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A Reclaimed Wood Buffet for the Dining Room

September 8, 2020

I found a reclaimed wood buffet for my dining room. It’s true, sometimes non-essential dreams do come true. And, this wood buffet was not found online or in the dining room window display.

You will never guess where I found my future dining room buffet.

I found my wood buffet next to the bathroom at Pottery Barn. It was in a hallway leading to the women’s bathroom. Big surprise!

There was a hold tag on it for another customer.

So I ripped it off and marched up to the checkout counter.

Gotcha!

Just kidding!

But I ~~may have~~ thought about it. What? It was made of reclaimed wood. It was the perfect match for this dining room table.#ad

But, the story did not end in the Pottery Barn bathroom hallway.

I went home and checked out the details (price) and dimensions. And that’s when, in the final hours of a Sunday evening, in the top right-hand corner of my screen was a 24-hour flash sale with the following announcement in all caps.

**FREE SHIPPING.** It was a free-shipping miracle sent by a little angel.

But with tuition, mortgage payments and the neverending cash flow demands of my husband’s data analytics company, the online shopping cart usually sents empty or the catalog gets recycled.

Reclaimed Wood Buffet

I think this is where the term angel investors originated. #wink, #snarky.

Once the hutch was in my shopping cart I got my sign from the angel investors; the Bowery reclaimed storage hutch was back-ordered.

Backordered status translates to no credit card charge until the hutch ships from Chicago.

I had time to pay it off before it shipped.

I now refer to this as mom’s angel investor club (entirely different meaning in my husband’s vernacular).

So the best part of this new dining room hutch was that it fit perfectly in my little dining room niche AND it was paid in full before it shipped.

The dining room hutch was made from reclaimed wood with rough edges and dark brass hardware. It matched the industrial vibe and this dining room table.

What do you have your eye on that you might find in a store’s hallway?

“As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Blue and White Living Room Rug

September 2, 2020

how the blue and white rug pulls the living room together

My last rug in the living room was a shade of green that covered the dirt but clashed with my brown walls. How is that for a visual? I shared before and after paint pics here if you are curious.

Go ahead, take a look. It was rough.

With new windows on the front of the house, we wanted the views to be the feature of the living room.

This room was love at first sight so many years ago. But the room was a little lost.

A good friend suggested when feeling stuck (with a room) to empty the room and put it back together.

This method raised a few eyebrows when the family came home to the living room furniture in the hallway.

But, if mama ain’t happy no one is happy. And they are all used to to mom moving furniture at all hours of the day.

After emptying the room and getting Elliott through the potty training stage, I was ready to focus my attention on a new rug. So when I found this blue and white rug for the living room it was love at first click. I found it at Overstocks and it is in and out of stock regularly. But don’t lose hope. #ad

Sound familiar?

Tip: Take advantage of the “Notify me when in stock” button. It works. Many popular retailers have added this feature.

I received a notification from Target in a day when these prints were back in stock.

I and fell in love with this rug. And I knew this rug was going to pull the room together. What I didn’t know was how it would pull our family together.

And, with a few clicks, I purchased this rug in a 10x 12. It was tight on the sides because of a curved wall, but I loved the cream and blue colors instantly.

I forgot how soft a wool rug was under bare feet. All of a sudden the wood floors had a beautiful blankie over their worn and tired finish.

The new living room rug was ready to carry the load of the family after dinner, during homework (that chaise needs it’s on reservation app) and phone calls with kids away at college.

Here was our living room last week. That chaise is my favorite piece of furniture in the house!

The walls were painted Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore and I eventually added navy window treatments for color.

The new rug needed to be a medium shade of blue so I could go on either side of the blue color wheel for window treatments and accessories. I am a cautious color girl. I

wanted a wool rug, but not one that would disrupt my cash for my Nordstrom fix.

Finally, the rug had to be soft underfoot because of the living room (and that chaise) that is the family’s favorite room to relax and enjoy the Colorado views. I love this rug so much!

I was so nervous when our blue rug arrived on my front porch. What if I didn’t love it? How would I return a 50-pound roll of wool? What if my ~~family~~ dogs hated it?

My son helped me drag, pull and push the new rug up a flight of stairs. Before the big reveal, I added a rug pad. I read that not only does a rug pad protect the wood floors (not that I would be opposed for a reason to refinish the floors), but a rug pad adds an extra layer of cushion.

I was this close to buying a larger rug, but then I found this reference for rug placement on Home Depot’s blog.

And, now this room is the most popular space in the house. It is where we unwind, catch a nap on the chaise or watch the snow in February with a cozy blanket. My son studied in this room during his extended spring break. It is everything I imagined and I think that the new rug had something to do with it.

Stay tuned for more updates to this space! Where do you find new rugs?

Looking for inspiration on a budget check out this idea.

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Before and After Interior Paint Colors

June 4, 2020

“Do you think we can find paint ideas on Pinterest?” The fact that my husband knew how to use Pinterest in a sentence was enough for me. My mother still struggles with the correct pronunciation. So, “Yes, I think we can find paint ideas on Pinterest.” Which got me thinking about the power of paint in my own house and a look back at a few before and after interior paint colors around my house.

You, ready?

As a Realtor, I remind sellers paint holds a lot of power in a room.

Paint makes the first impression and has the ability to turn off or engage potential buyers when they walk through the front door.

Realtor Tip: The same can be said for tchotchke and toilet seat covers.

Paint can easily overpower the “bones” or the “energy” of the home.

I speak from personal experience too. Heavy, dated walls make rooms feel dark and clutter.

Paint can accent a feature wall or an office, but it can also scream the not so great details of a home’s interior.

Before and After Interior Paint Colors

You know those details that make funny stories or start a conversation with a buyer. I wonder who talked about our basement bonus room after they left our Christmas party?

Check out this before photo of our basement bonus room.

Then and now … I shared the details of this bonus room here.

Then …

and now…

Our family room then …

and our family room now. Still working on this one.

and now….and that rug.

An upper bedroom then …

and now. With a more sophisticated, college age shade of navy with a side of Revere Pewter.

And, an upper bathroom… before

to a softer shade of silver. Here is the complete before and after of this bathroom remodel.

What do you think? What room won the best before and after contest? Thank you for stopping by! Please follow along on my Instagram.

How to Replace Door Hardware & Hinges

March 24, 2020

Realtors have the unique opportunity to see homes without filters and creative angles. We see the hits and misses of updates. And, sometimes there are things we can’t unsee. As decor and DIY bloggers we live in a bit of a blogger bubble. Would you agree? But, for many homeowners, including a few friends and family, they have no interest in following decor trends or the top paint colors for 2020. For me, the first update I look for in a home is the condition of the door hardware. The excpetions to this include historical or homes built pre-1970’s where the original hardware adds value. But, for many of us, I am referring to the original builder grade door hardware. Here are a few suggestions on how to replace door hardware on a budget.

One of my favorite home updates is to replace door hardware and the often ignored door hinges. Replacing door hardware makes a big impact in a room because most homes have more than a few doors.

Our interior and exterior doors are a big part of the aestethics of a space.

And, this is why it makes so much sense to update the features that are used as often as the bathroom (that’s another favorite home update).

Don’t get me wrong I know the thought of updating door hardware is overwhelming (and pricey) and it is the last thing we want to do on a weekend.

But, stick with me; replacing door hardware makes a huge difference.

Here is the process we took to update the door hardware and hinges.

Break it down into manageable and budget-friendly timelines. For example, we have dozens of doors across multiple levels in our home. The “Jack and Jack” bathroom between our boys’ bedrooms has four doors in one bathroom. That adds up to four new door handles and twelve hinges for one space.

But the only thing worse than not replacing door hardware is not replacing all the hardware. You just have to grind through the replacement process.

2. But, to manage cash flow we replaced the most popular doors first; the popular doors used everyday or in sight everyday. We started with the entry door handles and our home’s main level.

3. Over the course of several months and weeknights, with nothing new on Amazon or Netflix, we tackled one to two doors at a time.

It reminded me of when we replaced these.

And, then one evening without much fan fare we installed our last set of door handles and hinges. It was a huge DIY box to check.

We love the look. And, like all trends, the finish of door hardware will change (who ever thought gold hues would be back), but the quality of door hardware tends to outweigh tthe finish trends.

And, don’t forget to update or clean up those door stoppers too!

Here is a more affordable project I did to update cabinet hardware in minutes.

Pottery Barn Knockoff Lamp

February 20, 2020

I love lighting for a room, but not so much on my face or in a dressin room. Lighting, and I always include twinkly lights, add mood and shadows. What I don’t love is the process of finding lamps for a space. There are too many details- you know like height and width. And, the pressure to find the correct lamp shade? There is not enough bandwith in my brain for correct lamp shade sizing. It is too much. My lamp search started in front of my tablet with a ~~cup~~ pot of coffee. And, then I called my sister to chat about my search for a Pottery Barn knockoff lamp. And, then we talk about nothing to do with lamps for 67 minutes.

My lamp search began on Pottery Barn’s site. I loved these lamps with their appropriate sized lamp shades and clear, sturdy base. But, I did not love the prices. I needed to pace my spending. Because something else always ends up in my Pottery Barn shopping cart once I click the “sale” tab at the top of the site. Anyone else shop just the “sale” tab?

The price was about $150.00 more than I wanted to spend for a lamp.

I took my search to Wayfair and found this lamp for 1/2 the price. The reviews were great too! The good news was the lamp was on sale. The bad news; was it was out of stock here. Here is a similar lamp from Wayfair.

Sidenote: I signed up for a “back in stock” alert.

Photo Credit: Wayfair.com

Pottery Barn Inspired Lamp

I was a little worried when the Wayfair lamp arrived. You know that nervous anticipation when you grab a pair of scissors to open the well-taped box? And, you say a little prayer to the shopping angels that the lamp resembles the photo from the website. Well, this lamp did not disappoint! It is sturdy and lampshade has a snug fit against the base (no wobble).

I love this lamp! I plan to buy a second one as soon as they are back in stock.

Oh, and I found this great resource for sizing up lamps.

How to Repurpose a Vintage Find that is Not Haunted

January 8, 2020

I love when I find something I did not know I needed for my home. I love to figure out how to repurpose a vintage find. And, I love it more when I find a way how to repurpose a find that is vintage and not haunted.

But I am getting ahead of myself.

I went thru a vintage store phase where, in between work or social commitments, I would stop into this popular vintage store south of Denver.

Ond day, in between the farmhouse finds and antiques I found a brassy, metal mailbox. I love mailboxes and sadly our suburban neighborhood does not have the individual mailboxes.

How to Repurpose a Vintage Find

I studied up on vintage mailboxes as I contemplated what to do with my find. Did you know in 1923 it was mandatory that every home had a mailbox? You can read the reason why here.

The challenge to repurpose a vintage find is to make sure it works with your home. And, just as important to make sure the vintage find is not haunted.

I learned this suggestion the hard way when my mother “gifted” me and my husband an antique rocking chair. It had been her family for a few generations in the Appalachian Mountains. It was covered in what appeared to be decades of dust.

My husband never liked this chair. I would find it in the garage for a variety of reasons; it was tilted, it was not safe for a child. Finally, my husband confided he was completely creeped out by the rocking chair.

Kind of like our basement in our first home. I’ll save that for another day.

He found a reason to haul it to the garage when the rocking chair mysteriously cracked-

better the rocking chair leg, than my husband. #wink

Thankfully, the mailbox was non-threatening. I planned to have it next to our back door to hold keys or dog leases. Unfortunately, neither keys nor dog leashes were needed next to the door that leads to the backyard.

Needless to say, that mailbox went around the block (house) a few times before it found its forever home in my home office.

With an ongoing office refresh, the vintage mailbox found a new home in my office, right next to the door. I painted it a sloppy coat of Hale Navy paint to give a pop of color on the Revere Pewter walls.

Of course, I did not grab a before photo. Epic blog fail!

And, in hindsight the brassy finish would look amazing in my recently repainted home office.

This vintage mailbox was a cute addition above the light switch. I loved the serendipity moment when I realized the mailbox ended up next to a door. Maybe not the front door, but my home office door.

Serendipity, right?

With the tiny door lift, centered on the front of the mailbox, the mailbox was ready for a re-purposed life.

Although this mailbox no longer holds the local newspaper I want to find a purpose for the scrolled arms.

Please leave any suggestions in the comments.

But, what I love most about this mailbox is it reminds us of the low tech version of mail delivery.

The little key entry on the front panel reminds us of a simple version of security.

In today’s email packed inboxes, this vintage mailbox find no longer holds mail; instead, it holds the stories from homeowners past.

Thank you for stopping by and please check out other repurposed projects here.

Garage Entry Door Makeover in an Hour

November 20, 2019

It’s the week of Thanksgiving. I should focus on mashed potatoes, fresh linens and a vacuum to reign in the dog hair. But that’s not what happened yesterday. In between a quick inventory of the Christmas trees and hauling out bags of clothes to drop off at Goodwill, I painted the garage entry door. That’s right in less than an hour I had a garage entry door makeover. Welcome home…

You know when you reach that point where you have to drop everything because something bugs you so much? Like a mosquito bite; that you can’t reach to scratch? Well, my garage entry door was that mosquito; except it was door and days before Thanksgiving.

This was the door a few years ago before it got a quick update with a coat of black paint and new hardware. But over the years the door got banged up with tennis bags and a 93 pound Bernese Mountain dog covered in mud.

She may also be the reason the updated door hardware tilts.

I switched things up with a couple quick coats of Chelsea Gray. The same paint I used to paint our living room hutch. There is an Instagram account just for Benjamin Moore’s Chelsea Gray.

In our house, the entry door from the garage is the most popular door. The only one who visits the front door is the UPS or Fed Ex guy. So it only made sense that my family members have a door with fresh paint.

In less than an hour, I had a garage entry door makeover. And I added a little something to welcome my family home.

It turns out the crazy, packed schedule is the deadline I needed to haul out a paint tarp. The time spent painted rolled by quickly with thoughts of all three of my children home for a few days. #fullhouse

I plan to make these as these breakfast rolls in the days before Thanksgiving.

Hello there!

How to Pair Hale Navy & Revere Pewter Paint

October 21, 2019

Examples of how to pair Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy and Revere Pewter paint

Growing up my sister and I got to pick a shade of pink for our Strawberry Shortcake inspired polyester bedspreads. My dad brought home 2 gallons of paint that resembled Benjamin Moore’s Mascarpone. It might explain our mutual love for Pinterest paint boards. After living with Tuscany inspired paint colors from the early 2000’s we painted our walls Revere Pewter. But I got bored with the greige walls and decided to pair Hale Navy & Revere Pewter paint.

HOW TO PAIR HALE NAVY AND REVERE PEWTER

I love, love, love the color combination. The two colors blend; with no stark contrast.

I created a Pinterest board filled with pins of Hale Navy and Revere Pewter. I started small with arches and niches; they must have been the architectural thing in the early 2000s.

Like this little nook that sits under the staircase. Here was the Revere Pewter painted niche.

How to Pair Hale Navy & Revere Pewter Paint

I crossed the hall over to the dining room where I followed the trend of painting one more niche.

And, then I ventured into carrying the Hale Navy under the dining room wall around the windows. We had recently removed a half wall between the kitchen and the dining room.

With the additional light, I decided the room could handle a bold, confident. The kitchen transitions to Revere Pewter.

Here is the dining room window ledge after I painted the walls Hale Navy. Full room pictures soon!

I loved the dining room so much I went around the corner and painted my office Hale Navy. Here’s a peek at my office. It is the pantry for the next month during our kitchen demo. I shared how to paint two paint colors in a straight line on corners and ceilings.

Here is a peek of my office. This has been the longest reveal. I binged Bridget Jones when I painted the room on a weekend.

Start here if you are curious about navy and green color pairings.

Thanks for stopping by today! Please pin for reference.

ROOMS WITH HALE NAVY + REVERE PEWTER

Family Room

Living Room

Dining Room

FURNITURE PHOTOGRAPHED IN ROOMS

WEEKLY IDEAS STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX

HOW TO PAINT A STAINED FRONT DOOR

October 9, 2019

There was no turning back once I started to paint the backside of our front door. The decision to paint the stained front door was a long, agonizing one. Translation? I spent too much time (and coffee) searching Pinterest. Of course, I am obsessed with these doors, but I am pinching pennies as we get ready to demo our kitchen. The difficult decision was based on the fact that once the white paint was in play it was not easily undone.

HOW TO PAINT A STAINED FRONT DOOR

Here is the stained front door from inside the entryway. And, yes, the white trim around the stained door was an existing eyesore.

STEPS

I made the decision not to remove the door from the door’s hinges. With my REALTOR® life schedule, I wanted to be able to lock up the house if needed.
Lightly sand the stained door and remove dust and debris on the front door’s surface.
Paint the sidelights first. If I hated the paint it would be easier to restain one sidelight than the entire front door.

At this point, I could see the transformation from the oak stain to a bright white. It matched the adjacent entry closet door and it was a mutual attraction.

You know that moment when you love the decision you agonized over for weeks?

This was that kind of moment for a DIY girl!

New hardware to match the closet door hardware finished the look. If you zoom in you can see we missed a few hinges when we updated the door hardware around the house.

Painting the interior side of the stained front door made the entry so much brighter.

Look at the before and after side-by-side photo. Painting the stained doors made a huge difference in a matter of hours and a 1/2 gallon of paint. If you want to do a deep dive on the prep details, check out my go-to handyman,

Want a few one hour projects and seasonal decorating tips? I won’t overwhelm you with emails!

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How to Install Peel & Stick Tile

September 24, 2019

Where would you add a peel and stick tile if a free box was delivered to your door? After receiving an offer from this company. Because it is not every day I receive an offer for 30 square feet of peel and stick tiles. And, all I had to do was learn how to install peel & stick tile.

I replied with an “Um, Yes.” And, I cleared a Saturday afternoon because to learn how to install peel and stick tile.

The easiest part was I already had the “where.” Last year we took down the dated, stock cabinets in our almost 20-year-old builder built basement bar. We replaced the cabinets with these shelves.

When we removed the cabinets we installed an MDF board. My goal was to create a chalkboard with a Starbucks vibe. Not so much.

I knew the peel and stick tile would dress up the bar and give the wall behind the shelves a multi-dimensional backdrop.

When the box arrived the only thing I was worried about was if there were enough peel & stick tile panels to cover the approximate 6×5 foot wall behind the bar. A quick non-math more visual calculation gave me hope and the enthusiasm to start the peel ad stick install.

Supply List for Peel & Stick Tile

level
scissors
permanent marker
Aspect Peel & Stick stone in Charcoal Slate

I started at the bottom of the wall (just above the counter) and in the corner behind the kitchen sink. I decided if I screwed up the corner it would be less noticeable hiding behind a roll of paper towels. (the height of the counter) and in the corner behind the kitchen sink.

The project moved right along until I got to the outlets and the shelf hardware. I freaked a bit thinking this was where my project would go off the rails.

Remain calm when faced with outlets.

I removed the shelves’ brackets and outlet covers and used the stone tile scraps to fill in around the outlets and hardware. It went much smoother than I anticipated. I had a little bit of wiggle room with the straight line cuts because the hardware flange and outlet covers covered the cut edges of the stone tile. I used a level with each panel.

Translation: I did not screw it up.

I used a level with each panel and the black plywood made any tiny gaps blend into the wall. The Charcoal Slate tiles included shades of grays. It adds texture and depth to the bar where the chalkboard did not.

I love, love, love the finished look. It took about two hours to complete. The added bonus was there was no cleanup, grout, or glue.

PEEL & STICK DETAILS

The Aspect Peel & Stick tile products are available in stone, metal, and glass in a subway and matted styles. Wood styles will be available the first of the year. You can find lots of inspiration at their e-commerce site, DIY Decor Store.

On the fence? You can request a sample here.

Disclosure: I received a product in exchange for creating a review and sharing photos of the project. All opinions are my own. And, I loved this product!

Dining Room Table is Our Giving Tree

September 5, 2019

Do you know the book, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein? The classic children’s book was described as one of the “most divisive books in children’s literature.” I sided with the tree. You? And, I bet our dining room table wood too. Did you see what I just did? Our dining room table is our giving tree.

Here is her story.

We found our dining room table at a furniture store in Denver. We purchased it when we moved from Westerville, Ohio to Colorado. My traditional, cherry stain furniture did not work in our brownstone in the suburbs home.

My husband and I equally loved this dining room table and like proud parents we were happy to show it off to friends and family.

Like most dining rooms, however, the dining room table was located in the most unpopular room in the house. But over the years, our dining room table carries the load for our family.

Our dining room table turned into the catchall for tennis racquets, shopping bags, sweaty uniforms, and mail. It was our giving table.

Dining Room Table

During the holidays, we cleared the table’s clutter and dust and topped it off with a layer of furniture oil. Seasonal tablescapes were created over her rough edges. Friends shared their interest in our table if we decided to sell our possessions and move into

… a tiny house.

But, it turns out there is a twist in The Giving Tree analogy. Maybe, we gave a little bit of love back to the dining room table.

Let me explain.

During our first Thanksgiving, with a dozen relatives squeezed around our table, we discovered that the rough edges and bumps on the surface were a bit of a challenge for the dining experience.

It turns out the glasses wobbled.. like Weebles.

My husband panicked and had plans to order a glass table top. Over my grey roots (see what I did there)? On that Thanksgiving night, I fell more in love with our table; it wasn’t perfect. The design to create a table for a Colorado home, it turned out, could not keep a wine glass level. The glasses wobbled. Kind of like grandma after her second glass of Chardonnay. Grandma blamed the table.

Maybe it was the table. Our table.

My husband suggested a glass top for the table. I suggested bubble wrap placemats. It turned out, the table’s imperfections became the best conversation starters with a table full of guests (and drinking glasses). And, just like the book, our dining room table gave us a little bit more.

Revere Pewter Paint in Family Room

August 29, 2019

Do you know that feeling when you see a photo of yourself and your like, “That is not what I look like?” Well, that’s the same reaction I had when I uploaded house photos. “My family room doesn’t look like that? Oh yes, it does, Laura. Oh, yes it does. And, I remembered the power of paint.

Revere Pewter Paint

I spent months on this page to narrow down my decision on the paint color for our home’s interior.

I love the Revere Pewter paint on the family room walls, but these photos show a little more blah than boom. And, it wasn’t until I took those photos that I realized I have some family room goals this fall. I was on the right track when I added these pillows.

The basket with the pillows is one of my favorite things in the room. I love the contrast between the wicker and the blue & white pillows. See that tennis ball in the background? I have a photo collage of random tennis balls.

When you are a tennis family you find tennis balls just about everywhere. Last spring I painted the nook above the fireplace Hale Navy and loved the contrast against the Revere Pewter paint on the walls.

The Revere Pewter paint is carried throughout most of the house. Our home is an open main level so you can catch glimpse of the Revere Pewter on most walls.

Here is a glimpse of our new windows from earlier this summer. The new windows transformed the room. We replaced all the windows with clear glass (no grids).

And, then I captured this blank wall and I was like, “Oh, that’s rough Laura.” Now what?

Our dream, okay my dream, is to knock down that wall and add a dual-sided fireplace (the living room is on the opposite side). But until then I need something on those walls.

And, look I spy another tennis ball (and a wandering power cord).

How to Remove a Half Wall Between the Dining and Kitchen Rooms

August 22, 2019

The good news is my husband and I are still married after we removed a half wall between the dining room and kitchen. We had no plans to take out the half wall.

But over the course of a weekend, we made the decision and never looked back.

It was so much easier than we anticipated. It opened up the wall between our kitchen and dining room and brought light into the north side of the house that craves a little sunshine.

The decision to remove the half wall was the biggest project my husband and I have tackled. It was bigger than this project.

It required trust, grit, patience and an electrician to run interference and move an outlet. To appreciate the after here is a quick view of the dining room a few years ago.

And, yes I picked that color.

The dining room was the gateway to the kitchen. And, with a narrow entry arch into the kitchen. Here is the wall from the dining room. To the left is the door size entry into the kitchen.

Here’s the view from the dining room. By removing this wall we could take advantage of the light from the large dining room windows.

How to Remove a Half Wall | Before

Here’s the view from the kitchen.

Tip: Before we removed the upper cabinets (and the half wall) we relocated the contents of the cabinets. Before we removed the wall we wanted to make sure we would not miss those cabinets.

At the same time we relocated the microwave to an adjoining counter.

How to Remove a Half Wall | Electrical & Plumbing Details

We hired a plumber and electrician to move the mechanics to the left inside the frame. We had to add an additional outlet on the dining room wall side per electrical code. Total costs for the mechanical was just under $300.00.

Pain in The Arch

The arch was the trickiest part of this wall removal. We had the small arch where the original entry into the kitchen existed. The main level of our house has arches in and out of every room so we wanted to keep the design. But, we had to remove the original arch before we recreated a wider arch to accommodate the extended length of the newly opened half wall.

Arch Solution

My husband found Archways & Ceilings, a US-based company, that specializes in creating arches. With simple instructions on their website, my husband measured the expanded wall opening. Within a week we had an MDF template ready to install.

We framed the top of the wall with 2×4’s and attached the MDF arch to the frame. It required a drill and screws. It was a great, affordable solution. The total cost of the MDF arch was around $100.00.

The time saved: priceless.

We love the space between the kitchen and dining room and it looks like the way we envisioned it.

And, the best part of this half wall removal project was how quickly we finished it. From start to finish it was a total commitment of two-ish weekends. It took almost a week to receive the solution for the extended arch. The contractor quotes we received for the half wall tear down project were north of $6,000.00. We completed this project for less than $1500. This included the cost for the plumbing and electrical.

The Before:

It also included the temporary countertop we made until we were ready to remodel the kitchen.

Here is the halfwall area today a few years later. We love the openness into the dining room. We used the counter as a breakfast bar or additional seating for entertaining.

Simple Idea to Update the Kitchen Island

August 19, 2019

My kitchen is on the waitlist for a renovation. Every month she moves up the list patiently waiting to get her measurements taken, her drawers evaluated and her cooktop lifted and replaced. But, until the kitchen moves to the top of the waitlist, I found a simple kitchen island update in an hour.

My family expected me to add under cabinet lighting with Christmas lights.

But I played it safe with a quart of paint and a roller. Seriously, I did not even haul out a roll of painter’s tape!

Simple Kitchen Island Update

In the time it took to watch the BH90210 reboot, minus the commercials, the kitchen island was updated.

Because it was an island I did not need to climb a ladder. Because it had natural stop and start points, I did not take the time to tape the space. I used the trim work to guide my brush.

The kitchen island paint color went from dependable Revere Pewter to Kendall Charcoal in minutes.

All of a sudden, my baseboards popped against the new paint color. Even my dulled floors look a little less scuffed.

A coat of Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal transformed the space. Just like Pinterest promised. I love this color because it works seamlessly with colors like Revere Pewter and Hale Navy. I posted sneak peeks of my Hale Navy dining room on Instagram.

A big part of the kitchen renovation includes the removal and replacement of a larger kitchen island. So my decision to paint the island was a low risk, low effort to just give her a little tweak.

If you blinked you might have missed the subtle update. The boys in my house missed it… for weeks.

What do you think? Do you have ideas for inexpensive updates?

5 Kitchen Sink Ideas Before Thanksgiving

August 6, 2019

Have you looked at the calendar? We are on the backend of summer!Last week, I ran into HomeGoods (I capitalized the G) and there were pumpkin theme pillows on the shelves.

I like to plan DIY projects for late August, so when my husband and I return to Colorado after dropping our boys off at college, I have a distraction. My kitchen remodel includes new cabinets, appliances and counters. Oh, and an expanded island. My husband looked a little nautious when we started talking specifics (money). I suggested he focus on sinks. Because, you cannot have a kitchen without a sink. I pointed him in the right direction by finding 5 kitchen sink ideas.

5 Kitchen Sinks Ideas before Thanksgiving

This is the only image of my stainless, double overmount sink. It is an overmount sink which means it collects gunk around the edges. Ithink it is called an overmount. These are the questions that flood my mind during the day.

I shared a post about how to keep the kitchen sink pretty a few weeks ago. I never shared a photo of my kitchen sink. That post got me thinking about what I want in a kitchen sink.

Kitchen Sink Envy on Pinterest

Before I remove the kitchen island I want to share a few kitchen sink ideas to manage my kitchen sink envy. The first two kitchens below reflect what I want in my new kitchen; white cabinets, clean counters and darker cabinets for the kitchen island.

This stainless steel apron sink would be a definite upgrade to my sink. How do we feel ladies and guys about a dual sink versus one large sink? Please weigh in below in the comments.

Here is a second kitchen with white cabinets. This kitchen includes a stainless, under-mount, dual sink. Can someone explain to me the advantage to a single oversized sink? My sink habits include dirty dishes in one half of the sink and the other side of the sink is reserved for hand washing. #hashtagsuburbanmomprobs

Source: Decaholic

Moving on, what do you think of the darker sink? i can’t tell if it’s aged copper. Either way, I love the contrast between the white cabinets and the darker sink.

However, I am a little distracted by the tschoke surrounding the kitchen sink. And, dear Lord please don’t let this be a blog friend’s sink!

Source: Pinterest

Porcelain Kitchen Sink Envy

Okay, this kitchen has white counters and dark cabinets. I love the brass lights and cabinet hardware. Who has a porcelain sink? Be honest, what are the drawbacks? Does it chip? And, that’s not a deal breaker if there is some kind of epoxy strength fix.

I like the idea of an apron on the front. The kitchen cabinet below my kitchen sink is filthy. The cabinet’s crevices are the catch-all for coffee grounds and bacon grease. Eww! A kitchen sink apron would solve that problem.

Source: Pinterest

Finally, I had to share a copper kitchen sink I found on Wayfair. Personally, I think a copper sink is too fancy for my cooking skills. Where do you weigh in on a copper kitchen sink?

RV kitchen with a copper sink and butcher block counter tops

Source: Joyfully Growing Blog

Thanks for stopping by today. What is your favorite sink? Thinking about a new sink? Check out this sink guide on Apartment Therapy.

Living Room Chaise With a View

June 24, 2019

We knew we made the right furniture choice when the dog claimed the living room chaise mid-day before the family rolled in after work, school and tennis practice. My husband claims it after work- it is his recharging station. In our house, the living room chaise wins the popular vote.

The unwritten rule is whoever lands on the chaise first, gets the chaise!

It reminds me of when my four siblings and I called shotgun as we ran down the stairs to fight for the front passenger seat in Mom’s Suburban.

The fact that there is no television in our living room, speaks to the chaise’s popularity. With wide cushions and just-enough length, it is perfect for an end of day nap as the rains roll in over the mountains.

We found our chaise at Crate & Barrel. You can find the dimensions and details here. We passed right by this chaise when we did an initial loop around the showroom floor.

We wanted a couch or club chairs to fit the awkward, rounded wall and tiny nook in the living room. The living room is complicated.

Living Room Chaise

Never underestimate the power of pillows

The secret to the chaise’s popularity is with the pillows. My husband and I did not see the vision. But, thank goodness the sales associate pointed out the power of bolster pillows. The pillows make the chaise’s role in our living room flexible. It can be shoved against a wall or “free float” in front of our living room window.

And, the best part of this purchase was it took place during Crate & Barrel’s annual Labor Day sale.

The chaise is comfortable, stylish, flexible and the perfect spot to catch a nap or sneak in a chapter in my latest pick from this site.

The chaise was our Aussie’s favorite place to relax. I used to shoo Tanner off, but as his hips failed, I whispered in his ear, “You earned this Tanner.” We have visions of Tanner on security detail on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.

The chaise was such a classy-casual addition to the living room I had to upgrade the rug. All of a sudden my indoor/outdoor rug felt like it belonged outside. I upgraded to this rug for a comfier feel our feet (or paws).

living room chaise for the win

And, with these views, the chaise is the perfect spot to watch the weather roll in over the mountains.

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STEPS

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How to Remove a Half Wall | Before

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Simple Kitchen Island Update

5 Kitchen Sinks Ideas before Thanksgiving

Kitchen Sink Envy on Pinterest

Porcelain Kitchen Sink Envy

Living Room Chaise

Never underestimate the power of pillows

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