Reader Design: Nancy's Love-Filled Nursery

I am so excited to return to our "new normal" Spaces programming - sharing a new amazing space with all of you style mutts each Friday! 

Next, we're off to Nancy's Love-Filled Nursery in Charlotte, NC. Nancy's mom, Elise, is a first-time mama who has created the most LOVELY space for her little girl. Brace yourselves: you're about to see a lot of white, pink, and gold - a combination which seriously knocks it out of the park!

From Elise: 

“When my husband walked into the nursery for the first time after my mom and I worked our magic, he said, “It’s so white in here!” That was music to my ears. I love white!”

Elise methodically planned every detail of this nursery prior the arrival of her daughter - and boy, can you tell! It's no wonder that when she was trying to choose which room in her home to feature with us, she went with this space. 

“I so enjoyed choosing Nancy’s crib bedding. I stayed in the white color scheme but mixed patterns: polka dots, hearts, and herringbone. The abstract art hanging above Nancy’s crib is my favorite element of the room. One of my best friends painted it based on two elements: my nursery inspiration board and 1 Peter 1:6-7.”

In true StyleMutt fashion, Elise also did some DIY work of her on the dresser. She snagged it for $20 and just repainted and added new knobs. And that was a great call. You don't need to meticulously strip and restore your secondhand finds in order to make them worthwhile. In my first apartment, I got a free Craigslist coffee table and painted it a bright turquoise - that wasn't exactly "on trend," but it was practical and easy to swap for another color when I needed a change! 

Another thing Elise nailed: the layered rug trend. Can you imagine waking up, rolling out of bed, and immediately hitting that shag rug with your feet?! What a way to start your day. I don't know about you guys, but I for one am very jealous of Nancy.

Thank you, Nancy and Elise, for sharing this beautiful home with us! Follow Nancy and Elise along at Her Heart and Home and on Instagram. 

Allow Me to Introduce Myself || McKenna's Cozy Basement Rental ||

Let me be upfront about this: I live in a basement rental right in the middle of Washington, D.C. There are two windows - well, one, but my front door has a plane of glass that I lovingly refer to as a window. It's a massive 600 square feet. Gray walls in every room. And, I LOVE it. 

You already know a little bit about me from this introduction, but I'd love to show you around and share some more about myself. 

My space is 100% mine - for the first time ever, I live alone. Each pile of laundry, dirty plate, and, most excitingly, design choice is mine. While design for me is never done, my space right now is perfectly illustrative of my "mid-century / industrial / glam aesthetic." You already know that I love gold, and nothing proves it better than my living room! 

That being said, my living room is the source of my latest internal struggle: symmetry or asymmetry? Note: the pillow asymmetry on the couch is  not intentional. The other orange pillow is just housed in my bedroom to hold while I sleep. Design has to be practical, right? 

Something else I love about my apartment: how it smells. Let's call it "Apartment Quality #2 that I love." I have a huge bundle of dyed eucalyptus that smacks me in the face every time I walk in the door. And then there's my favorite candle ever - the LA Noir - one of five scents from Scenthouse LA. 

From Scenthouse owner CJ:

“These are subtle but highly cognitive fragrances that are designed to set a mood. We’ve all had different experiences that inform what memories are recalled when we smell something – so if I can evoke a reaction, positive or negative, then I’ve done my job.”

To me, this candle - with its hint of lily, French perfume, dust, and tobacco - takes me back to one of my two favorite vacation destinations: Palm Springs, CA (the other is Copenhagen, Denmark, in case you were wondering).  I think traveling to Palm Springs with my parents when I was little girl subconsciously embedded a love of mid-century design deep in my soul... 

Now, on to "Apartment Quality #3 that I love" - there are so many great stories. The amazing orange lamps were a gift from my parents (by gift, I mean they no longer had a need for them in their new condo), and the bar cart is a pass down from my great-grandmother. It was made in the 1930's and cycled through several colors before returning to its original bronze. Every time I look at it, I feel incredibly nostalgic. 

That bedside table - or what we actually think is a 1920's phone table - was purchased by my parents in an estate sale in Richmond in 1986, the year they got married. It had many layers of paint, which my dad meticulously stripped off to uncover that beautiful oak. And the stainless steel bed has been in my room since I was nine years old. That beautiful giclée above my bed was painted by my boyfriend's very talented uncle.  

I love this little nook: the West Elm lamp, the weird mirror that somehow (maybe?) works, and my watercolors by a local DC artist. 

I will be eternally grateful to the woman I found on Craigslist who was selling this dresser. Cate & Chelsea are right... DC Craigslist is a treasure trove. 

It's a work in progress. And someday, of course, I hope to have even more space to put my mark on. But for now, it's home. 

Please follow me along at @mckennabegin for more, and email me at mckenna@stylemutthome.com if you're interested in having your Space featured! 

Always, 

Reader Design: Lejla's Light & Bright Atlanta Apartment

Hello, StyleMutt World! I'm McKenna, the newest addition to the team. I'll be sharing my humble abode with you all in a couple of days - just waiting on one tardy package to arrive. But FIRST, I'm going to introduce you to Lejla and her light & bright apartment in Atlanta, GA.

Lejla and I actually went to high school together in Richmond, VA - Go Rebels! -  back in the day and have reconnected over Instagram. I'm continually both inspired and intimidated by the ability of everyone's favorite app to keep us connected. 

Now, on to the good stuff...
From Lejla:

“This is the first apartment my husband and I moved into since moving down to the city. It has large windows and very high ceilings; in fact, at first I thought ‘how am I going to fill up those walls?’, but now I have learned to embrace them.”

Okay, I think we can all agree that Lejla nailed this year's pineapple trend - all while staying true to what she describes as her "rustic glam" style. It's a look that Restoration Hardware has perfected to a T. And in my opinion, so has Lejla! 

“I love weathered wood and shimmery objects. Whites, grays, and hints of gold make for a great color palette without going out of style.”

And now this... this motto is something I can get behind. And I bet my local florist would agree! 

“Fresh flowers are a weekly binge; they are my favorite grocery run and bring so much life to a room! My motto is, ‘splurge on great furniture and enhance it with chic accessories such as pillows, books, candles, or flowers!’”

“My favorite room to unwind and relax in is my bedroom. It’s bright, calm, and relaxing, and after a long day, there is nothing better than plopping down on that comfy bed!”

Lejla's husband Arnel is a photographer, so most of the art in the apartment is actually his work. If only we were all so lucky! I'll have to remember to tactfully recommend a new hobby to my boyfriend...

Lejla, we're so excited to celebrate your beautiful home! Thank you for inviting us along. Follow Lejla at @lejla_oh523 to see more!

And remember, StyleMutts: we'd love to celebrate your style too on our Spaces page. Just shoot me an email at mckenna@stylemutthome.com. 

Till next time,