February Favorites

Wowza this week went by fast! I just finished cleaning up after having some friends over for fajita night (I made homemade tortillas for the first time, so there was extra cleanup) and I am dying to hop into bed. These past few days have been non-stop and I am thisclose to turning into a pumpkin! I decided, however, that before any more time goes by I will use my last ounce of human strength to share some of the best house tours I've laid my eyes on recently. Even if only one of you is seeing these for the first time, I'm glad I shared it. They're that great, and they all happen to be from the oh-so-wonderful Apartment Therapy.

Last summer I met up with some college friends in San Francisco for a little reunion and we had a great time wining and dining and exploring and spending way too much money. I loved visiting, but this SF house tour actually left me in a daydream about how I will decorate my own future Edwardian era apartment in The City by the Bay. Because obviously I will be moving there if it means I can live in a home as sweet as this one...

to see more of this beautiful home and read an interview with the homeowner, check out the original tour here

Now onto the second tour... You may or may not know, but I grew up in Texas and it has definitely had an influence on my decor style, but perhaps not in the way you would think. Living a border away from Mexico has left me with a nostalgia for the folk art and culture of the colorful country that permeates Texas style. When I saw this house tour below, it made me giddy because of the homeowner's love for vintage and their Texas roots.

 To see more of this very cool tour please go here

Finally... I will simply describe this next tour as wild. It's one of those homes that I imagine people either love or hate; just seeing it gave me a rush of excitement but I'm sure for some it gives them a rush of anxiety. :) What I love most though, is that the homeowner obviously went with what she felt and loved, and in my opinion it totally works! Sometimes you just gotta do you...

 You should probably see the rest of this tour for the backyard alone, check it out here

What home do you like the most? I hope everyone has an awesome weekend!!

The Best of Lately

After years of knowing it was coming eventually, my punishment for openly loving The Bachelor finally showed its annoying face. In an attempt to get over a ruthless cold, I used Oregon Trail logic and went to bed at 8:30 last night, only to be awoken by text after text after text with my friends' live Bachelor premiere commentary. That's what I get for being a passionate fan (not the hopeless romantic kind) and forgetting to make a public announcement that I was going to bed early. So I just spent the past hour (omg was that two hours?) hacking and sneezing through The Bachelor premiere a day late, understanding my friends' texts a day late, and I realized - if I can spend this much time watching something that absolutely adds no kind of value to my life, I think my blog deserves a little time too.

It's been a while since I've done a house tour post, or any post for that matter, so I'm going to play a quick game of catch-up and share a few of the best homes I've seen lately. Because frankly, these aren't ones to miss.

First up is the ultra-cool L.A. home of Interior Designer Jason Martin and Jon Brockett featured just today on the much-adored Apartment Therapy. What made this place really stand out to me were the unusual color palettes, bold artwork (with an emphasis on photography) and stylish pieces of furniture. I have been wanting to fill my apartment with oversized photographs and now I'm even more convinced that it's a must-do. On another note, I've never seen denim done better. I encourage you to check out AT's full tour, interview and source list here. Photos by Bethany Nauert

Next is another tour by Apartment Therapy showing off the incredible Hollywood Hills home of Parks & Recreation writer Alan Yang, designed by Sally Breer of Commingle Home. The best part about this tour? Alan's interview had me laughing out loud like a goon and his house has a real speakeasy tucked behind a secret door! Of course there's much more to love (must. have. that Lichtenstein!) so you should check out the rest of AT's tour, interview and source list here. Photos by Bethany Nauert

Okay I should just call this post The Best of Apartment Therapy Lately because this last house tour is from there too. Except we're not in Los Angeles anymore; this house is in my home state of (Austin) Texas. Homeowners Levi Dugat and Evette Richards have done a really nice thing with the abundant use of primary colors, which you honestly don't see very often. It feels good to just look at those youthful hues. I also love the airiness and simplicity of the space... something I appreciate mainly because it doesn't come naturally to me (for better or worse) when decorating my own home. Check out the rest of the AT tour, interview and source list here. Photos by Chris Perez

As I went through all the photos I've saved from house tours I've drooled over the past couple of months, I realized there are many more to share. Coming soon... after I catch up on all of my trash TV.

Which of these house tours appeals to you most and why?