What Makes a Home

{Design Philosophy: Approachable meets inspirational with equal parts form and function and a dash of personality, plus a few dust bunnies} 

   Recently I was having a conversation with my friend Em about how to decorate a house. How do you make your space comfortable, livable, and real all the while, maintaining a certain "je ne sais quoi?" Since we both have highly active toddler tornados inhabiting our home-atmospheres, that "je ne sais quoi" usually means piles of toys that can be quickly swept away morning, afternoon, evening, and especially, right before company arrives. 

   About once a month, I'll even have an almost Pinterest-worthy place with carefully curated stacks of books, wiped down baseboards, and empty laundry baskets/washer/dryer. 

Not counting the hidden pile of clothes stuffed in a suitcase under the bed, 'cause that's just always gonna be there. 

For about 20 minutes (or 2 hours if the tiny tornado is sleeping), the hardwood floors are gleaming and the pillows artfully plumped. Only the pretty stuff is out on my kitchen counters. The ugly toaster oven can stay; he makes a mean pizza bagel and I definitely have a soft spot for pizza bagels. 

   This! THIS is a home! Clean, tucked-away, and perfect. 

   About once a month, I almost believe it. 

Then a certain someone scribbles on the wall with a dry erase marker while we are on Skype with his Auntie Lana. 

...

   My house would be sooooooo much better with that new EVERYTHING from [insert favorite store].(I happen to be "Target budget with ABC Carpet & Home taste.") Well, yeah, technically it would. The clouds might even part for a few seconds, baby angels playing harps, time stands still, and peace on earth. Have you seen those rugs?! As much as I appreciate, (oh so appreciate), a beautiful Apartment Therapy photo shoot, no amount of stuff, (or mid-century modern lack thereof), will ever ever ever make my house the complete home. 

   I don't remember what my parents' living room arrangement was like back in 1993, (we did have a gingham sofa, so, you can imagine), but I do remember leaping off the staircase onto the sofa while the railing was being installed. 

I have no clue what kind of stovetop Em's mom had in her kitchen, but I DO remember that one time (and last time) she experimented with an orange chicken recipe. 

   Years later, and I'm still laughing. 

   That is what I want my home to represent. 

Building on those memories of community, hospitality, and warmth. 

There might always be an unfurnished area that we are "working on," a comfy old rocking chair meant for cuddles instead of (Instagram) "likes," and definitely my fair share of failed recipes. 

[Insert all those sappy heart cliche things here]...  

that's what makes it a home. 

xoxo

{Bon Bon}

Slow and Steady

Our little house has been our home for almost SIX months now, and our hearts are definitely here within these walls.

We've hosted birthday parties, dinner parties, slumber parties, basically, all.the.parties. since then.

The space and the freedom and the ownership, (let's pretend that whole mortgage thing isn't looming over our heads for the next 3 million months), and the natural light, and the sneaky feline that suspiciously lives in our basement and has a walk of shame across our driveway every morning while we eat breakfast...

It's been real good. 

That simply uncomplicated kind of contentment right there is what it's all about. 

And what I have to remind myself on a, gulp, sometimes daily basis. 

The decor. The vignettes. The not-too-literal and slightly-obscure collection of coffee table books artfully arranged just so.

Fun stuff, but not Real stuff.  

The story of my friend's toddler who wrote a love note to her parents in the form of Sharpie on Brand New Designer Couch kind of puts things back into perspective. 

At least, that's what I tell myself as I'm drooling through an issue of Cottage Style. 

...

xoxo

{Bon Bon}

DIY: Polka Dot Dot Dot

{Seriously. He's licking it. Willy Wonka was right.}

Our little whim wham family has been in the new-old house going on four months now, which is plenty of time to get unpacked, settled in and have the cupboards fully stocked and memorized. 

We even have our favorite corners to pile up dirty laundry and secret drawers to stack junk mail. 

The true definition of mi casa.

Of course, the main reasons to cross those t's and dot those i's  on our mortgage papers were things like, "wall decor", "linens", "paint swatches", and "tchotchkes!" 

{Daniel, I'm speaking for the both of us on this one, right?}

I'll admit, it has been slow going with time/budget/motivation in tiny bursts here and there. 

{"ONE ROOM AT A TIME!" is my new life motto

as I scour Craigslist for Restoration Hardware knockoffs} 

Although, this morning's french press left me full of unbridled energy to DIY. 

Something. Anything.  

Bedroom Wall. I pick you! 

Slowly and randomly, the house is becoming our home. 

...

{I'd share the polka dot "tutorial," but it's so easy a caveman could do it and if I tell you, you'll write it down in your diary and laugh about it later. BUT, if you reallllly want to know my super secret $6 polka dot wall keys to success, email thewhimwhamlife@gmail.com and I'll let you know. Shhhhh}

xoxo

{Bon Bon}

A Bedroom for the Bean

I guess if I had to pick a descriptive theme for the Bean's room, it would be: "Shabby Sports Chic." 

It's full of the less-girly trinkets from my childhood, flea market finds, pieces from travels abroad, and, of course, those wooden toys that are supposedly handmade by Norwegian tree elves known for their mystical educational properties. 

But above all else, stands his basketball hoop and cars and books and animal farm with sheep, cows, pigs, goats, horses, lions, elephants, and a few dinosaurs. 

His room theme is really more like this: "Basically, all things boy, all over the floor, all of the time." 

xoxo

{Bon Bon}

DIY: Faux Bear Skin Rug

{ka-boom}

Since the main floor of our house is all hardwood, we've had to dive full on into the world of fuzzy socks with those grippy dots on the bottom, house slippers, and rugs.

The Bean's room {toes} especially needed some warmth.

It's a vast sea of cold for someone who wants to, but can't, wear footed pajamas 24-7.  

Originally, I made a few of those knock-off Ikea sheepskin rugs to throw in there.

But those are white. 

And the Bean is the Bean.

I might as well hand him one to use as toilet paper, cause life around here is nowhere near a clean, white, Ikea magazine. 

Hence, the deepdarkdarkinexpensivelyaestheticallypleasingblack bear skin rug! 

My feet kind of want one too. 

...

{Details} 

< Three yards of fabric will make two good sized rugs. {I bought mine at JoAnn's with a 50% off coupon}

< Seal the edges with a hot glue gun, or fabric glue to prevent future shedding. {Dritz Fray Check}

< Feeling super domestic? Line the back with a non-slip grip pad. 

xoxo

{Bon Bon}

Civil Union

You know you're married to an engineer when he immediately whips out some Google SketchUp before buying a new couch. 

Maybe someday we will start that international nonprofit civil engineering-interior design company. 

There's a need for that, right? 

xoxo

{Bon Bon}

Want to See Something Scary?

{1920s neighborhood eyesore--->2013 flipped gem}

Right after touring this house, falling in love, making an offer, and beginning the closing process (all in one weekend), 

we discovered the BEFORE pictures. 

dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnnn. 

{we had fun excitedly showing our family/friends  the before photos of our "new" place, as if it still looked like this, and then watching their faked and forced happy reactions! "Soooo, you already put an offer on it?" "Oh, wow, is that...blue...carpet? (in reference to the ugliest blue threadbare carpet that had been hidden underneath cat skeletons for the past 70 years) Yes. We are evil}

I'd like to dedicate this post to our house flipper extraordinaire, Mr. Jeremy H. 

Without you, we would be at Home Depot for the next three years. 

Actually, no. 

We would have run away. Far far far away from here.

So, 

Without you, we would still be house hunting. 

that's an even scarier thought.

xoxo

{Bon Bon}

Show Me How You Bungalow

Now that we have been somewhat settled into our New (to us)---Old (creaky floored 90 year old goodness) house for two months, and the chaos of closing date delays and ordering blinds for the windows so we aren't living in a fishbowl anymore, has simmered down, it's finally time for my most beloved part in this whole equation: Decorating and DIY. 

Of course, every good blogger knows that's really code for Pinterest Boards and Chalk Paint. 

Both in copious amounts. 

Both equally headache inducing. 

So, as I show you this newly minted dresser-sideboard thing in our hallway that's lookin' all antique and sassy like...

realize this... 

A). It took me a trip to Lowe's, the Bean's afternoon nap, 637 goldfish crackers to keep him occupied once he woke up, and a bottle of hard cider to get through. 

B). DIY Chalk Paint= Paint+Plaster of Paris. Take that Annie Sloan. 

C). It's smelly and I lost some brain cells. (Before Paint: Won 6 games in a row of "You Don't Know Jack." trivia vs. Daniel, and After Paint: Lost 3 games in a row and gave up)

...

Anyone else out there revamping, revising, or rearranging? 

xoxo

{Bon Bon}

The Whim Wham House

We've spent the past five months opening random people's kitchen cupboards and peeking into their closet spaces. Thankfully, no skeletons were found.

 And the one house that would've had skeletons. and marijuana plants. didn't let us inside. 

But, I digress.

 From sprawling mid-century modern ranch to towering row house, I'd venture to say that everything to be seen for sale has been seen, (turf green carpet). And smelled, (meow*). 

In the end, it was a mixture of equal parts new paint smell and old-school bungalow charm that won us over. 

With refinished hardwood floors as far as the eye can see.

1920 meets 2012.

meeeeeeooooooow**

P.S. {Michaela} I'm gonna need your help! 

xoxo

{Bon Bon}

*"meow" bad

**"meow" good