Lifestyle

Casual Friday: Decorating for our Audience vs. for Us, a homey living room, fall sweaters and more

August 23, 2019

We believe we should all love where we live.

We’re a couple of homebodies, working to uncover the home our home wants to be. And we’re so happy to have you here. 

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We had a fun tiling project come up which spurred a mini bathroom renovation in Greta’s bathroom (remember when we introduced it here). We got the floors tiled yesterday and today we’ll grout and then I’ll paint the walls and maybe add wallpaper (or maybe not because I really want to wallpaper her room–I think?) and figure if I want to stain or paint the vanity and all of that fun stuff.

But last night, in the midst of gathering some inspiration and making plans for her space as a whole–bedroom and bathroom, I mean, they should coordinate–I paused after thinking, maybe the walls should be white in her bathroom or something neutral. And then I paused again because my next thought was, “But will that be enough?”

So I don’t know what the walls will be yet. But I often get asked if we sometimes design for our audience instead of for ourselves due to the nature of our blog and I always said NO WAY. I do what I like and don’t worry about if some people don’t like (sometimes I even like it MORE when not everyone likes it). All of that is true. But I also think that I am guilty in designing for our audience in that I’ve noticed, even subconsciously, there are instances where I try to make every room a star when maybe every room shouldn’t be a star. Some rooms need to take on supporting roles, but that’s a mental hurdle I need to overcome because we are doing and, essentially, presenting one room at a time over many years.

At the same time, supporting roles win oscars. Supporting rooms are important. Sometimes a supporting room is the breath you need. Just things I’ve been thinking about…

 

Other fun things this week

We never really shared the living room side of the Fullmer’s house when we shared the kitchen, because we’ve been waiting to share the beams tutorial until they were available to purchase. But we stopped over earlier this week because Article is having a 30% off sale starting this week and both their sectional and coffee table are from there!

Their sectional is the Burrard in Seasalt Gray  and the coffee table is the Mara.

And their adorable little girl is a natural–I want to eat her!

This vanity light is amazing! 

Here for paint swatch humor.

• I swear my new tumbler has tripled my water intake (I’m such a sucker for marble looking anything!)

• Giving it up for Heidi Caillier and those radius edges all week long!

• Nothing like a 60 degree day in August to make you start thinking about fall. I cleaned out my closet, donated two bags of clothes to my niece and made room for this leopard turtleneck and this supercozy mockneck pullover (at a great price and my fav neck line!) in gray and camel. Also–had soup twice this week. Sorry, not sorry.

 

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What do you think?

  1. Michelle Allen says:

    Will you be doing another post on the living room? I’m curious about where the rug was sourced from – lovely remodel!

  2. Leslie says:

    I’m late to comment this week. BUT I love watching you renovate this home. It’s definitely not my style (maybe I wish it were?) and wouldn’t fit in my home, but a girl can love pretty homes, right!? You do you. And, there’s nothing wrong with wanting each room to look, be and feel it’s best. Maybe that makes every room a star and, with this audience member, that’s part of loving being a homebody.

  3. Morgan says:

    Where is the Fullmer’s living room rug from? I have been looking for something similar!

  4. Patricia says:

    I’ve watched your paint picking insta-stories. Could you re-share all that info in a post? Those little stories flip through before I’ve finished reading … let alone absorbed all that great info. You’ve got too much to share to just squinch it into insta-stores…

    Pretty please?

  5. Lauren ringel says:

    Where is the picture from?

  6. Tara says:

    *sweats jealously from Texas thinking of your 60 degree day*

  7. Colleen says:

    I love the paint in the Fullmer’s living room. Is it more grey or beige? Would you mind sharing the color?

  8. Lindsey F says:

    I totally understand that as a blogger you feel the need to make every room a star, but as a reader, it is appreciated when some rooms are designed as supporters! We’re all here to learn and take inspiration, and learning to make a room a supporter teaches us valuable lessons as well – how to have a beautiful house and stay in budget!

  9. Patricia says:

    Love your sister’s photos of the Fullmer’s little girl. Will neve forget the “Homebooby” sweatshirt from the remodeling photos. I have been longing to see the Fullmer’s living room afters, this was just a taste, right?

  10. Kelly says:

    Sooooo ready for soup season! Is the mock neck short in length? It looks sort of cropped in the photos. I am tall like you!

  11. Elise says:

    Ooh what’s the wall paint color in the Fullmer’s living room?

  12. Casie says:

    Where is their art above the sofa from?

  13. Brie says:

    Always love your posts! Can you tell us where the mountain painting is from in the Fulmer living room?

  14. Ali says:

    I loved what you talked about in this article! Supporting actors and supporting rooms ! Such a great concept ! I also love that you love your girls and you don’t make your work their work ! You have the perspective of a mom who knows what her girls like but, let’s them be kids and enjoy the thrill of a beautiful bedroom designed just for them by their parents who know them ! My kids have new favorite colors often! So easy to buy a new shirt or throw blanket in their new favorite color than design an entire room based on their new favorite color! We do kids designs and room like you !

  15. Jessica says:

    When does the Article sale start? I’ve been searching for the 30% off and can’t find it yet!

  16. Lisa says:

    Hi Julia! I loved the note about the supporting room and how that sometimes feels not enough. That feels so relevant to me, I always think is this boring? But it’s what I like and it looks good! Thanks for sharing and I love all the inspiration you share, both super special and simple but classic.

  17. Mimi says:

    Ok, I would like to see what your new tumbler looks like… and I cannot click onto anything to see it. Can you link it please? Thanks for sharing those tencel J Crew sweaters, I might be able to wear it in Texas since it isn’t wool. Also are your parents in the same city as you now? Or a nearby city? Will you do some renovations for them in the future, before snowfall? I think your property is beautiful and I hope the girls get a pony for Christmas or better yet, Labor Day!!!

    • Julia says:

      Ahhhh hahahaha!!! no pony anytime soon, despite their wishes. My parents do live close by and are getting settled. I’m sure we will do some projects there (I’m actually DYING TO DO THEIR KITCHEN!)

  18. april says:

    When is the Article sale starting? I went to their site and didn’t see anything about 30% off!

  19. Laura says:

    What is the behind the sofa console? I love the look. Is it from a store or home built? I would love to get one for behind our sofa which sits in front of a window but not sure how to go about it. It would have to match the length and height of sofa so probably not store bought? Do you have any advice? Did you build it?

  20. Sienna Boyd says:

    I am SO curious. What are you and Chris enneagrams??

  21. Mara says:

    You bullet the radius edge twice, but one of them is actually a paint swatch.

    Love that coffee table name :)

    For the bathroom, why not ask Greta what color she would like it, if you’re designing for yourselves? Then pick some paint swatches in that color family that you like, and let her pick one?

    • Julia says:

      Last week she would say blue, this week she might say pink. Our girls really LOVE their spaces once they are completed and have great pride in them and want to spend time in them, and want to show them off, but they aren’t super into getting it to that point.

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