Year: 2012

Monogrammed Chevron Pallet Tray

Written by Jenna on June 12, 2012. Posted in DIY. 39 Comments on Monogrammed Chevron Pallet Tray

As a Blogger, finding support throughout the blogging community is important for blog growth, friendship, and creative inspiration. For the past several weeks, I’ve joined forces with a few fabulous DIY bloggers and we’ve been helping each other with various aspects of blogging. Along with our helpful “chats”, we were given a Blogging Challenge by Beckie of Infarrantly Creative to create a DIY project using specific materials – additional items could be added, but it was a must to use the required five.

What did I create you ask?

Well take a look… (and then keep on reading for the details)

Included in our Blogging 2 Better group was Monica & Jess of East Coast Creative, Allison of House of Hepworths, Brook of Being Brook, and Kim of Sand & Sisal – all incredibly talented and inspiring women and friends!

To begin, this is the list of items that we were required to use, and actually I pretty much just stuck to the list and didn’t use many additional items.

Fun, but definitely challenging! I was quite nervous at first trying to think about what to create with these 5 items and then it came to me… A tray that would be perfect to bring items in and out while BBQing (or even just to display on the coffee table – you know I love trays).

Once I had the idea, my project was quickly underway, especially since I already had a stash of pallets in my garage for a few other projects.

Item #1 – Pallet

To start off, I determined the size of the tray that I wanted to make (17″ x 17″), so the Mister and I measured (4) 17″ long pallet pieces.

Using the reciprocating saw, we buzzed right through that wood :-/

I’m always leary about using the BIG TOOLS (even though my friend Brittany has empowered me with the right skills), but I helped out and made a boo-boo when cutting. No problemo – the Mister came to the rescue with his Band Saw and cleaned the edges right up. In no time the (4) pieces of pallet were ready to make into a box.

Lining up the corners of the pallet planks, we hammered 2 nails into each corner.

Onto the bottom of the tray…

The only material used that wasn’t on the list was a piece of 1/8″ thick plywood that I used for the bottom of the tray. Once the pallet “frame” was made, we measured the distance to the outer edges and cut it using the Band Saw.

Once the plywood was cut to the right dimensions, we nailed it onto the bottom of the pallet “frame”.

I gave the overall tray a quick sanding, and within 20 minutes it was done!

Now onto the fun part… Using my second and third required items, fabric and Mod Podge, I lined the bottom of the tray with a brown and white chevron fabric.

To start off, I spread a nice coat of Mod Podge along the entire bottom of the tray.

Item #2 Mod Podge

Then I added the fabric onto the glue-y surface and made sure to get it nicely in the corners as well. Make sure the fabric size is larger than the surface because in the next step, I’ll show you how I trimmed it.

Item #3 – Fabric

Once the fabric was well stuck to the Mod Podge, it was time to trim the fabric (this can be done before the glue underneath is dry). Using a very sharp blade, I dragged it along the edge of the tray to trim the excess fabric.

Once the fabric was cut, I add a layer of Mod Podge OVER the fabric – no worries, it will dry clear!

Once the Mod Podge was dry (fully about 1 day later), it was time to add my last 2 items – the stencil and the color coral.

Using a new Word Doc, I found a font I liked (credit valley) and printed a large letter ‘B’ in lowercase for Burger (my last name). Then I cut it out with a scissor and traced the outline on the fabric.

Item #4 – Stencil

Then filled in the stencil with a beautiful color coral (it needed about 4 coats, but it didn’t take long).

Item #5 – Coral

And here it is all complete! My Blogging 2 Better Challenge was done and I was quite happy with the result. What do you think? Perfect for the indoors or out!

And you of course have to check out the other B2B Challenge Projects using the same materials. It’s truly amazing how they’re all SO DIFFERENT!

Rustic Industrial Storage Bins by Monica & Jess of East Coast Creative Blog

Dangle Earring Frame by Allison of House of Hepworths

Fabric Wall Art by Brook of Being Brook

Pallet Art Surfboard by Kim of Sand & Sisal

I’m sure you know all these ladies, but if not, you are REALLY missing out! Be sure to visit each of their great Challenge projects, as well as their daily DIY creations.

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Todayâ€™s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, Savvy Southern Style, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, Creation Corner, The Shabby Nest, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Tip Junkie

5 Minute Lamp Revamp with Spray Paint and Ribbon

Written by Jenna on June 8, 2012. Posted in DIY. 8 Comments on 5 Minute Lamp Revamp with Spray Paint and Ribbon

For a while, I was on the hunt for a pair of lamps for the dining room buffet. They couldn’t be overly large, but something that would be unique and add a soft glow. I had brought home a few options, but nothing was quite right. Then one day when randomly shopping at HomeGoods for another project, I spotted this treasure –>

It wasn’t perfect, but immediately I had an idea up my sleeve.

Could I ever just leave anything alone? NOPE!

My immediate idea was to spray paint the globe, but I wasn’t sure what color. Should the lamp be subtle or dramatic? Since the lamps were a nice piece of change (around $30 x 2), I thought a quieter color would “live” longer. So, I hit up my favorite spot at my favorite home improvement store and chose a taupe color with a hint of gold. Interesting, right?

The color name is Caramel Latte – sounds scrumptious (I must have missed my morning coffee that day and got my fix another way, hehe).

Before starting the exciting transformation, I covered all the areas of the lamp that I wanted to protect. So ONLY the basket-style globe was exposed and ready.

Now, I was armed and ready! I started off spraying my new fav color on the black globe area of the lamp. Nope, didn’t work.

I wanted it to be lighter, so instead I first spray painted the globe white (basically as a primer)…

…THEN applied the Caramel Latte Color. Yes, that’s what I wanted!

Perfection – DONE! well maybe not?

You know me… I can never leave well enough alone. I wanted to embellish the shades a little, so I decided to add two rows of ribbon in a taupe and burnt orange color.

Adding Ribbon to Embellish a Shade

At the lampshade seam, dab a small amount of hot glue on the shade and attach one end of the ribbon.
Wrap the ribbon around the entire shade (no need to glue all the way around). Trim the ribbon, fold over the edge so it doesn’t fray, and glue.
Complete!

In about 10 minutes (well, for me it was 20 because I had two), these lamps got a total makeover and are completely unique for my space!

I hope I’ve inspired you with my Lamp Revamp to think-outside-the-box and create or transform something in your home. Sometimes with a little spray paint and an idea, your options are limitless!

Outdoor Sculpture Made From Trash

Written by Jenna on June 4, 2012. Posted in DIY. 15 Comments on Outdoor Sculpture Made From Trash

I hope you had a wonderful weekend! It was a half rainy, half sunny weekend in my neck of the woods, so I took the opportunity to do some thrifting with my mom on Saturday and then some major DIYing on Sunday. I actually worked on about 6 different DIY projects and am super psyched to share some of them over the next week or two.

One project in particular is a new outdoor sculpture that now sits in my garden that I made using, well… trash. It’s kinda crazy, but I love it!

Before the cleanout began for the sideyard makeover (which I’ve mentioned here and there over the last few months), there was an old wood barrel planter sitting in the corner, falling apart, and in desperate need for the trash. When the time came for the barrel to hit the garbage, there was a DIY fairy that sat on my shoulder telling me to keep the corroded metal straps that once, long ago, kept the barrel together.

I had NO IDEA what I would do with them, but in the shed they went… for about two months… until the revelation hit me… How about making them into a sculpture?? Hmmm… That could work!

There was part of the garden on the sideyard that was bare and instead of planting more flowers, the vacant spot was perfect for my new-found idea.

How to Make the Trash Turned Sculpture

This sculpture took minutes to make – probably less than 10 minutes in all! Using a drill with a metal drill bit, the Mister and I worked together and drilled 2 holes in each ring. The holes were placed directly opposite of each other.

Once all the holes were drilled, we aligned the top and bottom holes of each ring. We secured the rings at the top with a nut and bolt, and for the bottom, we used a 6″ tent stake which went into the ground.

And that was it! I rotated the rings until the positioning was just right, and then sat back to admire this trash to treasure.

So what do you think? Pretty neat, right?
What treasures have you made from trash?

Staircase Makeover: Filling Holes and Staining Treads

Written by Jenna on June 1, 2012. Posted in DIY, Stair Makeover. 31 Comments on Staircase Makeover: Filling Holes and Staining Treads

It’s almost been 2 weeks since I posted about the stair makeover, but don’t think I haven’t been hard at work. The staining took quite a long time and not because it was difficult, but for another reason – keep on reading. Anyway, I can officially say that the staining is complete and I am at the half way point now (I hope).

This second phase of the staircase makeover covers sanding the stairs, filling the gazillion holes from the carpet tacks and staples, and staining the treads. So let’s jump right in and get started!

Project Details

Duration of Phase Two: 1.5 hours for sanding & filling holes; 2 overall hours for staining / polyurethane (5-10 minutes for each coat)
Phase 2 Difficulty: Easy to Medium
How Many People Needed: 1

The supplies I used for this phase of the project are:

Orbital Sander (sandpapering by hand is also possible, but will take longer)
Wood Filler (in a color to match the wood)
Stain – I used Minwax Wood Finish in Ebony
Polyurethane – I used Rustoleum (water-based) in a gloss finish
Cheap brush or sponge brush that can easily be thrown away
Mineral Spirits (if you don’t want to use a cheap brush and instead wash them)

In my last post on removing the carpet and prepping the stairs, I left you off with this…

Once the carpet tacks and staples were fully removed, it was time to sand the stairs.

As I mentioned above in the supply list, I used my orbital sander to get a really smooth finish and to take away marks and old paint drippings. Manually sanding the treads and risers with sandpaper is fine too, but will take longer and is more laborious – if you’re looking to build your arm muscles, this may be your calling 😉

Once the stairs were smooth, I used wood filler to fill in the many holes left from the carpet strip tacks and the carpet pad staples. There were also a few holes from the natural grain of the wood that I also filled in.

After the holes were filled and the wood filler was completely dried and hard 24+ hours later (it’s important that the wood filler is really dry!), I sanded again. The wood treads were ready for staining when the stairs were completely smooth to the touch.

Now to the staining process…

I don’t have alot of staining experience, and frankly staining has always scared me. Unlike painting, it seems so difficult, but thankfully I was proven wrong with this project.

As I mentioned in my last post, I was desiring a really dark stained tread for the stairs, so I chose to use an ebony finish. Before making the final decision though, I reached out to my blogging bud and the very talented DIYer, Kate of Centsational Girl. I had showcased her stair makeover as one of my inspirations, and wanted to know what she used for her dark tread. She told me that she used a product called Duraseal, which has a molasses-like consistency and gave a darker finish because it was less watery than typical stain. I couldn’t find the Duraseal and was anxious to get started on the staining, so I chose to use Minwax Wood Finish in ebony. It was the darkest color they had, so I was up for the task of trying it out. As an alternative, Kate gave me the advice of trying a gel stain which like the Duraseal has a thicker consistency. I’m a bad girl because I didn’t take her advice, BUT thankfully I’m happy with the result I achieved, so all is good 🙂

When staining, it’s key to apply thin coats of stain and angle the brush at a 45 degree angle to avoid bubbles. After cleaning the stairs with a rag to remove any remaining dust from the sanding, I was ready to get started. I used a cheap bristle brush to apply the stain, so I could easily throw it away after the stain applications.

Here are the few steps I took to stain the treads.

1. I started at the corner of the treads.

2. I feathered my brush towards the center, parallel to the wood grain.

3. Then I carefully dragged my brush along the edge of the tread and the stair stringer.

4.. After that I feathered the stain in the same direction of the grain again.

The reason for doing these steps is so the tread is thoroughly covered with stain AND minimal stain gets on the stringer (side piece). For my stairs, I will be painting the stringer white and using a stain blocker beforehand, BUT I was nervous (here comes my apprehension of using stain again) and didn’t want too much stain to get onto the stringer. Alittle nutty, I know… but it worked.

Continuing with the staining, I applied it to the remainder of the tread in the same direction as the wood grain.

Now that I shared the particulars on how to stain, let me tell you some more details…

The staining process took a while and the major reason was because we still needed to use the stairs. What to do?? Well, I ended up staining every other stair so we could still get up to the second floors. We did need to sleep, of course 😉

So… because I had to break the project up into two phases, it took longer. After applying the first coat of stain, it soaked right into the wood, and was dry within about 1-2 hours – there was absolutely no wiping away needed.

Then I applied a second coat of stain, which also soaked right in and took about 1-2 hours to completely dry. At this point, the stair had a really dull finish to it, but it still wasn’t dark enough for my taste.

So a day later, I added a third coat of stain and that was key!! It took a good day for it to completely dry, but I was happy. Then I was able to move on to the other stairs that were still raw.

The more coats you apply, the darker the result

Once the third coat of stain was complete, I sealed the stairs with Polyurethane. I had tested one small area using a semi-gloss finish, but it wasn’t right, so I decided on a gloss finish. It gave just enough sheen, but wasn’t overly glossy (if that makes sense).

Kate recommended applying 2-3 coats of polyurethane and this time I took her advice. After all my hard work, I wouldn’t want these stairs to get ruined!

The polyurethane that I used had a blue tinge when applied (which I freaked out about for only a few seconds), but quickly went away – thank goodness!

And that’s it for the staining process. This same process and techniques could also be used for furniture.

I got a few comments from readers after my last post that they enjoyed how thorough and explanatory my post was, so I tried to do the same with this – I hope you enjoyed it and learned something new. If you still have questions, let me know!

It’s really coming along and I’m excitedly anxious to start the next process… painting the risers, banister, baluster, and stringer! Until next time…

Creative Vision Board: Bold Modern Office

Written by Jenna on May 30, 2012. Posted in Creative Vision Boards. 5 Comments on Creative Vision Board: Bold Modern Office

Happy Wednesday! Thanks for stopping by to check out my latest Creative Vision Board. This new series that I started 3 weeks ago, has been a lot of fun to get my creative juices flowing and keeps me “in-the know” & “up-to-date” on new furniture, accessories, and decor that’s available across the web. Did you know that all the furniture and accessories that I showcase on my Creative Vision Boards are available for anyone to purchase (meaning they’re not to-the-trade only)? These CVB’s are also a teeny glimpse at what I create for my E-Design clients.

Enough of the chatter, let’s take a look at my latest creation of a Bold & Modern Office…

For this week’s Creative Vision Board, I started with the Club Chair in a turquoise colored leather – scrumptious, right?! In the office, I envision two of these divinely comfortable club chairs off to the side with a black marble-top and silver legged, scalloped side table in between. What a great place to read a book or review paperwork (or blog, hehe).

Now that you know the starting point for this space, let’s break it down like usual, with my three key factors to create a room – color, texture, and style.

Color

Last week’s CVB was quiet and serene, but since this is a modern office space, it was a must to introduce COLOR! Starting with the walls, I would use a modern and bold geometric wallpaper on the focal wall behind the white, mirrored credenza. The remaining walls would be covered with wide horizontal stripes in quieter hues of cream and taupe/gray.

The crisp white desk would pop off of the faux cow hide rug which is layered over a dark wood floor and a classic herringbone natural-colored rug. Layers, Layers, Layers!

Other exciting colors in this office would be burnt orange and pistachio, as seen in the ottoman, fabrics, and accessories.

Texture

If you work from home or spend a significant amount of time in your office, it’s important to introduce engaging elements. One way to do this is through texture. This office has alot of textural qualities. From the smooth subtle leather club chair to the faux cow hide rug to the chevron patterned cashmere rug, this office space is filled with texture and pieces you would want to touch all day!

Style

So much style in one space, I wish I could snap my fingers and instantly work in this office! Don’t you? From classic to modern, this office has a good balance of old and new elements. One of my favorite pieces in the room is the large, crisp white desk. The purpose of a traditional desk is there, yet with a modern twist. It is more open and airy than typical and has a beautiful X-leg.

My Advice to Design a Room Like This

Have fun and be daring when designing an office space. Create a space that is inspiring, engaging, and gets the creative process moving. This is a room in the house that doesn’t need to be 100% cohesive with the rest. Yes, bringing in elements from the rest of the house is nice, but you can truly make it a statement on it’s own.

Thanks for stopping by to check out my latest Creative Vision Board. Has it inspired you to revamp your office? Have you created an office space that you love being in?

* Creative Vision Board Disclaimer: Some CVBs are created for specific clients and others are created by me to inspire you. Either way, specific resources are not provided because these are the types of creations that clients pay me for and if I gave the information away for free, no one would hire me. BUT if you’re interested in specific pieces seen on my Creative Vision Boards or want to create the exact look in your space, you can gladly pay a nominal fee for the resources. Nothing on my Creative Vision Boards are to-the-trade only and everything can be found on the internet. Also, if you have a question about a specific resource then my One-Question Consult would be perfect for you and/or if you’re looking for a new, custom created CVB, then you might want to take a look at my Jump Start Design option. If you have a question about anything, email me!

Create Your Own Succulent Arrangement

Written by Jenna on May 25, 2012. Posted in DIY. 10 Comments on Create Your Own Succulent Arrangement

I’m a sucker for succulents, but have always been hesitant to get them because I don’t have a green thumb and most arrangements are pretty pricey (keep on reading and you’ll see)!

Recently, on my quest to bring the outdoors in, I finally got the courage and set out on search for a pretty succulent arrangement, and couldn’t believe how much they cost. Similar to terrarium arrangements, most are $30+ and that’s certainly not in my budget, especially since I haven’t had success in the past with keeping plants living for long.

If you remember back not too long ago, my gal blogger pal, Brittany of Pretty Handy Girl, shared a tutorial on how to make your own terrarium and save big bucks, and now I’ll show you How-To Make Your Own Succulent Arrangement for less than $15.

Let’s get started…

Thanks to my FB community for pointing me in the right direction, I purchased my succulents at Lowe’s (I didn’t even realize that they carried succulents). I looked for succulents that paired well together giving some variation in height and color. I also got one larger succulent to “anchor” the arrangement.

For the box, I used a wood planter that the Mister actually made a few weeks ago using pallet planks. If anyone’s interested, I’ll share a tutorial on that soon – let me know.

Knowing the size of the box, I chose four different succulent plants and placed them in the box to see how best they should be arranged before adding the soil.

Once I figured out the best layout, I removed the succulents from the box and lined the box with a plastic garbage bag. If you are making a similar arrangement, lining the planter isn’t a must, but since this pallet box is made of wood and wasn’t perfect at the corners, I felt it best to line the interior so water and soil wouldn’t seep out the corners.

I left about 2″ of exposed wood at the top, so once the soil was added it would thoroughly cover the liner. I wanted to see my pretty flowers, not the liner 🙂

I then added the soil leaving about 1″ of exposed wood at the top.

Next came the beautiful succulents, which I recommend starting with the largest one first. Like with all plants, I was sure to gently separate the roots before planting.

The arrangement looked alittle messy once it was complete… but just wait!

It was time to add the small rocks which are almost always seen in those pricey succulent arrangements. I picked these up for about $3 and only used half the bag.

I carefully placed a thin layer on top of the soil so only the succulents would show through.

Once the rocks were put in place, the succulent arrange was complete…

…And sits beautifully on my front porch.

Want to learn more on caring for a succulent? Check out this awesome article on growing healthy succulents. I learned quite a few good tips to keep my new succulent arrangement strong and healthy!

Let’s break it down to see how much I saved…

(4) succulent plants were: $2.98 each

(1) Bag of rocks that I used half of: $3.00 /2 (for half) = $1.50

Wood Planter Box: Free – made from an old pallet

So the grand total to create this beautiful Succulent Arrangement was around $13. Not bad, right?!

Check out this arrangement that I just found online for $68. I like mine way better! What do you think? Make it or Buy it??

Succulent arrangements are fun to make any time of year, but since they truly love the sun, Spring and Summer is a great time of year to create one of your own.

Do you have succulents in your home? Have you ever made your own succulent arrangement? Would you rather make (and save) or buy?

Creative Vision Board: Serene and Sophisticated Bedroom

Written by Jenna on May 23, 2012. Posted in Creative Vision Boards, Decorating. 2 Comments on Creative Vision Board: Serene and Sophisticated Bedroom

I’ve been super psyched for Wednesday to arrive so I could share my newest, latest, and greatest Creative Vision Board. After last week’s Red Hot Eclectic Living Room board started off the series, I was hard at work conceptualizing and creating my latest “room”.

If you’re new to this Wednesday ritual, every hump day (a.k.a. Wednesday) I will create and share a new Creative Vision Board for a room in the home, then I’ll break-it-down explaining how I created the board and how you can create something similar for your space.

Drumroll please for this week’s, Serene & Sophisticated Bedroom Creative Vision Board…

For this week’s CVB, I started with the chevron side table lamps (which in reality would be placed in front of the lamps on the nightstand). Lighting often ‘makes’ a room, and just like last week, it was where I started when pulling this space together. Because of the mere WOW-factor that these chevron beauties make, the other larger selections in the room took a backseat to compliment this dominant fixture.

Let’s jump in and break down the room even further using my three key factors to make a room: color, texture, and style.

Color

For me, a bedroom should be calming and serene, creating a heavenly oasis to retreat to after a long, exhausting day. Believe me, I love color, but keep the vibrant hues for the other spaces in the home. With the deep navy and white on the lamp, I decided to introduce other blue tones into the space which can be seen in the rug and pillows.

Additionally to add a pop of color, I introduced the accent color of lime green – just a little goes a long way – that can be seen in the pillows and the garden stool, which would be perfect as a side table next to the chair.

Soft tones for the bedding, window treatments, wallpaper, and wall color are a perfect backdrop for this bedroom.

Texture

Tactile surfaces are a must for me when designing a space. Whether a soft rug, grasscloth wall, or a high-polished lamp, texture in a room gives great depth and dimension! A room could be all one color (bo-ring), but when different textures are introduced, it becomes completely engaging. In this ‘room’, texture can be seen in the bamboo shades, the linen draperies, and the soft leather stool. Even the chandelier has a textural quality. Ooo, so much to touch!

Style

From classic to modern, this room is filled with elements of various styles, yet still reads as one cohesive space. One of my favorite elements in the room is the minimal, slightly-retro style chair with the orange and white floral fabric. What a divine chair for reading!

My Advice to Design a Room Like This

Start with the larger pieces in the room – the bed, chair, chandelier – and then introduce soft finishes and accessories that enhance the overall look and compliment the larger elements. Think about the feelings that you want your bedroom to evoke and introduce colors that will project that aesthetic.

Thanks for checking out my latest Creative Vision Board – what do you think? Would you love a bedroom like this? If you have questions regarding any of the specific pieces shown in my Creative Vision Board, you can gladly contact me and we can work together through my E-Design service. Until next week… Happy Decorating!

Staircase Makeover: A New DIY Venture Begins

Written by Jenna on May 21, 2012. Posted in DIY, Stair Makeover. 25 Comments on Staircase Makeover: A New DIY Venture Begins

One evening late last week, the Mister and I found ourselves without something on our to-do list, so we finally embarked on the staircase project that I posted about 2 weeks ago. It took longer than expected to start this project, but I needed my man’s muscles and braun to assist on the beginning stages.

If you remember back, the removing of the carpet was one of my DIY project goals for 2012 and I’m excited that its finally begun. I initially wanted to remove/replace all the carpet on the second floor (yet it’s not within the budget), but removing the carpet on the stairs is going to be a big improvement since that gets the most traffic. Even though I’ve never been happy with the carpet, it was in place more for safety than aesthetics – now it’s time to say ba-bye!

We’re lucky to have real wood on the stairs instead of plywood, but there are still alot of details to giving these stairs an entire new look, so I’m going to break the process into a few posts. Plus they’re not nearly done and I couldn’t wait to share the “happenings” with you till the end.

Take a look…

Project Details

Duration of Phase One: 1.5 hours
Phase 1 Difficulty: Medium
How Many People Needed: 1

The first phase includes steps to remove the carpet, remove the carpet tack strips, and how to transition the wood steps to the 2nd floor carpet. But before we begin, here are the supplies that I used.

Hammer
Cats Paw
Needle Nose Pliers
Flat Head Screwdriver
Muscles 🙂

For this stair makeover, we started by removing the carpet. Every two steps, we used an X-acto blade and cut the carpet where the tread and riser meet. This made the process more manageable with smaller pieces of carpet instead of one large piece.

As we went along and took the carpet off of every two stairs, we removed the carpet tack strips with a hammer and cats paw. A cats paw is a great tool that we use for alot of projects. For the stairs it worked well to get under the tack strips, yet didn’t damage the wood on the stair tread. I highly recommend it 🙂

Watch your toes on those tack strips – they’re sharp!

Once the carpet was removed from the entire stair case, it was time to remove the staples from the carpet pad… and boy, there were alot of them! For this step, it’s best to use a needle nose plier and/or a flat head screw driver.

The last step for this first phase was to cleanly transition the existing carpet and the newly exposed wood stair at the second floor landing. Using an X-acto knife, we trimmed the carpet so there would be enough to wrap around the top step.

It didn’t need to be perfectly cut, but it was important that there was enough carpet to wrap it around the top stair nosing.

The carpet pad also needed to be trimmed. Using a scissor, we trimmed the pad to be at the same edge as the stair nosing. Trimming it at this point instead of wrapping it around the nosing (like the carpet) made it easier to staple the carpet under the nosing.

Lastly, using a staple gun we stapled the carpet under the top nosing. It’s important to use longer length staples so each goes securely through the carpet and into the wood.

The result is a clean transition from wood to carpet…

There is still much more to do to get these stairs to completion, but we’re on our way. Many of you have asked what we plan on doing on the stairs (thank you for taking interest) – stain, paint, stair runner… so many options.

After lots of thought, I plan on staining the treads a dark walnut finish, painting the risers and balusters a crisp white, and painting the banister and newel post a taupe color (same as my kitchen – BM berkshire beige). Wouldn’t that be amazing?!

1. source unknown 2. Centsational Girl 3. Benjamin Moore Berkshire Beige 4. Walnut stain

Again, here’s a peak at the changes from phase one.

10 Reasons to Hire an Interior Designer

Written by Jenna on May 9, 2012. Posted in Decorating. 16 Comments on 10 Reasons to Hire an Interior Designer

It’s been a little crazy around here lately and one of the reasons is because I just wrapped up three design jobs this week. It’s always so gratifying when a project is complete and the vision that I originally had for a space comes to fruition. As I finished up the final details of these latest projects, each client said (in a different way, of course) how I made them think outside the box and how the space wouldn’t be what it is without my assistance. That surely brought a smile to my face 🙂

Many think, that an Interior Designer is only for the stars or the uber-wealthy. So not true! For many years I worked in the high-end design field, but honestly, I’d much rather assist the everyday person with making their vision a reality. That being said, I am so thankful for what I learned when practicing high-end design because I now know how to get that pricey look at a fraction of the cost!

As these projects are wrapping up and it’s fresh on my mind, I thought I would share a few reasons why hiring an Interior Designer is a must for anyone, with any budget!

WHY HIRE A DESIGNER!

1. Designers can save you money. When making interior selections and decisions for one room or your entire home, it can be overwhelming and it’s possible that you’ll make purchases or choices on items that are either not worth the cost or won’t “live” for long. With a Designers (like me) assistance, direction, and know-how, they can steer you in the right direction so the entire space can come together as a whole. Let me ask you this – How many times have you purchased 2,3, or 4 different gallons of paint to repaint a room and you still weren’t satisfied? Maybe once or twice?? Be honest… With a Designers perspective, big bucks can be saved, along with the countless wasted hours. That leads me to my next reason on why to hire a Designer…

2. Designers can save you time. Think about all the time (and gas) wasted by buying items, not being happy with them once at home, and then returning them. Has that happened to you once or twice? When I work with clients, many never step foot into a store or showroom (unless they want to), because I bring samples, images, and pieces to their home. Not bad, right?! I’m sure the last place you want to be on a beautiful Saturday afternoon is a furniture store with 3 crying kids. I won’t even get to the point on how much time a Designer can save you with all those gallons of wrong paint.

3. Designers think outside the box and give a fresh perspective. The mind of a Designer is simply made up differently. We can see things that others may not and we think outside the box to provide fresh ideas and a unique perspective for a space.

4. Designers create and work within a budget. (most of the time) A good and experienced Designer will work within your budgetary means (and/or tell you up front if your scope is/isn’t possible within your budget) and make a plan before anything is purchased.

5. Designers listen. When working with a Designer, the designs are exclusively for you and your project. I listen to my clients needs and wants to direct / assist them so the result is a space that reflects their personality and style.

6. Designers push you. Not literally (well, some may, hehe) of course. Designers are trained to know scale, proportion, color, size, texture, etc. so that a space is unique and personal, and not directly taken out of a catalog. I like to introduce elements into a space that my clients wouldn’t have chosen without me. Sometimes pushing the limits truly makes for an amazing result.

7. Space Planning. Determining the best furniture layout for a space is critical in how the room functions and how it reads aesthetically. When I meet with a client, we discuss the pieces that they want to repurpose or eliminate, and what needs to be added. Planning the space is HUGE (and my favorite part)!

8. Project Management. Whether a homeowner desires a few new accessories or an entire kitchen renovation, alot of time and effort is needed for project management and coordination.

9. Designers have passion. I live and breathe design. From my blog to my business, design is what I know and what I do, day in and day out. It’s not just my job, but a hobby and career that I’m truly passionate about, which is reflected in every one of my creations.

10. We have contacts. Designers have access to trade only resources that are not often available in retail stores and are often deeply discounted from retail costs. Additionally, being in the design / building field, Designers often have formed relationships with kitchen consultants, millworkers, plumbers, electricians, etc. We can get the right people for the job!

I hope you learned a little something, especially that working with a Designer is attainable for anyone with any space and any budget! If you are in the market for a Designer or if reading this post peeked your need to finish up the space you’ve been working on for the last year, you can gladly take a look at the Design Services that I offer by clicking here. I also offer E-Decorating services and can gladly assist you with a project if you live in the US.

Have you ever worked with an Interior Designer? Have you ever thought of working with a Designer but didn’t think it was possible? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Spring Front Porch {Reveal}

Written by Jenna on May 7, 2012. Posted in DIY. 22 Comments on Spring Front Porch {Reveal}

Confession…

I didn’t even have 5 minutes to start my staircase carpet removal this past weekend – Huge Bummer, I know! I’m sure some of you are disappointed {I am} after my exciting Another DIY Project is Born post from Friday, buuuuut I have to say the weekend was not filled with R & R. Instead of embarking on my latest DIY idea (removing the ugly, old, worn carpet on the stairs), we continued our efforts on the exterior instead.

Take a look…

Pretty snazzy, right? Boy, did it take A-L-O-T of effort and my butt is still aching, but it was definitely worth it. AND there is still a few weekends ahead of us before it’s complete (if ever). Let me show you around…

Last week I mentioned that the Mister and I enlarged the exterior columns and I finally took pictures, so here they are! I’ve got a ‘thing’ for beefy columns and the 3″ wide style we had before always bothered me. Now… the larger style columns, which are about 8″ wide, make the house appear more grounded and the overall scale actually feels larger – to me anyway.

So what do you think?

Want to see how it looked before? These are a few pictures from the time when we moved in two years ago up until last year when we started the transformation process.

Even looking at these pictures myself, I’m surprised at how much work we’ve done over the last two years. With lots of Tender Loving Care, our outdoor front space has truly changed. Last year we started with a few plantings and they’re really growing – I’m kinda shocked since I have no green thumb.

I have to show you my favorite plant in the garden (thus far), which is the bleeding heart.

And the new hanging baskets.

All the plantings in the front beds are perennials and started off much smaller last year and have continually been growing. So far this year, I got two new hanging baskets with annual flowers, as well as two boxwoods that I planted in large black pots that flank the garage. From my understanding (which I was told by our local gardening center), the boxwoods will continue to grow and should last up to 10 years – we shall see.

Aside from the flowers, I’ve added bursts of color with accessories and pillows throughout the porch area. Even though it’s not an overly large porch, it’s quaint and a great place to sit, relax, and read a book.

The burnt orange bird feeder is another colorful addition to the front porch. I wasn’t sure how it would look, but I’m loving how it brightens up the porch and hopefully birds will come for some good food.

And to give you an update on the side yard, the tree stumps are out and I seeded the 3000 sq.ft. area – O, do I hope that grass grows!

But, I can say, I got this pond up and running too this weekend – another FINALLY! It’s been here since we moved in, but hasn’t worked. Until now.

Thanks so much for visiting and allowing me to share my progressing front porch and plantings with you. There’s lots more to come! Have you started planting flowers yet this Spring?