Our Home | Smart Spaces & Uncommon Goods
Every night, Tyler and I climb into bed and sigh... "I LOVE OUR NEW HOUSE." It's true. I can't believe how much our quality of life has improved with a bit more space. The exta two stops on the Central Line are worth it. While I thought I would forever leave a piece of me in Notting Hill, I can confidently say.... I did not. It's all here with me in our new house, and both me and my in-tact heart couldn't be happier.
There's a huge long story about our house and how we found it, but... I'll save that for another day with a bigger selection of pictures to show you. I was prompted by a really neat company, Uncommon Goods, to share a few peeks out our home. Uncommon Goods has really quirky and unique gifts and, well, uncommon items. But what I really like about them is that they have a great ethos- supporting fair employee wages and benefits and also donating a portion of their sales to your choice of charities. Cool, right? (Plus, I also kinda love their selection of personalized gifts for anniversaries. You'll see what I mean!)
So today, I'm sharing a share a few peeks at our new digs and some of the special things inside them that make it feel ours. So while it's not an entire home tour, how about this.... a handul of little nooks and things that I love in our new home.
EN-SUITE BATHROOM
I've always rolled my eyes at people's obsessions with "en-suite" bathrooms on the home shows here. I mean, is it really so hard to leave your bedroom to use the bathroom? Well, we lucked out with one here. I can't tell you the gift that having an exta bathroom has given to our marriage. We have never lived in a place with more than one tiny bathroom. It's even converted me to love showers more than baths, which has never been the case until this glorious little nook of hygiene appeared.
OLD-FASHIONED FOOTED TUB
Okay, I do prefer the shower on the daily routine... BUT, when I can score an hour to sit in this bobsled-esque tub downstairs, I feel like the luckiest woman alive. Toss in some rosewater and powdered milk and it's a dreamiest, steamiest milk bath there is. (Warning: All guests of our home will have a rose milk bath forced upon them. It's my new love language.)
Plus, bathing the kids in it everynight is one of the prettiest and calmest times of my day.
THE GARDEN
It may be the size of a pickup truck, but the mental freedom that arrives with being about to go outside without getting everyone dressed and pushed out a park? AMAZING. I sit out there sans decent clothing with a popsicle and music blaring as much as possible.
My kids are quickly learning from my example, too.
chairs, amazon
THE PLAYROOM
Some might call this an office. Others might call it a small bedroom. We call it the playroom. It could have been Harrison's room, but we decided to keep the kids in the same space... and, more importantly, their toys in another (enclosed/hideable) space. Harrison wakes up early, so each morning I haul him there, coffee in hand, and perch on the sofa while he plays. On the wall are pictures from places we have lived and loved. The pillows follow suit with a Union Jack and two embroidered State pillows that I really love. (Again, Uncommon Goods!)
couch, ASDA | throw, peacock alley | state cushions, uncommon goods
ALL AROUND THE TABLE
I think the thing that I was the MOST excited about after we signed for this house was the dining room. You see, we have been living with small dinettes shoved into our living rooms as "breakfast nooks" for the past 5 years. They were awkward and the proximity of baby food debris to the living space was always a messy chore. Now, the mess is still there- but just, you know, in a place where it should be.
In the midst of being overwhelmed with the prices of dining tables, I stumbled upon a carpenter in Cambridge who had some great tables on sale. I even picked out the Farrow & Ball paint color and had him deliver it to me for £300. Can you believe that? It's perfect for the space. The chairs I got from Amazon, 8 of them for £140, but they seem to be a tiny bit higher priced for the US.
I didn't have any dishes here (they had always been provided in our past rentals), so I ordered a basic white set for 8 people from Gilt for only $120 (including international shipping). I think they fill out the room in a really easy way.
table, the farmhouse workshop | chairs, amazon | vase, west elm | dishes, gilt group | wall art, monoqi
OPEN SHELVES IN THE KITCHEN
I'm not sure why it is so gratifying to be able to see your dry goods lined up on a shelf... but, what can I say? It is. Call me a cliche, but a happy one. It feels so nice to see the staples right there without having to dig around in the back of our cabinets.
glasses, bodum | bird vase, uncommon goods
* * *
To be honest, as I've been writing this, I've been thinking of so many other things that I could put on this list... but I'm gonna stop here. I'm gonna quit while I'm ahead. Except for this one little tiny PSA: If you're living in a TINY urban space (especially with kids or pets) and it's making you crazy, consider moving out just a bit. We are 10 minutes from the door of our old flat, and, yet, our world is so changed. I still feel totally connected to the heart of London, and, in some ways, even more so.
Our neighbors came and introduced themselves, we can actually get into great schools and the list goes on.... I encourage you to let loose of the idea of what you address you think you need to really experience "London" and see what you might get in return!
*images original to Aspiring Kennedy
*this post was sponsored by Uncommon Goods.