It’s All In The Details

One of the most charming elements of our house are the original details that have remained throughout all these years.  The house was built in the 1920′s (can’t recall the exact year), but that’s a loooong time.  I want to make sure we preserve these historic details because I think it adds character to the house (obviously) and they are great conversation starters as well.

Everyone who has been over to see the house are amazed that such architectural details have endured the current era of demo-and-renovate everything and anything under the sun.

An original built-in ironing board (located in the kitchen next to the pantry).

Original wall phone, doorbell push button and mechanical ringer (look at top of picture).

Built-in linen closet and laundry chute that goes down to the basement!!

I don’t know if I’ll ever make use of the built-in ironing board and laundry chute.  I personally would feel awkward ironing in the kitchen and also the laundry chute goes down to the basement which is pretty dirty and unfinished.  Maybe one day…

Pink in the Bedroom

I came across Crystal Gentilello’s bedroom makeover a couple months ago, which was also featured on a house tour on Apartment Therapy a while back (girl’s got skill for decorating and styling).  Nevertheless, I saved it on one of many inspiration folders on my computer and so now I’m sharing it with you all.

It’s pretty and perfectly girly.  Not sure if my husband will approve of this look for our bedroom, but that’s not what this post is about.

We actually purchased a bed a few weeks ago (still waiting for it to be delivered).  I desperately tried to convince my husband we get a curved tufted headboard similar to the one pictured below, he said “I think it’s too girly.”  So we went with an upholstered square tufted headboard instead.  Hey, at least I got an upholstered headboard.  That’s a win.

all images from here

 

Meet Elvis

Our new puppy!!  The cutest chocolate Lab ever.  We picked him up over the weekend and I have been following his tail ever since wiping up pee puddles.  He’s the most chill and lazy puppy ever and I love that about him.  I grew up with 2 pitbulls at home, so this is definitely a change of pace.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my pitbulls, but boy were they hyper!

The breeder we brought him home from is great.  The dogs live on his farm where they are free to roam and run around all day.  We knew we did not want a pet store puppy so my hubs did some research and found this great breeder in Indiana.

Looking forward to many adventures with Elvis!

With Spring Comes Green

I have garden on my mind but have no. idea. where and how to start.  The weather here in Chicago is finally starting to warm up it seems and so I’ve been thinking about doing some work in the backyard….it’s in a pretty crappy state right now.  But at least there’s a gardening bed.  Right?  I’m thinking positive here.

This is what I’m working with.  Not so pretty eh?

Here’s what I’d like to work towards.  Ambitious you say?  Maybe, but I’m willing to give this whole gardening thing a try.

Gray Area

We’ve been in our house just over a month now and we’ve done a few projects now.  We ended up having to replace all of the electrical wiring on our unit (1st floor) because it was really old and was a safety hazard.  The wires were fraying and falling apart eeeek!  That was an unexpected expense we didn’t see coming just yet, but we shelled out the cash for our safety and peace of mind.

I also got my paint on and painted the 3 bedrooms.  There is no better way to liven up a room and space than with a fresh coat of paint.  After I painted the first bedroom (our bedroom) the house finally started to feel like our own space.  I can’t even begin to describe how crummy and gross the house was when we moved in.

I painted all bedrooms the same color.  It’s a cool gray with some green undertones (I seem to have misplaced the paint chip sample…oops).

This is the office after the new paint job.  What about that pretty French door?  Definitely one of my fave details of the house.

We Bought a House!

Finally! After almost a year of waiting, and looking, and waiting, and then some more searching, we have closed and moved in to our new home.  It was certainly a relief to finally have accomplished something we were working towards for so long.  However, it was a scary feeling at the same time, to know that we now have this large note with our names attached to it.

We purchased a 2-unit home in the Chicagoland area.  We knew since the beginning this is what we wanted.  We both have student loans we hope to pay off soon, and the only way we could see this happening is if we bought an income-producing house.  We were lucky in that the house came with established tenants!  That was a huge relief for us since we didn’t have to worry about renting the upstairs apartment (for now).

We’ve been in the house for a little over two weeks now, and there’s still a lot of stuff that needs to be put away and organized.  But here’s a few pictures of our place as it is now.  We definitely have plans to upgrade and restore many of the home’s original details.

This is the living room and the view when you walk into house.  Check out the original stained glass windows.

The door on the left is the main entrance, and the arched doorway leads into the dining room.

A closer view of the arched doorway.

And…..this is the dining room, currently a dumping ground for pretty much everything.

The not-so-cute bathroom.

There’s absolutely no storage space!

A view into one of the bedrooms…..again, a complete and utter mess…story of my life these days.

Welcome to my kitchen!  One of the first things we plan on re-doing.

That door lead to the back entrance and stairwell.

One of the things I’m most excited about is this space right here ^^  a huge pantry!!  I have plans to spruce it up and make it all cute!

That folks is our new house.  We’re excited (and a little overwhelmed) to pretty it up and make it our own.  I hope you join me as I share the ups and downs of our journey on this little blog here (aka my little corner of the ‘net).

 

Cool Designer

One of the best things about wandering the internet aimlessly is discovering talented designers and being inspired by their amazing work.  I came across this small boutique design firm called Jute.  Below are a few images I thought I’d share with you.

This is me showing you my love for collage art work walls.

Who said white has to be boring?

Love, love, love the use of neutral tones and beautiful textures.

One day, I too shall wallpaper a powder room.

Gold Lining

Hands down, I am a lover of white ceramic dishes, but when I saw these beauties I think I may have been converted.  How can you say no to these adorable tea cup sets and dotted plates?  Um, yeah. I thought so.  I think they would look awesome displayed on kitchen wall shelves such as the ones that are currently trending in the blogosphere.  Or, if you prefer, you can show off these beauties by placing them in glass front kitchen cabinets.

Pretty Emerald

If you haven’t heard yet, emerald is the “it” color of 2013.  I’m not the type to follow color trends, I tend to stick with neutral palettes, but emerald is a color I’m willing to sprinkle throughout our decor.

This reminds me of my honeymoon vacation.

Helloooo! Sexy green velvet sofa.  Oh, and what about the sheep as a bench.  Genious.

An easy way to incorporate color into any room: go for the monochromatic look.  Works every time.

Green on green wall color and bedside table.

Green with a dash of its complimentary color on the ol’ wheel: violet.