Finding Style

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Morning!  I was so excited for breakfast this morning.  The idea of it literally pushed me out of bed.

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Kath’s husband, Matt, works for Great Harvest bakery and sent us home with three loaves of bread, including Cinnachip Cinnamon Bread.  He was pretty appalled when he found out we keep our normal bread in the fridge (which I think is a Florida thing), and insisted we keep this loaf out on the counter.

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I had one thing in mind for the Cinnachip bread:  French Toast!

 

I cut one and a half medium slices…

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And then prepared the French Toast as usual, using one egg.

 

The result:

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Truly amazing.  No syrup required because the bread was already mushy and sweet.  Not the healthiest way to make French Toast, but probably the tastiest!

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+ a bowl of fruit:

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Finding Style

 

So, now that we have our new duplex rental in Charlotte and a move-in date (June 28!!!), I seriously cannot stop imagining/planning for my new life in Charlotte.  I feel like our quality of life is about to VASTLY improve.

 

  • No more intensive, 60+ hour/week graduate school for the Husband.
  • A patio with a front lawn for the dogs.
  • A clean, shady neighborhood that we can walk around (we live in a very urban area of Orlando).
  • Shops and restaurants within walking distance.
  • The Husband’s office is 1.5 miles from our new house.
  • The new place is cleaner (hardwood floors), prettier, and nicer.

 

Have I mentioned we’re going to purge all of our furniture?  Yup.  We’re only bringing 1 chair and 1 office chair.  Everything else will be sold on Craigslist or donated to the Goodwill.  Most of our furniture is "hand me downs,” leftovers from college, or junk store buys, and I just don’t feel like it’s worth it to move.

 

This means that I get to pick out ALL NEW FURNITURE + accessory for our new place.  I’ve been saving money for months, and I’m so excited to find a style for our new place.

 

Our current place doesn’t have much of a style:

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It’s comfy and nice, but it’s also kind of blah. 

 

I’ve never really gotten to decorate before – we’ve always been too broke – but I can’t wait to begin hunting at antique stores and vintage shops.  I think I’ll buy the couch new, of course.  But I’m concerned that I have no idea what I’m doing! What if I get stuff that looks cheesy or lame together? 

 

How do you create a pulled-together room?  Any tips on decorating? Do you have style?

{ 163 comments }

 

  • Freya @ Brit Chick Runs June 8, 2010, 8:36 am

    Why can’t you keep bread in the fridge!? I always do lol!!
    Wow, you are so lucky getting to basically start again with the furniture!! I’m very jealous 😛 and I have zero tips cos I’ve never decorated..but I like light, modern, clean styles 🙂

    • Matt June 8, 2010, 1:23 pm

      Cause the sugars crystalize and then it dries out even quicker!

      • Freya @ Brit Chick Runs June 8, 2010, 1:32 pm

        If I leave it on the counter, it gets mouldy quicker…I can’t win! 😛

        • Matt June 8, 2010, 1:52 pm

          Not Great Harvest bread! We use enough honey in our breads that the surface has a positive osmotic pressure, so basically any mold spores or bacteria that land on the bread have the water literally sucked right out of them and they can’t reproduce!

        • Freya @ Brit Chick Runs June 8, 2010, 1:57 pm

          Ooh so it’s a Great Harvest bread thing! We don’t have that in England :'(

  • Whit June 8, 2010, 8:40 am

    I’ll introduce you to my aunt who is an amazing interior decorator. She does her schtick for free for her friends and family. You can just befriend her.

    But no really, she can tell you the best places in the Charlotte area to get the most stuff for your money.

    • Caitlin June 8, 2010, 8:42 am

      what’s her email?!

  • kristi June 8, 2010, 8:40 am

    My fiance and I have been living together for almost 5 years-during that time we have had 3 different apartments together. Here are a few tips I have for you:
    -Pick neutral colors for furniture. I like to change the look of the place often and it is hard to do if you have a red sofa.
    -Accent walls work wonders-if you don’t want to pain the whole room, just pick one and be creative with it.

    -Don’t be affraid to add color
    -Pick out some great artwork that can take up some wall space-IKEA is great for this, they have huge wall paintings
    -Accent with items that don’t cost a lot but look like they did-again IKEA is awesome for this.

    Sorry this is kind of long, but I love decorating 🙂 Also, we keep our bread in the fridge too-we don’t eat it fast enough to let it sit out!

  • Jae June 8, 2010, 8:42 am

    That’s amazing 🙂 I hope you have a great time decorating!
    Oh and that bread looks amazing

  • Caitlin in MD June 8, 2010, 8:43 am

    My advice is to TAKE YOUR TIME picking stuff out. Don’t buy a whole bunch of things at once just so you can fill up your house. You’ll end up with stuff you don’t really love, rooms that are too matchy-matchy, etc. One of my favorite blogs to get home design tips from is http://www.designspongeonline.com/

  • Liz June 8, 2010, 8:50 am

    I moved last year and I felt the same way! I basically looked around on home decorating blogs for ideas, and pottery barn catalogs (which of course I couldn’t afford, but were great inspiration before going to regular stores)

  • Jenna June 8, 2010, 8:50 am

    I keep bread in the fridge too- are you not supposed to?! Ha
    have fun dcorating the new house 🙂

  • Helen June 8, 2010, 8:51 am

    How exciting! When we moved in together we didn’t want any hand me downs. The only thing that isn’t ours is our table and chairs. Everything else we got from Ikea (great furniture place!) Our style is quite mismatch but it works! We have a red sofa, 2 oak style bookcases, a colourful bookcase and a black tv stand in our living room! We went for medium priced furniture and stuff that we can keep for 2 yrs and then get rid of without feeling too bad. Have fun choosing!

  • Julia @ www.britbride.com June 8, 2010, 8:52 am

    Hi Caitlin

    I would work on the basis of these two key tips:

    1. What is the “style” of the duplex already – i,e if it is wood floors and neutral walls I would go for neutrals – there are actually a LOT of colours in the neutral family, and you can add colour with art and accessories if you decide to later on. WORK WITH THE SYLE OF THE HOUSE.

    2. Only buy the basics first then take your time adding character in vintage stores etc.

    My favourite colour schemes are (currently) whites, pale blues and dove greys.

    Hope that helps

    Julia
    http://www.britbride.com

  • Sarah June 8, 2010, 8:55 am

    I’m horrible at decorating…but luckily my sister and bff are amazing at it! My advice: befriend people who know what they’re doing 🙂

  • Janna June 8, 2010, 8:56 am

    My favorite design website, by far: http://www.younghouselove.com

    i’ve found great ideas perusing their site!!

    • Christena June 8, 2010, 7:24 pm

      I second this recommendation: you MUST visit this site!!! I read every single day. They have fantastic style + budget-friendly ideas. Love it!

  • Amy @ForDGRedial June 8, 2010, 8:59 am

    I am currently doing virtually exactly the same thing! Have been using polyvore to create mood boards for individual rooms…it is really helping me.

    x

  • Tracey @ I'm Not Superhuman June 8, 2010, 9:05 am

    You should check out http://www.designspongeonline.com for ideas. I basically drool over everything on that site, but the home tours give me great ideas for my own place.

  • Liz June 8, 2010, 9:06 am

    Hey! As long as you find a style that YOU like and that makes YOU feel at home, I think it will be great. Those are usually the homes that you walk into and go “I wish mine was like this”. Eclectic styles actually mesh well. I have style, wish I had more and bet if I went with it I’d do great. I am going to overhaul certain areas of my house soon. This is exciting, most important … JUST HAVE A BALL WITH IT!!

  • erin June 8, 2010, 9:07 am

    best piece of advice i can give you – don’t feel pressured to buy everything at once. buy things one by one! then things will come together nicely, and you can really hone your style and taste!

    those design shows, that’s not easy to do! they also have boat loads of money!

    I really like apartment therapy.com. I’ve been in my condo for 2 years (i still don’t have art work on the walls, but i do feel like i’m slowly getting a style!)

    • Caitlin June 8, 2010, 2:05 pm

      this is good advice… go slow!

  • Lindsay @ cookingforaveganlover.wordpress.com June 8, 2010, 9:07 am

    We are in the same position- we are moving at the end of the month to a much nicer place and are purging most of our furniture. We picked up a number of great pieces over the last few years for the living room but as for all the other rooms in our apartment are filled with free items we have found, hand me downs, or inexpensive items to make-do until we found something better. Now that we are getting a more “grown-up” apartment in a beautiful area over looking the lake and has a balcony we decided we need to purchase new furniture. We are lucky to have an island/bar in our kitchen and stools from my parents to use until we find a dining room table. We are in the over time we will buy things mode as it’s expensive to buy all new furniture at once- plus we need to get a washer and dryer for our new place. Happy hunting for your new furniture!

  • Marissa June 8, 2010, 9:09 am

    There are lots of really good decorating blogs you can look around. That’s what I’ve done, and they’ve helped me greatly! Also, just to warn you, it’s so much fun picking out all new stuff, but we were broke for a while after furnishing our entire house!

  • Lisa June 8, 2010, 9:10 am

    Instead of keeping bread in the fridge, you should try the freezer. I would think that, especially in FL, after 2-3 days on the counter, the bread would go bad.

  • Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday June 8, 2010, 9:10 am

    I really like your arm chair. Is that the one you’re bringing with you?

    • Caitlin June 8, 2010, 9:12 am

      heheh yes 🙂

      • Theresa June 8, 2010, 1:49 pm

        I hope you keep the coffee table too! I have one that is similar, I love arts and crafts style!

        • Caitlin June 8, 2010, 2:04 pm

          its kind of falling apart on me 🙁

  • Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down) June 8, 2010, 9:10 am

    I would check out Real Simple magazine! There are so many ideas in there, and many of them are super affordable (and doable).

    The French toast looks awesome! 😀

  • Jessica @ How Sweet June 8, 2010, 9:10 am

    We did the same when we moved into our house last year – we needed EVERYTHING! I was really excited and wanted to buy everything at once. People kept trying to stop me, telling me that over time the style would come and I didn’t want to rush. That ended up being true because I bought a large painting that I now loathe.

    I think if you flip through some mags you will find what you want. I suggest buying only the essentials first – for us it was a sectional, chair, kitchen and dining room table. We still have a ton of bar rooms in our house because I can’t decide what I love now!

  • Heather (runningwithsass.com) June 8, 2010, 9:11 am

    I think I have your coffee table! is it from target?
    That’s the thing wth fashion and style these days, its so mish-mash to wahtever you want it to be. I mean, ahve you seen what people wear in some of the fashion mags? SO you cand ecorate your house however you want!

    • Caitlin June 8, 2010, 9:12 am

      yes its a target original 🙂

  • Katy(Balanced Foodie) June 8, 2010, 9:11 am

    I’ve never kept bread in the fridge! Rarely we’ll freeze a loaf if it’s BOGO but we leave it out. Do you keep it in the fridge cause it’s so humid in Florida? I’m curious now!

    • Caitlin June 8, 2010, 9:12 am

      yes, it gets moldy fast.

  • Nicole of Raspberry Stethoscope June 8, 2010, 9:13 am

    Mu boyfriend’s mom keeps her bread in the fridge, too!! I try to tell her that it actually makes it go bad quicker, but it’s still in there.
    As for the decorating, I don’t have much advice as my current situation is similar to the one you’re leaving. The only thing I have new is my couch, which I bought at a furniture liquidation sale. Everything else is hand me down, which I am not complaining about because if family/friends were not nice enough to give, I would have had a very bare apartment when I moved in! I slowly began putting other pieces in, mostly from stores like Ross (found a cool rug for like $25), and Marshalls. No shame in a bargain!
    This was the post I made when I “re-did” my living room: http://www.raspberrystethoscope.com/2009/09/transforming-my-living-room.html

  • Chandra H June 8, 2010, 9:15 am

    i keep bread in the fridge too 😀

  • Laura@keepingslimandgettingstylish June 8, 2010, 9:15 am

    I love interior design – I would start by having a good look on some websites for inspiration to see what kind of styles you like – http://www.livingetc.com http://www.idealhomemagazine.co.uk or http://www.apartmenttherapy.com these are all great websites for getting ideas. I would also think about what kind of place your moving into – a modern building may not work with a ‘shabby chic’ look but may work better with some 70’s style! Plus the most important thing is thinking about the practicalities of what you need and then working around them. I wish you lots of decorating fun! I would love a new house to be able to do up! x

  • Ashley June 8, 2010, 9:16 am

    I put my bread in the fridge also. My roommate did it so I started doing it. haha.

    I’m in the same boat as you…moving to London in August and can’t wait to start fresh and decorate the new flat!!

  • Carolyn @ lovinlosing June 8, 2010, 9:17 am

    The obvious answer is blogs. 🙂 There are a ton of decorating blogs out there. Check out this one: http://www.younghouselove.com.

  • Amy B @ Second City Randomness June 8, 2010, 9:18 am

    I had never seen anyone put bread in the refrigerator until one of my recent roommates did it. I believe there’s still a debate of which keeps it fresh, right? I have no clue…

    And for style ideas, I’m a fan of browsing magazines like Crate & Barrel, Ikea, and even some Good Housekeeping. I find a style I like and just copy it with my own little tweaks and such. If anything, it gives me good ideas for color schemes or what to do with empty walls…

  • Kiran June 8, 2010, 9:19 am

    I keep my bread in fridge as well 🙂 Weather is the culprit!
    For deco ideas, Ree’s blog has a lot to offer. Look out for garage/new model home furniture sale. I bought my formal dining room set for only $400 from a model home sale (retail $2,000!). It’s all about sifting through the Net for good bargain 😀 Good luck and have fun in Charlotte 🙂

  • Samantha @ Health, Happiness & Skinny Jeans June 8, 2010, 9:20 am

    My style is comfort first! My sofa is the most comfortable thing in the world. I could sleep there!! (and I sometimes do steal a nap on front of the tv)Otherwise I like earth tones (dark brown, olive, beige). People seem to like my little apartment so I guess it works! LOL

  • Molly June 8, 2010, 9:21 am

    Definitely check out:

    http://www.apartmenttherapy.com
    http://www.bhg.com/decorating

    Can’t wait to see how it comes together for you!

  • Erica June 8, 2010, 9:22 am

    I second Younghouselove!!! It’s a great site, people our age decorating their first home with style and still on a budget.

  • Mel @ She Runs Brooklyn June 8, 2010, 9:24 am

    Dude, I faced the same exact fear and budget issues when I moved into my own apartment in NYC a month ago.

    My best advice: don’t rush into anything because you feel you need to have it now. When you find the right pieces, you’ll know it! I waited 3 weeks before I found the right dresser, for the right price. It was worth it.

  • Bethany (Not Unless I'm Being Chased) June 8, 2010, 9:25 am

    I’m not exactly an expert in decorating, but it’s been 2 years since we bought our first house (my first real opportunity to decorate!) so I think I’m getting the hang of it.
    I always pick one “inspiration” piece (like a really cool, inspiring picture or vase) and draw colors from there. We did this with our bedroom and it turned out really well. Remember with couches and bed coverings, neutral works best with some fun accent pillows. If you keep the furniture classic, you won’t feel like you need to replace it in a few years — you can change it up with wild accessories.
    Good luck! I love finding a style. 🙂

  • Shannon (The Daily Balance) June 8, 2010, 9:26 am

    wowzers that toast looks AMAZING! I also love younghouselove and I think you’d really like apartmenttherapy.com!

  • Mary in CA June 8, 2010, 9:26 am

    First time commenter! My husband and I moved to our new town a year ago, and then due to major issues in our first place, moved again about 3 months ago.

    My first piece of advice is to buy QUALITY pieces- we originally hit up Ikea for a large majority of our furniture, since we couldn’t afford much, and it was a bad idea. Half of the stuff we bought initially didn’t even make the cut to come to the new place because it was already starting to fall apart, etc. Granted, you can get some solid wood pieces and other stuff that will last, but anything made of particle board won’t survive long.

    My second piece of advice is to look for unique consignment stores. We ran across a company that sells furniture and home goods for mostly elderly people that are downsizing, but also would sell pieces used in home staging. We found brand new (with tags, even) leather couches that were exactly what we wanted for something like 70% off their original price, and also found an antique farm table and bench that are heirloom quality for really decent prices.

    Basically, just be patient if you can live without your new place being totally furnished. You’re much more likely to get exactly what you want (and save $$) if you build it slowly!

    • Caitlin June 8, 2010, 2:07 pm

      thanks for reading!

      i agree that cheap furniture is not the way to go if you can afford it. that’s the trouble we’re having with our current stuff!

  • Mellissa June 8, 2010, 9:29 am

    I love when you get to purge all the hand me down furniture and get items of your choosing. Check discount furniture outlets, they have great deals on complete sets.

  • dotsie June 8, 2010, 9:29 am

    We put our bread in the fridge too, here in New Orleans.

    As far as decorating a house–no clue, never had to do it myself YET! Can’t wait until I can, though!

  • Allie (Live Laugh Eat) June 8, 2010, 9:31 am

    Just as you are selling your furniture on Craigslist, there is also a lot of great stuff to buy on Craigslist for cheap. You might be able to save some $$$, even if it’s just a coffee table or something.

  • Nicole, RD June 8, 2010, 9:32 am

    That’s one thing I love about moving – new furniture and new decorating! All I can say is, HOBBY LOBBY! 🙂

  • Kelly @ Healthy Living With Kelly June 8, 2010, 9:35 am

    Decorating is so much fun! My advice would be to have one WOW piece and then taylor your room around that!

  • MelissaNibbles June 8, 2010, 9:35 am

    I just bought a condo and can’t wait to move and redecorate!! Apartmenttherapy.com is great for inspiration.

  • Diana (Mymarblerye) June 8, 2010, 9:39 am

    my current apt has the same “colors” as yours does…dark homey greens and reds…but when I move next year I wanna make it a lil modern…think white and blacks and silvers…and emo. haha jk.

  • Jessie (Bites and Pieces) June 8, 2010, 9:46 am

    I have recently gotten into decorating after discovering so many wonderful design blogs. One of my favorites is younghouselove.com. Definitely check it out. As far as accessorizing your home, Target, HomeGoods, and IKEA are affordable and have some really great finds. Just walking around in these stores inspires me to do projects around the house!

  • Lindsay @ The Ketchup Diaries June 8, 2010, 9:46 am

    French toast looks divine! You will be totally fine on the decorating front. It’s really fun to find your style. My biggest piece of advice: Don’t rush it. When we bought our house, I bought a few things just because they were cheap and I thought I’d like them. I ended up hating them and just had to buy good stuff anyway.

  • Kelly June 8, 2010, 9:47 am

    I have learned so much about decorating from other decor blogs. Here are just a couple, but there are tons in blogland.
    I love young house love, http://www.younghouselove.com/
    Also, Bryn’s blog. She actually just moved to Charlotte. I bet she will tell you great shops to check and maybe even meet you for lunch and a little girls shopping trip. Maybe you will become good friends. :O) http://brynalexandra.blogspot.com/

    • Caitlin June 8, 2010, 2:08 pm

      hehe thanks for passing along bryn’s info!

  • Jess @ Jessica is Getting Fit June 8, 2010, 9:52 am

    We keep our bread in the fridge too. Unfortunately with just two of us we don’t go through enough bread quickly and putting it in the fridge keeps it from molding!

  • RhodeyGirl June 8, 2010, 9:52 am

    For the big ticket items- go neutral. Find something that could grow with you as your tastes change. Then accent it with whatever you are feeling in the moment. For example, buy simple plain couches and then accent them with funky pillows that you can change up every year or so. It is easy to get sick of patterns, and this way when you get sick of a pattern you can just put the pillow covers away and buy some new ones for the future.

    As far as wall art etc, don’t rush into it. Start with plain walls and let it build as time goes on. We are JUST finally reaching the final few stages of picking out wall art and I have been living on my own since 2006 building it up.

    When you travel someplace new keep your eyes open for funky and unique pieces that could fit your place well.

    With big furniture purchases- I like to mix fancy/elegant with simple/utilitarian styles, so I tend to go for a nice piece next to something from Ikea. That helps our budget but also keeps the room from being too formal or too casual, too cold or too warm.

    Don’t be afraid to live with an empty room or without a coffee table etc for a bit. When I bought my condo I didn’t have a tv stand or coffee tables for a few months until I finally found what I was looking for.

    Good luck and feel free to email me any specific links to pieces etc.

  • Ashley M. [at] (never home)maker June 8, 2010, 9:53 am

    Here’s our house tour: http://www.neverhomemaker.com/2009/11/brief-house-tour.html

    Basically, it’s all a game of chance. It’s a good idea to make a mood board or just lay out a basic color scheme first. Then shop places like Home Goods and other discount stores for accessories. It’s good to go basic with couches and wall colors and such, accessorize with flashier pillows, curtains, rugs.

    Just take your time. You don’t have to get it all at once!

    • Caitlin June 8, 2010, 2:13 pm

      Your home is beautiful!

  • Marissa June 8, 2010, 9:54 am

    We keep our bread in the fridge, too! And our cereal… and crackers… and basically everything we can shove in there! We had a problem with MICE a year or so ago, so now I think we’re all paranoid about leaving anything not canned in the cupboards!

  • RhodeyGirl June 8, 2010, 9:54 am

    Also, when I first bought my condo I went through lots of catalogs (Pottery Barn, William Sonoma Home, and dozens of modern furniture ones from the furniture store) and ripped out pages of what I liked. I put them all in a binder and over time I recognized patterns and followed that in buying my furniture and picking out paint colors etc. You should do that too! Like a inspiration board

  • Allison R. June 8, 2010, 9:55 am

    I’m so jealous of you! haha I love, love, LOVE decorating, and cannot wait until I can do it to my OWN place some day! Here are a few decor blogs that I read:

    Young House Love
    Making it Lovely
    All Things G&D
    Kara Paslay Designs

    I can’t wait to see pictures of before and afters 🙂

  • Anne June 8, 2010, 9:55 am

    I second the “work with the style of the house” comment. Also, we just got some cool picture displays that combine 4-5 photos into a collage-looking thing. It looks SO much better on the wall than having a bunch of little photos here and there. It’s a minor thing, but if you have a bunch of smaller photo frames, it makes sense (and is a cheap way to look more “pulled together.”) I would check out the RoomStore, if you will have access to one, for a couch. Some of their stuff is overpriced, but we got a great deal on ours once we hunted around a bit!

  • Camille June 8, 2010, 9:58 am

    I’m so jealous you get to start fresh with your furniture! I would love to do that if I had the money to.

  • Katie - Life Discombobulated June 8, 2010, 10:01 am

    Ok, here’s my #1 piece of advice when buying new furniture… Make sure it’s COMFORTABLE!!! My BF bought a couch and chairs because he thought they “looked” comfortable and stylish. Fail. When you’re at the furniture store, sit on everything. Roll around on it. Lay on it like you’re going to lay on it at home. There is nothing worse than dropping hundreds of $$ on new furniture, getting it home and not wanting to sit on it! Oh, and then, of course, pick neutral yet stylish colors…

  • Ellie June 8, 2010, 10:01 am

    I think your decision to not take your furniture is awesome. I JUST started doing some part time work for a moving company (like, moving furniture up and down stairs — and I’m a 5’7″ 125 lb girl. It’s HARD) and I think dragging furniture around is a waste of everyone’s time and energy! Plus, new places are always SO much fun. I’m excited for you.

    I’m from New England and we’ve always kept bread on the counter except when it’s really hot. Because, as you said, it gets moldy fast. I agree though that it keeps more nicely when you can leave it on the counter.

  • Dori June 8, 2010, 10:02 am

    My mom always told me that bread stays on the counter until it is opened, then it goes in the fridge!

  • Jessica June 8, 2010, 10:03 am

    I am going to chime in too for http://www.younghouselove.com/

    John and Sherry will be your best friends. They have impeccable style and a lot of what they do is eco-friendly and affordable.

  • Samantha @ Food Edu June 8, 2010, 10:05 am

    All these life changes sound exciting–it sounds like you’ll have alot more time with your husband too! Most all our furniture is college left overs, etc. so I am going to be buying new stuff after I get married next month!

  • kate June 8, 2010, 10:06 am

    Redecorating is going to be a blast! Id say our style is modern, with some bright colors.

  • Michelle @ Give Me the Almond Butter June 8, 2010, 10:10 am

    I put the bread in the fridge simply because I can’t go through a loaf of bread by myself before it gets bad. I love when I go home and my family doesn’t…cause well, there’s more of us.

    For a style tip, I would choose two materials and go with it. Whether it be cast iron and stainless steel or what have you. Don’t muddy up all the materials you have, especially in your kitchen.

  • Cyclist Kate June 8, 2010, 10:15 am

    Haha–I don’t want to contradict Matt, but I think for “regular” (aka grocery store, preservative-filled) bread, keeping it in the fridge is better. For “real” bread (Great Harvest, artisan bread), the fridge makes the bread stale quicker. An in-between option would be to wrap half of the loaf really well and freeze it. Even in dry Reno, Great Harvest-esque bread molds within a week in the summer.

    Aaaaand, for decorating, I’d recommend that you start reading design magazines and blogs to help you start to develop your eye for what you like. I LOVE “Domino: Book of Decorating.” I refer to it all the time when I want inspiration or need a brush-up on decorating basics. Can’t recommend it enough!

  • Joanne June 8, 2010, 10:27 am

    My mother is the best decorator. I’m afraid to take on a whole room. I can be creative in cake decorating but give me a bare room – AHH!
    Good luck with your new place.

  • Courtney (Pancakes & Postcards) June 8, 2010, 10:28 am

    Haha I just love that last part of your question: “Do you have style?” No Caitlin, I don´t. I am a completely unstylish waste of a person. Thanks for rubbing it in. 🙂

    in all seriousness though… I really don´t. I lived in a dorm room for four years, and now I live in a bamboo hut, which I would like to think I have done up pretty nice but… its still bamboo.

  • Mai June 8, 2010, 10:31 am

    My advice is print out pictures of rooms you like and take them with you shopping. People in furniture stores can then see what you like and help you pick things you may otherwise have never considered. Good luck!

  • Sarah for Real June 8, 2010, 10:32 am

    We got all new furniture when we bought a house. My biggest piece of advice doesn’t have much to do with style but quality.

    Research your couch before you buy and plan on investing more money than you planned. A long lasting couch will cost you around $1000 just for starters.

    You want to know what things like kiln-dried wood mean and you shouldn’t be able to twist (or easily lift up) a real quality sofa.

    I made the mistake of purchasing something that looked stylish without doing any research. It has fallen apart in only a couple of years and gives us both back pain but we can’t afford to replace it yet. 🙁

    (Do you have any ikeas over there? I don’t know much about their couches but they have TONS of super cute inexpensive other things for decorating.)

  • Erin @ A Girl & Her Mutt June 8, 2010, 10:36 am

    The biggest piece of advice my Mom gave to me was to only buy things I loved. Just don’t buy to have it. If you need a coffee table, wait to buy one until you find one you love. Not just the first one you see. 🙂

    Oh, and the bread in the fridge is def a Florida thing. It would get moldy to fast if you didn’t!

    • Becky June 8, 2010, 12:39 pm

      This is really good advice. My best friend does the same thing. They had a coffee table that was boxes of books with plywood on top for awhile, but at least she didn’t buy an ikea “standin” and then live with it for way too long. Wait, and buy what you love when you find it and can afford it.

  • BethT June 8, 2010, 10:39 am

    You do know that you’re moving to one of the biggest furniture states, right? Check out the many furniture outlets in North Carolina. There are tons in the Hickory area (about an hour from Charlotte) and I found some great deals in the Raleigh area as well. When I bought new furniture, I found a couch and chair that weren’t the same brand, but coordinated really well and were high quality for the price (i.e., cheap as Ikea but much better in quality).

    I’m excited for you. When we moved after grad school and FINALLY got on with our lives, it was magical!

  • Marilou @ Mostly Healthy June 8, 2010, 10:40 am

    I’m in the same situation as you! Purging almost all furnitures! 🙂

    These comments are helpful to me too 🙂 I’d just say, don’t go too bold on anything. Classics are for a reason!

  • BethT June 8, 2010, 10:43 am

    BTW – one of the best outlets is the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams outlet. Their furniture is funky and modern. Plus, they feature their bulldog (and lots of hot men) in many of their ads, so what’s bad about that? 🙂

  • Wei-Wei June 8, 2010, 10:44 am

    This sounds so yum! Honestly, I’m jealous of anyone who has access to GH bread 😀

    Why don’t you peruse Real Simple? I know you like that magazine and it’s got some decorating tips, I believe. Good luck! 🙂

    Wei-Wei

  • Heather (Heather's Dish) June 8, 2010, 10:45 am

    i’m no interior decorator, but i love finding something as a source of inspiration (a really awesome bowl, a pillow, etc) and build the room around complimentary and matching colors, different prints and textures, and furniture that’s SUPER comfy! that’s so exciting!

  • Lauren June 8, 2010, 10:47 am

    Yay! I purged all of out stuff twice now. 1st when we moved from New England to Texas and again a month ago when my fiance was promoted and transferred to Colorado. Same deal- too expensive to move around a bunch of hand-me-downs.

    Craigslist is key! Happy moving! It’s so freeing to start over, you will love it 🙂

  • Juani June 8, 2010, 10:48 am

    My advice would be to buy your furniture in neutral types of colors (like beige/cream/brown).Then I would find a few nice paintings/pictures that you like and might hang in your living room,for example,and pick out colors from those pictures that you like.Then you can accessorise your living room with those types of colors.And when you get tired of that look,it’s much easier to change up the accessories (like lamps or pillows) than if you were to buy a red couch,but get tired of it after a while.

  • Amber K @ sparkpeople June 8, 2010, 10:53 am

    I have absolutely no style! All of our furniture we either inherited or got from Goodwill. As well as some of our wall photos. In fact, I think the only thing we have bought for ourselves is our dining room table and chairs which we bought on sale.

    I keep my Ezekiel bread in the freezer, it lasts longer than way and I can pull out just what I need to defrost. =)

  • Jenna (Hello, I Love You) June 8, 2010, 10:58 am

    I am so excited for you! I really love interior design. I absolutely agree on designsponge, apartmenttherapy, and younghouselove as sources of inspiration…they all rock! I print out ideas I like and keep a binder of the designs and techniques so I can go back to them when I need style inspiration. 🙂

  • Lee June 8, 2010, 11:09 am

    check out the website younghouselove.com. Lots of good suggestions. I’m in the same boat as you. We just bought our first house and still have all our hand me down furniture.

  • Lindsay June 8, 2010, 11:10 am

    I never really decorated until I moved to my current apartment. I guess this is the first place I expected to live for a few years. And it was built in 1923, so it’s already sort of cute. 🙂 It was easiest for me to pick out a color theme and go from there. Even if you buy things that don’t fit the theme (which is OK because otherwise it starts to look sort of silly), you have a main idea to work off of. Also, I think it helps to go piece-by-piece. That way you can stop yourself if it is starting to look cheesy! 🙂

  • Jen June 8, 2010, 11:10 am

    Congratulations on your new move! I’ve been reading your blog for a little while, but I believe this is my first time to comment.

    They only tip I have is find things that you like and that make you happy. This is your home. You spend a lot of time here. You entertain here. You build your life here. Make sure you LOVE it! 🙂

    Good luck on the move and have fun decorating!

  • Morgan @ Life After Bagels June 8, 2010, 11:11 am

    I absolutely stink at decorating, that’s my bf’s domain for sure. Although our house is TOTALLY just full of thrown together hand me downs too. The only cool part about our house is that my bf and all of our friends are artists so our tiny little apt is covered with about 20 original paintings.

  • Danika June 8, 2010, 11:21 am

    one word: IKEA. nuff said.

  • Ashley (whole-ier) June 8, 2010, 11:22 am

    my bf and i have had our new place for almost a year now and are still working on getting a “style.” like you- we got rid of EVERYTHING before buying this place. It was nice to get rid of all that old college crap.

    Just beware that you’ll want to do everything all at once. I’ve learned that unless you have unlimited funds- it’s kind of a long process. Good luck! Can’t wait to see what you come up with!

  • alli June 8, 2010, 11:22 am

    buy what you love and it will work! but i’m no expert 🙂
    also, craiglist isn’t a bad place to look for a couch. we got a great leather (REAL leather) sectional for $500. which make me think, would you-being vegetarian- buy leather?
    i’m totally into buying used everything (well not food or panties) these days…saves money and it’s great for the environment 😉

  • Cynthia (It All Changes) June 8, 2010, 11:23 am

    For our job we get a company furnished housing so we have no say. But I know I love clean lines. I say go look at magazines and blogs to figure out what you love. And wandering IKEA if there is one near you gives you great ideas.

  • Shelly @ EpicOrganic.net June 8, 2010, 11:24 am

    I have zero style, so when I got my new place, I went to the local Home Depot, and they have a section of books on decorating and crafting and all that stuff. TONS of pictures – so I copy my room decor from pictures 🙂 The HGTV.com web site also has tons of pictures of rooms from their various shows.

  • Jessica @ The Process of Healing June 8, 2010, 11:29 am

    The French toast looks AMAZING!!
    And how exciting that you get to buy all new furniture!!! I’ve never decorated myself before but how cool!

  • Julie June 8, 2010, 11:30 am

    I sometimes read Bryn’s blog:

    http://brynalexandra.blogspot.com/

    She just moved to Charlotte and is into decorating/interior design. Potential new blogger friend??

  • Kacy June 8, 2010, 11:33 am

    Oooh, much luck with the decorating! I have no skills in that department, but I find it’s easy enough to at least fake it. Just buy pieces that really speak to you and represent who you are and you should be solid.

  • Dynamics June 8, 2010, 11:38 am

    Start watching the decorating shows on cable. Also Nate Berkus is a genius.

    “I have no furniture in my new apartment — what should be the focal point if I’m starting with nothing?”

    “The best place to start is to buy your sofa,” Nate says. “But I’m going to tell you something that a lot of people have disagreed with over the years — I think you should buy the best sofa that you can afford. Make sure you buy something that’s of really good quality. I’ve had my sofa in my apartment in Chicago for twenty years; I just recover it, I still like the shape. Buy a classic simple sofa of decent quality, and buy it in a solid fabric and in a neutral color so you don’t get tired of it.”

    Have fun. Remember the apt will be a reflection of you and your husband and there is no wrong way. Decorate to make you both happy, especially you, since you spend so much time there.

    • Caitlin June 8, 2010, 2:15 pm

      i am soooo excited to buy a new couchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

  • susan (stepping off the coaster) June 8, 2010, 11:47 am

    i personally have NO style… but my sister’s house is my favorite place in the world and she’s constantly changing it w/o spending lots of money. so the basic thing i learned from her:
    furniture is the big ticket item, so buy something you love, but in a neutral… then it’s easy to totally change the look/feel of a room by using colorful pillows on the couch, painting a wall, and hanging a new piece of art.

  • Gracie @ Girl Meets Health June 8, 2010, 11:49 am

    First of all, the cinnamon chip bread looks amazing. It reminds me that I once had S’MORES bread from Great Harvest. I don’t think I even have to describe how unbelievably good that was…

    As far as designing/decorating goes, I love it! I picked out all of the furniture and paint colors for our house when we moved in a few years ago.

    I’m not sure if you’re planning on painting, but I’m a HUGE fan of colored walls. My bedroom is dark purple/plum, and it makes it feel so cozy! Lavendars and pale yellows are great too.

    I agree with the above commenter about the importance of a sofa. You could buy something neutral – like a chocolate brown – and then switch it up with cool pillows whenever you want!

  • Ashley June 8, 2010, 11:53 am

    You must check out Revel Blog!! Her style is amazing and she just did a recap on re-doing her guest bedroom. It is SO fresh + clean. Just lovely =) http://www.revelblog.com/

  • Rebecca @ How the Cookie's Crumble June 8, 2010, 11:58 am

    I once had a cute house that was all put together and then I sold all my stuff when I moved cross country. Now I have a hand me down futon in the living room that sags to the ground in the middle. But I have to move sometime in the near future and I plan on buying real living room furniture again!

    I think the best way to choose furniture and decorate is to choose your style first. Do you like classic? modern? comfy cozy? shabby chic? Once you pick a “theme” it will be easier to pick furniture and you will find pieces that even if they are not “matchy” still go together. If you don’t have a theme and start buying different pieces, that’s when things can become a mess. NC is also known for furniture so be sure to check out sample sales. High Point also has a furniture market twice a year and probably sells samples before and after market!

  • Anne @ the doctor takes a wife June 8, 2010, 12:03 pm

    We put our bread in the fridge too– it lasts longer!

    I don’t feel like we have any style because we’ve been renting for so long. However, we do want to buy a house in the next year, so then we’ll finally have the chance to make something feel like a home!!

  • Tay June 8, 2010, 12:06 pm

    I actually know quite a few people who keep their loaves in the fridge. But as I learned in one of my nutrition/food processing classes, the fridge prevents bread from spoiling but also accelerates the staling process MUCH faster. Keeping it in the freezer prevents both!! Now if I know I won’t eat my bread within a few days-a week, I’ll freeze it!

  • Dorry June 8, 2010, 12:16 pm

    I’m similar to you in that I’ve never paid a lot of attention to style/decorating my living space. I know I like things simple but I get overwhelmed with options. I think it’s good to pick one standout piece of furniture or art and center the rest of the room around it!

  • Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin June 8, 2010, 12:17 pm

    I love getting ideas for decorating from the Ikea catalogue!

  • Emily June 8, 2010, 12:19 pm

    We would probably kill Matt then – we eat so little bread that we keep our loaf in the freezer and defrost in the toaster. hmm. If we left it on the side, it’d mold in a few days – same as Florida, I’m assuming!

    When I was trying to put a little style into our apartment I red Modern Glamour by Kelly Wearstler and implemented some of her ideas. I also bought a piece of original artwork from an artist whose work I adore. Looking forward to seeing how it all goes for you and what you choose to go with!

  • MLT June 8, 2010, 12:28 pm

    How exciting!!
    I did something very similar about a month ago- we kept our bed and a table, and that’s it. We haven’t really bought anything yet though, because we are pretty poor so we want to wait and find something we love before we splurge. I also had a few years with lots of hand me downs from friends, and this time we moved cross country and decided: no more furniture we just feel “eh” about. Until we find we like at a price we can afford we’ll sit on the floor.
    that said, I think one of the best pieces of advice I’ve heard is to focus on your “base”. By that I mean your floors, ceiling, walls and lighting. Sounds like your floors are slammin, but a few rich carpets can look great against hardwood. Choose nice draperies or roman blinds to soften your windows. If you’re allowed, think about molding for your ceiling. And don’t use the overhead light! Everything looks and feels better with mood lighting- buy the right lamps for each room and use them. Think about what will go on the walls- we are lucky that we have a lot of original artwork, but just one or two pieces will make your style more unique. Try etsy. Once you have a great “base” everything else will come together.
    As far as “style” I say: read the magazines/blogs/design shows, etc., but in the end, you should buy what you truly love. If you only buy what you love, they will all share something in common at the end. That’s how I buy clothes, too.
    Good luck! What a fun “task”!

    • Caitlin June 8, 2010, 2:15 pm

      i need rugs!!!!

  • MLT June 8, 2010, 12:28 pm

    How exciting!!
    I did something very similar about a month ago- we kept our bed and a table, and that’s it. We haven’t really bought anything yet though, because we are pretty poor so we want to wait and find something we love before we splurge. I also had a few years with lots of hand me downs from friends, and this time we moved cross country and decided: no more furniture we just feel “eh” about. Until we find we like at a price we can afford we’ll sit on the floor.
    that said, I think one of the best pieces of advice I’ve heard is to focus on your “base”. By that I mean your floors, ceiling, walls and lighting. Sounds like your floors are slammin, but a few rich carpets can look great against hardwood. Choose nice draperies or roman blinds to soften your windows. If you’re allowed, think about molding for your ceiling. And don’t use the overhead light! Everything looks and feels better with mood lighting- buy the right lamps for each room and use them. Think about what will go on the walls- we are lucky that we have a lot of original artwork, but just one or two pieces will make your style more unique. Try etsy. Once you have a great “base” everything else will come together.
    As far as “style” I say: read the magazines/blogs/design shows, etc., but in the end, you should buy what you truly love. If you only buy what you love, they will all share something in common at the end. That’s how I buy clothes, too.
    Good luck! What a fun “task”!

  • Linda June 8, 2010, 12:28 pm

    Hey Caitlin!
    Love love love your blog. After moving 11 times and redoing my house multiple times my advice is …..TAKE IT SLOW. Get used to the house…..do one room at a time, don’t rush into a lot. I read tons of blogs and here is one of my favorites….these two are so cute and what they can do to a room is so fun. Here is the site: http://www.younghouselove.com/ Enjoy and congratulations on the next exciting adventure of your life.

  • Elizabeth June 8, 2010, 12:38 pm

    So exciting! I’m sure you will have a blast furnishing your new place. A few tips from the past 10 years of furnishing and re-furnishing 7 apartments (mine), a ton of film and photo sets, and 4 houses (three for my sisters, one for my mom)
    1. Buy quality big pieces, which might mean not furnishing every room to the hilt from the start.
    2. Buy neutral big pieces (e.g. we purchased a white couch, a white TV/entertainment doodad, and a white chair; all of our wooden pieces are from the same family of stains).
    3. Buy fun, inexpensive accents that you can change without feeling guilty. That gives you some flexibility to find your style and change with seasons/trends without committing to having a blue living room forever.
    4. Find pictures of rooms that you like and really analyze them thoroughly. Does everything make a statement, or is it really that one painting/flower arrangement/end table that has a starring role?
    5. Don’t buy *anything* before you have a general plan for the room. My sister bought a beautiful couch that doesn’t match the rest of her room at ALL, and it ended up looking too small once it was in place with the rest of the furniture. Expensive mistake!
    6. Inspiration board for each room (helps with #5 as well). Helps you set the emotional/energetic tone, color scheme, etc. for the room without spending.

  • MLT June 8, 2010, 12:41 pm

    Oh- and I just wanted to say: I LOVE that leather/wood chair in the picture above. Is that one of the things you’re keeping? it’s adorable!

    • Caitlin June 8, 2010, 2:16 pm

      yes it is!!

      • MLT June 9, 2010, 1:40 am

        You have great taste! 🙂
        Can’t wait to see how it all comes together!

  • Scargosun June 8, 2010, 12:44 pm

    I like they idea of layering. Start with you basics then add as you go along and you’ll find your style. 🙂

  • Hillary [Nutrition Nut on the Run] June 8, 2010, 12:45 pm

    I love decorating! I can’t wait to have a real place to decorate all on my own someday! What colors are you thinking? Are going more modern or…?

  • Faith @ lovelyascharged June 8, 2010, 12:51 pm

    I love starting from scratch – it’s so freeing to have absolutely nothing to go off. I’d concentrate on figuring out your style – modern, eclectic, homey, minimal, etc…and using that as a motif for decorations while keeping the furniture fairly classic. IKEA is your friend!

  • KatieTX June 8, 2010, 12:51 pm

    Quality is key. I bought a $150 ikea sofa because we neededa small sofa, then I realized how uncomfortable it is! Your butt falls asleep after sitting on it for a few minutes! I cannot wait to upgrade!! good luck with decorating!

  • Catherine June 8, 2010, 12:53 pm

    Get the Domino decorating book!!! Tips of decorating on a budget, finding your unique style that will flow throughout your space, etc. http://www.amazon.com/Domino-Decorating-Room-Room-Creating/dp/1416575464 Seriously… changed my life. 😉

  • Noelle June 8, 2010, 12:57 pm

    I would agree with some of the previous posters

    younghouselove.com and makingitlovely.com have great tips and because they are fixing up their own houses sometimes they focus on really specific things that other blogs like apartment therapy or design sponge don’t.

    Also some services like kellyandolive.com help you decorate through the power of the internet by creating moodboards based on your specific tastes and space. Not too expensive and worth it since they can work with a lot of budgets.

  • Ashley June 8, 2010, 1:05 pm

    I was wondering how many days you typically take off for recovery after a half marathon and if you feel it’s beneficial to do an easier workout when you’re still sore. I’m not a new runner by any means, but I ran a fast (for me) half on sunday and set a new pr (1:49:35 seconds woo-hoo!!!!! lol) and i’m pretty sore but i’m also feeling pretty antsy lol. I’ve been walking the last two days but I’m wondering if it’s ok to get my cross-train on tomorrow even if I still feel sore and what you generally do.

    Also, how much do you eat on lighter workout days? I feel STARVING even though I definitely ate back enough on Sunday and have just walked the last couple days. Have you ever dealt with this?

    • Caitlin June 8, 2010, 2:18 pm

      i will usually take one full day off and then do a long walk or the elliptical on the second day. just take it easier and be wary of any pains due to impending injury.

      you might still be suffering a calorie deficit from your half marathon which would explain the hunger. if you’re starving, eat! you obviously need the calories.

      when i’m in maintenance mode, i eat about 1800 calories on rest days.

      • Ashley June 8, 2010, 2:20 pm

        Thanks for the input. I guess I’m just suprised I’m hungry, I have an office job so normally on off/easy walking days I’m not hungry at all and I ate about 2500 calories on Sunday so I wasn’t expecting to be hungry. On your first day back running are you typically still sore?

        • Caitlin June 8, 2010, 2:22 pm

          You prob burned 1000+ calories during the half so 2500 is just beginning to make up the deficit!

          I wait until I’m no longer sore to run after a half, usually three days.

  • Erin June 8, 2010, 1:07 pm

    I refrigerate bread too – and I’m in Minnesota where it’s cold half of the year! With only two of us, it takes some time to go through a loaf and I hate to waste it, so in the fridge it goes.

    Have fun decorating – it’s so fun to start from a blank slate like you are. And it’ll be so much easier to move!!

  • Katherine June 8, 2010, 1:14 pm

    pick a color-scheme and shop for it. I once saw a really cute idea that was based off the cover of a favorite children’s book (like Madeline or something)

  • Heather Rose June 8, 2010, 1:18 pm

    How fun that you get to decorate everything with all new stuff, that will be a blast!

    I just moved into my house last November, and it took me a bit to get it where I wanted it.

    My advice is to take a couple of weeks and really get a feel for the new place and how you think things will work best.

    I made the mistake of just decorating and unpacking to get it done, but then I was changing things around for months as I figured out how it would be more functional, where things would look better, etc.

  • Kelly June 8, 2010, 1:22 pm

    So exciting about getting to decorate your new place!

  • 'laina June 8, 2010, 1:37 pm

    IKEA!! It has amazing, beautiful stuff at extremely reasonable prices. We furnished our entire house for under $2000- most furniture stores sell sofa sets alone for $2000. When the kids move out here a few years, we’re going to remodel the kitchen and bathrooms with new cabinets, sinks, toilets, etc. We priced it and it’s still very reasonable.

    Have fun with the decorating, no matter where you go. And don’t be afraid of colorful walls! 😀

  • Danielle June 8, 2010, 1:47 pm

    I’m actually an ex-interior design buff so you asked the right girl 😉 I’d help you figure it out for fun! Ha. I really love Pier One (not sure if they have them near your new place) because the items are truly unique and inspired but Ikea is obviously good for the big ticket ones. DIY crafts is also a great decorating tool. Good luck and have fun!

    P.S. I may need your input on a very important development soon, expect an email later this afternoon. Thanks! 🙂

    • Caitlin June 8, 2010, 2:18 pm

      i cannot wait to hear about it!!!

  • Annamarina (Running Tails) June 8, 2010, 1:50 pm

    I just found the cutest blog that has great design tips – younghouselove.com. They show a lot of DIY projects and where they buy their furniture/decor. We are moving soon too, and I can’t wait to decorate!

  • Diana June 8, 2010, 1:50 pm

    Cinnachip makes the BEST French toast!

    Let me know of you want to go furniture shopping. Our house is still devoid of furniture. Lol

    • Caitlin June 8, 2010, 2:18 pm

      yes!

  • Lindsey @ Sound Eats June 8, 2010, 2:24 pm

    I’m purging now, too. 🙂

    We got a lot of our furniture for great prices. NC is a great area for furniture, actually. Our living room furniture, which is really great quality (an over-sized armchair, love seat and sofa) we got for just under $600 total from a store going out of business, but they had originally bought it up in NC.

    You’re moving end of June, so check fourth of July sales maybe? I think we got our mattress (which I LOVE) for around $350 or something, brand new (great quality) over a Labor Day sale.

    Also, check craigslist. I wouldn’t buy things that are upholstered used, but our dining room table is gorgeous solid cherry wood, fits 6 chairs (also solid cherry wood) around it, and they threw in 2, 20-inch cherry leaves that we can use if we ever have huge family get togethers one day. 🙂 They also threw in 6 wall shelves…got it all for $150.

    Take some time, sleuth around, know what you want, don’t settle, and have fun. 🙂

    Miss you!!

  • Katherine June 8, 2010, 2:37 pm

    My apartment has style because a decorator friend helped em discover it! Its really a gift to be able to put things together and make them look great. I picked my general colors (brown, blue) and he delivered great vintage and flea market pieces that were similar in color. I love it because nothing in my place looks matchy-matchy.

    My decorator ended up getting a huge picture for my living room that is a landscape with purple, blue, and browns. When he pulled it off the truck my mother and I thought it was the ugliest thing I’d ever seen, but it pulls are the different stlyes and colors together and I love it.

    Another key is taking your time. I needed a kitchen table for a few months and I found the perfect table at a garage sale for $40. It literally looks like it was custom made for my place.

    Good luck!

  • Kamilla Vinther June 8, 2010, 4:47 pm

    Check out http://www.designspongeonline.com
    It’s a great website with awasome decorating tips from around the world.
    My next apartment will sure do look like those homes on that site!

  • Kaye June 8, 2010, 5:04 pm

    If you don’t think your decorations are lame, they aren’t! And I agree with comment #120, furnishing a whole living space is expensive, if you can work with settling for a piece at a time, you’ll probably end up with something you really love.
    Also, I read an interior decorators blog: brynalexandra.blogspot.com
    She’s really good, and once I sent her a pic of my master bed/armoire set and a color scheme. For $15 dollars she put together a room with bedding and accessories/decorations to give me ideas. It was really cool!
    Happy decorating!

  • Kristin (Cook, Bake and Nibble) June 8, 2010, 5:13 pm

    I’m not sure if I have style. Usually I pull inspiration from magazines and online, and create from there. But my current apt is NOT at all decorated. We are waiting until we are settling down more… I can’t wait!

    xo
    K

  • LadyLara June 8, 2010, 5:51 pm

    I recently went through buying all new stuff for my new apt. For me apartmenttherapy.com was my inspiration. My personal style is modern (like CB2) with a touch of vintage eclectic (Anthropologie). I took screengrabs of items I liked online then pieced them together into a mood board.

  • Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca) June 8, 2010, 7:24 pm

    I choose a colour theme, and then shop at MANY stores until I find just the right pieces. I like clean and simple, but stylish.

    You should do a video of you making your french toast, because yours always looks so perfect … and crispy!!

  • Stacey@http://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/ June 8, 2010, 7:39 pm

    I keep my Great Harvest bread in the fridge, I guess I shouldn’t. 🙂

  • Katie June 8, 2010, 10:00 pm

    IKEA! I can spend hours there…I think they’ve got a lot of different styles, but it all looks fantastic!

    I’ve been a reader for a hot minute and I live in Charlotte too. I’ll admit that while I LOVE your vegetarian tips/recipes/etc. (4 years going strong!), I absolutely adore your pups and it has kinda kept me reading…yikes! I’ve got a dachshund as well and can totally empathize with your weiner love.

    anyways! happy to see you found a place here!! and if you ever wanna meet up with a fellow dog lover (I know prob not but just reaching out) my pup and I are avid greenway goers

    • caitlin June 8, 2010, 10:53 pm

      ooo i do!!! email me (Seebriderun@gmail.com) towards the end of july (we’re going out of town for two weeks). love dachshunds!

  • Tanya June 8, 2010, 10:05 pm

    Hey caitlin! I know you’re very sensitive to eating disorder awareness. In fact that’s one of the reasons I read your blog… You are an activist for positive body image! But if you could refrain from using words like “purge” when it comes to cleaning the apartment that would be great. It’s just hard when I read a comment to your post that says “I’m purging too!!”… Not cool 🙁

    Just being mindful about words we use is very important. I struggled with an eating disorder for years, so I just wanted to put that out there. Thanks 🙂

    • caitlin June 8, 2010, 10:54 pm

      thank you for your comment, sweetie 🙂

  • Amanda June 8, 2010, 10:35 pm

    Congrats on the move! I’m slowly updating our style in our apartment, room by room – and I find it helps to start with a wall color and fabric and build around it – I even scoured online to throw together a collage before I got started! If you’ve ever been to Home Goods, it’s the best place to pick up higher end items at great prices. GL!!

  • Julie June 9, 2010, 4:31 am

    My best decorating tip is to look through a ton of magazines and find a pic of a room you *love*. Rip it out and carry it with you. If you find something you like, check the pic and see if the chair/lamp/whatever would go with it. When in doubt, buy things you love and don’t feel like everything needs to happen overnight or in a week. It takes a while to build a great room.

  • Corinne (breathe and savor) June 9, 2010, 11:32 am

    honestly best advice i ever received on decorating is to be PATIENT! it will all come together but it takes time. piece by piece, item by item. when i buy a few decorative items at once i find that i get things that i am not totally 100% in love with or items that just dont serve a purpose. ya know? plus i feel you will find some of your BEST decor or furniture in random places. keep your eyes and ears open and stay clear of too many trinkets. 🙂 YAY decorating is SO fun.

  • Kelsie June 10, 2010, 7:28 pm

    I just moved to Charlotte on the 6th, and I am LOVING it! There is so much to do! I can’t wait for you to get here so we can do all kinds of fun stuff together! I don’t really know anyone so I’m looking for a buddy!!

    • caitlin June 10, 2010, 8:40 pm

      maybe when my life settles in the mid of july you should email me!

  • Susan @ Journey for Health June 12, 2010, 8:14 pm

    I keep my regular store-bought loaf of bread on the counter, but any fresh baked bread from the bakery and any burger buns or rolls go in the fridge cause I don’t eat them fast enough. Oh, and bagels are stored in the fridge,too. But I never used to do that when I lived in southern California where the humidity was lower than south Texas where I am now. It’s insanely humid here, so sometimes two days after I buy bread it can get all moldy. Gross.

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