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Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Personal Style, Defined: Freckles Chick

After my post on making high-end homes and interiors attainable yesterday, I cannot think of a better blogger to bring us this week's installment of Personal Style, Defined than Freckles Chick who consistently inspires her readers with budget-friendly transformations in her home. She turns up the style by sourcing pieces at places such as Homegoods, World Market, and Pier 1 without spending a ton of money. Her style is beautiful, but it is made even better by the fact that it feels relatable and is completely attainable, in the grand tradition of our fallen friends, Domino and Cottage Living.


When Paloma contacted me regarding her Personal Style, Defined feature, flattery was quickly followed by utter awe. Thank you, Paloma, for deeming me worthy enough to be included amongst such a talented bunch. To be quite honest, I feel a bit out of my league…..but here I go!
I don’t consider myself to be a design expert. Impeccable taste and refined tendencies I am not! I’m just someone who admires a person’s ability to put together a room that could inspire others. While I appreciate a flawless high-end room from the glossy pages as much as the next design junkie, the rooms that really speak to me are the ones that look just a bit imperfect and lived in; where at least one piece of furniture has a story to it.

My personal style is constantly evolving. If I had to define it, it would be a contradiction of theories. A serene marriage of “eclectic” elements. I am a minimalist yet I veer towards the glam of Hollywood Regency. I love luxe textures but crave a dash of comfort. However, factor in a frugal nature, a DIY mindset, a design-impaired husband who would be thrilled if everything was paneled in dark wood peppered with bachelor pad furnishings, a large hairy dog whose tail is the ultimate party foul and well……..compromise is my middle name.

So, welcome to my living room! It’s not flawless nor is it entirely ground-breaking. Heck, it’s not even done. I love this space because it represents us. It’s a work-in-progress and at the core are things that make me smile.

{the before}

{the after}




This room had to be comfortably casual yet ready to accept company. I admit, I’m color-phobic when it comes to my own home and I wanted a soothing monochromatic look. Like the rest of our fixer-upper house, I had to work with a very small budget and some elements that weren’t entirely ideal to me (the rustic beam and atrium, the old sofa, a tired & inefficient fireplace). Being frugal has its advantages; it just forces us to be more creative, hands-on, and patient with trial and error. We painted twice, as the first color we chose was simply awful (final color: Valspar Arid Plains). We stripped the 30 yr-old carpet and restored the horrible subfloor before we had the wide-plank Brazilian cherry hardwoods installed. I spent an afternoon sanding, priming, and painting the fireplace mantel, as well as another afternoon giving the ivory tufted chairs a facelift.

My favorite item(s) in this room are these chairs that have lived with us for almost 5 years now. They’re supposedly vintage and were found on one of my frequent stalking trips to local gently-used furniture stores. They were $50 a piece, were in stunning shape, and just needed a bit of love. I have no idea how old they are and who manufactured them. I’ve often wondered where they lived and, if they could speak, would I want to hear the stories of who sat on them? HA!



Another favorite item is the starburst above the fireplace, found at Home Goods. It’s just uniquely glam enough to keep me happy and the rustic wood slivers make the Husband happy.

A delicate balance between “glam cave” and “man cave” if you will.


On the agenda is to replace the non-working fireplace insert (hence the candles) and re-tile with mini cararra marble tiles in a brick layout, create a bay window with a window seat, and purchase a “grown-up” sofa. But no rush since we're just happy to be able to call this space our own. Besides, I’d be utterly bored if every room was considered finished. What in the world would I do with myself then?


Thank you SO MUCH for allowing me to share this room with you all,

and for letting me reflect on how far it's come!

25 comments:

LindsB said...

What a beautiful room- I love the mirror over the fireplace and I would have never guessed it was from Homegoods :) And those side chairs are great, so pretty!!

Lauren Jade said...

I adore the made-over chairs! they look so excellent. She has effortly chic style...love it and love the price.

The Blushing Hostess said...

She did a lovely job!

bluehydrangea said...

What a great before and after..love, love, love the chairs!! I want to see more!

Joi said...

Aww. You couldn't have picked a better person to spotlight. FC is one of the nicest bloggers out there. She also has serious style!

Liza said...

I also like the mirror over the mantel--it's a nice twist on the starburst, and the blue graphic pillows are a great pop!

Linda in AZ * said...

* FANTABULOUS STYLE, ANNNNND on a "budget"???~~~~~ Huuuuuge KUDOS, kiddos!!!

Warmly,
Linda in AZ *

Unknown said...

YAY for FC, I also follow her blog and love her style! You picked a good one!

Anonymous said...

I LOVE your place...it's lovely!

Anna Whiston-Donaldson said...

This room is so chic and cozy! Those chairs are quite a success story. Great Job, Freckles Chick!

DecRenew Interiors said...

Wonderful room. Looks so inviting and comfortable. Thanks for sharing this post with us!

Ruth Staalsen
Decrenew.blogspot.com
Decrenew.com

DecRenew Interiors said...

Awesome post. Thanks for sharing.

Decrenew.blogspot.com
Decrenew.com

DecRenew Interiors said...

Awesome Post, thanks.

decrenew.blogspot.com

DecRenew Interiors said...

Awesome room! Thanks for the inspiration.

Ruth
Decrenew.blogspot.com

emily said...

I just came across your blog today via Freckles Chick's blog. I love your site and am adding it to my blog list (if you don't mind).

I also loved reading your post from yesterday about the Piney Point house - living in Houston, it is always nice to see the inside of those homes!

Ann said...

She's a talented lady to come up with such a lovely room. And I also get inspired by home spaces that looks lived-in and not too flashy nor too high-end...looks really attainable:)

Alluring Interiors said...

What a fabulous tribute...I loved this feature...she did a absolutely awesome job with this space.

Lauren said...

I am always inspired by beautiful magazine shots, but equally inspired by every day home makeovers! This is a charmer!

Oliveaux said...

She has done a lovely job. Ax

Design Esquire said...

You did a beautiful job! And I love how you balanced your tastes with your husband's! It is a win-win situation.

Sarah (Matters of Style) said...

Gorgeous transformation!

alison giese Interiors said...

Thank you so much for featuring Freckles Chick - I am in awe - not only of her superb sense of style (on a budget no less!), but also her clever and self-effacing writing style. To my blogroll, added!

Suzie said...

FC! You're far too humble! :) Love your style and those chairs are awesome!

Freckles Chick said...

::still blushing::

Thank you, everyone, for your kind comments! This was so enjoyable, you would not believe. You all ROCK!

And thanks again, Paloma for having me!!

=]
freckles chick

Mrs. Limestone said...

Such a fabulous and stylish room. You did an amazing job.