What inspires us? Is it a season, or a page in a magazine, or maybe it is your family, job? For me, I find inspiration in many places. Recently, I moved to a mid-century home and I LOVE IT! It does need some serious design, but I welcome the challenge. Luckily for me, the interior has not really been touched and all of it is original. Every time I walk into my home I find inspiration...

We are still making it our own, and I am overwhelmed with possibilities and ideas! It is tough to try and concentrate on just one room but that is what I should do. I want to make sure I get this house right, as this home will be my "forever home" as they say. Mid-Century is all the rage right now and so it should be fairly easy to find the right furniture and accessories for my home. I still want unique items, one-of-a-kind things that nobody else has. My love for antiquing and vintage stores has really inspired me as well. I have a few favorites that I routinely stop in, and, of course, I want EVERYTHING that I see! There is one amazing store called "Funky Finds" in downtown DesMoines that is simply amazing. When you walk inside it's like you are stepping back in time. Their items are truly unique and are so cool. "Cool" seems to be the best way to describe the vibe of the store. I usually cannot come out of there without spending money. The curtains that adorn the small store windows are vintage and are vertically striped...the lighting is authentic, vintage lighting...there are vintage rugs on the floors, and the owners are usually there to greet you at the door! One other awesome thing...they even have candy for their customers! My kids always enjoy that.

Below you will see my first project I went after when we moved in last summer. This is the front entryway, or "formal entry" as I like to call it ( friends seem to enter our back door more often) and I thought it would be an easy first project to tackle! the wallpaper was a 1980's look of full-on floral nightmare! It did come off easily, but what lurked underneath was another story....the glue!!! I simply tried good old hot water and a scraper or putty knife. This seemed to work and didn't take too long. Thankfully the walls are in good shape so there was not a lot of patching to do. The before and afters are noticeably cleaner. I Added a warm grayish blue paint color and a fun chevron striped rug. also I got rid of the light which is probably also circa 1984, and replaced with a mid-century inspired small "sputnik" light in chrome. Not only is it cuter, it also gives off so much more light! The rug I found at Target on sale and the light fixture was a treasure that I found at Menards. All very affordable! although this space is not fully finished ( I plan to paint the trim and doors a fresh white ), You can see how much more airy and open it feels. I also hope to add a fun mirror, possibly a small entry table, and some artwork. I will keep you posted! Enjoy!