road trip!

We’re going on a Road Trip!

Road Trip! is when I leave my humble abode and take it on the road to someone else’s place to share their decorating savvy.

So let’s Road Trip! to my dear friend Claire’s home.

Claire is PLU…People Like Us.  She’s fun and funny and very clever and creative.  And since she and her husband, Aaron bought a house about a year ago, she’s let her inner decorator run wild and I love it!

This is Claire…

I’m sure that Claire will probably not appreciate me hijacking this photo from Facebook, but I love it, and it gives a hint of her wild personality, which shows in her decorating choices.

Lest you think she’s completely insane, here’s a more, ahem, normal pic of Claire and her hubby, Aaron.

Aren’t they sweet and so in love?  You can really feel it in their home (which is far more important than any decor), such a sense of warmth and caring that makes their home inviting.

But enough chatter…on to the pictures!

Here it is from the outside…an adorable place in the Clintonville neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio.

Let’s start with the kitchen, which is painted a striking sky blue with lots of red accents…

The thing that surprised me most about Claire’s decorating style when I first saw her house is that she dresses her house like she dresses herself – with bold prints & florals, reminiscent of the 70’s and other vintage eras.  Like the kitchen curtains, for instance…I could see her wearing those!

It’s a small kitchen, so they added valuable work space with this long, narrow island from Ikea.  Don’t you love the original black & white checkered floor?

One of the things that Claire and I have in common is our love of all things vintage and antique.  So you can imagine that I almost died when I saw the vintage restaurant booth that they found in an antique shop.  LURVE it!

The kitchen packs a punch with pops of red and lots of vintage style.  A welcome sign & place to hang your hat…

Along with a vintage reproduction clock…

…and real vintage light fixtures that really make the space…

…and pink vintage melamine coffee cups that would make any vintage-loving gal green with envy…

On to the dining room that shows off Claire’s versatile eclectic style.  A bookshelf and another fun pop of red.  And just in case you didn’t notice, there is a package of mustaches on top of the bookshelf.  Just what every eclectic dining room needs.

Lots of yummy texture on the dining room table and chairs.

A vintage children’s cat chair and a bird cage add to the eclectic elements…

And more pops of color with red chairs and gorgeous curtains!

A true lesson in what I like to call “eclectica”…none of the dining room pieces really “match” but they all look fabulous together!

On the other wall, an antique table that Claire picked up just yesterday in Springfield, Ohio, which is known for it’s antique malls.

It’s carved and fabulous, and she got it for a song!

Step through the archway, and it’s into the living room.  To the left is the main part of the living room…

…with this to-die-for red bench behind the couch…

To the right is a reading nook…

…and a home office area…

Great use of space in corners that would be difficult to incorporate into the main area of the living room.  Love the use of lime green in the living room.

But none of it shouts “lime green”.

OK, maybe these shout “lime green,” but aren’t they perfect?

Let’s take a peek upstairs…

At the top of the stairs is the bathroom, which plays the eclectic card, with cool, mod glass tiles and a vessel sink countered by a bohemian mirror frame.

Doesn’t this bathroom make you want to mix it up a bit in your house? Then there’s this, showing Claire and Aaron’s wacky senses of humor…

Or who knows…maybe they play with them in the tub!  It’s not my place to judge!

The guest bedroom is warm and serene and made me want to move in.  (Guess no one told Claire that a guest bedroom shouldn’t be too comfy cozy or your guests might never leave!)

On to the master bedroom.  Let me tell you that today I fell in LOVE with the master bedroom!  The last time I saw the master bedroom it wasn’t painted yet.  When Claire told me the color she wanted to paint it, well, I was a bit skeptical.  But it’s perfect!

Tiffany blue!  What girl doesn’t like Tiffany blue?  I didn’t think it would be warm and peaceful, but it is both, and it envelopes you in its richness.

The room is large, and has a cozy nook by the closet…

Love the ponyhair cube!  The artwork is SO Claire!  Another pattern I could see her wearing…

Working the eclectica with a touch of Greek goddess…

A dumpster diving friend in Manhattan rescued the dress form where Claire hangs her necklaces.  And check out the lime green cowboy boots that I covet…

A vintage chest of drawers topped with an antique shutter that holds more jewelry and other tchotchkes…

Up close and personal…

Another vintage chest of drawers…

…holds photos and vintage hats…

A wall of family photos make the crawlspace door almost disappear…

That concludes today’s road trip.  Wasn’t it fun?  And inspiring!

Thanks so much to Claire and Aaron for opening their home to me to share with all of you!  It’s a wonderful home, full of warmth and fun.  Congrats to Claire for doing such a great job decorating in one short year!