I love perfect timing. When the folks at Chairish reached out to me for the Mix & Chic Style Challenge a couple of weeks ago, the timing was perfect. They asked me to create a room using their rad vintage furnishings and add some of my own style. And here we are, smack dab in the middle of the bungalow series and I get to share a very cool room idea and tips with you. Yes, even if you don't have a bungalow.

First, let's talk rugs. Friends don't let friends buy ivory rugs for their dining room. I know they look pretty. I know that magazines showcase priceless ivory moroccan rugs under dining tables, but listen. Just stop thinking about it. At that next dinner party, one of your guests will drop a blob of marinara on your ivory rug. And part of your friendship with them will die.  If you're going to have a rug under your dining table, find a patterned rug. Something along the lines of this rug is a great option because it'll be forgiving of spills will save all your friendships from marinara-induced tragedies.  Ok, moving on.  Every dining room needs a good table and I love the timeless appeal of this one. The lines are classic and I love that I could move the benches into the adjacent living room for extra seating, or I could use them elsewhere (think end of bed or in the entryway) if I wanted to change up the look.   The light, the artwork and the subtle patterns on the chairs and rug pull the look together and keep the room from looking perfectly matched. That's my style right there.  The extra chairs are great to add texture & pattern, and will also be handy to pull up for extra seating. Throw in a fiddle leaf fig tree in a vintage planter and you're going to look like a design rockstar. My tips for a great dining room: -Classic table with good lines -Multi-use furniture, such as benches or upholstered side chairs. You'll be able to pull the chair over    to a desk when not in use, or into a living space for extra seating. -Patterned rug. Obviously. -Mix artwork with family photos and objects. It creates an interesting wall and also creates a   conversation piece for your guests. -Have something growing and green. It adds fresh color to a corner. -Find a great light, which is not always new or always expensive. Think of repurposing a piece or   shopping vintage finds. It's the jewelry of your room and can take your space to the next level.   Consider putting the light on a dimmer switch for a soft evening glow. -Use a storage piece for extra glasses, napkins, candles and you're able to easily set the table. My favorite of this room is the armoire. You know what I love about armoires beyond their ability to be gorgeous and hold millions of things? I love that all I have to do is close the doors and my guests would never know that I just shoved all the kids' book bags, yesterday's breakfast dishes, and a pile of unfolded laundry into it. Armoires make it look like you have it all together. That, my friends, is priceless.  Hats off to you, armoires of the world, for saving the day and looking good while doing it. I aspire to be like you. And thanks to Chairish for curating a collection of very cool furnishings and for letting us buy them.   Sources: Chairish Shabby Chic Collection  Rug // Light // Table // French Street Sign // Armoire //  Vintage Planters // Leopard Chairs // Floral Pillows // Carved Bowl  // Small Watercolor Painting // Acrylic Landscape Painting // Vase    Paint Colors, left to right are Sherwin Williams Sensible Hue, Sherwin Williams Aloof Gray, and Farrow & Ball Hague Blue

When we purchased our first bungalow, I was thrilled to have the chance to paint the walls and put my personal style stamp on it. But I quickly discovered that my love for color would be thwarted refined by the natural woodwork. It seemed like the only colors that worked well with the woodwork was white or cream. It was a lonely time, in those pre-Pinterest days when all the woodwork in the magazines was painted white. I had to muddle through paint colors all alone.
Shade of white & cream have definitely earned a rightful place in the bungalow, and it doesn't make the house boring. These colors feel especially fresh if you add the color through furniture, plants, rugs or accessories.

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Warm neutrals + natural woodwork = friendly feelings.  Cozy & bright, these neutrals will make your guests feel so at home that they're likely to raid your fridge for leftover pizza and make themselves a cup of coffee. You've been warned.                                                                       

In Milwaukee, you can't throw a stick without hitting a bungalow. They're everywhere. 

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Our first bungalow

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My neighborhood is primarily bungalows. The cool thing about having a whole neighborhood of bungalows is that you usually know where everyone's bathroom is and which drawer they keep their silverware in. It's quite efficient, actually. I'm not an architect, but I do know that there are many kinds of bungalows, even on the same block: Craftsman, Prairie Style, Spanish, Tudor, Four Square, and so on. Most bungalows (in this area) have these characteristics: leaded glass windows, a brick or stone fireplace with flanking bookcases, large front porch, a dormer, hardwood floors throughout first floor, efficient floor plans and simple but substantial woodwork. I've been getting quite a few questions within the past week about paint colors for other people's interiors, most of which are bungalows. It's ironic that people would ask me for color ideas, since I am still waffling about a color for our exterior. For two years.  I decided, given the amount of interest out there, to begin a series on bungalows.  A typical bungalow layout in this area is entryway leading into the living room, which is open to the dining area. The kitchen is traditionally separated from the dining room by a wall, a built-in buffet, or a butler's pantry with a swinging door. These boundaries served to keep the entertaining space separate from the private space of the kitchen and bedrooms. Oak woodwork & flooring is typical in the living and dining rooms, and maple flooring is used for the bedrooms and kitchen areas. 

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Our first bungalow

The second floors of bungalows were typically left unfinished. My experience is that most second floors are a little wonky because there's lots of angles coming together.

I've seen quite a few people either turn it their second floor into a master suite, or a couple of bedrooms with an extra bathroom.


Classic. A sewer pipe smack dab in the worst possible spot.

A lot of young couples and families are buying up bungalows because our generation is a bunch of suckers for the charming built ins and wood floors. I think it makes us feel like we're buying our grown-up house. However, many bungalows haven't had updates done in the past 40 years or so, perhaps because the owners tend to live in their bungalow for a very long time because the houses are just that awesome. But after we buyers sign on the dotted line, we don't know what to do with the small kitchen, the wonky attic, or the general tired look.

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In this series, I'll give you, dear reader, some insight on insider questions, like the classic "to paint, or not to paint" your woodwork, paint color ideas, decor inspiration, and how to make your bungalow feel like a fresh little slice of heaven. Am I over promising?  Probably.  But let's bring back the bungalow.

I appreciate the rhythm that fall creates. Kids are back to school and I have a little more space in my schedule to do my very favorite thing in the world: reading.

I'm in the mood for some soul care this year, some thoughtful books with a couple laughs mixed in here and there.

1. This one is waiting for me at the library and I've heard from a couple of people that they laugh out loud as they read it. I am starting a book club this year and I think this will be our first read.

2. I began this book last week and I like Mindy's writing style & humor. This book is a random collection of essays on a number of topics, but it's a funny read.

  

And here's the back cover, just because it's funny.

3. I don't know much about this book or the author, but I like the cover and title. Hopefully that whole "don't judge a book by it's cover" cliche is a a bunch of baloney. 

4. This book is hot off the press and is awaiting me at the library too. Kudos to you, Milwaukee Public Library for staying on top of new releases. 

5. I just picked this book up today. It's meant for young readers, but it sounds intriguing enough that I'll probably read it before passing it only Genevieve. It's a true story of two pen pals and how their correspondence changed both of their lives. 

This may be a cool book for my mother-in-law to read. She and her Irish pen pal have been writing letters to each other since middle school and have met up many times over the years to travel to different countries together. 

I was always a terrible pen pal. Perhaps this book will change that.