Blue Couch Room

Fall is the best time for craigslist-ing in my humble opinion.  Lots of people seem to be moving at the start of the school year or are redecorating for the coming holiday season.  in fact about this time last year I scored a tufted blue velvet couch on craigslist [FOR FREE!].  I know right?!  Right place, right time.  Basically, I saw the listing and canceled my plans for the afternoon so I could go pick it up.  Luckily, I managed to get it into my truck just fine:

I never got good pictures of it in our old apartment but basically my blue beauty looks like this:

And I LOOOOVE her.

Back in college, my crew and I had a favorite study spot in the library we dubbed the "Blue Couch Room."  It was quiet, and wonderful, and filled with blue velvet couches, and conveniently spaced outlets.  And a constantly rotating schedule of friends meant we pretty much always had a monopoly on the place.  I used to joke that if I ever had enough money to make a sizable alumni donation, instead of naming a building after me, I would request they simply make the name official.  This may be where my blue couch obsession began...

Now that Caleb and I are finally getting ready to move into another apartment [woohoo!], I'm beginning to think about how I want to decorate this time around.  As a self proclaimed style mutt, my tastes have changed since I first started blogging.  I look back on those old photos and feel like the room seems "juvenile" (does this happen to anyone else out there?)  As you can see from our first apartment living room tour, I love bold and bright and pops of color.  

But Blue Beauty makes me want to elevate this look to her level.  I've researched other blue couch rooms and found an incredible line up for my inspiration.  Here Annabode expertly sets the stage for the saturated blue with some warm woods and serene greenery:

Source: Annabode

Emily Henderson's pairing of a velvet couch with a neutral-but-still-a-statement rug and some leather chairs makes me want to do a jig - and makes me realize that I want a rug that won't compete with the couch like the trellis rug from my first apartment would.  

Source: Emily Henderson

And here her pop-of-color(s) gallery wall of unique art makes for a worthy back drop:

Source: Emily Henderson

I've also been gathering ideas over here on StyleMutt Home.  I've been eyeing the casual seating a vintage cot lends to a room ever since Chelsea brought home this WWII army cot.  And then when she ingeniously converted it into a coffee table [which is on sale until Nov 1st btw!] I thought, "What a versatile piece for a small apartment!"

In our old apartment, I was constantly battling a throw pillow identity crisis.  The selection was all over the place: modern, boho, rustic, graphic, contemporary - a true style mutt conundrum.  But after recently sharing Veronica's #stylemuttspaces reader design, I finally realized what kind of pillows make my heart pitter-patter: Kilim.

Source: Veronica Hamlet Interiors

Yes, I need some textiles in my life - stat.

So with this working formula for our new apartment living room, here's what it's shaping up to look like in my head:

 Blue couch + warm wood + greenery + neutral statement rug + 
leather + pops of color artwork + versatile seating + textiles =

Can you see it coming together like it is in my head?  I incorporated some of my original artwork and even our rustic bench/ coffee table to help me visualize.  I'm really feeling like it's the more mature version of our original apartment.  I'll keep you all updated on our next apartment's progress as I  acquire all the pieces I still need to complete this look [slowly and patiently as our finances allows].

For the Love of Autumn and the Love of You

So if you didn't know this already fall is our FAVORITE time of year over here on StyleMutt Home.  We take our falling leaves, crisp air, apple pickin, hot beverages, scarves, boots, and sweaters very seriously.  But we also know that the only way to celebrate this hallowed season properly is to also celebrate something else we love: YOU!  

So between now until November 1st, we are offering you a juicy 20% off on select pieces in the Garage Shop!

So let's take a tour of all the fall savings:

Anthro Inspired Dresser
40.25"H x 35"W x 19"D
Was $265

Now $212

Modern Cowprint Bench
50"W x 24"D x 14"H
Was $345

Now $276

Vintage Metal Record Table
40.25"H x 35"W x 19"D
Was $50

Now $40

Navy Campaign Dresser
32ʺW × 18ʺD × 44.5ʺH
Was $345

Now $276

Rustic Army Cot Coffee Table
(and handmade wooden tray)
Was $160

Now $128

5-Piece Scandi Dining Set
48" Table
Was $150

Now $120

Rustic Twin Pallet Bed & Step Stool
(made of solid wood, sanded smooth, stained Golden Oak)
Was $85

Now $68

We know fall is a big time of year for redoing your home decor so we hope this fall sale helps get you into gear for the coming holidays. If you are interested in any of these pieces, please email info@stylemutthome.com to get your fall on!

Reader Design: Veronica's Boho Haven

So this Friday reader design can practically write itself.  It's just that picturelicious and our bohemian princess of a host does such a wonderful job of narrating the entire juicy tour.

Meet Veronica of Hamlet Interiors in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Source:  Carley Page

Bonafied bohemian princess no?  Just wait till you see her kilim-clad, plant-pleothra,  breathy-boho palace:

This space is right off the kitchen. As you can see I'm obsessed with plants. I currently own over 35 and don't plan to stop. We had the benches built. I found these chairs thrifting and had them covered with a Kilim.

You must mean 35 plants per room right Veronica?  Your home is practically dripping in beautiful touches of flora!

I collect textiles. I just started a textile company that debuts in December selling Moroccan textiles.  The one shown here is a Turkish prayer rug.

I may have too many plants on the table. They make me happy

Nonsense Veronica.  If you can keep them all alive - then you can have as many plants as you want.

Proof I change things a lot :-)

Just a close up of my kitchen. We opted for gray cabinets and quartz counters. We renovated the entire home. This space took the longest to complete.

But boy did that reno pay off:

This is a shot of my kitchen before plants came into my world. You would be surprised to see all the greenery now.

The shelving area near the kitchen. Where I store all my pretties. And my plants.

This is a close up of how I have styled my shelves near my kitchen nook. They change on the monthly. As a designer and creative I constantly crave change.

Yup.  We style mutts have caught the same constant-change bug.

We had our home featured on design sponge early on in my design career.  I found these equipale chairs and knew they would be perfect for the space.

My dining space evolved over time. I started with a small shelf and then realized I wanted a non symmetrical shelving unit to house all my knick knacks. I'm hoping over time to add more pieces from my travels (I've been to over 13 countries) our contractor made this from plumbers pipe sprayed black and stained pine. I don't DIY. So there's that

Teehee - not everyone is up to a DIY as massive as built-ins!   But if you are, Chelsea has this great tutorial for pipe shelves.

This is my DREAM COUCH people!!!  Warm leather.  Ugh.  I want.
  Veronica, if you find it missing one day... well I may have just incriminated myself...

This is the master. We decided to paint the back wall bohemian black. The name sold me. I'm a boho girl! This space will probably change again but I'm all about letting a home shape the design aesthetic. Exterior and interior flow

So this corner of my bedroom has been changed 4 times or so. To curb my desire to purchase things I just move around what I already have. Nothing against buying something but usually I think about whether I really have a spot for it and if it's functional. Although peacock chairs are just pretty and not that functional. I have 3 of them.

Close up of all the texture that I love

What an adorable little office-let!  You would never realize it was in such a small little nook because it's so light and airy!

We have a daughter with special needs (Down syndrome and CP and heart defects) that wasn't supposed to survive past birth but she is Gods miracle baby. She is now 5. We call her our fierce girl. We keep a bed in her room in case the nanny stays over or if we need to be near her.

Doesn't that just make you catch your breath a little?  That typographical art has so much more power knowing the meaning to Veronica and her little miracle.  Chelsea has a chalkboard in the kitchen that says speak words that make souls stronger - she says it's a "gentle, visible reminder to build my children and loved ones up."  Not being a mother myself, I can only imagine how many daily prayers like these you all whisper over your children.  Such meaningful artwork is a powerful glimpse of a mother's love.

Here is another spot in my special girls room. More plants to behold

This is a old shot of my sons room. I'm not finished with the new space yet. This is from our design sponge tour.

We decided to keep a paneled wall. We like to keep things interesting. It's the only space we left original to the home

My front door situation that changes every 3 months. Just for fun.

Thank you Veronica for guiding us through such a sweet tour of your bohome.  I can't wait for your textile company's launch this winter.  If it's anything like the tour of texture we've just seen in your home, then I will start saving to be one of your first customers.  Be sure to follow Veronica @hamletinteriors for more bohemian inspiration and sweet peeks into her precious family.

And friends, we just can't get enough of these Friday features.  If you have a home you love, then by all means - let us show it off!  Just tag your pics with #stylemuttspaces on Instagram or post them to our Facebook page and we'll contact you with further details.