Every now and then, in the middle of my day, an image or a thought I've seen/read online will pop into my head. And more often than not, the source of this inspiration is Rubyellen's blog, "
Cakies". I admire her style, optimism, faith and approach to food. And because she now has 4 kids, I get her that way too. Today I am so happy to share with you images of her beautiful home in California! What a treat to peek into her living space and to really get a feel for how she decorates and what she cherishes most (outside of her beautiful family of course!).
For those of you just tuning in, this series showcases living spaces decorated by people who are not formally-trained interior designers; people who mix new finds with antiques and secondhand pieces from Craigslist (or the like). People who have figured out, on their own, what looks and feels good in their living space.
I love old things. To me, they just have so much character and tell such a wonderful story, especially the more dinged up and chippy something is! Thus, almost all of our furniture, except maybe 5 pieces in the entire house, are vintage. We frequently go to all the local flea markets and fill our home that way. It definitely takes a bit of time in finding the perfect piece for something, but this way our home is only filled with things we absolutely love and are unique!
My decorating motto is the more scratches and rust something has, the more I love it! We really love things looking worn and loved. My friends make fun of me and call me a vintage snob because although there are great vintage reproductions out there (and for a much cheaper price), I still would pay a bit more to have the real thing. Vintage is really one of a kind! And don't worry, we lead test everything before we bring it into our home. We want to make sure that a piece is safe for our children to be around, their safety always comes first.
Are Rubyellen's girlies lucky or what? I personally love the vintage posters, globes, and wire baskets on the wall...they all add so much personality to the space (as if there wasn't enough already though!).
Rubyellen professes to have a soft spot for French garden furniture (vintage bien sur!). She adores the metal, colorful patina and rustiness found in those pieces. Back in college, Rubyellen spotted a similar style of furniture in a copy of Victoria magazine and told herself, "This is what my house will look like". When she started seeing vintage garden furniture at flea markets, she found it difficult to resist scooping the pieces up for her own home, and honestly who can blame her? The look is darling, particularly for a home filled with 5 little ladies!
Simple playrooms are my favorite.
Every corner of her home is bursting with creativity, texture and color. I'm in awe!
images by Rubyellen Bratcher of Cakies
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