Her home has taken Instagram by fire. I've been following along since day one, and it's clear to see that Kelsey has filled her Dallas, Texas home carefully, lovingly, and authentically. She's an engineer, newlywed, and new homeowner and is taking every opportunity to make this place her own.

From Kelsey:

“I would describe my style as modern-collected-eclectic. Most of my accessories are vintage pieces I had been collecting long before we owned our home. I’ve also developed a deep appreciation for worldly décor from my travels to the Middle East and other parts of the globe, and I love creating juxtaposition between exotic textures and clean-lined, modern furniture. ”

Her collected but modern style is something I seriously strive for.

Let's take the kitchen for instance: the all-the-way-to-the-ceiling marble hexagon tiles; the baby blue lower cabinets; the brass hardware. It is EVERYTHING - on trend without being too time-specific. Kelsey's managed to make a pastel baby blue feel like a neutral.

“When it comes to trends, there have been a few struggles. As a closet artist and lover of color, my knee jerk reaction is to say yes to all things bright, bold, and colorful in décor, but when designing our home, I knew I wouldn’t be happy with the end result if I didn’t find a color balance. My new obsession is natural textures and exotic textiles which has allowed me to create a more neutral palette without losing interest.”

Since she's tried to tone down overt colors, Kelsey also adds interest through the one-of-a-kind pieces she proudly displays.

“In our living room, my favorite pieces are our vintage brass Moroccan tray and the art above the fire place. I found the tray while antiquing during college at one of my favorite shops. I gasped the first time I spotted it, but discovered the price tag was a little too steep for a broke college student and sadly left it behind. Months later, I returned to the shop and found the tray wedged between some old, dusty boxes in the back of the store (maybe someone else was ‘saving’ it for later) but at that point I knew it was meant to be and I snatched it up – the rest is history! The painting above our fire place was one of the only items we bought back from our recent honeymoon in Hawaii. We wandered into an art gallery owned by the sweetest couple, and although we had a smaller budget, they were so excited to help us commemorate our new marriage with a painting. After an hour of great conversation and multiple phone calls to the artist, we were able to purchase our first piece of art as husband and wife. ”

Kelsey's taken those lessons from college and her honeymoon to heart and is committed to spending that hard-earned cash on things that are unique and bring you nothing but the purest joy: art and rare vintage finds.

“In those moments, I usually ask myself ‘will I always regret if I walked away and never found an item like this again’ and that helps me decide whether to move on or make a splurge worth it.”

Kelsey, we are so grateful for the opportunity to get inside your home & get to know you better! Can't wait to continue to follow along and see how your home continues to evolve - you've got some serious talent! Follow Kelsey along @leftandlevel for more!

Now, let's all go about our days and just try not to be too envious of this stunning Texas home.

Hi Friends! I know. I realized the ironic title of this post was maybe a little too close to 'planned parenthood' only after I created the above image. And my computer is super slow so it took longer than it should have and I didn't feel like changing it. We straight? The idea for this post came to me recently when I discovered I've had the same handful of plants in my home, thriving, for over a year. I know that's nothing to boast about; gosh, I know people who are now fostering family heirloom plants in their homes until they get passed on to the next generation. Incredible! I have never considered myself to be any sort of a green thumb, (brown at best), until I realized my plants weren't dying. And not only were they not dying, they've been looking pretty darn satisfied in our home! It's not that they've become immune to our typically hostile environment of wild children, nor is it some magical touch I mysteriously acquired. Over time I've been the fortunate recipient of some great, practical advice from various friends, family and my girl Ebony who works at the Lowes Home Improvement nursery in Sterling, VA. There are far, (faaarrrrrrr), more knowledgeable sources than myself, but for me, these 5 tips cover a few steps beyond the most basic plant care and will, hopefully, ensure successful plant life in your home!

Anyone with multiples can attest; only God and your schedule are what keep you alive in those first few 6 and a half years. I remember hearing something about kids being comforted by having a schedule, and if comfort equated sleep, then I'd be the Al Capone of organized child rearing.

It's kind of the same with your plants. They're living things and get acquainted with their own maintenance schedule. Whether your plant requires water twice weekly with fertilization once a month, or just a little water once every other week, learn the care required for each plant, (I just read the back of the tag), and find a comfortable maintenance schedule that works within yours.

You know that advice you always hate hearing about getting your hair trimmed regularly when you are just trying to grow it out long? Regular trims are vital to healthy hair. I would know; I haven't taken myself in for a trim in over a year so I know unhealthy hair. Anyways, trimming unhealthy leaves is a crucial part of a plants' health. Even trimming the brown edge of a leaf will help it out! Why should the healthy leaves suffer from the toxins of a few dead leaves? Spare them. It's survival of the fittest in the plant world and the dead leaves have got to go!

This guy doesn't stand a chance.

It's not uncommon for families to upgrade to a larger home at some point of their children growing. You've heard folks mutter the phrase, 'we've outgrown our house'. Well, believe it or not, plants can outgrow their pot! This has been one of the most helpful tips I've learned. A few years ago I went on a plant shopping spree and potted my new finds in the pots that were appropriate to their size. I followed their care instructions verbatim. I thought we were on a good schedule, they were growing healthy and seemed happy; what could go wrong, I thought. Turns out their roots were 'suffocating' as the pots had become too small. So they withered and died and I raised my hands to the sky and asked, "Whyyyyyyy??????" Upgrade your pots if you're caring for your plants per their instructions and they start looking unhappy. They may be telling you their roots are cramped.

After about a year and a half together, these three started to look less than thrilled.

So I gently removed them from the small white pots and repotted them with fresh soil in a larger pot where they can happily stretch their roots.

Before you head out to buy some plants do a little research in your area on who's supplyling the healthiest plants within your budget. You don't want to be purchasing plants that are already on their way out and find yourself in the business of plant hospice care. We are fortunate enough to have several family owned nurseries in our area as well as a plethora of Home Depot's and Lowes Home Improvement stores. While the family owned nurseries would be my first choice they tend to be a bit pricier. So I do my plant shopping at the big box stores. Nothing wrong with that but it's helpful to know how they handle their plant business. After a bit of research and talking to store employees here is some helpful information I learned that is definitely worth passing on! Home Depot, while my go-to for everything else, is not my first choice for plants because they buy their plants on consignment. This means they don't lose money from plants that don't sell. While their garden centers are usually very large and well stocked, they don't need to pay close attention to plant care since it won't cost them a thing if they lose any. Lowes, on the other hand, will take a financial loss from plants not sold - probably nothing they'd lose sleep over, but still. They have to purchase wisely and pay attention to the health of their plants until sold. Their nurseries are a bit smaller than Home Depot, but I always see at least one employee tending to their plants every time I"m there.

Before you invest your hard earned money in that trendy plant you've been swooning over, know if it's right for your home. Do you have a spot with the appropriate amount of light that's the right size for that plant? I've made this mistake more than two times and have finally accepted that some plants just aren't for this home. Look at the areas of your home where you would like to add some plant life and assess two things - the amount of light and the size. Keep in mind a lot plants will continue to grow and fill out, so if you're going to tuck a tree into a tight corner, or a fern on a bookshelf, know that it could soon overgrow that area and not only jeopardize the health of the plant, but become a visual eyesore in the flow of your decor. I've done this exact thing before and when I look at pictures I took of the space all I see are the plants that are awkwardly too big for the spot they're in. If you've got a low light corner that could visually benefit from some fresh greenery, look for plants that have words and phrases like, 'low light, light water', 'durable', 'plant of steel', 'I dare you to try to kill me', that kind of thing. Snake plants are always a win. They grow straight up, not out, so they can be tucked into tight corners where they don't need space OR light. They're the go-getters of the plant world, saying, "Water me, don't water me; I make my own luck". So, know your home, assess the areas you'd like plants, and find the appropriate plants for that space.

Example of a cocky snake plant dominating in a low-light corner.