Home is where the Heart is

It's been a while since I've taken you on a house tour, and I think you'll like this one.You already know that I love homes filled with warmth and personality, but also 'real' homes - ones that look lived in, not too perfect, not too precious. And this one fits the bill...

It belongs to Raya Carlisle and her family in Southern California. Raya is a wedding and lifestyle photographer and author of the blog the paper pony. This first room is what captured my attention initially. I love the rug, the gorgeous curve of the sofa, and those cool lockers for storing the kids' toys. Raya picked them up for $20, and her husband, Forest, painted the doors.

Raya has been experimenting with bold colours, and loves the effect of the fuchsia slip colours she had made for these chairs, after the dog chewed the original upholstery. The colour acts like a neutral, where anything you put with it looks good.

The acrylic coffee table doesn't take up any visual space in the narrow living room. Although the baby often pulls the books off, Raya doesn't mind piling them back up - she'd rather spend a few minutes doing this and have things she really loves in her home, versus opting for something else.

Raya fell in love with these portraits of 1960's actresses at an antique shop. She loves the colours, and the gold frames are so bad, she loves them! They make her smile.

Turning the original dining room into a playroom for the kids, Raya and Forest now opt for informal dining in this gorgeous nook off the kitchen.

The kind of detail I love. If you don't have room for a bar cart, how about a bar tray!

The playroom filled with flea market treasures and an Ikea shelf.

In the children's room, a much-loved family wardrobe sits next to an Eames rocker gifted to Raya by her husband's family when she was pregnant.

An accordion peg rack is perfect for holding all the coats and bags - not just practical, it looks great too.

via design sponge