I know I promised pictures of the house with OUR stuff in it ages ago and I hesitated to take pictures because things aren't still 100% how I want them. I have a list on the side of the fridge of Wants for the house but if I waited until that list was fulfilled we might be eighty years old. So here's how it is now, with modifications to come.
I love our front entryway. The curve in the foyer mimics the curved window on the door. We hang our keys on the mirror with hooks which doesn't really make sense as we use the back door to the garage the majority of the time. But this looks better hung here.
Our landlord gifted us this bookshelf. It fits the space perfectly and we are always in need of places to put our books. Even with my compulsive tendencies, I love a messy bookshelf as I feel it's inviting. I want people to be able to walk over, peruse our selection, and pull some titles out. We lend books out all the time and I think it's because our books are displayed in an inviting way, as opposed to rigidly placed according to size or title. I have our wedding album and wedding picture on the top shelf so Theo can't mess with them. (Also? That's the Santa phone. Whenever Theo picks it up to call someone it's always Santa. Never anyone else and I don't know where he got that idea, though I think it's awesome.)
Our red couch, which I want to replace oh-so-desperately. I want an L-shaped sofa now that Theo's bigger as uh, he has a knack for stretching out taking up the space of three grown men. We need more room. We also totally need an area rug but I don't want to get one until we get a new couch which will be in a different color (I'm thinking a steel grey/taupe-ish color if that makes sense), so for now we have a naked living room floor. The photos on the back wall are old calendar pages that I framed, suggestion by my BFF Kristin.
Our coffee table is now a play area and I put it in front of the window so Theo could have more room to run around. It's also in front of our big picture window as he watches the squirrels and people walking their dogs. Ideally I want a storage ottoman since the wood is not holding up against toddler toys. If I could go back in time and shake my newly engaged self while registering for furniture I certainly would. Also, I know SOMEthing needs to go in that huge gaping hole to the left of the television but can't figure out what. Usually that's reserved for parking Theo's tricycle and lawn mower (which will go outside once the weather decides what the eff it's doing.) Our arm chair and floor lamp are to the right.
Here is Theo's toy area to the left. I want to make a huge photo montage on that wall but that involves 1). going through all our photos and selecting ones that are print and frame worthy 2). actually printing out said photos 3). buying frames 4). doing all the necessary measuring and planning and oh my god I should just HIRE someone to do this one simple task. But that naked wall haunts me.
All of Theo's books (except for a few on the bottom--he's not quite into Janet Evanovich or the Bourne series yet. We're working on that.). I had his birthday cards displayed up there because it made me happy, and they are blocking our silver service tea set from Bryan's great grandmother. If we had a formal dining room set I'd have it out on a buffet or hutch so until then, it's in the living room.
Our only bathroom. I'm glad our stuff works with the paint color that was already in there, as it makes me not feel all twitchy. We'd like to hang a matching white cabinet above the toilet to provide us with more storage space. Under the sink just doesn't cut it. All my make-up is in the box on the toilet--I love that thing.
We were very lucky that this room's paint color went with the color scheme to Theo's nursery. WHEW! No hot pink here! And the white trim is just too perfect for words since his furniture is white as well. My mom got him the rug for his birthday (Circo brand at Target) and it's perfect--he puts his cars and trucks on it and zooms them around. The Elmo sofa pulls out into a bed which he's too tall for (of course) but we change his diaper on it anyway as he's too heavy for his changing table. The quilt over the side of his crib was made by my ex co-worker and I have it placed there to prevent light shining into his crib from the window at night. The neighbors have a MEGA WATT light over their garage and it feels like you're a prison escapee.
Hanging those letters makes me question my will to live and they are STILL crooked and that's all I have to say about THAT.
The changing table is a bit of a catch-all at this point as we can't use it to change his diaper (Read: gigantor baby) but I don't want to remove it and have a gaping hole there. I want a small wooden table and two chairs to put there and then want to hang his future art work, so once we get those I'll take out the changing table. The box fan provides blessed white noise which helps Theo sleep and allows us to walk around the house instead of having to learn how to fly. Also: thank you Target brand diapers for matching our color scheme.
This is the top of Theo's dresser. That painting was custom made by an old friend of ours and measures 20" X 20" because that's how long Theo was when he was born. I love it more than anything and it's my favorite thing in his room. You can see his birth announcement to the left along with this crib name tag from the hospital nursery and his wee hospital bracelets. The stuffed koala was sent from a bloggy friend of mine who lives in Australia and Theo adores it. He has asked to sleep with it more than once, but the flag on a stick makes me want to avoid a puncture wound if at all possible.
I love this glider. I want to marry it. When we travel and I'm away from our glider I get pangs in my chest because I miss it so much. We read stories in it every night, and this was the only place I'd nurse Theo. I love this nook of his room. The quilt was given to us by Pseudostoops for our baby shower and that is what I planned the room around. The quilt rack is from Pottery Barn Kids but I got it on Craig's List four years ago for $25. SCORE. His six and twelve month foot prints are framed on the top shelf and no, we don't have his newborn prints and I'm still upset about it so please don't ask. His baptism shoes are in the first cubby, and his plaid jaunty cap is on the far right. I can't believe he was ever that small.
That's it for now. I never know if these things are boring or not so I'll finish the rest of the house in another post. And if you have any decorating suggestions that aren't too spendy please, I'm all ears!
I love looking at people's houses so keep 'em comin'! The giant wall of photos isn't really as hard as it seems. I've been doing that along the stairs using all black and white photos in black or white frames (saw the combo in a Pottery Barn catalog and loved it). I just used the back side of some leftover wrapping paper and laid it all out. I didn't need 4x the holes that way. :)
Posted by: cjm | March 29, 2010 at 08:57 AM
Totally NOT boring. I love peeking in other people's houses and and learning about all the little details (especially those in Theo's room - so cool!). Your house looks beautiful. Can't wait for the next installment!
Posted by: Kate | March 29, 2010 at 09:30 AM
Love it! Your color tastes run right along with mine. I love Theo's room, and I think your bookshelves are PERFECT - that's how ours look too. Inviting is the theme here, too.
And how fabulous is your front entry/foyer? I LOVE it. Love, love, love all around...and those FLOORS!
So glad you're settled & happy.
Posted by: bessie.viola | March 29, 2010 at 10:08 AM
Not boring at all! It's so much fun to see other people's houses.
I love that all your bookshelves are loosely arranged, I love that custom painting in Theo's room (SO awesome)... just the whole house looks so warm and welcoming. Most of all I'm happy that after everything you went through, you have this beautiful place to call home!
Posted by: Melissa | March 29, 2010 at 10:28 AM
I love looking at where people live. I'll admit, I'm one of those semi-rigid types with my bookshelves...call it a bit of OCD? :) Your floors are gorgeous and I love Theo's room. I don't have decorating advice because I struggle with that in my own house...but I totally feel you on the list of house wants. :) Thanks for sharing!
p.s. thanks for your sweet comment on my last post. The baby feet have to be my favorite picture from the ultrasound. :)
Posted by: Equipoise | March 29, 2010 at 12:17 PM
I love the Theo painting sooooooo much!
Posted by: Swistle | March 29, 2010 at 01:29 PM
So nice!!!!
Posted by: Aimee Greeblemonkey | March 29, 2010 at 06:30 PM
I WAS THERE!!! I washed my face in that sink! I sat on that couch!
Your house is seriously adorable.
Posted by: Jen | March 29, 2010 at 07:50 PM
I was there too!!! You have a lovely, warm, and inviting home :)
Posted by: Sara @ Belle Plaine | March 30, 2010 at 02:43 PM
looks great! nobody's house is perfect right of the bat...and even when you've lived in the same place for 6 years you still have those spaces and places that drive you nuts and don't feel quite right. your new house feels like a home....i'm so happy for you guys!
LOVE this photo wall that tara whitney did in her house with ikea frames. http://tarawhitney.com/justbeblogged/2008/06/opam-may-08-photo-wall-in-living-room-after/
you could TOTALLY do this with a few pics of Theo as a baby and then as a wee baby-man. And a few pics from your family photo shoot from '09. OMG. It would look awesome. I'll even come out to help you hang up the pics....we both know how fun that always is!
xoxox
Posted by: kristin c. | March 30, 2010 at 08:38 PM
You have a very beautiful home, I wish have something like that in the future.....
Posted by: Stickers and Labels Lover | April 05, 2010 at 10:34 AM
Your home is so ... homey. I feel like I could walk in the front door, curl up on the couch and feel at home. Mission accomplished, my friend.
BTW, I LOVE that painting in Theo's room. It was my favorite thing before even reading that it's one of your favorites!
Posted by: Nilsa @ SoMi Speaks | April 06, 2010 at 01:00 PM
We've lived in our condo for six years now, and it will never look as nice as your house does now.
Posted by: Papa Bradstein | April 10, 2010 at 02:06 AM
Everything looks good, in my opinion. You could add some light-colored decor in the rooms with the dark-colored paint so that they can add a little bit of brightness.
Posted by: Randolph Coleson | May 31, 2011 at 03:09 PM