Grey Likes Nesting

Jul17 First Nest: The Luceros 2012

Sara Lucero is a wedding photographer based in southern California, and her husband Steve is a musician with a totally insane handlebar mustache. Together they have 2 dogs with hilarious names and a first home that is whimsical, cozy, and a complete reflection of them as a couple.

This post was ridiculously difficult to edit because every item in the Lucero’s home has a story. Like the fact that Sara is wearing Steve’s shirt in the photos, or that the “Home is wherever I’m with you” sign above their fireplace is a nod to the song by Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros that they played at their wedding. Someone please stop me. I love these two!

If you don’t feel like inviting yourself over for one of Steve’s coffee concoctions after reading this, you clearly need to be schooled on how to find cool friends.

A mint green hallway?! Yes, please!

Steve painted grey and white stripes in his office. Then Sara decided they were too cute to be his, so she promptly requested they swap offices. And of course he said yes.

But only because he knew he was going to paint more stripes later in his new office…

And even more stripes in the bedroom!

Just after their wedding, Steve and Sara had a chance to play models for a day in a shoot with Jasmine Star. They have the amazing photos hanging all over their home, along with their day-after photos by Amelia Lyon. So much good photography, so little wall space!

The kitchen started with dark wood cabinets. Steve brightened the space by painting them white and adding tons of fun mismatched knobs from Anthropologie.

Sara and Steve collected a slew of eclectic vintage chairs to use in their wedding. The bridesmaids sat in them around the bride and groom instead of standing. All of those chairs now sit around the Lucero’s dining room table. Adorable much?

What better way to start off a morning as a newlywed than a little homemade coffee from your hubs? Sara was sweet enough to share the recipe below, too!

 

Our little interview with Sara Lucero:

What was your biggest purchase for the home? How did you justify the expense?

We invest creativity, love, and time into our home more than financial investments. I happen to love finding deals and treasures in thrift shops, estate sales, and vintage stores and Steve will paint them, fix them, and so on. He’s incredible. However, I think the most expensive purchase has been our bed and linens. I believe that every home should have a bed and a shower you’re proud of and love crawling into.

What is your favorite bargain find?

I am most proud of the chairs in our home and the time, energy, and small amount of money that went into them! That was some mega thrift and estate sale scouting! I really really love having eclectic chairs around the dining room table and secretly hope that when friends come over they have a favorite chair that they hope they get to sit at!

Do you entertain friends? If so, how have you designed your home to accommodate that?

We love inviting people into our home! After our wedding was over I had major planning withdrawals and have thrown a white elephant party, nail polish party, dinner party, and game nights! We have friends over every Sunday night after church and we gather around the coffee table and throw pillows down so everyone has a comfy spot to sit. Nights usually start with food and end with Scattergories or Taboo. We’re party animals, what can we say?

Do you have any traditions or routines?

Our routines are simple and sweet and usually involve food or the up-keep of our home. For example, Steve waters the roses and I keep him company (aka admire him), we walk Ron Swanson and Sofia Grace around the block, or he’ll get Netflix started and show picked out while I bring the food to the table. Living the life!

What is your best advice for first-time nesters?

My advice to first time nesters is to have fun! Break the mold that your parents used to decorate their home. We painted furniture unconventional colors, used a table as a TV stand, and brought outdoor furniture indoors. Just do what you want and make your home so cool that you never want to leave it! We love being home.