I've never bought a rug. Ok, that's not completely true: I've bought a bath mat. Does that count? And sadly, I'm probably a long way from purchasing one, but that doesn't stop me from dreaming. Thank goodness that a lack of funds doesn't keep you from dreaming. Can I get an amen? In my dream kitchen, I would have a gorgeous rug in the"breakfast area". Let me remind you of the direction I'm heading in with my kitchen:
I'm on the lookout for a reasonably-priced rug that will bring in some light blue/aqua into the room with accessories and the rug. My first stop was RugsUSA. If you're not careful, you can get get swallowed up in an abyss of beautiful rugs and lose a few hours of your life, but thankfully, I came out alive with a few rugs I would love to have grace the floor of my kitchen.
Of course, this Morrocan Trellis Rug is out of stock. But so pretty, right?
This Keno Bold Floral Rug in Slate is my favorite of the whole bunch, and is 50% off right now! Only $120 for a 5x8 makes this beauty a great deal. It would look so fabulous in my kitchen because it sort of mimics the design of my stencil (the two would be across the room from each other, so the two patterns wouldn't conflict.) Love it.
It's pretty obvious that I love stripes. Combine that with a nautical navy color, and this Boardwalk Stripe Rug is right up my alley. It would take my kitchen in a bit of a different direction as far as color goes, but I just might want to do that! (Considering I change my mind every 30 seconds…:)
You probably have seen this rug before because it's a pretty popular Ikea rug called the Gislev Rug. Why is it so popular, you ask? It costs only $20 for a 6x4 rug! What?!! Besides being so affordable, our bloggy friend, Mandi, tweaked this rug with a little bit of paint and it looked amazing, so I'm pretty sure I could add some blue and it would be just right.
This Bogart Flat-Weave Wool Rug from Garnet Hill features a modern interpretation of the Moorish Tile pattern and comes in several glorious colors. And it's on sale too! Plus, this was one of Oprah's favs so you know it's pretty cool. Duh.
What about a DIY Rug? Jamie, from The Creative Imperative, sewed several Ikea table runners together to make one large rug for only $35! That's seriously tempting, people!
Painting plain rugs is pretty popular in blogland right now, but this Painted Rug by Hayley Anderson really caught my eye:
Again this rug is from Ikea, and you know I wouldn't use chevron (I've shared my feelings for chevron here), but the possibilities are endless if you're willing to tackle the project yourself. But isn't that the truth for everything?; )
Am I the only person who has never purchased a rug?
******************************* PS- Hey, this is Monica… I'm hacking into Jess' post. I need to throw out a plea for help. I need 2 BIG rugs. I have been looking for rugs larger than 10x12. My living and dining rooms have been waiting for rugs for eighteen months! So if you have any good, reasonably priced sources, let me know!!
Hopefully you got to see my Garage Mudroom Makeover. If you missed the reveal, you can check out the full post here.
Today I'm giving you the inside scoop on the fun rugs I made. I'll be sharing the other tutorials over the next few days.
I used the same Home Depot rugs that I used for my stenciled outdoor rug. Check out that post for all the details on where to buy them. They were under $20 each!
Instead of one big rug, I wanted two runners, so I folded it in half and cut it.
For the first runner, I decided I wanted some graphic arrows going in and out. I measured from the side, and used chalk marks to keep my lines straight.
Scotch Blue tape worked like a charm for really well sealed lines.
Once it was all taped off, I had to cover the rest of the rug. I had a pile of old circulars around, and they did the trick!
It was a tad windy, so the hubs helped by holding up a piece of foam core (we had used it as a target at Kira's Brave Party) so the spray paint wouldn't get all over the rug.
Because of the wind, some of the paper lifted and I had some bleeding. Thankfully, soap and water removed it all and I was left with crisp lines.
For the second rug, I was excited to use our new Silhouette Cameo. I wanted to write the word shoes nice and large so that my crazy kids just might happen to remember to put them away! So far it's working!
For this rug, I wanted to have the letters be negative space, so I taped off the area to be painted and then used spray adhesive to attach the letters to the rug.
I used the same method of covering up the rest of the rug so that I could spray paint it.
I was so excited to see how crisp the letters turned out!
I'm such a fan of graphic word art and these rugs make me excited every time I walk in the door.
What do you think? Will you be trying out some DIY Rugs anytime soon?
Ok, guys, we are in the last two weeks of competition with Creating with the Stars and to say that the contestants exceeded our expectations would be the understatement of the century. We have six competitors still fighting for a spot in the final 3 and no one is going down without a major fight. If you missed the first two weeks of projects, check them out below: Round 1 Projects & Winners Round 2 Projects & Winners
This week some amazing prizes are at stake. The semi-finals winner will take home… $500 Gift Card to Home Depot (Contestant & Blog Star!!) $100 worth of Martha Stewart supplies from Plaid Crafts $125 Gift Card to Lucent Lampworks Project featured by HomeTalk
Now, we know you're all dying to see what amazing projects our contestants have come up with this week with paint! Let's go! 1. Painted Couch Featuring a Handmade Horse Stamp
We have all seen these couches before in someone's grandma's house. This vintage couch is not the good kind of vintage, but I may have some of you convinced that this traditional style can be made more modern. I painted the couch white, carved out a horse, and stamped the living daylights out of it with black paint from Home Depot. Enjoy!
2. Painted Map Coffee Table Painting! I'm not going to lie, I was pretty stoked about this week… and amazed I made it here. Painting is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to transform almost anything. And my table was in need of some transforming- big time. I picked it up at a flea market type place for $40… peeling, chipping, splinters, dirt and all.
I sanded and scraped (forever) until no more paint chips fell off when you walked by. Then I gave the entire table a coat of latex paint from Home Depot (mixed with a little plaster to make chalk paint), leaving some of the peeling paint texture on the legs. After that was dry, I taped off a large"X" pattern on the smaller shelf and added a painted stripe detail to IKEA storage boxes for the bottom.
On the top, I made my own basic map stencil by cutting away the continents on a large world map I printed out. I stuck the map to the table with painter's tape, then painted over top with blues and greens. Once that was"roughed in", I removed the paper map and spattered the rest of the painted detail free hand using mostly a plastic spoon and really watered down paint. The last step was to give the entire table a coat of protective finishing wax.
I kind of think the end result is out of this world… hehe, get it?
3. Painted Desk and Accent Wall Using Custom Stencils
I love paint! It sets the mood of a space and has the power to completely transform a piece. I found this large bookcase at Goodwill and loved the detail on the doors, arch at the top, and the drop panel but didn't like choppy layout, worn finish, and heavy bottom. Luckily, all of my dislikes were easy to fix with a little paint and reconfiguration of the layout.
With a little help from the Home Depot, I was well on my way to getting started. Thanks Chris!
Fix #1 — I moved the drop panel down to 30" so that it can now be used as a secretary desk. Goodbye choppy bookcase, hello new desk! Fix #2- Paint! The finish was worn and it had a few areas that needed to be filled with wood filler so painting was the perfect solution! I chose a classic ivory and paired it with a deep turquoise stenciled background. I created the stencil based on one of my favorite Farrow and Ball wallpapers. Fix #3-the thick base and doors made this piece look bottom heavy. To fix this, I added small feet to lift it off the ground and create a little visual space at the base. I also created a large stencil based on one of my favorite rugs. The large scale and contrast provides a lot of visual impact and adds variety from the small scale stencil used on the back.
With the help of paint and a few power tools, this bookcase has been given a new life and I love the way it looks in my new space! 4. Painted Chalkboard with Map and Games This week's theme was my favorite so far…I love the many many ways that paint can be used to make an instant change and impact on a space or an object. I also love chalkboard paint. This week's project is dedicated to my kiddos who surprise, surprise…love to get that their craft on too!; )
In designing the chalkboard wall, we decided to have a map of the U.S.A…I love the way it looks and it will be fun to track the different states we go to as a family. After coloring in the states my kids have been to, they commented"well that's not very many", so I let them each choose a state they would like to go to someday…which explains why Hawaii and Alaska are colored.: ) Lately my oldest child has loved playing tic-tac-toe, so I thought a large, interactive wall version would be super-fun! I also included many"frames" for the kiddos to draw their masterpieces in. I picked the step-stools up at IKEA and painted them in fun colors, and the animal hooks holding our chalk and erasers came from Anthropologie. It was a blast picking out all the fun paint colors at Home Depot! Because I was using so many colors and didn't need a gallon of each color…Home Depot made my day when they told me that they can mix any color in a small, 7.5 oz jar…perfect!!!
And after a super-busy week painting…I'll go to bed tonight and dream about being on a beach in…
;)
5. Aztec Wonder Painted Rug I have been in love with the Aztec inspired rugs that I have been seeing in catalogs and online lately. The drool kind of love. But alas, rugs can be expensive. They are not something I can change an a whim. So, when the paint round came about I decided that it was time for me to get my hands on my latest crush and do it in a budget-friendly way. In DIY style, of course.
Isn’t she beautiful?! This rug was a labor of love. And a lot and lot of sponges cut into stamps…applied one by one. Fabulous colors, a gentle application of paint from Home Depot, and lots of patience made this rug come together into something lovely.
My rug is more then happy living with me. And, I am so pleased to have my own version of this latest craze. And… you know what? I’m glad we’ve moved on from Chevron to Aztec. I’ve got my Aztec rug and I’m ready to go!
6. Painted Wall Mural and Dresser I have a thing for maps right now — doesn't everyone? So, when it came time for the"paint" challenge, I was pretty excited to hop right in and paint a giant world map on my wall. Because who doesn't need one of those?!
I used a projector to hand-paint the whole thing, and then for a bit of contrast (and fun!) I added an old Ikea sideboard we had laying around that I painted Sunny Side Up by Behr from Home Depot. For a couple more little touches, I added bicycle drawer pulls (because, why not?) and numbers to the door fronts — you can barely see them from straight on, but if you look at it from a different angle, they suddenly show up. It's a subtle touch, but I didn't want anything to compete with the map above it!
I love how the black and yellow work together, and I'm pretty excited to finally achieve my dream of covering a wall with the entire world. And, really, I find it hard to believe that this bright and sunny sideboard was once a plain, boring black Ikea piece — don't you love how big of a transformation paint can make?!
It's time to vote! You guys have a ridiculously hard job- we don't envy you a bit! You can only vote one time, but you can vote for your favorite 3 projects. **The voting glitch for Round 3 has been corrected and voting will be adjusted accordingly. Thanks! In order to vote, please LIKE EC2 on Facebook.
It's been a while since I first posted about never having bought a rug and daydreaming about what I'd buy if I could. Since then, I DIYed two floor mats and made my first big rug purchase. I feel like rugs are a really big commitment, and I have trouble taking that first step knowing that next year, I'll probably change my mind and hate the rug, but I have to keep it anyway because it was so expensive. Is that true for anybody else? Well, I found the perfect solution: a really cool rug for under $100. That's a commitment I can -and did- make. Let's take a look, shall we? (Warning: This is a picture-heavy post!: )
I'm so super excited about this rug because it adds so much personality to my otherwise pretty white and neutral kitchen. I love the pattern and that it isn't too overwhelming, but still makes a statement. After seeing the same rug in a different color on Young House Love, I got it from Urban Outfitters for $89 plus free shipping.
It is not a cushy rug at all, and will probably need a rug pad, but I'm going to live with it a few days before making any decisions. You know, because I'm cheap like that.
I was so anxious to get it in the kitchen and snap pictures to show you guys, that I didn't even let the seams settle at all. Oops!
I'm pretty happy with the way the navy color-blocked drapes play off the green in the rug. The room still feels sophisticated, but also a little bit playful. (Which, by the way, I would love to be described that way!)
I'm still on the lookout for a round pedestal table and chairs, but haven't had any luck. My original plan was to thrift a table and chairs, but I actually just saw that Ikea has a white round table exactly like I want for just over $100. I may have to resort to that if I don't come across a table I can DIY soon.
Ooooh, I'm so thrilled. My first rug purchase made me a happy girl. What do you think of the rug? Did you know Urban Outfitters sold rugs?
M y lovely friend Joan ( For the Love of a House ) asked me where we hung all of our clothes and I realized that I never updated our 'after' photos for the walk-in closet. Go here to see the before pictures. The above vanity is another piece from my Grandmother's house. It goes with the two Empire dressers in our bedroom. Growing up, I remember exploring my Grandmother's dressing room and finding hair pins and makeup inside the drawers. Now I keep my things there, and often as I slide open one of the drawers, I can feel my heart flutter.
The finish on top actually sustained a little damage (perhaps a perfume bottle or two tipped over through the years), but I used my trusty Kramer's polish and once again, it worked wonders.
In order to enjoy the view outside the window, I placed a small mirror off to the side. The original oval mirror that belongs with the vanity is quite large, so we've used it in our entry instead. It had actually broken off the piece at my Grandmother's house during one of the California earthquakes.
We created a 'his' and 'hers' closet. My side is to the right, and Hubby's is to the left. We did a lot of research on what our options would be to hang clothes, and the most economical and functional option was the plastic covered wire shelves that can be custom fit to a space (available at Home Depot). It wasn't exactly what I had in mind (I was thinking lovely built in wood rods with crown moulding....) but it was easy and affordable. To save on costs, I used two 4x6 jute rugs instead of having a rug custom made to fit the closet. The jute rugs are the same style that I used in the bedroom.
I bought two as-big-as-they-could-be his and her dressers to store ample amounts of clothes in. I ordered these new from our local furniture store as I wanted dressers that were oversized and had big drawers that extended fully and easily. The only thing that doesn't fit in our closet are my dresses and Hubby's suits. They're stored in the downstairs guest room closet which works fine for us since we don't have many occasions that warrant dresses and suits. Although I announce jokingly, "this is where the magic happens...." whenever I show friends our closet (neither of us our fashionistas ), Hubby actually gets lots of compliments regarding his wardrobe. In fact, there's a coworker who often remarks that Hubby is one of the best dressed people he knows. Just to put this into context, Hubby is a Water Resources Engineer who works with fish biologists and geomorphologists. Hubby feels somewhat mortified by being identified as a good dresser. His 'wardrobe' is in response to my first few years of struggling to find clothes that fit his six foot four frame (this was a solo effort as Hubby doesn't go clothes shopping). Then one day, my Mother (yes, the mortification increases at this point) discovered the large/tall line at Eddie Bauer and my problems were solved. Hubby is in fact, such a perfect large/tall that I'm sure Mr. Eddie Bauer must have snuck in and measured Hubby himself.
The bench is the latest addition to the closet. I was going to reupholster the Eastlake chair I posted about, but it made the space feel too crowded. I found the bench for $30, and then reupholstered it with the bird toile fabric. My little upholstery project has confirmed, without a doubt, that I have a serious craft impairment. Thankfully, the edges are not visible unless the bench is turned upside down. We have four reproduction wall sconces in our closet (you can see them in an above photo). There are two at each end of the closet, illuminating the room quite nicely. We found the sconces at Rejuvenation.
Here's a photo with the closet lights on. They make the room really bright!
I am loving these Moroccan rugs from J. H. Minassian. I love their colorless-ness. Did I just invent that word? Here are a couple in rooms featured in Elle Decor:
You might remember that last spring I gave my front porch a face lift. I love the door, the planters, the numbers… I love it all! BUT… no one ever comes through the front door. We're those laid back friends where you can just swing by unannounced and you'd never dream of coming through the front door- and that's how we like it.
However, what we didn't love was the hideous garage entryway that we were making our poor friends and loved ones endure…
In my defense, we have a Bernese Mountain Dog that gets MUDDY in the spring, but still, it was nasty! We also had a bit of a shoe issue… Basically our kids never put them away! Grr! My hubs was going away for a few days and I decided that a garage makeover would be a perfect birthday present- he was coming home on his actual 30th birthday. In 48 hours that tested me as a DIYer and a single mom, I managed to get the reveal done in time!
Isn't that SO.MUCH. BETTER? I love that it actually reflects what you're going to see when you get inside our home (not just a mud pit) and the hubs loves that the shoe issue is taken care of! Here's what I did…
I'll be completely honest here for a second too… the shoe bins actually work! Only once or twice have I had to remind my oldest (of course it would be the oldest) to put her shoes away. It's so practical and awesome!
I'm calling this a REAL LIFE Garage Mudroom Makeover because I was not going to go all out and spend hundreds of dollars on a garage- it's a Garage! I love some of the pictures I see in magazines and on Pinterest where every little detail is exactly perfect and pristine, but news flash… I don't live in a magazine… My 4 kids are messy, my garage is usually housing a DIY project, and is being spray painted in all the time. I wanted a makeover that looked good, but was realistic and not fancy just for the sake of blogging it. Here's an example… I could have painted the garage floor and it would have looked much cleaner, but really- spend time painting a floor that will get dirty or have fun with my kids? I went with the kids and I'm happy about it. So, I hope this inspires you to be willing to try a project- it doesn't always have to look Pottery Barn perfect. Okay, off my soap box… Here are some more fun elements…
The rest of this week, I'll be sharing the tutorials for all the projects in the room. Lockers, Custom Rugs, Foot Artwork, and more! In the meantime, I have one final detail to finish… I am going to add some vinyl words to the door. We have a no knocking policy in our house. Honestly, there's one of Kaden's sweet little friends that always knocks when his family comes over and I give him such a hard time! (Matt, if you're reading this- no more knocking!) So, what I want to put on the door is something about friends and family not knocking, but I can't come up with a good way to say it. Can you help a girl out?
Leave me a comment if you have any ideas! I always get so inspired by all of you! What do you think of my Real Life Garage Makeover?Stay tuned tomorrow for tutorials! Linking to:
We usually share bits and pieces of our homes here on the blog, but we're going to try and do more full room tours as we get rooms"finished up" (are rooms ever finished?) First up for me… My foyer. Now, I should explain that no one ever comes in our front door. It's kind of sad since the front door is so cute now. (Take a peek at the door here.)
I think you've seen this part of the foyer before. Chair. Accent Table. Gallery Wall. Wallpaper.
I love this little vignette. The chair was thrifted, the table is IKEA, the bird is from Michael's and spray painted yellow, the red frame has the chair material in it, and the lamp's from Homegoods and is actually broken as of 3pm today. (Ugh) The chair needs a mini black pillow with a & symbol on it… Hopefully coming soon!
Darn that I didn't dust before taking these pictures. The poor bird is in a sea of dust!
Ready to see my NEW FAVORITE THING?? Introducing… My Big Foot Rug!
If you follow us on Facebook (which I definitely think you should) you got a little sneak peek of this rug. It's from Overstock.com and you can see it here. Now, I know the size is a wee bit weird, but honestly the space is weird. Square and Circle rugs are muy muy expensive! (Didn't know I was bilingual did ya?) I saw this big foot and laughed right out loud. I knew it was meant to be. Oh, and did you notice… the door is charcoal? The Ombre Door Disaster is fixed. Did you miss that catastrophe? You've gotta check it out here.
I need to buy a non-slip pad because it's sliding all over the place! Here's the view from the living room into the foyer
Here's the opposite view, from the stairs. The Moroccan-ish mirror is from Target.
I'm a dork, and was attempting to do a funny, Miss America wave, but you can't get the full effect in a picture, so I went to a peace sign, but I'm not that kinda girl, BUT I am the mom of a 7yr old, so I know that Bunny Ears are one of the funniest things to do in a picture, or so Kade insists. Are you laughing yet? See, Bunny Ears… they work like a charm.
One of the cool things in our house is the foyer ceiling and light. It's a double trey ceiling, which the builder loved, but to us just meant lots of wasted money on molding, although, truth be told, now I do love how it looks. (note to self: replace one bulb)
Now here's my true motive for showing you the foyer from all angles… I need help. Shocker Right? I want to do something above the door. I see it from the kitchen, I see it every time I go upstairs, I see it all the time. So tell me, what you would do?
Don't be swayed, but here's what I'm kind of fixated on. I can't even explain why, but when I look at the door it's actually what I always envision. I'm thinking of using my mini-projector and painting the word HELLO in really large, graphic letters. I have been trying to talk myself out of it, but I think I'm sold. If you have other ideas, please share em!
So that's my foyer. A tad quirky, really dusty, and 99% finished. Let me know what you think and then help a girl out with your ideas!
Yesterday we shared 25 awesome upcycle projects and Ikea hacks, but we wanted to give you some of the juicy details for a couple of the projects we actually tackled during our crazy Women's Night Out White Box Challenge.
Wall Paint Colors First, the paint colors. Everyone always ask us what colors we use and we never remember to share! Well, this is going to change! We're even going to try to get our acts together and post our color palettes for each of our Knock it Off episodes. One of these days!! Anyway, our bland room started off with Oxford Tan (from Lowes) walls, lightened by 25%. In our 30 minute intermission, the top portion quickly got covered in Classic Teal, which is a gorgeous, rich blue. I wouldn't be surprised if you saw us use that color again- loved it!
Furniture Paint Colors The dresser got decked out in four different colors, which really added a lot of interest. We are in love with the color-blocking trend and were excited to give it a go with these inexpensive Rast dressers from Ikea. We used Tuxedo Tie on the frame, English Tea Party on the bottom drawers, Mountain Smoke on the middle drawers and Bamboo Leaves on the top drawers (all from Lowes). Such fun colors that matched our fabrics perfectly! We definitely would have liked to build a base for our new buffet so that it would sit higher, but unfortunately, we ran out of time. So, take note if you're planning on giving this upcycle a try.: )
We shared a whole bunch of fun ideas for painted rugs, but this one that Monica did last summer is definitely our favorite: quick, easy and cute! Check out her Stenciled Outdoor Rug for the step by step deets!
This tufted Lack table turned ottoman was a big hit with the ladies during our event and it's a super simple upholstery project that any one can handle.
This past spring, I made this Ikea Lack Ottoman using the same method as above. The only difference is that we added tufting to the one we made during the White Box Challenge. It looks so good I might just have to add some to mine! Here's the cheater way to add tufts: 1. Follow steps for upholstering the table. 2. Mark where you want to place your tufts. 3. Use a button-making kit to create some cute buttons using your fabric, or buy pre-bought buttons to use. 4. Using a staple gun, shoot a 3/4 inch staple through the fabric, batting and foam on the mark you made. This creates the tuft, without having to drill through the table and bringing sewing into the equation. 5. Hot glue your buttons in place. That's it!!
We love the way this nail head trim dressed up our plain, old white chair. They were so simple to attach and took this chair to a whole new level!
In fact, it wasn't our first time using nail head detailing- we upholstered a chair and added nail heads for one of our Nate Show episodes!
Finally, this upcycled art was definitely the fan favorite of the night. You wouldn't believe how easy it was to do and what an awesome impact it makes.
If you want to know how to make your own, Monica took this old piece of art and made a completely custom canvas for her powder room using a stencil, spray paint and her silhouette machine.
Phew! I think we touched on everything, but if you were at the event and still have questions, leave us a comment! There aren't many things that are as gratifying and budget-friendly as upcycyling. I'm serious, people. Go give it a try!
Hey all! Since we're already three-quarters of the way through 2012, we thought it would be really fun to look back at our most popular posts so far this year. We have so many projects up our sleeves for this upcoming Fall and Winter, but it's encouraging to know that we've already accomplished so much in our homes in the last nine months! One of the biggest changes in Jessica's living room was her labor-of-love fireplace makeover using a honeycomb stencil from Royal Design Studio.
Another big statement piece that got rave reviews was the Gigantic Framed Photo we created for under $20. Seriously, this project was super easy and is a show-stopper!
Outside, Jess added some much-needed curb appeal to her house by painting her shutters and front door a happy blue, and Monica's front door facelift and tiered planters finally have the outside of her house reflecting her style.
Jess' kitchen was a major priority the past few months. She knocked down a wall, added a gorgeous wall stencil and painted the cabinets during her Kitchen Renovation.
And Monica made an impromptu decision to add a bold Chevron Accent Wall in hers…
We both went nuts with DIY rugs and saved ourselves a bundle in the process!
Stenciled Outdoor Rug
DIY Fabric Floorcloth
Monica showed how she's not afraid to design it how she likes it and added some serious personality to her foyer.
Monica's Foyer Tour
We were pretty thrilled that together we were able to pull off a surprise garage mudroom makeover!
Garage Mudroom Makeover
You know we like to keep it real here, and Monica kept it really real with her now-you-know-way more-than-you-want-to-about-her-love-life Game of Love.
Game of Love Tutorial
And finally, we're getting ready to share some awesome pumpkin ideas for 2012, but if you're itching to get started with your Fall decorations, check out our fab pumpkins from last year!
Thanks for hanging out with us so far this year! We have SO much more in store, and can't wait to share it all with you.: ) And don't forget that Monica is in the running to be the New Face of Proctor & Gamble Home! Please head over and vote for her. You can vote once a day, now through October 3rd. We know voting things can be a pain, but this one is simple and man, winning would Rock our World! So thanks so much! Want more EC2? Use the icons below to follow us!
Our basement laundry room moonlights as extra storage for odds and ends.
Before the contractors showed up for the second half of the house renovation (when porch, dormer and dining room were added), I came upon the above cabinet on one of my excursions into the city. I mention this because despite being in construction mode, I couldn't maintain the will power to abstain from decorating-mode. I thought the old country cabinet would be perfect for the laundry room as it would add some nice old-fashioned character as well as provide some extra storage for my collections of transfer ware, flower vases and all our extra Martha Stewart white ware pieces (our everyday dishes).
I like having something that is enclosed so that dust is kept to a minimum and there are no critters lurking about when I need to retrieve something....this includes the ocassional field mouse, lizard, frog, salamander or eek, spiders....all of which have been sighted at one time or another. But really, it's the spiders, as I am one of those people who abhor spiders, yet can't bare to hurt them.
The cabinet also provides extra drawer space for items I don't use frequently.
At some point, we'll completely enclose the laundry room from the rest of the basement and perhaps add some heat so that doing laundry this time of year doesn't require wearing a hat or gloves. We also need to fix some parts of the old drop ceiling as it was disturbed when the electricians and the plumbers swept through with their updates. To give the laundry room a more comfortable cozy look, I got a nice chunky jute rug for the floor. It was also a really cheap option I found at Home Goods — only $30. For its size, I thought it was a lot more charming than the synthetic rugs you get at Home Depot or Lowe's. xoTrina
If you read home blogs at all, you will not be able to avoid the very popular trend of using chevron in decorating. What is chevron, you ask? Chevron is a zig-zag line pattern, sort of like a simplified herringbone. It is absolutely popping up everywhere- from curtains to rugs, to desktops and backspashes! It's a very bold choice and makes a big statement in design.
modern dining room design by other metros media and blogs Made By Girl
traditional kitchen design by dc metro interior designer Paula Grace Designs, Inc. Notice the chevron pattern in the backsplash?
eclectic dining room design by atlanta architect Blount Architectual and Interior Design
Even my absolute favorite home decor store, Pottery Barn, has jumped on the chevron bandwagon!
DIY Chevron Art
I, for one (and I may be the ONLY one), am not a fan of chevron. {Gulp} I confess that you will not find many geometric, modern patterns in my home. Mostly you'll see paisley or stripes- a little bit more classic in my humble opinion. But if you are digging the chevron, there is no shortage of DIY projects out there in blogland!
What's your opinion? Are you a Chevron Lover or Hater like me?
If you missed it, last week we had the chance to complete a 30 minute White Box Challenge in front of 450 women! It was so much fun and pushed our DIY skills to the max- 30 mins feels like 2 seconds when you're working on an entire space! Here's the before and after- to see the full post about the challenge, click HERE.
Throughout the evening, we upcycled and hacked our way to a completed room, but there are so many other great ideas for these inexpensive pieces, that we just had to share! So get ready for… 25+ Upcycles and Ikea hacks!
First up… the Ikea LACK side table. The Lack table is a DIYers dream because the options are endless!
Here are 3 of our favs… (Click on the number to see each full post from the source) 1…2…3…
At the event, we turned ours into a tufted ottoman! (Tutorial coming later this week!)
We LOVE the Ikea Rast dresser because it's under 40 bucks!
How fabulous are these hacks? 1…2…3…
We combined two Rast dressers, added new hardware, some metal detailing and had ourselves an awesome buffet!
Here's a generic accent chair. Ikea has lots of different styles, but left alone, they're pretty plain…
These chairs went from drab to fab with a little DIYing. 1…2…3…
We paint dipped the legs a bold orange and added gold nail heads to add a punch of style!
Rugs can be expensive! One of our favorite places to get them cheaply is RugsUSA.com, but another way is to buy a cheap outdoor rug and paint it yourself! This one was $19.99 at Home Depot!
It's amazing what a little paint can do! 1…2…3…
We added wide stripes to our rug for the white box, but in our hurry to get the room done, I may or may not have walked across the wet paint! Oops! No pics for you!
Okay, isn't this creepy art awesome?? Well, you might not have something this creepo, but you can score great art at thrift stores or upcycle a piece you already own!
Each of these projects use paint to tone down the"creepy art" factor! 1…2…3…
Here's what we did with our blah artwork…
Target and Walmart sell book shelves so inexpensively! The problem… they look inexpensive!
How about these ideas for fancying up your shelves? We love every hack Kate from Centsational Girl has ever done! 1…2…3…
Almost everyone has a dated lamp around the house- and if you don't you can get one any Saturday at a local yard sale!
Here are three fun ways to spruce up those dated lamps. 1…2…3…
For ours, we replaced the shade, added some ribbon, and spray painted the base.
Pictures of family and friends are awesome, but here are some outside the box ideas for your extra frames!
I'm a huge fan of what Lindsay did with her open frames! 1…2…3…
And what would a post on upcycles be without mentioning pallets? 2012 and 2013 were the years of the pallets!!
Here's a variety of ideas from walls, to plants… 1…2…3…
We used a pallet to make a simple shelf- unfortunately, we didn't bring any mags, so in 30 minutes… scrap paper and Bibles it was! lol!
So that should leave you on Upcycle and Hack overload!! Have you ever DIYed any of these items before? Do tell!!
I've been enjoying this fantasy that we've just bought our house and everything is just as it is now....crisp, clean and ready to decorate! In this fantasy world, it is as if the era of pea green carpeting and faux wood paneling never existed... So my fantasy goes like this....Hubby and I pull up to a lovely country house that's in our price range! Wow, huh? We're instantly in love as we can see that the house has been well-taken care of. We walk up to the front door and as I step in, I begin to glide through the each room seeing nothing I don't like. When I make my way to the living room, my eyes light up and as I turn, Hubby takes me in his arms (suddenly I have my wedding dress on) and we begin to dance, giddy with laughter as we know that we have finally found exactly what we're looking for in our new home. We pause only for a moment, with bright beaming smiles, and say to our realtor without any doubt or hesitation, "we'll take it!" Nothing in this fantasy had anything to do with what really happened, especially the part about the doubt and hesitation. But I'm enjoying every minuteof my fantasy as I stare into this empty room, dreaming of how I'm going to decorate! It feels like such a luxury! So let me take you through the room...
This is the perspective you get when coming from the kitchen. The french door next to the picture window will eventually take you to a balcony, which we'll build this spring. The original 'deck' was torn down when they put in the new Marvin windows. The door you see through the entryway, goes to the wraparound porch....this is our formal entry into the house.
This is looking towards the fireplace from a corner that no one will ever stand in, but I thought I'd give every perspective. Entry is where the hall tree stands.
If I pan left a bit more, you'll see the coat closet to the left and to the left of that, the hallway where the den, guest bedroom and downstairs bathroom are located. So this is what I've come up with so far...
....the main layout. The couch will face the fireplace and the two chairs will flank each side of the fireplace. I love the coziness that this layout will offer and I know that there will be many hours spent snuggled in front of the fire.
Here's the new couch we've ordered....accompanied by two of the above chair! We went with a couch with more modern lines to contrast a little with the more traditional lines of the coffee table. The coffee table (you can see here ) is an antique pedestal with rounded feet and oval top, which will compliment the round lines in the chair.
Here are the fabrics we chose....the sofa fabric is a beautiful velvet (so luxurious) and the chair fabric, which goes really well with the tarragon velvet, is linen- esque (the photo doesn't really show the chair fabric very well). And due to the furniture store's amazing sale — I made sure that I picked out the highest grade of fabric — of course I did! I've also been considering a tall narrow table to put behind the couch. I'd put two table lamps on each end to illuminate the room. I was thinking of something a little modern, made of mostly glass so that it doesn't feel too heavy. I think this would be the best option as end tables wouldn't work well with the tuxedo-style (high arms) couch. Also, we'll order a 9x12 natural fiber rug, perhaps this one from Pottery Barn, to go in front of fireplace. All the furniture fits on the 9x12 size. I'll accent the rest of the room with antique rugs I already have.
I'll put an antique rug in front of the french door. This door will eventually lead to a balcony. There's about a seven foot drop outside the door right now. The balcony will have wide center stairs going down into the yard. It will be big enough to put a couple of rocking chairs or a small table and chairs for an extra place to eat or drink.
Our existing dining cabinet, that I'll be stealing from our dining room (photo below), will be relocated to the above wall. Instead of holding dining odds and ends, it will be transformed into a secretary that will be a place for beloved books, unframed art, special momentos, etc. I'll be stealing this cabinet from the dining room because we've decided to add two more windows on the wall where the cabinet is now. But I'll go into the dining room plans later. Here's the cabinet we'll be stealing for the living room. Hopefully, someday I'll find a narrower dining cabinet to replace it.
On that small wall to the right of the kitchen entry, I've been considering a temporary bookshelf. Lauren at Pure Style Home inspired me when she put one in her house, on a similar sized wall, and it looks fabulous — like everything else she does. And I say 'temporary' because as you can see in the next photo, I have plans for Hubby (wink, wink Hubby), to build a built-in bookcase (love the look of those — I have a gazillion inspiration photos of them) on that huge wall.
We're waiting to begin this project until after we get rid of that floor furnace. It's the one 'functional' thing in the house we have yet to figure out. But whatever we decide to do, that floor furnace grate will eventually go....and hello bookcase. ; ) So odds and ends still left to find are: some sconces for above the mantle (any suggestions?), a 9x12 natural fiber rug, perhaps a white bookcase, a tall modern table and... Any other inspiring ideas? I would love your feedback! Just love it! *Also, I've made another friend over atHigh Street Market.... Kelly has the most amazing Etsy shop with so many beautiful treasures. I was eyeing the pair of marble table lamps, an antique oval mirror and a lovely pewter pitcher....and it's all so reasonably priced! How fun is that!
The most important part of my Garage Mudroom Makeover was definitely the DIY Lockers. Honestly, even when our home was being built, and all we had were studs, I was envisioning a mudroom with lockers. My hubs thought I was certifiably insane!
I was pretty patient (especially for me!) and waited almost two years after moving in to create my garage mudroom.
Just as a reminder here's the before and after…
I surfed Pinterest for some inspiration, and then turned to the guru of all things woodworking… Ana White. We had the awesome opportunity to meet Ana at Haven and she was so down to earth and man can she rock out a pair of heels and a power tool like no one else!
The plans on her site are called Smiling Mudroom and they were really simple to follow.
I definitely made some changes to fit our garage and our needs. 1- I'm never a fan of anything scrolly, so I made the dividers straight. 2- I knew I wanted to add the foot artwork above the lockers, so I didn't add the top cubbies because I thought it would get a little busy. 3- I made four lockers, because well, I have four kiddos. 4- I added lots of extra wooden supports to the backside because my kids are crazy and because even I doubt the quality of my own woodworking skills. Since Ana has all the step-by-step directions, I'm just going to fill you in on a few things I learned along the way. The very first steps were the trickiest for me. I was working alone, so it was hard to get the pieces lined up and nailed in with only two hands. A nail gun would have been SO helpful. I'd highly recommend using one if you tackle this project.
Thankfully Jess came over to lend a hand and one of my husband's buddies came by to see the progress and we totally put him to work as well!
I had this wood leftover and used it as additional support on the backside. It made the piece so much sturdier.
Have you used a Kreg Jig yet? I used the Kreg Jig Junior for this project and it worked so well. You use it to make pocket holes and it's a piece of cake. If you're planning any DIY woodworking projects, I'd recommend a Kreg Jig as one of your first purchases.
One thing I learned to love during this project was trim. It makes a rookie's work look all fancy-pants professional. Before trim…
After trim…Booyah!
Here's a little tip that I figured out after making a few bad cuts when I was just trying to use a tape measure to get the length right.
If you're planning a garage mudroom, make sure you check out the edge of your walls. I overlooked the concrete lip and had to go back and notch out each base piece.
I gave it a quick sanding… AKA I sanded for about 30 seconds before thinking, This is for the birds! Let's get painting! Since I used a VERY cheap plywood it sucked the paint up and actually gave it more of a stained look, which I fell in love with.
I added some hooks to the back wall for backpacks, coats etc. I didn't have studs centered for each one, so I had to use mollys (wall anchors). I picked up the grey bins at Walmart for $3.00 each (they still have them- I checked this weekend)
The locker project was so simple and if my husband and I had worked on it together, we could have whipped it together in about an hour. I was honestly surprised at how easy it was because of Ana's plans.
To check out the Before and After post click HEREFor the Painted Rugs post click HEREFor the Foot Artwork post click HERE Tell me, do you have a mudroom type place in your home? If so, do you feel like it's functional? If not, would you want to build one somewhere? And don't forget that we're in the running to be the New Face of Proctor & Gamble Home! Please head over and vote for Monica. You can vote once a day, now through October 3rd. We SO APPRECIATE you taking the time to vote each day!
C reating a healthy home has been a priority of ours since we began our renovations five years ago. Our motivation was due, in part, to the fact that this was a home in which we hoped to raise children. So naturally, creating the healthiest nursery possible was also main priority for us. It motivated all of our choices, from furniture and wall treatments, down to the rug. These are the choices we made:
The Cribs: We chose the Da Vinci Jenny Lind crib because it is made with wood harvested from sustainably-managed forests. It's also lead and phthalate free, and stained in a non-toxic finish. Also, the teething rail is BPA free. The Crib Mattresses: We chose Naturepedic organic mattresses. They offer a non-toxic waterproof surface that includes 100% food-grade polyethylene. They are also hypoallergenic, filled with organic cotton filling. The Crib Sheets: We chose 100% organic cotton crib sheets.
The Armoire: It was important to us to not purchase any furniture for the nursery that was made with manufactured wood, that may contain glues, adhesives or other compounds which may off-gas over time. Antique furniture provides this safeguard, as well as the opportunity to recycle beautifully-crafted pieces made long ago.
Mike created shelves for the armoire using solid tongue and groove pine floor planks. My Mom then covered them in 100% cotton fabric.
Nursing Chair: We selected the IKEA Jenny Lund slipcovered arm chair for nursing. I was really nervous about bringing a new chair into our nursery, as most new furniture is constructed with manufactured woods that may off-gas. So, I was happy to learn that IKEA strictly procures wood from sustainably-managed forests, and their pressed wood products comply with low formaldehyde standards. The Rug: We narrowed down our rug choices quite fast in knowing that we would only buy something that was made with natural fibers (with no rubber or plastic backing). We initially looked for 100% wool rugs, but ended up ordering a 100% jute braided rug for its style and shape. It's also reversible, so it should stand the test of time.
Wall Treatments: Like the rest of our house, the nursery was painted using Benjamin Moore's no-VOC line. Everything from the ceiling and the mouldings, to the doors and walls, were painted with the color Simply White in either flat or semi-gloss finishes. Choosing white for the plaster walls was a natural choice for me as it was the color of my childhood room, from birth until I left for college. White also has the added benefit of having less pigment added to the mix (pigments most often contain VOCs). I did just recently learn however that Benjamin Moore is one of the very few lines that uses VOC-free pigments. Thus their VOC-free line truly is VOC-free, no matter what color one chooses.
When Mike created the paneled wainscoting, he used solid wood mouldings, assembled and secured in place with a finish nail gun instead of glue.
The Closet: To create extra storage, we relocated the antique dresser from the guest house. We preferred using the dresser for the same reason that we chose the antique armoire. Also in the closet are the toys and books in waiting....until the babies are older. Purchasing two cribs, two mattresses, two car seats, clothing, diapers, etc.... added up as you can imagine. So we focused our budget on the things we knew we would need from birth through the first several months. Any toys and books we have were ours from childhood, or were given to us by family and friends. When we do start buying toys, we will focus on brands that offer phthalate-, BPA- and lead-free products.
Baby clothes: We have been very lucky in that we have received lovely hand-me downs from my friend Karen, and my brother Steven and his wife Marna, who have a son and two sweet daughters. The above knit sweater was my adorable nephew's.
This sweet outfit is a combination of a hand-me down (the white cotton onesie) from my niece and a purchase from a baby consignment store (the 100% organic cotton jumper with pink velvet piping). I've found consignment stores to be a wonderful resource for beautiful clothing, often hardly worn, at much lower prices than retail (organic knit jumper was $11). I hope that everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday! I managed to stay on my feet long enough to make the pie crust... I spent the rest of the day on the couch nodding off and listening to the bustle of kitchen activity made by my mom and Mike. Happy Holiday Season to everyone! xo
