When Kyla from House of Hipsters asked me about being a part of her No Makeup Home Tour a few months ago I didn’t have to even think about my answer. I am the first to fight for the prettiest shot and spend time perfecting and tweaking until a space or vignette looks just how I’d like it to. But I’m also a big believer in keeping it real and not over-styling or pretending like my home, my life, or my family are perfect. How I show my home on the blog and social media is how we live with it. I don’t really move furniture or manipulate things for the shot. But I do tend to think about shots when I’m designing a space, show them most frequently at their best, and clean up messes before I shoot.
This last month has been full. We’ve been tackling much of the exterior of our home, living competitive baseball life, and this week we’re getting a puppy. Throw a super active 18-month-old into the mix and end of year chaos, and I’m spent! With much of the focus shifting outside this time of year (did you see our new fence?) the inside can start to suffer. I know that pool season for us means “lack of cleaning” season for me. So what did I ask for for Mother’s Day? A deep cleaning! And tomorrow a deep cleaning this house will get. It’s the perfect way to kick off the summer and keep me feeling guilt-free when I just want to be in the pool with my babes.
Now, I don’t do well with mess, so picking up is a daily thing for me plus with the cleaning lady coming it’s a must, but dust bunnies collect and fingers smudge, and I can still manage to sleep at night. Especially when I know the cleaning lady is coming and the deck renovation dust has been flying. But let’s take a look at some of the spaces and in ways I wouldn’t typically share on Instagram, shall we?
I shot all of these images yesterday, and this is what the rooms really look like right now. Our dining room and library are in pretty good shape.
But when you peer through the living room you’ll notice a little desk set up in the corner that isn’t really supposed to live there. We’ve had an issue in my office with power and I’d rather have Micah plugging away outside, so here I sit and work. It’s actually really quiet and lovely to work in here, but not the set up of the room I envisioned.
Speaking of the living room, we got a new sofa in here about a month ago and I love it so, so much. I’ll let it be the star of another post coming shortly! I’ve been slowly working on this space since we painted it last fall. I love where it’s going, but am taking my time and really trying to let it evolve organically while we focus on other areas. Up until yesterday our old sofa was against the wall leading to the kitchen, and our game table was kind of pushed and shoved wherever it would fit isn’t it so incredible?! The router will need to be moved, my husband is surely thrilled!
An awesome perk/curse of being a blogger is all of the stuff. I was planning to shoot an outdoor post last weekend, but the weather had other ideas. I brought the cushions in and here they sit until the weather cooperates and time is available. Don’t miss the mirror on the floor waiting to be hung behind the cabinet in the first picture either…
Between construction dust and kids crumbs, the kitchen floors haven’t stood a chance this month. I just leave the vacuum out and as my mother taught me, I tell myself I’ll vacuum once a day and try not to obsess about the mess in between.
The kids’ spaces are where things can get a little more tricky for me. It’s easy to tell them to get their stuff out of the common areas, but it’s a fine balance between teaching and stifling in their rooms. I want them to feel at home and relaxed, creative and happy, but I also want them to learn responsibility. The playroom was one of the first spaces I tackled because it was so beige and blah. I knew some paint would go far. The walls went crisp white and painting out the fireplace did a lot. In fairness, they picked up this weekend when their dad got on them. More times than I can count this room has looked like a bomb filled with food wrappers and crayons went off. But it has a door, and I can’t see it from anywhere else in the house. Ignorance is bliss!
Their rooms have been renovated, and that feels like another animal to emotionally deal with for me. We did the girls’ room for the One Room Challenge last fall and handing the space over felt a little bittersweet. I was so happy to give the girls a room they can truly grow into, but passing on something I’d worked hard at and knew would change was a bit tricky. I will say, Milly has done a good job being respectful of things and adding her own creative touches where she wants. The art area is her favorite and she spends lots of time creating and hanging things. Will someone please make a beautiful, cool mist humidifier because my kids stay so healthy when we use them!
We updated Xander’s room the first summer we lived here and I still love the green and the mix of art. The boy used to be as clean as a whistle, but in the last year he’s become “all boy” and with that his organization went out the window. It’s a struggle for him to consider things and where they should go, but it’s fun to see how outdoorsy and silly he’s gotten too. No matter how many times I straighten those pictures, it’s not long before his hoop shooting has them all cattywampus again.
I was hoping to get some shots of our bedroom and the office, but the windows were all taped off for the painters outside can’t wait to share that update next week! and it cast a lime green shadow over the rooms. I mean, I’m all for no makeup, but clown makeup I’m not for! Hopefully I can show you those spaces next time. In the meantime, be sure to visit the other wonderful bloggers participating. I’ll be back later this week with another installment of our backyard overhaul!
How do/did you parent kids and their personal spaces? Would love to hear tips for fostering responsible little ones who also feel free to create and explore in their own rooms!
LET’S CONNECT! FIND ME ON…
Always love to get a peek of your gorge home! Make-up or no make-up…I’ll take either one with you! xo
Thanks, lady!
QuakeHold for the pictures. It works really well. 🙂
Thank you!
Everything and every space is so beatiful!
Regarding Xander pics, here is a tip: I put double sided tape behind my frames to keep them straight 🙂
Thank you so much!
Gwen- how is your home SO gorgeous, even on the day-to-day?! I love it all! So excited to be apart of the tour with everyone. I’m also eager to see your painted exterior soon. It’s looking amazing! xox
You’re so sweet! Can’t wait to share!
I’m coming to you for my kids’ room inspo! Your home is stunning my dear, and I’m so thankful you joined in for this round of the No Makeup Home Tour.
Thanks so much for having me, lady!
We have two boys (5 and 7). Daddy is very, very organized. Our garage and storage rooms are a work of art (people literally hem and haw at how orderly everything is). I on the other hand, am a messy person. I have obviously had to adapt to him and him to me and our home, in general, is looking clean, however it’s nott surprising to see a transformer dinosaur hanging out on the side table in the living room. The kids have a whole area that houses their many, many toys (there’s seriously an overwhelming amount of toys both new and old (husband’s toys when he was a kid) that my husband gave them over the years). Within the course of a week, this area will become pure chaos. I’m talking battlefield filled with the dismembered bodies of legos, ninja turtles and He-Man and car recks. Sometimes the whole basement becomes a fort. Our general rule of thumb is, keep the toys away from the staircase and storage areas (so we can go through without stepping on a lego……which is pure agony!) and once or twice a week it’s clean up time for the boys where they have an hour to pick up and store away all of the toys in the basement (especially before the movie on movie nights). Same for the backyard. Hockey nets, balls and kiddy BBQ condiments and sausages must be put away once a week. As for their bedroom…….there’s a lot of leniency here. We don’t make them do their beds (but I feel this is going to become a new rule soon) but we expect dirty clothes to be put in the laundry basket and when the laundry is done, we all sit down together to fold it. They’re also expected to bring their dishes back to the sink when they’re done eating. We have a cleaning lady so we don’t give them any chores yet (they’re also a bit young still…..the youngest still hasn’t graduated from eating like a cave man…with his fingers and leaving a sticky mess in the process) but eventually it will be introduced. I grew up in a house where everything had to be perfect and clean at all times. I couldn’t even sit in the front living room because my mother was afraid I would dirty the white chairs (even though I just wanted to sit on the floor and read a book by the fire in the winter). So for me, perfection in a house actually makes me a little unhappy.
I think all of this seems very fair and balanced! Great job and way to find what works for you all! I’m slightly envious of your uber organized husband situation. 😉
Hang those pictures in your son’s room with those 3M strips! No more wiggling.
Very smart, thanks!
you could try 3m command strips to help keep your boy’s wall art straight–and it comes off w/o damaging paint 🙂
Thank you!
Everything is beautiful and looks great! As I love to read, I personally loved that library. <3
Thanks so much!
Great piece and good way to go.
Received with thanks
Thank you!
I like your blog Gwen. I am voting for the interior from the first photo. It is truly unique 🙂
This home looks so lovely and stylish. The library is just a dream for anyone who loves to read – the perfect place for relaxation.
Thank you, Brooke!