New year, new carpet. And this isn't your grandma's shag.

Hello old friends. It's been awhile since my last post. . . October to be exact! I guess you could say I took an unannounced hiatus, but a new year means new beginnings and so I think I speak for both Laura and I when I say we are back and ready to share our décor finds, DIY triumphs and all the funny nuances that happen along the way.

Have no fears though, I have been using the power of decorating to spread Christmas cheer! This year my husband and I took our creative wits and "surprise" decorated our neighbors lawn with inflatable Christmas yard art!

And then they "surprise" decorated us right back with Christmas flamingos.

But now that the holidays are over, I'm beginning to move my focus back indoors! My living room has been an ongoing project. If you recall from way back when, we started by painting the walls white and the trim black.

My husband and I aren't techy people and so we have forever been ridiculed by our tech-savvy friends and family for our TV inadequacies. That is to say our embarrassingly under-sized TV. So we took the plunge and tore out the built-in cabinet holding us back from TV nirvana. We're really going to blow their minds when we mount it on the wall - with a sound bar! 

Oh, and for those of you who haven't seen us in awhile, no that is not Tom (my husband). That's Bob, my "does it all" carpenter.

Of course, all this euphoria did come with a few casualties. . . the carpet (or lack thereof under the built-in) and damage to the wall and trim to name a few. 

The hunt for carpet (and a good wall repair) was on! We had the classic builder grade short shag. Pretty standard and, as it turns out, not the greatest choice when part of your carpet is a major traffic area. So I went in search of a carpet with style that could handle the heat of two kids, eight neighbor kids and a potential new pet (yeah, that's one of those funny life nuances I was referring to earlier. I'll keep you posted as this one unravels). 

Turns out sky's the limit on carpeting nowadays. No more are the days of deciding between which shade of beige or gray you want. Pattern, color, and texture are all up for grabs.

I love animal print and these carpet stair runners make an impression without overwhelming.

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A bedroom is a great place to add pattern and a pop of color.

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I love the traditional plaid pattern in the modern hues. 

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And for the more daring at heart, this floral carpet makes a dramatic statement against the stark white walls and trim. 

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For my living room, I wanted something with pattern and texture, but not so graphic or bold that it would be the main focal design of the room. I was drawn to the classic patterns like chevron, herringbone and greek key. 

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I decided on a two-tone herringbone pattern.

Now I'm looking for media consoles to go on either side of the fireplace. I'm leaning towards something with a mid-century flare like these from West Elm and Crate & Barrel. 

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But ultimately, I want to find two vintage pieces that I can redo myself. I love this one from Phoenix Restoration. 

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And so the next hunt begins! Happy New Year everyone - it's good to be back! {Erin}