Reader Design: Shelley's Stunning Space

Today, we're heading off to the West Coast. Specifically, the Pacific Northwest. I'm particularly excited about this one as it just so happens that my boyfriend & I will be new PNW residents starting this Summer - in Seattle! Big news... 

But, this is not about me. It's about Shelley, and her stunning La Grande, Oregon home that she shares with her husband, Ian. 

Her home is a perfect blend of neutral elements, metallics, textiles, and just enough color to keep things interesting. 

“My style is definitely a mix of mid-century/Scandinavian/bohemian. It took a long time to find my style and it has definitely evolved over the years. I grew up in Los Angeles and always loved the mid-century home designs. I love the simplicity of clean lines, but also love color. ”

Another element that is clearly a 'must have' for Shelley is greenery. She absolutely nails that interior green thumb, and plants of all kinds - including a StyleMutt favorite: the snake plant - can be spotted all over her home. 

Another 'must have?' 

“When we purchased our house, a ‘must-have’ was a formal dining room. I love hosting dinners and holiday events at out house.”

Another lovely element in Shelley's home is the perfectly-styled bedrooms. As someone currently living in a cramped basement city apartment in DC, I am totally envious of the extra room. Her master is #goals to me. I have similar pieces - the black mid-century modern lamps, the classic white bedding, and the indigo pillow - and she brings those elements together perfectly. 

And then, there's the most precious room of all. 

“In our nursery, I love the dresser and the plant corner. I am a big sucker for West Elm dressers. I am always willing to splurge on rugs. I think they can really make or break a room design and can completely change the feel of the room. ”

Shelley, you better believe I'll be channeling you once we have our new Seattle pad to decorate. Thank you for the inspiration! 

Follow Shelley along on Instagram @the_tattams, or to check out her stellar wedding photographer go here. 

Sara's Handcrafted Home

Today we're going to get to know someone who has become near & dear to the StyleMutt Home family. You've probably seen us praise Sara, the macrame genius behind The Forest Fern, and her work before; but today, we're getting to know her.

Sara and her husband purchased their traditional / mid-century combination ranch over a year ago and spent much of that time making the space inhabitable. From Sara: 

“This house was such a mess when we moved in! We had no flooring in our main living spaces for the first six months, and my husband and I slept with our son in his room for three months until ours was livable. From broken windows to a leaky roof, we had it all. ”

But Sara used what seemed like a major inconvenience, if not a nightmare, to figure out what was most important to her. And tap in to her gift that we're all so lucky to witness. 

“But really, this was a blessing in disguise. I was forced to get creative and started frequenting our local flea market and scouring Ebay for unique and affordable finds. I wanted to fill our home with plants and started making macrame plant hangers and soon moved to large scale wall hangings. Our fixer-upper opened up my creativity and helped me to create a home that really feels like ‘us.’”

Now, I hope you're not thinking that Sara is a one-trick creative pony. If you are, I'm going to change that immediately. Sara's creativity can be seen all over her home - and even seems to be in her blood.

“My favorite piece in our living room is probably the desk that I refinished. I found it on Craigslist for $10, stripped the original finish and then waxed it to seal it. I wanted to give the very traditional desk a bohemian edge, and I think that the raw wood paired with the clean brass knobs accomplishes that. The portrait above the desk was actually done by my mother when she was in high school and I just love it. ”

And I bet the same creative streak will continue in Sara's daughter, who gets to grow up in a bedroom that I would fight over even at my age. It's whimsical, bohemian, but still full of the color and stimuli that children so dearly need. And that adorable little desk? Another thrifty find. 

And last but not least, Sara splurges in a way that not only serves her and their family but also fellow makers. 

“I think that quality really matters when it comes to textile choices. I’m not saying that you can’t find lovely vintage textiles for a steal, but in general, I’ve found that you get what you pay for. I love really love my handmade pillows from The Modern Farmhouse Co. and vintage Kantha quilts. They might be a bit more expensive but the finishing work is perfect. ”

And Sara, we think your finishing work is perfect, too. Thank you so much for letting us learn a bit more about you today! And style mutts, if you're not already following along with Sara, you now have no excuse not to! Mark her Instagram as a favorite as fast as you can.

See you all next week,

Tina's Trendy Condo

Happy pre-weekend, friends! I hope you all have plans in the works in take advantage of the temperatures that are finally dropping - at least on the East Coast!

Today's Reader Design is the perfect way to end the week. Tina is actually my neighbor in the great Bloomingdale neighborhood of D.C. For those of you planning visits to our nation's capital, be sure to check out our far NW corridor for the local spots. And Tina here happens to have one of the best places in the neighborhood. 

First things first about Tina. After getting to know her over the past month, there are a couple of things she takes very seriously: her adorable dog Riley (who you will meet in a little bit, I promise), her 5 o'clock cocktails, and her perfectly-executed shelfies. If you're not yet convinced, check this proof from her dining room / kitchen area. 

Now, I'll turn the talking over to Tina. 

“My favorite part of our condo is the all of the amazing natural light. So I wanted to keep everything white, clean, and crisp — and let our furniture + textiles pop. I really love having white walls...it makes our 900 sq/ft condo feel so much bigger. ”

In every room of Tina's home that she shares with her husband Ricky, these white walls lend themselves to be the perfect backdrops for her styling. She's making our StyleMutt Home fave Emily Henderson proud! 

“My style is definitely ever evolving and I love that I’m able to integrate some of my favorite old pieces in with the new. At the moment, I would call my style very boho with a hint of modern. My pinboards are currently filled with tons of Scandinavian design — I love anything that is simple and clean looking. ”

What I love about Tina's place is that it pays homage to the trends of today - the casual boho ease of it, the greenery and plants, the styling simplicity - while still staying true to Tina & Ricky. 

“I think our place kind of represents a little bit of everywhere we’ve lived [on the list: DC, Austin, and San Francisco]. I think it’s a good mix of East + West coast styles! ”

“Our West Elm bed frame was the first nice piece of furniture Ricky and I ever bought together — six years later, it’s still my favorite piece. Also, since I’m not much of a DIY fanatic...I’m pretty proud of the hanging light chords in our bedroom. Avoided a Pinterest fail on that one :) ”

I'm sure Cate & Chelsea could spare some DIY advice, but I say those lights look just fine! As a fellow urban-dweller, I know how hard it is to find the space to really dig in to projects. We don't tend to have the luxury of spare rooms, garages, or yards like you rural folk! Y'all just don't know how good you have it.

Tina, thank you for sharing your home with us. I've been admiring it via Instagram for months - and Mutts, you all should absolutely follow Tina along too @tinaheileman.