{Our redecorated dining & living rooms}

I’ve lived in our house since January of 2010, and fell in love with it partly because of its open floor plan and giant picture windows. But, because I’ve lived there so long, I outgrew my 23-year-old decorating taste… Which was primarily driven by studs. Studded everything. I called it “Old Hollywood Glamour,” but looking at it now, it strikes me as more “Kardashian Glamour.” The accent walls were a burnt orange when I moved in, and one of the first changes I made was painting them bright blue. When Tony and I got engaged years later, it seemed like a good time to make a style change to go along with this new chapter in our life together. And to lose a few of the studs and make it look like a man also lived there. Here are the changes we made, with lots of help and guidance from one of our best friends and interior design extraordinaire Amber McDermitt, co-founder of Spruce Design & Organization:

{Before picture from when I first moved in}

{After}

{Raw-edge side}

{Beautiful details}

Our dog Maggie chewed so many of the chairs and table legs, it looked like we set a beaver loose in our house. So, it was time for an overhaul. Tony’s friend in Vancouver made the table for us with a 100-year-old slab of wood, and Amber found the chairs. When I was concerned our butts would go numb from sitting too long (maybe the real problem is how much I sit), Amber solved my concerns by suggesting these faux fur throws.

{World Market chairs + Ikea faux sheepskin throws}

The table was the biggest splurge of the entire project for us, so we tried to cut corners everywhere else. The chairs were an affordable find, and the rug was a gift from one of Tony’s best friends, Rob. Same Rob who had my dream dress custom-made for my bridal shower in Afghanistan while he was stationed there. He found this rug for us there, too, and sent it as a wedding gift.

{Rug pad c/o}

Rug Pad USA generously sent this rug pad as a gift. (The raw edge was an impromptu DIY project for Tony when I accidentally ordered the size larger than our rug, and we had to cut it down. Whoops.) They specialize in manufacturing high end, eco-friendly rug pads that are made in the USA, which are safe, pet-and-baby-friendly alternatives to all the cheap and toxic pvc rug pads traditionally available in major brand stores, and won’t damage your floors. Rug Pad USA is also offering a 15% off discount to my readers – just enter coupon code pr15off at check out.

{Restoration Hardware light fixture}

{Before}

{After. Art by Ryan McCann.}

For Tony’s 30th birthday, I gave him this artwork by our friend Ryan McCann. Ryan is a genius blow torch artist. (He’s also an insanely talented furniture designer – he made our bed and bedroom side tables.) That picture? It is a slab of wood without any paint… Arnold and the design were done entirely by blow torch. “SHRED” is spelled out in gaffer tape. We are obsessed. And the jaguar statue was Tony’s find at the Rose Bowl Flea Market. Tony spent a long weekend painting the walls grey – I don’t remember the color or brand because I am a disorganized human. Sorry. Farrow & Ball is my favorite brand, if you don’t mind dropping tons of hot cash on paint.

{Before}

{After}

{EcoSmart Fire Bowl + Serena & Lily stools}

{C marquee light was a wedding gift from Tony’s manager}

One night after a few glasses of wine, I bought this fire bowl online. It’s awesome. It fits directly inside the pan that was already there (which we filled with rocks to match what came with the bowl), and runs on Bioethanol. Everyone thinks it’s a super cool fireplace, and doesn’t realize that it’s an update, and not the original fireplace.

{Vintage Restoration Hardware sofa, Maxwell Dickson throw pillows, West Elm Coffee Table, CB2 folding tables, modshop silver cube ottoman, garage sale lamps, silver fainting couch from my grandmother’s house, JC Penney ottoman I’ve had since I was 19}

Our buddy Ryan who did the SHRED art told us about a Restoration Hardware sofa sale on Craigslist – some nightclub owner redesigned his place and was doing a major sale. We both snagged one. And the marble and gold coffee table was the first item I put on our wedding registry; Tony bought it to surprise me.

{Maxwell Dickson pillow}

{Maxwell Dickson pillow}

These pillows were also gifted to us by Maxwell Dickson, a Los Angeles-based affordable art print company. All of their work is done by a local artist, Bart Cooper. I loved the coasters they sent us for our bedroom so much, they sent us a matching pillow.

{Elephant statue from the Rose Bowl flea market, because we love elephants and support the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, and they’re a symbol of good luck}

{Wood carving we bought in Colorado on one CB2 folding table}

{Coffee table books on my favorite topic on the other folding table}

{West Elm curtains (similar here), Urban Outfitters branch curtain tie-back}

{My grandmother’s gold mirrors + our TONANNIE show poster}

{Lanterns + photo wall}

{Personalized burlap wedding date pillow from my bridesmaid Julia}