patience + persistence.

When we moved in our new apartment in early July, I was beyond excited to decorate a new place. I started a Pinterest board and I began daily visits to One Kings Lane. By mid-July, we'd spent what felt like a small fortune on furniture. For us, these pieces of furniture were investments in our current happiness--and future forever home. Even amidst the excitement of furniture deliveries, I managed to get entirely overwhelmed with the prospect of 'styling' our little home.

inspiration found here {from top}:
Jenny Wolf Interiors   |   Lonny
Style Me Pretty Living   |   The Glitter Guide
Oh Joy!
Jess Lively   |   Design*Sponge   |   Lonny

I discovered the best plan to battle this frustration/anxiety/general craziness wasn't running out and buying everything. Many of you had said that creating a "home" takes time, but I wanted to feel settled right away. I discovered that the little things add up quickly. Coffee table books are surprisingly expensive. {Am I right?} By the end of July, I made an important decision: we weren't going to live in one of those style masterpieces you see on Pinterest. It's too much work for me. Does that mean I won't create some fun little stacks of books we love? NO. It just means that I need to stop striving for something that someone else created and trust my gut!

{cv} and I are slowly but surely making the most out of our new little place. One big antique find {which I can't wait to share with you!} served as an anchor for our main living space. We stuck with comfortable colors which could translate well into our future home. We picked up a few trendier pieces, but we tempered them with a few traditional ones. Am I still finding inspiration on Pinterest? You bet. I just keep reminding myself that our 'styled home' will represent us--and no one else.

I love the blogosphere and Pinterest as much as the next person, but I strongly believe these worlds have created unreasonable expectations for what our homes should look like. I may be on my own island on that idea, but I doubt I am. I'd love to hear your thoughts on that topic--and on any fun websites you've found to help you add those finishing touches to your place. I'm standing by my new recipe that patience plus persistence equals success! xoxo {av}