My Creative Blog [Search results for Lighting] 

Today we have a Jessica (not our Jess, a different one) from Arcadian Lighting guest posting about blending modern and country designs. We love this trend, so we were excited to see what she had to share. I (Monica) happen to love Arcadian Lighting. We made one big lighting purchase when we built our home. Our foyer needed a huge light and it needed some major wow factor. We must have looked at 192364 stores, and Arcadian was where we found a winner!

It's one of my favorite things ever (and they have great sales, so of course I didn't pay full price!) So, thanks for being here today Jessica!
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Hi there! I'm Jessica, a writer for Arcadian Lighting, which is a wonderful online resource for beautiful, affordable lighting fixtures. I'm delighted to be guest posting for Monica and Jess today because I'm going to be sharing a collection of inspiring modern country interiors. Rustic and casual with a sophisticated modern edge, these country interiors are just right for the fresh, airy days of Spring. I hope you enjoy!

A simple checked table cloth and set of traditional English china give this lovely dining table a classic farmhouse feel. The contrasting modern wine glasses and Donghia stacking chairs are cool accent pieces.

A chic neutral color palette and a checked upholstered arm chair in the corner bring together new and modern with old and classic beautifully. The branch candlesticks are fun and unexpected.

A gorgeous mix of crisp, modern furniture and rustic exposed wood beams creates a perfectly elegant, yet relaxing atmosphere in this living room. These types of ornate wooden mirror frames and chandeliers add a bit of drama.

The slate fireplace, twinkling candles and brilliant chandelier give this sophisticated dining room just enough simple country beauty. A lovely bouquet of fresh greenery makes the perfect accent, as well.

The vaulted ceiling and shelving gives this living room a distinctly farmhouse appeal. Weathered antiques and cushy modern furniture make the room cozy and inviting.

The handsome dark wooden floorboards and rustic, industrial stools add a rugged edge to this chic kitchen. The pendant lights overhead are simply beautiful, and the under cabinet lighting is a great touch.

A dusty blue wall color and sheer white curtains make this bedroom absolutely dreamy and romantic. The wood beam ceiling add so much natural texture and color that it makes a perfect accent against the very simple furnishings.

The paneled walls in this bedroom lend a cozy country atmosphere to the room, especially with a serene beige paint color. The rustic nightstand and modern headboard are particularly handsome together. Images 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 Which of these modern country rooms is your favorite? Let us know in the comments! And be sure to stop by Arcadian Lighting for a modern light fixture or two to brighten your home! -Jessica

My dining room. Well, like everything else around here, it seems like it's taking forever to pull together. I am oh-so-close to doing a full reveal for you (like next-week-close!), but I wanted to give you the juicy details about the fabulous lighting that we installed that totally completes the look I was going for. Love it when that happens! The last time you saw this space, it looked like this:

Awesome planked wall, beautiful white-washed table and the doesn't-quite-fit-in spray painted chandy. I'm happy to report that it has come a long way since then. When this picture was taken, I was feeling so stumped as to how I could make this room feel like I wanted it to, and I knew that what was holding me back was that coral chandelier. I mean, don't get me wrong- I love the color, but it was definitely limiting me. And limits I do not like. That's when Brad, from Lucent Lampworks, stepped in and said he might be able to help me.

His lighting. Oh, his lighting. It's gorgeous and simple and modern and vintage and industrial and cool all at once. Brad invited us over to his shop to take a look at his work and we were blown away. He's not a lighting guy by trade, but creates some beautiful fixtures in his spare time. Just recently one of his lights was featured on Extreme Home Makeover, so you know if Ty P. is sold, then this guy is the real deal. Anyway, I digress. I told him what I wanted, and you know what? He made it for me. Custom. And they're awesome. And his prices are ridiculously reasonable. See? I like Lucent Lampworks so much I can't even write in complete sentences. Let's just cut to the chase, shall we?

I really wanted two sconces to flank the piece of Marbled Paper Art that fit in with the whole coastal, cottage feel. Brad searched for these cages and found them on Ebay and turned them into fabulous sconces. I absolutely love them- all they need are some edison bulbs, but I keep forgetting to pick them up when I'm out!

I love the contrast between the industrial sconces and the marbled paper art.

I'm still messing around with the final touches for the dining room (for instance, those plant pots aren't staying that color, but it's been too darn cold to spraypaint!), so most likely this buffet will look different next time you see it.
As for the pendant light for above my dining room table, I decided to go with a white enamel shade (similar to this one in his shop) that Brad reclaimed from the Scranton Lace Factory. This light is probably from the early 1900's, which I love! It has loads of character and chippy goodness.

It's perfect, isn't it? And, I am thrilled with the view from the kitchen, now that it includes my fabulous lights!

The pendant has really soft uplighting from holes in the top of the shade that is just beautiful and helps illuminate the space better at night.

I seriously could not be happier with my new lights! If you guys are in need of any lighting, head over to Lucent Lampworks to see all that Brad has to offer! You will not find a nicer, more accomodating guy than Brad and he is super talented. Use the code EC2tenoff to receive 10% off your order and tell him we sent you!
Tell me, what does your dream light look like??

Does your house ever feel cookie cutter? Like the builder (whenever it was built) came in and did their thing and you're stuck with it? Yeah, I hate that feeling. Lately, I've been thinking that lighting is the key to instantly giving a home a custom feel. I mean you can paint things, change out trim, there are lots of DIYs of course, but for some reason, lately I'm feeling light lighting can have a huge impact!
Friday night I was at Jess' sister's birthday party that Jess was hosting. I was hanging out in her dining room and couldn't stop thinking about the lighting in the room. It had me completely distracted from the conversation I was having and people might have thought I had too much of the Autumn Apple Sangria (it was a cute Sweets & Sangria theme!). Anyhow…
Here are the lights that caused my extreme distraction…

Don't they instantly give this room a custom feel? There's nothing builder-grade about these babies! Check out the full post about them here.
I also added a custom light to my living room/piano room and I think it's what gives the room a high end feel. I think with just a generic side lamp, it might just look like Rainbow Bright went on a rampage! (I just dated myself didn't I???)

Since Jess' dining room had me thinking about lighting, I jumped onto my favorite online lighting store.

I guess I hadn't been on in a while, because I fell head over heels for so many of the new lights! This isn't a sponsored post or anything, I just felt like I couldn't keep all this goodness to myself. So, here are some of my very favorites, but check out the online store to see all the awesomeness!

Bunsen Burner Light As the wife of a chemist, I really need to own this!

Tapered Pendant with Exposed Socket

Industrial Cage with Red Twist Wire Obviously I LOVE this cage light. It will be making an appearance in my home soon!

One thing I love about Brad's lights is the ability you have to customize most lights! He has 3 gorgeous finishes and I actually got to visit his shop (which is amazing btw) and see how he buffs each piece of metal. It truly is a piece of art when it's finished!

Modern Light with Square Opal Shade This is perfect for a Mid-Century style.

Sconce with Clear Glass Shade

Vintage Mercury Glass Pendant The copper color on this light is so soft, yet stylish, and way pretty!

So, what do you think about these lights I'm crushing on? Amazing right? Also, Lucent Lampworks just joined Pinterest- Click Here to follow his boards and you'll know when he designs any amazing new lights!

Did you guys know that Monica and I love discovering and studying small businesses, right? We both have owned our own businesses, and now run this blog which has turned into a small business in it's own right. We find it fascinating to watch people do what they love to do and turn their gifts into a fulfilling career! There's just something so inspiring about the whole thing. A few weeeks ago, I gave you a peek into my dining room complete with three new fabulous light fixtures from Lucent Lampworks. We thought it would be fun to let you in on what it's like behind the scenes with Brad at his home, and how we both fell in love with a few lights for our own homes.

This is Brad. (and his adorable daughter, Lia)

He is not an electrician. He is not a trained lighting designer. He is a self-proclaimed tinkerer with a creative side who one day decided to make a few custom lights for friends and family as Christmas gifts when money was tight. He opened an Etsy shop, had a sale a few days later and is now creating fabulous light fixtures out of old barn pulleys, found items and whatever gets his creative juices flowing for people all around the world. People, this guy is seriously talented. Since 2010, his lights have been showcased in the following awesome places: *Extreme Makeover Home Edition — Beautiful New Home in Texas that aired in 2012 *The Winter Collection Catalog for Stylish Home Magazine — www.stylishhome.com
*History Channel show — Abandoned — aired August 2012
*Featured in Soulemama.com
*Food Channel — Restaurant Takeover — Canadian version airing this fall!

Monica and I went to visit his little"shop" in his basement to see how he does it all and quickly realized how out of our element we were when Brad started talking about all the old reproduction wiring, vintage plug ends and exposed sockets.: ) But what we did know was that Brad was passionate about that stuff and it showed in his work.

Brad styles all the photos of his lights himself and has an incredible set up. See all those different backgrounds? He makes most of them himself so that his lights pop against them.

He doesn't mess around with lighting his"sets" either. Every thing this guy does is done right.

See what I mean? We got a few ideas for creating backgrounds for our finished projects, so, thanks, Brad!; )

Cage light anyone?

Monica got two of these gorgeous green enamel shades made for her. You have to wait for Spring to see what she did with them, but they are incredible!

I had to get my cheesy pic with that cobalt blue beauty and Monica was totally digging this glass cylinder pendant. 

And, in case you're wondering, this trip to his shop was where I first spotted the white, enamel pendant light that is now proudly living above my dining room table.

I also spotted this cage light which inspired the industrial cage light sconces that flank the art in that same room. Brad took my idea, researched and found cages from the early 1900's and turned them into awesome sconces. I loooooove them! 

Isn't that amazing? We strongly encourage you to take at a look at Brad's shop to see what other awesomeness he has going on there. You will not meet a nicer guy and he'd be happy to help you create the light of your dreams (please tell me I'm not the only one who dreams about lighting…) Oh yeah, one more thing just for you guys! You can get 10% off your order at Lucent Lampworks by using the coupon code EC2tenoff! You're welcome! Do any of you have a small business? Leave us a comment with the name so we can check it out! It's one of our favorite things to do!

Last week I mentioned needing to overhaul the 1/2 bath in the hallway on our first floor. We haven't started that project yet (I'm dying to get started, but we're waiting for a little more moneycashflow first), but I know exactly what we're going to do. Like every other room in our house, I'm trying to move in the casual/coastal cottage feel. So you can expect to see lots of neutral colors, warm woods and rustic Pottery Barn-esque elements. The only thing I'm keeping in this room is the bathmat and the toilet. Everything else has seen it's last day. Here's our current"loo" situation:

On a side note: I didn't realize how badly this bathroom needed a makeover until after I took these pictures. Can we say boring with a capital"B"?

This builders-grade vanity has GOT TO GO!

Same with that terrible light fixture. How have I lived in this house for almost 4 years and not changed that thing out? Blech.

I'm thinking this mirror needs an upgrade (like a frame) or a replacement. I'm leaning towards replacing it with an unexpected mirror. Something different and unique.
Bathroom Makeover To-Do List:
1. Paint wide horizontal stripes on the walls.

Source: younghouselove.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Source: tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Adore that mirror, by the way.
I love that both these bathrooms have very subtle stripes on the wall. I'm thinking a tone on tone color, or even one color, painted in stripes with different sheens (semi-gloss and flat). I love these two colors that fall next to each other in the Benjamin Moore Historical color wheel: Elmira White and Grant Beige. You almost can't see much of a difference which is exactly what I want. I'm not hoping to bowl anybody over with loud colors in this room.

Also, I'm thinking really thick stripes, maybe five total, ceiling to floor.

2. Build a vanity out of an old table or desk.

Source: desiretoinspire.net via Jessica on Pinterest

Source: decorology.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Ok, this is my favorite feature for the bathroom and is non-negotiable. This means that the whole makeover has to wait until I find the right piece of furniture. I'm hoping my luck will kick in soon and my next trip to the ReStore or thrift store will be the winner. Anyway, this is obviously a job for my hubs, but I've researched it, and it really is a pretty simple project. (I can say this since I will not be the one doing it. Ha!) I also saw a few sink bowls for really cheap at the ReStore my last time in there.
3. Add decorative items that also work as storage. Since this is the hall bath, I don't need much in the way of storage, but I do want to be able to hang a few towels and keep extra soap and toilet paper handy, especially since there won't be any storage under the new vanity. I'm totally in love with these vintage ladders and would be thrilled to score one. If I can't find a real vintage ladder, I saw a great tutorial on how to make one here.

Source: ourvintagehomelove.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest
Surprise! The ladder above is a fake vintage ladder. Pretty convincing, huh?

Source: alovelyescape.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Source: ballarddesigns.com via Jessica on Pinterest
I'm also liking this basket from Ballard Designs. It would go great under the new table/desk/vanity.
4. Install new lighting. The look I'm going for with the lighting is industrial. Not so industrial that it's modern, but just industrial enough to look rustic. I'm not sure if that made any sense at all, but these pictures help explain it a little better:

Source: decor8blog.com via Abbie on Pinterest
The lights above are my absolute favorites ever. If anyone knows where I can find one, please, I beg you, share the love!

Source: shadesoflight.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: houzz.com via Casey on Pinterest
5. Add a few fun elements like artwork, possibly some decorative trim (crown moulding), and wouldn't it be cute to add a door like this one?

Source: theletteredcottage.net via Jessica on Pinterest
ReStore, here I come!
So, what are your thoughts about my Bathroom Game Plan? Am I missing anything? Is there anything you hate? Discuss!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TIKI Brand® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
I'm a huge fan of outdoor living spaces, but you all know that working outside is not our forte. Last year, though, we added some much needed curb appeal by painting our front door and shutters to better fit our style, but this summer, our goal is to beautify the back yard, which is where we spend most of our time. Of course, i have big plans for our backyard. Who doesn't?! This will just be one of those things that will have to happen slowly over time, but a girl can dream, can't she? My backyard must-haves? Let's take a look: 1. Comfortable seating. I mean, come on. If I'm going to be spending lots of time outdoors with my kids or entertaining my friends, i want to have a nice cozy spot to sit and hang out.

Source

2. A secluded area that fits in with the natural surroundings. I'm a huge fan of seating areas that are snuggled under trees or is next to big planters in a hidden spot. That's not super easy to do, since we live in a neighborhood, but I think with the right plants, we could make this happen in some way.

Source 3. Great Ambiance. Man, i love me some outdoor lighting that sets the mood and creates an unforgettable atmosphere. Sadly, in the northeast where we live, we get lots of mosquitos at night that are attracted to lights. Booo. How can we light our space without attracting all those bugs?

Source Enter TIKI Brand lighting. This is one way I can immediately get to work on my backyard, create ambiance and keep the bugs away, even if I dont' have my dream space yet. The TIKI Brand Flame & Solar Torch is super simple to assemble and use. I was so impressed with how sturdy everything was…not like those old, plastic-y ones.The coolest thing about these torches is that they come with a small LED attachment that can be used when you're entertaining around a lot of people, especially kids. You don't have to worry about someone running into an open flame, which is a huge bonus in my book. The LED light turns on automatically at night and will last 8 hours after a full-day charge.

The other nice thing about the TIKI Brand Glowing Torch fuel is that it contains OFF! for protection from bugs. The worst thing about summer evenings is most definitely the bugs, and now I don't have to worry about that either.

Monica put her TIKI Brand Glowing Table Torch. on her table Monica and it is such a cool statement piece. It works much the same way in that it has a battery-powered LED light that illuminates the globe and the torch for a live flame. It looks super fun and modern and adds another interesting light feature to her outdoor space.

You can buy TIKI brand products at Walmart and Target for under $40. They definitely add a fun ambiance to any backyard space. Don't forget to follow TIKI Brand on Facebook for lots more ideas on creating the ultimate backyard expi

Welcome to Day 5 and have we got a show for you!! We thought we'd mix it up a bit and perhaps scare you away from our blog…forever… Friday we'll be sharing the how-to's but today, you're just getting a little sneak peek of the ornaments we made with some random Monica & Jess thrown in.
Moments of Awkwardness Not to Miss

• Can you see Monica or just a Heavenly glow?? (note to self, fix lighting next time)
• How many times can two girls say"balls" before it's really awkward (especially with their moms reading!)
• Did you know Monica's a magician?? Can you see her invisible ornaments?? (Darn lighting)
• Can you count how many times we slap our legs? How about Jess randomly clapping? And yes, Monica fidgeted 13947622 times.
• Martha Stewart came and decorated Monica's banister. Can't you tell?? It's REALLY fancy!
• Do your friends typically salute you?
• Monica really is tan, but it's overshadowed by the Heavenly glow.

Well, well, look what I found:

Remember my post about the game plan for my bathroom? I really wanted a ladder for the space to as a stylish way to hang a few hand towels and other little things we might need in the bathroom. I found one this weekend while visiting my sister in Lancaster. There is a house that we pass on the way to my sister's that has hundreds (no exaggeration) of old windows and other random junk in their yard. Of course, that's like the jackpot for a cheap DIYer like me, so we stopped by. Lucky for me, they had a few ladders like this one and I was able to buy it for $15! (Talked her down from $20. Oh yeah, I drive a hard bargain.) Out of all the things I've bought for my house, besides my statement piece, this one is my favorite. It captures the feel I'm going for in my home (and no, that feel is not old paint shop in case you were wondering.) This really tall little beauty needs some loving, as in, a good sanding and maybe a few coats of a water-based polyurethane to bring out the wood tones. There's just one too many different colors of paint on her for my liking, so once they're sanded out, she'll be perfect.

In other news, we bought a mirror at Lowes for the bathroom. Originally, I planned on thrifting a cheap, unique mirror, but we came across this one marked way down on clearance at Lowes, and I'm totally loving the shape of it.

(Yes, that is my garage filled with lots of old barnwood for my various projects. Yes, my husband gives me the stink eye because of it.)

And how do I like the color of this mirror? Umm, not so much. Black with red undertones? I don't think so.

I'm planning on painting the mirror frame and then doing an antique glazing treatment on it to make it look weathered and well, antique. Something like this:

I've finally chosen my paint colors, Olympic Whispering Wind and Quill, which I'll have color-matched in Valspar paint (that covers better with less coats). You can't tell in this picture, but they are very neutral beiges that are almost gray. LOVE them.

And finally, the lighting. Thanks to some suggestions by our awesome readers (who knew to look at outdoor lighting??!!), I've narrowed down my choices to this large bronze wall-mounted light fixture that is actually meant to be outside. It's from Lowes and costs $39.98. I really adore everything about it, but I'm not sure the color is exactly the feel I'm going for.

Lowes

My second choice is this Raw Steel outdoor wall sconce from Lowes. It costs a little bit less than the other light $24.95, but is smaller. The color is definitely in the cooler tones.

Lowes

So, now, will you help me? The finish of the light will really direct the direction of the other decorative items in the room (bronze= browns & creams, silver = gray, white and black). It's your chance to tell me what you think would work best in my bathroom redesign.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Thanks so much! My husband tried to sneak his own decorative touch into the bathroom, hoping I wouldn't notice.

Sorry, babe, the Phillies hand towel is oooooutta here! Nice try.

Happy Monday!

I'm going to attempt to share my adoration with mason jars with you, without completely embarrassing myself. I do love these guys. They are extrememly versatile, easy to find, and very inexpensive! What more can you ask from a decoration? Lately I've been seeing quite a few of these jars at flea markets in the light blue variety shown above, and the regular clear jars. If you aren't into scouring flea markets, my local grocery store carries them in boxes of 12 for less than a dollar a jar. I've used mason jars in a couple of projects over the past few months:
1. First, my daughter and I made cinnamon honey butter for our friends and neighbors at Christmas, and packaged it in small mason jars with the lids covered in fabric and tied with a ribbon and homemade mongram tag.

2. Next, I used them as a vase for the floral arrangements I made for my sister's sugar and spice baby shower. They were perfect. 

3. And finally, I whipped up this arrangement this afternoon for a little something different on my dining room table. I had these leftover jars and an old drawer with pulls on both ends that I had been wanting to use. Then I remember that I had dried flowers from a visit to Pike's Place Market in Seattle a few years ago just sitting in closet. Within five minutes, I had a pretty new centerpiece for my table.

I'm thrilled with it! (But I've already decided to do something else with the jars. Ahh! Sometimes being impulsive is a curse.: ) And yes, I do need curtains for my poor naked windows, and yes, those are my custom bird art pieces in the back. Aren't they cute? *Side note: my hubs and I found our dining room table on clearance for $60.00 at a furniture store in Harleysville. Excellent find, if I do say so myself. Ok, enough about my mason jar projects! I've rounded up some great mason jar inspiration from the world wide web. Feast your eyes on these pretty pictures, and be inspired!
Food/Drink There are a million cute ideas for serving food and/or drink in mason jars but I thought these two were adorable.

Source: None via Jessica on Pinterest
Use small jars as individual cup for lemonade-genius! I love the decorative cut-out in the lid.

Source: curbly.com via Jessica on Pinterest
This is so sweet- who wouldn't want to eat pie from a jar?; )
Storage/Organization
Both of these ideas utilize mason jars, clamps and a board. Easy as 1, 2, 3, I'd say. I absolutely love the toiletries stored in mason jars- such a great idea for a guest bathroom!

Source: curbly.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Source: weepingcherries.wordpress.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Decor/Lighting I can't wait to try out some of these simple projects!

Source: lh5.googleusercontent.com via Jessica on Pinterest
In September, we are celebrating my parent's 40th wedding anniversary, and these pictures in a jar would be a great way to showcase pictures from their four decades together.

Source: google.com via Jessica on Pinterest
This is so much fun! This would instantly add whimsy to any room, and be a conversation starter, for sure.

Source: atozebracelebrations.blogspot.com via Jessica on Pinterest
These mason jar lanterns are SO easy to make, and I can't wait to give it a try. If you're looking for an easy way to update your porch or deck with ambient lighting, look no further.

Source: blog.freepeople.com via Jessica on Pinterest
And don't get me started on this. Isn't it gorgeous? I die.
So give me your thoughts: Are you a fan of Mason Jars just like me? What projects have you done that include these simple beauties?

If you're new around here, let me catch you up a bit… We're partnering with Stone Depot and EP Henry and building a patio DIY style-we're crazy and we know it…(sing to the tune of LMFAO). You can catch up on the progress posts here, here, and here.

So, here's where we were when we left off last week…

We had finished the base wall and we could finally move onto the patio pavers and the sitting wall. Speaking of the sitting wall…Take a look at that beauty! We're waiting on a few more wall blocks to be in stock and then it will be finished.

Okay, so after the base wall was done it was time to get moving on the patio itself. This post is going to be chock full of DIY Patio tips, because we learned a lot along the way! We laid down the geofabric and then we needed to fill the entire patio with stone.

See all that stone? Well, multiply it times four! We needed over 35 TONS of stone and yes, we carried it one wheelbarrow at a time.

I had thought Eric dropped a pile of stone on the grass and the wall, until he explained this little trick. Worked like a charm!

When you need to work on a patio for 5 weeks and you have to move 35 tons of stone, it's important to have help…

This picture gives you an idea of what the stone was used for. We needed to apply it two inches at a time, run the tamp, and repeat until we raised it up the 20ish inches that we needed.

This is more than a tip, it's a must. There's no way a patio of this size can be done by hand. Time for the heavy equipment!

The stone needed to be 3" below the height of the wall caps. That's tricky to do everywhere, but there's a trick that works really well… although it is tedious!
(**Please ignore the spelling error below! I do know how to spell achieve. Thanks!**)

I also should mention that we had to be creative with ways to entertain the kids while we spent so many hours working… The"tractor"-waterfall-rides were a huge hit. Let me just tell you that never in my life did I imagine I'd own anything made by John Deere and I especially didn't foresee having kids that love driving it around the yard! lol

Alright, back to business. I thought this was a great idea and it helped keep all the leveled stone in place while we moved to the sand.

Leveling the sand it a two person job, but it was quick and easy using this pro method. You lay down 1 inch pipes, fill the area with sand, drag a leveled board across the pipes, and it smoothly levels the area between the pipes.

Look at that smooth sand! Nice work boys! (and yes, I still refer to my hubs as a boy even after 10yrs of marriage)

After the sand, it was the moment we'd all been waiting for and I was ready with camera in hand!

I'll be back next week with our final update before the grand reveal, but until then, I need some help in the lighting department. I plan to have two lights flanking the door and then I need four pillar lights as well. I definitely want an industrial feel. So, can you help a sister out and leave any recommendations in the comments? THANKS!

Wondering about the flowers on the steps? They're wildflowers that my kiddos had picked for me as a surprise when I got home from the Haven Conference. I'm a lucky gal.

The patio is so close to being finished, I can almost taste it (or perhaps that's just the black lung from all the stone and dust!) Can't wait to show you the finished product!

P.S. If you missed our Haven Conference Recap you can check it out HERE- it was awesome!

Early in the summer we started what will go down as our biggest DIY project of the year … We decided to build our own brick paver patio! (Check out the process posts 1,2,3,4) With my creative ideas and my amazing husband that has an un-human work ethic we knew would could handle it! We teamed up with two amazing companies to make it happen, and we loved working with Stone Depot and EP Henry throughout the process.

Drum-roll Please…
Presenting My DIY Patio…

Let's take a closer look at this bad boy
Here's a quick peek back to where we started…

And now, for where we are now!

I couldn't be happier with the results and none of it would have happened without this fella. I won't get all sappy, but he's the hardest worker I've ever met. Our friends have affectionately coined the phrase"Mangin to the Max" when he's in his crazy hardworking mode. So, thanks for all your tireless hours, love- you're the best! View from the door before…

And After…

I love the sitting area and have spent tons of hours working from there the last few months. I can't get enough of all the fall foliage this year- almost makes me feel like I'm back in New England.

We made a last minute decision to add this little area off of the main patio. We wanted a place to be able to grill and where we could put a kids' table when we have a crowd, although I think the fire pit looks pretty cute there too!

Eric and I built a huge farmhouse table using Ana White plans after we were inspired by the Shanty 2 Chic sisters (Full table post coming soon!) For now we're using the chairs I painted back in the spring, but we plan to build long benches this weekend!

I know it sounds cheesy, but I sort of think the patio reminds me of the big family dinners they always have on Parenthood. Do you see it too? (Man, I love that show!)

Here's a peek at some of the fun details I love… Remember this upcycle?

We have fun cattails in our pond (it's more of a swamp, but come on, pond sounds so much nicer!) and they look so cool!

Eric was pretty proud of the stairs… the EP Henry stone was too nice to just do plain, basic steps. I love the tiered look he built!

I plan on having tons and tons of awesome meals out here with family and friends!

It's the perfect place to sit down and browse through one of my favorite magazines… I suggest checking out page 92… Did you know we were featured this month? It pretty much rocked our world!

We got all of our EP Henry stone from Stone Depot in Perkaise, PA and it's top quality for sure. I love the look of the pillars with the huge caps (which are crazy heavy btw- I spent so many hours just carrying brick from the driveway to the backyard.)

The guys at Stone Depot recommended slate for the sitting wall and I'm so glad they knew what would look best- the slate is one of my favorite parts of the whole project.

I had to share this picture with you because you've got to check out the pumpkin on the left… doesn't it look like he's eating the green goose gourd? We grew tons of gourds this year and my kids love the goose ones!

Pennlyn loves that she can go out the sliding door now- it's so nice to be able to easily let her in and out.

We only have two things left on the Patio-To-Do-List… 1- Finish the landscaping (we need mulch and plants)

2- We need outdoor pillar lighting. I ordered 4 lights that I really liked, but they ended up being discontinued. Boo! Our blog sponsor Brad from Lucent Lampworks is going to help me come up with some cool ideas, so I'm excited to get that final detail taken care of!

So, there you have it! Our Big Old DIY project is done!

What do you think of my new outdoor oasis? Do you have any awesome lighting suggestions or just any ideas to make the space even better?

We just found out it's THIS WEEKEND!! If you're even remotely local you'll want to make time to check it out. We got SO MANY awesome things last year. My dining room buffet, my Chalkboard Mirror… Check out this post to see it all. BEST BARN SALE EVER! Sat, Sun, Mon 8-5 3045 York Road, Furlong PA

The back part of the barn is crazy, but HOLY COW amazing furniture finds!!

And now I'm re-posting our reminders from yesterday! Well, we're a bit behind the eight ball on this one, but we finally got around to choosing a winner for our Empire Patio Giveaway. (just so you know we use random.org to make our pick!)
Empire Patio Covers Giveaway Winner

And the winner is:

Congratulations! Email us at eastcoastcreativeblog@gmail.com to claim your prize! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

YARD SALE We're having a BIG yard sale Saturday (5/26) from 8:00-1:00 PM. Please come on by and say hi…and then buy something.; ) It's at my house, so send me an email if you need the address. Monica will stop by in the morning also and we'd love to meet all of you local readers. There will be lots of kids items, home decor, appliances, furniture, lighting and more!
Here's just a small sampling of what's for sale:

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Need some last minute Memorial Day recipe ideas? We've got you covered.

Three awesome Memorial Day Drinks

Mozzarella & Basil Tomato Pockets

Easy Pulled BBQ Pork
Have a happy holiday weekend! Hope to see you tomorrow.: )

Good morning, everyone! Before we get into today's post, stop everything and GO VOTE if you haven't already! The ladies did not disappoint with their Round 1 Projects. You just have to see the creative upcycle projects they came up with. These contestants and their stars are gunning for amazing prizes and they need your help to get there! Upcycling is kind of one of our favorite things to do. Last year for the contest, we turned an ugly, beat-up antique table into this:

Now that that's out of the way, it's time to check out our upcycle project this week. We have to say that it feels quite lovely to get to do the projects without all that extra pressure. We just get to do projects that we've been wanting to do in our homes! So, here we go!

Isn't that so fun? Unfortunately, the lighting in our basement is atrocious and my limited photography skills don't do this space justice. It's so cute and fits right in with the nautical basement makeover Monica gave me during our first Nate Show episode. We were originally going to use this door as a headboard in our Superfab Guestroom Makeover, but it just didn't work in the space.This door is over a hundred years old and has a beautiful, chippy, blue-green patina. It's been sitting in my garage waiting for it's new home and it finally found it! I could not believe that this door fit so perfectly in the nook under the stairs. It was most definitely meant to be!

This was a super-simple upcycle. We already had one filing cabinet on hand, and purchased another at Walmart for only $30. My hubs and I painted both with Valspar Paint + Primer in Beach Glass (a Benjamin Moore color we had color-matched).

The new filing cabinet was an inch shorter than our existing cabinet so Kevin built a base for it using leftover wood from our stash.

Once the filing cabinet was placed on the base, you don't even notice the difference!

We placed the door on top of the filing cabinets and might eventually *wink* actually screw it in to the cabinets, but for now it rests securely right on top. I couldn't stand the thought of making any holes in that gorgeous door.

I love that it blends so perfectly with the nautical lounge behind it!

Let's take a peek at the dramatic before and after, shall we?

Woohoo! That's quite the difference and I'm really happy with it.: ) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now it's YOUR turn! We are so excited to see what you guys have come up with!

The winner will receive an awesome prize package from Belmonili and Perfectly Imperfect Shop, and we promise you're going to love it! This link party will be open until Friday, March 15th at 10 PM EST. Monica and I are going to be choosing our absolute favorite upcycle project and revealing the tutorial for it on Sunday! If you win this week, we'll be contacting you sometime on Friday for the tutorial, so be ready!
Please remember a few things before linking up:
1. Like us on facebook!

2. Make sure you link back to us in your post. Only those linking back will be eligible for the prize! 3. Only one submission per person. 4. Choose a project that you've done in the last 12 months.
Ok, let's see what you've got!

I can't even tell you how stuffed I am right now. I couldn't eat another bite if you paid me! We had Thanksgiving with some of our close friends and it was awesome. We're so thankful to be blessed with such amazing friends. I didn't go crazy with decor, but I did a few cute little things that I thought you might like to see… My kiddos helped me make"really fancy" centerpieces for the kids' table… Craftin' it old school my friends…

Who doesn't love a paper plate turkey? My favorite part is that we made these before 9am Saturday!
I wanted the kids' table to be fun (so that the adults might actually get to sit down and eat), so my younger two helped me make placemats.

I made the little name cards on Picnik and then snagged a free printable from Pinterest (I pinned it if you want it), added a piece of construction paper, tied up the utensils and voila! Remember, this was quick and easy, not fancy schmancy, but the kids loved it and had a blast!

Look at all those happy kiddos!

Since the kids had a fun table, I had to do a little something for the adults. Using the same method we shared on 69 News, I just printed out some little cards. Under the"Thankful" I listed the people at Thanksgiving. If you wanted to use these as place cards, you could just circle the name of the person.

Since Jess shared a fail (turned awesome) yesterday… I'll share a fail (turned umm… still fail!) today. So, I was inspired by this jute runner, but forgot to get jute, so I figured I'd use my kids' craft paper and do the same thing… umm, not so much…

I measured out the paper, I had the hubs help me fold it (then I mentioned he was in the picture, and this is the cheeseball pose I got. Nice one babe), I started cutting on the lines and was reminded that I'm a lefty in a right handed world (and my perfectionist husband couldn't stand the sight) so Eric cut. I started weaving, but guess what? The paper was all rolly and wouldn't stay put and needed tape every two inches. UGH. I gave up halfway through, trimmed what I had done, plopped a huge gourd on it and had a good laugh with Jess over it!

Lame table runner or not, we had an amazing time together! Now, ready for a dining room update? Well, thanks to an awful cold, I've been worthless the past few days. Today, about 4 hours before 20 people arrived for thanksgiving Eric and I used our lunch breaks to paint the bottom half. (I love the days he works from home!)

We love chalklines. Honestly, I won't paint a line without one! Since we're using a chair rail we didn't have to be neat with the top line (just in case you thought we were sloppy!)

I'm so thrilled with the color. It's Antique Silver, from Olympic (but I got it color matched in Valspar).

We still need to paint the area between the moulding, but that can wait until after I've wallpapered. It arrived in the mail and I can't wait to put it up!! I called in the big guns for that job. My father in law is coming this week to lend a hand. There are just some things that I know better than to do with the hubs!
So there you have it. Thanksgiving # 1 and at least some progess on the dining room. I'm hoping that my next update will have the room almost done!

PS… Did I mention that we deep fried our first turkey? It was amazing, but I'll point out that it's never a good sign when someone is lighting the gas and has the directions in hand. We were clueless, but in the end, it was worth all the craziness!

Source: strictlysimplestyle.blogspot.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest
No, I really don't have anything to sell, but I have sold two houses really quickly and helped hundreds of other people sell theirs. Okay, now before you tune out and think,"I'm not moving anytime soon… no need to read this post." give me a second! There's two reasons to keep reading… # 1- You probably know someone that's struggling to sell a home in this market #2- People love their homes right before they sell because it's in the best shape ever. You could follow a few of these tips and love your house even more! Ready? Here are my first 5 tips!
Get it Sold… The Mangin Way! (Part 1) (these aren't new ideas…but done right, they really work)

1.Declutter. Pack half of your stuff. Seriously, I actually mean half of everything. It's a pain, but you'll have to pack it anyway. This will make your house seem like it has sufficient storage and room to grow. It's tough to want to move into someone's home that seems jam packed! (FYI- don't do this if you're not selling… that would just be crazy!)

2. Depersonalize. Your kids are adorable… I get it, but now get rid of their pics. We don't want potential buyers looking at your vacation pics and thinking they really need to get back to the Outer Banks and totally not noticing your recessed lighting. Now, don't get too crazy… we didn't get rid of 100% of our pics, but honestly we replaced a lot with generic art from Homegoods and Marshalls. The second part of depersonalization is STYLE. If you're reading a DIY and design blog you either have great style or are style challenged! LOL… make sure the style of your house would appeal to the masses. Not too modern, too country, too plain, too bold. Purple.Tone it down a bit.

Source: yakal.net via Hannah on Pinterest
3. Declutter. Wait, she already said that!! Lame post! Nope, I don't have short term memory loss… now we're talking Pantries, Closets, Garages, Storage areas. You need to keep feeding your family, but you also need to show off the space you have. Donate, eat, or toss HALF of what you have stored. You don't need six cans of cream of chicken soup. Keep two. (House of Smiths weren't selling, but man they have a rockin' pantry before and after)

Same applies to closets… anything you won't wear in the next month should be packed up. If you're near a change of season, just box and store at your BFF's house. That's what friends are for! (We have about 20 boxes of friend's stuff in our basement right now because they're selling). Any place that you would usually hide your junk needs to be super neat and spacious. 4. Give it a Purpose. This is a simple stager's rule. Every room should have a purpose. You want a buyer to see a value in each space. If you have a toy/craft/tv/junk room but already have a playroom, and family room with tv… well what are they paying for the random room for? Choose a purpose. Make it a specific craft/sewing room etc. 5. Clean. I'm not talking lived in clean… I'm talking Martha Stewart clean. A clean house gives the impression of a well cared for, well maintained house. You don't want anything creeping out buyers. Maybe dirty baseboards are just a part of life, but they're not a part of a buyer's dream home. Seriously, who dreams of a kinda dirty, lived in dream house? Does Pottery Barn have gross toilet rings in the Bed & Bath issue? We've done it two ways… once we did an insane deep clean and for our second house we hired someone to do it. Either way is fine, just get it done and then maintain it. Make a little pre-showing, last minute cleaning list. It was a huge help to me!

Source: marthastewart.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest
Ok, so 5 simple, totally FREE steps so far… Nothing too revolutionary, but things that really make a difference. Last spring we sold our home in less than 3 weeks… the market was struggling, we didn't know what to expect, but we believed it was the right time for our family and so we busted our tails to get the house ready. Now, you're armed with part one… either share the post with a friend that might find it helpful, or take a look at your own home. Part two is a little more design friendly and exciting, but first you've gotta get through the dirty work of steps 1-5.
I'll be back Wednesday with more!

P.S. I bought paint tonight for a super-fun family room project. I can't wait to share it with you!
P.P.S. Did you know that we're only 3 people away from 100 followers? We know way more of you read the blog… let's make it official! Let's take our relationship to the next step? And if you're really into us, you could like us on Facebook too! Imagine that! It's like going steady!

I came across a brass candle sconce at an antique store several weeks ago and thought, hmmm, that's nice... It was exactly $3.50 so I thought I'd just see what I could do with it. As you can see from the photo above, it was quite brassy.
I dug into my basement cabinet where I keep all of my magic potions and found some "brass ager." That's right, it makes shiny brass look old and dingy in seconds!

I hung the sconce on the small wall next to our kitchen sink. I was thinking that I'd leave that wall bare because it seemed that all of the art work I'd hung there in the past looked crowded and heavy. But leaving the wall bare didn't look quite right either. So I thought the sconce would add a nice element of detail. It fits proportionately, and has a nice aesthetic from the side as well as from the front.

I took these photos at dusk as the fog was rolling in. The forboding weather made lighting the candle all the more alluring.
So that's my $3.50 purchase. I think it was money well spent because when I light the candle, I find myself standing in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, sipping my tea....unable to walk away from (yes, a fire hazard, but mostly....) its warm flickering glow.

We're secretly hoping that we are introducing you to Beckie for the first time, but chances are, you're already addicted to her sites, like us. Beckie must be one of the hardest-working women in the blogosphere because she writes THREE blogs! I know, crazy, right? But she is just that awesome. Plus, we are super-excited to be monthly contributors on Infarrantly Creative beginning this month, so you'll be hearing a whole lot more about Beckie here on our blog. Lucky you!!
Take it away, Beckie!
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Hi, my is Beckie and I am the mommy to three babies…

Yes I am a tri-blogger. But these are actually my real babies!

Yes I am a mom to two, wife of one, spray paint addict and Roadkill Rescue hero! What is that, you ask? No I don’t scoop dead animal carcass off the side of the road, but rather rescue discarded furniture and turn it into usable and beautiful décor for my home.
Here is the lighted end table I made for my husband’s office. You will never guess what this originated from…

Our church was remodeled last year to accommodate more people. Along with tearing out pews and adding new theatre seats they upgraded their lighting, which meant tearing down the dated chandeliers.

The chandeliers are HUUUGE! They took them down and before they hauled them off to the dump I snagged a bunch of the arms.
Here is what one of them looked like.

On the inside was 8 sockets for lights.

So after tugging, twisting, turning, clamping, and unscrewing I had everything taken apart.

I decided it would be fun to make one of the arms of the chandies a lighted end tables for my husband’s office. See my husband is a pastor at the church. It is kind of symbolic for him in a sense, since he is such an integral part of the growth and change happening right now. I lightly sanded all the brassiness with my 3M Sandblaster Pad and then wiped it down. I sprayed it with Clean Metal Primer by Rustoleum. After it was dry I sprayed it with some Oil Rubbed Bronze Metallic spray paint by Krylon.

I purchased a pine tabletop at Menards for $9.44.

In order to accommodate the threaded pipes I needed the tabletop to be drilled a bit so it would fit in place.

So I flipped it upside down and had my husband press it down so that it made an indention into the wood top. Since pine is a soft wood it worked pretty well.

Then I marked the spots and used a drill press to drill down into the table top. Then I placed the tabletop on top. Perfect fit!

I primed and painted the tabletop (Krylon’s Oil Rubbed Bronze) as well.
I wanted there to be a light still inside the table. So I asked my licensed electrician friend to show me how to use the parts I had to created a light fixture inside with an attached cord. After cutting some of the wire and removing the extra sockets. It went from this…

to this…

I measured the bottom harness and cut a circle out of a piece of scrap wood to fit perfectly inside.

Then I drilled a hole in the middle of the wood circle and added the light fixture securing it at the bottom with a nut.

Then I set my light into the harness and added 3 fifteen watt bulbs.

Then I put the white plexiglass in place and the top of the fixture.

Then I dabbed some Gorilla Glue onto the thread pipes and then pressed the wood tabletop in place. I weighted it down and let it dry.

And there it is… from church chandie to hub’s new end table.

And here it is plugged in…

Roadkill Rescue… success! Do you love trash to treasure projects? Well come check out all my Roadkill Rescues here.
Guess what?! I had another chandelier arm that I turned into something fabulous as well. Come check it out!

Thanks, girls, for having me and Happy 30th Birthday my friends! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aren't some people just so creative??!!! Thank you so much, Beckie, for stopping by our blog! We're hoping you leave a little more inspired today.

P.S. Don't forget to"like" us on Facebook for all the up-to-date details on our Mexico trip!

I am on a mission. A mission to make my house feel somewhat normal, organized and beautiful in the midst of our kitchen renovation. I am failing miserably, by the way, if you were curious about the state of my mission. But still, I'm plugging away. While my hubs has been working diligently on our kitchen in his very rare spare time, I have been busy trying to impart a bit of character into our entryway. Last time you saw it, it looked like this: 

I love the giant letter"J" that I found at Home Goods, but the whole vibe of the space was just feeling off and, I hate to say it, boring. As you know, I love neutrals and think they can be warm and welcoming and interesting all at the same time, but if they're not used well, they can be plain, old boring. I decided to add some interest to that wall with the"J", since it's the one staring you in the face when you walk in the front door. I tossed around a bunch of ideas like adding our names around the letter, making it a gallery wall, stenciling and so on, but I just kept coming back over and over again to stripes. So, stripes it is. Plus, last week I shared that I was starting a gallery wall of white frames on the wall leading into the kitchen. Obviously, I have lost my mind, and can't find my way out of the million projects that keep accumulating in my head. But that's another story for another time.

I started by gathering all the frames I had laying around the house (and ok, confession: there are several walls in my house that are naked now that I took the frames from them), and decided on a layout. There is no real trick to this, but if you need help getting started, check out these gallery wall layout templates.

Then grab the cutest guy you know, and get to work. I wanted to see my frames on the wall before I spray-painted them white. I actually lived with the arrangement for a few days before I did anything to make sure that it was exactly how I wanted it. Fixing a nail hole is super-easy, so I wasn't too concerned about the possibility of me not liking it and having to repair a bunch of holes. To each, his own, I always say. 

And just so you know: it's never too early to teach your kids how to DIY.

Time to spray-paint! (Between this gallery wall and our Nate Show projects, I think my nickname should now be Captain Spraypaints-Alot or Wonder-Painter, or Super-Sprayer. You get the idea.)

So do you want to see it? Here's my new, not-boring-in-my-humble-opinion entryway!

Ignore the wonky lighting and wierd shadows- I missed good sunlight hours today!

This is the view from the kitchen, and yes, you are getting a peek at my new stencil, which is currently my most favorite thing ever.

I got these cute, little prints for free at Sprik Space. They come in a bunch of great colors!
And I absolutely can't wait to show you what I have planned for that big space above the stairs (you know, the one that still houses my remaining Christmas decor. Just keepin' it real, folks.)

What's your opinion of neutrals? Love them or hate them?

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I hope you had the chance to check out Red Letter Word's gorgeous new Hymn Collection. If not, you really should! There's no better way to add meaningful art into your home.

I need this in my house ASAP. What a great reminder of what's really important.
Have an awesome day!

If you missed all the amazing projects of our first annual Creating with the Stars, be sure to check them out below!

Round 1 Projects & Winners Round 2 Projects & Winners Ro und 3 Projects & Winners Round 4 Projects & Winners -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sarah is back today with another awesome tutorial from the home decor project that won her the grand prize in Creating with the Stars. I love the way she built this headboard and broke it down for us- it makes any custom headboard within the realm of possibility! Plus, it looks unbelievable with that grasscloth and nailhead accent wall!

To complement the accent wall, we wanted to create a headboard that wouldn't compete yet wouldn't get lost against the nailhead and grasscloth.
We made a plan and gathered our supplies.
1/2" plywood (1 sheet cut to width of bed frame, ours was 62.5") 2x8" (x2) 1x8 (x2) 1x3 (x4) coral curtain panels from Target heat n' bond batting
I drew a few diagrams for the basic construction and dimensions of the headboard. See below for some the specifics on the upholstery. Measurements are for a queen bed frame. Note: make sure to measure your bed frame first, in case yours is different! You want to make sure that the frame will fit inside of the arms.

For the arms, we screwed a 1x8 and a 2x8 together, measured and drew the circle with a lid. We then followed the line with a jigsaw to cut it out (we did remove any screws that were in the way first!).

For the foam, we cut a 3" camping pad in half and attached to the plywood with spray adhesive.
Next we upholstered the back piece by wrapping in batting and then fabric. To make sure that the top was pulled evenly, we attached a thin strip of scrap wood and pulled tight. This made it much easier to get an even look!

Next, we cut the fabric to wrap around the entire arm, starting at the inner part of the arm, we put a few staples in (on the inside so it stays in place while you attach the arm), we cut little holes in the fabric at the pilot holes (where arms attach to the frame). We then installed the arms with heavy duty screws (we used cabinet anchors) and attached it to the 1x3 frame.
Then we finished upholstering! We pulled the fabric tight around the arm and stapled, leaving it loose at the top. We cut the angles, almost to the edge, but not close enough so that it frays to the side of the arm, pull tight and staple. It doesn't have to be pretty on the top because that will be covered next. We cut a band of fabric the total height of the arm (accounting for the bends) plus a few inches and the width (2.5") of the arm plus enough fabric to fold under (at least.5" on each side, so at least 3.5" total). We folded the raw edges under and pressed with a hot iron so that the edges were crisp and attached the band to the arm with no-sew adhesive (my preference is Heat n' Bond) and a hot iron, staple to secure the ends.
That's it!

I finished the bed off with a few DIY pillows. The euro pillow shams are made from a white table cloth and a scarf from World Market. Since the scarf was translucent, I doubled it up with the white table cloth. The throw pillows are white shams from Ikea, I then painted a border using painters tape and latex paint with fabric medium. The bolster pillow is a kitchen towel from World Market and the left over headboard fabric.

I love how the grasscloth slightly shimmers depending on the lighting.

The nightstand is from World Market, the sphere from TJ Maxx and I picked up little letters (to spell his and hers) from a local antique store. Books were wrapped in paper from the Paper Source.

Hydrangeas and Ranunculus are two of my favorite flowers!

This week was sponsored by Home Goods, and if you've read my blog, you probably know that I'm pretty obsessed with the Home Goods/TJ Maxx/Marshalls brand! I love the thrill of the hunt, designer names and the affordable prices!
I picked up a cute accent chair, fluffy white rug (my puppy love it too!) and the white sphere!

Finally, here's where we got everything!
Headboard: Fabric Coral drapery panel from Target (x2), Batting,

3" camping foam from Home Depot only $20!
Feature Wall: Grasscloth wallpaper,

Nailhead (we used about 2.25 boxes),

Trim- I found 2.5"wide synthetic trim from Home Depot on clearance for $4/8ft board
Accessories: Night stand (World Market — not on website), decorative sphere (TJ Maxx), His and Her letters (local antique shop), Throw pillow on chair, chair (TJ Maxx), lamp and lamp shade, duvet cover
I'm crazy about our new transformation and I hope you love it too!

We totally love it too! Well done, Sarah! We 're ready for you to make a trip to good ol' Bucks County to fix up our master bedrooms. Any time.: )

P.S Have you linked up yet?

When Jess and I saw this tiny galley kitchen, we knew we had to help! It's the kind of space that most people on a budget would call"hopeless" because it's really, really tiny and everything was dated. Thankfully, we really love a challenge, so we headed to Matt and Linda's to give them a colorful kitchen renovation for under $1200! To watch this full episode online, click HERE.

Matt and Linda are a great couple and this kitchen makeover meant a lot to them because they have a family of four using the kitchen, but also because Linda owns her own baking business out of their home.

She was the one responsible for all of the amazing desserts and decor at our premiere party. If you're local and in need of any desserts, you have to check her out. Frog Prince Cake & Cookie Design

Take a peek at these before pictures… does this look like a kitchen for a woman that spends a ton of a time cooking and baking?

Two things made the biggest difference in this space… Paint & Opening up the wall. Here's a rundown of all the changes we made to this space.

Painted Cabinets, Counters, & Appliances Paint is one of the least expensive and high impact things you can do to a space. We painted the cabinets a crisp, semi-gloss white and added new hardware. The counters were painted using a Rustoleum paint just for laminate. The appliances we coated with a stainless steel appliance spray paint. We'll give you the full rundown later this week. Flooring- The flooring project we did in this space could be one of my favorite DIYs of 2013 so far! I can't believe how amazing the effect was! We'll share all the details later this week on the blog, but who would have imagined that peel and stick vinyl tile could look this amazing!

Faux Subway Tile Renovating an entire kitchen for $1200 is tricky, so rather than installing subway tile we painted it! It took a LONG time, and I might have gotten a few grey hairs in the process, but it looked amazing in the end! (Full tutorial coming this week!)

Opening the Kitchen Wall This kitchen is tiny and we couldn't change the footprint, but we wanted it to feel bigger and less closed off from the rest of the house, so we removed the top half of the left wall. Instantly, the kitchen seemed twice the size!

Add Open Shelving Once the wall was down, we really didn't want to put the cabinets back up, because it would make the space seem closed off again. Instead, we purchased inexpensive Ikea floating shelves and displayed their dishes added lots of fun colorful accessories.

Create Additional Workspace We never like to waste anything, so rather than just getting rid of the cabinets we removed, we used them as base cabinets in the dining room. All we had to do was build a counter using inexpensive pine, and for almost no cost, we created a huge workspace and kept all of their storage!

Lighting and Window Mirror We added a fun pendant light and backed an old window with a mirror to add more light to the room. We love using old windows to decorate a space. This really helped make this tiny space feel larger!

DIY Bake Marquee Sign This was Linda's favorite project in the space. It was really simple to make, but added such a fun pop to the room! Jess will be back with the full tutorial later this week!

Fun Accessories Of course we added lots accessories to complete the space. We don't have a full source list, but most of the items were from Homegoods and Ikea! We really keep our eyes open for clearance and sale items!

This kitchen took a lot of hard work. All of the projects saved us big time budget-wise, but required some serious (wo)man hours. We were SO excited with how it turned out and actually, we were even more excited with how happy the homeowners were!

Our first Knock It Off kitchen renovation was a huge success and we can't wait to tackle another one! Kitchens are usually the most expensive rooms in a home, and to think we did an entire kitchen and dining room for about the cost some people spend just on countertops alone makes us pretty sure that Knocking It Off was the best route to go!!
Check back later this week for all of the tutorials! To watch this full episode online, click HERE.