Joy - Blog

Around the House...

Thought I'd share some pics of my home and a few of the little elements that make me love waking up and walking around the house every day in the summer!

For those of you who live in the Northwest, you know how beautiful it it! The greens are greener than anywhere else in the US, the blue sky is bluer, the rainbows are brighter... you get the drift. Being near Portland we don't get quite as much rain as Seattle or Vancouver BC so it's a nice blend of the all the seasons (although winter is pretty much too long for me no matter where I am). One of the biggest challenges Michael and I have faced with our home is decorating and organizing since we spend most of our time in North Carolina. We have more than one "junk room" and haven't lived together in Washington for longer than 3 months at a time due to my filming schedule with One Tree Hill. This has led to a lot of stress for us because, as anyone who's bought a house knows, you want your house to feel like home!

So, last summer we went to work. I scoured the vintage stores and Etsy for unique items, and the local nurseries for flowers and veggies to plant outside. Here are some of the things we've incorporated into our home, starting us on our way to a collaboratively designed home...

My piano. It goes out of tune too fast & its falling apart in all the wrong places but it was the first piano I bought. I was living in my first solo place in LA and while driving through Burbank I saw a music store with a bunch of pianos outside on sale. This little white one fit perfectly in my studio apartment and I've written many songs on this gal. Just cant seem to let it go...

I found this old 1940s record player/radio at the local vintage shop and it was an absolute steal... $65! Works great and is super fun to use!!

A tiny corner shelf is perfect for holding vintage trinkets, like this antique silver birthday book for recording the special date of all your friends. Also above are a vintage pill bottle & stamp, a "throw" jar of sting, buttons, old scissors, etc... and a family photo album from our wedding.

A local antique store find! Dish towels with chic numbers stamped on them!

This was an Etsy.com purchase. Don't ask me why, but I have a a thing for mounted bugs. This is a Jewel Beetle from Papua New Guinea. My collection includes a Mother of Pearl Butterfly and an Emerald dragonfly, all framed and incredibly beautiful. I'm amazed by the colors in nature!

Another Vintage store find: This barn-wood mirror sits above the stone fireplace (below) along with a Family Tree which was a wedding gift.

This mug I picked up in New Bern at a sweet B&B where I stayed. I like getting coffee mugs when I travel to places with sentimental value to me. Beside it is a jar of homemade vanilla sugar.

Hopefully over the summer we'll make some more progress and I'll share pics as we go along!

xo BJG