House Tour-Ana (2010)

Since my time in this house is almost over I thought I'd do a House Tour. It was interesting to compare my answers to the last time I did my own House Tour.

Name: Ana, Bob, Bruce and Lola
Location: Seattle, WA
Square Footage: 1,640 (for those keeping track that's almost 3x the size of the last place)
Years Lived in: 1
Rent or own: rent
Describe your style: evolving
Blog/Website/Twitter: um...Rearranged Design

What's your favorite free/found item?
 I think it's the bench at the end of the bed. It's a tough call though I've had some great curb finds.


What's your favorite purchased item?
I think at this moment it's the $15 dresser in my bedroom.

What has been your biggest obstacle in decorating/design?
Being a renter, we can't paint or put up wallpaper or do radical changes. So I have to work around it.


Is your design style organic or planned?
Totally organic. I find stuff all the time that I want to fit into the design and usually something old goes out to make room.

What is your favorite spot in the house?
The lounge area upstairs. I love to hear the rain on the roof while I listen to 70's soul records.


How has your style changed in the past 5 years?
Five years ago I was living in South Florida and New York. We still hand some hand-me down furniture and lots from Ikea. We were pretty much style-less. Since then I've found my style groove and know definitely what will work and what won't.

What is your favorite resource or store?
Thrift stores. Seattle has some of the best I've ever seen.


What is your biggest decorating/design pet peeve?
When you see a room that could be a page in a catalog, or worse, doesn't even look lived in. Perfection is impossible to maintain.

What has been your favorite design trend?
DIY. There's been an upsurge of rehabbing furniture and I love it. You end up with an original piece that no one else will have.


What is the biggest influence on your design/decorating style?
Blogs. I wish I could say Domino magazine...sigh.

What in your home dictates how you design/decorate?
The layout. It's small in some rooms and then weird nooks and crannies upstairs. The house is 1,640 but a majority of that is the basement.


What is the simplest thing you have done that has made the biggest impact?
I think that's a tie between the green fabric I hung in the stairwell and the wall of Pearl Jam posters. Both really brought boldness to the spaces and made them seem much larger.