House Tour: Where We Got It

in House

Lunch break!

IMG_8458

IMG_8453

Just a grilled cheese with pea sprouts, an apple, and pickles.

 

Plus – hummus, chips, and carrots.

IMG_8479

House Tour: Where We Got It

 

I’ve gotten the questions “Where did you get your dining room chairs?” and “What color did you paint your living room?” about a dozen times, so I figured I owed you all a house tour.  We moved from a 900 square foot apartment into a house, so we had to buy a lot of furniture just to keep the rooms from looking totally bare.  At this point, we’re going on a shopping freeze (gotta buy diapers and whatnot, after all), so this is as done as things will look for a while.

 

So… welcome to our home!

IMG_8459

Living room (TV room is upstairs in the bonus room):

IMG_8460

Paint color:  Behr Silver Drop

 

The two sitting chairs are from World Market, one of my favorite stores ever.   They are actually very comfortable, although the pattern has produced strong “yay” or “nay” responses from house guests.

IMG_8462 IMG_8463

The coffee table and couch (which is famous in our circle of friends for being the most uncomfortable couch ever – I, however, adore it) are both from West Elm and were bought two years ago when we moved to Charlotte.

IMG_8465

Oh, I realize that coffee table is the opposite of child-friendly and will need to be put into storage once the baby becomes mobile.  Safety first.  And, as a side note, we are going to turn our eat-in kitchen area into a play space since we don’t have a play room and don’t really need a secondary eating area.

 

Mirror over the mantle is from Home Goods.  I love the rustic frame; unfortunately, it only hangs up vertically.  I need to somehow remedy that.

IMG_8466

But my absolute favorite part of the living room is this side table, which the Husband found at Home Goods.  It’s incredibly heavy, and the iron detailing makes it look so masculine.

IMG_8467

IMG_8468 IMG_8469

Blue lamp with silver shade from Target, of all places.

 

Speaking of Home Goods, a woman actually tried to steal this wrought iron piece away from me.  You’ve got to watch your cart at Home Goods!  The piece was a mere $18, totally worth protecting, and now hangs over our bed.

IMG_8477

Paint is Martha Stewart Buckwheat Flour.

 

Onto the dining room…

IMG_8470 IMG_8475

IMG_8472

IMG_8474

The chairs, table, and placemats are all from World Market.  The ram head is named Al Golden (the Miami Hurricanes head coach), and he’s from West Elm (we bought him a few years ago, but I think they still sell him).  The paint color is Martha Stewart Eggplant; I really had to convince the Husband that vibrant purple was the way to go in the dining room, but now he loves it.

 

And last, but not least, the sole piece of interesting furniture in the office is this red leather chair, which we found at The Sleepy Poet thrift store in Charlotte.

IMG_8476

(Here’s my Kitchen Tour)

 

So – that’s all!  Clearly, we need a rug in the living room, but I’m struggling to figure out the right color.  We tried cream but it looked horrendous (and I was afraid it would show ever single baby barf spot from here onto eternity).  Any suggestions?  Oh, and the next room that we’re doing is clearly the nursery, but that’s going to have to wait a few weeks, as mentioned.  Just hope I can get it done before baby arrives… 

{ 54 comments }

 

  • Ingunn April 10, 2012, 1:47 pm

    World Market is my favorite store! We actually looked at those chairs too, but I’m still on the fence…I think I want something with a bigger pattern and maybe more comfortable as a loungy reading chair.

    • Caitlin April 10, 2012, 1:49 pm

      Patterned slipper-type chairs are SOOO hard to decide on, I agree.

  • Hillary April 10, 2012, 1:49 pm

    I love, love, love your dining room table. So big and rustic! The idea of buying an entire house worth of furniture freaks me out, too. Kudos to you guys for spacing it out!

  • Callie @ The Wannabe Athlete April 10, 2012, 1:52 pm

    Our rug has been FANTASTIC with a baby. You can see it in the photos of my post today. It has a lot going on but that also means it hides baby barf and everything else very well! I also love looking at your house from a “baby proofing” lens since we’re in the middle of that right now. I hate to tell you this, but your glass coffee table will probably have to go – ours did. 🙂

  • Kelly April 10, 2012, 1:52 pm

    I LOVE all of your decor!! Especially the iron piece over your bed, and those fun living room chairs! I definitely need to look harder at the furniture at World Market next time I am there!

  • Molly @ RDexposed April 10, 2012, 1:54 pm

    I once moved into a 2000 square foot apt which was so bare! I had a few rooms closed off with nothing in it due to lack of furniture or even need.

  • Stephanie @ Legally Blinde April 10, 2012, 1:56 pm

    Comfortable or not, I love the look of your couch! West Elm is such a great store. I’m not sure I would have been brave enough to paint the dining room walls that eggplant color, but it looks amazing! Great choice!! And I love the texture of your dining room table – it looks so cool.

  • Katie @ Peace Love & Oats April 10, 2012, 1:58 pm

    I love your dining room chairs! Beautiful home, Caitlin!

  • Lauren April 10, 2012, 2:00 pm

    I almost bought that chair. Love the pattern. I would say a natural jute or sisal rug would be really nice in the living room because its neutral and you could let the chairs be the highlight. I do think the sofa nneeds some pillows to coordinate with the chairs. An easy less than $50 project. If you don’t find pillows you like, I’ve sewn together napkins from world market to make the perfect pillow cover

  • Lauren April 10, 2012, 2:03 pm

    Oh. I also think the mirror would be great hung vertically because you have ceiling height for it. Then maybe place a grouping of taller vases on one side and a single vase with flowers in the other. I like your style though. I’m sure whatever you do will be lovely.

  • Jessica @ The Process of Healing April 10, 2012, 2:11 pm

    I LOVE your house and especially the eggplant color! I also love your sofa. I’m about to decorate my first apartment on my own and I have NO idea where to start!

  • Elizabeth @ reads recipes runs April 10, 2012, 2:26 pm

    I am SO impressed by how AMAZING your place looks, and you only just moved in! We’ve been in our house since August and it doesn’t even look close to this good 🙂

    I love the purple too!

  • Laurel April 10, 2012, 2:32 pm

    What about a rug in that great spring/kelly/avocado-y green that’s hot right now? It’d look galactic with the brown and would bring the green out in the chairs.

  • Juls April 10, 2012, 2:41 pm

    Looks so beautiful, can’t believe it is so put together after just moving in!

  • Juls April 10, 2012, 2:42 pm

    Looks so beautiful, can’t believe it is so put together after just moving in! I need to check out West Elm

  • Mila @ loftyappetite April 10, 2012, 2:51 pm

    I love those chairs in the living room, so fun! And in case you ever want to get an area rug for that room, here’s some great advice I was given when we first moved in and need to pass on: If you need area rugs, get them at Home Depot, they are waaaaay cheaper than anywhere else! I got an 8×10 for $199, which is unheard of. And they have lots of 5×7 under $100! And they are good quality too. You can buy them online or go to a store to see them yourself. They also have a section of precut random sizes that I assume are scraps from when they cover homes/offices. So worth a look!

  • Kaitlyn April 10, 2012, 3:00 pm

    The new house looks great. I love how you choose pieces of furniture that can easily become conversation items.

  • Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat April 10, 2012, 3:03 pm

    Oh wow, I LOVE that eggplant purple!! I wouldn’t normally have the guts to splash that up on a wall either (although I’m very much into colour and most of the walls in my house are very bright) but it looks amazing in your dining room!!

  • Crystal April 10, 2012, 3:12 pm

    Glass coffee tables and toddlers are an awful idea. My parents had one until my 15 month old threw a jar of of red pepper spread (why it was in the living room I have no idea) through it. It was horrifying and hysterical at the same time. I had no idea she had the arm strength to break a table.

  • Cindy April 10, 2012, 3:34 pm

    Your house is gorgeous! 🙂

  • Sarena (The Non Dairy Queen) April 10, 2012, 3:46 pm

    I love what you’ve done with the place! I like World Market for that second tier stuff. I try to be careful though, I would rather get things from our travels (the little that we do) than get things that look like we were traveling and didn’t.

  • Lily April 10, 2012, 3:55 pm

    Congratulations Caitlin! I love your new home!!.. the colors that you have chosen for the walls are beautiful – I really love the World Market chairs! Wish they had a World Market in New York.

  • Kelli April 10, 2012, 4:12 pm

    You guys have made a lot of progress in a little time! I really like it all.
    I would suggest a rug with some color, since the living room is very neutral overall. Maybe pull the blue or green from the chairs & look for a rug based on that. An Oriental rug with a pattern could definitely work, & would hide pukey baby stains better. Overstock.com has great deals on high quality rugs. We’ve purchased several through them & have been really happy with the quality. We buy wool only & only buy rugs that have already been reviewed, as all of what they sell is not top notch.

  • Laura @ She Eats Well April 10, 2012, 4:23 pm

    Your house looks amazing. And I LOVE CostPlus World Market. There are so many beautiful and affordable things in that store. I love getting birthday presents for people there. I get so excited to shop!

  • Earthy Nicole April 10, 2012, 4:52 pm

    I had never even heard of World Market before (guess there isn’t one close to me) but they do have a website! I love the purple in the dining room too! You’d laugh if you came in my house, I don’t even have a coffee table… I just sold it when my daughter was a few months old and am just now thinking of getting a new one. The problem is, I’m in love with a table a little out of my price range so I keep shopping at thrift stores hoping a similar one will turn up!

  • Alex @ Raw Recovery April 10, 2012, 4:55 pm

    I absolutely love the purple dining room. Brilliant.

  • Lea @ Healthy Coconut April 10, 2012, 5:05 pm

    thanks for the tour…I actually like the pattern on those chairs, I love prints….and I think the prints will help with hiding dirt and stains that comes from daily use.

  • Amber April 10, 2012, 5:05 pm

    Your house is beautiful, Caitlin. So glad you guys ended up with a house that is perfect for you. I’m envious of your decorating style / skills too by the way!

  • Katheryn April 10, 2012, 5:07 pm

    House looks great! As for the rug, I would go for a darker shade of green. I think it would look fabulous in the room and it would bring a bit of the other colors out in the room too.

  • Claire April 10, 2012, 5:27 pm

    What a lovely house, thanks for sharing. One tip – don’t have your only dining table over cream carpet when your little one starts eating! A small table in your eat in kitchen area will be a must. Even bigger kids are a total disaster eating over carpet.

  • Leslie April 10, 2012, 5:30 pm

    Everything is so pretty! I love everything you’ve done so far. Your home will be better in the long run by getting things along the way as oppose to rushing to fill rooms. You’ve got a good start. Daddy HTP can get your mirror ready to hang with a picture hanging kit(home depot or lowes)it contains wire and little rings that attach to the frame. As someone older who has owned numerous homes I can say there is nothing like the first home. Enjoy It, you will be living some of the best years of your life there. So happy for you. Enjoyed this post.

  • Abby April 10, 2012, 5:48 pm

    We just moved from a 750 squ. foot apartment into a 4 bedroom house, so I totally feel you on trying to decide on the most important things to buy now. One thing I noticed, since you seem to be in on the DIY challenge, is the brass light fixture in your dining room. We have one really similar and couldn’t afford to replace it right now, so we took it down and gave it a couple of thin coats of black spray paint. It look a million times better, and the whole room looks way more finished. For less than $5 and maybe 20 minutes spent taking it down/taping/putting it back off, it makes a huge impact!

  • Miranda @ Working Mom Works Out April 10, 2012, 6:03 pm

    I love the red leather chair! So retro.

  • LMN April 10, 2012, 6:13 pm

    Loveeee WM and your chairs

  • Chelsea April 10, 2012, 6:40 pm

    you will want a rug with a baby!! you will be on the floor a ton!

  • Lisa April 10, 2012, 6:51 pm

    World Market is a dangerous place for me. I always go there for ONE thing and leave with 10!

  • Brooke @ sweats & sweets April 10, 2012, 7:30 pm

    Love, love, LOVE y’alls dining room! So beautiful, the house is amazing!

  • Tt in nyc April 10, 2012, 7:39 pm

    How exciting to be in a “real” house!! I just wanted to say dont store the gorgeous coffee table- you can just paint it!! Painting glass works really well and the home depot peeps can recommend the right finish and type of paint 🙂

  • Lisa O. April 10, 2012, 8:07 pm

    I love what you’ve done with the house, Caitlin! Maybe a dark green or dark grey rug would suit the living room?

    BTW, those accent chairs are FANTASTIC. 🙂

  • Reenie April 10, 2012, 8:49 pm

    Love your home….love the chairs in the living room…and your dining set, but really really love the red leather chair =) I have been in my home for 10 years this month…and am still buying things as I go 😉

  • Aylin April 10, 2012, 9:03 pm

    Love the house. Minimalism rocks.

  • Anne April 10, 2012, 9:49 pm

    Love the decorations so far – it’s coming together really well!
    For a rug, I HIGHLY recommend FLOR carpet tiles. (www.flor.com) They are modular, eco-friendly, affordable, easy to clean, and you can create virtually any size and shape that you want. We have one in our breakfast nook and it’s awesome!

  • Tricia April 10, 2012, 10:49 pm

    as far as the rug go with green!something like this basic geometric with the green and beige… http://www.houzz.com/photos/235037/Espana-Area-Rug-modern-rugs-

  • Lea April 10, 2012, 10:56 pm

    Your house is gorgeous, I love your purple dining room! It’s kinda funky but classy all at the same time. And I love World Market. They have the coolest stuff, I start planning out my future when-I-get-a-big-girl-job house every time I walk in.

  • Laura Ann April 10, 2012, 11:07 pm

    Man, I LOVE that dining room! So your friends actually tell you they don’t like the chairs and the couch is uncomfortable? I can’t imagine saying those kinds of things to a friend! Not knockin’ on your friends, just curious.. 🙂

    • Caitlin April 11, 2012, 7:44 am

      Haha my mom and friends actually had a couch intervention with me in which they told me the couch was uncomfortable so I didn’t buy another uncomfortable one for the tv room!

  • Diana @ frontyardfoodie April 10, 2012, 11:37 pm

    I LOVE your living room chairs! I don’t have any since my living room is tiny but some day when I get a house with more space I will definitely love some cute colorful pieces like that.

  • Amy @ amylovesfood April 11, 2012, 4:53 am

    Your house is looking beautiful! I love the purple!

    My son is 6 months old today & we only finished his nursery last week! He has been in our room though so we haven’t been in any rush, i’m looking forward to having our bedroom all to ourselves again soon though!

    PS glad you liked your operation beautiful note i gave you on twitter x

  • Alett April 11, 2012, 7:33 am

    Your house is beautiful! I am so thrilled for the five of you to be starting your new adventure in this lovely home 🙂
    (definitely worth the wait to find this, huh?)

    I just bought a couch (crate & barrel) yesterday. Admittedly had a bit of anxiety as I handed over the money. That being said, I’ve been eyeing this couch for MONTHS. My favorite part is that it is a really deep couch (40″) – perfect for napping. Also note that it is replacing a futon being used for a couch; yes, time to be a big girl now.

    :))

  • Jen April 11, 2012, 9:48 am

    I LOVE the fabric of the living room chairs and I also LOVE the wall color in the dining room! Beautiful job!

  • Amber @ Busy, Bold, Blessed April 11, 2012, 1:10 pm

    I loooove the purple! When we buy a house, hopefully I can convince the boyfriend to let me paint one of the rooms purple 😀

  • Amber K April 11, 2012, 2:07 pm

    I love hearing where people got things. Not because I can actually afford to go buy anything, but it’s always much more fun than reminding myself that almost all of my furniture is from Goodwill or family.

  • Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) April 14, 2012, 11:56 am

    What a beautiful home!! I love the dining area 🙂

  • SpaceySteph April 16, 2012, 5:15 am

    I too have a dark purple dining room. I lived alone when I did it, so no need to convince anyone. Except that when I told my dad he thought it was a huge mistake but didn’t tell me… until after he saw it and was like “oh, that actually looks good.” Thanks for the confidence, dad.

Previous post:

Next post:

Healthy Tipping Point