Obsessed: Layered Rugs

I have to say, in the warmer months I HATE AREA RUGS!  Everybody is shedding and dirt and dust are constantly being tracked through the house.  Area rugs just catch the furry tumble weeds around here.  Now that that’s off my chest, I can confess that in the fall and winter…I love them!  Area rugs, not furry tumble weeds.  I never love those.  I’m especially obsessed with the idea of layering rugs.  Not only is it cost effective, but it adds coziness and texture to sometimes boring, bare floors.

Planning: The Entrance

So our entrance is boring.  Well right now it's haphazardly put together, but it has the potential to be boring. This was it before we painted and moved in:

Planning the Stairwell

When I was younger I had my bedroom walls taped up with teen magazine tear-outs as high as I could reach (*bonus = I lived on the top bunk so some even made it to the ceiling). My mom and dad would always say "one day you'll get tired of those and take them all down!"  Haha to them because I want that look baaack, well sort of.  As you can see in the living room/entrance floor plan in this post, the new house has a little stairwell with a fantastic skylight but naked walls.  The space is tiny but very bright, so I'm brainstorming how to make it less blah:

Can I Unpack Yet?!?

Yay we moved again and are finally rid of those crazy neighbours!! Actually, we moved last month but the process of getting away from those people has been overwhelming and unnerving. For more of a back story check out this post on why we moved twice in just a few months.  On a brighter note, the new house is great with lots of potential, but also needs work to make it ours.

Bring the Outside In: Colouring Spring

Simply Seductive

The other day, actually Groundhog Day,  we got some good news!  An early spring!! I like winter & snow BUT it has worn out its welcome in my opinion.  Months of winter weather can definitely bring on the blahs & although the snow is still on the ground, there is no reason why we can't liven up inside with spring colour.  Here are some of my favourite items to do just that:

Daydream & Design: Club Chair Re-Do

Yes that chair has seen better days, I bought it about 5 years ago while at a garage sale with my mom.  I almost paid the $20 asking price, but my mom, a savvy shopper, negotiated it down to $10, what a bargain!!  Since we're moving soon, I'm trying to decide which items of furniture to take with us & what to dispose of, but I think this chair has too much potential to just throw out, so I've been keeping an eye out for ideas of what to do with it.   

Collections on Display: Books

apartment therapy

Everything is going digital, which is great, but at the same time it makes me kind of sad.  In my opinion, there is nothing like feeling the pages of a good book or stylish magazine between your fingers!  Don't get me wrong, I love looking at digital editions of magazines, I keep several collections of inspiration photos on my computer, and I often opt out of printing off papers for school readings to save a few trees & dollars, BUT sometimes I just want the real thing.  Over here, we collect books, among other things, actually we have more books than space to tell you the truth. I love the thought of entire walls of books complete with library ladder and I feel like a collection of books says a lot about who you are, so here are a few inspirational ways to show yourself & your books off...

DIY: Cheap & Casual Wall Art

Our bedroom walls have been looking a little bare lately & they needed a little art work.  Every year my mom gives me these great Ansel Adams calendars, he was an American photographer who did much of his best work, in my opinion, in black & white.  His calendars are filled with beautiful landscapes of the American West & I hated the thought of just throwing them out at the end of the year, so I've saved all the calendars over the years until I could figure out how to use the photos.

In Love With: Fabric Wall Paper

As I've said quite a few times in past posts, we're moving in a few months & I'm sooo excited! Literally, I'm already making plans for projects I want to try when we get out of here.  I know for sure that we'll be renting so I'm especially scouting ideas that are temporary, but more importantly cheap & amazing!

In Love With: Cozy Beds

As the temperatures dip, I love getting into my cozy bed at night time.  Curling up with a book and a cat and I can always keep warm.  A great way to get your house and self prepared for the winter is changing up your bedding.  There is nothing like having a rough sleep and being cold, not a good way to start your day! 

Here are some inspirational beds that look warm, cozy and ready for winter!