what's your decorating style?

I’ve been spending a lot of time on Instagram lately. I mean A LOT. Not mindlessly scrolling, mind you, or even posting. I've been researching for a class I’m currently taking by the incredible Dominique of All That Is She. Without giving away Dominique’s secrets (and if you are looking for a fantastic class on Instagram, sign up for this one as soon as she opens again), this class has really got me thinking about personal style, and as a result, decorating style. What is personal style? And who has it? In a world where we see so much visual input, much of it copied or repeated, Every. Single. Day., what makes us stop and stare at that one frame? What makes your house look like your home and not some cookie cutter trend of the moment spot that you might not recognize as different from your neighbors if you had one too many cocktails and opened the wrong front door? Not that you would ever have one too many cocktails or open the wrong front door. I’m just saying “if”.

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on lighting, hardware, and learning (modern southern bungalow week 31)

While walking the dog the other day, I overheard a couple talking about some houses being built across the street. “Those went up so fast,” he said, “and now it looks like nothing is happening.” “Maybe it takes more time to work on the inside?” She wondered. Or maybe the subcontractors are busy on another job. I can relate. We are 27 days from scheduled project completion and over the last two weeks you would think that absolutely nothing has happened.

So yes, I did miss your house update last week. This was not only because there was nothing to report but because I was trying so hard to finalize lighting and hardware. I can tell you that my kids get an award for patience because they are so over me sitting at my computer trying to make selections for our house or taking them to shops to look at samples. They are actually over everything about the house. The tile is finally going up in the kitchen right now, and when I stopped by yesterday to check on progress, the kids didn’t even want to go inside. Our move can’t come soon enough.

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please step away from the project (modern southern bungalow week 29)

I had every intention of sharing our progress on picking paint colors last week. I even spent much longer than I’d like to admit drafting a post that I scrapped because it was totally not worth posting. I realized after letting go of the need to stay on an arbitrary posting schedule that I was using the writing process to try to break thru our color scheme for the house. Words are good for many things. Picking paint colors is not one of them.

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shared kids' bedroom organization (one room challenge week 4)

What to do with all your kids’ stuff is a major dilemma of parenthood. It starts early. Excited expectant parents register for all the things including things that experienced parents know will never be used (hello, diaper wipe warmer). You’ve seen it play out in restaurants across the country a million times: new parent walks in with baby and half a storage unit of stuff in tow. Parent of toddler hardly notices because toddler has a full backpack of toys just to get through a 45 minute meal. Parent of college student observes the scene, sips her beer, and smiles. Her hand bag is big enough for her keys, phone, and wallet only. It is a progression that we all go through. Sooner or later, we all begin to throw things out when our kids aren’t watching. No? Just me? I didn’t think so.

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small home office ideas (modern southern bungalow week 27)

We are at the point in our remodel project where I can’t believe it will still take two months (fingers crossed) before we can move back into the house. At the same time, the outside of the house still hasn’t been painted, the tile is still incomplete, the floors unfinished, the cabinets still in process. So, yeah. How will it possibly be done in two months?

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