Interior Design Inspiration Vs. Reality

Did y'all see on the news what happened in Dallas last week? You know, the week we were supposed to move? All week long we had ice and snow, and then on actual moving day we had a full out blizzard.

I mean, I pretty much felt like I was back in Minneapolis. And then the pansies peeked through the snow drift and I be like, NOPE still in Texas. Phew! Close call.

Somehow we pulled off a move despite the Siberian apocalypse going down outside. So here's how things are shaping up in comparison with this post I wrote about my interior design "inspiration." I have to say, I'm amazing myself with how close I'm getting to my inspiration pics!

The "Office" (in quotations because it's just a corner of the playroom. Hubs gets the real office.)
This was my inspiration picture for a desk I loved. Obvi I wouldn't have the mirror or have it decorated in pearls. Actually, I wouldn't put that past me...

Office inspiration picture

This is how my desk actually turned out. Pretty close, no?

Master Bedroom
I absolutely love mirrored desks/side tables/accent furniture. This was my inspiration pic for our bedside tables, which is more a silver paint than an actual mirror.

Master bedroom inspiration pic

Here's what actually happened in the master bedroom. The front and top is mirrored with a weathered silver mirroring under the glass, and the sides are painted silver. I went halvsies on my inspiration pic!

Actual master bedside table (unfinished, of course)

Can I take a time out and tell you how challenging it is to take a pic of a mirrored side table, in a corner of the room with no natural light? Professional home decor photographers, you have my respect!

Playroom
I loved the mismatched look I found in this pic for a playroom, since everything is chaotic and crazy in that space anyway. Why not make the chaos look intentional?

Playroom inspiration

And here is how my mismatched chaos is actually panning out. We still have to find a little table to go with these cute chairs, but it's slowly coming together.

Actual playroom (unfinished, of course). I hope I don't give my son nightmares about clowns.

We're chipping away at it this whole home decorating thing, piece by piece. I have seriously big plans for the dining room - it's going to be themed (whhhhaaaaat!!) - and I can't wait to share more pics as things get finished. You know, real pics of the room instead of just strange blurry photos of a piece of furniture :)

Have you ever had the pleasure of decorating a new home or apartment? What did you do, and do you have any advice for me? I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas!

Mommy Monday: Moving With a Baby In Tow

We all know that moving is an obscene amount of work.

But holy smokes, it's 1000X more work with a baby! You can't proactively pack when you have a little around because you genuinely need all the stuff you have out. You can't pack the clothes or the toys or the diaper changing station early. Or your life will consist of a mess of meltdowns.

Alas, everything always has a way of working out. My parents flew into town (because my mother continues to be a SAINT) and helped us with the last minute-ness of packing with a baby. Two sets of extra hands were so welcome!

And now we're comfortably in the new house (well... Working on getting it de-boxed and comfortable). Here are some pointers if you're moving with a little person, from a person who moved with a little person.

Tips for moving with a baby:

1) Pack after the baby has gone to bed. You won't get much done with them awake, and if that baby is mobile, they'll likely just pull everything out of the box anyway! Invest in some good packing tape to secure that box after it's packed, too.

2) Get more hands. Take friends and family up on their offers to help! Joke is on them if they were "only being nice" with their offer. You need more troops on the ground if you're moving with a baby, so march them in.

3) On moving day, have one person in charge of the baby/babies. I took Henry for the day and kept him on our normal schedule, while hubs managed the movers and my folks were at the new house for deliveries/cable guy/internet guy/slew of random "guys" that are needed to reconnect your life.

Good luck if you're moving, and Godspeed to you if you're moving with a baby in tow!

Happy Friday on a Thursday!

Oh, hey.

This time tomorrow I'll be waist-deep in a sea of boxes and moving guys/gals and delivery men/women and cleaning supplies and a big hot general mess. So I thought I'd holler at you a day early, before my internet is disconnected, and say, "Happy Weekend!"

Don't get to cray cray with your Thirsty Thursday plans.

I'll catch you all on Monday, with a brand new and sparkly post. After the internet has been reconnected. From our new home. A home that actually has heat and air and plumbing that works.

It'll actually be like I live in 2015! Goodbye $2600/mo Amish lifestyle. You sucked.

The landlord put a black roof on this Texas house since this picture. Because that will do wonders for the $450/mo utility bills we paid all summer. Not my problem anymore!