Reader Design: Nicole's Thrifted Nest

A moment of levity comes this week with Nicole's beautiful home. Now, most of you know Nicole as a #howyouhome co-host along with our very own Chelsea. Today, she's giving us the inside scoop on her Nashville home that we've come to admire often in those little Instagram squares. 

Nicole and her husband moved from NYC to Nashville several years ago and are now renting in the area. That means Nicole gets the opportunity to be extra creative about her decorating!

From Nicole:

“I like to define my style as eclectic but with a classic spin. It’s definitely a mix of midcentury modern, boho and eclectic with traditional touches. All of the styles together create a more unique look.”

Her living room here has it all - boho elements, thrifted finds, plant life, and some amazing mix-and-match patterns to keep it interesting. 

“I’m inspired by the ocean so blue seems to be my go-to choice of color to decorate with. I love pictures of the ocean, boats, and anything tropical. It just relaxes me. A home that is collected over time and from many different sources makes it more unique to you. A ton of my home is from Craigslist and thrift stores! Not only does that make my home more personal to my family but it also makes it more affordable. I prefer to keep a more polished look though so I get rid of unnecessary clutter or pieces that don’t add anything to my space. ”

I wouldn't call Nicole's style minimalist, but she's certainly careful about the items she chooses to surround herself with. 

“‘m not gonna spend a lot of money on things that are trendy. I’ll either thrift them, come up with a way to DIY it, and use accessories as a way to change things out with the trends and seasons. We’d rather spend our money on things that are timeless and will stick around with us for years to come. ”

The bedrooms are all kinds of wonderful with their textiles and wall hangings. They're the kind of bedrooms I would have loved to slumber in after Tuesday night - anyone agree? 

Nicole, thank you for letting us in to see more outside those tiny squares. Your home is beautiful! Follow Nicole along @sweet_domicile for more! 

We're off the Reader Designs next week for Thanksgiving but I'll see you all in December!

Hunter Green Campaign Chest ||And the Craigslist Experiment Results||

Back in August, I decided to conduct a little Craigslist experiment in order to test a theory.  Basically, my hypothesis was that a reserved and sophisticated muted teal piece would sell faster than my usual edgier and bolder color choices.  

1 month in, and I had a few nibbles but no solid bites.  I re-baited by lowering the price  and still hadn't "hooked" anyone.  Then I stumbled on a unique opportunity to test my theory even better.

No I didn't repaint the muted teal dresser.  I actually found an almost identical 7 drawer dresser.

Chelsea and have been crushing on hunter greens lately.  If we had our way, we'd write it in on the color-of-the-year ballot.  Scratch that, we'd probably write it in for President.  After Chelsea rolled out this piece in "Scholar Green" by Ralph Lauren, I think I started salivating at the thought of doing a piece of my own in such a moody shade.  When I found myself with another long-and-low campaign piece, it was a no brainer. 

Since the brass campaign chest was the same in size and scale, it was the perfect opportunity to pit a newer trendier color against the "safer" muted teal piece,

The second chest had brass recessed pulls and decorative T-braces indicative of a true campaign piece.

The hue is dark and moody and could be a little risky for a potential buyer.  In person, it has a velvety, buttery texture.

Taking a cue from the hue, I went all equestrian with my styling.  

The wall hanging was an easy vintage-inspired DIY that cost less than $10.

The camel leather "riding" boots and plaid blanket scarf were also inspired by my favorite fall weather (and hey, I'm really just looking for any occasion to break them out).

Although Chelsea and I are firm believers that dark green is the new neutral, not everyone can be so easily committed to such a strong look.  For that reason, I decided to style as both a living room credenza and a bedroom dresser in hopes that it would show its versatility.

On the left, the  living room credenza has a stack of books and decorative plant.

While on the right, the bedroom dresser has a makeshift vanity station on a simple tray.

So let's get to the results of my expanded experiment: last month, a potential buyer set up an appointment set up an appointment because the green piece had caught her eye, but when she arrived she realized the muted teal piece was more suited for her new home in the suburbs and purchased it instead!

The green chest sold to a fabulous inner-city couple a little over a week later.  Interestingly enough, both pieces went for about the same price.  Even though the muted teal sold first, it had been listed for nearly 2 months and only "accidentally" got a buyer.  The hunter green was only listed for a grand total of 2 weeks.  Ergo, my results are a tad inconclusive.  But hey, I didn't go to school for scientific research now, did I? LOL.

Dark Green Campaign Chest
56"W x 18"D x 29.25"H
SOLD

Even though this handsome gent already sold, you can always contact me about a custom order!  

Reader Design: Brittany's Bright Bungalow

So, honest question here. Does anyone else feel like the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving - which is my favorite holiday ever - drag on forever? We're only four days in to November, and I'm so ready for pie and family time!

Thankfully, this week, I had Britt's colorful and gracious space to look forward to! I hope it is the same "bright spot" for many of you! 

It's the kind of home that I just want to dive in to. It could be on the pages of a magazine, and I may still try to dive in. It's dreamy! And feels totally personal to Brittany and her husband. Her better half even picked out that couch himself & had it upholstered! 

From Brittany: 

“Vintage shopping has played a big role in developing my own personal style. Old stuff naturally gives a home character, and I think it has also taught me, in a way, to be discerning and hold out for items that are special. As for my use of color, I’m not sure where that came from, exactly. I’ve always been drawn to color, and in some ways my current home is actually toned down from what I’ve done in the past (if you can believe it)! ”

“My home has elements of boho, mid-century, rustic, and traditional decor, but I think when you look at my overall style, it’s really just eclectic. That’s partly because I love a broad range of styles and partly because I intentionally steer clear of well defined niches. I find my design is most inspired by my mood and how I want to feel.”

And you'll never guess which item has filled a spot in Brittany's heart but arrived in a trash bag. Yes, an actual trash bag.

“Favorite element is the rug. I bought it on eBay from a seller in Switzerland and it was the longest 3 weeks waiting for it to arrive. When it finally showed up, it was wrapped in duct-taped black trash bag but perfect nonetheless.”

It really is clear how active and present both Brittany and her husband are in this design. After all, it's their shared home! 

“I also have to give my husband credit - he gives feedback on all my ideas and absolutely does not care a whit about what’s trending on Pinterest, so he calls me out on anything he finds gimmicky. Given my constant exposure to trends and ideas on social media, it’s grounding to have someone who keeps me focused on my vision.”

“[In the master bedroom], our favorite element is the nightstands. My husband found each of them individually (one at a flea market, one at an estate sale) about a year apart. A pair of these Broyhill Brasilia “commodes” is hard to come by, but I think finding two separately is even rarer!”

And the final favorite element in the guest room? 

“Favorite element is the balloon painting. My husband and I wanted to buy a piece of art for our first wedding anniversary (the gift for which is supposed to be “paper”). We found this at a flea market, and even though it’s canvas, not paper, we couldn’t go home without it.”

Brittany's home is full of treasures - and we are so thankful to see it up close & personal! Follow Brittany along on Instagram @brittkingery for more! 

Until next time,