Home Tour: More of My House

For those of you who’ve followed me for a while, you know I’ve shared bits and pieces of my home in several posts. Truth is, I anticipated doing a home tour on the blog a whole two years ago, but it seemed like my house was never picture ready for me. If I’m being honest, there are still tons of touches I would have liked to have added before these photographs, but well, making a house a home takes time. So, we will just consider this a work in progress.

Nonetheless, here’s a little peek at the majority of our home. Our spare bedroom is still a larger non-picture-ready work in progress, so it’s not included just yet.

You may wonder why I’m showcasing yet another home on my blog. Well, I recently did some photo work for my fabulous builder, so I figured, why not showcase some of his work, my work, and the different beautiful design styles of the homeowners? If you’re in the area and in need of a builder recommendation, I’d be so happy to pass his name to you.

Keeping with the spirit we had for Caitlin’s home tour post, I’ll be answering the same questions as they fit into my tour.

WHAT INSPIRES YOUR DESIGN STYLE?

I’d define my design style as a mix of warm/cozy, architectural, and ecclectic. I love clean creams and white space, but nothing too girly. I feel like the architectural style I’ve incorporated with certain pieces helps keep things clean and classic, without too many frills.

Warm tones and soft pieces, such as the perfect throw, will warm up any room and make visitors feel invited. You may notice with both my portrait sessions and design style, I use the word cozy often. Warm, cozy, and inviting are what I want people to feel both when they meet me and when they enter into my home.

WHERE ARE YOUR FAVORITE PLACES TO SHOP FOR YOUR HOME?

Target, TJ Maxx, World Market, West Elm, Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware,  and resale shops.

WHAT ASPECT OF YOUR HOME DO YOU LOVE THE MOST?

I really love our dark stained concrete floors that are cohesive in every single room of our house. When building, I knew I didn’t want carpet. Hardwood floors were out of our budget for this home, so stained concrete was our next most cozy, clean, and sleek option. I feel like they really make a statement, especially paired with my lighter design elements to give the feel I wanted when people walk into my home.

We also opted for one sink in our master bath instead of two. I know this one is a personal preference, as some people do prefer his and her sinks, but for me, more counter space was a much more practical plan.

EVERYONE ENDS UP HAVING SOMETHING THEY WISH THEY WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY WHEN BUILDING A HOUSE. AFTER LIVING IN IT FOR A BIT OF TIME NOW, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WISH YOU WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY OR INCLUDED?

Well, we knew when building that this wouldn’t be our last home; thus, we’d have to skip out on some key elements we wanted. Financially, purchasing a home was a smarter move for our situation than renting, but we knew we weren’t building our dream home here. Higher ceilings, hardwood floors, crown molding are all elements I would love, but aren’t deal breakers for me at this time.

The two main things I do wish we had after living in our home for several years now are a screened in patio (or just a covered porch area at all really) and a pocket door for our master bath toilet area. Other than that, based on the budget we had to work with, I really am very happy with the choices we made during the building process.

WHAT TIPS WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE WHO’S NOT SO DESIGN SAVVY, WHEN MAKING THEIR HOUSE A HOME?

Look at big name places that fit your style (ie. Restoration Hardware, West Elm, Crate and Barrel) and then find pieces on a budget that have similar styles. TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, and even World Market are GREAT options for this. I’ve purchased so many pieces that looked extremely similar to something I was eyeing at Restoration Hardware at one of the aforementioned discount stores.

With both clothing and home design, I believe there’s a balance in more expensive quality pieces and budgetary choices. For example, it was important to me to purchase a couch for quality, comfort, and design, regardless of budget because I knew that if I did, it would be a piece that would last much longer than a cheaper buy. On the other hand, my accent chairs are bought on extreme sale or resale shops. It’s all about balance.

I hope you’ve loved a little peek into our home! Feel free to comment any questions below. Happy Tuesday, friends!