House Tour

Heya Nesters!  Don't you love it when you reconnect with old friends?  I have this friend, Brielle. I've known her for.ev.er.  Our dads are best friends from college and we grew up together doing many family activities together, since they lived only a few towns over.  Being a couple years older than me, she was someone I always admired.  She went away to school for design and as an onlooking high schooler about to start my college hunt, it was eye opening that one could get a degree in that. "Maybe I should start looking for schools with fashion design programs..." So I did and now I have a degree in that! But she lived far away for school and we didn't keep in touch much.  Since we've both been back in Beantown, and she {and her gentlemanly chef of a fiance, Brooks} is of course always invited to our family gatherings, we've gotten back in touch.  I'm so happy that she is an interior designer to boot because I can talk shop to her for hours on end and she doesn't mind! And her house is to-die-for.  I brought my camera on a little trip to Brielle and Brooks' home to show you guys some of her handywork.

This is the laser cut vinyl lighting fixture that greets you from their apartment door. Isn't it fabulous?  I love the fade from white to a deep pink. 

The fixture looks amazing enveloped by this sweet, soft lilac color of the walls.  Brielle is the queen of vignettes.  She has spent tons of time styling for photoshoots, perfecting her skills. The dresser here is Brooks childhood antique dresser. Beautiful isn't it? 

A little closer look at the vignette in the front hall.  Right next to this dresser is the bathroom and what a fabulous bathroom it is!

It's a throwback to yesteryear in this bathroom with the aqua tile and black and white checkered trim. This is the room in the apartment that sold them and had them signing on the dotted line. 

They even have this fun, interesting, cove-like shower/tub combo that has its own light! I love it! Brielle made the curtains herself, the day I was coming over.  Now the best part of the bathroom that I am slightly obsessed with. 

Oh yes, the antique wood box above the loo, that holds the towels. See what I mean? Obsessed. 

She also had the genius idea of using a wine rack for shampoos and lotions and somehow made toilet paper look like art. I understand why this bathroom was the straw that broke the camels back. It is spacious, and vintage and amazing!  So, lets take a peek at their bedroom sanctuary. 

Their bed was their big splurge.  It can be platformed and low on the ground but they opted for adding those gams and making it a bit more regal than it already is.  Stunning isn't it?  You can find their gorgeous bedding at Designers Guild and is currently on sale!  The same artist that made their hall lamp, made this amazing laser cut tapestry. I had to take a close up of my favorite part... the deers! They get me every time. A lovely cluster of paper lanterns cascade over their bed, making an already serene bedroom a total zen sanctuary. 

Since Brooks' dresser was out in the hallway, Brielles found its home in the bedroom with a new set of knobs to boot!  Even their nightstand is pristinely coiffed!

What bedroom would be complete without a place to have your own personal fashion show??

OK, enough cooing over their bedroom, I'll show you guys the rest of the house I promise.  Shall we saunter into the living room/office combo? I think we shall.

This home office is makes working fun with an exercise ball as a seat {use that core while you type!} and orange sawhorses as legs.  Brielle put her vignetting {Yes, I did just made up a word.} skills to use on their Ikea Expidit bookshelves.  If she finds this antique sewing box with ceramic knobs missing from her house one day... I may or may not have "purloined" it. {For those of you who read YHL!}  The pops of orange throughout their living room are pulled in by the Paris map over the desk.

Take a look at how cozy their couch is {there are pair of Ikea Stockholm chairs facing the couch making it super friendly space to hang out in} and you can see a sneak peak of the kitchen right in the corner.  They actually have the same exact Ikea coffee table my Dad has.  It has segmented drawers that pull out and can be filled with whatever your imagination can come up with! Dads' is nick-knacks and Brielles' are various stones. 

Can we also discuss the embroidered pillow? Fabulous!

Now this is my favorite spot of the living room.  This antique radio, coupled with the antique photos is a wonderful throwback.  I kept myself glancing up there.  I simply couldn't take my eyes off it.

The kitchen for this duo is truly the heart of their home.  Being the Brooks is a chef-turned-butcher, they are constantly cooking up amazing meals.  {Especially when I visit and I can't wait to partake in the gustatory delights!} Isn't this color stunning? When they moved in, they painted it a deep burgundy color above the chair rail and a saturated beige below but it just wasn't working for them.  They had already put the accents of orange in their living room and Brielle thought it would be perfect to have an additional "pop" when you look through the doorway to the kitchen. So they held their breath and went for bright!

Check out how epically high their cabinets are.  Aren't they beautiful? 

I love this little accent I just had to share it with you... and how perfect is the green cutting board?

Another one of the aspects of this apartment that hooked 'em were these built-in endcaps.  Aren't they adorable? I'm also in love with those coffee cups. 

I love their house. Isn't it homey and cozy and vintage and wonderful?

I'm lucky to have a friend with such style, especially since she is going to be my newest DIY partner!  She said she was ready to help me with any project I wanted to do, and we might even do a little work on the kitchen table you see above.  So you will be hearing more about her and more about the projects we have lined up!  You'll just have to stay tuned to see!  

Happy Friday, Nesters! I'm signing off until Monday, so have a nice weekend!! <3