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…

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