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i’m catherine

I laugh too loud, love knocking down walls, bold paint colors, and spending WAY too much time looking at homes I can’t afford on Pinterest.

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Insight

How-tos, tutorials, and techniques to help you be fearless!

Inspiration

All the best design advice (including how to just pick a damn paint color already).

Projects

Smaller scale projects that will leave you more satisfied than stressed.

Renovations

A nitty-gritty, day-in-day-out, REAL AUTHENTIC look at renovations (and how to make yours go smoothly!)

Things I'm gonna miss:⁠⠀ - Eating at the same

Things I'm gonna miss:⁠⠀
- Eating at the same table I remember bringing our babies home to for the first time⁠⠀
- Our big window in the dining room that gives us a great view of the neighborhood during mealtimes⁠⠀
- The dreams that I had for this place.⁠⠀
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Things I'm not gonna miss:⁠⠀
- Cleaning macaroni and cheese off of every surface within a 10-mile radius of this table⁠⠀
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Anybody else with me? Do you guys have tips for moving on (emotionally) from a home? I know it's just sticks and bricks, but mannnnnn there are some memories here.⁠⠀
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#realhomesofinstagram #inspiremehomedecor #newdecor #homesofinsta #myhomecrush #styledupinterior #sharemysquare #simplehomestyle #stylemyhome #homesofinsta #myinstahome #hunkerhome #topstylefiles #heyhomehey #hometohave #littleaccountlove #cljsquad #homebloggers #peepmypad #ggathome #lovemyhouse #inspiremehomedecor #lovetohome #fearlesshome #myinspiringinterior #ihearthishaven #kismetcheckoutmyhouse #doingneutralright #hunkerhome #theNOWlook⁠⠀

Why did I think it was a good idea to move from Te

Why did I think it was a good idea to move from Texas to Kentucky in AUGUST? 🔥⁠⠀
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All I want to do is fall into this bed and not come out for several, long, Netflix filled days. But despite filling up my bra with a lake of boob sweat while working in the garage this morning (instead of staying in bed like I wanted to), I'm excited for our move to Kentucky. I've been asked a lot the past few weeks why we're moving, so here it goes.⁠⠀
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1 - Schools. Emma will likely be in some sort of special ed program when she starts school (pretty significant speech delay), and while I love my local schools (I taught high school here for years and LOVED every minute), we can get her in a school with MANY more resources in our new neighborhood.2 - Money. Austin property taxes are ludicrous. We pay 5-6 times what my parents pay for their much more expensive home, and it goes up by no less than 10% every year. We can totally afford our mortgage, but the taxes are a different story. Our new house will have sane property taxes and a (much) lower monthly payment.⁠⠀
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3 - Projects. I love blogging and making content for Instagram, but I'm ready to tackle a new space. I can't wait to get started (blog post coming soon on my thoughts for the new house).⁠⠀
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4 - Family. Living in a city 1,000 miles away from your parents is fine until you have kids. And then it's really f-ing hard. If our marriage is gonna last, ya girl needs a babysitter that I can both afford and trust. We also want to be there for the inevitable emergencies that will arise.⁠⠀
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So I hope that sums it up. If you have any questions about the move, shoot them my way - I can't promise I have the answers as this move was kind of a leap of faith, but I'll do my best!⁠⠀
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#realhomesofinstagram #inspiremehomedecor #newdecor #homesofinsta #myhomecrush #styledupinterior #sharemysquare #simplehomestyle #stylemyhome #homesofinsta #myinstahome #hunkerhome #topstylefiles #heyhomehey #hometohave #littleaccountlove #cljsquad #homebloggers #peepmypad #ggathome #lovemyhouse #inspiremehomedecor #lovetohome #fearlesshome #myinspiringinterior #ihearthishaven #kismetcheckoutmyhouse #doingneutralright #hunkerhome #theNOWlook⁠⠀
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My success rate for this morning's (ambitious) tod

My success rate for this morning's (ambitious) todo list: ZERO.😬⁠⠀
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And I'm okay with that. Did I even get the U-Haul boxes out of my car? Nope. But I held kids, kissed bruises, recharged by having chocolate for lunch, and got TONS of computer work done. And I HAVE to be okay with that.⁠⠀
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There are tons of unfinished projects alllllll around my house - like our backyard. I had HELLA plans for this space. It was gonna be drop-dead gorgeous. But you know what? I kept it clean, gave my kids a space to play, and spent some wonderful hours out here with my family. And that comes first. ⁠⠀
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Those are the invisible checkboxes I was talking about in stories this evening. Even if it isn't a before and after worthy of a magazine cover, I'm proud of our backyard because of all the memories we have here. ⁠⠀
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I can only speak for myself, but I sometimes look at our spaces as a never-ending to-do list. But I should instead love them as a place to enjoy even while they are in transition.⁠⠀
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So I'm trying to give myself some grace this evening - the invisible checkboxes of motherhood are SO much more important than a transformed outdoor oasis.⁠⠀
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#realhomesofinstagram #inspiremehomedecor #newdecor #homesofinsta #myhomecrush #styledupinterior #sharemysquare #simplehomestyle #stylemyhome #homesofinsta #myinstahome #hunkerhome #topstylefiles #heyhomehey #hometohave #littleaccountlove #cljsquad #homebloggers #peepmypad #ggathome #lovemyhouse #inspiremehomedecor #lovetohome #fearlesshome #myinspiringinterior #ihearthishaven #kismetcheckoutmyhouse #doingneutralright #hunkerhome #theNOWlook⁠⠀

🏠 I wish there was a word for that feeling afte

🏠 I wish there was a word for that feeling after a busy trip when you walk in the door and it just feels like HOME. There's nothing like it (for the next few weeks, anyway)!⁠⠀
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No more squeezing in your arms in towards you on the plane so you don't bother the person next to you, no more strange pillows and weird sheets. Travel pillows are a thing...but travel sheets aren't, right? Not yet anyway 😆⁠⠀
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I'm finally back home after a long weekend at the @havenconference. It was my first time this year and OH my goodness. What a life-changing experience. I made all kinds of new friends (OH HEY @simplicityfordesigns, @hautehouselove, @scotshillhouse, @myhomierhome, @staciesspaces, @thecollectedhouse, @hookandhearth and SO many others), and deepened relationships with old ones (LOVE YOU @bloomintheblack, @natalie.nelidesign, and @abutterflyhouse). I cried like a baby when Amy Howard spoke, and learned some life-changing tips from @athomewithashley. I fangirled over @sgardnerstyle, and then grew as a person through her session. You'd better believe I'm going back next year. It's amazing to be surrounded by so many women from all walks of life, and all be united by our love of design and sharing it with others!⁠⠀
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Between now and then? Get ready for some major projects, discussions galore, and I'm sure so much more than I couldn't even begin to anticipate. It's true...#haventransforms.⁠⠀
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#realhomesofinstagram #inspiremehomedecor #newdecor #homesofinsta #myhomecrush #styledupinterior #sharemysquare #simplehomestyle #stylemyhome #homesofinsta #myinstahome #hunkerhome #topstylefiles #heyhomehey #hometohave #littleaccountlove #cljsquad #homebloggers #peepmypad #ggathome #lovemyhouse #inspiremehomedecor #lovetohome #fearlesshome #myinspiringinterior #ihearthishaven #kismetcheckoutmyhouse #hunkerhome #theNOWlook⁠⠀

What space in your house feels like HOME? 🏡Cozy

What space in your house feels like HOME? 🏡Cozy and warm, where you plop down after a long day?⠀
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At home? It’s definitely my couch - it’s huge. 4 ikea couches put together, and somehow we fill it! But while I’ve been here at Haven? It’s with my lovely friends, old and new, in the lobby or out at dinner. I’m so glad to be surrounded by such supportive and caring people - these women are the best.⠀
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#realhomesofinstagram #inspiremehomedecor #newdecor #homesofinsta #myhomecrush #styledupinterior #sharemysquare #simplehomestyle #stylemyhome #homesofinsta #myinstahome #hunkerhome #topstylefiles #heyhomehey #hometohave #littleaccountlove #cljsquad #homebloggers #peepmypad #ggathome #lovemyhouse #inspiremehomedecor #lovetohome #fearlesshome #myinspiringinterior #ihearthishaven #kismetcheckoutmyhouse #doingneutralright #hunkerhome #havenconference

I seriously can’t believe the absolute WHIRLWIND

I seriously can’t believe the absolute WHIRLWIND the last few months have been.

I started the ORC, but had a family emergency and had to stop halfway through. We got back to Austin a few weeks later, and almost immediately turned around to go back to Louisville for a planned visit we’d bought tickets for months before.

And there was this cute little house in Louisville that we joked about buying (😅 can you see where this is going?). That was a Sunday.

Fast forward to Tuesday, and we had an offer in on a house. I didn’t even bring my checkbook - that’s how NOT serious about home shopping we were. But the sellers accepted our offer, contingent on the sale of our home. Oh, and it had to be on the market in 15 days, only 10 of which I would be in town for.

And we were in the middle of a kitchen remodel. Like...drywall-patches-everywhere-honey-where-is-the GD-spatula in the middle of a remodel. And I am stubborn and do everything myself, so.... 🤷‍♀️ But guys, I got it done, and I couldn’t be happier. And now I’m at Haven gathering all kinds of inspiration for our new house - I have BIIIIIIIGGGG plans and I can’t wait to share them with you!

#kitchenrenovation
#kitchenrenovations
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#diywithoutfear

Um...how is it already week THREE of the #oneroomc

Um...how is it already week THREE of the #oneroomchallenge? 🤭😫 This week I worked on getting the sink installed, screwing the countertops in, started the baseboards, and my patience grew exponentially. (Allllll the details are over on the blog.📲 Link in my bio if you’re curious!) If you saw my last post or checked in on stories, you know the STRUGGLE that was getting that sink in. I’m glad it’s behind us and we’re moving forward.

I’m going back to the home improvement store tonight to pick up some paint (any guesses on the color?) and some new blinds for the windows!

I can’t wait to show you the finished result, which is good I guess since we’re halfway there! 😅

#renovationideas #renovationlife #housereno #doerupper #renovationtime #homeimprovementideas #homeprojects #renovationlife #houserenovations #diyrenovation #homeimprovementprojects #renovationrealities #littleaccountlove #cljsquad #renovators #renovatingonabudget #diyer #lovemyrenovation #diystories #myrenostory #loweshomeimprovement #bhgorc #topstylefiles #heyhomehey #hometohave #lovemyhouse #inspiremehomedecor #lovetohome #doingneutralright⁣

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