Reader Design: Aftan's Multi-Faceted Home

We're off to sunny North Carolina! It's a state that I hold dear in my heart, after spending four years at Wake Forest for college. But today, we're headed a few hours away from Wake to Raleigh, North Carolina where Aftan lives with her husband and Lucy, their 150 pound Newfoundland dog!

Aftan's home is multi-faceted - it is eclectic, traditional, Southern, and modern all at once, with each item selected for a specific reason. 

From Aftan:

“When I’m styling our home, I like to try and make it feel cozy and inviting for others while still keeping the fun and funky vibe that I feel my husband and I bring to our home. I love when you walk in someone’s home and feel their personalities throughout the space. Not only that, but I feel like your home should tell a story. Who you are, places you’ve been, how you’ve acquired certain pieces, etc. So I try to make sure my husband and I are represented accordingly.”

One of Aftan's go-to moves is mixing and matching patterns and colors. Luckily for Aftan, that is super on trend right now, but she's been doing it for ages. So what if 'color' mostly refers to neutrals - black and white are neutrals, right!?

That said, a favorite of Aftan's are the stunning emerald green chairs in her living room. 

“Our green chairs are definitely one of my favorite things in our living room. They were thrifted and given to us by our aunt when we moved into our home. They’re the first thing you see as you walk into the room, so they’ve been a great conversation piece as well as adding that pop of color that our space needs. ”

“Our chandelier was given to us from my in-laws who had it in their home for all throughout my husband’s childhood. Not only that, but they got it in a lighting shop Austria which is where my father-in-law grew up and his family currently still lives. Our dining room table and bench is also unique, and I can say one of a kind because it was made for us by a friend. It’s important to my husband and I to have unique pieces that are special to us while also supporting local artisans.”

This home is just chalk full of treasures, some collected home, some new, but all special. 

Aftan, thank you for showing us around! And Mutts, follow Aftan along on Instagram @aftanbrown for more. I'll see you all next week. 

Reader Design: Megan's Eclectic-Boho Retreat

It's Friday, and I'm on a train to Long Island to witness one of my best friends' marriage. It's the happiest of occasions - so let's keep the good vibes going! 

Today, we're touring Megan's California family home, a space which is clearly a sanctuary away from this busy world. Her home is full of neutral bases, like whites, grays, and natural woods, with accents of brass and added texture. 

From Megan:

“I like when something in the room is slightly off but just works.

I want our home to feel styled and put together but inviting and lived in. I don’t want things too fussy. I want guests to feel comfortable to grab a drink from our fridge, put their cup down on our table without fussing for a coaster, or even put their feet up on our coffee table. ”

To achieve that feeling, Megan carefully curated this space, keeping in mind the needs of her family and friends and giving a nod to trends without tying herself to them. 

“The big thing I wrestled with was picking large furniture pieces that I wouldn’t fall out of love with, quickly. I don’t want the urge to change out my couch, coffee table or dining room table six months from now. I wanted pieces that would grow with our family for years to come. So, we really avoided making impulse buys for the big items. ”

That same mindfulness with the big purchases extends to decor too. At least a handful of items, items you see on a daily basis, should have a story and bring you a sense of nostalgia and joy when you see them. For Megan, an example is the collection of photos in the dining room, which were taken by her sister-in-law Anna when she and her husband, Megan's brother, were road tripping down Route 66.

In the master, Megan has two favorites - any guesses? 

“The Bison photograph above our bed (though, this piece’s final home is our son’s room) was a photograph I took on a family trip to Yellowstone.

Also, our headboard. It was a purchase we bought right after we got married and had moved to NYC. I love that headboard. I love the clean lines, the subtle tufted detail, and the neutral base. It’s a piece I haven’t tired of in nearly 9 years!”

See! There the same photo (not a copy, Megan assures me they just strategically moved it around) is in her son Beckham's room. And the photo in her daughter Waverly's room is another one courtesy of Anna, featuring a carefully organized collection of buttons.

Megan, that's some awesome indoor/outdoor living you have there. What a dream. Thank you for showing us around!

Follow Megan along on Instagram @everydavismoments for more! 

See you next week,

Quatrefoil Credenza ||A Collaboration with Modern South||

Today I have the privileged of debuting not only a fresh piece but also a fellow creative!  Posts like these are some of my favorites - when two creatives join forces to make something together.  I connected with Cory of Modern South via Instagram and jumped at the chance to work with her on a juicy collaboration.

Modern South Studio

Original Artwork by Cory McBee
Charleston, SC

Cory and I share a mutual love of color and abstract art.  When we were looking for an excuse to work together, I had the perfect piece in mind to show off her ethereal landscapes art.  I found this four door credenza without a leg to stand on and the sweet quatrefoil detailing was so endearing that I couldn't pass it up. 

Plus I was jonesing to do something in a buttery gray again.

The classic lines of this piece called for a feminine and glam look - something a little softer than I normally debut in the garage shop.  

The paint color I went with was Hailstorm Gray by Behr Marquee.  In person, it's almost blue, almost purple, almost green and therefore an all-around very mysterious neutral.

It actually did pain me a bit to paint the burled wood inserts on the doors but there were too many areas of damage that needed repair and I just couldn't picture a two-toned look.  I think because the two-tone is more indicative of a modern streamlined piece that wouldn't fit a piece like this with more decorative details.  

For her new gams, I found these metal 7" legs.  Their sleek lines help modernize the credenza so it can appeal to a wider variety of home decor styles. 

The piece's original floret-ed knobs complimented the quatrefoil design on the doors too perfectly to give up so I gave the legs our favorite faux-gold finish to match.

Inside is a cabinet on the left

and a set of drawers on the right.

Any one of her prints would have been the perfect compliment, but Cory's "Blue Fever" and "Dreaming in Orange" make such a lovely couple. 

Blue Fever by Cory McBee, Modern South Studio

Dreaming in Orange by Cory McBee, Modern South Studio

The navy and blush paired with the gray and gold of their piece reminds me of a quiet sunrise.  

I kept a relatively neutral color scheme with the rest of my decorative items: dried eucalyptus in a white ceramic vase, a couple stacks of books, white picture frames and touches of glass and gold.

Cory's prints are the precise soft/ feminine accents I was picturing when I finished this piece.  If you want a set of your own, you can shop Modern South Studio or email Cory for customize print sizes.  And if you're local to the DC Metro area, this gray quatrefoil beauty could also be yours.

Gray Quatrefoil Dresser
Now Available for Sale
72"L x 20"D x 30.5"H
$685

If you are interested in this piece or a custom order like it, email me at cate@stylemutthome.com.