INTERIORS Archives

HOW TO MAKE PLANTS LOOK BIGGER

July 21, 2022

Sharing tips to make any house plant look larger. These tips work for fake potted plants and flowers, artificial indoor trees and real plants. These tips will elevate your plants and the room!

I haven’t tried to make anything look larger since middle school. #wink

Until the day my olive tree arrived. Recently when the artificial olive tree I ordered arrived at my door. The box looked like it contained an olive branch rather thanthe olive tree I ordered.

It was then I realized I was gaslighted by a fake olive tree.

But once I got it out of the box and adjusted the branches I realized it was not the height of the plants that made it look cheap and flimsy.

It was the base.

This is the before

This reminds me of a high heel when what the plant needs is a loafer or maybe a wedge.

I kept the original base, but dropped the olive tree into a grain-sack bucket I found here.

Just like Meghan Trainor’s pop favorite – It’s all about the base. And there it was a simple tip on how to make indoor plants look bigger. It works just as well on both faux and real plants.

HOW TO MAKE INDOOR PLANTS LOOK BIGGER

BIGGER BASKETS

I used everyday buckets and baskets around the house. It turns out I have a Homegoods-worthy stock room of baskets and metal buckets.

I discovered the size of the container matters by accident.

When we refinished our floors we had to remove everything off the main level. In a rush stacked this plant and bucket into a larger unoccupied basket.

It was magic! Are you thinking what I thought? How did I not know this? I mean I help sellers stage their homes with plants. But, I never thought to supersize the planter to make the top half of the plant look bigger.

SWITCH OUT THE CONTAINER

I never loved the container for my Fiddle Leaf Fig tree (the container came with the Homegoods tree).

But then when I switched the container with more texture it changed the look of the tree. It went from a flat to a wedge.

HOW TO MAKE SMALL FLORALS LOOK LARGER

I even used it with some stems in a vase. I beefed up the container and my floral stems just looked so much more substantial.

To a wider, shorter bucket. I bent the stems to adjust for the shorter bucket.

HOW TO MAKE REAL AND FAUX FLOWERS LOOK BIGGER TOO

I used a small picnic basket for my summer annuals. They look so much fuller in a smaller basket.

How to make flowers look larger in baskets!

So the reverse works well too! Use a smaller basket to make a smaller plant look like it is bursting out of the basket!

Here is one more example with my fern. I had him in a tall urn for years.

Total aside: I shared my love of ferns in this post.

And then after our family room remodel I moved my fern into an olive basket. The larger bucket made the fern look larger too!

What do you think? Take a look at your indoor plants. If they need a little boost look for a bigger basket or bucket. Thank you for stopping by today! If you are on Pinterest I would love if you pinned this image!

Tips to make real and fake plants look bigger!

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CHECK OUT THESE SWIVEL ARM CHAIRS FOR THE FAMILY ROOM

July 19, 2022

I spent ten glorious minutes swiveling while I waited for a pot of water to boil. Swivel chairs are like swings for grownups. I swiveled to the left and then I swiveled to the right.

When I got the the delivery notification that our two swivel chairs were en route (aka credit card charged) my husband and I could not remember what the swivel chairs looked like?

Were they leather? Did we choose gray or blue fabric? We knew they swiveled and that’s all we remember from our year-end purchase at Pottery Barn on a Friday night.

LIving the empty nester dream and counting down tuition payments!

All I remember was my husband’s face when the associate gave us our total due FOR the Irving Roll Arm Blue Fabric chairs. They were on sale so I think my husband was thinking that it was basically a two-for-one price special.

The good news with the supply chain slowdown was the chairs were paid for before they shipped (life of small business and start-up owners).

So when these fabric-covered swivel chairs arrived and we placed them in front of our family room windows our family room was complete.

After all these years.

Instantly, the room was brighter and cheerful. The space felt lighter.

I felt the same way when I found these chairs at Homegoods.

My Etsy pillows popped against the blue chairs and even my favorite fern perked up a bit.

Check out our Irving Roll Arm Blue Fabric Swivel Armchairs

Navy and green look so pretty together.

When we remodeled our main floor we rearranged the furniture in the family room so the stone fireplace was the feature. But we were short on chairs because even though we have large couches no one wants to share a couch with two other people over the Thanksgiving weekend.

And now we have two modest size chairs that don’t distract from the views.

After years of late nights rearranging furniture, we finally found the right configuration.

And the chairs just completed the room.

And did I mention they swivel? There is something about a swivel that makes me feel like I am on a playground swing.

And I just want to swivel to the left and then swivel to the right.

I would love if you pinned this picture to your Pinterest page! Here is my Pinterest page.

SHARING OUR FAVORITE KITCHEN REMODEL IDEAS

June 29, 2021

Sharing my favorite kitchen remodel ideas that are not budget breakers.

Growing up my sister and I turned our Barbie Dream House into a ranch floor plan. We used Lincoln Logs to landscape the “yard” and driveway.

And we may have borrowed the Nativity Scene for legit barnyard animals.

It’s no surprise I tackled our kitchen remodel with the same concept of reimagining walls and a corner pantry.

KITCHEN REMODEL IDEAS

For a couple that can argue over how to load the dishwasher- we agreed on most remodel projects. You know, the big stuff.

We did this DIY a few years earlier when we removed 1/2 a wall between the kitchen and dining room. If you are not ready to knock out walls- try this idea to open up the kitchen.

Here are our favorite kitchen remodel ideas and decisions we made.

FAVORITE KITCHEN REMODEL IDEAS

1. Kitchen Island Design

My husband came up with this idea and I loved it. He wanted the kitchen island to look like a free-standing piece of furniture.

2. Move the cooktop out of the island

This was on my really, really want list. I wanted uninterrupted real estate on my kitchen island. To do this, we moved the stove to the kitchen’s perimeter, an exterior wall, to access the gas line.

We were surprised that this move from the island to the wall was not as expensive as anticipated.

Tip: Explore your options. My husband was adamant that an oven moved to the exterior wall was going to be thousands of additional dollars with the gas line.

It costs us around $350.00 to move/extend the gas line.

3. Trash and Recycle Bins

In hindsight, we could have added bins without a remodel, but I love the recycle and trash bins together.

4. Pull out cabinet bin for the dog food

(just like the trash/recycle bins)

Okay, this dog food bin is the most talked about feature in our kitchen. My friends love the idea too.

We placed this on one end of the kitchen island so it is two steps away from Chloe and Elliott’s dog bowls.

Of all the decisions we made to our kitchen remodeling ideas this is a top conversation with friends.

5. POT FILLER

This stepped up our kitchen without that much money. I think the Kohler pot filler faucet cost more than the plumber.

My boys and husband use this faucet to get his water.

6. Removed the corner pantry and created a beverage bar

This decision was fairly last minute. We had a corner pantry that had so much wasted space.

The question was could we fit the contents of the pantry (small appliances, serving trays, etc) into other cabinets?

Here is the corner pantry before (and the half wall and my old blog before I did this):

Where there is a will there is a way

7. Dedicated broom storage

Where to put the broom? When we lost our corner pantry we lost our broom storage.

At one point my husband suggested we store it under the couch.

Our cabinet install guy loved this idea too.

There was no room between the refrigerator and the wall because of the baseboards.

But there was room to the right of the pull-out shelves of the new vertical pantry.

8. Ordered additional pull-out shelves for the pantry.

If you like to arrange cabinets you will want to order additional shelves. I could account for height and adjust the shelves in the future. Those dang cereal boxes and Quaker Oats old-fashioned oats.

9. Created additional storage under the island.

Our island is larger than the original. It includes a quartz slab with a microwave on one side, two deep drawers on another side, the dog food cabinet and this hidden cabinet underneath the island.

It’s under these two barstools and are surprisingly comfortable).

I store out-of-season baking stuff like my favorite sugar cookie supplies.

The depth of the cabinet shelves is only 8″ but I can out of season mugs and plates under there too. Love it!

My husband wanted to create as much storage as possible and still maintain seating for 3-4 people. To keep the recommended leg room under the island we had enough space for narrow shelves behind two cabinet fronts.

It essentially is hiding in plain sight because the bar stools sit in front of the cabinets.

10. Appliance Garage

I rotate small appliances through this cabinet based on demand. My kitchen designer (Teresa from here) saw me post my Kitchenaid in the appliance cabinet and she was like, “get it on the counter!”

#firstworldprobs

Finally, if you are not ready for a kitchen remodel start with this idea to update the kitchen. It’s how I knew I wanted a grey island!

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MY FAVORITE NAVY PAINT COLOR

June 9, 2021

Paint color is like a great relationship. When you find a good one you trust knowing it’s never going to let you down. And then you start calling each other pet names for each other. My pet name for Benjamin Moore’s Haley Navy is dark and stormy.

I have a gallon of Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy on hand for when I need a sample board for a navy paint color.

It’s great for rooms with little light like my home office. Dark colors do not make a room feel smaller.

More moody like my mood swings as a Realtor. ##realtorlife

I chose Hale Navy for my son’s college-age bedroom for a more mature look. Of course, with an exception of his teddy bear in his toddler Gap jammies.

I shared the importance of doing this with our kids’ keepsakes.

I used Hale Navy for his feature wall and it blends seamlessly with the Revere Pewter walls.

Judging from my Pinterest boards, and my most popular pin ever I think there are a lot of you crushing on Hale Navy.

When we built this custom library wall for our living room my husband and I both agreed it had to be painted Hale Navy. We love the feel of this room.

The two story wall that library wall is built into is also Revere Pewter.

These sconces pop against the navy paint.

Navy is a timeless color and it looks great when paired with other bold colors or white paint and accessories. It also looks great against stain too!

Tip: Home Depot color matches all Benjamin Moore paint colors

If you are on the fence about painting a room navy check out a few of the details in these posts!

How I paired Revere Pewter with Hale Navy
Curious about painting a stained front door?

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HOW TO UPDATE BEDROOM DECOR FOR LESS MONEY

June 1, 2021

sharing simple ideas on how to update bedroom decor without breaking the budget

After my second vaccine, I got a little achy and feverish. Not nearly as bad as I anticipated, but enough that I retired to our bedroom to “work.” It was a chance to test out some small decor updates.

For less than $100. And, I have a few tricks on how to stay under budget.

HOW TO UPDATE BEDROOM DECOR

This sign says it all about our lifestyle. My decor decisions are based largely on our Bernese Mountain dogs.

Berners are known for their side-eye ;0)

I bought a beautiful coverlet at Pottery Barn and it was not on the bed ten minutes before one of our Berners jumped on the bed … with a dog bone.

Ever since I read this article about what NOT to buy at Homegoods I now buy these sheets and buy coverlets and pillow shams at Homegoods.

I cannot spend money on bedding when this is a regular occurrence at our house.

3.To mix it up for the seasons this year I bought these fluffy pillow covers. Switching out pillow covers is an easy and budget-friendly way to update a space.

They are a little out of my wheelhouse, but the pop of coral is fun for a space that is heavy on furniture and our planked wall behind our bed.

I snagged this sign here and it is a favorite. It makes me smile whenever I enter the room.

I try really hard not to be matchy-matchy on opposite sides of the bed so I added a faux plant to the side next to the window.

I do love to pair navy and green in my decor.

PIN FOR LATER

Before you go .. you might like these empty nest empty bedroom updates.

How to Decorate for Spring When the Yard Looks Like a Mullet

April 16, 2021

Living in Colorado means the yard looks like a mullet this time of year.

Colorado had a snowstorm a few weeks ago. Our yard enjoyed 12 inches of fresh powder. Our back yard faces north and the front yard faces south so this time of year my yard looks like a mullet. So while my backyard looks like it needs a blow-up Frosty the Snowman my front yard screams for mulch and tulips.

As I write this post I am wearing two layers and a down vest. It is mid-April. I may add a scarf before I show homes this afternoon. It’s windy too and more snow on the way.

HOW TO DECORATE FOR SPRING WHEN THE YARD LOOKS LIKE A MULLET

Ironically, I have a holiday poinsettia in my kitchen. I placed it on the window ledge, facing the snow-covered backyard so it can look out the window and dream of a white Christmas for next year. The poinsettia is team mullet.

Here are a few ways to decorate for spring when the one side of your yard looks like a mullet… I mean winter.

Somewhere between last July and February, I fell in love with gingham. I love to wear gingham, but I was a little hesitant to go gingham style on my house. Well, a blizzard will turn anyone.

With a 2nd snow day, I caved and ordered gingham cloth napkins from Amazon. I just Googled gingham and three days later I had a set of gingham cloth napkins.

I first introduced gingham into the house with a roll of ribbon. It was a low-cost purchase. The boxwood loved it!

how-to-decorate-the-house-for spring-everyday-edits

I purchased this little plant (does anyone know what type of plant it is?) for a seller’s kitchen during the holidays. She didn’t want another plant to take care of so I brought it home for the holidays. It’s still here!

It was time to switch out some of my pillows. I found this Cheers pillow from Pottery Barn in Salt Lake City when my boys played in a sectional tennis tournament.

The pillow cover was perfect for the month of January, but by March it was ready for spring. I found this pillow cover at Pottery Barn. It’s a seasonal favorite on the couch or chair.

Indoor plants are a big deal for me about now because late April frosts are a constant threat. I mix in real and faux plants to add a little green.
Tip: If you live in an apartment, condo and/or rental a little bit of greenery does wonders for the room’s mood.

I hold off on a spring wreath because we get some hair whipping winds in the spring. Nobody needs to see me chasing a wreath with velcro curlers in my hair.

I love to decorate the back of my front door for this reason.

Mother Nature appears to have her eyes on Colorado this weekend to give us a little more snow. Of course, we always need the moisture so maybe I’ll add a Christmas wreath to the back door.

Well I guess I don’t have to worry about this phobia just yet.

Have a great weekend! What plans do you have for the weekend?

UNXPECTED EMOTIONS FROM TEEN ROOM TO GUEST ROOM

April 15, 2021

Sharing the unexpected emotions from our daughter’s teen bedroom to guest room.

Our daughter’s room is now the guest room. We have not told her yet. Over the past few months, I have moved her elementary, high school and college keepsake boxes to her closet.

TEEN BEDROOM TO GUEST ROOM

The last thing I removed was the fabric-covered bulletin boards I made for her bedroom. It was also one of my first blog posts. When it came to loading them into the car for a Goodwill drop I hesitated. My husband said something like, “let them go.” Did he say let her go?

The process to transition from her teen bedroom to a guest room was more emotional than I expected. I didn’t even sort through her stuff. I just moved it for her until she can afford to buy a home in the next ten years in this market. #denvermarket

So many memories. Like the time she had her wisdom teeth removed and her brothers filmed her trying to eat jello.

We do have fun as a family with some of these ideas to stay connected.

Or the nights she helped her younger brother with his spelling words.

Or when she ran out of her room screaming after her brothers sprayed body spray into the shared vents between their bedrooms.

The time she announced she had to break up with her boyfriend (of seven days). We used the line, “Just rip off that bandaid.” I think we quoted one of her uncle’s strategies.

Or the first day of her first job.

In the evenings she studied at her desk for the CPA exams.

Slowly I moved her favorite books from her trundle bed and built-in bookcase to her closet. I have plans to make a few budget-friendly changes like the ones I made in her brothers’ bedrooms.

And replaced childhood blankies with something more mature but with a bit of fun and whimsy for the nights/holidays, she stays with us.

The memories of the magic carpet ride to the bunny hill. The lost goggles somewhere between our car and the slopes.

Of course, we will always have this room to remember. The earlier years.

So those two bulletin boards made it to Goodwill. It turns out my husband said, “let them go…”

Thank you for stopping by today. Stay tuned for the teen bedroom makeover to a guest room.

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Love you ashes to the moon and back.

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WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THIS MARSHALLS HUTCH

March 4, 2021

Just wait until you see this furniture find from Marshalls.

I love Marshalls for their stationery and cleaning products. And it’s a great way to spend fifteen minutes between a dental cleaning and a showing. Marshalls is a commitment-free shopping experience. It also happens to be the bitter, older sister to HomeGoods (think Ferris Bueller’s older sister). So I never thought to shop the furniture section, squeezed between home accessories and pillows. Just wait until you see this Marshalls furniture find.

It was right before the extended staycation was in place. My husband was on a ski trip and I had four days by myself. It was bliss and it is when I get projects done. This hutch caught my eye because of the stain and the weight. It had a ding on the back corner, but I knew this stain could correct the blemish.

I was on a high after I found these two club chairs from HomeGoods.

Sidenote: Those chairs are so comfortable and sturdy. We love them!

I grabbed the manager who was more than willing to help me shove this piece into the back of my car. And I got the scratch and dent discount.

FURNITURE FIND AT MARSHALLS

The tricky part was hauling this from the car into the house (remember my boys were not home yet for their extended spring break and my husband was skiing in Crested Butte). Ladies and guys, where there is a will there is a way. Just sayin’.\ Seriously, I have some kind of super-strength adrenaline rush kick in when I need to get something from my car into the house. I mean forget Ninja Warrior.. let’s do a mom with four flights of stairs and a 47″ wide hutch.

This hutch fits perfectly in our home. I was surprised by how sturdy it was and functional. But like so many spontaneous purchases it can take a while to find the perfect spot.

It landed in my office where it stored pending craft projects, but I felt like it was too big for my office and was not working to its full potential.

Look at this space behind the two doors.

With a pending floor refinish we have to move all our furniture off the main level. With missing chairs and lightweight pieces (we are hiring movers to move our dining room table and couches down two flights of stairs), I decided this was the perfect time to play with this Marshall find.

The stain is so similar to our dining room table that I may move the buffet into a different space to make room for this discounted hutch.

Oh and you can shop here for the clock.

What do you think? Have you ever shopped for furniture at Marshalls?

Pin for later or follow me on Pinterest.

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5 SPRING IDEAS FOR THE KITCHEN NOOK

February 26, 2021

Sharing 5 spring ideas for the kitchen nook as the nest empties

Does anyone remember Nora Walker’s kitchen in the show Brother’s & Sisters? I don’t remember the specifics and I am sure it would be very dated by now, but I loved it.

As we transition from five family members gathered around a farmhouse table to a, smaller table the kitchen spring was the perfect time for a few ideas for the nook.

I thought with the absence of homework and empty Gatorade bottles the table would finally be center stage. Instead, she looks kind of lost without clutter. Maybe she (the table) needs a puppy? #wink

The kitchen nook is nestled between the family room and the kitchen with a Dutch door around the corner. It is flanked by windows on the north and west side so it is either shadows or bright lights depending on the time of day.

When we made this decision to remove the shutters on our main level we kept the shutters on the west side of the house because of the 360+ days of sunshine in Colorado.

The windows are a familiar backdrop in our kitchen nook. But they look a little heavy with both shutters and window treatments.

During our extended staycation, I ordered this table and these four chairs and they were paid for by the time they arrived. #backordered

I can say this because neither my husband or children read my blog, but I don’t love the table. It is a bit too small and did not come with an extension. However, I do love the metal base and hope a kitchen refresh will update the space.

I kind of miss my previous kitchen table which is now in the basement moonlighting as a game table.

Until I decide if I should switch the tables, I turned my attention to the windows to brighten up the kitchen nook. I am calling it a nook and no I do not have a bench.

5 SPRING IDEAS FOR THE KITCHEN NOOK

NOOK #1 Add Plants

This is the image that got my mind thinking about a spring refresh.

It has windows and a round kitchen table. I brought in a bench and added a fern this winter, but it felt very cramped. Which is how this photo feels. What do you think?

This would drive my boys and daughter crazy; they are all clutter adverse. I would miss my sisal rug.

Here was my attempt. I placed the bench against the north wall that includes a sliding glass window.

I really want French doors, but with the Dutch door around the corner (and the expense) I may look into a sliding glass door. Thoughts?

NOOK #2 Remove Shutters

The base is familiar and I was this close to choosing similar wicker chairs for the kitchen nook. But decided to keep my wicker outside for now. This nook is simple and uncluttered with no window treatments.

Source: Williams-Sonoma

NOOK #3 Small Bench or Olive Tree

I love the windows and those are my chairs on the left. I love the concept of open windows for the nook.

Do you have windows around your nook?

This nook includes a small storage bench, but I really like the olive tree off to the side. Isn’t it funny what captures our eye when we look to retailers and Pinterest for decor ideas inspiration?

I have my eye on this olive tree, but it’s pricey.

Source: Pottery Barn

NOOK #4 Oversized Centerpiece

For this kitchen space, my eye was drawn to the window treatments and the floral centerpiece.

Now that I am not competing against water bottles and baseball caps, a centerpiece might be the reboot I need.

Source: Pinterest 1-Eye-Design

NOOK # 5 Window Treatments

The window treatments caught my eye in this one!

Source: One Eye Design

What do you think of these five ideas to freshen up a kitchen nook?

I have several ideas swirling in my head.

Stay tuned. Meanwhile, you can visit the kitchen remodel we finished last year.

And, this vinyl window update still looks amazing!

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LIVING ROOM LIBRARY ENVY

January 28, 2021

sharing a few ideas on how to create a living room library in a brownstone in the suburbs home

For someone who used the library for social hour and weekend (party) planning in high school, it is ironic that I want to transition our living room to a library. Except instead of big tables and plastic chairs it would have a wall of built-ins, a fireplace (think Gilmore Girls and Chilton Prep) and cozy seating to read.

My wheels started turning when Leslie shared her ORC (One Room Challenge) makeover from office to library. I messaged Leslie a few weeks ago that my husband was sharing her photos with our contractor.

I love to do these envy posts because it helps me figure out my favorite elements and provide a little inspiration to you! These posts also are a reminder to step outside our comfort zones if only just a smidge.

We have not finalized our plans for our 2 story living room wall, but we are close. I started to clear out the room after Christmas so the wall is completely bare and this hutch that was against this wall is currently in my office. She is awaiting relocation paperwork.

Here’s a view from the top-level looking down into the living room. Sorry grainy photo.

The original plan was to knock out the center wall and build a two-story double fireplace. When our general contractor reviewed our architect’s plans there were some issues with our living room being on the second floor and something about joists, plumbing and structural integrity.

We pivoted and decided a living room library would accomplish the same feels without the fear of the roof settling onto our fireplace.

Like any pending project, I looked to Pinterest for inspiration.

The following rooms provided plenty of living room library envy and inspiration. You ready to take a look at what you can do with that room that often sits untouched until the holidays.

LIVING ROOM LIBRARY ENVY

This is Brooke Shields’s living room in her Manhattan home, not to be confused with her home in the Hamptons.

I love the contrast of the navy wall and white fireplace, windows and trim.

I have a thing for blue painted bookcases.

Source: Pinterest

BROWNSTONE ENVY

On my Insta, I add the hashtag brownstoneinthesuburbs because of our home’s multiple levels. For this reason, I had to include a Brooklyn brownstone in my search for a living room library.

. Our layout is similar in that the length is longer than the width of the room. Okay, did you just read that sentence? OMG! Wait, that’s right. The width of our room is narrower than the length from the windows to the hallway.

And, just like this brownstone, we have a chaise in front of our window too. Our stairs are adjacent to the living room too.

BUILT-IN SHELVES

Love the paint color, built-ins and the placement of the chair and side table. This makes sense because this photo is an advertisement for a furniture store. #wink

Source Pinterest Furniture Advertisement

Love the fireplace wood built-in. Love it! Even if we have a gas fireplace, I like to pretend we have wood-burning fireplaces.

Source: Pinterest AdLook at this room featured in New England Home. I love the crown molding and that fireplace insert is gorgeous. My husband is searching for fireplace inserts. I like a mirror (this one is too ornate for our home), but it would add height against our two-story wall.

I think my signature paint color is navy.

Source: New England Magazine

Many of you likely recognize Cassie from Hi Sugarplum.

I remembered this room when she posted it and even though there is a little bit more going on in the room than I think I can carry off, I love the pops of color and the built-ins. Maybe I need a chandelier in my living room library?

I must end with where my envy began- in Leslie’s library from her previous home. You can catch the details here.

Sidenote: I met Leslie at a Haven conference. She was in the process of rebranding her blog. A year later she shared her rebranding guy with me when I made the decision to rebrand my blog.

Do you have a favorite room from this envy list?

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Here’s my oven envy post.

ENTRY CLOSET HACK

January 21, 2021

an entry closet hack is basically a career change for a closet

Can we agree that closets are essentially oversized cabinets? And for me, a perfect Sunday includes snow, a Nora Ephron movie and uninterrupted time to organize my kitchen cabinets.

So it was only a matter of time before I would decide to create an entry closet hack.

If you follow Everyday Edits on Instagram you know I love to hashtag #brownstoneinthesuburbs.

Our home has four flights of stairs and an entry closet that never sees coats because everyone except our friends, parents and siblings enters our house through our garage.

You can see Chloe in front of our entry door.

The coats ended up in the built-in benches next to the entryway off the garage. This is where Chloe and Elliott like to wait for someone to come home.

It sounds complicated but this entry closet hack is anything but complicated. It was essentially a career change for a twenty-year-old closet that wanted a new purpose after storing out of season coats and mismatched gloves.

ENTRY CLOSET HACK

My obsession with cleaning products like this new favorite was looking to upsize from their tiny under the sink cabinet storage.

STEPS TO CREATE AN ENTRY CLOSET HACK

1. Clear out everything in the closet. Everything.

2. It goes without saying, but if my boys were in charge of cleaning out the closet they would skip the step that says sweep + mop closet floor.

3. I added these boxes to my closet and took inventory of what I stored in the entry closet. Spend a few minutes at the must-haves you want in the closet.

4. I made easy peasy labels with a vintage software program. Do any of you remember Microsoft Word?

I used clear packing tape to adhere the labels to the front of the boxes.

We are not solving chemistry problems here at Everyday Edits.

5. I saved the top shelf for all my collection of tiered trays. Tiered trays take up valuable cabinet space so I store them here. I know: #firstworldprobs

Sidenote: I love this tiered tray hot cocoa bar.

5.1 This is my signature piece! It is from the Container Store and this storage unit has been on the backs of several doors in our house.

She has stored wrapping paper, crafts and she found her forever purpose with paper towels and cleaning products. Here is a cheaper option at Walmart.

You guys I am so in love with my closet hack! I keep things in one spot so there is no more running around looking for the stash of paper towels or lightbulbs.

Oh, wait, one more thing. If you are thinking of selling your home this closet hack is a great place to start! #realtorlife #sellersmarketrightnow

Please pin for later!

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SIMPLE IDEAS TO USE TEA LIGHTS YEAR ROUND

December 11, 2020

simple ideas on how and where to use tea lights year-round

My dad was notorious for turning off overhead lights and lamps in any room that was unoccupied for more than 23 seconds. Maybe he was trying to save money with a house filled with five kids, just as many opinions, curfews and a pricey legal bill for a misunderstanding about a golf cart.

My dad’s lights off patrol patterns might explain why I am obsessed with lighting. Votive candles and tea lights are the easiest way to add light to tiny corners and unsuspecting niches. And, these tiny lights won’t trip the breaker!

SIMPLE IDEAS TO USE TEA LIGHTS

1. This time of year I like the convenience of an LED light in unsuspecting places. I shared these daylight savings hacks because I love ambient lighting during the winter months.

Light during the winter warms the space on the coldest of nights. Lighting lifts our moods and adds a bit of cozy into dark corners or plants. Yes, you read that right, plants (or branches).

PLANTS

2. Plants are such an unsuspecting place to add light. It might be my new favorite tip for staging and property listings.

3. Next up, I love a window ledge for tea lights because windows are an expected place to see light at the end of the day.

And, depending on the time of day you may get a little extra sparkle from the sun against a tiny glass lantern.

4. This is why I love to add tiny lights to glass lanterns. Depending on the time of day you may get a little extra sparkle from the sun against a pint-size lantern.

I shared the details of this lantern here.

5. Tea lights and votives are are perfect for upcycled candle jars and glass jars too.

I repurpose most of my candle jars so it’s kind of fun to give them new life. I shared the tutorial.

Tea lights are great to add to a guest bedroom to welcome a guest without worrying about a lit candle.

CENTERPIECES

6. Finally, I saved one of my favorites for last. Add an unexpected glow to a centerpiece for a warm and cozy vibe.

This would work with my centerpiece hack.

And, not have to mess with the madness of keeping fairy lights untangled.

Please pin for inspiration or future use! Thank you for stopping by! If you stayed until the end check out my fairy light photo below!

Speaking of fairy lights here is my first take on photographing twinkly lights. #ad

Am I the last one to hear about this no electricity light hack?

THE SECRET TO A BATHROOM REMODEL

September 27, 2020

I felt a little guilty sharing the bathroom remodel with friends and family and not let them in on the secret. The other thought swirling in my head is the song Secrets by One Republic. You know, like it’s something that I can’t confess.. but now I need to give all my secrets away. Well, today is the day to share the secret to a bathroom remodel.

I shared the boys’ Jack & Jack bathroom remodel here, but I did not let yall in on the secret. It’s more like a tip than a secret. Either way here we go …

I dreaded the demo bathroom remodel phase. We had just completed an upstairs bath remodel in our daughter’s room/guest room).

Neither of us was prepared for the amount of work involved to remove the following: tub, shower, shower tile, toilet, vanity, baseboards, tile flooring, sink and all that tile.

And, then the madness of the remodel is we turn around and reinstall the exact same bathroom essentials.

We learned why tile crews wear jeans and not running shorts.

My husband and I learned that hauling trash bins full of tile and drywall down four flights of stairs makes a strong case to bring back the concept of the laundry shoot (or a dumb waiter).

My husband found out the task to remove shower and floor tile cost my husband a few weekends away from the slopes because of a pulled back muscle.

We planned on the bathroom remodel to be completed before our oldest son (my lefty) returned home for Thanksgiving.

We should have clarified the year.

best-decision-we-made-on-a-bathroom-remodel

The Secret to a Bathroom Remodel

Days before we planned to start the bathroom remodel I tossed a question around in my head.

No one else was in my thoughts.

“What if we could pay someone to demo the bathroom?”

Just asking the question made me feel like I was cheating on my bathroom.

To settle my guilty conscience, I ran the question by my husband. Casually … while I texted a Realtor friend for the name of her demo guy.

Together, we decided, after I had already texted this guy, there was no harm in getting a quote for a bathroom demo.

If the sequence of events sounds a bit off it is to protect my sources and timeline of events.

Secrets …

A demo crew member was in the boys’ bathroom two hours after that text inquiry to measure the bathroom to work up a bid.

Kenny’s quote was $100.00 more than I planned to pay.

I almost countered (I am a Realtor) except he sent the 2nd text that he was only free on the upcoming Saturday.

Is there a patron saint for DIY projects?

I grabbed these pics to capture a few before the demo bathroom pics and a few memories.

Scroll down to see what the boys’ bathroom looked like over the summer.

And, when I say boys I mean highschool/college-age young men. But they will always be “my boys.”

And, here was the boys’ bathroom five hours after Kenny and his two-person crew arrived on Saturday morning.

After the Demo Crew

Five hours, not months, weeks or even days. Five hours.

You guys this took a two-person crew five hours to remove the vanity, sinks, mirror, ceramic floor tile, tub, toilet, shower tile and the drywall surrounding the shower.

They removed, hauled the vanity, sinks, mirror, tub, toilet, tile and flooring debris down four flights of stairs. And then? The second best thing besides hauling it out of the house… they hauled it away.

It was the cleanest the boys’ bathroom has been since we moved into the home.

Because we all need a little help once in a while.

Before you go here is a funny story about what happened to the bathroom countertop just before we installed it (ourselves). Karma for keeping a secret!

Marriage Diaries & Working from Home Suggestions

July 24, 2020

Dear Diary,

I almost went all “What are you wearing Jake from State Farm?” on my husband’s telephone the other morning. I was the crazy, bathrobe wearing wife, grabbing my husband’s phone to disable the speakerphone. I don’t even know if he knew he had it on speaker. What I needed in that moment were a few working from home suggestions.

So how you doing?

Working from Home (Together) Suggestions

If you and your spouse are now working from home, was it a seamless transition with glitter and twinkly lights in the office?

My husband was ecstatic about his new home office. I wondered if there was such a thing as one being too happy. #wink #thinkingoutloud

Apparently, over the years, one of us grew accustomed to working remotely in her brownstone in the suburbs home.

As a Realtor, my hours and days are fluid. I may be at home for an entire day followed by a day of showings.

March arrived after a fairly mild winter and we made plans for spring break. And, within 24 hours, with flights back to Denver our house was at capacity with me, my husband and our two “still in shock” college-age sons.

It was temporary I reminded myself. This would pass.

Ten days into the stay at home guidelines, my husband discovered he was way more productive in his home office. I was afraid that would happen.

We were completely different in our work habits. And, our new workday routine looked nothing like a Hallmark movie.

We scheduled a Zoom call with our therapist to brainstorm the whys behind my strong reactions to my husband’s work habits.

Apparently, my need for privacy and quiet goes back to my childhood where being one of five kids meant there was little of either.

And, after years of being the only one working from home, my husband’s work habits and home office unleashed my inner control freak tendencies.

Over the course of a few weeks, we settled on a healthy work environment. Now? We are happily married (most days). It turns out we (okay me) just needed a few ground rules to peacefully work from home.

Suggestions to Work from Home

Separate spaces

We are fortunate to have a finished basement. We created a bonus room to accommodate my husband’s and boys’ after-hours office time.

2. Invest in a 2nd Printer

We both agreed listening to a printer churn out pages disrupts one’s concentration. Or, walking in on a conference call to retrieve documents from the printer is a bit of a distraction.

2 . Lunch Breaks

I knew I was not the only one who struggled with my new co-worker over the lunch hour. One blogger lamented her husband asked what’s for lunch every day.

As my brilliant husband describes; lunches disrupt the work flow. We save dinner for a meal and conversation.

3. Work Day Hours

I start my days early. I love quiet time and coffee. Somedays he has 15 hour days and other days he is done by noon.

We talked about it.

4. Acknowledge your Work Habits

Where I like to hunker down from 8:30-5 pm with a 15-minute lunch break. He likes to take breaks, pop his head into my office and share the details of his day. We acknowledged our differences and came to a mutual understanding.

5. Conference Calls

My husband is chatty. I am chatty with my sister and girlfriends. My husband is genuinely friendly and outgoing every.single.minute of the day. I am more chatty after a productive morning or a workout. Or, a gallon of coffee.

Working from home is an adjustment. He loves working from home and I know it is more productive for him too.

We have settled into a routine that feels balanced. It turns out I will not need Jake from State Farm. Looks like we made it.

I shared our recent marriage diaries post and our anniversary story here.

Looking for new shows? Here are a few favorites.

When to Update Builder-Grade Light Fixtures

May 28, 2020

My dad has a habit of turning off light fixtures and lamps in every unoccupied room. He could not wrap his head around the concept of the comfort of an entry lamp by the front door. Looking back, it might explain why there is no such thing as too much soft lighting. But when the builder-grade light fixtures are starting to show their age (twenty years) it was time to update the builder-grade light fixtures.

Lighting has the unique function of making a statement in every room. It’s like wall to wall carpet, but it has magical powers to brighten a north-facing room or add a mood in the dining room for Sunday dinner.

And, who knew the $2.49 lightbulb is the real workhorse inside every light fixture or lamp. The light fixture just gets all the credit.

The Pottery Barn knockoff lamp does all the heavy lifting in our family room.

As a Realtor, there is a reason I tell our sellers to turn on the lights before a showing.

Updated light fixtures are popular inclusions for buyers and sellers to negotiate? Why? Because every buyer recognizes a light fixture upgrade.

Seller Tip: If you want to exclude your new light fixture remove it before the first showing.

We decided to purchase new light fixtures during our kitchen remodel last fall. We loved the wrought iron and wood accent light fixture we chose for above the kitchen sink so much we ordered an identical (larger) one for our two-story entryway.

When we removed the original light fixture we found a Nerf bullet from years ago. #memories.

We had a canned light above our sink before the remodel and no one ever said, “We love that canned light.” Now, the light fixture above the sink receives more comments than our appliances or cabinets (the most expensive parts of the remodel).

We ordered a metal open horizontal light fixture for above our remodeled kitchen island.

The year before we purchased this light fixture for the kitchen dining area. We found it at Crate & Barrel and ordered online. I loved the open feel of the chandelier above the kitchen table.

Finally, after we finished our kitchen and absorbed a few unintended expenses, we returned to our favorite lighting store in Denver and replaced our glass Pottery Barn light fixtures with something more in line with our kitchen and entry light fixtures.

It’s similar enough but the sales rep recommended a circular-shaped light fixture to go above our large rectangle-shaped dining table.

We absolutely love our upgraded light fixtures. We did not purchase these light fixtures all at once so we could manage our design plans and costs. .

The mixed-use of wood and metal light fixtures complimented our home beautifully.

I am not moving anytime soon, but I think the light fixtures are here to stay.

And, Dad, I will always leave a light on for you (to turn off when I am not looking).

How to Create a Bedroom Feature Wall

May 15, 2020

I think my Little House on the Prairie obsession is why I love a planked wall. It’s the closest thing to a log cabin I am going to experience. So when I suggested to my husband we create a feature wall for our master bedroom I left out the cabin on the prairie details.

How to Create a Bedroom Feature Wall

So I borrowed the idea for my own home. You know for my brownstone in the suburbs type home. So close to a cabin living life. #wink

Supplies

The supply list is familiar and not intimidating.

distressed wood planks from a lumber supplier
miter box saw
level
paint similar in shade to the wood planks
nail gun
stud finder
1/2 gallon of paint to match the wood planks

For the feature wall we purchased distressed wood planks from a specialty lumber supply company in Denver/Littleton.

Steps

1.Paint the Feature Wall

If the feature wall is white I suggest a quick coat of a paint that is similar enough to the color of the wood planks. The paint diminishes any potential gaps between the planks.

Do not overthink the paint color. If your wall paint is a darker/darkish color you might get away with it.

We skipped this step on this feature wall.

2. Stud Finder

We (my husband) used a stud finder to mark where the studs were located. It was easier to find the studs before we mapped out the location and pattern of the planks.

We started the top corner and worked our way down paying attention to spacing. We alternated lengths to give us a rustic vibe without it screaming cabin in the suburbs.

It cost just under $250 to plank the wall. The best part was we finished this on a Saturday afternoon. I love the finished look. We added these sconces above our bed.

The mantel above our bed was my first DIY project by myself. It was a copycat Pottery Barn mantel that I made with the help of the Home Depot lumber manager. He was awesome. I had my measurements and the photo of the mantel.

When we created the feature wall my husband added new pine trim and I stained it my favorite stain on the planet.

The distressed wood planks worked in our “brownstone in the suburbs” home where a mix of industrial meets Pottery Barn on a budget.

This was a half-day project and the hardest part was moving the bed and frame away from the feature wall. We loved the look and it warmed up the space. Do you recognize the framed “prints” on the mantel? I shared the repurposed project here.

Here is another feature wall idea for around $50.

Thank you so much for stopping by today!

Here is another planked wall project we created using a different product we found at Home Depot.

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