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Living for Pretty

Celebrating all things pretty, happy and inspiring. From renovation stories, to recipes, decorating, parties and little life lessons, you’ll find a little bit of everything here.

bedroom update: styling nightstands



January 8, 2015

A long time ago I shared some photos of our bedroom. We had finished our headboard and the room was ‘good enough’ to take you all through, but still missing many finishing touches and a few essential items – like nightstands. Today I share with your our bedroom update, complete with good lighting (you’re welcome) and our DIY Ikea Rast Nightstands.

I had searched tirelessly for nightstands that would maximize the space on either side of the bed. These fit like a glove and had the storage we were craving. They were also cheap, which meant that some money could be spent fixing them up and buying hardware.

Is the room still a work in project? Always. But it is finally a much prettier, happier and functional work in project. I hope you enjoy.

 

nightstands, ikea // lamp shades, target // headboard, project here // duvet cover, macys (old) // clock, vintage // fitzgerald print, etsy //  lamps, vintage //  candle, antrhopologie //  curtain tie backs, urban outfitters  // trinket dish, anthropologie (old) //  brass tray, vintage // box, target (old)

1 Comment CATEGORIES / home

our small kitchen – before



December 19, 2014

Our kitchen may have been the ugliest, most depressing room when we first purchased our house. Everything was so awful. In a kitchen that was roughly 100 square feet, there were a total of three doorways, including the bathroom door! Then there was the brown, 70’s flooring and blue laminate backsplash, a plastered-in half chimney, a super tiny attic access hole, and a space between the oven and built-ins that was maybe 20 inches wide. (Here’s a reminder of the initial layout)
 

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fall harvest



September 24, 2014

 

We’ve been in our house for about a year and a half (time flies!) and while we’ve had many a parties, we have yet to have an open house where aunts, cousins etc. can visit. No more! We are planning a fall fête to celebrate summer turning to autumn. For me, hosting seasonal get togethers instead of holidays is far better. There’s no holiday pressure, no scheduling headaches, and you aren’t tied to the calendar. It’s just a relaxed, happy time.
On the other hand, having a little get-together is a wonderful motivator to get a few of our smaller, already-started projects to the finish line. Our fence has been half stained, our crown moulding still waiting to be installed in the living room, and there’s some small paint touchups required. So we are very much looking forward to checking a few more things off our list.
Below are a few images we are using as inspiration for next week’s gathering. I’m thinking a pumpkin carving station for kids and adults alike, white and green pumpkins as decoration, butternut squash soup, pumpkin risotto, apple pie, and caramelized onion flatbread. Can’t wait to make it a tradition!
everyday occasions |  style me pretty | spoonforkbacon | ivilliage |

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garage sale tips and tricks



June 10, 2014

I get a surge of excitement when I spot bright-colored signs at street intersections. Yard sales are the one place left to get amazing deals on used goods. This is especially true in the Seattle area as flea markets are few and far between, and thrift stores prices have caught up with their level of trendiness. Here are just a few of my tips and tricks to getting ready for the garage sale season so you can score big!

—-Time it right —-

I start the yard sale season in May when the first few sunny days hit and people start spring-cleaning. College towns are a treasure trove the weekend after finals week. Students are moving home for the summer, or relocating for work and don’t want to deal with large pieces and clutter. These sales are perfect for finding bohemian home decor, trendy clothing and nicer bicycles.
Look for annual community garage sales, and mark them on your calendar. Many communities pull together to do joint advertising and encourage community members to host garage sales on the same day. This means there will be house after house of sales, block after block. We have three annual garage sales we hit every year. We mark off the whole day for them and save up some cash. This makes for efficient garage sailing. These sales can attract treasure hunters from across the state, so come early (but don’t be an annoying early-bird).

—-Make a game-plan—-

…but feel free to stray off course. Before casual garage sailing (note: not day-long community sales) I like to start with a route or location in mind. Yard sale treasure map is a cool tool that combines garage sale listings from Craigslist and creates a treasure map route. I usually pick a cluster in a nice neighborhood and go from there. But the older generations aren’t in-the-know on that Craigslist thing, so feel free to veer off course when a new sign appears.

—- Location, location, location —-

I find higher quality items in neighborhoods with higher real-estate prices. Be strategic. If you’re looking for kid stuff, try suburban areas. If you’re looking for nice antiques, try the established neighborhoods (which are often in a higher real estate bracket). If you’re looking for art or quirky accessories, try the upcoming neighborhoods that attract the 20-somethings.

 —- Haggle —-

Garage sales are the one place I feel comfortable haggling. Think of the posted price as a suggestion and keep in mind what you’re willing to spend. The afternoons are the best time to strike a bargain as sellers want to close up and be done for the day. In the mornings, I tend to be a little more conservative. I try not to offer less than 50% of the asking price. If you’re new to this, start by offering to pay 80% of the price.
If you think the posted price is already a screaming deal (like 10 cents for a book), pay it. If it’s already rock bottom, don’t be rude, you’re both winning here. If you’ve struck yard sale gold and are buying multiple items try grouping together for a lower price.
Remember, it’s always in your favor to get the seller to identify the price first. If it’s high, counter or put it back down. If it’s lower than expected; you scored! If there’s an item you’re interested in that’s overpriced, give the seller your phone number and ask them to call you if it still needs a home at the end of the day.

 —- Grab your insurance —-

Did you buy an awesome dresser, but need some time to secure a friend with a truck? Pay for the item and ask the seller to put a ‘sold’ sign on it and a note to serve as a receipt. Before you leave (to come back later), grab a dresser drawer or couch cushion. This way the seller won’t be able to re-sell your item to the highest bidder. This doesn’t happen often, but it’s not unheard of either!

 —-Come prepared —-

Here are a few items I find essential on the hunt.

  • A big sturdy bag. This can be a backpack, canvas tote bag or reusable grocery bag. This is VERY important. Use as a shopping basket and with it on your shoulder, you’ll still have hands to rummage. If parking and walking from house to house, this will carry it all. On the bigger, multifamily garage sales, I might even pick up some wheeled luggage (or bring your kid’s radio flyer) to tote my wares.
  • Small bills. Stock a lot of $1’s and $5’s. Because it’d be embarrassing to haggle your way down to a couple bucks and hand the seller a $50. Also, sellers appreciate it.
  • Cell phone. Did you find that perfect navy blue couch, but didn’t bring the truck? This is your life-line to outside help. Often sellers will hold on to the bigger items till the end of the day, to give you time to hunt down transport options. Often I prearrange emergency help before a day of garage sailing. Luckily my family values a good bargain so they will usually do the favor. In addition, cell phones are great maps that help you get orientated in unfamiliar neighborhoods and locate the nearest ATM.
  • Bungee cords. In case you don’t have nice friends and family with a truck (or own a truck yourself). With enough bungee cords you can put some pretty big items on the top of your car. Just, don’t quote me on that….
  • Space measurements. If you’re shopping for larger items, keep a list of what you need, with measurements, dimensions and sizes. That way you won’t forget, and you’ll know when it’s the perfect fit.
  • Tape measure, to make sure that darling armoire/bench/couch will fit in your house.
  • Fabric Swatches. I typically look for a lot of home decor, so I like to bring pictures of rooms in progress and fabric swatches. This makes me make smarter design choices.
  • Water and snacks. My husband will get hangry fast, so we make sure to guard against any problems of the stomach. Sunscreen isn’t a bad move either!
Update (6-18-14): Wear Sunscreen. Lesson learned from a recent garage sale adventure. 

2 Comments CATEGORIES / home

kitchen accents – mint



May 23, 2014

In an attempt to get over my color anxiety I’ve been on the hunt for great mint kitchen accents. I think eventually we want to put some open shelves above the fridge (or even an eclectic gallery wall), and it’d be fun to display all our pretty white dishes and our pops of mint too!  Below are a few items I think give the perfect hint of mint in the kitchen.
bowls | knobs | apron | print | plate | clock

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project entryway complete



April 23, 2014

Well, we finished the entryway! The last piece that we needed was a set of hooks to hold our daily jackets and catch items before they landed on the couch or dining room table. Zooey has a hook too; the Scotty is the perfect resting place for her leash. The shelf with hooks was a $10 find at Goodwill last weekend. Sometimes the stars align and you find exactly what you’re looking for (usually you have to thrift with an open mind). All the art we already owned, and the “be happy” mouse hung in my room when I was a wee one. Hope you all like it! We’re excited to move on to bigger rooms.

 

Stencil // Royal Designs, Wardrobe // Thrifted/Craigslist (similar), Artwork // Thrifted, Scotty Hook // Anthropologie

More posts on our entryway:

  •  Entryway Inspiration
  •  Small Entryway Design
  •  Graphic Wallpaper: Look for Less

4 Comments CATEGORIES / home

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Decor and home with a little bit of daydreaming and real life sprinked in. My husband and I are slowly updating our 1900 Dutch Colonial. I love hunting for vintage and flying the pacific northwest and the world with my aviator husband.
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