Ranch Goes Glam: Welcome to My Home!

This is such a FUN post for me to write! Mostly because I get to brag about my amazingly talented friend—but also because I get to invite you into my home!

For anyone who read my moving-related posts this past fall (here, here and here) you know that we made a relatively big change from suburban master-planned Irvine to the slightly grittier, more coastal city of Costa Mesa. And gritty in the best way! More city vibes, older houses with character, great restaurants, and big backyards (even if they’re framed by visible power lines).

I was SO excited to move! But from the literal minute we finished unpacking, my pregnancy nausea hit. Which for some people means, “Hmmm, I feel queasy,” but for me means, “THE EARTH IS DONE.”

While still thrilled about our new house, I was suddenly and monumentally daunted by the task of making our diamond in the rough, not so rough. The house needed some LOVE. Well, in a way. Built in 1963, the house had recently been gutted and beautified by the previous owner: new walls, floors, paint, kitchen, bathrooms, lighting, the works. I truly fell in love at first sight with its modern-day throwback charm. The foundational upgrades were perfect. But the general style of the house was SO vastly different from our previous home. Think “Glamourous Mediterranean Condo” to “Rustic One-Story Ranch.” Yikes. HELP?! I felt overwhelmed by how I’d possibly make this house “me.” I’m drawn to things that are gorgeous; was a ranch house allowed to be gorgeous?!

Given the shift in style and architecture, none of our old furniture was quite right for our new little haven. The big, sumptuous, black-leather couches fell harsh against the dark wood floors. The floors at large, while lovely, needed some serious rugs to break up the space. Every window needed a covering. Our kitchen table even looked awkward. My pregnancy eyes are harder on everything, so everything JUST HAD TO GO!

Thankfully, Doug knows when to answer the pleas of a desperate preggo, and thankfully, we were able to sell our Irvine home for more than we paid for our new place. So the husband gave me a budget and I set out to pretty my house! By which of course I mean hire an expert.

Gratefully, I didn’t have to look far. The very best expert I know happens to be one of my dearest friends: Lindye Galloway of Lindye Galloway Design. Ages ago, I wrote a blog post about how massively intimidated I was by the task of throwing her baby shower. The pics of my house are enough to see why! You guys, I could write a 100-page dissertation on Lindye’s brilliance. It’s one thing to be aware of your friend’s endless talent, but another entirely to watch her gift come to life in your home.

Some people live by the adage: “Don’t work with friends!!!” But I super disagree, especially after working with Lindye. Plus, I love writing and editing for loved ones. And a friend-slash-former-coworker designed my blog. Why not work with people you love?! I think you just need to abide by some simple rules, like: 1.) Respect your friend as a professional, 2.) Work according to his or her usual processes and procedures, 3.) Keep communication open, 4.) Be the best-behaved client they’ve ever had, and 5.) Don’t EVER ask or expect your friend to do work for free! Pay them or work out a trade, but don’t mooch off your hardworking besties. Anyway, I digress.

Lindye’s process was seamless. To kick things off, she conducted an intake interview with me to get a strong feel for my style, vision, budget, timing and overall expectations.

One of my favorite questions she asked was: “Name three words you’d like people to use in describing your house from the moment they walk in the door.” I’m a word person, so this made me swoon! I knew I wanted comfortable, clean and chic. And since LIndye has known me for years, I didn’t even have to say glamourous, my favorite of all. She knows I have glam in my bones.

To be honest, though, I felt like my loose, not-really-that-helpful vision was a bit of an impossible order. “Well, I really like rustic Restoration Hardware and classic Pottery Barn, but I also like modern vibes and almost glitzy accents—and even a slight beachy feel if you know what I mean?!”

Holy nightmare, right?! Not for Lindye! She TOTALLY nailed my style more than I ever could have nailed it myself. My finished house is everything I envisioned to the millionth power. She never batted an eye at my jumbled preferences, blending every detail together in an effortless masterpiece she perfectly dubbed #lgdranchhouseglam.

Lindye designed the three main living areas: the formal living room, the dining room and the family room. She started from scratch, hunting down everything from new furniture to rugs and accessories. We used like three art pieces I already had, but everything else is brand new.

I’m still working on the various bedrooms myself. There are five of them, so it’s no small task! Even though they won’t be quite as awesome because I’m no Lindye, I promise to post follow-up pics once they’re done! Because okay fine. They look pretty cute.

Eventually I will also post “after” pics of our house’s outside. We took one HUGE step by painting it a soothing light gray, since it was formerly pastel blue. But I still have big plans for new landscaping and a white picket fence, which I think should be super cute.

My house is a work in progress… like me. Rough spots, hints of glitz, getting older but kept fresh with all kinds of new experiences. Entire rooms still needing help; ultimately created to love people.

And you know what else? Friends are the BEST. So inspiring, so helpful, so necessary. Sometimes we just can’t do it alone. I was really, really sick and simply unable to muster the strength to design my own house. Now, my humble little ranch house is not only drop-dead gorgeous (check!), but ready to welcome my brand-new daughter in a few short months, with all the glam and comfort a girl could need. Love you, LG!!! You are brilliant.

Thank you so much for joining me on this little tour of my home—and most of all, for continuing to follow this little tour of my life!

Now please come over for coffee so we can chat in these pretty blue chairs!!!!

Now, without further ado, I present to you my “Ranch House Glam” home styled by Lindye Galloway Design!

Photography Credit (For the Pretty Pics, Obvi): Ryan Garvin

***FORMAL LIVING ROOM: BEFORE***