Shaking up Style and Breaking the Rules with Mondani

I was born a rule-follower.  I enjoy neat lines.  Order calms me.  Rules make sense.

However, there are exceptions to every rule!  Even for this self-proclaimed follower.

Modani, a modern furniture store, designed a "Five Design Rules to Break" challenge.  While I could pick more than one, I'm going to focus on 

#1: Stick to one Style.

It's no secret that I love antique, country-esque furniture and drool over neutral and pastel colors--these themes dominate just about every space that I have ever decorated.

When Kern and I moved into our spacious 700 square foot apartment, I had to select each piece carefully--I did not want every inch to be filled with furniture.  The more I worked with the existing floorspace and the pieces I already owned, I realized that I was drawn to more modern, sleek pieces to balance out the heavy antique-y wood.  Initially, the "keep everything matchy" voice in my head made me nervous to purchase what I truly loved.

I was worried that this modern coffee table would look harsh or strange paired with my painted wood furniture but  I was pleased at how it didn't fight with those furnishings and instead the glass top of minimalist metal legs made the space feel bigger.

The biggest challenge in our small space is getting adequate seating to hold a crowd.  I love having friends over, but the couch and two accent chairs fill up quickly.  There is blank space underneath our window that would be perfect for a bench.

Enter: Modani's Savina Bench in white.  It's the perfect compliment: minimalist design but still has the lovely tufted element on the seat. I am envisioning this as perfect extra seating with a crowd and a makeshift ottoman for my little gray corner chair.

I could also see myself balancing snacks on the leather top!

One of the strangest aspects of our apartment is that the living room has no overhead lighting.  Before I sound like I am complaining about it, let me clarify: I dislike overhead lighting because of the strange angles and shadows that it casts.  I love the soft glow of a good lamp.  There is already one floor lamp in our living area and one small table lamp, but one can never have too many options for good lighting.

That's where the Modani New Tuco White Lamp comes in!

It's simple and practical--it doesn't take up a lot of floor space but the curved shape allows the concentrated light to hang over exactly the right spot--perfect for reading!

Modani has stores all over the U.S...and they are getting one in DC soon.  I can't wait!

The best part about designing a space is making up your own rules.  When it comes to piecing together a room I adore and feel comfortable in, I consider comfort, storage and versatility, but the overarching rule that ties each piece together is that I love it--not the fact that it's all the same style or pattern. 

Have you found this to be true in your own homes?  What encourages you to make bold decorating decisions?

Paris Grey Bookcase on Alexandria Lifestyle!

Are you motivated to do a little "back to school" organizing...even if you're not hitting the books this fall?  If so, a bookshelf is a great place to start!

Join me at Alexandria Lifestyle and see the dramatic transformation that Chalk Paint plus a little organization can have on your space!

What August Taught Me

For the first 20-something years of my life, August was full of new beginnings, crisp notebooks and freshly minted resolutions to excel in a new school year.  I still get nostalgic when I walk through a store and see piles of school supplies stacked high and endless options of  notebooks and pens for sale.

For the past few years, however, August has been very different.  Because of the nature of my work, August is my break.  August is my time to slow down a little, catch my breath and prepare for a busy fall.  I soak up every last ray of summer--all the way through Labor Day--instead of rushing through summer reading or packing my belongings for school on August 1st.

I've come to accept and love the change and rhythm of August but this month has been markedly different for me.  The most obvious reason being, I'm married now, followed closely by the fact that Kern has been traveling almost the entire month.  Initially it might not sound like that big of a deal, but I have missed him greatly.  The hardest part has been missing him while I have down time and we could be participating in some of our favorite activities or traveling together.

Determined to make the most of my time, I decided to let August be a month synonymous with saying yes.  So what has that looked like for me?

Relationships - I have made it a point to reconnect with friends over the past month.  This has taken different forms ranging from sharing a meal to sending a text message or spending time on the phone.  It has reminded me how easy it is to connect and how frequently I choose not to reach out because I feel tired or overworked.  However, when I do reach out, I am recharged and encouraged far more than when I make an excuse.

Giving Away - I have dedicated several days to going through our apartment and marking items to give away, throw away or sell.  This organization spree snowballed into deep cleaning one day...and boy are the results worth it!  I have a rocking eBay store going, more room in my closets and a squeaky clean living space.  I should dedicate a separate blog post to my recent bend towards living with less because it has been wonderful and eye opening to me how little I (and we) actually need in comparison to all that we own.

Being Alone - The past month has confirmed some growing suspicions I have about my personality: I am much more of an introvert that I realized.  While I certainly love being around people, I do find that I need quiet alone time to recharge, ponder, dream and think.  I have allowed myself to say "no" to some opportunities in exchange for a quiet evening at home by myself, with dinner for one.  I am learning that I need this time.  For me, "alone" time also translates into doing activities just for myself, such as taking an afternoon to visit the Portrait Gallery or walk through the American History Museum.  I enjoy the luxury of going exactly at my own speed and deciding the exhibits I want to view!

God's Timing is Perfect - I sailed through the majority of the month trying to keep busy and anticipating a long-awaited trip back to Mississippi.  The day before I was scheduled to fly home, Gran Fran, my beloved grandmother, suffered a stroke.  Living so far from home can be difficult on a good day and gut-wrenching on a hard day.  I was able to get to her quickly and spend lots of time between the hospital and helping my mom manage the chaos.  She is doing better now and working hard in a rehab facility to be able to go home.  I kept thinking of Proverbs 16:9 "In his heart a man plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps."  

As I enter fall, I want to be more responsive to the situations that God places in front of me and be open and willing to change the plans that I have set for myself.  It's been a great summer and I look forward to the changes of fall.