Reader Design: Katie's Midwestern Oasis

February 9, 2018 McKenna Begin

Now before you say it, I know what you're thinking. "Midwestern" and "oasis" are two words that don't typically go together. Those fly-over states aren't always known for their restorative or relaxing natures, but after a visit to Katie's Cincinnati, Ohio home, that reputation may be forever changed.

Now, perhaps this is because Katie isn't exactly drawing inspiration from her surrounding geography:

“That’s why I pull from many different geographic locations for my design inspiration and aesthetic. I love the light and airy boho vibes of the beaches of Southern California, but I love to reign it back in with the warmth and coziness of a mountain craftsman out West to achieve a light, but lived-in design style.”

The result is a space that's mid-century bohemian - those lines we love from the 50s & 60s tempered by the whimsy and light-heartedness of boho elements.

“When styling my space, my goal is for it to feel curated, relaxed, and homey. Nothing too stuffy or fancy.

My favorite article in my entire home is my large antique Persian rug that lives in my living room. It is my most prized possession, aside from my children, of course! Vintage rugs, in my opinion, are worth splurging on because each one as so much history and they’re all one of a kind.”

“I couldn’t live without plants surrounding me at all times in my home. I love incorporating them into every room, not only because of how visually stunning they are, but also because of their purifying and restorative properties. They have the ability to ground a space, no matter how big or small. Having plants around helps me create a calm a relaxing oasis, in a way that is unable to be achieved by anything else.”

Follow Katie along on Instagram @asformyhouse for more!

I hope you all enjoys a week of love next week; we'll see you back here!

Reader Design: Ashley's Farmhouse Boho Home

November 10, 2017 McKenna Begin

Ok, y'all (side note: now that I'm a Seattleite I never say that word outloud, but boy does it feel good to type it!).

Daylight savings has happened. The days are officially darker, and Fall - and perhaps even Winter - are already here. Today, we're taking off to Montana and fully embracing all there is to love about this season with a tour of Ashley's home.

It's some mutt-ish mix of boho, mid-century, and rustic and replete with all the Fall vibes. This is a perfect opportunity for an edition of "I Spy: StyleMutt Home Reader Design." Count the Fall references in this home - all things layered, cozy, and Thanksgiving-inspired - and we'll see if we come away with the same number. Deal?

From Ashley:

“I strive for functionality that also looks good. I strive to promote a sense of coziness and cleanliness in my home. A space that is clutter-free but also has a ‘lived-in’ feel (because, yes, real people live here!) I take pride in creating an oasis for my husband to come home to after a long day of work.”

This oasis was created with a lot of DIYing, bargain hunting, and creativity. In the living room, Ashley and her husband transformed the cookie cutter box fireplace into the stunning stone masterpiece you see. All it took was a lot of sweat and, per Ashley, maybe a few tears!

In the living room, they negotiated and landed a "dinged" floor model version of the farmhouse table they were eyeing; those display scratches didn't detract at all from the table - in fact, they added character!

In the master bedroom, they added some character again with a DIY shiplap wall. Now... I know what you're thinking. Thank you, Joanna Gaines, for the shiplap obsession that's rocking the nation. But Ashley knows that despite its current trendiness, the feature is still completely her.

“I don’t pay too much attention to trends, but instead gravitate towards classic and timeless pieces. I don’t want to feel like my décor is dated only months after designing a space. With that said, I do have shiplap in my home which is very “trendy” right now. But shiplap isn’t new, and I love the interest it adds to a space – so that is why I have it in multiple rooms, not because it is “in”. There is already talk about people regretting their decision to shiplap their walls, but I love it and have no regrets! At the end of the day, as long as your space brings you joy, that is all that matters!”

At the end of the day, all that money and time is well spent if the results makes you feel content, happy, and home.

“[I’ll always invest in] anything that is well built and serves as functional décor! I love finding pieces that are made with quality materials and will stand the test of time. With that said, I also love finding functional useful items and displaying them as décor in my home. This dual purpose makes it worth a splurge!”

Thank you for the tour, Ashley! Your home is so full of love and built to withstand any season.

Follow Ashley along on Instagram @ashley.joyfullygrowing for more. See you all next week!

Cane-Backed Settee ||2017 Flip List Item No.5||

May 1, 2017 Cate | StyleMutt Home

This warm weather has been singing my SONG! I'm sitting on our balcony as I write this and am positively loving how sticky my hands feel in the 81 degree humidity. I've been out here for hours sipping wine and working on this next installation in the 2017 Flip List:

Item No.5: Play with Leather

(No not like that)

When I set out to play with leather, I wasn't talking 50 Shades of Grey here (but I dare you to raise your hand if you went there. Jk). I've used leather in projects before (see this 2015 and this 2016 Furniture Flip Bucket List post) but working with leather or a leather-like fabric on a large scale intimidates me. They can be difficult to manipulate but when done properly they are beautiful!

So when I set out to find the perfect material for this project, I ended up coming home with some high-end distressed pleather. As much as I wanted to use real leather, I couldn't find (or even afford for that matter) the amount I needed. But the pleather ended up being a nice way to easy myself into project - and the end result still very beautiful.

When I bought the original bench, it was covered in a very traditional, very unfortunate fabric. And it was infested with cat hair.

I spent more than I normally would on a raw piece I planned to modify, but that cane was in impeccable condition and I really like the clean lines.

If you know me and Chelsea, you know we are always down for a good camel leather. And believe me, I was tempted to recover this baby with a dreamy caramel color. But I was worried it would get lost against the warm wood tone. So I chose black as an edgier alternative. Plus, as Chelsea and I believe, leather is totally a neutral. And black goes with everything. Yes it's a strong contrast and a tad masculine in color scheme but it is still balanced by it's inherently feminine details!

The dainty cane allows the piece to "breathe" as Chelsea would say and not feel like a heavy item in the room.

Each corner of the frame even has a little antique brass floral nail head.

This project was also a level up in my upholstery game because this was my first time using piping - which ended up being easier than I thought I'm happy to say!