One Room Challenge, Fall 2016 - The Big Reveal!
Now on to the reason why everyone is here - the Before and After!
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| Our Mess |
I love the look of the drapes behind the bed. It creates a layer of coziness and warmth in a room full of hard surfaces and no natural charm. It also gives the impression of a wall of windows, so it's not quite as obvious to our guests that we are sticking them in our dungeon. ;)
In addition to the lamps placed around the room, we installed this plug-in sconce on the wall right next to the door. Now you can turn on a light the second you walk in the room, as opposed to walking across a dark room to turn on the lamp on the nightstand, the only option previously for lighting the room.
Every good Southern room needs a little blue and white. This large wall across from the bed needed something to fill it, especially because this is the view when lying in the bed. One of our favorite paintings by a local artist of the Georgia shore, surrounded by some of my Blue Willow collection, adds a fun boost of color in a mostly neutral room.
Before of the wall across from the bed, aka more storage
I added a little seating area/reading nook in this previously unused corner. Hope it provides a spot for our guests to relax and escape the hubbub of a home with small children. :)
As always, I am so glad we participated in the One Room Challenge. Thank you so much to Linda for creating the ORC, and for providing encouragement to create a space in your home that you truly love. Be sure to check out the other participants; there is so much talent out there!
*Edited to add sources and budget
SOURCES
Drapes: P Kauffman Buffalo Check
Bedding: white coverlet - Pine Cone Hill, white shams with monogram - Pottery Barn, blue/gray quilt and shams - Tuesday Morning
Tablecloth: Lacefield Designs Pagoda for Ballard Designs
Sconce: Pottery Barn
All other lighting, furniture, artwork: family pieces, gifts, or thrift store finds
BUDGET (about 95% of the room was recycled from other rooms or storage)
Drapes: bartered with a client for design services $0
Bedding: white bedding was outlet or garage sale finds, blue/gray from a discount store $80
Tablecloth: purchased on FB garage sale group $35
Pharmacy style floor lamp: thrift store find $7
Curtain rod: $20
Total Budget: $142
One Room Challenge, Fall 2016 - Week 5
Well, you may have noticed that I skipped right over Week 4 in the ORC. There just wasn't enough progress to warrant a post. But, we've gotten a lot more accomplished this week, and I am excited to reveal our revamped guest room next week. It's not going to be the most dramatic of reveals, but I am so pleased to be able to offer our guests a welcoming space instead of the cluttered dungeon-like room it was up until a month ago.
We hung the drapes along the back wall, and it makes such a difference in the coziness factor. My dad (who is fairly oblivious to all things design) even commented that it makes it seem like there is a wall of windows hiding just behind the bed - exactly my intention! The dimensions are a little off since I had to work with what I already own and wasn't able to customize the drapes to the space, but I think it is still as step-up from a windowless room with drop tile ceiling. :)
I also set up a little reading/relaxing nook in the corner of the room that previously held all of our junk. Just a tiny bit of an improvement, I'd say. Still waffling over my accent fabric choices (the pillow and throw pictured are just stand-ins), but since it's down to the wire, availability may become my most influential factor.
We hung the drapes along the back wall, and it makes such a difference in the coziness factor. My dad (who is fairly oblivious to all things design) even commented that it makes it seem like there is a wall of windows hiding just behind the bed - exactly my intention! The dimensions are a little off since I had to work with what I already own and wasn't able to customize the drapes to the space, but I think it is still as step-up from a windowless room with drop tile ceiling. :)
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| ignore the wrinkles ;) |
I also set up a little reading/relaxing nook in the corner of the room that previously held all of our junk. Just a tiny bit of an improvement, I'd say. Still waffling over my accent fabric choices (the pillow and throw pictured are just stand-ins), but since it's down to the wire, availability may become my most influential factor.
That's my quick update for now. See you next week for the reveal!
As always, don't forget to check out the other participants in the One Room Challenge!
One Room Challenge Fall 2016 - The Most Boring Week in the ORC (Week 3)
So this will probably be the most boring One Room Challenge update in history. Aesthetically, nothing much has happened to the room. But, we cleaned it out and began organizing the closet. It felt SO good to purge and put things where they belong, instead of tossing them in a pile and slamming the door shut before the pile escapes. Lol. It doesn't seem like we've made a lot of progress, but when I look at the empty space in the closet, it helps ease my ORC jitters.
We had hoped to hang the drapes, but they were full of wrinkles (not surprising, given that they were at the bottom of the giant closet pile), so we will hang them as soon as possible, hopefully this weekend. I also realized that we need to switch out one of the nightstands as there is too big of a height difference between the two we currently have in the room, so we may have to steal a table from elsewhere in the house (or hope for a lucky estate sale find?). This will also hopefully happen this weekend, although my husband does not get as excited about moving furniture all over the house as I do. And since a narrow flight of basement stairs is part of the obstacle, I don't think I'll be moving anything by myself.
And that is about all folks. Not too entertaining, but at least it was short and sweet. ;)
Be sure to check out my fellow participants here. And thanks as always to Linda from Calling It Home for hosting!
We had hoped to hang the drapes, but they were full of wrinkles (not surprising, given that they were at the bottom of the giant closet pile), so we will hang them as soon as possible, hopefully this weekend. I also realized that we need to switch out one of the nightstands as there is too big of a height difference between the two we currently have in the room, so we may have to steal a table from elsewhere in the house (or hope for a lucky estate sale find?). This will also hopefully happen this weekend, although my husband does not get as excited about moving furniture all over the house as I do. And since a narrow flight of basement stairs is part of the obstacle, I don't think I'll be moving anything by myself.
And that is about all folks. Not too entertaining, but at least it was short and sweet. ;)
Be sure to check out my fellow participants here. And thanks as always to Linda from Calling It Home for hosting!
One Room Challenge Fall 2016 - Guest Bedroom Design Plan, Week 2
Welcome back to week 2 of the One Room Challenge! A quick synopsis - we are participating in the Calling It Home blog challenge, and updating our guest bedroom in just under 6 weeks. This week, I am presenting my design plan for our windowless basement guest room.
To be upfront with y'all, the only way my husband (aka my electrician, carpenter, and sometimes plumber) and I could fathom being a part of this round's ORC was if we agreed to tackle the room that would take the least amount of effort, time, and money. So, the majority of the room's elements are things we already have, and we are repurposing them (aka stealing) from other rooms in our home. Sometimeshoarding collecting pillows, lamps, etc. can come in handy.
We've also made zero progress on the room this week; we escaped to the mountains for a few days during my daughter's fall break, and it was totally worth it. I'll just have to put that much more effort into this upcoming week!
As for the design of the room, I mentioned in week 1 that I was going for a Southern coastal look. We love going to the beach, and I wanted to bring the relaxation we feel during our trips to our guests. It also helps that my in-laws gifted us a painting of the coast that has been in the family for years, and I can use it to tie many of the elements together. When we researched the name on the back, we discovered that the little-known artist has actually become quite the collector's item. And while it's not worth millions (or even close), it's neat to know that it does have a history.
The design brings together some of my favorites: buffalo check, toile (either classic or chinoiserie - haven't decided yet), and the color combo of creams and blues. To address the lack of lighting, both natural and overhead, I'm bringing in a lot of lamps. In addition, the room will have mirrors on two walls to bounce the lamplight.
The inspiration image is a room I have loved for a long time. It was designed by Lisa Whitley for a Southern Living home in South Carolina. I especially love the painting over the bed, and the windows and drapery behind the bed. That got my wheels turning, and I realized I could give the impression of windows by hanging drapes behind our farmhouse 4 poster bed. I happen to have some P. Kaufman buffalo check drapes that did not work well in our home but I just couldn't let go of them, so they are getting a second life in this room. The other fabric in the room will most likely be either Pottery Barn's Matine toile in porcelain blue, or Lacefield Design's Pagodas Seaside. The walls are Benjamin Moore's White Dove (my go-to white).
Check back next week to see our progress (or lack thereof), and be sure to visit the other participants in the One Room Challenge!
To be upfront with y'all, the only way my husband (aka my electrician, carpenter, and sometimes plumber) and I could fathom being a part of this round's ORC was if we agreed to tackle the room that would take the least amount of effort, time, and money. So, the majority of the room's elements are things we already have, and we are repurposing them (aka stealing) from other rooms in our home. Sometimes
We've also made zero progress on the room this week; we escaped to the mountains for a few days during my daughter's fall break, and it was totally worth it. I'll just have to put that much more effort into this upcoming week!
As for the design of the room, I mentioned in week 1 that I was going for a Southern coastal look. We love going to the beach, and I wanted to bring the relaxation we feel during our trips to our guests. It also helps that my in-laws gifted us a painting of the coast that has been in the family for years, and I can use it to tie many of the elements together. When we researched the name on the back, we discovered that the little-known artist has actually become quite the collector's item. And while it's not worth millions (or even close), it's neat to know that it does have a history.
The design brings together some of my favorites: buffalo check, toile (either classic or chinoiserie - haven't decided yet), and the color combo of creams and blues. To address the lack of lighting, both natural and overhead, I'm bringing in a lot of lamps. In addition, the room will have mirrors on two walls to bounce the lamplight.
The inspiration image is a room I have loved for a long time. It was designed by Lisa Whitley for a Southern Living home in South Carolina. I especially love the painting over the bed, and the windows and drapery behind the bed. That got my wheels turning, and I realized I could give the impression of windows by hanging drapes behind our farmhouse 4 poster bed. I happen to have some P. Kaufman buffalo check drapes that did not work well in our home but I just couldn't let go of them, so they are getting a second life in this room. The other fabric in the room will most likely be either Pottery Barn's Matine toile in porcelain blue, or Lacefield Design's Pagodas Seaside. The walls are Benjamin Moore's White Dove (my go-to white).
Check back next week to see our progress (or lack thereof), and be sure to visit the other participants in the One Room Challenge!
One Room Challenge Fall 2016 - Guest Bedroom, Week 1
Welcome to the Fall 2016 One Room Challenge! For those of you new to the concept, Linda from Calling It Home created a blog challenge in which participants make over a room in a short 6 week period. It's chaotic, stressful, and exhilarating all at the same time. Many have compared it to childbirth, and while I can tell you that it pales in comparison to an unplanned natural delivery, it definitely brings a mental anguish and exhaustion that you forget all about when you reach the finish line, beaming with pride over your creation. A short time later, all you remember are the good times, the successes, and the beauty of your space, so you decide that it would be a great idea to do it all over again. And that's how you become involved in the cycle of the One Room Challenge. Ha!
This will be our third round of participating as a guest blogger in the ORC. Every Wednesday, 20 featured designers post their updates, and every Thursday, hundreds of guest bloggers join in on the fun. You can find our Fall 2015 makeover of our laundry room and back entry here, and our Spring 2016 ORC of our dining room here. Fun fact: we recently revamped the spaces from our Fall 2015 ORC; the office space is now a shiplap mudroom, and the mudcloset is storage for cleaning supplies, household goods, etc. You can find those updates on my Instagram feed, hcbinteriors.
Life has been more than a little hectic lately; if you check the date of my last post, you'll see that it was the final post of the Spring ORC. We didn't even decide to commit to this round until today. But the lure of whipping yet another space in our home into shape was strong, so here we go again.
We will be focusing on our guest bedroom. It's located in the basement, and has no windows, no overhead lighting, and the outlets the lamps are plugged into are not connected to the lightswitch, so the room is a dark cave. Not very welcoming! It's also tends to be our clutter collector, the space where all items go to live until I have the time and space to put them away. This room, and my husband's cluttered office, are my secret rooms of shame. Because they are in the basement, I don't have to look at them until someone is coming to visit. And since those visitors are usually my very understanding in-laws, the rooms are usually just barely cleaner than the pictures shown below.
The Before (can't believe I'm sharing our mess!):
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| Extra furniture that has no home. Clothes my kids have outgrown piled on the bed. And a whole bunch of random stuff (don't even know what) under the bed |
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| Mirrors and art that are waiting to be hung (and have been waiting for months) |
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| At one time, this closet was organized. Until we just started tossing stuff in, with the idea that we would deal with it later. Now you can't even get in there |
Ok, now that everyone in American can feel better about their own mess, come back next week to see my design plan. I'm thinking Southern Coastal, hoping that I can turn this into a welcoming, organized retreat. Thanks for visiting, and make sure to check out everyone else participating in the One Room Challenge!
One Room Challenge Week 6: The Grand Finale, Part 1
Well folks, our room is not fully finished but I'm happy with how Phase 1 turned out. And as of 1am last night when we got home from the beach, it was not photo-ready, so please excuse any poor lighting or staging. As a professional, it grates on me that we didn't finish the room as planned. As a mommy & wife, taking the past week to go on a desperately needed family vacation after weeks of the stomach flu, budget woes, and high levels of stress due to personal circumstances beyond our control, was absolutely more important than finishing the room. My mantra for this project has become, "it is what it is". This season's ORC has been an exercise in patience and acceptance, two lessons which I seem to continually need to learn ;)
And now for the before and (mostly) after:
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
I am sooo pleased with our built-ins. They add so much character to the room & to our home. This room has odd dimenstions; it is a small square with a bay window on one wall & doorways on two of the walls that limit furniture placement and size. We now have storage for a bar area, our books, board games, art supplies, and even some serving pieces. My husband is in trouble, now that I know he has this kind of talent. His to-do list just got a little bit longer. ;)
BEFORE
AFTER
As for the other changes to the room, I am thrilled with the wall & trim colors, and absolutely adore my homemade abstract art. I feel like they balance the classic/historical feel of the federal mirror, sconces, & lantern.
Phase 2 will take time & money, so it will be a while before the room is truly "finished" (my husband doesn't believe I consider any space in our home to ever be finished; he may be right). Still on our list to accomplish:
And now for the before and (mostly) after:
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
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| Pretend not to notice the spots on the ceiling. A little touch-up is still needed :) |
I am sooo pleased with our built-ins. They add so much character to the room & to our home. This room has odd dimenstions; it is a small square with a bay window on one wall & doorways on two of the walls that limit furniture placement and size. We now have storage for a bar area, our books, board games, art supplies, and even some serving pieces. My husband is in trouble, now that I know he has this kind of talent. His to-do list just got a little bit longer. ;)
BEFORE
AFTER
As for the other changes to the room, I am thrilled with the wall & trim colors, and absolutely adore my homemade abstract art. I feel like they balance the classic/historical feel of the federal mirror, sconces, & lantern.
Phase 2 will take time & money, so it will be a while before the room is truly "finished" (my husband doesn't believe I consider any space in our home to ever be finished; he may be right). Still on our list to accomplish:
- drapes. The charcoal linen drapes in the room are a pair I had in storage, & pulled out for a visual reference. I think a white background with subtle pattern would do better at highlighting the beauty of the bay window, but I haven't found just the right one yet
- antique table & chairs; there's a reason I have a tablecloth on this one & it's not pretty ;)
- custom shades for the sconces. I'm 99% sure I know what fabric I'm going to use for these, but have yet to bite the bullet since I'm so wishy-washy on my drapery choice
- finish the plate wall with silhouettes of my girls
- move our antique dark wood buffet up from the basement & switch out with the painted one. No one felt like moving heavy furniture after a stomach bug
- knobs for the cabinets on the built-ins. They arrived but didn't quite make it to install
- more pops of blue and green to bring color into the room
A couple last shots of the room:
If you've stuck around for the entirety of this post, thank you. And I would love it if you'd follow me both here & on Instagram (hcbinteriors); please continue to check in to see our progress on the space. Big thanks to Linda of Calling It Home for creating this fantastic blogger phenomenon. This round promoted 20 featured bloggers and over 200 guest particpants, along with House Beautiful magazine as a social media partner. So impressive!
Also linking up to Thoughts of Home via Laura at decortoadore.net Thanks Laura for hosting!
Also linking up to Thoughts of Home via Laura at decortoadore.net Thanks Laura for hosting!
One Room Challenge Week 5: Calling "Uncle"
If you're new here, welcome! To my regular readers, thank you for checking back in! We are in the final countdown of the One Room Challenge, a 6 week event hosted by Linda of Calling It Home to makeover one room in your home (or someone else's. With their permission, of course).
We have made some amazing progress in some areas, and not so amazing in others. After two weeks of the stomach flu making its way through our home, and losing a large amount of my budget to the unexpected expense of a new car, I have finally come to realize that we will not have a complete room next week. It is what it is, and I am surprisingly okay with it (well, mostly. There have been a few moments of frustration & one near tantrum, but overall, I'm satisfied with what we've been able to accomplish despite the challenges.)
The bookcases, which I shared last week, received even more attention after my post. My husband decided he wasn't 100% satisfied with them, so he added more trim and detailing, and I am SO glad he did. I thought they looked great before, but they truly look professional now. One coat of primer and two coats of paint later, and they are ready for styling. We also decided to paint the crown molding to match the bookcases. I had initially been concerned that painting the molding gray would shorten our already low (8') ceilings, but it looks much more polished now.
Our vintage federal mirror arrived, and I love the character it adds to the room. I'm trying not to overwhelm the room/walls, so even though I had originally thought about a gallery wall for this space, I'm really happy with the quiet, clean look of the mirror on its own. Plus, this is the main wall that my girls bang against as they run through the room during their daily races, so the less to be knocked down, the better. :)
We happened to have a picture light laying around in the basement from another project, so we added that above my girls' painting. It gives the art an extra sense of importance, and my 5 year old thinks it is so neat to be able to turn on the "special" light so it shines on their painting.
Tune in next week to see our "finished" space. And be sure to check out the other 200+ guest paticipants!
We have made some amazing progress in some areas, and not so amazing in others. After two weeks of the stomach flu making its way through our home, and losing a large amount of my budget to the unexpected expense of a new car, I have finally come to realize that we will not have a complete room next week. It is what it is, and I am surprisingly okay with it (well, mostly. There have been a few moments of frustration & one near tantrum, but overall, I'm satisfied with what we've been able to accomplish despite the challenges.)
The bookcases, which I shared last week, received even more attention after my post. My husband decided he wasn't 100% satisfied with them, so he added more trim and detailing, and I am SO glad he did. I thought they looked great before, but they truly look professional now. One coat of primer and two coats of paint later, and they are ready for styling. We also decided to paint the crown molding to match the bookcases. I had initially been concerned that painting the molding gray would shorten our already low (8') ceilings, but it looks much more polished now.
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| Excuse the grainy photo. Computer issues :) |
We happened to have a picture light laying around in the basement from another project, so we added that above my girls' painting. It gives the art an extra sense of importance, and my 5 year old thinks it is so neat to be able to turn on the "special" light so it shines on their painting.
Tune in next week to see our "finished" space. And be sure to check out the other 200+ guest paticipants!
One Room Challenge Spring 2016: The built-ins are finished - but the painting may never end
Welcome to Week 4! For those of you just joining in, we are participating in Calling It Home's One Room Challenge, a 6 week revamp of one room in our home. You can catch up with weeks 1, 2, & 3 to see where we started and how far we've come.
I am fairly sure that this time around, we will not be finished with our room when the clock stops. And that's ok because we have made some major changes to the room, and as we are working with a tighter budget, I want to ensure that we (I) make the right choices, not pressured choices.
The most obvious change to the room are the incredible built-ins that my husband has worked so hard on. It is so neat to watch someone that you know so well grow in a talent that they weren't even sure they had, only to find major success after challenging themselves. The bookcases add tons of character and style to the room, not to mention much needed storage in our smaller home.
We also have all new lighting in the room, but I was able to keep it all budget-friendly. I purchased the sconces with gift cards saved from my birthday & Christmas (sometimes being a holiday baby comes in handy), and I simply switched the lantern in our breakfast area with the chandelier in the dining room. It's a little unconventional to move a crystal chandelier from a dining room to a kitchen, but I'm a big fan of the contrast it provides to our kitchen's antique farm table. And the lantern better fits my vision for the design for the dining room.
The custom shades for the sconces will most likely not make it here before the end of the ORC, but I'm sure they will be worth the wait. Although when I showed my husband the design, he said, "I really like them. They remind me of a Hawaiian shirt". Definitely NOT what I was going for, but I'll focus on the part where he said that he liked them. Here are some inspiration images to give you an idea of the direction in which I am heading:
This next week is going to be a hot mess of frantically trying to finish as much as possible while still searching for those "perfect" items that will make the room. But unlike my younger impatient self, I am willing to settle for an unfinished room, and wait for the right time/chair/table/fabric to come along.
If you'd like to see how the other amazing participants are faring, check out callingithome.com. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
I am fairly sure that this time around, we will not be finished with our room when the clock stops. And that's ok because we have made some major changes to the room, and as we are working with a tighter budget, I want to ensure that we (I) make the right choices, not pressured choices.
The most obvious change to the room are the incredible built-ins that my husband has worked so hard on. It is so neat to watch someone that you know so well grow in a talent that they weren't even sure they had, only to find major success after challenging themselves. The bookcases add tons of character and style to the room, not to mention much needed storage in our smaller home.
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| With one coat of tinted primer |
We also have all new lighting in the room, but I was able to keep it all budget-friendly. I purchased the sconces with gift cards saved from my birthday & Christmas (sometimes being a holiday baby comes in handy), and I simply switched the lantern in our breakfast area with the chandelier in the dining room. It's a little unconventional to move a crystal chandelier from a dining room to a kitchen, but I'm a big fan of the contrast it provides to our kitchen's antique farm table. And the lantern better fits my vision for the design for the dining room.
The custom shades for the sconces will most likely not make it here before the end of the ORC, but I'm sure they will be worth the wait. Although when I showed my husband the design, he said, "I really like them. They remind me of a Hawaiian shirt". Definitely NOT what I was going for, but I'll focus on the part where he said that he liked them. Here are some inspiration images to give you an idea of the direction in which I am heading:
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| oka.com |
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| Bunny Williams Home |
This next week is going to be a hot mess of frantically trying to finish as much as possible while still searching for those "perfect" items that will make the room. But unlike my younger impatient self, I am willing to settle for an unfinished room, and wait for the right time/chair/table/fabric to come along.
If you'd like to see how the other amazing participants are faring, check out callingithome.com. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
ORC Spring 2016: Week 3 - Progress & Paint
First, to those of you who offered kind words of support and encouragement after last week's post/Instagram, I so appreciate it. Despite some challenges, we have made real progress this week, and even if we are unable to fully finish the room, the biggest changes will have been made, and that is worth a lot! I have to keep reminding myself that this was supposed to be "Plan A" all along, so if parts of "Plan B" don't come to fruition, that's ok - they were never part of the budget or planning anyway. Surely I'm not the only one who gets carried away in this challenge? ;)
I need to give lots of recognition to my husband - with just a tiny bit of experience and a lot of gumption, he finished the frames for the built-ins in just a few days after work! I am so proud of him! They aren't quite complete, but I think by the end of the weekend we will be able to start priming.
While he has spent his time building, I have spent my hours painting. Both the walls and the trim are requiring a minimum of three coats each. I guess that's what happens when you are painting white over walls that have previously been green, dark blue, and even black. I have painted many, many walls in the past - as a military family, we moved multiple times & I painted each home we lived in. But this time, I have discovered something that has made a difference in the ease, quality, and time in which I get my painting done (which is sadly still very slow, but much faster than it used to be). Purdy was kind enough to share some brushes and rollers with me, and I am a true convert. I do not endorse a product if I don't believe in it, and I was so impressed by the quality of the Purdy brushes that I went out and purchased another brush on my own dime. And having an arsenal of brushes and rollers has come in very handy since it seems like that's all I do in my spare time now. :)
When I was designing the room, I was hesitant to do white walls. Almost every room in our home has white walls, but they are white woodwork - shiplap, beadboard, board & batten, etc. Something to give the white character. The dining room is one of the few spaces that is just drywall, and I worried that it would read as flat and lifeless. But I absolutely adore the warm white accented by the gray/blue/green trim, and find myself wandering in there to just check it out and enjoy the contrast. Next I just have to convince the hubby that the rest of the house needs to be repainted to match. ;) If anyone is wondering, the walls are Swiss Coffee and the trim is Fieldstone, both by Benjamin Moore.
And finally, my favorite piece of the room is the giant DIY abstract art that my sweet babies made for me. Other than choosing which colors of fingerpaint they could use, I let them have free reign. And while it may not be something that would sell in a gallery, it means SO much to me, especially the tiny handprints hidden in one corner. I propped it up on the piano in the adjoining foyer while we've been working in the dining room, and ironically, I like it so much there that I think it will probably stay instead of hanging in the dining room as was the original plan.
Lots of changes this week, and even more painting in our future. Ha! Then on to the fun part of decorating and accessorizing! Be sure to catch up with the other guest posters here. Have a great weekend!
I need to give lots of recognition to my husband - with just a tiny bit of experience and a lot of gumption, he finished the frames for the built-ins in just a few days after work! I am so proud of him! They aren't quite complete, but I think by the end of the weekend we will be able to start priming.
While he has spent his time building, I have spent my hours painting. Both the walls and the trim are requiring a minimum of three coats each. I guess that's what happens when you are painting white over walls that have previously been green, dark blue, and even black. I have painted many, many walls in the past - as a military family, we moved multiple times & I painted each home we lived in. But this time, I have discovered something that has made a difference in the ease, quality, and time in which I get my painting done (which is sadly still very slow, but much faster than it used to be). Purdy was kind enough to share some brushes and rollers with me, and I am a true convert. I do not endorse a product if I don't believe in it, and I was so impressed by the quality of the Purdy brushes that I went out and purchased another brush on my own dime. And having an arsenal of brushes and rollers has come in very handy since it seems like that's all I do in my spare time now. :)
When I was designing the room, I was hesitant to do white walls. Almost every room in our home has white walls, but they are white woodwork - shiplap, beadboard, board & batten, etc. Something to give the white character. The dining room is one of the few spaces that is just drywall, and I worried that it would read as flat and lifeless. But I absolutely adore the warm white accented by the gray/blue/green trim, and find myself wandering in there to just check it out and enjoy the contrast. Next I just have to convince the hubby that the rest of the house needs to be repainted to match. ;) If anyone is wondering, the walls are Swiss Coffee and the trim is Fieldstone, both by Benjamin Moore.
And finally, my favorite piece of the room is the giant DIY abstract art that my sweet babies made for me. Other than choosing which colors of fingerpaint they could use, I let them have free reign. And while it may not be something that would sell in a gallery, it means SO much to me, especially the tiny handprints hidden in one corner. I propped it up on the piano in the adjoining foyer while we've been working in the dining room, and ironically, I like it so much there that I think it will probably stay instead of hanging in the dining room as was the original plan.
Lots of changes this week, and even more painting in our future. Ha! Then on to the fun part of decorating and accessorizing! Be sure to catch up with the other guest posters here. Have a great weekend!
Thank you to Purdy for providing the products used to accomplish the painting
for this challenge
One Room Challenge Spring 2016: The Plan...Or What's Left of It
Earlier this week, I had an entirely different post ready to go. And then Murphy decided to pay our ORC a little visit. Isn't it a little early in the game for such antics? You might be thinking, well at least at this point you have time to scramble for a solution. But some of the issues will not be solved until well after the finale, if they are solved at all. And one of them is my fault. Our big vacation of the year, the already paid for, non-refundable, dates-absolutely-cannot-be changed-vacation, occurs during the ORC. So, instead of 5 weeks to complete our room (the ORC is 6 Thursday postings, but actually only 5 full weeks), we only have 4. That was a fun conversation to have with my husband. Oops.
If you follow me on Instagram, you saw that my husband decided to tackle built-ins (which made the timeline convo afterwards even more awkward). I'm so grateful that he loves to take on projects like this. He's never done a project this big before, but that was true of the built-in office and the "mudcloset" in the last ORC, so I am confident he will knock it out of the park. This time he even has an assistant; my 5 year old, who loves to help us with home projects, and wants to open a renovation company a la Fixer Upper. So my husband sweetly included her in the demo stage, and she was so excited. We kept the first piece of molding she removed, just in case she decided she wanted it as a souvenir for her future self. Let's just pretend they (mostly her daddy) didn't put a big hole in the sheetrock.
On to the design...
White walls, gray trim, and traditional lighting accented with an incredible piece of abstract art like this beauty by MECArt on Etsy (except my version will be a lot more personal, and a little more budget friendly). If you notice, there is something important missing: beautiful fabrics, my favorite part. :(
My window hardware and drapes were part of the Murphy mess, and probably the largest part of my budget, so I don't want to be hasty in choosing a replacement. We may have bare windows for a while, although my husband has offered his college solution of flags and towels, so at least we have a backup plan.
Check back in next week to see what progress we've made, and make sure to visit the other participants to see how they're faring! It's an exciting (?) ride to be sure!
Also sharing with Thoughts of Home, so please stop by and visit those sharing there as well!
If you follow me on Instagram, you saw that my husband decided to tackle built-ins (which made the timeline convo afterwards even more awkward). I'm so grateful that he loves to take on projects like this. He's never done a project this big before, but that was true of the built-in office and the "mudcloset" in the last ORC, so I am confident he will knock it out of the park. This time he even has an assistant; my 5 year old, who loves to help us with home projects, and wants to open a renovation company a la Fixer Upper. So my husband sweetly included her in the demo stage, and she was so excited. We kept the first piece of molding she removed, just in case she decided she wanted it as a souvenir for her future self. Let's just pretend they (mostly her daddy) didn't put a big hole in the sheetrock.
On to the design...
White walls, gray trim, and traditional lighting accented with an incredible piece of abstract art like this beauty by MECArt on Etsy (except my version will be a lot more personal, and a little more budget friendly). If you notice, there is something important missing: beautiful fabrics, my favorite part. :(
My window hardware and drapes were part of the Murphy mess, and probably the largest part of my budget, so I don't want to be hasty in choosing a replacement. We may have bare windows for a while, although my husband has offered his college solution of flags and towels, so at least we have a backup plan.
Check back in next week to see what progress we've made, and make sure to visit the other participants to see how they're faring! It's an exciting (?) ride to be sure!
Also sharing with Thoughts of Home, so please stop by and visit those sharing there as well!
One Room Challenge Spring 2016 - The Dining Room
Well, here we go again. We truly loved every gut-wrenching, sleep-deprived, nail-biting, exhilarating second of last fall's One Room Challenge, so I knew from the minute I hit publish on the final post in Nov. 2015 that we would be participating again. The biggest challenge (hehe) would be deciding which room we would tackle. And for a while, it seemed like the foyer was going to win out, mostly because it is small and my husband, aka electrician aka carpenter aka handyman aka jack-of-all-trades, was looking for something a little less hectic than the 3 spaces squeezed into 1 that we did last time. But as they say, the best laid plans...
Let me back up for a second, though. For those of you new to the One Room Challenge (or ORC), it is an intense, fun-filled, teeth-gnashing, tear-inducing challenge to makeover one room in your home (or someone else's!) in 6 short weeks. Linda from Calling It Home created this incredible program, and this year, House Beautiful magazine has joined her as a media partner. Every Wednesday, 20 sponsored bloggers/designers post their latest adventures, and every Thursday, guest bloggers (like myself) do the same. It is a great catalyst for finally getting those things crossed off your to-do list, and while you may be a little shell-shocked at the end, you will have formed new friendships, challenged yourself creatively (& possibly physically if you're a DIYer), and you will be so proud of what you have accomplished in such a short time frame! If you've ever considered joining in, I encourage you to give it a try! I will be here to cheer you along all the way.
So, back to my room. I've been pinning and designing my foyer ideas for months, since hubby said no to the dining room as it was too involved for his time commitment. And I completely respected that. But because my brain doesn't shut off, ever, I created a Plan A & a Plan B for our dining room, just for fun, although neither were to be a part of the ORC. Plan A was a short-term plan, on a budget, and would tide me over until I could budget for Plan B, and until we had the time to commit to Plan B. If you're curious, Plan B includes wallpaper, built-ins, custom window treatments, new table and chairs, and a few other miscellaneous items. Definitely not something for now.
If you follow me on Instagram (hcbinteriors), you know that a few weeks ago, I started on Plan A, because I had some white paint in my garage, and when you're on a budget, free is your best friend. When I started to look more at Plan A, I realized with a little creativity I could actually make some major changes, so here we are: a tweaked version of Plan A, and the hubby has signed on to help with the dining room. Hooray! I'll share my actual design plan next week, and how I plan to work with a smallish budget. I'm aware that budget means different things to different people; what may seem small to one person is huge to another, and vice-versa.
And now for the part everybody loves (please excuse the instagram photos, my computer is in the shop so I am using my iPad until next week):
BEFORE
And because I pulled out my free paint and got started before realizing this could actually work, I have 2 coats of white up, but need at least 2 more. So, we'll call this the BEFORE PRIMED :)
Let me back up for a second, though. For those of you new to the One Room Challenge (or ORC), it is an intense, fun-filled, teeth-gnashing, tear-inducing challenge to makeover one room in your home (or someone else's!) in 6 short weeks. Linda from Calling It Home created this incredible program, and this year, House Beautiful magazine has joined her as a media partner. Every Wednesday, 20 sponsored bloggers/designers post their latest adventures, and every Thursday, guest bloggers (like myself) do the same. It is a great catalyst for finally getting those things crossed off your to-do list, and while you may be a little shell-shocked at the end, you will have formed new friendships, challenged yourself creatively (& possibly physically if you're a DIYer), and you will be so proud of what you have accomplished in such a short time frame! If you've ever considered joining in, I encourage you to give it a try! I will be here to cheer you along all the way.
So, back to my room. I've been pinning and designing my foyer ideas for months, since hubby said no to the dining room as it was too involved for his time commitment. And I completely respected that. But because my brain doesn't shut off, ever, I created a Plan A & a Plan B for our dining room, just for fun, although neither were to be a part of the ORC. Plan A was a short-term plan, on a budget, and would tide me over until I could budget for Plan B, and until we had the time to commit to Plan B. If you're curious, Plan B includes wallpaper, built-ins, custom window treatments, new table and chairs, and a few other miscellaneous items. Definitely not something for now.
If you follow me on Instagram (hcbinteriors), you know that a few weeks ago, I started on Plan A, because I had some white paint in my garage, and when you're on a budget, free is your best friend. When I started to look more at Plan A, I realized with a little creativity I could actually make some major changes, so here we are: a tweaked version of Plan A, and the hubby has signed on to help with the dining room. Hooray! I'll share my actual design plan next week, and how I plan to work with a smallish budget. I'm aware that budget means different things to different people; what may seem small to one person is huge to another, and vice-versa.
And now for the part everybody loves (please excuse the instagram photos, my computer is in the shop so I am using my iPad until next week):
BEFORE
And because I pulled out my free paint and got started before realizing this could actually work, I have 2 coats of white up, but need at least 2 more. So, we'll call this the BEFORE PRIMED :)
Thanks for joining in on another ORC. It feels slightly similar to the experience of having a second child. With the first, there is so much excitement, and then total shock at how much harder and exhausting the whole thing is than you ever thought it would be. This time around, we are just as excited but also aware of what we are getting ourselves into, and we know there are sure to be surprises along the way. ;)
One Room Challenge Laundry/Mudroom/Office: Sources
First, thank y'all SO much for all the love, comments, Instagram likes, etc. regarding our One Room Challenge. We poured a lot of love, sweat, and even a few tears into this project, and we love it. It makes it even more fun to know that y'all like it too. We truly appreciate the support!
I wanted to do a quick rundown of the sources for most everything we used. The main credit goes to my awesome hubby who not only did almost all of the physical labor, but even enjoyed it! Maybe he will become the next Chip Gaines; he's sure goofy enough to fit the part. ;)
Please excuse some repeat photos. I just don't have the energy to take new ones and edit. :)
Walls: Benjamin Moore White Dove
Beadboard and stencil: Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze
Stencil: Sari Paisley Allover Stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils
Boxwood wreath: Smith and Hawken at Target
Beadboard: Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze
Hooks: oil rubbed bronze, Home Depot
Artwork: local antique store
Chalkboard Wall: Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze, coated with Martha Stewart Crafts Multi- Surface Chalkboard Acrylic in Clear
Trim: Benjamin Moore White Dove
Beadboard: Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze
Brass Sconce: Ethan wall sconce, World Market
Table Lamp: Pottery Barn (purchased many years ago)
Floating Desk with roll-out keyboard: Built by us (really, my hubby), finished in
Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray
Cubby: Target
Metal Trash Can under desk: Ballard Designs
Chair: Ballard Designs
Chair Pad: Ballard Designs
Striped Day Planner: Whitney English's Day Designer at Target
Jesus and Coffee Mug: Creations by Courtney
I wanted to do a quick rundown of the sources for most everything we used. The main credit goes to my awesome hubby who not only did almost all of the physical labor, but even enjoyed it! Maybe he will become the next Chip Gaines; he's sure goofy enough to fit the part. ;)
Please excuse some repeat photos. I just don't have the energy to take new ones and edit. :)
Accordion Drying Rack: Better Homes & Gardens, purchased via Amazon
Metal B: Hobby Lobby
Focus on the Good Canvas: TJ Maxx
Wall Mount Sink: Mustee Laundry Tub, purchased via Amazon
Faucet: Ikea (purchased many years ago)
Boxwood: Smith & Hawken at Target
Cabinet Pulls: oil rubbed bronze from Home Depot
Rug: HomeGoods
Apron: Anthropologie
Light: Hampton Bay oil rubbed bronze vintage flushmount Home Depot (excuse the grainy iPhone photo)
Walls: Benjamin Moore White Dove
Beadboard and stencil: Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze
Stencil: Sari Paisley Allover Stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils
Boxwood wreath: Smith and Hawken at Target
Beadboard: Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze
Hooks: oil rubbed bronze, Home Depot
Artwork: local antique store
Bulletin Board: HomeGoods (purchased many years ago)
Rug: HomeGoods
State of Georgia Chalkboard: local gift store
Brass Pendant Light: HomeGoods
Chalkboard Wall: Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze, coated with Martha Stewart Crafts Multi- Surface Chalkboard Acrylic in Clear
Trim: Benjamin Moore White Dove
Beadboard: Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze
Brass Sconce: Ethan wall sconce, World Market
Table Lamp: Pottery Barn (purchased many years ago)
Floating Desk with roll-out keyboard: Built by us (really, my hubby), finished in
Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray
Cubby: Target
Metal Trash Can under desk: Ballard Designs
Chair: Ballard Designs
Chair Pad: Ballard Designs
Striped Day Planner: Whitney English's Day Designer at Target
Jesus and Coffee Mug: Creations by Courtney
ORC Week 6: We Made It! (Literally & Figuratively)
Well, we made it to the end of our first One Room Challenge, and I am SO glad we did it. It was exhausting: 2 am has become our new normal bedtime. And it was a tad stressful at times. But, we worked hard as a team, and I am so proud of my husband and the skills he honed along the way. I'm also proud of us for setting a goal and sticking to it. We tend to meander our way through projects around here (I'm looking at you, uncaulked & unpainted crown molding installed 6 months ago in our daughter's room). It's amazing how much you can accomplish when you don't binge watch a show on Netflix.
For those dropping in for the first time, we committed to making over our laundry room, mudcloset, & garage entry, and we turned a pantry into an office nook in the kitchen hallway. You can see our intro here, design plan here, and play catch up here, here, and here. Linda of Calling It Home created this wonderful blog program, a 6 week exercise in design (& a little insanity). It was so fun, and we've already come up with ideas for at least 3 other rooms. I'm not sure we will participate in 3 more ORCs consecutively as budget does play a huge factor in timeliness. But, I am sure we will do this again, and hopefully soon. Ok, enough talking. On with the pictures.
As a reminder, here is a before shot of the laundry room.
It wasn't bad; in fact, most people who visit our home comment on how much they loved the laundry room walls. But, it just wasn't for me. I spend a lot of my day in the kitchen, which has a direct view of the laundry room, and I needed it to be a place that felt "me". So now it looks like this:
We painted the walls, stenciled, and installed beadboard. We also installed new hooks, cabinet pulls, an accordion-style drying rack, and a wall-mount utility tub. This last one was important because the legs of the old sink pushed the dog's bowls out into the doorway - now we can actually close the door. Hooray! We scrapped the idea of shelving over the drying rack & washer/dryer. I may go back and add that in later, but I wanted to get a feel for the use of the space before adding more clutter into this small room.
This space is so tight that we had to forgo the beadboard on the back wall. That tiny difference in depth was enough to cause the new sink to stick out into the doorway. So, we painted the drywall to match the beadboard, and kept the top trim piece to provide continuity. I'm pretty excited that this new drying rack won't smack me in the head each time I use the sink, unlike the previous rack that was way too big for the space.
Up next is our "mudcloset". This space is only 36" wide by 10" deep. So not even a full foot of storage space depth. Argh. But, it is better than the option of walking across the house every time you need shoes or a jacket. I had planned on stenciling the walls of the mudcloset to match those in the laundry room. But hours of hard work ending in imperfections and frustration convinced me that easy-to-install beadboard might be a better choice, and it is definitely more durable against wet jackets and muddy shoes. We also removed the inefficient top shelf, added more shelving/shoe storage at the bottom, and raised all the hooks so that our jackets weren't completely covering those of our girls.
Now on to the office nook. This was a random idea I threw in at the last minute, after we had already decided to tackle the other areas. Luckily, hubby was game to try his hand at building a floating desk, and I am SO proud and impressed by his talent. Time and space constraints prevented us from building the cubby system I had originally designed, but I think this one is a suitable replacement. I love the character the World Market sconce adds to the space, but the best part is my babies watching over me from the chalkboard wall. I adore looking at those precious faces while I'm working.
And finally, a before and after of the whole space.
After painting the slivers of wall next to the garage door white, we decided it was a little boring. A last minute decision (as in this past weekend) was made to continue the beadboard and trim out here, and I'm so glad we did. I think it really is the key to providing continuity between all the spaces.
Thanks for joining us on this journey. It was definitely worth it, and we will absolutely do it again (although I am so thankful that the next one is not any time soon. This mama needs some sleep!). Having time/budget/space limits required us to get a little creative in certain areas, and it also forced me to accept imperfections and constraints that would have frustrated me otherwise. Most importantly, my husband and I enjoyed working as a team, and this project cemented our love for DIY (although I'm a bigger fan of the idea part of DIY. I'm lucky the other half of my team likes the actual DIY). ;)
A big thanks to Linda for creating and hosting the One Room Challenge. My next post (hopefully early next week) will include sources for all the spaces. Until then, go check out the other 175+ guest participants! :)
For those dropping in for the first time, we committed to making over our laundry room, mudcloset, & garage entry, and we turned a pantry into an office nook in the kitchen hallway. You can see our intro here, design plan here, and play catch up here, here, and here. Linda of Calling It Home created this wonderful blog program, a 6 week exercise in design (& a little insanity). It was so fun, and we've already come up with ideas for at least 3 other rooms. I'm not sure we will participate in 3 more ORCs consecutively as budget does play a huge factor in timeliness. But, I am sure we will do this again, and hopefully soon. Ok, enough talking. On with the pictures.
As a reminder, here is a before shot of the laundry room.
It wasn't bad; in fact, most people who visit our home comment on how much they loved the laundry room walls. But, it just wasn't for me. I spend a lot of my day in the kitchen, which has a direct view of the laundry room, and I needed it to be a place that felt "me". So now it looks like this:
We painted the walls, stenciled, and installed beadboard. We also installed new hooks, cabinet pulls, an accordion-style drying rack, and a wall-mount utility tub. This last one was important because the legs of the old sink pushed the dog's bowls out into the doorway - now we can actually close the door. Hooray! We scrapped the idea of shelving over the drying rack & washer/dryer. I may go back and add that in later, but I wanted to get a feel for the use of the space before adding more clutter into this small room.
This space is so tight that we had to forgo the beadboard on the back wall. That tiny difference in depth was enough to cause the new sink to stick out into the doorway. So, we painted the drywall to match the beadboard, and kept the top trim piece to provide continuity. I'm pretty excited that this new drying rack won't smack me in the head each time I use the sink, unlike the previous rack that was way too big for the space.
Up next is our "mudcloset". This space is only 36" wide by 10" deep. So not even a full foot of storage space depth. Argh. But, it is better than the option of walking across the house every time you need shoes or a jacket. I had planned on stenciling the walls of the mudcloset to match those in the laundry room. But hours of hard work ending in imperfections and frustration convinced me that easy-to-install beadboard might be a better choice, and it is definitely more durable against wet jackets and muddy shoes. We also removed the inefficient top shelf, added more shelving/shoe storage at the bottom, and raised all the hooks so that our jackets weren't completely covering those of our girls.
 |
| The almost imperceptible marks on the sliver of wall to the right are my babies' growth charts. We will never be able to paint this section ;) |
Now on to the office nook. This was a random idea I threw in at the last minute, after we had already decided to tackle the other areas. Luckily, hubby was game to try his hand at building a floating desk, and I am SO proud and impressed by his talent. Time and space constraints prevented us from building the cubby system I had originally designed, but I think this one is a suitable replacement. I love the character the World Market sconce adds to the space, but the best part is my babies watching over me from the chalkboard wall. I adore looking at those precious faces while I'm working.
And finally, a before and after of the whole space.
Thanks for joining us on this journey. It was definitely worth it, and we will absolutely do it again (although I am so thankful that the next one is not any time soon. This mama needs some sleep!). Having time/budget/space limits required us to get a little creative in certain areas, and it also forced me to accept imperfections and constraints that would have frustrated me otherwise. Most importantly, my husband and I enjoyed working as a team, and this project cemented our love for DIY (although I'm a bigger fan of the idea part of DIY. I'm lucky the other half of my team likes the actual DIY). ;)
A big thanks to Linda for creating and hosting the One Room Challenge. My next post (hopefully early next week) will include sources for all the spaces. Until then, go check out the other 175+ guest participants! :)
ORC Week 5: Denial is One of the Stages
First off, please excuse the look of my blog - I am in the middle of updating it but it's not quite finished. Second, how is this the last full week of the ORC?!? For those of you just joining in, the One Room Challenge (ORC) is a blog program in which almost 200 bloggers, designers, etc. commit to changing up a room in 6 short weeks. I have learned that pacing yourself is EXTREMELY important - at the beginning, it seemed like we had so much time, and now that we are down to the wire, I would say we are still just barely over half done with our projects. Eeek!!!
My sweet, supportive husband (aka contractor/handyman/electrician/plumber) has been working his tail off this week. In the past few days, he has installed the beadboard & trim in the laundry room, framed out the desk area, put in a new sink, and installed more lighting. I know I am going to owe him big time after this. And don't even think about telling him that I've already got plans for the Spring 2016 ORC up my sleeve ;)
Speaking of lighting, that has been our challenge this week. I think I've mentioned before that the lighting in our oldish home is quirky at best & downright dangerous in some areas. Luckily, I have a a great team of electricians on speed dial, & they have benefited from dozens of hours and thousands of dollars as we bring our home up to code. Our biggest snafu this week was when the junction box in the laundry room shattered into a dozen pieces while my husband was putting in the last screw of our new light. And while hubby is a super handy guy, installing a new junction box was something he didn't feel comfortable doing. So we had a last minute visit from the electrician today, and after he took a look at it, we were very glad we called in the professionals. It might have set us back in both time & money, but at least now we don't have to worry that old wiring will cause a fire.
I really liked the old schoolhouse light we had in here (see above photo for reference), but when I realized the laundry room light was directly behind the new glass & brass light we hung in the hallway, I knew we needed a more similar light for a cohesive look. HomeGoods did not have a second of my hallway light, so I found this one from Home Depot. It's actually huge (I thought it was a small pendant at purchase), but I think it works. Unfortunately, all that electrical work left a huge hole in the ceiling, and there's no time to fix it, so instead we slapped a coat of Urbane Bronze on an old ceiling medallion & it covered the hole perfectly. It wouldn't have been my first choice as the light fixture is simple, & the medallion is a bit much size-wise, but when you're in a time crunch, sometimes you just have to go with it.
I also scrambled to find new lighting for the office nook after realizing the picture light I had purchased previously was too formal for the space. Luckily, we snagged the last 2 of the sconces I found at my local World Market, & I also ordered these beauties from Lowe's. I think I will be going with the World Market sconces, but may have to find a different place in my home for the Allen & Roth sconces - they're just too great to give up! ;)
We still have yet to start on the mudcloset, and the desk & entry are only about 10% complete.. Yikes. It's time to up the coffee intake.
Let's look at our to-do list, shall we? Or maybe we shouldn't. Sometimes denial is a beautiful coping mechanism.
Install beadboard & molding // Paint & stencil walls (Praise the Lord I can cross this off) // Install hooks on molding // New utility sink // Pulls for cabinets // New lighting ? // Replace drying rack // Install shelf above washer & dryer // Install shelves above drying rack
Paint walls // New rug // New lighting // Install beadboard (added to the list this week)
Chalkboard or pinboard // Lighting (purchased but not yet hung)
My sweet, supportive husband (aka contractor/handyman/electrician/plumber) has been working his tail off this week. In the past few days, he has installed the beadboard & trim in the laundry room, framed out the desk area, put in a new sink, and installed more lighting. I know I am going to owe him big time after this. And don't even think about telling him that I've already got plans for the Spring 2016 ORC up my sleeve ;)
 |
| Finding a wall-mount utility tub with the faucet on the sink instead of mounted to the wall was a challenge. See all the open floor space? Now the dog's bowls can go under the sink instead of in the doorway. Hooray for small victories! :) |
I really liked the old schoolhouse light we had in here (see above photo for reference), but when I realized the laundry room light was directly behind the new glass & brass light we hung in the hallway, I knew we needed a more similar light for a cohesive look. HomeGoods did not have a second of my hallway light, so I found this one from Home Depot. It's actually huge (I thought it was a small pendant at purchase), but I think it works. Unfortunately, all that electrical work left a huge hole in the ceiling, and there's no time to fix it, so instead we slapped a coat of Urbane Bronze on an old ceiling medallion & it covered the hole perfectly. It wouldn't have been my first choice as the light fixture is simple, & the medallion is a bit much size-wise, but when you're in a time crunch, sometimes you just have to go with it.
 |
| Excuse the poor quality. This room is so hard to get a photo of, as there are no windows nearby. |
We still have yet to start on the mudcloset, and the desk & entry are only about 10% complete.. Yikes. It's time to up the coffee intake.
Let's look at our to-do list, shall we? Or maybe we shouldn't. Sometimes denial is a beautiful coping mechanism.
Laundry:
Entry:
Mudcloset:
Repaint // Lower top hooks so shelf is more accessible // Add shoe storage // Add more hooks
Office nook:
Floating desk // Install outlet // New printer // Cubby holes/storage for mail, office supplies
ORC Week 4: Never Stenciling Again
Y'all....
From now on, if I ever mention stenciling, just remind me to start saving pennies for the wallpapers of my dreams. Schumacher, Phillip Jeffries, Quadrille - I should not have abandoned you. ;)
In all seriousness, stenciling is not for the faint of heart, and definitely not for Type A personalities. I'm more of an A-/B+ type myself, but the misalignments and random paint smears just about sent me over the edge. As there was no wine in the house to ease my pain, I helped myself to the Halloween candy stash. We might need to re-stock. Oops.
Part of the issue with the stencil is my fault. The design I chose came with a dot in between each damask. But I did not want the dot as I was going for more of a block print look, so I taped over the dots to ensure that they would not get stenciled on the walls. I realized after my 3rd unevenly spaced attempt that the dots also help to line up the stencil. Once I figured that out, I just eyeballed where the dots should be & measured (again by eyeballing it) from there. The lack of actual measuring is the Type B+ personality I mentioned earlier. ;)
Stenciling the corners is where the real mashing of teeth began. I may have to redo that section to cover up the awful smearing & paint globs. It was not quite as easy as the pros make it look. And I learned that it was best if I waited about 5 minutes in between each stencil to allow for some drying, even though the instructions say you can move on immediately. But we persevered, and I am very happy with the overall result. It is beginning to look like what I pictured in my head (minus all the mistakes), & it's really fun.
In other parts of the reno, the hubs decided that he would not have time to custom build cubbies over the desk. I totally understand, but man, it would have looked so good. Luckily, the day after he told me it was a no-go, I happened upon multiple options while at Target, and after squishing my children to the side, managed to load 4 of them in my buggy. This beauty is the winner in both form & function.
It changes the influence of my design a tad - it's a little more rustic/industrial than my original idea, but luckily I have some other galvanized pieces I can pull from around the house to make it work. It does mean that we have to return the lighting I purchased for the space; the picture light is formal & traditional, and the desk area is now leaning towards industrial farmhouse, so it's back to the search I go. In a moment of insanity while feeling sorry for me, hubby offered to create some custom lighting if I can't find anything in my increasingly dwindling budget, so that's my fallback plan. Sounds foolproof, right?
Finally, I finished the chalkboard wall in the office nook with Martha Stewart Crafts Multi-Surface Chalkboard Acrylic Craft Finish in Chalkboard Clear. I used the entire bottle to apply 4 coats, with a few hours of dry time in between each coat. I waited a full 24 hours after the last coat, and then seasoned the entire wall with a couple pieces of chalk. It seems to be working great, but I will let you know if that changes over time. At 1 am last night, my sweet husband decided to start framing out the desk to try to get ahead of the lack of work we are predicting will happen over Halloween weekend. Trick or Treating comes first. #priorities
Oh, and the mudcloset hasn't even been touched yet. Yikes.
In case lists are your thing (they rank high on my...list... of favorite things. See what I did there?), let's check in on our progress.
Paint walls // New rug // New lighting
Chalkboard or pinboard // Lighting
From now on, if I ever mention stenciling, just remind me to start saving pennies for the wallpapers of my dreams. Schumacher, Phillip Jeffries, Quadrille - I should not have abandoned you. ;)
In all seriousness, stenciling is not for the faint of heart, and definitely not for Type A personalities. I'm more of an A-/B+ type myself, but the misalignments and random paint smears just about sent me over the edge. As there was no wine in the house to ease my pain, I helped myself to the Halloween candy stash. We might need to re-stock. Oops.
Part of the issue with the stencil is my fault. The design I chose came with a dot in between each damask. But I did not want the dot as I was going for more of a block print look, so I taped over the dots to ensure that they would not get stenciled on the walls. I realized after my 3rd unevenly spaced attempt that the dots also help to line up the stencil. Once I figured that out, I just eyeballed where the dots should be & measured (again by eyeballing it) from there. The lack of actual measuring is the Type B+ personality I mentioned earlier. ;)
Stenciling the corners is where the real mashing of teeth began. I may have to redo that section to cover up the awful smearing & paint globs. It was not quite as easy as the pros make it look. And I learned that it was best if I waited about 5 minutes in between each stencil to allow for some drying, even though the instructions say you can move on immediately. But we persevered, and I am very happy with the overall result. It is beginning to look like what I pictured in my head (minus all the mistakes), & it's really fun.
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| Only 1 damask stencil left to go. And a glimpse of the new pulls that I LOVE. Ignore the unpainted bottom right corner; that will be covered with beadboard :) |
In other parts of the reno, the hubs decided that he would not have time to custom build cubbies over the desk. I totally understand, but man, it would have looked so good. Luckily, the day after he told me it was a no-go, I happened upon multiple options while at Target, and after squishing my children to the side, managed to load 4 of them in my buggy. This beauty is the winner in both form & function.
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| Notice anything funky about #8? It makes me laugh each time I see it upside down. All the ones in the store were the same. Might have to keep it for the quirkiness. |
It changes the influence of my design a tad - it's a little more rustic/industrial than my original idea, but luckily I have some other galvanized pieces I can pull from around the house to make it work. It does mean that we have to return the lighting I purchased for the space; the picture light is formal & traditional, and the desk area is now leaning towards industrial farmhouse, so it's back to the search I go. In a moment of insanity while feeling sorry for me, hubby offered to create some custom lighting if I can't find anything in my increasingly dwindling budget, so that's my fallback plan. Sounds foolproof, right?
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| Despite the lighting issue in the office nook, I am in LOVE with my fun find at HomeGoods of all places! Still needs a cool lightbulb after hubby broke the other one. And in the background is a glimpse of the partially painted entry wall (was Stratton Blue, now is White Dove. Or at least most of it is) |
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| Please excuse the lighting in all of these. It's been raining for days in GA, & my camera has a temper tantrum each time I try to take shots without a flash. You can see the chalkiness of the chalkboard paint on the upper part of the wall. |
Oh, and the mudcloset hasn't even been touched yet. Yikes.
In case lists are your thing (they rank high on my...list... of favorite things. See what I did there?), let's check in on our progress.
Laundry:
Install beadboard & molding // Paint & stencil walls (Praise the Lord I can cross this off) // Install hooks on molding // New utility sink // Pulls for cabinets // New lighting ? // Replace drying rack // Install shelf above washer & dryer // Install shelves above drying rack
Entry:
Mudcloset:
Repaint // Lower top hooks so shelf is more accessible // Add shoe storage // Add more hooks
Office nook:
Floating desk // Install outlet // New printer // Cubby holes/storage for mail, office supplies
If you just now catching up, you can see Week 1, Week 2, & Week 3 here. And don't forget to visit Linda at Calling It Home to check in on the almost 200 other participants.
Happy Halloween y'all!
ORC Week 3: Progress??
Well, we're halfway through, and I cannot confidently say that we're halfway done with our work. Ahh!! We've had a few setbacks, most notably time. The baby had croup, and the hubby was out of town all weekend, so we are trying to make up for it by working late after the kiddos are in bed. Coffee & I have always been BFFs, but now we are thisclose.
That being said, it's still pathetic how much we've gotten done compared to our normal project timelines. Guess those Netflix marathons really do cut into productivity.
We painted the office nook Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze, & I love love love the dark against all the white in our home. I've used this color before, mainly on our exterior doors, but I've never used it on walls. Looks so good. After a couple coats of the UB, I started coating a portion of the back wall with Martha's Multi-Surface Chalkboard Acrylic Craft Finish. It has given the wall a slightly chalky/glazed sheen, but still looks fine. I think the fact that the wall has so many imperfections and is in a dimly lit space helps; not sure how it would look in a sunlit area.
I started on the stencil work in the laundry room, and I am in love with the design. I've never stenciled before, so the results have been imperfect, but I actually kind of like it better that way. Hopefully, I'll finish it tomorrow so that we can start installing beadboard this weekend.
Luckily, our only snafus so far have been minor. I scored a great deal at HomeGoods, & found a light that is a little out of my comfort zone (which is laughable because it's so tame, but my style is farmhouse/cottage/classic & this light is a teensy bit industrial). I think it will really make the space though, and add a little zing. However, when I was removing all the stickers the manufacturer plastered it with, some of the finish came off. And then the awesome vintage lightbulb I paid extra for popped in half when my husband (who would like acknowledgement for his obvious brute strength) pulled it out of the box. But if those are our only issues, I will gladly take them!
There is still so much left to do, most notably installing paneling, building a free floating desk, and installing a new sink. Check back next week to see how much more we've done, or if we've gone off the deep end. Right now, it's a toss-up. ;)
Follow me on Instagram at hcbinteriors for more frequent updates. And don't forget to check out the other participants - the talent is incredible!
That being said, it's still pathetic how much we've gotten done compared to our normal project timelines. Guess those Netflix marathons really do cut into productivity.
We painted the office nook Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze, & I love love love the dark against all the white in our home. I've used this color before, mainly on our exterior doors, but I've never used it on walls. Looks so good. After a couple coats of the UB, I started coating a portion of the back wall with Martha's Multi-Surface Chalkboard Acrylic Craft Finish. It has given the wall a slightly chalky/glazed sheen, but still looks fine. I think the fact that the wall has so many imperfections and is in a dimly lit space helps; not sure how it would look in a sunlit area.
I started on the stencil work in the laundry room, and I am in love with the design. I've never stenciled before, so the results have been imperfect, but I actually kind of like it better that way. Hopefully, I'll finish it tomorrow so that we can start installing beadboard this weekend.
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| A little hint at the stencil work |
Luckily, our only snafus so far have been minor. I scored a great deal at HomeGoods, & found a light that is a little out of my comfort zone (which is laughable because it's so tame, but my style is farmhouse/cottage/classic & this light is a teensy bit industrial). I think it will really make the space though, and add a little zing. However, when I was removing all the stickers the manufacturer plastered it with, some of the finish came off. And then the awesome vintage lightbulb I paid extra for popped in half when my husband (who would like acknowledgement for his obvious brute strength) pulled it out of the box. But if those are our only issues, I will gladly take them!
There is still so much left to do, most notably installing paneling, building a free floating desk, and installing a new sink. Check back next week to see how much more we've done, or if we've gone off the deep end. Right now, it's a toss-up. ;)
Follow me on Instagram at hcbinteriors for more frequent updates. And don't forget to check out the other participants - the talent is incredible!
ORC Week 2: Demo & Design Plan
Not surprisingly, the laundry room & to-be office nook look huge now that they're empty of junk. But they're actually fairly small: the laundry room is 35 sq. ft. & the office nook is only 4 ft wide & 18 inches deep. This means less area to work on, but it also means we have to be efficient with our space planning. I love the challenge of ensuring a design works as good as it looks, so this is one of the things I'm most eager to get to (& also what is keeping me awake at night). ;)
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| Removed all the junk & shelves, patched the holes, and now we are ready to paint! |
Below is my design board. It's a little different from the ones I send to clients; this is more of an inspiration board than a true design board. I'm taking elements from all of the images & giving them my own spin. So, what you see here will not exactly be what you'll see in the end, as opposed to a detailed design that I provide for my clients. But, it will keep me focused on not straying too far outside my ideas, something that can happen when I'm browsing my favorite antiques store, or let's be honest, each time I step inside Target or HomeGoods.
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| Clockwise from top left: Melinda Hartwright // Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze // Schoolhouse Electric Benjamin Moore White Dove // An Urban Cottage // Ladies Home Journal // This Old House // Boston Globe Magazine |
And finally, our to-do list. Phew! Seeing how many things there are still to be done is a little overwhelming. This is definitely going to be a 'take it one step at a time' process.
Laundry:
Install beadboard & molding // Paint & stencil walls // Install hooks on molding // New utility sink //
Entry:
Paint walls // New rug // New lighting
Mudcloset:
Repaint // Lower top hooks so shelf is more accessible // Add shoe storage // Add more hooks
Office nook:
Floating desk //
Chalkboard or pinboard // Lighting
Please check in on our progress again next week! Y'all are keeping me accountable ;)
And remember, there are nearly 200 other bloggers joining in on the fun, so go give them some love!
One Room Challenge Fall 2015
Twice a year, I look forward to reading about those participating in Linda’s (Calling it Home) One Room Challenge (ORC), a blogger challenge to complete one room in your home in 6 short weeks. This year, I have convinced my husband that
we need to participate! It’s not really
the best time for us to dive into a fast-paced, money-draining project, but is
there ever really such a thing as a perfect time?
Our home is a cozy (aka smallish) '70s ranch. We are lucky to be on a full basement, but the main level specifically must be truly functional since it is where we spend most of our time, and there's just no space to waste. Besides, I truly believe in actually living in all of a home's rooms - no "look, but don't touch" spaces for this girl. This does mean we have to get creative sometimes, and our makeover space fits the bill on needing lots of work & out-of-the-box thinking.
For our first ORC, we will be revamping the hallway/laundry/mudroom/pantry space just inside of our garage door. It’s an awkward layout. Entering from the
garage, you are in a narrow hallway that is part of the kitchen. There are 5 doorways in this tiny space. The laundry room, pantries, “mudcloset”, and
garage door are visible from all parts of the kitchen. The dining room, front
door, & foyer are all visible from the garage door. And the garage door & one of the pantries
are visible from the front door. This
requires a cohesive look that will work with all adjacent spaces, so that your
line of sight is not jarred by incongruent design. It also requires
organization & tidiness, habits on which our entire family are still
perfecting. ;)
Our kitchen is long, narrow, & had 3 pantries when we
moved in, none of which were that close to each other. I realize this may sound wonderful to those
who have no pantry space (it did to me too, before we actually started living
in the space). But it quickly became apparent that we needed a place to hang
our coats & kick off our shoes, not 3 different places to store our
cereal. So, my sweet hubby did a quick
weekend revamp last year, & turned the pantry directly across from the garage door (pantry #2) into a “mudcloset’. Since it is not even
12” deep, I think calling it a mudroom would be a tad overzealous. This area will get a small update.
Our laundry room is at the end of our long kitchen, opposite
the breakfast nook. I am, of course,
constantly in there doing laundry, and the dog’s bowls are in there as well, so
the door is always open. I personally do
not love looking at my piles of dirty laundry while I’m eating, so making this
space more functional, and definitely more appealing to look at, is at the top
of my list. An added bonus is that if I can close the door, the baby will no longer play in the dog's food bowls.
It is a very narrow room, with barely enough space to squeeze in a laundry basket. It's also a catchall for anything that doesn't have a home, so the space gets even narrower with all the junk piled up. Please pretend you aren't appalled by our mess. This is it on a good day. :)
Finally, the space
that I’m most excited about redoing is the 3rd pantry (for those of
you keeping count, pantry #1, a tall set of cabinets close to the kitchen sink, is
staying a pantry). #3 is the biggest
of the pantries, and while we use it everyday for storage, it will be turned
into something we will use even more – an office nook. There is no spot on the main level of our
home for an office. My desk has moved
from the basement (sharing a space in the playroom or my husband’s office
wasn’t practical or feasible) to the family room to the dining room. We had high hopes for a dining
room/library/office combo, but the office part just never felt right. I didn’t love that all of my work stuff,
bills, etc. would be piled high on my desk while we were trying to entertain,
or that my computer screen was the first thing you saw when coming in the front
door as the dining room is directly off the foyer. I will have to keep this small space organized
as it is still partially visible from the front door/dining room, but it’s not
as in your face as when it was in the dining room. And, I have to find a new home for all of the junk we currently have crammed into the pantry. Time to edit!
Overall, I am ecstatic to join in on this fun process –
let’s hope we still think it’s fun in 6 weeks!
Check back every Thursday for updates; next week I'll share my design plan and the start of the deconstruction process. And if you want to be a linking participant like me, check out Linda's blog for details!