The very first piece of furniture Chris and I ever bought together was a large, off-white sectional. We walked into the store, saw it, sat on it and decided to buy it–it being the floor model because that’s all our still-in-college funds could afford. The sectional was huge, u-shaped, and our apartment was small. We still laugh over the fact that we never measured the couch before it was delivered and yet, it miraculously and barely fit in our living room. It filled the entire space but we loved that thing. We didn’t put much thought into decorating back then, especially our first small apartment. It wasn’t until we moved into our last house that Chris and I really had to start consciously working together to make decorating decisions and purchases.
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Semihandmade
Our wood grain Shaker cabinet fronts were designed for busy, high-traffic homes like ours. Clad with durable textured thermofoils, this line is compatible with Sektion, Akurum, Godmorgon, and Besta cabinets from IKEA. It's the perfect, practical way to add the warmth of wood to all the rooms of your home.
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We have teamed up with Loloi to create a line of rugs that are as affordable as they are beautiful. This collection houses a great mix of traditional and modern rugs, in cottage-y colorways, as well as vintage-inspired beauties that you’ll want to roll out in every room.
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STUGA
We partnered with Stuga on a line of hardwood floors — The Ingrid is really livable, and the color is very neutral. It doesn’t lean warm or cool, it’s that just right in-between. We have really loved putting it everywhere in our house. It’s the best jumping-off point for design, no matter your interior style. In addition to being beautiful, Ingrid is really durable — we have three kids, and we always have a home construction project going on. Ingrid stands up to it all.
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We recently painted our study a dark, moody green color. This is after we first painted it a muddy green, then repainted it a blue-gray. I guess what they say is true; third time’s a charm! The journey was worth it, though, because I’m so in love with this glossy green in contrast with the […]
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Julia, I don’t know you — but we have a lot of mutual friends (who, by the way, think the world of you). I just have to say that I think you’re wonderful, and I hope you are feeling better and doing well! I love your blog, and am looking forward to following you on your new adventure in Idaho!
I am sorry to hear about all the health complications. That is a lot to deal with. About your post, I am ready to kick all the furniture I got when I moved into my house to the curb. Tastes and desired color palettes really do change quickly. My current couch is so 2005. ;)
We make decisions by NOT making decisions until finally we are left with one choice hahaha
The best example of this is my paint paralysis. There are, at this moment, at least a dozen paint chips on any of our walls and patches of different colors that I thought would look good, but didn’t. One day, my husband will get sick of looking at them and he will go buy one of the colors. And then we will paint. That’s how we do things. I know everyone’s all like “but paint is easiet thing to change!” but between the two of use we have four jobs and a dog and DIY is not our thing. If we had the extra $$, I would hire everything out because when I do have time off, I don’t want to do anything!
That being said, I think we both fall on the practical/functional side. If there’s no use for something, I don’t really care for it
I am a control freak by nature (no I’m not a jerk about it) and my husband could care less what I do around here because he knows he would be clueless. If I throw out an idea, he just says go for it- because he lacks vision. You could say were a match made in heaven, (by my standards:).
Hahahaha!! Enjoy the free reign!!
So, I can’t really focus on the content of this post without thinking – how did she get so thin? You’ve always seemed like the type that is just naturally very thin. Secrets?
Haha! There are a couple things in play here. First, that photo was taken at the tail end of a miscarriage of twins and a few other health complications that added to the weight gain, but I’m probably at my thinness now. It has 100% to do with my pregnancy with Greta even 3 years later. It was really really hard on my body. I lost 15 pounds during my pregnancy and I’ve never really been the same since. I got bell’s palsy after having her and couldn’t eat very well. I still get nauseated even when not pregnant and I developed hypothyroidism which made me change my diet drastically. I never expected to come out of a pregnancy thinner, but that’s the only secret I have.
*thinnest
Compromising is important but so hard! I am thankful for the ability to return items. If I find what I think is a great item and my husband isn’t with me or phone accessible I will often just buy it anyway knowing I can return it. I have returned many a lamp haha.
I need to remember the power of returns. Sometimes I just stare at something so long in a store and end up leaving without it because I’m not 100% sure. Thanks for the reminder!
“Lively Debates” — perfect way to word it!
Chris and I have gotten better in the past year or so. I’ve actually learned to say “so my thought on …. is completely out there and I’m not sure if you’re gonna love it, BUT I think I can pull it off” For whatever reason, this approach started working lately. I’ve also started learning to try and pull together a design board for those “crazy” ideas to help him picture it. He’s always had a hard time visualizing ideas and I have an even harder time accepting that he isn’t like me in that aspect. The joys of marriage right?!? :)
I am totally filing that phrasing away Jenn Leigh. Hahaha
Ryan is the hardest to convince. We can’t afford to buy much right now, but I try and rearrange as often as I can to not get bored with what we have! I started doing it during the day so that he doesn’t have much of an opinion or tell me to stop moving furniture around!! We’ve found a good flow in our living area and bedroom. I can’t imagine making huge decisions together like taking walls down or huge kitchen reno’s. Paint might be our biggest hurdle to overcome when we move into our own space!
I bet once you guys get into your own place, the excitement will be enough to make decisions pretty quickly. That’s what happened to us…and then we ended up re-doing all of those so-excited-can’t-wait decisions. ;)