Jake and I are officially first time homeowners! This has been a long two year endeavor full of complications that many of you looking to buy a home have dealt with too. As I sit here writing this I think about all the tears, and houses I thought were “the one”. What makes my heart the happiest reflecting on all of the heartache is to know if we had proceeded with any of the previous houses, we wouldn’t be living this life of sunshine and new opportunity.
Since the house search began I have dreamt about how I would outfit our home. It’s arguably what has kept me hanging on to hope! With a creative eye, I can be a bit picky and take a while to decide what I think looks right. If you asked Jake, he’d probably dramatize that statement. I’ll admit, It can be a double edged sword. On one hand I like making calculated decisions but on the other hand I try not to dismiss a piece that speaks to me in the moment, regardless of if I have a spot in my home for it.
Jake and I grew up in old homes in the North East full of unique antiques and what we like to call “statement pieces”. We cherish many of those pieces that have been handed down to us and look forward to mixing them in to the pieces we have begun to choose for our new home. I am not quite sure if we have a style that can be named. We like a little bit of everything: traditional, modern, eclectic… and now coastal! As I walk you through our vision, I think you’ll see a bit of it all and how having Rachel’s friendship has influenced some of my decisions when it comes to the coastal elements I have planned for.
Let me take you through each room I have planned so far. Friends and family, don’t worry, THERE IS A GUEST ROOM. You might just have to visit to see it!
Living Room and Kitchen
An open concept living room and kitchen is a bucket list item for everyone, no? This space fits our lifestyle perfectly. I love entertaining, so having the ability to sit at the barstools or on the couch and be in the same room is ideal. These rooms are the most thought through ones we have, likely because many of our first big home purchases will live here. I also wanted to make sure purchases we made would be versatile and could live in another home down the road. Having Rachel by my side, I know this absolutely will not be my forever home!
Speaking of her influences on me, can you spot any ideas in here I might have borrowed from her? The biggest, literally and figuratively, is this couch. Couch. of. my. dreams. The collage just does not do it justice. 100 inches of space for my feet to not touch Jakes while we sprawl out for a movie. The ottoman is made to come with it and will give me the sectional feel without having to sacrifice versatility in a future home. It also serves functionally as a coffee table, which the husband appreciates. To sit on top of the ottoman I chose the Cailini Coastal woven tray which you likely recognize from Rachel’s Kitchen. It’s sturdy and will hold coffee table books or a beverage perfectly. I’m a HUGE fan of layering textures in a home and this texture is a perfect addition to get that coastal vibe.
You’ll also notice the Sea Glass balls on my media console, biggest blue balls I’ve ever seen ?. Rachel has these same ones on her console. In all seriousness, they’re beautiful and will give the pop of color I am looking for in this previously neutral space. Once I placed those I tried adding a blue runner in the kitchen. The runner may be too bright for me and a step too far outside my neutral comfort zone but it’s from TJ MAXX online and I can always return it in store.
Dining Room
This room flows right from the living room and is essentially one with that and the kitchen. Many of my neutral tones and coastal textures carried over. I added this statement-piece mirror that fits perfectly between these windows. My parents had a big mirror like this in our dining area growing up and I have always admired it. I wanted to bring a tiny bit of blue and black and this oyster art did the trick. Jake and I love oysters and reminds us of our dating days in South Carolina.
Before I wrap up this room I must mention this table. I have big dreams for a table like this but not at the cost I am seeing. We’ve been eyeing one on Facebook Marketplace that has a similar shape but needs a serious face lift. Fingers crossed I am able to score it and stay tuned for that DIY transformation!
Entryway
I’ll be honest, I am not quite sure this table is going to be the right size for my entry way but we have it and I’d love to make use of it there. If not,I think this entire look would go great in our bedroom. I like the versatility of this “desk”. We’ve used it dining for two as well and it hasn’t failed us! I’m mixing some current pieces I have with some new ones here for table top decor. Admittedly, I could probably find a branch like this out in the wild faster than it will ship these days but it looks good here, right?!
Primary Bedroom
I am disappointed to say these nightstands are sold out in black but they do have some other colors. While they were an endeavor for Jake to put together, they turned out great and upgraded nice with some new knobs from Amazon. Most of the pieces in this room we have had but I am thinking about swapping out my current lamps for these ones in order to follow suit with my coastal commitment. I need some artwork for over the bed, this seems to be the hardest for me to shop for. Any favorite places to shop for wall pieces?
Jake’s Office
Jake has had little to no say in this office design but I have vowed to give him the room with the most light coming in. I just cant say no to this Studio McGee cabinet that is launching in a few days, so I had to find a home for it! Hoping I can eventually convince him on this big leather chair, if I’m working from home I often find a comfy chair to sit in and I know me sitting in his office with him is exactly what he had in mind ? .
Home takes time
Rome was not built in a day and I keep reminding myself that goes for my vision boards too! Home takes time and thats half the fun. We’ve mapped out our priorities and what the next year of purchases will look like and I cant wait to take you guys along for the ride!
