Let Me Tell You A Little Story...

I first wrote this post back in 2013, and because a couple of people have mentioned it to me lately, I felt it was time to share it again.  I hope that it sheds a new light on the story of your stuff , and helps you to edit life in your house in a very meaningful way. XO

Once upon a time there was a young girl who came from a very musical family. The family took such pride in their gift of song, and this little one also showed great promise. It was decided that something grand should be done....

A beautiful, expensive instrument was purchased for her to play, and placed prominently in their home. This purchase meant that the girl would grow to be an accomplished musician, it would be a sign of elegance, refinement, prosperity. It would be passed on to future generations so that they too could carry on the family tradition....

But here's the problem:

THAT'S JUST A STORY.

Just a few months ago I looked across the room at a baby grand piano that I have had in my home all my adult life and the better part of my childhood, and saw the truth of it for the first time.

The truth is that that piano was clutter.

Despite its presence in my life, that piano never made me refined or elegant, and it never got me on stage at Carnegie Hall...THANK GOD.  The values and story behind its presence in my life were not mine. My life and the story I want to tell with my days is much more along the lines of belting out gospel and blues tunes in the kitchen while my husband plays the guitar.

When this moment of clarity hit me, all of a sudden it was clear that taking up 30 square feet of my home with all that wood and ivory was ridiculous.

SO....

it was time to call the piano movers.

In its place is now an empty corner that is full of possibilities...

What story does your stuff tell about you? And most importantly,

is it true??

Holding on to things that are just holding you back makes it much harder to tell the true story of you

.

A Quick Before & After! (House Hunter's Edition :) )

It's kinda funny. For the past year or so, I have been helping one of my clients prepare her house to go on the market, one room at a time...

And now her husband isn't so sure he wants to move anymore. :)

SO, if you are thinking about how you can make your house more marketable (or even more irresistible to you each day!)--using things you mostly already have on hand--then today's article is FOR YOU! 

This month in her house, we focused on a guest room that had some good bones in place, but just needed a little bit of tweaking to really make the room come together...

It had a beautiful bedroom set that was my client's grandmother's, paint color and carpeting that were in good shape, and some window treatments that that complemented the existing color scheme of the room.

So take a look at the space now that we have made some tweaks: 

When you are creating a room that will make your buyers swoon...or even better yet, a room that makes YOUR heart swell each day when you see it, you want to create a feeling of balance, a little decorative drama, an overall look that feels pulled together, and include the creature comforts that make a room seem so cozy you can't wait to spend some time in it.

So how did we do that here? Can you see the things that have been changed? 

First, we rehung the existing curtains in a wider stance to give the windows more presence...

we removed one of the dressers that had been next to the bed so that the room could feel larger and so the bed could be centered featuring night stands and lamps on each side...

and we added texture and cohesiveness with new bedding, lighting, and artwork that pulled together the colors that were already in the room and really made them shine. 

The beautiful light from the new lamps, the fresh flowers, and the other decorative touches of soft pillows, a cozy throw and sparkly accents add the top layer of warmth and elegance that really complete the room. 

As my client said when we were all done, "I think I want to come here and be a guest in my own house now!" :)

{Video} Routines. UGH. (But maybe not??)

Maybe you can't stand routines either. UGH. But just hear me out...

Because I received so much positive feedback from the little SaturdayMorning Inspiration messages I sent out during December of last year, I wanted to send you some more inspiration and support to help you as we start this new year together...

Hope this morning's short video gets you thinking in a new way about YOUR house and how you LIVE in it. 

Have a wonderful weekend, and let me know if this week's message hits home for you. I would love to hear about the things you are hoping to create in your life and home in 2018!!

A Cozy Bedroom BEFORE & AFTER!

Of all the rooms that I help people with in their homes, I have to say that there are two spaces that seem to be the most meaningful and impactful in they way they make the WHOLE HOUSE FEEL BETTER when they finally come together, feel peaceful, and look gorgeous. 

Can you guess which two rooms they would be?

Well, first it would be the kitchen (I am sure you aren't surprised...), and the CLOSE SECOND is

drumroll, please....

THE MASTER BEDROOM!

When this room irks you, doesn't nourish you, and just doesn't work for you, you can literally lose sleep at night. 

My client's master bedroom, when we started this project, was spare and lacked personality. Take a look: 

I knew I wanted to bring in some depth, character, and comfort--some elements that reflected my client's eclectic style-- loving both Mid Century furnishings as well as French-inspired decor, as she does. :) 

Take a look at how the space looks now: 

We started with a deep wall color that resonated with the new bedding my client had selected, and then added new rugs to cozy up the space. Reorienting the bed so that it anchored the room and was flanked by the two windows that faced you as you entered the room, gave the room a sense of balance and the bed the presence it should have in such a lovely room. 

Vintage matching nightstands and a pair of mercury glass lamps were added to complete the symmetry.

Harry The Cat was a constant help as we worked on the room, and gave his approval to every corner...

He especially loved the new settee, with all its comfy pillows and soft throw, that we placed on the other side of the room in the sitting area we created.

Throughout the room we layered textures and patterns creating an artsy, bohemian feel...

The final result is one that definitely creates an oasis for my client and her family. 

My FAVORITE image of this room is the one she texted to me shortly after I left the final day we were putting the room together. 

She wrote, "Look what I found in my room after you all left!"

I guess Harry couldn't keep the new room a secret for long!

Are you looking for that TOTAL TRANSFORMATION?

Maybe we are looking at this whole 'New Year,  New You'  TOTAL TRANSFORMATION thing the wrong way...

Because I received so much positive feedback from the little Saturday Morning Inspiration messages I sent out last month, I wanted to send you some more inspiration and support to help you as we start this new year together...

Hope this morning's short video gets you thinking in a new way about YOUR house and how you LIVE in it. 

REMEMBER, SOMETIMES PICKING JUST ONE THING TO DO DIFFERENTLY CAN BE MORE MEANINGFUL THAN TRYING TO CHANGE EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE. (You'll see what I mean in the video. :) )

Have a wonderful weekend, and let me know if this week's message hits home for you. I would love to hear about the things you are hoping to create in your life and home in 2018!!

Happy Saturday!
Love,
Erin