<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Level Up House</title> <atom:link href="/category/home-improvement/decorating/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link></link> <description>Home is the best place on earth</description> <lastBuildDate>Mon, 08 Dec 2014 05:21:36 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5</generator> <item> <title>Free Redecorating: Flip a Room</title> <link>/2013/fam-room-flip/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 02 Jun 2013 22:38:36 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Decorating]]></category> <category><![CDATA[budget]]></category> <category><![CDATA[family room]]></category> <category><![CDATA[free decorating ideas]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=1100</guid> <description><![CDATA[The family room (okay, all our rooms) are pretty thrown together – they’re just full of the stuff we still have after multiple moves and everything is where we decided to put it on the hectic move-in day. The couch is from 2006 – it was the very first thing I bought for my apartment […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The family room (okay, all our rooms) are pretty thrown together – they’re just full of the stuff we still have after multiple moves and everything is where we decided to put it on the hectic move-in day. The couch is from 2006 – it was the very first thing I bought for my apartment when I moved closer to my first job.</p> <p>Anyway, now that we’ve been here two and a half years, there’s some bandwidth for thinking about the way rooms are arranged and potentially upgrading some of the furniture. I hate to get rid of perfectly useful stuff (I’m also super cheap), so I wanted to see if just moving furniture around would make me feel better about the room. That’s free and easy.</p> <p><strong>Here’s the original arrangement: </strong></p> <p><a href="/2013/06/fam-room-flip/dec12_tvroom-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-1108"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1108" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/dec12_tvroom.jpg" alt="dec12_tvroom" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/dec12_tvroom.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/06/dec12_tvroom-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p><strong>Here’s the new arrangement (+grubs on the mantle): </strong></p> <p><a href="/2013/06/fam-room-flip/flipfamilyroom_1/" rel="attachment wp-att-1107"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1107" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/FlipFamilyRoom_1.jpg" alt="FlipFamilyRoom_1" width="384" height="512" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/FlipFamilyRoom_1.jpg 384w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/06/FlipFamilyRoom_1-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></a></p> <p>This is nice, I like it.</p> <p>I like that the TV and fireplace are more of a set and a centerpiece to the room. I’m sure an interior decorator somewhere is cringing, but it’s hard to argue with a free room refresh via re-arranged furniture.</p> <p>We also used this as an excuse to further thin out our book collection. Go to your bookshelf and find three things you’ll never read again. Remove them. Feels good, doesn’t it? Do it a few more times, and now you have room for <em>new</em> books!! :D</p> <h1>Other Rooms We’ve Flipped:</h1> <p><strong>Dining room</strong> – rotating the table 90 degrees opened up new “traffic” patterns and improved the view for both of us!</p> <p><strong>Family room (apartment) –</strong> flipping the whole room 180 degrees put the TV in front of the fireplace, but improved traffic flow and lighting.</p> <p><strong>Bedroom (my first apartment)</strong> – changing which wall the bed was on improved airflow and made the closet more accessible.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Bacon Candles: Now Life is Complete</title> <link>/2013/bacon-candle/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2013 23:48:08 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Decorating]]></category> <category><![CDATA[bacon]]></category> <category><![CDATA[candles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fun]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=1029</guid> <description><![CDATA[Please, someone convince me a bacon candle isn’t worth the $35 or whatever it was before I go back and buy it.]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="/2013/05/bacon-candle/bacon/" rel="attachment wp-att-1030"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1030" alt="bacon" src="/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/bacon.jpg" width="384" height="512" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/bacon.jpg 384w, /wp-content/uploads/2013/05/bacon-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></a></p> <p>Please, someone convince me a bacon candle isn’t worth the $35 or whatever it was before I go back and buy it.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Inspiration: Small Dining Room</title> <link>/2012/inspiration-small-dining-room/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 20 Dec 2012 21:05:30 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Decorating]]></category> <category><![CDATA[decorating]]></category> <category><![CDATA[inspiration]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=741</guid> <description><![CDATA[In searching for “ideas for small dining room” (because we have a small dining room) I found this awesome bookshelf on bhg.com – where or where is it from?! They don’t cite a source, unfortunately. I love it because: It’s painted white, yay painted wood! It’s got open areas for nice stuff and doors for […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In searching for “ideas for small dining room” (because we have a small dining room) I found this awesome bookshelf on bhg.com – where or where is it from?! They don’t cite a source, unfortunately.</p> <p>I love it because:</p> <ul> <li>It’s painted white, yay painted wood!</li> <li>It’s got open areas for nice stuff and doors for hiding storage stuff (you can never have enough storage)</li> <li>No glass doors to open/close to get to the nice stuff.</li> <li>Bonus shelf on TOP!</li> </ul> <p> </p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/bhg_bookshelf.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-742" title="bhg_bookshelf" src="/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/bhg_bookshelf.jpg" alt="" width="384" height="512" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/bhg_bookshelf.jpg 384w, /wp-content/uploads/2012/12/bhg_bookshelf-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>No one ACTUALLY eats in this room.</em></p> <p style="text-align: left;"> I also love the rug, but I’m still debating whether we’re too messy for a rug right under our eating table. I think we might be too messy for it. We’ve already proven incapable of keeping placemats and tablecloths clean, I doubt a rug is going to fare much better.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Decorating with Small White Picture Frames</title> <link>/2011/decorating-with-small-white-picture-frames/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 20 Jun 2011 00:39:33 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Decorating]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=137</guid> <description><![CDATA[Bare walls have a way of driving me nuts after a while, and since this weekend was “finish unfinished projects” weekend the first thing I did was hit up these stacks of picture frames laying about the computer room. See below for an example of such a pile (of which I had at least three […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Bare walls have a way of driving me nuts after a while, and since this weekend was “finish unfinished projects” weekend the first thing I did was hit up these stacks of picture frames laying about the computer room. See below for an example of such a pile (of which I had at least three cluttering up good space that could be used for other clutter):</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_0.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-138 aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" title="CompRoom_0" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_0.jpg" width="400" height="300" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_0.jpg 400w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_0-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></a></p> <p>First stop, the guest bed! Our computer room does double duty as both a guest room and, well, a computer room. This works out surprisingly well. We both love flopping down on a bed to read while the other sits at a computer!</p> <p>I mounted a thin picture shelf we snagged from IKEA a few weekends ago over the bed like so, which became home to several of the recently-homeless frames. Getting the shelf up was easy – just three screws to drill in. (I also made the bed and cleared off the last few week’s worth of papers. It also doubles as a huge desk for papers that ought to be filed.) The frames sit in the shelf very nicely.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-139 aligncenter" title="CompRoom_1" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_1.jpg" width="384" height="512" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_1.jpg 384w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_1-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></a></p> <p>Using a few small nails I hung some slim IKEA frames like so next to the back window. I just made up the arrangement as I went and it turned out ok! I left one nail in the center to hang something small from. The frames are too slim/small to use the usual picture hanging hooks, but nails worked fine for getting them flush with the wall.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-140 aligncenter" title="CompRoom_2" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_2.jpg" width="384" height="512" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_2.jpg 384w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_2-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></a></p> <p>And in the corner near my computers I hung two more frames, this time hung with actual picture mounting hardware instead of nails. Below is my in-home tanning bed… I mean, computer screens! … with some frames to fill in the empty corner behind them.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_3.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-141 aligncenter" title="CompRoom_3" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_3.jpg" width="384" height="512" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_3.jpg 384w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_3-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></a></p> <p>And finally, here’s the whole room (because individual pictures don’t really show how everything goes together):</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_left.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-147 aligncenter" title="CompRoom_left" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_left.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_left.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_left-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_right.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-149 aligncenter" title="CompRoom_right" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_right.jpg" width="512" height="384" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_right.jpg 512w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/06/CompRoom_right-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></a></p> <p>There we go! Much better on the wall than in piles around the floor.</p> <p>But in solving my picture-frame-pile problem I created a new one: what to put inside the frames! For now, the room is decorated with Canopy and IKEA logos but that’ll change soon. Walgreen’s lets you submit photos online to pick up at any store, printed at any size, so I think I’ll end up picking a few of our favorites and having ’em printed large for the big frames. That’s how these projects always go when the time for working on ’em is somewhat limited: do a bit, do other stuff, then come back and do a bit more.</p> <p>On the bright side, at least the room’s walls aren’t stark naked anymore!</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Memorial Day Weekend Decorating Blitz</title> <link>/2011/memorial-day-weekend-decorating-blitz/</link> <comments>/2011/memorial-day-weekend-decorating-blitz/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 06 Jun 2011 01:33:13 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Decorating]]></category> <category><![CDATA[decorations]]></category> <category><![CDATA[decorative trees]]></category> <category><![CDATA[wall art]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=91</guid> <description><![CDATA[The MyHome Warehouse in Totem Lake (Washington state) is definitely our new favorite source of house loot. The prices are at the upper end of what we consider reasonable but the goods appear to be high quality. This jives with our new stuff-buying philosophy. In the past, we’d snag cheap items from stores like Wal Mart and […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The <a href="http://www.myhomefurnitureanddecor.com/">MyHome Warehouse</a> in Totem Lake (Washington state) is definitely our new favorite source of house loot. The prices are at the upper end of what we consider reasonable but the goods appear to be high quality. This jives with our new stuff-buying philosophy.</p> <p>In the past, we’d snag cheap items from stores like Wal Mart and Target which were okay – and this applies to everything from clothing to home goods to shoes – but now we’re ready to save our pennies for high quality items we *LOVE*. And we were DEFINITELY ready to start covering some of our bare walls with pretty art.</p> <p>And oh boy, did we find some goodies!!</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Vase_DiningRoom.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-92" title="Vase_DiningRoom" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Vase_DiningRoom.jpg" width="480" height="640" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Vase_DiningRoom.jpg 480w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Vase_DiningRoom-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>The “Vase With Sticks In It” trend won me over at last! The golden hue vase now cheering up the black shelf in our dining room was an amazing clearance find at MyHome. The sticks themselves are from IKEA and this barely made a dent in the bundle!</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Tree_DiningROom.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-93" title="Tree_DiningROom" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Tree_DiningROom.jpg" width="480" height="640" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Tree_DiningROom.jpg 480w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Tree_DiningROom-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Over on the right side of the dining room we have our second indoor tree! I love the way the vase and the tree work together to soften up what was originally a very hard, geometric-looking room.</span></p> <p>I photographed these babies at MyHome, intending to “think about them” and come back later if I decided I liked them. Thinking about them lasted about the time it took for us to walk to the register. I ran back and grabbed them! And after putting them into the family room, I can’t believe we almost left ’em there!!</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_FamilyRoomFlowers_InStore.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-94" title="Wallart_FamilyRoomFlowers_InStore" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_FamilyRoomFlowers_InStore.jpg" width="487" height="365" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_FamilyRoomFlowers_InStore.jpg 640w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_FamilyRoomFlowers_InStore-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 487px) 100vw, 487px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">One of them is helping pretty-up the corner of the family room that currently features our very chic drying rack:</span></p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Family2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-95" title="Wallart_Family2" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Family2.jpg" width="480" height="640" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Family2.jpg 480w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Family2-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">I rested the other on top of the book shelf, where it now fills what used to be a very empty spot of wall:</span></p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Family1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-96" title="Wallart_Family1" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Family1.jpg" width="482" height="361" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Family1.jpg 640w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Family1-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 482px) 100vw, 482px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Surely that’s enough decorating by now?! Nope. Still decorating. MyHome seriously has more art than I’ve ever seen in one place before. We took three trips to MyHome before the weekend was over – the employees must think we’re nuts!</span></p> <p>Jim and I both instantly fell in love with this beauty, which now graces our stairway:</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Stairs.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-97" title="Wallart_Stairs" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Stairs.jpg" width="480" height="640" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Stairs.jpg 480w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Stairs-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Aaaand this one too:</span></p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Tree.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-98" title="Wallart_Tree" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Tree.jpg" width="488" height="366" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Tree.jpg 640w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Tree-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 488px) 100vw, 488px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">(Yes, that’s a pull-up bar mounted on the door to our computer room. It’s impossible to resist the urge to do a pull up every other time we walk under it!)</span></p> <p>Remember that episode of The Simpsons where, after he’s been kicked out of the All You Can Eat fish buffet for eating all the fish, Homer goes fishing? That was us, except after we’d gotten everything we’d liked at MyHome we went to Fred Meyer, which has its own fairly robust home decoration department. And there it was.</p> <p><a href="../wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Entry.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" title="Wallart_Entry" alt="" src="../wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Wallart_Entry.jpg" width="480" height="640" /></a></p> <p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">LOVE IT! Especially love that it was 50% off! But after getting it home I discovered a hitch in this grand plan: it was meant to hang horizontally! Not to be discouraged, I busted out my drill for some Arts and Crafts Time at the Level Up household!!</span></p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/DrillPictureFrame.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-100" title="DrillPictureFrame" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/DrillPictureFrame.jpg" width="492" height="369" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/DrillPictureFrame.jpg 640w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/06/DrillPictureFrame-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 492px) 100vw, 492px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">I was a little surprised at how easy it was to remove the hardware. With a little help from my friends Yardstick and Level, I moved the hooks like so:</span></p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/PictureFrameChange.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-101" title="PictureFrameChange" alt="" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/PictureFrameChange.jpg" width="480" height="356" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Ta-dah! Now it hangs vertically and our entryway’s days of being a boring white wall are OVER! In fact, the whole house just feels so much more complete with some art and decorations.</span></p> <p>It was a little weird to buy things that serve no purpose other than beautification (especially when we still lack basics like end tables for our couch and furniture for several rooms), but it was totally worth it. Never underestimate the power of art and decorations!</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>/2011/memorial-day-weekend-decorating-blitz/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>2</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Open trunk; insert tree</title> <link>/2011/putting-the-tree-in-taurus/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 29 May 2011 03:10:49 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Decorating]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=41</guid> <description><![CDATA[When you get a rain-free day in Seattle and you need to do something outside, you immediately DROP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND YOU GO OUTSIDE. For us, that meant getting this fake tree home from MyHome Wholesale. It didn’t fit in the car, but the trip was just a couple miles so we just […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/TreeCar.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-42 aligncenter" title="TreeCar" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/TreeCar-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/TreeCar-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/05/TreeCar.jpg 454w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p> <p>When you get a rain-free day in Seattle and you need to do something outside, you immediately DROP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND YOU GO OUTSIDE. For us, that meant getting this fake tree home from MyHome Wholesale. It didn’t fit in the car, but the trip was just a couple miles so we just took our chances and hauled it home like this.</p> <p>Look, a tree indoors!</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/NewTree.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-45 aligncenter" title="NewTree" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/NewTree-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/NewTree-225x300.jpg 225w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/05/NewTree.jpg 384w" sizes="(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a></p> <p>Actually, I think this looks pretty good. It brings a nice natural softness to the room.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Decorations? In MyHome?!</title> <link>/2011/decorations-in-myhome/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mandi]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 28 May 2011 06:07:09 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Decorating]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=29</guid> <description><![CDATA[Jim and I ventured into the gigantic MyHome store warehouse in Kirkland for the first time. WOW. I’m in love. The decorating instinct doesn’t come naturally to either of us, but we’re both aware of the need to fill our empty corners and cover our bare walls with something. To remember what we liked, I […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Jim and I ventured into the gigantic MyHome <del>store</del> warehouse in Kirkland for the first time. WOW. I’m in love. The decorating instinct doesn’t come naturally to either of us, but we’re both aware of the need to fill our empty corners and cover our bare walls with <em>something</em>.</p> <p>To remember what we liked, I photographed anything we were both enthusiastic about in the store. We’ll browse through ’em later at home and see what makes it to the next round. Sometimes a photo is great at revealing details we didn’t notice in the store! Giving ourselves time to consider a purchase also helps prevent overspending.</p> <p>Some of my favorites from this trip:</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/MyHome_Tree.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-30 alignleft" title="MyHome_Tree" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/MyHome_Tree-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/MyHome_Tree-225x300.jpg 225w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/05/MyHome_Tree.jpg 384w" sizes="(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>A decorative tree would add some much needed texture and variety to an empty corner of the family or living room.</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/MyHome_Art.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-31" title="MyHome_Art" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/MyHome_Art-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/MyHome_Art-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/05/MyHome_Art.jpg 640w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>I love the way its both organic and geometric at the same time.</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Throne.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-32" title="Throne" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Throne-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Throne-225x300.jpg 225w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Throne.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>NO WAY – a real throne! Time out while we sit in it and photograph each other.</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/TallTree.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-33" title="TallTree" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/TallTree-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/TallTree-225x300.jpg 225w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/05/TallTree.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Our vaulted-ceiling family room would love this super huge tree, but our wallets would NOT love its $800 price tag!</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Steampunk.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-34" title="Steampunk" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Steampunk-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Steampunk-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Steampunk.jpg 640w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>An entire niche of steampunk art and accessories? Whooo!</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/PixelTree.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-35" title="PixelTree" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/PixelTree-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/PixelTree-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/05/PixelTree.jpg 640w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>I love this tree painting. The squares make it look pixilated!</p> <p><a href="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Pots.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-36" title="Pots" src="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Pots-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" srcset="/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Pots-300x225.jpg 300w, /wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Pots.jpg 640w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>If you’re ever in need of a giant vase to put some crazy sticks in, MyHome’s got you covered. I lol’d at first, but now this “pot and sticks” look is starting to grow on me. I could just see it in a corner or next to the fireplace.</p> <p>We’re going to return to MyHome this weekend to (hopefully) snag some Memorial Day sale-price goodness.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> </channel> </rss>