What day is it?

Last week was my kids’ first full week of summer break which happened to coincide with one of HH’s business trips. I decided it would also be a good time to sort through the mess that was our attic. After herding the kids and staying up well past 1:00 a.m. every night for the past week to wrestle the attic into submission, my brain is mush. But the attic is looking fantastic! As far as attics go.

Thank goodness the nearest IKEA is only 25 minutes away. I took advantage of IKEA’s kids-eat-free-horse-meat-Tuesdays amidst the chaos and a few things {that cost less than $20!} caught my eye while we were there.

SNIKA boxes // Seriously considering these for storage in my boys’ bedroom.

TOLSBY frame // You guys, these are only 99¢! They are made of plastic {i.e. super kid-friendly} but look ceramic and I think they would look way more grown up with a coat or two of gold spray paint.

KVISSLE steel & cork box // Visible, tangled cords drive me bonkers. This sleek box hides all that. Great for a desk or charging station.

FARKOST wall lamp // I’m loving the new swing arm lamps flanking our bed but they were a splurge. For an inexpensive version, you could spray paint these bad boys gold. I love that they are adjustable so you can direct light where you need it.

SKÄRBLAD pillow cover // It’s a 20″x 20″ pillow cover and it’s $5. Why wouldn’t I love it?! I tried really hard to think up a place in my house for one or two of these pillows but, sadly, could not.

While we were at IKEA, I did grab a few things for mine and HH’s bedroom and the boys’ bedroom. Can’t wait to show you!

Here‘s your Mod MomME winner!

images: IKEA

Two of the three munchkins are sick. Snot and phlegm are everywhere. There are not enough tissues in the house. The everyday responsibilities that come with being a parent {piles of laundry, piles of dishes, piles of other stuff, putting something edible on the table, dentist appointments, school parties, wiping noses, changing diapers, helping with homework…why am I telling you this? You know the drill.} suddenly feel very monotonous and tedious. I blame cabin fever and there is no sign of spring in sight.

I’m craving a project. One that does not involve carving a bar of soap. Yes, I’m talking to you second grade art teacher. Thank you. Thank you for sending home a bar of soap to shave and prod and poke and toothpick and sculpt and cut into a work of art. Layne made the most beautiful pile of soap crumbs which Mabrey promptly ate. I understand why you made this a home project. Thankyouverymuch.

I’m fulfilling my parenting duties today then as soon as HH gets home from work this evening, I’m headed to IKEA. Alone. I warned HH last night. Please tell me someone else out there considers kidless outings to IKEA and/or Target mini vacations. And, mark my words, I won’t feel guilty. Listen up mommy conscience. I WILL NOT FEEL GUILTY.

Of course, I need a shopping list. Of course. If I don’t write stuff down, it doesn’t happen. Hell, sometimes even the stuff I do write down doesn’t happen. And that’s the kind of week it has been. A week of writing stuff down then nothing happening. Because of snot and soap. Both of which, I’ve discovered, Mabrey has an appetite for. Sugar and spice and everything nice, my a$$.

FYI – To fully experience my moodiness, please replace “stuff” with “sh*t” in the previous paragraph.

Here’s my shopping list.

IVAR shelving or RIBBA picture ledge? I can’t decide but I’m finally doing something about the surround sound speakers behind the couch.

BRANÄS basket I’m finally doing something about the clutter in the boys’ shared room.

LAPPLJUNG RUTA I’m finally buying this pillow after talking about how great it/the price tag is. But what a horrendous name!

NUMERÄR countertop + LERGBERG trestle leg We’re finally DIYing a table to put behind the sofa.

Seven o’clock can’t come soon enough.

Click here to see who won this week’s Jack & Ella Paper Press giveaway!

images: polyvore collage by Dana Miller, linked within

Last year I curated an event for Joss & Main which featured many items that would have worked well in our previous house. We were living in a temporary apartment at the time because the Underdog was under construction {and still is to some extent!} and unlivable. I had a lot of fun putting together the collection. So…I was super excited when the head honchos at Joss & Main contacted me again a few months back and asked me to curate another event.

What’s that? You want me to pretend shop from the comfort of my bed in my pj’s while my kids are sleeping? Yespleaseandthankyou.

The event is now live and you can browse it here! The theme is “Keep It Simple” and it’s a tad more masculine than my last collection because I tend to be leaning that way with our current home’s decor. I don’t know about you but a midcentury ranch feels masculine to me. Am I right? I also incorporated a few items related to our renovation like penny tile and a kitchen faucet. Above are just a few of the items featured in the event. If you’re interested, hop on over and peruse the entire collection for inspiration and easy shopping. I’m telling you straight up that I do receive a small commission from the event – any and all of which I promise to put towards my decorating fund since events like this and my writing contributions elsewhere are how I bring home the bacon now…when I’m not literally bringing home the bacon.

If you’re not already a Joss & Main member, you can sign up for free here.

Thanks for looking and shopping in advance!

image: polyvore collage by Dana Miller, Joss & Main images

I mentioned that I’m participating in Kirkland’s ‘Ace Your Space’ campaign. I’ll be using items purchased from Kirkland’s to decorate Mabrey’s nursery. Before I bought anything, I did some window browsing. Wanna see?

Mabrey was my helper. Since everything’s going in her room, I wanted her to approve.

I’m a sucker for mirrors and Kirkland’s didn’t disappoint. I adored this large mirror with a peacock painted motif on the frame. At $30, it was a steal! It would be perfect in a cottage entry and I can even see it in a white bathroom above a dark stained vanity.

The layered metal frame of this mirror reminded me of fish scales. Who knew metal could be so textural?! This mirror would be great hung above a bed in a master bedroom or above a mantel in a living room. Divine. At $120, it would be a worthy investment.

I thought this mirror looked like it was made from a bunch of giant paper clips. {Don’t mind the rectangular gold mirror behind it.} It’s hard to tell from the picture but it had an ombre effect to it. The center of the mirror frame was dark bronze that progressively lightened up to a brassy gold at the edges. I really wanted to take this mirror home with me but I couldn’t think of a good place to hang it so it stayed high up on its shelf. That mirror is going to make someone happy for $120.

I almost snatched up one of these organizer chests. I think they’d work well in a mudroom or kid’s room. The fabric bins had little tabs on the front to make pulling them out and pushing them in a cinch. At $160, it would be an affordable solution for corralling hats, gloves, scarves, sunglasses, dog leashes, etc. in a mudroom or toys in a child’s room.

I thought the woven baskets of this $150 traditional console gave it a unique, laid back feel. I can see boots and bins camping out on the bottom shelf with slip-on shoes resting underneath the shelf. It’d be a great drop zone for keys and wallets near the front door. It’s slim enough to slip into a hall as well. The black version of this console is stacked on top…that’s not part of the console.

I liked this unique version of a tripod floor lamp. It was $50 and I could see it hanging out in an office or living room.

This seagrass table lamp also caught my eye in the lighting section. I loved the chunky seagrass mixed with the matte black hardware and linen shade. It’d be the perfect textural element in a beachy bedroom or family room.

I was reminded of a Dear Genevieve episode when I spotted this moroccan table lamp. At $30 each, a pair of them on some bedside nightstands could be interesting and budget-friendly in a bedroom boasting a few more nonchalant moroccan themed items. Perhaps a wedding blanket?

Sarah Richardson came to mind when I saw this turquoise and white chevron vase. {Is it me or am I the only one who sees a home decor item and immediately connects it to an HGTV designer?} The picture doesn’t do it justice – it was HUGE! I could see two of them stuffed with raw birch branches flanking a fireplace. Sorry, I didn’t check the price on this vase because I had Mabrey in one arm and was leery of turning over a big fragile vase with the only free hand I had left out of fear of it toppling over into pieces.

Anything with an owl on it is trendy right now. I know. But I thought the glossy white of these owl vases gave them a better chance at standing the test of time. At $10, you wouldn’t be broke if you decided to follow the trend.

Totally wanted to make this textured red bowl my new sugar bowl. It kind of looks like a strawberry but the gold patina that runs throughout gave it a less fruity appearance. And the $7 price tag? Score!

This assortment of labeled wooden boxes was cute. I’m not a tea drinker but that little tea box is practical and stylish enough to be left out on the kitchen countertop. I think the prices here ranged from $2-$10.

I liked the idea of using this lazy susan organizer in a craft room for thread, measuring tape, buttons, etc. Or it could be just as happy living on a desk with paper clips, post-its, rubber bands, your phone, etc. organized in it. It really did spin too for easy access to everything. It was on sale for $17.

I was going to buy this frame with five oval openings {just enough for our family of 5!} for the nursery. However, I slipped out to the car to nurse Mabrey and when I returned it was gone. It was the last one. At $6, it’s easy to see why. Boo. It would have been perfect.

Last but not least were these vintage looking metal arrows. Meant to be hung on the wall {the lights really do light up!}, I thought they were a great industrial accessory for an old warehouse turned loft. I knew my boys would love them for their bedroom but I couldn’t come up with a good place to hang them, so they stayed in store as well. They were $18 each.

So, what d’ya think? I was pleasantly surprised to see that Kirkland’s has evolved and seems to be carrying more modern and less frilly decor. And I just love walking into a store, singling out items and imagining them in vivo. It doesn’t cost a dime. Tune in next week for a related giveaway and find out what did make it into my house.

Find Kirkland’s on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and online.

I received compensation for my Ace Your Space blog post. Kirkland’s partnered with several bloggers like me to raise    brand awareness in the month of August. All purchases and content are on my own accord and reflect my personal opinion and style. Kirkland’s blogger outreach policies abide by the WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

1 – Benjamin Moore Dark Pewter Call me crazy. Or insane. Cruel. Strange. Trendy. Whatever. I did it. I painted Mabrey’s room a deep, deep charcoal.  It’s definitely not a typical paint color for a girl’s nursery. HH says it’s black. He’s not sure about it but it’s growing on him. I love it. I’ve always wanted to paint a room a dark color but kept tapping out at the last minute because I was scared. Mostly about what other people would think. But this time around, I don’t care. I went for it.

2 – GULLIVER crib The one thing we had leftover from our boys’ baby stages was a crib. I didn’t really want to spend money on a crib because we already had one. But the old crib, with its tall height and curvy legs, was hogging up the entire nursery which is super teeny to begin with {not even 10′x10′}. When I saw IKEA had a simpler design for less than $100, I jumped on it. The white is a crisp contrast to the dark walls.

3 – Tripod floor lamp I’ve been searching for a tripod floor lamp for our family room. I’ve found a million that I love but can’t afford. Think 100′s of dollars. Just the other day I was at Target buying *only* wipes and dishwasher detergent when I came across this version for a mere $50. {Somehow my quest for wipes and dishwasher soap led me to the lighting section???} I snatched up the last one. I’ve yet to put it together. I figure it it’s too flimsy or too wobbly {which I’m guessing it might be because of the inexpensive price}, I can return it. We’ll see. Oh, and the shade is actually white not blue like the image portrays.

4 – Cradle chair Up until now I’ve been using a thrift store wing chair in Mabrey’s room for late night feedings. It’s a comfortable chair for sitting but it doesn’t rock and the curvy, tall design takes up a lot of space literally and visually – much like the old crib did. And since Mabrey shows no signs of sleeping through the night anytime soon {seriously?! What am I doing wrong this time around? Both my boys were sleeping through the night by four months of age.}, I decided I deserved a more baby-friendly chair at midnight…and 3:00 a.m….and 5:00 a.m. Everything I’ve read about cradle chairs indicates that they’re a hit with small children, so this chair will easily carry Mabrey through her preschool years too. I like that it has a small footprint so hopefully it will allow more room for traffic flow and floor play.

5 – Alpaca throw I purchased this throw through Novica for a product review. I’ve never owned anything made from alpaca wool before. It’s much softer than the usual sheep wool. The handmade quality of the blanket is top notch. No unraveling or tears to speak of. And I adore the pattern. The throw is a modest size which makes it great for kids. I keep it folded on the couch. HH doesn’t understand mine and Everett’s love of blankets even in the heat of summer. The throw does shed a bit which is typical of anything constructed from wool.

6 - Vilas nightstand I bought a pair of these nightstands for our master bedroom. I have been looking for years {not just since we moved} for affordable, design-worthy nightstands for our bedroom. HH and I have never had legit nightstands. In the past, we used mismatched end tables that had once resided in our living room. I wanted something with a midcentury modern vibe and an open shelf for books. {We both like to read in bed.} This is a purchase that I’ve just ordered and haven’t received yet. I’ll let you know how they turn out.

7 – Jute chenille herringbone rug This 5′x8′ rug is for the nursery. {Are you noticing a theme here? Yep. I’m working on the nursery this week and next!} With all the deep, dark charcoal going on the walls, I needed something light in color and heavy in texture on the floor to soften things up. Normally, this rug would be out of my price range but I had $125 in West Elm gift cards lying around waiting to be used. I only ended up spending $140 of my own money. Sadly, the rug is on backorder until the end of next week but I went ahead and placed my order so that it will ship as soon as it’s back in stock. Can hardly wait!

Like I said, I’m working on the nursery. I was asked to participate in Kirkland’s ‘Ace Your Space’ campaign and it was just the fire I needed under me to finally start decorating Mabrey’s room. Mabrey was only two months old when we moved and we didn’t find out her gender until she was born, so this nursery has been a long time coming! I understand why some people choose to learn their baby’s sex before birth {preparation!} but I don’t regret the surprise at all. So while other ‘Ace Your Space’ bloggers might be focusing on entryway organization or a mommy command center for back to school, I’m focusing on the nursery.

I’ll be back later today to take you on a virtual window shopping Kirkland’s trip. I was surprised by the great pieces and prices I found. I hadn’t been to a Kirkland’s in probably 15+ years but remember it being a little too country for my taste. I was happy to discover they’ve modernized their inventory since.

Click here to see who this week’s giveaway!

Ever wondered what’s on my phone home screen? Well, I’m sharing it all over on Myers Maison today! Check it out.

images: polyvore collage by Dana Miller, images linked within

Now that the master bathroom is done {from a renovation standpoint}, we’ve made a shopping list of what finishing items are left to purchase. One item on the list is a ceiling light for the master bedroom. I thought it sounded like a fun item to start with. More fun than register covers, that’s for sure.

{view of master bedroom from master bathroom}

Yes, I finally got around to deep cleaning all the bedrooms over the weekend. No more construction dust! We can actually see out the windows now, too. More details on that coming in a separate post. Back to the lighting issue…

So far the rest of the Underdog’s lighting is simple – even industrial. In the bedroom, though, I’m thinking of something a little more dreamy. But still simple. Since we’ve been frugal with our lighting options elsewhere, I’ve set the master bedroom ceiling light budget at $200. Not outrageous but I consider it a splurge for us. {The cost of the boys’ bedroom, nursery and dining lights was less than $80 total.} I’ve just started browsing and put together a roundup of my favorites to date. Of course, I may end up buying a light that’s not even on this list but I thought I’d share my search for those of you who are curious about my thought process.

1 – Dandelion Chandelier {$200} This chandy features thin brushed steel wire wound into a sphere. I like the feathery texture and think it would put off a warm glow when lit.

2 – Star Chandelier {$196} Twinkle, twinkle little star. I imagine the rays of light and shadows this starlight puts off are amazing.

3 – Golden Bronze Criss-Cross Pendant {$200} The mix of bronzed metal, fabric shade and crystals is unique. I especially like the ‘X’ pattern of the metal.

4 – Capiz Pendant {$70} This shimmery chandy may look familiar. I hung it in the master bedroom of our previous home and it stayed there with the sale of the house. It’s the least expensive option I’ve found so far but a lighting kit has to be purchased separately as the chandy doesn’t include one. As much as I dig it, I kinda feel like ‘been there done that.’ It would totally work but I’m itching to switch things up. I don’t want the Underdog’s decor to be a reproduction of our last home. Still, it’s a great piece.

5 – White Cloud Pendant {$150} Sleeping under this cumulus-like pendant would feel like sleeping under the open sky. It has a very organic aesthetic that I’m lovin’ too.

6 – Zig Zag Acrylic Pendant {$177} This is probably the most modern option I like. The frosted acrylic zig zags are arranged in a way that gives the light a woven appearance. This pendant is also one of the smaller options so I’d have to double check measurements before saying ‘yay’ or ‘nay.’

A few other thoughts I have about lighting for the master bedroom…

• The placement of the bed will be beneath the window seen above, directly across from the bathroom. That means the centered ceiling light will hang just above the foot of the bed so a hanging pendant/chandy will work – as opposed to a flush mount light – since there won’t be anybody walking around under the light.

• The wattage of the ceiling light doesn’t have to be super powerful. For one, I like a dimly lit bedroom. Second, I really want to hang two wall sconces bedside for reading. HH and I are both bedtime readers. Between the ceiling light and two wall sconces {not to mention mounted lights in the closet}, I think the lighting will be sufficient for what we need. Ambience.

How does Handy Hubby feel about the possibilities? He likes them all – some more than others. Like with any other decorating decisions, he’s leaving the search up to me. I narrow the options down, show them to him and then we make the final decision together to ensure it’s something we can both live with. Over the years, we’ve found this is the best way for us to make home decor choices together.

Narrowing down the possibilities to a select few is key. HH isn’t good at making decisions when there’s a huge playing field to choose from. {Unless you’re talking about girls, that is. He did make a pretty good choice on that one. Ha!} For example, HH has been looking for a new pair of shoes for months now. Zappos has him corn-fused with their huge selection. He’s easily distracted.

What about you? Any lighting purchases recently? Any in your future? Any thoughts on bedroom lighting? Any other ideas on how to make joint decorating decisions?

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Remember this mood board for our master bathroom?

To keep the bathroom from feeling too sterile with all the hard, shiny surfaces {tile, gloss vanity, galvanized wall sconce, etc.} I wanted to incorporate a few natural elements in the form of warm wood tones. I thought that bringing in a small woven ottoman and/or a mirror with a wooden frame would help balance out the harshness of the other very bathroom-y elements. And if the ottoman and mirror were round, they’d also break up the strong rectangular lines {vanity, tub, overall shape of the room, shower tile, etc.} of the bathroom.

The bathroom is openly visible from the master bedroom. In fact, I plan on placing the bed so that when lying in it the bathroom is directly across the room. So, I’m going for more of a dressing room effect in the small bathroom vignette {sconce, mirror, vanity, sink} that will be seen from the bed. It helps that the toilet placement is off center from the bathroom doorway! Otherwise, I’d just close the door and call it a day.

I featured the Jules Mirror from Home Decorators in the original bathroom mood board. But with a price tag of $300, it was more than I was willing to spend. So, like I typically do, I used my mood board as a jumping off point to search for another mirror that was cheaper but still retained the two elements I was wanting – warm wood tones and round shape.

I create mood boards for my own home not to pick exact items but rather to create an overall look for a room. So, if an item that I use in a mood board is not at my price point {or if I simply think I can do better}, I have no problem straying away from the mood board and finding something different. I would say normally I end up buying maybe 60% of the mood board items and finding practical replacements for the other 40%. That’s just a rough estimate and every room is a different experience, of course. Still, it’s a process that has worked well for me so I continue to use it.

Now, back to my mirror search…

Somewhere along the way, it crossed my mind that hanging a wood-framed mirror might not be the best option for a bathroom. What about all the moisture? But I really wanted to make it work if I could. I searched everywhere for a round, wooden mirror – online and offline – to no avail. I decided to take a break from my mirror hunt. After all, it wasn’t pressing. We don’t even live in the Underdog yet. I thought I’d give it some time and eventually ‘the mirror’ would come to me.

And that’s exactly what happened. Weeks ago, on a trip to a local salvage/closeout store while looking for rugs, ‘the mirror’ found me.

Round? Check. Warm wood tones? Check. Budget-friendly price? At $79, check. I called Handy Hubby back at the homestead {Surprise! HH was at the Underdog working.} to make sure the mirror’s diameter wasn’t too big/too small for what we needed in our master bath. Wouldn’t you know? The size was just right. Another big check for the salvaged mirror. Then the “do I put a wooden mirror in a wet bathroom?” question popped into my mind again. That’s when I saw it. The mirror’s description tag. It read ’round teak mirror.’

I was sold. Why? Because teak has natural oils that make it ideal for wet conditions. It’s commonly used to make outdoor furniture, boat decks, exterior architectural elements and cutting boards. It doesn’t matter if the wood is treated or not. This round teak mirror was the perfect solution for our master bathroom! It came home with me. FYI – I didn’t find any buy-worthy rugs. You win some; you lose some.

Yeah, I know it’s just sitting on the floor leaning against the wall up there but can you picture it hanging? It’s gonna be fab. I don’t think I’m going to mind staring at it from my bed across the room. Not at all.

I especially like the wedged design of the frame. It gives the mirror interest, pattern and variation.

The wide frame does take away from the surface area of the mirror but HH and I only use the bathroom mirror to wash our faces, brush our teeth, put on a little makeup {me not HH} and fix our hair. So the size of the actual mirrored surface is plenty for us. A leaning floor mirror in the master bedroom has always been a part of the design in my head and we’ll use that larger mirror for full-length once overs.

And that’s the story of how a round teak mirror found me when I wasn’t even looking. That’s usually how true love starts, right? It is how HH and I met. And here we are 14 years later happily living in an apartment, renovating a house, raising two healthy kiddos and expecting another! I expect just as many fulfilling experiences from this mirror. ;)

In other bathroom news {ew, that sounds gross, sorry}, HH has started work on prepping the master bath for tile!!

He picked up supplies from The Tile Shop this past holiday Monday for all of our tiling projects to come {master bathroom, kids’ bathroom, mudroom/dining room} and there was some concern that his Danger Ranger was going to lose an axel. Luckily, the Danger Ranger held in there and pulled through.

Even with it in the box, I couldn’t stop googling over the shower surround tile. It’s so sparkly! HH has been busy throughout the week {after his long day job hours} prepping the master bath for tile. That’s the first room we’re going to tackle with tile. Should be fun!

So how about you? Ever found love for someone/something when you were least expecting it? Ever put off searching for that perfect piece only to have it find you later? I have a feeling when baby #3 arrives, it will be a similar experience as we definitely weren’t expecting to have more children. Sometimes you just have to let things come to you, huh?

images: 1&2, 4-9) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking 3) Home Decorators Collection

My latest Ideabook is up over on Houzz today. This month I featured a slew of chandeliers that can be used in various settings. I really believe that switching out seen-better-days fixtures or builder stock lighting can make a world of difference in any house. Here are a few of the lights I featured…

A few months ago, Joss & Main contacted me to see if I’d be interested in putting together a group of items for sale as a curated event on their website. My response?

‘You want me to go window shopping online and pick a bunch of home decor items to be featured as a collection? Sure!’

It’s basically what I do to waste time around here anyways. Ha! So, without further ado, here is House*Tweaking’s curated collection over on Joss & Main. {And for the record, we’re renovating a 1950′s rancher not a bungalow as mentioned in the introduction.} Have a sneak peek at a few of the items up for grabs.

The loose theme is ‘Imperfect by Nature.’ It’s all about mixing textures, materials and patterns with an emphasis on clean and simple lines. The collection features an array of pieces to furnish a room from top to bottom – everything from sofas to lighting to mirrors to serving trays. I focused on only choosing items I would want in my own home. Mainly that includes items that function well for a young family and look good too. Just because kiddos are taking up residence in your house doesn’t mean you can’t make it work, practically and aesthetically!

If you’re interested in checking out my collection, click here. You will have to join Joss & Main FOR FREE to make any purchases. And in keeping things honest, I do get a commission kickback on any items sold through my event. The items will be up for sale for three days and counting but don’t wait! I just checked and a few items have sold out already. Hopefully, this doesn’t sound like begging but a successful sale would thrill the bajeezus outta this bedridden mama. :) No pressure.

Happy shopping!

images: Joss & Main and Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

When furnishing a home, I prefer to gather items over time from different sources and let my style evolve naturally. Sure, I could easily drive out to some furniture store and buy everything in one go around {okay, maybe not while I’m on bed rest} but that would only produce a flat room. For example…

Obviously, that room is sourced from one store. The pillows match each other which match the couch which matches the loveseat which matches the rug which matches the art. And the finishes all match too – the coffee table matches the sides tables which match the lamp bases which match the artwork frames. There is little variance in material and texture. This is a prime example of a ‘room to go.’

I’m after a ‘room to grow.’ After all, half of the fun is the hunt!

But I’ve got to start somewhere, so today I’m sharing some of my most recent purchases for the Underdog. What items am I looking for first? Glad you asked. I’ve mainly been searching for lighting, window coverings and rugs. Here’s what I’ve acquired so far.

1 – Linen + Cotton Narrow Frame Window Panel I’ve been pining over these airy linen panels for some time so when West Elm put them on sale with free shipping I took it as a sign. I bought two of the 108″ panels to place high and wide above either side of the big picture window in the family room.

With light paint on the walls, my thought was to add contrasting curtains but nothing too dark or heavy. These gray linen panels fit the bill to a T and I wasn’t able to find anything I liked better. I love the thin frame of ivory around the edges.

2 – FOTO Pendant Lamp I found this simple aluminum pendant at IKEA for the dining room.

I was looking for a light with an industrial aesthetic since the dining room will double as a mudroom and triple as a laundry room. Plus, the light will be visible from the family room so I didn’t want to add something too far fetched from what’s going on in the great room. At $30, I was sold.

3 – GODMORGON/ODENSVIK Sink Cabinet Combo I alluded to this floating IKEA vanity a few weeks ago. It will go in the master bathroom.

I wanted a floating vanity and Handy Hubby wanted something with storage so this 2-drawer unit is the perfect compromise. The master bathroom vanity will be seen from our bed, so I was looking for something with clean lines that didn’t exactly scream ‘bathroom!’ but maybe more like ‘dressing room.’ I ended up going with the ODENSVIK sink rather than the TÄLLEVIKEN sink once I saw them in person at the store. I like the sleeker profile of the ODENSVIK {no step-up at the back of the sink} and the fact that it has a little more countertop room for a soap dish, vase, etc.

4 – KULLA Pendant Lamp I found this ceiling light at IKEA when I bought the bathroom vanity and sink. I hadn’t planned on buying a light that particular day but happened to spot this light on sale at a deep discount {it was less than $20!}. Word has it the white version of this light is being discontinued, so that’s why the link only goes to the black version. This beauty is already hanging in the nursery.

Our electrician installed it right at the ceiling {for less of a pendant effect since we don’t want to be bumping our heads on it} on a dimmer and the glow it puts off is divine. Our electrician said he couldn’t believe I got it for less than $20. Score!

5 – Round Majestic Wool Rug You may recognize this rug from my Houzz Ideabook. I caved and bought it on Overstock.com {my fave place to buy rugs} when the price dropped from over $70 to less than $60 with free shipping. It’s going in the nursery. I wanted a soft surface for baby to have tummy time and playtime and also for my older boys to sit on if they choose to play in the nursery while I’m tending to the baby. I like the round shape since the room is nearly a perfect square and the gender-neutral pattern should work well for a girl or boy.

6 – Marble/Gray Sisal Rug Another rug purchase from Overstock.com. At 9′ x 12′, it’s large enough to ground the seating area in the family room portion of the great room – which is exactly what I plan to use it for.

I was shopping for a large rug made of either sisal or seagrass. Those natural materials add such a great textural layer to any room and hold up well to kids and pets. {We had rugs of each in our previous home and loved them.} The gray cotton border will further delineate the family room from the kitchen in our open great room. And with a latex backing, I don’t have to worry about using a separate rug pad to keep it in place. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…rugs are soooo important in open floor plans!

7 – Tabouret Metal Counter Stools Yet another Overstock.com buy! {Did you know that regular customers receive frequent 7% off coupons in the mail? Yep, you bet I used mine to purchase all of my Overstock items and save some cash.} These utilitarian stools are for the 9′ long kitchen island. I bought 4 of them for less than $150. Whaaaaaat?!

I was looking for backless stools to avoid cutting up the flow and sight lines of the great room. The stools will be practical for casual dining at the island and also for extra seating when we entertain. Since the stools are backless, guests can easily turn to face the family room crowd and join in on conversations there without having to turn their stools or break their necks. The metal finish should hold up great to our family circus.

8 – Carved-Circles Window Panel I’ve been stalking these subtly patterned curtains for months. I knew they’d work well in the nursery. Again, they were part of the West Elm window sale {sadly it looks as if they’re sold out!} so with 20% off and free shipping I took it as a sign. I bought three of the 96″ panels: one for either side of the single window in the nursery and one for the nursery closet. {The closet door opens up right behind the bedroom door, so I’m forgoing a closet door all together.} Notice the pattern in the curtains doesn’t match the pattern in the nursery rug {see #5} but complements it.

9 – KRÄMARE Wall Spotlight I bought two of these IKEA plug-in wall sconces for the boys’ shared bedroom.

I plan to use them above the boys’ beds as reading lights. {They LOVE books!} I haven’t decided if the aluminum finish will stay or if I’ll paint it – maybe oil rubbed bronze?? – but at less than $10 a light I figure I can tweak them to my liking. I like the fact that they aren’t hardwired as well because they’ll get moved around. At first the boys’ beds will be on the floor, then at some point HH plans on DIYing built-in bunk beds in that shallow nook you see above. But until Everett settles down a bit {realistically, that could be when he’s 30+} and we trust him in a room with a ladder {I’m cringing just thinking of that now – the kid had a broken leg at 16 months!} we’ll need to keep the lights over the beds on the floor. Later, I can move the sconces to suit the bunk beds.

So, there you go. A little rundown of my recent purchases. That’s 9 items from 3 different sources. If you look at the items all together you might notice repeating elements…the color gray, industrial finishes, subtle pattern, clean lines. I want each room to have its own quirks but still flow with the rest of the house so repeating certain elements is necessary. However, I do plan on adding in other materials, patterns and pops of color to keep things interesting.

But that’s all in good time…which I have a lot of right now. I saw my OB today and the good news is that there’s no change in my cervix {ahhh! Never thought I’d be talking about my cervix on H*T!} since Monday. The bad {or not-so-good} news is that I have to keep doing what I’m doing – NOTHING!! – for at least two more weeks. Anything to keep baby cooking.

Thanks for all your support and non-laborious thoughts!

images: 1) Rooms To Go  2) Polyvore collage linked within by Dana Miller…all the rest) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking