Reader Design: Amy's Bright Bungalow

This post-Memorial Day weather has been quite bipolar recently, from gray to humid and hot. Thank goodness we have Amy's always-consistent, bright, and refreshing 1920's craftsman home to spotlight this week!

 
 

Amy and her husband bought their home in the up-and-coming Washington, D.C. neighborhood of Brookland just over two years ago, and they quickly went to work to bring it authentically to life. 

From Amy:

When I first started the decorating process, I knew I wanted to embrace the home’s cozy vibe that I feel every time I walk in the front door. I have always been drawn to color and textures, and I practiced very little restraint when picking out some of the more eclectic pieces. My husband often jokes that I am the queen of tchotchkes, and I’m OK embracing that title.

Inspired by the bohemian and natural elements mastered by Justina Blakeney of The Jungalow, Amy set out on a mission to adopt a 'try and see' mindset. That approach allowed Amy to have the freedom to experiment and just see what worked. More often than not, she ended up with something seriously cool and intriguing, like pairing competing patterns or textiles or putting plants in seemingly odd places. 

Plants, though, can warm up any space and studies have shown that they boost mood and are good for the air quality so I think I can safely justify this obsession.

Keeping all those plants company in the dining room is a piece that solved many of Amy's art commitment issues - that gorgeous Juniper Briggs original.

One of the biggest decorating obstacles I have is committing to artwork for the walls so I framed a lot of our travel pictures. They always start a conversation when we have guests over and they evoke my favorite memories when I look at them. That being said, I finally purchased a beautiful print from the lovely and local artist Juniper Briggs. It was the one piece that really finished off my dining room, and I tortured myself for months trying to decide on which one of her pieces to buy.

And finally, we come to Amy's favorite room in the house: her bedroom (and 'dog's palace').

It is hands down my favorite room in the house. Almost all of the objects including planters, the brass mobile above the bed, and the light fixture are handmade. I love supporting artists, and I can spend hours scouring Etsy for that one unique item that I know I will treasure for years to come.

Amy, you have quite the comfy home! Thank you for sharing it with us today - and for those who want more, follow Amy along on Instagram @lilyslovelies.

See you next week,

Live Edge Plant Stand || Furniture Flip Bucket List ||

 
 

Guys.  I've finished the second item on my 2017 Furniture Flip Bucket List.  And she has something she wants to say...

Hey.

I've been wanting to do a live edge piece for a while but had no idea where to get my hands on a slab.  Then, while picking through a salvage yard with my partner-in-crime Chelsea, I found a beautiful little piece of raw sycamore.

I stripped off the splintering bark and sanded the whole slab down until the edges and surface where as smooth as a baby's bottom. 

I added a tri-pod of black metal hairpin legs that make it the perfect height to rest under a window so all your plant kiddo's can get their vitamin D.

She a delicate little thing that's too dainty for coffee table or foot-of-the-bed bench.  But she's happy to host some growing greens.

Live Edge Plant Stand
Now Available for Sale
33.5"L x 11"D (at widest point) x 18.5"H
$95

If you are interested in this piece or a custom order like it, please contact me at cate@stylemutthome.com.

Two down, five to go.  Catch up on the 2017 Furniture Flip Bucket List.

DIY Planter ||Furniture Flip Bucket List||

Ok so something magical happened.  I made something I've always wanted to make using only the items I already had lying around.  That's a project with like no risk and all reward.  Hey-Oh!  Even better, this project also fulfills one of the items on my 2017 Furniture Flip Bucket List.  Double Hey-Oh!

So which item is the first I shall be crossing off this year's list?

 
 

Why No.3 of course.

The construction of this little guy was relatively simple.  All I needed was some round wooden dowels, a dowel kit, some wood glue, and a large ceramic planter.  Following along with this handy tutorial, I was able to assemble the four legs and the joining cross section. 

I built the stand to fit a ceramic planter I had lying around (with a dead plant carcass inside).  For extra stability, I secured the joints with wood glue and strapped the base in place to set.

Once the glue dried, I spray-painted the planter white and stained the legs a warm brown to get that iconic MCM planter look.

Now my plant children have a place of honor to reside.

Despite the glue, he's still not the sturdiest but I am proud I built him nonetheless.  And I still plan to improve my carpentry skills and build something SUPER solid to fulfill item No.7 this year.

But of course in the spirit of the upcoming Oscar's, let's play a little round of

WHO WORE IT BEST?

Leave your votes in the comments below xoxo.

One down, six to go.  Catch up on the 2017 Furniture Flip Bucket List: