Reader Design: Sarah's PNW Masterpiece

As most of you know, I recently moved from the East Coast (DC) to Seattle, WA - and man is the Pacific Northwest living up to my expectations. Everything is so welcome, cozy, and calm here! 

Today, we're headed to Portland, Oregon to check out Sarah's stunning home. Are you ready? When I say stunning, I mean it! 

Sarah's home, which she shares with her husband, is a modern glam lover's dream. It's as if you've stumbled into the coolest little hotel in LA or Paris, but it's rented out privately for you...forever. Since Sarah and her husband are both creatives, it was key to them that their home be inspiring creatively and completely true to them. 

From Sarah: 

“It is important to us to live in a home that inspires us and those that visit. I basically wanted our house to feel like a glam boutique hotel, similar to some we have stayed at on our travels!”

This means lots of swoon-worthy textiles (shout-out to all my velvet couch lovers out there), organic elements like plants, and brass accents. 

“Besides our incredible couch, the coffee table is my favorite piece! I drove an hour to pick it up from someone selling it on Facebook Marketplace and when I got there, the guy selling them gave me a matching console table and side table! They are Karl Springer and I got an AMAZING deal. I feel like anything brass and glass is very “me”. ”

Sarah has played around with various inspirations outside her "travel-inspired chic boutique" theme, including the "jungalow" style we've all come to admire - with its wicker and bamboo, tons of plants, and bright colors - touches of which are easy to spot in Sarah's design. 

“In general, I stay away from trends and only buy and use what I truly love and could live with for years. But there are some trends that are just sooooo good! For me, it’s been wicker/bamboo. The “jungalow” style is so amazing and I am really drawn to many aspects of it, but ultimately, I’m more comfortable with the minimalism and glam of the style I’ve created. ”

And this style doesn't necessarily have to break the bank either! Sarah stalked the beautiful brass mirror in the dining room at a vintage store until it was marked 50% off; she recovered a basic Joss & Main headboard with green velvet for the master bedroom, and her mom helped her sew the bedskirt. DIY for the win! 

“I am ALL about finding a good deal. I will spend big bucks if I know I’m getting the best deal. But like in fashion, I like to calculate the cost per use, so I am willing to splurge on super practical items that will get a lot of use. ”

The complete product is one of the most interesting and gorgeous homes I've seen; Sarah, we salute you! Thanks for the tour. 

Follow Sarah along on Instagram @homegirlpdx for more!

Reader Design: Kristina's Evolving Home

Kristina's Edmonton, Alberta home is a perfect balance of trendy and lived-in. Her style is recognizable enough to welcome you in, to feel familiar, but there are still plenty of surprises to keep things interesting. 

“My home style is honestly ever evolving. But at the moment, I’m in love with mid-century modern, with some Scandinavian decor to pay tribute to my roots! My family is mainly from Sweden and Norway, so I tend to gravitate to the style I grew up seeing around me.”

Harkening back to her heritage, Kristina has figured out what works for her aesthetically but also is comfortable and homey for her family. It's a far cry from when she first started out and fell prey to something I'm sure all of us know well: opting for mimicery and copycatting to create something "on trend" without much regard to our personal styles. Perhaps those style were not yet part of us, or maybe the hype of Pinterest was too hard to resist. 

As Kristina shares: 

“When I started decorating my first home, I got pulled into that shabby chic trend since it was all over Pinterest! And I really struggled with it because it truthfully wasn’t me! Over the years, I started to figure out what trends I could get behind (hello white walls!!) and which ones I could let go. I still love being influenced by the trends of course, but I’m getting better at fine tuning my own style. ”

In the living room, Kristina's favorite piece has become even more special since the birth of her son. 

“My favourite piece in the living room would have to be my Nana’s piano. It has been in the family for many, many years and took quite the journey across provinces to get here. Even though I don’t know how to play, its presence in our home brings me so much joy, especially when I see Jack sitting on someone’s lap, plunking away at the keys.”

“In our bedroom, I absolutely love our DIY dresser, which I did on a whim with my husband. Little did I know that simple makeover would be such a hit with so many people. It’s my little success story that I’m really proud of (especially since I’m not the biggest DIYer).”

“In Jack’s room, I love our vintage dresser that I spotted on a trip through BC. It was exactly what I was hoping to find - mid century, wood, clean lines - and is the perfect piece to have as he grows and changes.”

Every space in this home feels perfect for a young family - it's cohesive, calm, and perfectly curated. Kristina, thank you for showing us around; I can't wait to see what's next! 

Follow Kristina along on Instagram @inspiredbylynne for more! 

Reader Design: Emily's Curated Creation

There's something about Emily, the focus of today's reader design spotlight, that makes me think we should be friends. Sure, there's the practical "we both live in Seattle" part. But, we also chose bright turquoise couches as the focal point of our living rooms. I mean, that has to mean something, right?!

I saw Emily's home pop up on Instagram a few months ago and was immediately in awe. It is quite modern but still cozy, neutral while being bright and deep. 

“My design style incorporates a bit of everything, I typically describe it as eclectic modern. I love modern elements, but I also incorporated traditional, art deco, bohemian, and plenty of vintage pieces to give it a curated feel. It takes a lot more time, but gives a space so much more personality. This “design philosophy” is the reason I named my business Cohesively Curated.”

It's got a cool but classic London vibe. As Emily describes - 

“The city of London above all else is very classic, but it also has so many modern gems and up and coming trends to discover.”

It's a perfect fit for a similarly rainy, gray, but oh-so-cozy and interesting place like Seattle; I like to think Seattle & London are sister cities. Does anyone else buy that? 

With a focus on classic and modern looks, Emily has carefully selected every piece inside this home, filling it up to the brim with pottery, textiles, and art. She grounds herself in things that hearken back to her design philosophy and uses that as her foundation for making decisions. 

“I think it is challenging with social media, Pinterest, blogs, etc. to not let yourself be swayed by other designers styles. Taking something as inspiration and figuring out how to integrate it with your own aesthetic can be a bit tricky. The trend I struggled with most is the boho trend and not going overboard, because that really isn’t my primary style. I included some vintage textiles and rugs that fall into that category but made sure to integrate them with my core aesthetic. ”

This home has to be one of my favorites yet, and I encourage you all to follow Emily along on Instagram @cohesivelycurated for more! We really just scratched the surface. 

Happy Fall, y'all!