StyleMutt Trend Alert!

You've heard of tiny living.  Many of us have.  It's the new sensation sweeping the nation (and the DIY community) to move into a mobile small-space home to minimize expenses and maximizing experiences.

Now tiny house living is not for everyone.  We get that - we can't all pair down to 200ish sq ft.  But how about 24 sq ft?

In our area of Washington D.C. suburbs, commuting is huge! Many folks spend ample amounts of time in their car, so why not make it a bit...cozier?

This area is probably the most neglected in the home decor department.  Other than those fluffy dice or questionable scented air fresheners that are 5 years past their prime, most cars are stuck with old fast food baggies, fuzzy fruit snacks and lost sippy cups.

But imagine the possibilities with all those square inches of space! It doesn't take much to jump on this trend - you probably have all of these items in your own home!

Less floor space means you don't need a large area rug - just a runner or a bath mat will do.

Accent with art - it doesn't take up much space but has large impact.

And if you're lucky enough to drive a minivan, throw open that trunk door and enjoy the freedom of your indoor-outdoor mobile living space!

Pick some pillows and blankets to really make the place feel homey. (I highly recommend to carry the color scheme by accenting with tail-light red.)

And when you see those break lights a-flashing, it may be time to pull out the old guitar and enjoy a spur of the moment jam-sesh. Around here, you could be stuck for any number of hours for any number of reasons so why not enjoy yourself a little!

As long as you have gas in the tank, you'll always have a portable living room or reading nook.

Or a designer space to just to park.  But just remember - the possibilities are limited and so is your battery!

Until next year, friends...

Occupation: SAHM / Small Business Owner

Hi guys! I've had this post on my mind for a while but the start of a new year seemed like the perfect time to get it done and finally share! It's my story. Well, not the full story, but the part that connects the points between becoming a new Mom to a small business owner. It's my 'just start' story, and I think there are a lot of folks who may be able to relate, even if the circumstances are different.

I know there's a small number of you out there who have joined me on this adventure from the very beginning, the Chelsea's Garage beginning. At the very likely chance you're a new friend since those early days, my first blog, 'Chelsea's Garage', was created in about 10 minutes using a basic available template on blogger, nothing custom. The blog was a place to share refinished furniture finds, DIY ideas, and every now and then, to discuss balancing life as a new stay-at-home-Mom to a litter of puppies. I mean kids! In fact, my babes were the very reason I decided to start a small business!

Meet the litter: twins, Colin and Shire, and our very special surprise, Mason.

Motherhood. I revel in being Colin and Shire and Mason's Mom. It's one of the greatest pleasures in my life to watch the little beings my body carried now crack me up, read, rest their heads on my shoulder. Being their Mom is my very special honor, responsibility and gift. But generally speaking, motherhood has always intimidated me, more after I had children than ever! While I've always felt confident in how we are raising our children, I've felt insecure being labeled a Mom.

I like this picture because it looks like I may have actually washed my hair that morning.

Especially a stay-at-home-mom.

Over the past 7+ years that I've been a Mom so far, I've filled out 30,000 forms on behalf of my family members, (school, doctor, insurance, etc). And every single one has a line to fill in your occupation. I dread this line. I inevitably get flustered and scratch in 'N/A', (which doesn't even make sense!!!), and hope the person I hand the forms to doesn't notice.

'Clean plates, full diapers, can't lose.' Any Friday Night Lights fans?

It's not that I think there is anything wrong with filling in SAHM, (Stay-At-Home-Mom), where the form asks you to write in your occupation. It's that I don't feel qualified to do so! I don't love to bake, I'm terrified about getting head lice when I spend any amount of time in the kids' school, I hate glitter, I feel panicky at the thought of helping my kids with their homework... In fact, thinking about keeping track of homework and due dates was the only thing during my pregnancies that made me nauseous. My list of un-qualifications goes on!

Being a stay at home Mom felt too big a pill for me to swallow and finding an outlet was my survival. Even when the twins were still cooking I was researching how to refinish furniture so I'd have some sort of plan of action once they arrived. As it turns out, twins legitimately cost you a full year of your life, especially when you find out half way through the year that you're pregnant again! So my plan didn't start right away; it began when my third was born and the twins were 17 months.

You can see the snow coming down! And look at the turnout of shoppers....LOL!

I started Chelsea's Garage after I had accumulated enough refinished pieces of furniture to throw a big garage sale complete with hot cider, shabby chic finishes and a few surprises, like snow! It was February, afterall; perhaps not the best time for a small business grand opening outside, but it was my small business and it gave me a job and a purpose outside of motherhood. I collected furniture to refinish for months and then advertised my first garage sale on Craigslist. I hosted another a month later of more refinished pieces, another 6 months after that, and a fourth a year after that. By that point I was full of custom orders to occupy my work hours which were 1-4pm every day during the kids' nap time - I hypnotized them every day to sleep all together that long. (Kidding! But truly, nap time was never optional. We didn't magically get three awesome nappers. It twas most definitely trained and the Lord was so gracious in allowing that to be fruitful. To this day it remains my single greatest achievement as a mother. LOL!)

This is all she wants to do when she grows up - work with Mom. Be still my heart.

There was never a perfectly convenient time that felt opportunistic to start. I just did. A snowy day in February while my husband managed our three diaper-butts inside was quite possibly the worst time to start, but there was no stifling the ambition to get going. A lot has changed since that February garage sale but the fire is still strong! It's such a joy to do this work and I feel so incredibly grateful that the Lord has guided me to a career where He has gifted me. Design and refinishing feels effortless; I can't say the same about motherhood! The opportunity to work with someone on creating their home, whether it's a single room they're renting or a full house, is an honor that neither Cate nor I take lightly. We love people and we love design; what a blessing to combine the two in our work!

Our favorite day is an install day!

It's been 5 years since I started a small furniture refinishing business and I can say with clarity that owning a business has made me a much braver, stronger, and more confident Mom to my kids. It's also given me the courage to fill in that pesky Occupation line on paperwork: SAHM / Small Business Owner.

If you feel the flickering of a flame to build your own small business, I hope this inspires you to just start. At least start the conversation about it with someone you love and respect and who will give you honest feedback. My husband, Matt, is really the reason I'm doing what I do today - he was my person that I had that late night conversation with about starting all of this in the first place. He's been 100% on board from the very start, and continues to provide wise council, encouragement and tremendous support to this day. Truly, an amazing man!

The greatest gifts, all 4 of them.

Thank you all for stopping by today! If this gave you any encouragement to start something of your own this year and want to talk a bit more, please don't hesitate to contact me at chelsea@stylemutthome.com!

Lindsey's Neutral Family Home

Happy Friday, Mutts! I don't know about you all, but this four-day week felt like a six-day week. Holy cow, am I glad that's almost over!

Today, we have a serious treat for all of your neutral lovers. If you haven't seen this neutral obsession splattered all over social media, you must have been living under a rock. Some of it goes too neutral, towards cold or impersonal. But Lindsey gets it right, creating a family home that feels casually curated but also actually feels lived in. What a concept! 

You can see right away that we're dealing with a historic home here. There's something about that history that really gets to me - thinking about all the families that have built their lives here. I love that Lindsey's design honors that past while making it her family's own.
From Lindsey:

“Our home was built in 1900, and it sits on an acre lot in the country. Because of the original wood work, including beautiful pocket doors, and my old soul, I think the style of our home would equate to the Midwest. When I look around, I think, ‘yeah, this house just belongs here.’ ”

A fun fact for all of you, and a shameless plug for a company I adore: I found Lindsey and her awesome space via the Letterfolk Co Instagram account. Their letterboards are seriously amazing, and I do not blame Lindsey at all for owning more than one! And, they plan right in to Lindsey's style. 

“I think I would best describe my style as midcentury meets farmhouse, with a side of simplicity. I love visually clean spaces and have an obsession over antique pieces. At the end of the day, I want our home to house only meaningful items, to be inviting and free of clutter. I love this quote by William Morris: ‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.’”

Now, Lindsey is raising two beautiful babies in the Northwestern Ohio country. So next, let's look at the bedroom these kiddos get to grow up in. I wish I could use the written word to adequately describe my envy. Not that my mom didn't do a great job decorating my childhood bedroom (in case you're reading this, Rosemary...) BUT this room screams 'Be a kid! Explore! Play!' Color me jealous... 

“In the boys’ (Hayden’s) room, my favorite piece, hands down, is his bed. My husband and my father built it together with their own hands, just for our sweet Hayden. There’s actually many hand made pieces in his room and I think that’s why it’s my favorite room in our house. ”

“I think our styles are always evolving. Since having our two boys, I have had the biggest urge to purge and to simplify. I found myself thinking, why spend time cleaning up after all of these ‘things’ when I could be soaking up this precious time that I won’t get back with our children. It’s played a huge part in finding my style. ”

I think you'll all agree with me that Lindsey has found her style and is sticking to it. Finally, let's take a look at her master bedroom. 

Now, everyone has their own opinions of color. I almost think about it in the same way that I consider extroverts vs. introverts. People just recharge in different ways - by being alone or with others OR, in this case, by being surrounded with colors or calm neutrals. 

“I really wrestled with the decision of leaving the walls white, or giving them a pop of color. Something about the white walls gives me a sense of calm, and as a stay at home mama, this is something that is so important for my overall mentality. The extra sunlight shining through our home and reflecting off the walls is sure to give us all something to smile about throughout our day. Finding what makes you happy is key. ”

Lindsey, I applaud you. You're an awesome mama, and you've made a home to serve some seriously important purposes - inspiring your babies, encouraging your family's peace, and giving yourself a place to recharge. We tip our hats! 

Follow Lindsey along on her blog, Being Badenhop, or on Instagram for more decor and life inspo. And Mutts, remember, you too can have your home featured - just drop me a line at mckenna@stylemutthome.com.