Home : Luxurious Laundry

I have a love/hate relationship with laundry.  

I love the feeling of fresh, clean laundry neatly tucked away in it's proper place.  I love knowing that my staples are clean, my closet is complete and stocked with essentials for the week ahead.  

On the flip side, I strongly dislike the overwhelming pile of dirty laundry that quickly overflows from our laundry basket, overtaking precious floor space in the bedroom and glaring at me each time I pass by.  I also have negative feelings towards the hike I have to take in order to clean it.  It's a job - hauling loads of heavy jeans, damp towels and sweaters up two hills, down the stairs and into the slippery laundry room {it shares space with the complex's indoor pool}!!  Laundry is already a menial task - who wants to work for it?  {Not me.}

Regardless of my feelings and emotions towards my current laundry situation, I will say that I'm guilty of drooling over beautiful photos of well kept, beautifully organized and boldly colored laundry spaces.  Laundry rooms can be so luxurious these days!  

One day I'll own a home and beautify the laundry quarters, until then here are a few photos of inspiration....

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 

What do you think??  Does your laundry room have a special flare to it??

Creating Beautiful

So I was clicking around on Pinterest a bit today and came across a few quotes that resonated within me - the above, being one of them.  All of this concern with what style to deck out our apartment in, which furnishings to purchase, what our budget looks like, etc., etc.  I'm easily consumed with a task set before me {especially when it comes to something creative} and I find my heart and emotions far more involved than they should be sometimes.  Aside from having an adorable home {cause what girl doesn't want that?}, I want my home to evoke a sense of beauty apart from the furnishings and wall coverings.  I want my home to be a place of warmth and peace, love and holiness - a place that my husband, myself and visitors will find rest, refuge and be reenergized before they head back out that door.  I firmly believe that all of those feelings begin with me.  I so desire to be a girl who makes a place beautiful just by my mere presence.  Not in vanity, or physically speaking, but by the presence I carry and the Godly confidence that can only come from a life walked alongside Him.  I truly want to carry the whole "less is more" theme, I've had to adopt over the past few weeks, with me into this new year and beyond.  I want to simplify and focus on having a beautiful spirit - one that isn't so concerned with what I'm adorned with, but by what is flowing from my heart instead.  It is possible to make a place beautiful, but I can't do it alone. ♥
             

From Coast to Coast....

We made it!  Today marks one week of being California residents and it's also hubby's first day at his new job.  It's a bit surreal we're here. I don't know that the magnitude of what we've done will hit me for a few more weeks.  Oh. My. Goodness.

I did manage to pick up some sort of flu bug while in transit and was feeling pretty cruddy for the first few days.  (Flu + living out of a suitcase + emotions at an all time high = one hot mess of a girl)  Hubby took great care of me though, and Blakely was one sweet snuggly pup; I'm happy to say I've recovered.

The past few days have been filled with house hunting.  I knew shopping for a place to rent would be stressful and even a little depressing, considering housing is sooooo much more expensive on this coast, but nothing could have prepared me for just HOW expensive and tiny housing is here.  Our first few days of this were just sad - we found that most landlords don't allow pets, and if they do, you pay a pretty penny to keep that furry friend under your roof.  (Which is a little confusing, cause this is one dog friendly area.  Most shops have dog bowls and treats outside their front door, and some allow pets inside their businesses.)  Saturday our spirits were lifted - we found a great little apartment complex just 5 minutes away from downtown Monterey and just off the interstate for easy access to hubby's work.  And guess what??  They take pets!  We applied for the apartment yesterday and are hoping to hear back from them today or tomorrow.

While I'm thrilled we finally found something clean, close to budget and pet friendly, I have to say I'm still a bit shocked.  We came from a beautiful 1,666 sq ft home in FL and (if all goes well) we're headed to a 600 sq ft apartment.  Talk about an adjustment!  My wheels are turning - I've been scouring the internet for tips on decorating and making the most of small living spaces.  Any tips, hints or suggestions from seasoned small space dwellers, or interior designers are welcomed & appreciated.

Blakely's dying to be walked, but here are a few pics from our last few days home in Florida.  Monterey pics coming soon, I promise.

Decorate!

Remember that nook I told you I've been dreaming of (read about it here)??  Well, these are a few things I'd put in that cute little space if I had no budget at all (or a larger budget than I really do, hehe). 

1. Studded Chair
2. Fish Scale Pillow
3. Table Lamp
4. Faux Bush Coral
5. Chevron Lucite Tray
6. Volcano Candle - my absolute FAVORITE scent!  I've burned through several of these babies.

Rachel Zoe's Beautiful Abode

I'm a closet Rachel Zoe fan.  I was catching up on the her latest episode yesterday and my jaw dropped at the quick interior makeover her latest hire, Jeremiah Brent (who has a background in interior design and no fashion/styling experience whatsoever), did on her new 7,000+ square footage home in California.  It's gorgeous!

I'm finding myself to be more of a minimalist than ever before.  I used to love trinkets of all kind - I felt little things here and there made a space personal - which they do, but I'm loving clean and minimal spaces (probably because my house is a cluttered mess right now).  And while I sometimes feel white can be stark and impersonal, Jeremiah pulled off several hues of white in a beautiful and sophisticated way.

I borrowed these pics from BravoTV, but you can find all of the before and after photos here.  I don't know how well white will go over with the little one she just had - I can imagine it's hard to keep clean with a child who's exploring and on the go, but I sure do love how the decor turned out.  Okay, enough talking - take a look!

{LOVE the square chairs & that couch!!  So pretty....um and those lamps!  I want a pair in my dining room.  The white works so well with the dark wood floors, banister & fireplace.}

{Love how the modern furniure is mixed with the traditional fireplace.}

{Oh those lamps...have I mentioned that I LOVE them??}

{This just looks cozy...great reading nook.}

{I love the seating space here.  That pendant light is just beautiful.}

{Little man's room.}

{Love the pop of yellow with the white and black.  Also love the curves on the cabinets.}

{So open and airy...dream kitchen.}

I so wish they had photos to share of Rachel's closet, because O-M-G, it's beautiful.  You'll have to check out the latest episode to see it.

Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did.  Rachel's show is one of my guilty pleasures - I feel I can live vicariously through her...watching her travel from Paris to New York to LA, trying on gorgeous couture gowns and classic Chanel pieces, and styling the stars.  What a fun life she has!  I like living it with her via tv, it seems less exhausting. ;)  

Happy Thursday!

And The Winner Is....

Congratulations to Rachel from This Side of Eernity!  She is the winner of Courtney's adorable Owl Necklace.  Thank you so much for participating in our giveaway, it's always fun to hear from friends & fellow bloggers.  Also, a big thanks to Courtney for sharing her beautiful jewelry!  If you didn't have a chance to check out her etsy shop, you can visit it here - Courtney's Makings. 

Hopefully we'll have more giveaways to come.  In the mean time, it's Friday and I hope you have a fabulous weekend planned.  It's a gorgeous day here in the south - I've already been to Zumba, then brunch & yogurt with my man, I'd say I'm off to a great weekend!  Happy Friday....

{Doesn't this look like a lovely little place to escape for an afternoon?}