Lifestyle

Casual Friday: Stripping a room to decorate another, my new A+ hair tool, the girls’ office, a meme to send to everyone, and more!

September 18, 2020

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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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I haven’t shared the girls’ office here since we painted all the trim (check out that post here!) But since then, the wallpaper has been installed, we hung wall sconces, their oversized pinboard that will soon be filled to the brim with their creations (I added this pennant to get them started) and we moved in the green sofa that was living in our office. We still have a few things left to do in here. Stain the countertop, add hardware–little things, but it’s already getting so much use! We noticed the same thing happen this week after giving the basement a little makeover–suddenly we all want to spend time down there!

It’s natural to gravitate to spaces and places and rooms that reflect you. You feel more comfortable and relaxed and happy there. When we made over the playroom–the girls started playing in there more, too. It’s definitely a case for a phase 1 makeover, I think. Do what you can, with what you got, or spend a little bit to make yourself a lot happier at home.

I got a really good question this week after sharing our basement makeover–they noticed I pulled the art from the office and the olive tree from our bedroom and wondered how do I decorate a room without undecorating a different room. I hate to strip a room to decorate another–I mean, it makes NO SENSE at all. But the things I do feel okay pulling from another room are pieces that weren’t assigned or purchased for that specific room to start with. The gesture drawings in the office really didn’t belong in there, they just filled the wall at the time (and we’re rearranging our office to make room for more storage and desks) and the faux olive tree has bounced around so much since we moved filling a lot of corners! By all means, shop your house! And if there are pieces that you put somewhere just because it was a spot to put them, you can feel good about putting them into a new room that will make them shine.

Other fun things this week!

• I probably haven’t bought a hair straightener since college (shout out to my CHI), so it was time. I did a little bit or research and ended up getting this ghd one and it’s SO GOOD. It is a smart styler that predicts your hair’s needs, recognizing the thickness of your hair and the speed at which you’re styling. I feel like my hair looks shinier and healthier after I use it and my favorite part–the TWENTY second heat up. Lots of words about a hair straightener (that also does pretty waves), but it’s that good.

Add dog feeding station to the new kitchen design, I guess.

• About a month ago I switched to this Biotin, Keratin, Collagen supplement and I have noticed a HUGE difference. I get really achy joints (especially in colder weather) and not only has my joint pain subsided but my hair and nails and skin look better than ever. It has thousands of similar reviews, just passing on the good word.
5 Questions with…me! Fun interview with A Color Story this week and I shared a lot of feeeeeeelings.

This affordable end table comes in so many colors and has so much character! Would be cute as a nightstand, too!

The meme I sent to all my friends this week. (hahaha!)

• Have you watched Alone on Hulu?! Sheeeesh, it’s good.

 

Hope you all have a great weekend. We’re going to make Chris’s peach cobbler with fresh apples from our tree!

 

 

 

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What do you think?

  1. Katy says:

    Just read your 5 questions post on a color story and I hate it that so many people message you to say you’ve changed. Ugh! I absolutely love seeing you evolve and grow, not just your aesthetic but your talent level. It’s a really incredible transformation that awes me every time you have a new space to show off. And all those people being shady in your “unpopular design opinions” stories yesterday. SHEESH. This is why I could never be an influencer.

  2. Tracy says:

    Hi Julia!
    Thanks as always for your inspiration. After enjoying reading your family room update with the dramatic black walls (love the way the art look in there as contrast btw!) I was combing through the site to find a paint color name from your old house powder room (Hale Navy :) ) Anyway I noticed your old house had charcoal/black dark walls and white ceiling when you originally moved in and you painted everything light. It was a funny full circle to see after yesterdays tv room update going black! There is such a big difference between those old dark walls and your new paint, but I can’t totally put my finger on why. In my current home I’ve regretted many paint choices over the years and though it’s always fixable I often wonder how to avoid going too dark or too bold or too saturated. I also live in a cloudy / rainy area which impacts things too.

  3. Judith says:

    Could you please share the actual name of the supplement? The link for some odd reason leads to a screen protector for a Samsung S9 phone on my country’s Amazon page.

    I guess it’s some weird switch that happens when they automatically switch the country based on my IP. I also often run into dead ends because a site forcibly switches over to their European version and then just shows the landing page (or says they don’t show their page to Europe at all), and then I have no idea what the actual specific product was. Although it so far never has been as entirely weird a redirection as this time :)

  4. Lindsey says:

    The photo of you from the interview link is great! Have you considered cutting your hair that length? It’s so good!

    • Julia says:

      I’ve done it a few times! Always fun for a change.

    • Hurgul Varli says:

      Love the look of the green sofa
      But the cushion also very important to me and the quality of the cushion
      Couple questions if I may…
      Howling you us the sofa?
      Was it always in your office?
      How comfortable is it?
      How would you describe the density of the cushion? Do you sink in? Does it hold well?
      I have all sort of question but am so tempted, it looks Gorgeous. Can’t wait to hear what you have to say

  5. Elise says:

    Hi CLJ! Not sure if you shared this yet but wondering which makeovers you’ve done were only Phase 1 makeovers? I know the kitchen is a Phase 1 only, but it sounds like some other rooms may be, too?

    • Julia says:

      Sometimes phase 1 is to tide us over until a big renovation, like the kitchen or girls’ bathroom. And sometimes phase 1 is just the base phase to which we’ll add more to! So most of the rooms (with the exception of our closet probably??) are all in their phase 1. Not that we plan to scratch them and start over, but just that we are getting the spaces in our home to an even level and then we’ll level them all up in the next phase.

  6. Mel says:

    I thought we all pulled from other rooms to decorate different ones? It’s why I made the move for my whole house to have *mostly* the same color scheme. Plants/vases/arts/candles all fair game. Its the tweaking that makes it all better and more ‘right’.
    Thanks for the recommendation on the collagen supplement. I’m 3 months postpartum and last time got the worst case of Mommy’s thumb (basically your wrists feel like they’re going to snap) and I can feel it starting up again…will purchase that now!
    Happy weekend (as if that means anything anymore…ha)

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