First Home Dreaming

Hello dear friends! How are all of you? I have to tell you I have our first house on my mind. We're still eight months out, but I'm already dreaming about making a beautiful, welcoming home for us. Although, to begin with, it will probably be an apartment or duplex, but I'm dreaming of it none the less. We are considering a newer apartment complex here in Wichita, but still deciding between it and my favorite part of town with beautiful old homes. It just seems like the new apartments are so much lower maintenance, not to mention I love the open layouts. But I will always love homes with character and all my rentals before have been older homes. What to do, what to do? Here are some pictures of the new apartments we are considering:

I love the open kitchen with the bar area. Sooo much better than the teeny kitchens in old homes or even in most "shoe box" apartments.

Nice big open floor plans


The washer and dryer are included! Hooray!


HUGE master with high ceilings.

Ok, so maybe not a ton of character, but it has open floor plans, a big-ish kitchen, white cabinetry (a huge plus in my book) and comes with the washer and dryer. It may win over character and charm in the end.

Now, with that in mind, here are some inspiration pictures I've found. I think I could achieve this look in any sort of rental with the right furniture and accessories.









In fact, I've already got some good accent pieces to help me get the above "look." I have been doing a lot of saving for the wedding and for married life, but I did get to buy some goodies on a recent girls weekend/shopping trip to KC. Here's the loot...

I found a "dinner bell" and I love it! $20 bucks at Home Goods. Matt thinks it's silly but I'm not worried because other people have had the exact same bell conversation we did.


The galvanized bottle carrier and the big green glass jug are from Home Decorators Collection. The gray wicker basket is from Home Goods. And the antique ticking pillow is from...well, not my shopping trip in KC but I wanted to include it : ) It's from an antiques store here in town, Juliana Daniel.

The green glass canister is from Home Goods as well. I love it and just know it will look good in any bathroom, especially with some white soap bars in it : )

A close up of the ticking and gray wicker...gorgeousness to me!

I made these fun signs for our house. I love to display Scripture in a beautiful way, and want our home to be a place that is welcoming and loving because Christ is the center. May as well bring that into the decor too!

I got this idea from Rie from Home and Harmony. Hers are a little cleaner than mine, but I sorta like that mine came out like they did. It's like they were typed on a vintage typewriter or something.

If you'd like to make your own, all I did was buy plain canvases from Michael's (buy one get one for a penny!) and guestimate/half measure/eye ball where the letters should land. Then hand stamped them with a set of alphabet stamps and plain black ink. If you want yours to look more like Rie's and less like mine, I would recommend putting something up underneath the canvases when you're stamping, otherwise the canvas gives in to the pressure and you end up stamping the corners of the stamp on around the letter...as I discovered during this process : )


So there you have it. A lovely vintage-inspired home may just be possible even in a boring new apartment...right? What do you think?

{live beautifully}

Courtney

OMG

That's what I said when I saw this baby...



Because I knew it could look like this...



*Sigh* maybe someday!

Find it here.

{live beautifully}
Courtney

Autumn Bounty

Fall is my favorite time of year. There is just something about autumn that makes my soul come alive and sing. The colors on the trees. The changing of seasons. The crisp, cool air. Something about it feels like the world was meant to feel.

Of course, I also love to decorate for autumn. And if you've ever been to my house any time from September through November, you know I go ALL OUT. But this year is different since I'm living with my parents and planning a wedding. I haven't gotten to do my usual "autumn is better than Christmas" decor routine.

But as all the boxes were being carried out of my apartment, I managed to grab just a few things out of the fall decor bin. I made an ever-so-small little vignette just to satisfy my own craving. And then of course, I photographed it for you.

So here's my subtle nod to fall in the midst of wedding planning mania...








{live beautifully}
Courtney

Sources
- Burlap bucket from Dandurand's in Wichita, but you can find them here
- Number 4 pail from Dandurand's in Wichita, but you can get them through her, I think
- Galvanized planter from Target dollar bin
- Autumn leaves from Dillon's (like Kroger)
- White geraniums are my mom's, from Memphis antique mall
- Pears from my parents' backyard : )

Shoes or Blackberries?

Earth's crammed with heaven,

And every common bush afire with God;

And only he who sees takes off his shoes;

The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.

- Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Just something to think about on this lovely fall day!

{live beautifully}
Courtney

All images from Country Living