Loving Right Now: Kitschy Vintage Kitchen Decor

I'm still in the process of trying to make my new apartment feel like a home and it's been so hard to focus on just one room. I want to buy everything, for every room, all at once! Anyone else understand this feeling?

Of course, I can't do that because as much as I wish I am, I am not a millionaire. So, I've been doing it slowly — paycheck by painstaking paycheck and cutting corners where I can. Like the responsible human being that I am. Unfortunately, all this has allowed me to do is continue adding items to an ever growing list of "wants". That combined with my inability to focus on one room has created an odd list and caused be to buy things on impulse - making for some very odd, half-finished rooms. To combat this insanity, I've decided to share it with you! Aren't you excited? In an effort to focus, I'm just going to share my wants, my loves, my hopes, and my dreams for my new apartment room by room. Maybe that way I won't wonder why I have an extensive plate collection for the kitchen walls but still no table for the craft room (yes, this is a real problem).

The SMEG Revolution

The SMEG Revolution is upon us. Yes, it's true. Hold on to your hats people. For those of you interested in the interior design world, those that follow interior design blogs, or, heck, even just hang out on Pinterest sometimes, you're familiar with the SMEG refrigerator. It's the vintage, candy-colored appliance of your dreams. And it costs a pretty penny to make your kitchen look like it has hopped out of the 1950s, so, for most of us, it has always been very much a dream. Well, dream no more my design friends! Your kitchen appliances are so close to being candy-colored, you should almost be able to taste it!

Interior Design: Mint Green Kitchens

Newest update in my new apartment adventures: I now have mint green walls in my kitchen! Two walls to be exact. We left the rest of the kitchen white. In a fit of paint whimsy, I bought a whole gallon of mint green paint because I was really excited about the color, without having a plan for it. (I'm the worst) So it went in the kitchen. While I was extremely excited about it during the painting process, I started second guessing myself afterwards (naturally) and hating it inwardly for being too bright (naturally). So what does anyone do when worried about their design choices? Turn to Pinterest, naturally! I immediately turned to Pinterest to confirm that my design choice was, in fact, not insane and that we could absolutely pull off a mint green kitchen with dark wood accents and black floors (Pictures to come soon, I promise. It was already dark when we had finished painting.) - and Pinterest did alleviate all my design woes.

Interior Design: Living in a Library

How is it November already? I think I blinked and missed all of summer this year. It's strange how much faster time flies the older you get. With every immaculately designed house I find, I think about the bits and pieces I'd like to incorporate into my own home one day and with every day that goes by, that becomes more of a reality. How weird is that? To think that one day I could own a living space that's not the size of a shoebox is crazy. 

Anyway, the point of all that babble was this home design. Ever since I was little and I saw my first high shelves with a rolling ladder, I decided that one day I was going to have the same thing in my house. Mostly because it reminded me of that magical library in Beauty in the Beast and that's what every little girl who reads wants to see (amirite?). The dream has not died for me and when I saw this home design it screamed my name.

Monday Design: Breakfast Nook Designs

All my life I've wanted a breakfast nook in the kitchen. Yes, you read that right - all my life. I was a weird kid. I have always been interested by home design and breakfast nooks are one of those interior design elements I remember begging my mom for. Yes, begging. Especially once we actually had the space. You see, my mom owns her own cleaning service and has some pretty fancy houses on her client list. When I was younger, we couldn't afford day car in the summers so I would go to work with my mom. Ok so mostly I would play while she worked, but I got to go inside these crazy huge houses - most of which had breakfast nooks. I'm assuming this is where my obsession began considering it was before internet (Right?! I know. When was that?).

Despite my darnedest efforts, we never did end up getting the breakfast nook of my dreams, but you better believe that when this little lady owns a house it will have a big squishy, sunny place designated for breakfast and tea. In the meantime, let's get inspired.

Monday Design: Country Home

I think I might secretly be a small town girl at heart. Although I wouldn't really know since I've only ever lived in big cities. I probably would get bored if I moved out to some town where the downtown consisted of 6 city blocks. Unless of course I could live in a little country home like this one.

Monday Design: Floor Plans

As drawn as I am to rustic designs and styles, lately I've found myself being really pulled in my more modern and quirky interior designs. Maybe it's because I've been going through the painfully slow process of redesigning my apartment and there is nothing rustic about it so I have to look at more modern interiors for inspiration. Well, this awesomely modern and bright apartment is nothing if not inspiring.

Monday Design: Unfinished Wood Dinner Table

It's no secret that I am obsessed with anything that has a rustic style to it - exposed brick, high wood beams on the ceilings. I mean, move me into a refinished barn already, right? Well, lately what's been catching my eye has been these massive unfinished wood dining room tables. Have you seen them? You must have. They're everywhere it seems like, which is only working to further ignite my buyer's lust for them. Of course, even if I did have the money to buy or make one of these gorgeous pieces, I'd have absolutely no where to put one. Sigh. One day, right?

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Thursday Tutorial: Hot Pink Home Decor DIY

I've been in the process of making my apartment a home for a little bit now. Slowly but surely it's all coming together! Oh course my appetite is constantly bigger than my wallet, so I've been finding cheap ways to creatively decorate my apartment. This hot pink and gold serving tray set way my first attempt at doing just that and I was really happy with how it turned out so I'm sharing this little tutorial for it with you guys!

Monday Design: Michigan Lake House

Oh boy, what a month guys. What a month. It's been crazy here for me in April. So much so that I am entirely glad the month is coming to a close. In between work being crazy and getting robbed I've also been studying for the GRE's non-stop. I'm finally taking the test this Saturday and I couldn't be more nervous. For those of you that may not know, the GRE is the standardized test most college graduate programs require you to take to get into grad school. Kind of like you have to take either the ACTs or SATs to get into college. It's totally stupid, but if I want to get into grad school I have to do it. Wish me luck!

Anyway, in all this craziness the roommate and I have also been planning a getaway to my parents' cabin in Wisconsin in August and I am starting to wish it was coming a lot sooner. I could definitely use a break, but I'm sure we all could right? Of course the cabin in Wisconsin looks nothing like this amazing getaway home in Michigan I found, but it's helping me daydream so who cares! I actually found this home on a Chicago design firm's site. Alan Design Studio has done a lot of work in and around Chicago, but this was one of my favorites. I love how the wood in the kitchen and livening room really brings in that rustic cabin feel, but it's still completely sleek and modern. Perfect for those of us that like the idea of getting away to the woods, but would rather not fight off spiders and mosquitoes all day.

I love this bedroom! Big bright windows, a cozy bed, and a fireplace? How perfect for a winter getaway. I hate snow and cold, but I think I could survive it if I were holed up here for the winter. Don't you agree?

I actually really love the design of the bedrooms. They're simple and easy. Perfect for a summer home because there's no clutter so you can make it your own for the summer. Like playing with a blank slate. 

I can't wait to take a small weekend vacation. I know Wisconsin and Michigan do not sound exciting, but it's where us Chicago folk go for weekend breaks. Anything to get out of the city for a bit, you know?

Where's your favorite weekend getaway?

Monday Design: 7 Fabulous Kitchen Designs

I don't know what it is about the warmer weather that always makes me want to start using the kitchen more, but it does, like you don't even understand.

I am not a cook. The kitchen is just not where I feel at home. Mostly, I think this is because I've damaged my taste buds with too many jalapenos and too much hot sauce over the years, so I tend to over spice and include too many ingredients. I happen to think most things I cook are delicious, but the roommate? Not so much. This is most often disheartening so I try to stay out of the kitchen until inspiration hits! This is almost always in summer or whenever the weather is warm. Strange huh?

Since my adventures in the kitchen never really turn out all that amazing, I thought I'd stick to something I do know. Kitchen design! It's much easier to offer up 7 cute kitchen designs than a tasty recipe for you all. Hope no one minds ;) So while I pick out the next recipe to burn down my kitchen with, here are 7 kitchen designs that I would love to be playing chef in.

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Are you the head chef in your home? What's your favorite dish to make right now?