Last summer we realized it was time to rearrange our space. As a lifestyle photographer, I use my home as a studio and I’ve been noticing that there has been a HUGE transition in decor/ style since the pandemic began.
Cozy minimalism in any style is what people are longing for. Whether it’s mid century, industrial, farmhouse, coastal or any other style— but minimal.
We’re in a season looking for symmetry, functionality and aesthetic, here is a my current journey as we remodel our remodel.
I began purchasing different pieces from target, amazon and homegoods in order to help me narrow in my aesthetic. Many times we found ourselves sourcing pieces and modifying them by putting our own twist on some designs.
Anywho, some of ya’ll have been asking where we got our pieces and although the renovation process is far from done… I want to share some honest reviews as I like the pieces.
We wanted to get this list to you but we really wanted to take our time and be honest about all these pieces.
This TV console is a gorgeous midcentury modern piece with a little hint of boho. As I looked for TV consoles I was really feeling the black accents, and this target find was timely. Not to mention, it’s the perfect dupe for the one in pottery barn. Although its a good $1,100 off the original PB price, it definitely comes with its imperfections. This console is known for having uneven nobs as you can see in the picture above. Also all these target pieces are a pain to assemble.
This is the link to view/shop this item:
Now let’s get into these light fixtures that drove us and our IG family nuts. First things first, I bought these light fixtures from two different vendors: Amazon and Home Depot. The big one is from amazon and the smaller one is from home depot (more expensive too)
HOME DEPOT LIGHT FIXTURE PRO’S: Black and not bronze, and it is built very sturdy
HOME DEPOT LIGHT FIXTURE CONS’S: Too small for my space and $100 more expensive than the larger one.
AMAZON LIGHT FIXTURE PRO’S: Inexpensive for size and quality
AMAZON LIGHT FIXTURE CONS’S: Color is bronze and not black
We asked our IG fam to vote on our final decision and although it was a close call, it was clear that its better to go big than small in this case. According to many of you, the smaller one would make the space look smaller, so we took your advice and kept the one from amazon. Below are the links:
Can we just talk about how we’ve purchased over 8 barstools in the process of looking for the perfect fit and we finally narrowed it down to these two. A boho styled barstool (right) which was a ross find for only $50! and a midcentury model (left) which was set— 2 for $150 leaving them at $75 each.
We decided to go with the ones on the left, however, they are sold out on wayfair so we’re stalking them till then (I will add more info on this on our next blog post)
When looking for a couch, I fell in LOVE with the RH cloud couch and look. Cozy, minimal and trendy. HOWEVER, the cloud and all its dupes are typically white and if there is one thing that isn’t “Michele Proof” it’s white anything. With that said, let’s talk about our couch and the back-order dilemma we’ve been dealing with.
We purchased the Savesto Sectional from Ashley furniture and I couldn’t be happier with the light beige color, the stain warranty and the customizable approach that it offers. It also make the perfect cloud dupe with a little twist of color.
Here is our issue… We haven’t received the rest of the section as of yet. We’re missing about 4 pieces and we still haven’t unwrapped the ottoman. Last but not least, you get what you pay for. Our couch came with 4 stains, we’re assuming its from the warehouse workers that packaged the product. We have reached out to Ashley and we haven’t gotten much of a response.
UPDATE: They gave us a discount (didn’t give us good options on this)
We haven’t finalized the space yet, but we have a home-made DIYed art ledge that has to be repainted and put above the sofa & against the wall. The lamp and eucalyptus tree are there for now to help me visualize the aesthetic (temporarily)
Pillows are homegoods and hobby lobby finds. The accent pillow with our last name/ wedding date was a gift. The lamp is from amazon and the Eucalyptus tree as well. (Still looking for planters, preferably concrete)
When looking for a dining table, lets just say it was a whirl-wind of craziness. The table and bench came with a total of 3 blemishes— 1 scratch & 2 minor dents. The chairs were wobbly, stained and one of them had loose cloth. Luckily, Ashley furniture worked with us and gave us a decent discount for the inconvenience— BUT AGAIN, you get what you pay for. This collection is a west elm dupe.
I don’t regret this purchase one bit BECAUSE its imperfections are barely noticeable. PLUS! We’re talking total savings here! The good out-weighs the bad.
We recently decided it was time to make our coffee station a little more minimal— we wanted to add more black accents throughout the home.
BUT… this target find was too short and not wide enough, therefore decided to buy the tv console from the same collection and we began modifying it to give it height and a similar look to this piece.
I know, I know, we’re very EXTRA. But no matter how much I looked for a buffet style table, nothing was working the way we wanted it to. We decided to buy wood, measure, cut and sand it. Amner’s next step is to paint it black with a special spray-paint-gun that we rent and BAM.
We bought a few footer leg options from amazon and finally narrowed it down to one (more info on our next blog post) I also purchased some mini art ledges from target in order to remove the current rustic industrial pieces that are there. Again, minimal and functional.
Along with these art ledges, I picked up some clear jars with wooden lids.
I’m not feeling too eclectic this season, so these will do for now! Thank you all for reading and keeping up with our reno’s reno <3