Won't you dine with me?

Before I get started tackling all the rooms (paint will be first!) I have been creating inspiration boards. Here is our dining room inspiration:

All pieces from Restoration Hardware

I love RH, but I don't love the prices. Instead of buying our dining room table, dining bench and sideboard through RH, we've contracted a local Austin woodworker to make the pieces for us. We are so excited to support a local Austinite and to not pay $7500(!!!!!!!!) for the three pieces.

We're so excited in fact that we've already been talking about Craig building us our coffee table and wall unit! Hooray!

We won't get the pieces in until August(ish), but that's okay because I have plenty of painting and other items to get done before then.

Have you ever hired someone local to build you furniture?

Plans... Big Plans

Hey everyone, sorry I've been absent this week. I've been planning things out, and anyone who knows me, knows that when I plan, I plan big. Why am I planning? Well, while we were soaking up the beauiful weather in sunny San Diego, it was decided that Matt and I would host Christmas. Christmas for the Ambroso's means 11-13 people under one roof which is great! Except our lack of furniture. Our severe, severe lack of furniture.

So, as I spend the next slightly less than 6 months filling my house, I want to take you through the process. There will be lots of things to do and lots to discuss over the next few months! I have a list of things I want to accomplish before Christmas, and linked are items/colors/accessories I love/hope to get (or something like it) for each room.

Living Room:

1. Mount TV (new TV?)

2. Couch

3. Rug

4. Coffee table

5. Media console

Library/Office/Random Space:

1. Wall unit with built in desk

2. Reading chair?

3. Decor

Breakfast Area:

1. New breakfast table/chairs

2. Barstools

Dining Room:

1. Dining room table

2. Side board

3. Dining bench

4. Dining chairs

5. Rug

6. Decor

Formal Sitting Room:

1. Chairs

2. Side Table

3. Couch?

4. Rug
5. Coffee Table

5. Decor

Half Bathroom:

1. Accessories

2. Rug

3. Art/Decor

Guest Bedroom #1:

1. Paint

2. Bedroom set (queen size)

3. Decor

Guest Bedroom #2:

1. Paint

2. Trundle Bed

3. Mattress

4. Dresser

5. Decor

6. Desk (this will be my office)

Guest Bedroom #3:

1. Paint

2. Bedroom set (queen size)

3. Decor

Game Room:

1. Paint

2. Sectional

3. Coffee table

4. Media console

5. TV

6. Decor

Upstairs Bathroom:

1. Paint cabinets (hardware)

2. Accessories

So, will you join me on my journey? I'm starting with the half-bath tonight and will be moving on from there!

Back in the Music Capital of the World

Oh, hey! I'm back in ATX and have been a bit busy since I got home, BUT, I will be back to talk about plans. Lots and lots of plans. Why, you ask? I will tell you later.

And no, I am not pregnant.



Inspiration Board: Living Room

Why hello there! I'm in San Diego right now, soaking up the sun, spending time with family and eating delicious food... you can be a little bit jealous, it's okay!

While I'm here though, I'm still thinking about projects. The next one on our list is our living room (not to be confused with the formal sitting room or upstairs game room). Matt and I put together an inspiration board for our living room and thought maybe, just maybe one or two of you would like to see it (I'm looking at you mom!)

Couch, Rug, Lamp, Table, Basket, Pillows, Throw

Do you put together inspiration boards? Happy Friday!

Thrifty Thursday: Bronzer and Highlighters

As you know, I love HACing (highlighting and contouring) which means I use some bronzer and shiny, shimmery highlighter. But, these can be hard to purchase if you don't know what you're looking for, what color you need or where to begin.

Bronzer: You want something matte, no shimmer whatsoever. You're trying to create a shadow, and shadows are not shimmery. If you are pale, like me, please, please, please do not buy a dark bronzer. The bronzer I use is made by Too Faced and is the Milk Chocolate Soleil Light/Medium Matte Bronzer. The downside is that it's $30.

If the thought of spending $30 on bronzer doesn't scare you, it's wonderful for light skin! They do have one for darker skin as well, it's the Chocolate Soleil Medium/Deep Matte Bronzer.

If you can't imagine spending $30 on bronzer, here are some other options for you: 

1. theBalm Bahama Mama Bronzer $15

2. Physician's Formula Baked Pyramid Matte Bronzer

As for highlighting, you do want to pick something with some shimmer. However, make sure that you choose the shimmer color that works best with your skin tone. I tend to stick with a gold shimmer, whereas someone with a cool skin tone can do silver based. The "go-to" highlighter is Nars Albatross, but at $29 it's quite the investment. 

My favorite highlighter is similar in color to Albatross, but definitely not in price. It's Sephora's Microsmooth Luminizer in Light Beam (gold based), but they also have Stardust (silver based). The best part is, it's $12!

If $12 is still too much for you to spend on highlighter, check out Etude House's Secret Beam Highlighter #2 Gold & Beige Mix at $6.88 it definitely doesn't break the bank. 

Etude House also has their Pink and White Mix which is great for cooler skin tones.

I hope this helps with your quest to find the perfect bronzer and highlighter! 

And don't forget to get a good brush. It's costly (totally worth it), but the Sephora #56 is amazing for both highlighting and contouring (just make sure you clean it in between!)

Happy Thursday, friends!

Emma Stone

Emma Stone may have been born a blonde, but lucky for her, she looks natural as a blonde, redhead or brunette. One of the things I love is how versatile her look is, and how well she tailors her makeup to her hair color. 

Here are some of my favorite makeup looks from Emma:

1. This look is so lovely and natural. The hint of pink on her lips and cheeks give just enough warmth. And her smile looks genuine (which always helps!)

2. Still natural, but with more going on with her eyes. I like the hint of copper/gold with her blue eyes.

3. First of all, her hair color is do dye for (see what I did there?)! The mauve color on her lips helps bring out both the green in her eyes, and compliments her hair color nicely. I like the simple eye makeup with liquid liner and highlighting on the inner corners.

4. Emma's smokey eyed look is great here and since her hair is dark, her eyes don't look gothic or dark. Notice how she used grey around her eyes instead of black since her skin is so fair. She used a nude lip color and a hint of peach on her cheeks.

5. Emma's dark lips are the highlight of this look. She keeps her eyes simple and bright and let's her lips do the talking. 

6. It looks like Emma has a little bit of mauve/violet on her eyelids here which really help her eyes pop. Again she used a natural pink lip color and peach blush. I love that she let her freckles show through!

Sidenote: Her hair always looks amazing.

Do you love Emma's look as much as I do?

Also, after my Skype date with Shawna Saturday morning, I decided I wanted to help more women feel great about themselves so I've come up with 2 options. 1) If you are in the Austin area, I would love to set up a time to look at your makeup collection, make suggestions of items that would work for your skin color/type and walk you through applying a versatile makeup look (or at least getting the basics). 2) If you are not in the Austin area, we could set up a time to Skype/Facetime as I walk you through doing your makeup. You would send pictures of your items beforehand, and again, I would suggest some items to you in your budget.

If you're interested, let me know!

Monday Makeover: Hall Half-Bath

This is what our downstairs half-bathroom looked like before we moved in:

I hated how big of an area the vanity took up, knew I wanted a pedestal sink, and decided it needed to go before the painters got there to paint the room. And so it did. It took Matt and our friend Jason, and quite a few hours, but then it was gone. 

And it stayed gone. For 10 months. I have no photographic evidence of this because it was so terrible looking. We had a half bathroom, 1/4 of it with no flooring and no sink. For 10 whole months.

In March, we got our flooring done (I know I still need to post about that). And FINALLY! We had the pedestal base installed. Half a sink! YES. 

And there it sat unfinished. For another month until Matt's parents and grandparents were coming into town (the next day!). $70 and 30 minutes later we had a fully functioning sink. It was glorious.

Here is where we are:

MUCH better than having no sink and no flooring. However, it's been sitting like this for almost two months and I haven't done anything else to it yet. So I need to get my booty in gear!

Things yet to come with to this bathroom:

*Decoration

*New toilet paper/towel holder

*New rug

*Did I mention some decoration?

Any ideas for this bathroom and what to do? I welcome any and all ideas...