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

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.  

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

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.

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].

 

Reader Design: Nicole's Thrifted, Gifted & Collected Haven

Happy Friday, style mutts! As this beloved eclectic community continues to grow Cate and I are constantly in awe of the amazing things people are doing with their homes out there! We've got a bangin' Reader Design today from a super style mutt that we've had the wonderful pleasure of getting to know on Instagram. Welcome to our bud, Nicole!!!

Nicole is a thrifting genius and has an amazing knack for high style impact using smart, thrifty purchases. Take a look!

From Nicole:

The light that floods our entry is a welcomed contrast to the rest of the house! The vintage rug from Ecarpetgallery is the statement piece here that anchors the massive chest of drawers. Bonus, I won the rug!!! The custom color the is most frequently asked question I receive and unfortunately I don't know the combination.

A top secret custom colored rug. Well isn't that just the cats meow!

The dining room is connected to the entryway, commanding attention. With the exception of the drum pendent, each piece in this shared space is thrifted or gifted; Everything from the silk Potterybarn curtains to the B&W buffalo check bench I had reupholstered. 
My oldest daughter's monochromatic bedroom is also a collection of thrifted pieces. The metal vintage bed requires a step stool for my petite girl and a small army to move it but worth every cashed in favor to get it in this space.

I'd say!

A bold gallery wall featuring my daughter's artwork is the only color on the white walls and the (hot pink spray painted) HomeGoods Toro is the crowning jewel for this Toro cheerleader.
Inspired by my design hero Anissa from HouseSeven Blog, the Sharpie Marker feature wall was a labor of love...for my husband, the muscle behind Grace in Magnolias! 

Fun fact, Anissa was inspired to create this wall after seeing it on Vintage Revivals here! This is what it's all about - sharing inspiration and watching the evolution of an idea go around!

Moving into the master bedroom, Nicole translates her eclectic, boho style in a soft, monochromatic way with layered neutrals and cozy textures.

If natural light is an issue in any space, find pieces that will bounce any available light around! These mirrored chests are both glamorous to the eye and functional for stretching that natural light just a little bit further! High gloss paint finishes work the same way if you're looking for a painted piece.

I mean, this swing is a total necessity in our book.

Nicole, you're amazing, girl! Thank you so much for opening your home and inspiring the heck out of it. So many ideas to take away, where to begin! Please find Nicole on Instagram @graceinmagnolias! She's such a joy to follow as she shares ideas, DIYs and new finds on the daily!

We're looking for more tours to fill up the rest of Fall and into the holiday season! No design experience necessary to share here - you don't have to have a blog or any form of social media to participate! This is an open invitation to ALL to join in and pass some inspiration around. We welcome all styles from all parts of the world. There are three ways you can express interest in sharing a Reader Design: 1) Post photos to Instagram and tag #stylemuttspaces. 2) Post a photo or two directly to our Facebook wall here. 3) Email us at admin@stylemutthome.com

We hope to hear from you soon! Have a cozy weekend, friends!