As soon as I discovered Kristi through Instagram I knew her home needed to be shared on the blog. Some people just have a great eye and sense of style, this lady knows how to make a space look good!
"Hi I'm Kristi, I'm a Realtor in Montana with a major obsession with Interior Design. My family (husband and two boys, 3 and 5) and I built our home a year ago."
"We wanted something modern and smallish (it's less than 2300 sqft) but with a large open living area. Basically the opposite of the two ranch style homes we owned before this. It couldn't be too precious.. because, two boys are wild and crazy."
Kristi knows the importance of curb appeal and your home making a good first impression. How fun is her door bell from Rejuvenation.
When you enter Kristi's home you are welcomed by this gorgeous vintage Oushak runner she discovered on Etsy. The bench provides a perfect spot for her sons to sit and tie their shoes. Her favourite light fixture in the home hangs in the foyer. In the evening it gives off a soft checkboard glow.
"We love our sectional, it’s a custom Jonathan Louis design. Our wonderful, sweet, sweet puppy has chewed a few holes in the cushions.. but let’s not get into that. This is my favorite spot to sit and sip coffee and check my phone every morning."
The family dog Nova making herself right at home.
"We live in MT, surrounded by mountains and lakes so I try to make sure our home fits our surroundings and is a true representation of the people who live in it. My style is eclectic with Scandinavian influences and a pinch of boho."
The palette in the kitchen is neutral and timeless. Kristi has chosen various materials that add texture to the space, including these gorgeous leather stools. The open concept floor plan makes this family home a great spot to entertain.
"Floating shelves were always a key part of our kitchen design. Our builder wanted a ridiculous price to install them and he didn’t seem to have a clue how it could be done without side supports. My dad installed some pretty sweet floating shelves in their kitchen, so I knew it could be done. Plus, they’re all over Pinterest. So we planned to do it our selves."
"My husband's biggest hesitation was drilling into the tile we just had professionally installed. So it literally took 10 months (and me requesting them as my Birthday gift) before I could talk him into doing this project. Once he started though, he realized it wasn’t all that hard. It only took him an hour from start to finish."
Kristi had a difficult time deciding on what piece of furniture to put underneath the television as they didn't need storage for electronics. "I came across this simple shelving unit from Ikea and decided I could push two together. It was a perfect solution and the price was right."
Now Kristi has a great spot to display her vintage pottery collection. My kind of gal!
"Big (black) windows were a must. I love that our home has an abundance of natural light!" I know I'm not the only person drooling over them.
"The big tree was an awesome Craigslist score, $55 for a house plant that big, yes please!!! It’s about 9 ft tall, I re-potted it and viola! It weighs a million pounds and my kids like to dig in it with their toys. But I love it!"
Kristi got this large Fluorite rock for Christmas from her in-laws. They know her taste so well & began this collection for her from their travels to North Dakota. From the size of them I would assume they were quite pricey, but Kristi tells me they are $20-$40 from a local gem shop. My daughters would lose their minds if I ever bought them one of these beauties...gorgeous!
"With two young kids, it was a high priority to have a designated play space on our main level. We chose a floor plan with a Den/4th Bedroom that we can use as a playroom while they’re young. This way we can see what the kids are doing without them completely destroying our main living space. (disclaimer: they still destroy our main living areas, but this helps a tiny bit!)
"It was important to keep it kid friendly yet aesthetically pleasing. The wood cabinets are a stylish and affordable storage solution, they hold soooo many toys and games. The kids and I both really enjoy hanging out in here. It’s bright, cheery, comfortable and has a pop of color that I love."
"The coffee table is vintage and was such a score. My husband was demoing an old hospital a few years back and found this in their storage– it was covered in mouse poop and ready to go to the dump when he saved it. Smart man." It looks great paired with these junior Panton Chairs from Design Within Reach.
I love the mix of textiles Kristi has used in her youngest son's room. Nothing too juvenile that he will outgrow, just classic colors and patterns. I have the same vintage rug in our home, it's so beautiful.
One of my favourite elements in any home is artwork. Kids get so excited when they see something they made up on display, you can't have too much in my opinion.
"I love mixing in vintage treasures I've saved from the trash with vintage/handmade textiles I've sourced on Etsy with modern store bought things. If you asked my husband what my hobbies are, he'd say collecting vintage dressers and chairs..only half joking."
"The boys’ bathroom was by far one of my favorite rooms to design. I love how playful the rope lights are for a kids space, you can knot them up or swag them anyway you want."
Kristi's art choices throughout her home are inspired by nature. She found this print on Etsy by searching Drone Photography. It looks great hung above these modern wall hooks.
The large wood mirror from CB2 makes the space feel larger. A great trick to use if you have no natural light.
If you want to be that cool mom, then use chalkboard paint in your child's room. My daughters saw this and were very jealous. I honestly don't think I could handle the chalk dust.
"My husband is an ex-carpenter so he was able to build a nice deck, and floating shelves in our kitchen and laundry room." I love how Kristi has treated this space like any other room in her home styling it with family photographs, artwork and collectibles.
"Our Master Bedroom is far from finished but I’m pretty happy with it in it’s current state. In fact, it hasn’t changed at all since we moved in. I still need to find a comfy rug, the perfect wood night stands and I would love to do a mural or wallpaper on the wall behind the bed. I have big plans later on, to panel the ceiling in painted white wood and add two wood beams. But since those things take time (and lots of money) I'll just enjoy it as-is."
Kristi has been a realtor for almost ten years, so it's safe to say she has seen a lot of interiors. She hit the jack pot one day when a renter left this vintage Thonet chair in one of her Listings. "It was on it's way to the dump- I was like Nooooooo!!"
A perfect spot to sit and relax after a long day.
I want to thank Kristi for sharing her home with me. If I ever travel to Montana you know I'll be looking you up so we can hit the thrift stores!