Tour: My Room in a New-Orleans Style Double Gallery Downtown Home
Welcome to my new home, CWH readers!
Today, I’m showing you my room and some other snaps. I have a few old trusty things that have moved with me since I first got my own bedroom set for my sophomore year of college, and a couple of new additions as well. I’m so happy to show you!
The story of how I came to move…again.
I feel like the only reason I haven’t explained it out there on the Inter-web is because I never want to sound like I am bragging or all “look at me”. But, I don’t want to be one of those bloggers who just sidesteps her most frequently asked question. So here’s the short version of the story: My family had a home in Cypress, TX (a suburb of Houston – 45 minutes from downtown.) When I decided to go to college at the University of Houston, I wanted to move to a place closer to town to avoid that 1-2 hour commute that Houston is famous for because 290 sucks and we have horrible drivers here. (No offense, people!) So I moved into an apartment near town. (You probably saw a tour of it here.) Coincidentally, Angela (my step-mom who is a total bad-ass and one of my favorite people on planet Earth) decided to buy a beaten-up, ancient bungalow house near town and have it “fixed up” just like Chip and Jo as part of an investment. So, that meant once my short-lease was up, I could move in there. THEN, my youngest sis Clara (Ang’s daughter and another one of my favorite people in the world) got into HSPVA (our performing arts school downtown and Beyonce’s alma mater) because she is super talented and she rocks. So wouldn’t you know it….looks like the whole fam needs to move downtown! However, there’s a slight glitch. The “farmhouse” (the fixer upper project that I now live in) is too. dang. SMALL. I mean it’s teeny tiny and not meant for a family of 4 + 2 sisters who visit when home from college + a cousin who lives with us sometimes + all our friends and family that visit. SOOOOOOOOO. We rented that one out, sold the Cypress home, and moved into this home with more space for all of us. The end. So…I only have one home now. This one! I live here with Clara, my dad, Angela, and our dog, Chip!
Bedside Table / Record Player / Mini Calendar (The Anchor – Comforts of Home in Fayetteville, AR) / Urban Outfitters Perfume
My favorite part of my bedroom:
I LOVE my bed. Previously, my sheets, duvet, and duvet insert were all from Ikea and I had a firm, stiff mattress. I didn’t realize how much something like sheets could really effect my sleep, and ultimately, my mood! The old sheets were paper thin and scratchy and the duvet was too warm. I’m obsessed with the ones I have now, and although they were more expensive, I am MUCH happier with them and look forward to crawling in bed with a book at the end of each day.
My quilt is from Mended By Faith on Etsy! I met Courtney through Instagram and she is so sweet and talented. This quilt just reminds me of the hard work she does each day with the gift God gave her. Such a sweet reminder to use our God-given talents to help and encourage others. 🙂
Bed frame / Sheets (SO SOFT!) / Duvet Cover + Shams / Rug / Bed Tray /Doterra Essential Oils Diffuser / Chair is from Cameron’s work – they were getting rid of it. 🙂
The best place to shop for furniture:
I got all of my furniture from IKEA. It’s inexpensive and well-made! I feel like there’s a stigma behind IKEA, like it’s only for college kids who don’t have a full-time job, but honestly – I see myself purchasing from IKEA even when I have a 401k and a full-time, dual-income salary. It’s just practical! I do also love what Target has to offer in the home decor apartment. I’d say the same for them – inexpensive and well-made.
Desk / Anthro Candle / Teabox (thrifted) / Calendar / Day Designer Planner / and this is where I get all my art supplies!
How to save on decor:
Create and re-use! I like to decorate with handmade things such as watercolor and calligraphy drawings I’ve made. I also save up glass bottles that can be used as flower vases or homes for plants. I’m planning on getting a couple houseplants soon! I also utilized gift cards to buy cutesy decor items such as calendars, trays, and candles. I’ll use my own money for the practical must-haves such as the new duvet cover and shams I bought for this room.
How to decide on a color scheme for your room:
I think the colors of your room are a reflection of your personality. I’m a girl who appreciates all things clean and calm. That’s why I went with white for my furniture. The paint on the wall was already a gray/blue shade, so it works perfectly with what I have going on. My favorite color has always been a variation of blue. Sometimes I’m obsessed with Tiffany blue and sometimes I’m more of a robin’s egg girl, but ultimately, blue/turquoise hues just call out to me. So I got my rug in a turquoise shade to bring a splash of color. Just look at what you love and what makes you feel warm and fuzzy. Maybe your happy place is the beach, so beachy tones are right for your space. Maybe you are vibrant, fun, and full of energy, so you need bright Moroccan-inspired hues like fuchsias and golds.
A tip is to look at the things you own and see if there’s already a reoccurring color scheme there. I can tell just by looking in my closet that I love whites, grays, and blues, and that when I go for a pop of color, it’s normally something gold or maybe a pale lavender.
Bloggers Gonna Blog Print / Succulent Candle / Amazon Echo Dot
My painting here and the similar one in blue at my reading chair are from Gypsea Designed on Etsy! Amanda is super sweet and such an amazing soul, so I’m glad to keep pieces of hers in my space.
How to decorate according to the style of your overall space:
Learn about the history of your home and the history of it’s style. When we first toured this home, we noted that it reminded us of the homes in New Orlean’s french quarter. I did some research and found that this style of home is called a double-gallery style. These were built in New Orleans in the Garden District, Uptown, and in Esplanade Ridge between 1820 and 1850. Back then, these were the typical “suburb” homes, which explains the homey feel both inside and out. We have crown molding, hardwood floors, and unique design inside. (We have a french stove! It’s teeny tiny, which makes cooking for a family of 6+ interesting, but it’s incredibly charming.)
Knowing what a total french-inspired classic this place was, I went with that when thinking decor. Most of my pieces were already very southern-style minimal, so I just kept those. I think I’ll look for some jazz records for my record player and maybe pick up a few more books on French cooking to really play up the history of the place.
A little about my bookshelf
I’m thinking of doing a bookshelf tour on my vlog channel soon because there’s so many cute little trinkets here that have such a special meaning to me! I think that’s my favorite part of my room – there are so many little pieces that are sentimental. A teacup my best friend got me years ago when she visited Paris, my favorite books, little memories in the form of coffee sleeves and dried flowers. It’s just so fun to have these things close to me!
