT!

 Kara, I see why you loved this sweater so much.  It's so charming.  Thank you!




 The next night, we carved pumpkins at Chad's parents.  For some reason, extracting pumpkin gook was really relaxing this time. 
Halloween night was great.  I was The World's Greatest Teacher.  (I got this awesome vest from my mom-in-law's friend)  We were both actually really productive, and it felt like we were playing house.  It was so fun.  Chad was organizing his tools in the garage, I was baking pumpkins seeds, and doing laundry, Jet was playing with the dogs.  Every once in a while there would be a trick-or-treater, and we'd rush to the door to see their costumes.  Our twinkly lights were on, resting on the mantel, our pumpkins were lit, the house smelled like yummy dinner and sweets.  It was warm and cozy.  The combination of all these little things made for the perfect night at home. 

It was such a great weekend!