2017 Furniture Flip Bucket List

January 24, 2017 Cate | StyleMutt Home

Oh yes my friends. I'm rolling out my 2017 Furniture Flip Bucket List to...DAY! For those of you are new to StyleMutt Home (hey there!), every January I issue a "declaration of intent" for the coming year - a list of DIYs that I want to challenge myself with. And I have certainly found myself challenged (see items No.1 from 2015 and 2016), but I love seeing where this list takes me each year and love even more being able to laugh at myself along the way. It's cathartic.

So let's pull that red velvet curtain off for the big reveal of 2017's list:

No.1: I love the look of the un-honed wood (especially juxtaposing the super industrial) so I've decided I want to make something with a live edge.

No.2 This past summer, I scored a cash of brass hardware from my local Habitat for Humanity ReStore for a whopping $7! I've used the long pulls on these mudroom benches but still have a plethora to play with. My hope is to find the perfect piece(s) to use them on some time this year.

No.3 I have always loved the style of these planters. This year, I've decided to stop admiring them from afar and make one of my own.

No.4 Now this one didn't make the final list until like yesterday. I scored an adorable set of Broyhill dining chairs that are in desperate need of an update. I am not sure what direction I want to take them in yet, but I'm excited to see what idea I land on (suggestions welcome!)

No.5 Play with leather (no not like that ;) Chelsea and I have often loved the warm yet sophisticated look of leather in our home decor. For that reason, I know I want to do a leather-related project.

No.6 My style has been continually evolving in our apartment. The dining and living room officially feel "me" but our bedroom still comes across as a staging ground for shoes and dirty laundry ;) I want to get to a point this year where I can come home to our master bedroom and feel settled in the decor. So stay tuned...

And finally...

No.7 Build something. After my baker's rack fiasco, I decided that this year I need to develop some real carpentry skills. I have no idea what to build but I'll add the caveat that I want to build it well. And I probably won't try to build a baker's rack...

Thank you friends for following along my (mis)adventures! If you'd like to see how last year turned out, check out this post. And I hope you'll stop in again to see how this year's list is faring!

Reader Design: Erin's Fresh Family Home

January 20, 2017 McKenna Begin

I'm so excited today to be featuring Erin, who has a stunning family home in Raleigh, NC. Now, I remember when Erin's home popped up on Instagram a couple of months ago. At the time, I remember thinking to myself "wow - I've uncovered a seriously hidden talent. We have to share this!" Of course now, Erin's home has captured the hearts and eyes of many - and for good reason!

Erin's home is many things - bright, happy, homey, welcoming... and the perfect representation of "style mutt-hood." I'm coining that phrase now.

“I love all different types of styles, but I’m most drawn to classic mid-century modern pieces, clean and simple lines, and I love the Scandinavian aesthetic as well. I live in a more traditional home, so it has been a bit of a challenge mixing all the styles together to work in the house. I’m still working and revising (always), but overall, I just love what I love.”

What Erin loves feels new while still feeling totally nostalgic. And I don't mean new as in "just purchased" or "this month's West Elm 'it piece.'" I mean it feels new - interesting, different, nuanced in a way we haven't seen, but still familiar. Am I making sense? Stay with me...

I can only guess that it is because of where Erin draws her inspiration. It's not Pinterest boards - though I will never detract from the inspiration a curated Pinterest board can bring.

It's her own inner compass.

“I think I found my style in my 20’s (vintage dresses galore), which more or less found its way into my home. Over the years, my style has evolved into more of casual look as I have two kids and work from home. I still love to dress up (if only some of those dresses still fit!) and have vintage in my home, but I like to mix it with newer pieces. I want my home to certainly have character and soul, but also I don’t want to be living in a time capsule. ”

In her office, those vintage elements are clear.

“I love my vintage teal chairs in my office. They were a total impulse purchase many years ago in our old home and I still love them to this day. ”

And why fix what ain't broke, right? Erin, please keep on doin' you and stockpiling that stunning art, finding those perfect vintage rugs, and buying all the vintage furniture - chairs in particular.

What a home! Thank you for letting us in, Erin. It's a delight. Follow Erin along on Instagram for more and stay tuned for her soon-to-arrive site!

Until we meet again (next week, don't worry!),

Petite Parquet Cabinet Converted

January 19, 2017 Chelsea | StyleMutt Home

Hi friends! Back in today with another flip of a recently thrifted find! No yarn involved today. ;) When I saw this parquet and bamboo cabinet I was so excited to get my hands on it; the piece was in amazing condition, just needed a little TLC!

It looked a little sad sitting so low on the floor like that! So I took a cue from the beautiful parquet surface of this piece and ordered a set of hairpin legs. What I adore so much about hairpin legs is the balance between masculine and feminine - they're strong, sturdy, wrought iron legs but the lines look so graceful!

The one factor that hung me up on this flip for a solid week was what height to order the legs. Ultimately I came to two options; use the piece for its top surface and keep it at buffet height, or lift it even higher for easy access to it's cool interior storage. Since all signs pointed to this piece being a vintage piece, (albeit in fantastic shape), I wasn't sure how truly functional the top surface would be since the parquet creates a not totally smooth surface and I don't know how easy it is to clean. I concluded this piece would be best used as a storage piece so I found legs that would give it the height to make those cabinet pulls convenient to open without bending over. Once the piece was finished I immediately pictured it as a small space liquer cabinet/bar. The height and size would be perfect in a small dining room where square footage is precious, and you could even stash a stool or storage basket underneath!