One of the hardest things about cohabiting with a member of the opposite sex is merging your decorating styles together. Personally, my style is very girly, modern, light. Recently, I was flipping through a Pottery Barn catalogue and this photo made my heart stop:
there's a gift-wrapping station. *swoon*
Unfortunately, Steve's idea of the ultimate home office may differ slightly compared to mine:
you're welcome, Pottery Barn
Needless to say, our decorating styles couldn't be more different. I like clean lines and he likes a color palate of black and gold and/or things that look like they're from 1853.
So when we finally moved in together, it took FOREVER to decide on a theme for our bedroom. The hardest thing to figure out is how you can color palate that works for masculine and feminine, and how you can merge things with a whole other person and still retain parts of yourself.
Originally we were leaning towards a light blue tone, which in my brain was accented with white and silver. For him, not so much. I don't know how it happened, but when we were in Home Depot one day trying to choose between colors like Blue Cascade or Crystal Water, Steve turned to me and said, "what about navy?" And somehow, it just clicked.
Once we figured out that a nautical theme was the best way for both of us to be happy in our abode, we registered for things that would compliment our newly agreed upon motif.
However living in a 700 square foot offers up its own set of decorating challenges, as you're not so much focused on feng shui as you are feng "what can I use to hide all this crap." It's been over a year since we lived here, and I'm finally starting to feel like it's an actual bedroom and not a staging area for things that don't fit in the living room.
I had 2 days off in a row this week which was a total shock to my system. I decided I was going to use that time wisely to try to complete projects that I have never actually started. And let me tell you, I was a lean, mean, cleaning washing organizing dusting decorating machine. And since my room has never looked so good, I figured what better time to take really nice photos of it with my new camera to show off... I mean share... with all 17 of you?!
these are actually super annoying because they always clack against each other, but HOW CUTE?!
yes, I live in fear of that ship wheel... but it looks good so it's totally worth it
A few things going on here you need to know about (yes, NEED!).
- The navy coverlet and shams are from Crate and Barrel. Clearly nothing I could ever afford on my own, but who needs money when you have an Uncle Peter?
- The duvet is my first and only purchase from Pottery Barn. It was ON SALE for $79. That one hurt a little bit.
- The picture over by the window is a painting of a boat near a dock next to a barn or something in the winter. This is one of the finds scored by Steve and Mark on one of their "picking" excursions (i.e. yardsale).
- The ship wheel clearly completes the room, but not without a price, namely my sanity. The backstory on that is that Steve and I discovered this gem at Home Goods when we were "picking" (or just you know, shopping regularly) for nautical items for the room. It was some crazy price like $140, which is higher than I think I've ever spent on all the items I've purchased at Home Goods ever in my entire life. We knew it was way over our budget, but continued to visit said HG about once a week essentially stalking the item. One day I came home and Steve surprised me with it, a STEAL for $80 on clearance. In purchasing it though, we discovered just how damn heavy it is. Steve and Mark got it up on the wall somehow, but when I got home they didn't seem like they were exactly confident in their handywork. Cut to me and Steve sleeping at the foot of our bed for 4 days so that I could be positive it wasn't going to fall on our heads and kill us. My theory was that if fell on our feet, the worst that would happen is that we would break our ankles or something. If it fell on our heads, we'd either be dead or brain damaged, and I just felt it was really early on in our marriage to be testing that whole "for better or for worse" thing. But it's still up, so... victory!
my nightstand
One of my favorite things that I registered for was that bedside carafe. Why? I don't know. It just makes me feel fancy. Chelsea Handler and remotes? Less fancy, but necessary.
Steve's nightstand
So what's wrong this picture? Historical books, check. Nautical bowling pin looking thing, check. Picture of your wife when when she was 14 years old?! Yep, you read correctly- that is a school photo of yours truly when she was a freshman in high school, complete with braces and an uneven haircut that I swear was supposed to look like Christina Aguilera (pre-Dirrty days). You may think this is super creepy, and you're totally right. Steve always used to laugh at this picture at my parent's house because he claims that I closely resemble the youngest Hanson brother. So this year my mother framed it, wrapped it, and GAVE it to him for Easter! Like as a gift! And now he keeps it on his beside table just to bug me.
I don't know if my nerves can take hanging one more heavy thing on the wall
Steve scored these buoys from his uncle and I am determined to use them but I have no idea how. So for now they are serving the very important role of doorstop.
my dresser- where the girly things still live
I'm a big believer in that if you have pretty accessories, you should act like they are part of your decor and display them. I have more jewelry than I could wear in a year. If I didn't show it in my room, I would never see it. And that collection is worth tens of dollars.
too much? okay I swear I'm done with the jewelry
I lied! suckaaahs
I've been storing my earrings like this for years, because I frankly just don't know what else to do with them. I keep all my earrings on the cards they came on and hang them on tacks. Same with long necklaces.
This is my first ever walk in closet. Although it is getting increasingly difficult to actually walk in there because I keep filling it with stuff. Did I mention that this a shared closet with my husband? I did give him two drawers in that dresser. The smaller ones.
headbands are like tiaras for poor peopleI have all my headbands in cylindrical clear vase for storage/display. I got the idea for this after I saw an article in People about the costume designer for Gossip Girl. If it's good enough for the gay guy that gets to dress Blair Waldorf, it's good enough for me.
you never know when inspiration will strike
I want to keep everything I have in lucite. It just makes every thing look better. Right now I only have this rectangle holder for my perfume from The Container Store. I really want to upgrade and get some for my makeup too. All I need is one bajillion dollars.
And last but not least, I leave you with... the dress closet.
hello, girls
no wire hangers! only white, always
The dress closet is one of my favorite purchases of all time. I picked up this baby on sale at Ikea for $36. That's right, three-six. Unfortunately, it is practically made of paper and suffered an injury during the move. Steve has already started warning me that it will not make it through another move as it is balancing on three legs right now. I plan on throwing myself on top of it and refusing to leave it, like Kate and Leo in Titanic. I'll never let go...
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