Fall is officially here. It has me craving hot toddies at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, which is not quite acceptable yet - but we're almost there! It also has me keeping an eye open for perfect "trick-or-treating" homes, where parents & kids alike feel called to walk up to the front door.
Today, I'm introducing you all to Claire from Vista, California, a small city just north of San Diego, where I can only imagine Halloween is perfect.
Claire and her husband built this beautiful house two years ago and have been making it home with their son ever since!
From Claire:
“[Our home] has an open floor plan, clean lines, and tons of white, which all help in making it seem spacious and airy. I don’t know if color just terrifies me, but my home is mostly made of neutral tones. I love the mood set by natural wood against white walls. There are, however, some pops of color throughout the spaces. Anytime you see them, it is me being daring! ”
You all can probably tell this already, but Claire is a style mutt to the core.
“When styling my home, I drew from a plethora of styles: modern, boho, industrial, shabby, farmhouse...I could go on and on! It is just important to me that the spaces feel light, minimal, and fresh, without feeling cold. One of the easiest ways to stay away from ‘cold’ when you want a minimal look is to decorate with things that have meaning. ”
One of the key indicators of a mutt is a love of moving things around - art, accessories, even huge furniture. That willingness to change spaces frequently, and swap in items of totally different styles, normally indicates a willingness to take risks. Even though Claire says she's a little intimated by color, I would beg to differ judging on her favorite piece!
“A favorite piece is the blue dresser in the dinning room. This was the first piece of furniture my husband and I bought after getting married. We almost sold it a million times, because it was in our bedroom and I thought it was too ‘shabby’ for the look I wanted. However once I moved it to the dining room and coupled it with some modern pieces, I fell in love!”
“Another aspect of my decor is plant life. I love the freshness it brings to a room and the pops of green amongst my neutral decor. I swear, whenever you are in a decorating rut with a certain space, just add a plant and the problem is fixed! This is one design element I am always down to splurge on. That and my bed! ”
I'm all about beds these days {stay tuned for my bedroom refresh reveal soon!} and am totally supportive of Claire's splurge on that one!
Thank you, Claire for this insight into your beautiful home & life!
Follow Claire along on Instagram @clairealexis to get more peeks into her design and life as a mother in CA!
Happy weekend, Mutts!
