Reader Design: Amy's Perfect Imperfection

It'sssssssssssssssssssssssss Friday!  And I'm particularly excited about sharing today's reader design because of the heart behind this home in Minneapolis, MN: Amy from Modern Chemistry at Home.  While emailing back and forth with Amy about sharing her style mutt space on the blog, it became very apparent she's a kindred spirit.  Much like us, her desire is to see people encouraged and empowered in their own home decorating.  She too believes that creating is a form of worship.  But like many forms of worship it can be too easy to get caught up in the beauty of what you're creating instead of why you're creating it.  We just love how Amy has made it her mission to embrace her home's imperfections and create a real, raw, and inviting space.

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From Amy:

Hello, everybody! My name is Amy, and I really am a style mutt. In fact, my blog (Modern Chemistry at Home) got its name partly because my husband and I have very different tastes and my decorating is something like a chemistry experiment as we merge our styles.
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My style perspective has definitely changed over the years. My point of view has developed through having children and learning to think about function just as much as how a space looks. 
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I’m definitely drawn to spaces that have a mixture of styles. Some of my favorites include Midcentury and Scandinavian Modern, but I also really enjoy children’s spaces and would seriously put pretty much anything from Land of Nod in my living room or bedroom. 
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I love a cheerful room. Natural light, lots of white, fun patterns, and bright colors speak to me. Clearly, my decorating isn’t too serious!
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And a big part of my story as we renovated and decorated our fixer-upper is how God worked in my heart to help me be content and understand that my identity is not in how my home looks. Our home is a place to raise our littles, live life together, and bless others through hospitality. It can be beautiful, but perfection isn’t my goal. 
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There are quite a few things in our home that I inherited from my grandparents. There is a special joy in decorating with these furnishings. 

GASP!  I must have this entire vignette - especially those bookends!!!!

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One of my favorites is the big dresser in our bedroom. My sister-in-law discovered that it is probably an Empire style dresser. The shape is so lovely!
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My favorite DIY might be the white bookshelves a friend helped me build. They flank the fireplace in our living room and I just love them so much. It’s satisfying to make something with your own two hands!

Well done Amy - those bookshelves look like they should've come with the house!

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And my favorite room is probably the nursery. Again, I enjoy children’s spaces because they are often so bright and cheerful.
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Decorating this room helped me develop my style and gain some confidence. So with this room as a sort of guide for how I wanted the rest of our home to feel, I reworked other spaces in my home that didn’t feel right to me. I made a lot of mistakes the first time around! But the process of trial and error can be really enjoyable—in hindsight, after we get it right. ;)
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I just love decorating creatively and it is my heart to help and encourage others to do the same.
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Thank you Amy for so sweetly inviting us into your perfectly imperfect home.  Follow Amy  @modernchemistryathome for more decor goodies and check out her full home tour on her fabulous website!

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You want in on this? Submit to #stylemuttspaces for your chance to be featured in a Friday Reader Design.  No design experience necessarily you just got to love your space and what to share it ;)  

Reader Design: Kristina's Coastal-Inspired Fall Home

Hi and Happy Halloween, All! I have the perfect Home Tour to share with you today - it's a lovely balance of Fall and Halloween, with a beachy vibe. Kristina's casual, coastal decor is the perfect backdrop for rustic Fall touches and subtle nods of spookiness.

Welcome to Kristina's home!

"Regardless of the season, my home always seems to lean toward a rustic coastal theme. I enjoy natural colors that are light and airy, like my blue pumpkin, and seashells seem to work their way into every season (see vase full of dried hydrangeas)."

"Every season I like to change out the pillow cases, switch up the table-scape, and redecorate my mantle shelf above my couch. Making little changes to reflect the season keep the house feeling fresh without spending too much money. I can't take complete credit because decorating the house is something my mom and I enjoy doing together and she is always an integral part in helping me decide what to put where."

"Although Halloween is technically only one day, I do like to add spooky touches for fun. Another constant you may notice is reference to my dog, Lucy. It's her home too so I include her any time I find the urge to monogram something. (see pumpkins)."

"Decorating my tiny patio is just as fun as decorating the inside for me. This year I decided to monogram our pumpkins with a K and L (for Lucy of course). I'm waiting for my purple mum to bloom to match the purple pansies and I even added a tiny pumpkin to my fairy garden. My goal is always to create an inviting and relaxing space for me and my dog, and of course anyone else who comes to visit!"

Thank you so much for inviting us in today, Kristina, (and Lucy!)! Such a beautiful, cozy home with so many personal touches - don't you just feel like curling up under a soft blanket with a warm drink now?! You can find this inspiring space, as well as others, on our Spaces page! Have a space you'd like to share? Either post photos to our Facebook page, or tag #stylemuttspaces on Instagram!

Have a fun and safe Halloween and a wonderful weekend!