An Austin Styled Apartment

I ventured down to Austin a few weeks ago and kinda fell in love with the city.  I'm quite certain it is my destiny to live there someday.  I'm especially smitten with Hyde Park, the area my oldest son decided to put his first roots down in ~ it's a great old neighborhood with lots of character.  I looked forward to waking each morning just knowing I was steps away from a cozy bakery or coffee shop.  Needless to say, I was happy for the chance to help Reagan set up house there.

Since we were starting from scratch and working on a budget, it was essential to find great pieces for less.  I had to keep in mind Reagan's desire to go with a Mad Men/Mid Century Modern style and was hoping some of my favorite spots would provide me with some of the furnishings.  Prior to going down, I paid a few visits to some local thrift stores I frequent as well as Lula B's Antique Mall, "a treasure trove of all things fine and funky, kitschy and collectible, vintage and pimpadelic."  I'm quite thrilled with the purchases ~ and think they are key foundational pieces for the apartment.  Here are a few of my favorite finds ~

Massage Chair:  I was pinching myself when I came across this incredible "massage chair" in mint condition ~ and the best part ~ it still works!  I dared not leave its side until an associate had put a "Sold" sign on it.  ;)

Chair/Hairpin Table/Letter "P":  I positioned the chair in the living area ~ after a long days work it was a welcome spot to recline to.  I sat a hairpin table next to the massage chair ~ it provides just enough space to rest a drink or book on.  You can read  more about it here.  The giant letter "P" was a freebie (yea!) and made great wall art.  I acquired it as it was being removed from a building by a sign company ~ who was replacing the existing signage with a new one.  I was happy to learn from the workers that oftentimes sign companies are willing to unload old signage for little (or in my case) no cost.

Coffee Table:  When I'm looking for something in particular, Lula B's is my go-to place.  They have a constant turnover of unique, one-of-a-kind items.  I think if I shopped with them daily, there would always be a surprise discovery.  Such was the case with this great coffee table.  It was the perfect scale for the apartment and had the exact lines I was looking for. 

A little furniture restorer went a long way in bringing back the coffee table to its original lustre. You might notice the graphic rug the table is sitting on.  Reagan found this showstopper here.  I decided to place it on an angle for a little visual punch. 

Buffet:  There was a need for some additional book storage ~ so when I found this piece I knew immediately it would fit the bill.  The $32 price tag didn't hurt one bit either.  :)

The buffet itself, had great legs and lines ~ so all it needed was a couple of vintage accessories to  compliment its style.  With the addition of a lighted globe and a vintage typewriter ~ I was able to achieve the look I knew Reagan was hoping for.  As he and I worked from room to room, the place started evolving into quite a charming spot.  Be sure to check back here soon to see pics of the rest of Reagan's Austin apartment. 

P.S.  Still searching for the perfect 7' mid-century modern sofa for the living room ~ hopefully a sooner -than-later find!  :)

House Tour ~ Breakfast Nook

I thought I might share a few pics of the breakfast nook today.  My favorite French cafe chairs surround the table.  It's nice that this pretty scene greets me each morning since, I'm sorry to say, I am not a morning person.  It kind of helps ease me into the day.

 

It's a simple spot ~ but so comfy and inviting.  The light comes pouring in during the day.  The farm style table is a flea market find. 

The handwritten recipes, worn with age, were given to me by Nana and are a real treasure.  I framed them up in simple black frames and attached ribbon to them to add a little more presence.  Read more about this project here.

 

When we first moved here all of the cabinets were stained ~ but over time the stain had yellowed badly.  They really dated the house, so I decided instead of going with typical white cabinets, to do something a little different and paint them black.  The built-in originally had glass covered doors on it, but during the paint process we took them down.  I liked the open shelving so much, I opted to leave the doors off which makes for easier access to the dishes.

*Note ~ always keep your eyes peeled for others castoffs on garbage day.  The floor lamp was a freebie ~ found curbside on trash day.  A couple of coats of spray paint covered over the dingy brass lamp and now here it rests in the nook's corner.  The stool at the end of the cabinet - was something my neighbor, Pam, no longer wanted and I was happy to find.  The vintage rug is courtesy of my friend Barb :) ~ something she chose to part with when she moved to her current home.  Thanks to my friend, Amanda, for all the great photos.  See more of Amanda's beautiful photography here.  And thank you for stopping by ~ I hope your week is filled with good things.  

Lighten Up

I believe that a home is a living, breathing organism with life happening all throughout it.  That being said, this place I call home is always changing.  Although I'm sentimental about some things, I'm not attached to most and I find it relatively easy to let got of some belongings in order to bring in new additions from time to time.  Especially, when I happen upon a cool find or great sale, or better yet ~ the two combined together.  I made the mistake of going into Anthropologie the other day and spotted this little guy, lurking in the clearance room shadows.  I've had my eye on him for awhile now ~ surprisingly, he's been sitting on a shelf collecting dust for weeks.  I finally decided he needed a new home ~ mine! 

  

Up until now, I've had a smaller, nondescript thrift store lamp on this old dresser and it served the purpose nicely.  But I've been eyeing this oversized gooseneck lamp and I was so happy to still find it available (I think he sort of resembles the Pixar logo lamp ~ do you?).  The mirror was a flea market find for a mere $10.00.

 

Since this is my bedroom, I really prefer to keep this area as uncluttered as possible.  A space that offers up minimal doses of visual stimulation ~ and instead promotes a calm and restful atmosphere.  I did add one pop of interest with this black and white striped rug I found at Ikea.  If I recall correctly, it also only set me back $10.00.

A nice reprieve from the hectic pace of the world within which we live.  

The dresser belonged to Nat's family when he was a young boy ~ I cleaned it up and gave it a couple coats of creamy white paint. 

I opted to use only a 40 watt bulb in the lamp ~ it casts a nice soft glow to the room in the evening.  I realize this isn't the most expensive or opulent room, but for me ~ it's certainly peaceful and relaxing.  Just what the doctor ordered after a busy week like this one.  Here's hoping you have an enjoyable and restful weekend as well. :)

P.S.  Some exciting news!  Here's your chance to meet and greet Rachel Ashwell at a Blogger's Luncheon during the upcoming Round Top Antiques Fair.  My friend, Kelley, of The Hidden List along with Bud Royer of Royers Round Top Cafe, is helping host this event ~ please go here for all of the details.  It is limited to the first 35 people who register.  It's not to late to secure your spot ~ I hope to see you there!

 

Additionally, thank you to my sweet friend and graphic designer, Lindsey Sobolik, for designing the lovely invitation!