Getting Settled in a New Home

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Four months ago we moved from an apartment in San Francisco to a home in the Oakland hills. We joke that we missed the city for about 30 minutes total driving across the bay bridge. It’s been such a good move for us. Our neighbors couldn’t be more welcoming, it’s even more walkable with a little village just 3 blocks away, and Henry has made friends and adjusted to his new school easily. Of course, it’s also nice to be in a home that feels comfortable too. Today I’m excited to share with you some pictures in partnership with Wayfair who sells so many home furnishings I love from lighting and throw pillows, to rugs and couches. You can see our first inspiration post with Wayfair here. Today we’ll be sharing tours of the living room, dining room, and family room. Come take a peek if you’d like to see inside…

Living Room

This is my favorite part of the home. It has huge exposed ceiling beams and gorgeous wood floor. With two large windows on either side that look out over the front and backyards, it feels wooded and private. Almost every room has windows that are surrounded by trees. We see all kind of animals from deer to squirrels, hummingbirds, bluejays, and spiders (eek!)on a daily basis. It’s such a peaceful change of pace coming from a city apartment.

diy cardboard playhouse

It’s been fun to decorate the living room because we don’t have to get creative with toy storage in here the way we did in our apartment. I say that in theory, but right now we actually have a cardboard house I made (above) that Edie loves to play in and put all her toys in. Although most of the toys, the large tv, and oversized sofa all go downstairs in the family room (coming up!).

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I’ve loved our current couch from West Elm and wanted a couple other pieces to compliment it so we picked out this pretty Naples Seagrass Stool which is next to the couch above, and the beautiful Hans Arm Chair with Hans Ottoman from DwellStudio, also sold at Wayfair. It’s SO nice.  wayfair

I’ve been eyeing this leather chair forever and was so excited when it arrived last month. It’s amazingly comfortable and it’s my place to sit and nurse during the daily magic disco hour (above). It’s great with this modern Hakan Task Floor Lamp and the Tunisia Beige Area Rug. The rug is a great quality wool with a really interesting black and white Moroccan design that’s interesting but also classic as well in black and white. Alongside the chair, also from Wayfair is this pretty white and wood legged Oslo End Table that we stack plants and books on.

Dining Room

In our old apartment, the dining room was Jared’s office so we didn’t have a dining room table. When guests came for dinner we would pull out a folding table from storage and put a nice linen on top. This time I was really excited to get a real dining room table and chairs and keep the room for entertaining purposes only! It’s the first room you see when you open the front door so I really wanted it to make me happy.

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I knew I wanted a rustic farm table with these Plastic Molded Side Chair from Wayfair that I’ve loved for forever. I had a hard time finding the right dining room table but lucked out finally at the Alameda flea market with this beauty!

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The black Eames style chairs I use everywhere in the house as well. I drag them down to the office, outside when it’s warm, and into the kitchen as well. They’re so great and versatile! A classic mid-century modern chair.

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Another piece that makes me happy when I walk into the house is this Tribeca Leonard 5 Light Mini Chandelier from Wayfair. Isn’t it beautiful? I’ve really loved how this room has come together. It was the last thing I was able to finish before Dot was born and I’m so glad I did. So far we’ve entertained some lovely dinners and dozens of family game nights in the dining room.

Family Room

This room really sold us on the home. Even though it’s in the basement, it doesn’t feel too much like a dungeon with a huge window on one wall and a door leading out to the backyard. The property is on a hill so each level feels like it has nice light. It also has a gas fireplace for when it gets a little chilly and plenty of space for both a play and an entertainment area.

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It’s also really nice to have a fun space for kids that can be filled with toys, a big comfy couch like this Kerry L-Shaped Sectional also from Wayfair,  a bigger tv, lots of musical instruments, and equipment that doesn’t have to be put away when guests arrive. The white storage cubby is a great toy clutter solution as well. I know it might sound dumb, but having a living room and a family room (and a swing!) has made such a difference in our quality of life.

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The Kerry sectional seemed huge when it arrived but it fits the space perfectly and we found some great old drawers that fit perfectly underneath it to store legos. It’s great to have a comfy place to hang out at the end of a long day and catch up on shows. It’s super sturdy so the kids can jump and have pillow fights on it without being scared of breaking any springs. We also grabbed this super comfy Michaela Cotton Throw and a bunch of throw pillows for the couch as well like these Windsor Throw Pillows.  Wayfair has so many pillows and throws to choose from. Once again, I’ve been so impressed with Wayfair and the huge inventory they have, as well as the range of styles for every room.

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The Michaela Cotton Throw is the perfect weight. I’m obsessed with it and end up carrying it around the house to use everywhere I want to go to relax from the living room to bedroom to family room. We also use this Connie Pouf from Wayfair in the family room a lot too. It’s one of those versatile pieces that can be a seat or a foot rest. And I love the hang woven design in blue and white.

There are lots more spaces we’re working on, and these are still a work in progress too. I’m excited to share them with you as they come together!

Thanks to Wayfair for sponsoring this post. Photography by Liz Stanley. Assisted by Stephanie Gardner. 

Comments

You have come a long way before coming to such an amazing result. When you move into a new house, you will always have a huge job waiting for you before you make it a cozy, reliable fortress. We are just starting to work on the repair, and I know for a fact that if you want to do everything right, you need to start the repair in stages. For example – electricity is undoubtedly a priority, rather than you start to fill your home with furniture and household items. Contacting electrical contractor Clearwater in a timely manner can save you time and nerves 🙂

Thank you for sharing, it’s very cool, I saw a similar fireplace here https://www.encinofireplace.com/ . My husband and I are also at the stage of home improvement and choosing a fireplace for ourselves. It is a wonderful decorative element that attracts everyone’s attention. It also serves as an additional source of heat in the house. The great thing is that for whatever purpose you build a fireplace, it can simultaneously perform these two functions!

I want to hear more about the under-couch storage drawers!

Love it, Liz. Can’t wait to see it in person. Hopefully I’ll be up north for a visit in September.

Gorgeous style. I’m also curious about the Tunisia rug as well. Does it shed? Good for little ones to crawl around on? Thanks!

Your new home looks gorgeous! I can’t wait to get my kids into a house instead of our small apartment. Five people in two bedrooms gets a little squishy!

That said, while I’m keen to get the extra space a house affords, I’ve been a little reluctant to give up the convenience of living on top of Trader Joe’s (seriously, the most convenient thing ever!) and the walkability of being in Downtown. We’ve been car free for almost 5 years and I love it. I’m a huge fan of the gorgeous mid-century homes in the Berkeley and Oakland hills but moving into one would mean giving up all of our current conveniences. I’m sure my kids would happily give up being able to walk/scoot/bike everywhere in exchange for in indoor swing though!

I love your home and am looking forward to seeing the rest of it. I was so happy to see the Tunisia rug since I have seen it on Wayfair and love it. Was wondering if it sheds? I have a nine month old baby and prefer her not to be covered in wool. Thanks!

So happy for you and your family of five in this lovely, open light and bright space that fits you!

Thanks for sharing your lovely, yet very cool home, Liz. That swing! Do you mind sharing where you purchased? Thanks!

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