For you, Beth!

Hey all- it's been a loooooong time since I've blogged. And since it's easier to just go back to this one than to start a whole new one, I'm back at "Style... the New Black." What's my plan? I don't have one- except to share what I feel like sharing. Home decor, fashion, food, whatever feels right in the moment is what I'll write about. I hope you enjoy it!

What made me decide to start writing again was when I shared some before and after DIY project photos on Facebook and my friend Beth sarcastically commented something about sharing the link to my lifestyle blog. So, I guess that's where I'll start today- sharing a couple of my DIY projects.

Sam and I bought a house this summer and I've been working the last couple months to decorate and make it feel like home. Our house was purchased from the original builder and the best way to describe it is to say that the original owner was a builder, not a designer. It's an adorable little ranch house with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, living, dining, kitchen and a big basement. And aside from the outside which is yellow with blue shutters, the entire house is BEIGE. Beige walls, beige carpet. Beige, beige, beige.

I'm not ready to start painting all the walls just yet, so instead I've focused on the furniture and art for the walls. But since I do love to paint and since paint can be so impactful, my very first project was to paint the front door.

Before:

The door was just boring, old white:

I didn't prime it because the guys in the paint department at Home Depot said that the paint had a primer in it, so it wasn't necessary. However, they also told me that going from white to the color I chose was going to necessitate probably at least 3 solid coats. And they were right. So what color? I absolutely HAD to have a deep, salmon front door:

How freaking cute? Right? I love a bold front door. My mom recently painted her front door and I think it's also pretty fabulous: 

It's amazing how just a little paint on the front door can really transform the entire facade of your house. Before it was just like any other cute little yellow house. And now it's like we've announced to the neighborhood: The Habashy's are HERE! 

When I first started planning the decor for our house, I had a very soft, pastel color scheme in mind. I thought that beachy, washed out colors would be nice. The living room I pictured with pale blush, mint, and champagnes. As we were planning the move, I said to Sam, "We need to figure out when we can move the piano because I still need to paint it." He was like, "What do you mean?" I explained the new color scheme and how our bright, turquoise blue piano didn't really work with the new color scheme: 

His response shocked me! He couldn't believe I wanted to tone down the color (I was thinking a very pale mint) and said with the most pathetic look on his face, "But I LOVE your blue piano!" And since my husband doesn't ask for much when it comes to decorating, I thought that I couldn't possibly deny him the blue piano. So, back to the Pinterest board I went and re-vamped my living room plan. 

But you'll have to wait to see how that came together. Thanks for reading! 

XOXO