Tag: Jenna Burger Design

5 Ways to Revamp a Laundry Room on a Budget

Written by Jenna on May 14, 2015. Posted in Decorating. 3 Comments on 5 Ways to Revamp a Laundry Room on a Budget

It’s been a week since I shared my revamped laundry room and load #7 was just finished & folded.

The new space that took me a weekend + $200 to complete has been a gamechanger for how I feel about doing laundry. Laundry has always been my nemesis. I can’t say I love it now, but for the last week, it hasn’t been so bad… and it’s all due to the changes that were made to make the space more organized & aesthetically pleasing.

As a clan of 5, we have a lot of laundry and our laundry “closet” couldn’t go another day without a makeover. Not only was it ugly + drear, it wasn’t functioning to it’s utmost potential, and that’s how the space was failing us!

With some outside-of-the-box thinking + a plan-of-action in place, I revamped & created a laundry space that is organized + functionable + pretty on the eyes.

Let’s break it down… Here are 5 ways + tips to revamp a laundry room on a budget…

Yes, the type of washer + dryer is important to a laundry space (obviously, that’s why it has its name), but the way a laundry space looks & functions really has nothing to do with the model # you have. With my revamp, the W & D stayed and the space around it got jazzed up. My machines are plain ole’ run-of-the-mill white side by side style – Nothing fancy. They were fine, but the space around it wasn’t. I chose to work with what I had and that meant using every square inch of the surrounding walls to make this space better.

If you have a stackable W & D in your laundry area, use the space to the side for storage + organization. The takeaway… use what you have and be happy with it; accept it and work with it! Yes, a lavish laundry room would be a delight, but it’s not the reality for most.

Instead of sorting + washing + drying + folding in a room / closet you dislike, here are 5 ways to revamp that laundry space that’s not quite so pretty…

1/ PAINT. Adding a splash of color to a laundry space will give it new life. Whether there is a window or not, a new coat of paint will make it feel fresh & bright. Paint is truly the easiest + least expensive way to freshen up any space, especially the laundry. For my laundry closet revamp, I used a quart of paint which provided 2 coats and the can was $15.

2/ STORAGE. Storage in a laundry is a huge need. No matter what size the space, no matter what you have to store, storage is important. Wiring shelves, which is what I used, are the easiest + fastest + least inexpensive type of storage you can add to a laundry space to keep the items organized + tidy. I chose to add a 1 x 12 piece of wood on top of the wire shelves to make a steadier shelf so items wouldn’t fall between the spaces of the wire. It’s also important to use as much of the vertical wall space as possible – go as high as you can with the shelving and store non-everyday essentials on the highest shelf & use a stepstool to access.

If you have additional space + a larger budget, wood shelves are a great alternative (but they cost more + take longer to install + aren’t as flexible to move in the future), as is closed cabinetry which can hide away those not-to-be-seen items.

There are many options for storage in a laundry… don’t just stick with the one wire builder-grade shelf above the washer & dryer. That’s a waste of precious wall space.

3/ BASKETS + BINS. On those shelves or in those cabinets, organize your items using baskets & bins. Since revamping my laundry space, having a place for everything has made my life so much easier. It takes the guesswork out of what goes where. Use smaller bins for smaller items (dishtowels, sponges, light bulbs, batteries, etc) and larger bins/baskets for larger items (papertowels, napkins, toilet paper, paper goods, etc).

Organizing the bins with labels (i heart my label maker) indicating what is inside has also made my day-to-day more efficient + simpler. Knowing where items go has taken away the wonderment for the Mister & the kids as well – no more asking “mom, where does this go?” or “hon, do we have rags?”

4/ OTHER STORAGE. In a laundry space, there is a need to store items on a shelf, but there is also the slew of other items to stow away like the broom(s), mop, iron, ironing board, etc… In the “before” laundry, I often would just lean them against the wall and they were ALWAYS in the way. But with the revamped laundry, I simply added a few hooks to the wall and all of a sudden those cumbersome items have a home. By using the side walls, that other storage now has a designated ‘spot’ to live.

There are literally gadgets for everything, so find something (or make it) to hang what you need so that something that doesn’t have a place, finally gets one (like the iron that had been sitting on top of my washer for years). Hooks, screws, holders, etc. are the perfect inexpensive items that will make your life easier and more organized!

5/ LAYERS. Layers are the best. Layers are everything. Layers make ANY space, room, closet COMPLETE… even the laundry area! From pictures to accessories to colorful hangers, adding meaningful + bright + unexpected layers gives the interest and depth to make a room feel whole.

This post wouldn’t be complete without sharing some more laundry love.

Check out these…

INSPIRATIONAL LAUNDRY SPACES.

Filled with blues & yellows, Brittany of Pretty Handy Girl created a beautiful laundry room using a wall system that keeps everything organized and in it’s place.

You don’t have to love laundry to love your laundry room! And I heart Jen’s laundry room. Even though there is no natural light in this space, it feels airy & bright. I’ll take this space anyday! Check out more of Jen’s laundry room at I Heart Organizing.

A laundry “closet” similar to mine, but with a stackable washer + dryer. Melinda of Love Melinda created a laundry space that’s packed with shelving + storage! She also added a pretty stencil design which brings a fun, unexpected layer to the space.

Another laundry “closet” but with side-by-side front loaders. How gorgeous is this “closet”?! Decked out with a solid surface countertop, upper cabinets for storage, and an awesome tiled backsplash, this laundry area is swoon-worthy.

When there is a need to hide the clutter, a little curtain will certainly do the trick! Love this idea by using a tension rod and a simple drapery valance. via Babble

And for those who are blessed with more space than just a teeny closet to call their laundry room, this is beautiful. From the wood countertop to the blue W & D, to the gorgeous built-ins above, I would never again complain about doing laundry! via BHG

Kim of Sand & Sisal hit it out of the park with her laundry revamp. How soothing is that blue hue on the walls paired with elements + layers that remind you of the water. Pretty + Functional all tied into one great laundry room!

Love this idea by My Sweet Savannah of using an over-the-door wire rack to organize all the laundry items. What a great idea when there is limited space.

How incredible is this before and after by Kelly of View Along the Way?! Like my laundry revamp, it’s hard to believe that this is the same space. As I said before, ditch the one wire shelf above the W & D and instead use the vertical space of the surrounding walls! By stenciling the back wall, painting wide stripes on the floor, and adding an upper cabinet + shelves, this laundry room is completely different.

How fun is this?! Bling out your washer + dryer with some funk by adding decals like these stripes & dots by A Beautiful Mess.

I hope you’ve gathered inspiration to make some updates or totally overhaul your laundry room. As you can see from my revamp or the other inspirational spaces, you don’t need a huge budget or tons of time. It’s amazing what can be created with a little effort and outside-of-the-box thinking!

Laundry Room “Closet” {Reveal}

Written by Jenna on May 7, 2015. Posted in DIY. 5 Comments on Laundry Room “Closet” {Reveal}

If you didn’t see yesterday’s post, you have to read that first. This is one of those makeovers where… you have to see the ‘before’ to truly appreciate the ‘after’.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, last weekend was a busy one around the ole’ homestead. In between activities for the kids + prepping the outdoor gardens for new flowers, we also tackled a revamp to the laundry room (aka the laundry closet because it is just that… a 4′-6″ wide x 2′ deep space).

Our home isn’t huge and the laundry isn’t lavish, but it’s a space that is used A LOT & needs to be as functional as possible. Sadly over the weeks, months (and probably even years), it’s become a dropping zone for everything from clothes (obviously), tools, paper goods, cleaning supplies, etc. You name it and it was probably piled high on top of the dryer or on one of the above shelves. Honestly Embarrassing how messy it was! The space was REALLY in need of love + attention.

No more chit-chat, here is the result of our weekend DIY Laundry Revamp…

What a change!

Light. Airy. Functional. Pretty. Organized.

Our laundry area gets a lot of use and with it being right off the foyer, it’s a space that holds more than a typical laundry area. Not only do we wash + dry + hang clothes in this “closet”, but it’s also a storage spot for dishtowels, cleaning supplies, rags, napkins + paper towels, tablecloths, paper goods (paper plates, cups, plastic ware), and more.

A view from the foyer…

[tutorial for how I created a Kids Art Display on our garage entry door]

When revamping this space, I started off by making a list of what was working and what wasn’t (guess which list was longer…).

Then I removed all the existing shelving.

Followed by cleaning the walls (we had a dryer issue a few months ago that left our walls full of lint – it’s since been fixed), spackling the holes, and sanding them.

Once the walls were clean, I was ready to paint (the Mister helped too – gotta give him props for helping me out 😉

After the two coats of paint were applied to the walls, I installed the top rail of the closet system that I got at Lowe’s. I love these types of closet systems because the installation takes little time (the top rail took about 15 minutes total to install). Once the top rail was in, I hung the uprights off of it (no install needed) and then attached the shelves.

Once the shelves were on, I added a piece of wood on top that runs the same length as the wire shelf. With wire shelving there is a gap / small space that sometimes smaller things fall through or don’t stand right straight. This always frustrated me with this closet, so the wood provides a solid surface for anything I want to store.

Yes wood shelves could have been installed instead of the wire shelving, but a lot more labor + time would have been needed & there would be no way the shelves could be adjusted in the future (the flexibility to move the wire shelves is another huge bonus).

Once the shelves were in, I filled them right away. The boxes, bins, and baskets are a mix of new & old.

Items like dishtowels, light bulbs, batteries, sponges, etc. are now stored in the smaller fabric bins on the bottom shelf. They are easy to grab at any time and I love that everything has a place! This shelf only goes half way across (above the dryer) so there is space for hanging clothes below the middle shelf, above the washer.

Adding labels to the bins has taken the guess work out of wondering, what goes where…

On the middle shelf are the cleaning supplies, a basket filled with extra paper towels & napkins, and the laundry detergents.

On the highest shelf (items I don’t need to access every day) are new wire bins from Lowe’s that are filled with extra paper goods (plates, cups, napkins, etc) & tablecloths / linens.

Using every inch of this closet was important, so no wall was left untouched. On the right wall, I have a new folding ironing board hanging from a hook and above I have the iron in a holder. This is SO MUCH MORE CONVENIENT than where it was before (both were in the basement – don’t ask me why).

On the back wall, I added another hook for the Bona mop (1 of 6 ways I make my home feel instantly clean!) and the space between the washer and dryer, sits the clothing rack. Lastly, on the right wall is another hook for the broom. (there is still space above that I am sure will be filled soon).

The “pretty” for this space was added in the Float art print (love the colors & the whimsy of the woman floating in the water) that I added to the back wall which kind of hides the ugly plumbing cords, as well as the colorful hangers I snagged from Target. I love how the citrine color looks with the mint hues.

In all, this Laundry Room / Closet revamp was about $200 total. $30 for the paint (I used a quart) / $80 for the closet components / $20 for the wood / $25 for the wire storage bins / $10 ironing board / $8 iron holder / $5 for the hooks (broom & mop I had).

One bit of information that I forgot to add is that since this space looks so good, I decided to take the doors off. Honestly, they were open almost all day, every day and ALWAYS getting in the way. I took the doors off when I painted the trim and the hallway felt so much larger. Now that the laundry closet is so much more organized, I actually enjoy looking at it (where before, no way!). Plus keeping the space open for all to see will keep me more accountable to keep the space looking snazzy clean + organized! FYI, the hardware is still in place if we ever want to put the doors back.

It’s really amazing that this space went from this, to this, in just a few hours…

DETAILS.

> PAINT: HGTV Sherwin Williams Mint To Be (Lowe’s)

> SHELVING: Rubbermaid closet system – hanging rail, uprights, brackets, 12″ white wire shelves / Wood – 1″ x 12″ x 4′ length

> WIRE BIN (top shelf): Antique Grey Iron Basket (Lowe’s)

> FABRIC BIN WITH LABEL: Closetmaid Fabric Bin (Target)

> IRONING BOARD: Countertop Ironing Board (Target)

> IRON HOLDER: Plastic Iron & Board Holder (Amazon)

> ART: Float art print (Minted)

> HANGERS: Room Essentials 18 pack hangers, yellow (Target)

And there you have it. It’s amazing what a bit of paint + a little TLC can do. Small changes + Little Money can really make a BIG IMPACT!

I’m off to do some more laundry…

THIS IS A SPONSORED POST BY LOWE’S. I REACHED OUT TO THEM ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND THEY CHOSE TO WORK WITH ME ON THIS LAUNDRY REVAMP. I HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH PRODUCT FOR THIS PROJECT, BUT AS ALWAYS I WAS NOT TOLD WHAT TO BUY OR WHAT TO WRITE.

A Not-So-Lavish Laundry Room

Written by Jenna on May 6, 2015. Posted in DIY.

This past weekend was a busy one at the ole’ homestead! From exterior work on the garden to shuffling kids to various sports activities, it was non-stop. And when we did have a few minutes of “down time”, we started a new project inside…

It’s a horrid-looking space that has been a catch-all for stuff for way too long. Well I should say, was a catch-all because in just a few hours this space I am referring to got a complete new revamp and I am over-the-hill happy! What space am I referring to?

THE LAUNDRY!

Honestly, I use the word ‘space’ because it’s not at all a room… I wish! Our laundry area is essentially a closet. A small closet. A small closet that holds a lot and until now was completely disorganized + a complete MESS.

I dread sharing this, but here WAS (that’s an important word, WAS) the before…

Gutsy, huh?! Yup, no holding back here. My goodness, I can’t believe I just shared that picture. And you thought all the spaces in my home were beautiful at all times… NOT!

This laundry closet (it’s literally a closet that is 4′-6″ wide) is just off the foyer. Across from it is the coat closet / pantry and the hallway leads to the garage. It’s a tight space that is used a lot, and needed a revamp to be as efficient as possible. It’s something that has been on my radar for a while and I knew with some TLC, it would shine up like a pretty penny (and it sure did – more on that in a moment).

WHAT THIS LAUNDRY SPACE NEEDED.

> More Storage (big & small) for dishtowels, cleaning supplies, rags, napkins + paper towels, tablecloths, paper goods (paper plates, cups, plastic ware)

> Wall Storage for holding the iron, ironing board, broom, mop

> New Shelving

> New Paint on the walls + trim

> Layers: Pops of color + pictures (to make it pretty)

THE PLAN OF ACTION.

Before tackling this space, I made some quick notes on what was working (not much) + what wasn’t (a lot) + what I needed to store on the new shelves that I planned on installing.

After that, I created a quick creative vision board to help me stay on track for how to best tackle the aesthetics for this laundry revamp…

More specifically, this is what each element in the new space will be used for…

And here’s how it played out in a brief timeline…

FRIDAY AFTERNOON: Removed the existing shelving that was falling apart / Cleaned walls of dust build-up / Patched the 92 holes in the wall

EARLY SATURDAY MORNING: Sanded the walls (the orbital sander took a lot less time than hand sanding – there were a lot of holes!) / Applied the first coat of new paint (love the color!)

SATURDAY AFTERNOON: Applied coat #2 of the paint (and done – YAY)

EARLY SUNDAY MORNING: Installed the top rail for the shelving unit / Installed the shelves (one shelf was wrong so the Mister headed back to Lowe’s for trip #2) / Started organizing

SUNDAY NIGHT: Finished organizing the shelves with some old + some new baskets & bins

* this makeover certainly could have been tackled in one day, but with our hectic lives, nothing ever gets accomplished that quickly.

A few sneak peek progress pictures…

For a gal that dreads laundry day (which seems like every day of the week with my clan of 5), I have to admit that for the last 2 days, it hasn’t been so bad. I am LOVING my newly revamped laundry ‘closet’ and even though it still isn’t so lavish it certainly is 1,000,000 times better than it was.

The AFTER coming tomorrow. Brace Yourself!

Front Door: New Style + New Color

Written by Jenna on April 28, 2015. Posted in DIY, Paint. 7 Comments on Front Door: New Style + New Color

Typically I can choose a paint color within minutes. Rarely do I sit, ponder, question, and debate. But my wham-bam-paint-color-decision-making streak is over since I had the most difficult dilemma choosing a color for our new front door.

Late last year we said farewell to our solid front door and in itâ€™s place we welcomed a new beauty that now fills our foyer with lots of light all year round! The door arrived primed in a drear barn red hue. At the time of installation, it was too chilly outside to paint, so for 6 months it stayed as is. When the temps finally got above 50 degrees about 2 weeks ago (even though we had snowshowers last week – #forreal), it was finally time to give life to our new addition.

I was so excited to give a splash of color to our entryway, but I could not for the life of me choose a color… What color would suit our home best – inside and out?… Turquoise? Coral? Red? Navy? Yellow? Apple Green?

Inspiration + color swatches filled my world for days…

Then one moment I had a revelation. I finally chose a color.

Taking into account the other colors on the porch + tying in the colors inside of our home to make a cohesive thread, I chose…

My tried & true APPLE GREEN!

It may be a surprising choice because I like change & am continually making updates to our home with new colors + new layers. For years our front door was apple green and with a new door, you would probably think, choice a new color. Many of you said hues of blue would be your color of choice, which I love too, but in the end the apple green, pistachio hue was me. This color is just who I am – bold, vibrant, surprising. All the other colors that I oh-so-badly photoshopped on our front door (take a look at this post to see the other colors I considered), would have looked great too, but this green color just made the most sense.

Take a look…

The color is a bit different than the previous apple green colored front door. This time I chose the color Valspar Crushed Oregano 6000-6C in a semi-gloss finish.

I’ll tell you, with the glass, this front door took a bit more time to paint.

Using painters tape @ the edge, I covered all the glass…

Then used an angled brush to apply the paint. No roller for this small job…

About 3 coats later, the door was complete and the result from before to after was huge!

What a simple + fast weekend (it really can be done in one day) project to give new life to the entry of your home! Choosing a color that expresses you, your style, and your interior can truly set the stage for what’s to come on the inside.

I am so happy that I went back to my original inspiration to guide me to make the decision that I feel fits best with our home…

Now that the color is set, I’ve got some work to do to spruce up this porch for Spring! More on that coming soon…

Simple Spring Mantel

Written by Jenna on April 23, 2015. Posted in Decorating, Mantel.

Goodness the last 2 weeks have been crazy busy. Spring arrived, and off we went… sports, activities, it doesn’t stop! I have a slew of projects that I want to share with you (and I will, no worries) from the living room makeover + more, but I haven’t had 2 seconds to pull it all together.

Anyway, when photographing the living room space last week, I couldn’t stop shooting different angles of the fireplace mantel.

For the ‘reveal’, I wanted the mantel to be fairly minimal + simple since it was more about the overall space and not just that one element. But as I started styling the 6″ deep vignette, I couldn’t stop myself from adding layers + pretty accessories + seasonal succulents.

Knowing myself (and how I can keep anything the same for 5 minutes), it will continually change with the coming seasons + holidays, but for now, it’s perfectly set for Spring…

This simple, but seasonally sensational mantel is filled with accessories + layers that I already owned. Nothing is new.

With every mantel creation, there has to be varying heights to create an interesting & engaging vignette. [more tips on mantel decorating here]

For this quick mantel styling, I anchored it with the rope wrapped vase I created which gives the overall composition beautiful texture. It’s of a medium size, so it’s a good size + weight item for the end.

To bring height + whimsy, I filled a yellow colored glass vase with one faux flower sprig – it’s similar to a forsythia branch, but slightly different. I adore this pretty, and very real looking, sprig! I’ve use it a lot on the mantel, but with the new black wall, it has really taken on a completely new + different look.

To balance out the tall elements, I added in a few lower items too. I wrapped three books with white copy paper (how easy?) and topped them with a small potted succulents (1 is real, 2 are fake – can you tell which is which? bet you can’t).

For the backdrop of the mantel, I used my go-to tall mirror (my thrift store find that went from wood to white after I painted it) which I leaned on the wall. Layered on top, I added in a new sign (I was wrong, one item on the mantel is new – don’t you love the quote?!) from World Market, as well as a framed fern (that I snagged from the foyer) –> tutorial on how to create framed fern art.

Love this… life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful

The overall simple, seasonal Spring mantel…

Take a step back to check out the new space. So different from the previous! Check out the entire revamped living room.

Here are some past Spring mantels…

(click on the images to go to the original post)

Happy Spring + Mantel Decorating!

Living Room Makeover {Resources}

Written by Jenna on April 20, 2015. Posted in Decorating.

disclosure: I collaborated with a few of my favorite companies on this makeover including Minted, World Market, and Valspar Paint. I reached out to them & I am truly thankful that they believed in me to showcase their awesome product(s) for this room redo! All items were chosen by me and all opinions are 100% my own.

Happy Monday – You guys are awesomely sweet! The outpouring of kind comments over the new living room space was over-the-top. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

You’ve seen the pictures, so now let’s get to the nitty-gritty details of the makeover. Pretty pictures are good and all, but let’s get down to what you really want to know… where I bought it all!

Resources >>>

1 – DIY: $70 freestanding bookcase with moulding to create built-in, Amazon [tutorial coming soon]

2 – Life Does Not Have To Be Perfect To Be Wonderful sign, World Market

3 – Globes, World Market and Target

4 – DIY: Drop Cloth Panels with leading edge [click for tutorial], fabric: Geo Maze Coral / Bamboo Shades: Payless Decor, Tibet

5 – Canvas, Ikea

6 – Caged Accent Table, Target

7 – Carved Wood Accent Table, World Market

8 – Acrylic Coffee Table, CB2 / Geometric Lattice Tray, Target

9 – Emerald Lindsey Chair, World Market

10 – Hemnes TV Unit, Ikea – DIY: turned Campaign-Style with handmade knobs + “L” brackets

11 – Side Chair, local furniture store

12 – White Leather Pouf, Amazon

13 – Sheepskin Rug, World Market

14 – 7’6 x 9’6 Ikat Rug, Rugs USA

15 – Basket, Target (similar to this style)

16 – Framed Prints, Minted

> Down Under the Brooklyn Bridge
> Snow Dancer
> Blaze
> Calculation
> Gesture
> Letâ€™s Get Lost
> NYC Map (gold foil)
> Bits

17 – Arc Floor Lamp + Shade, World Market

18 – Pillows

left to right
> raspberry ikat, Homegoods
> teal geometric, Target
> black & white (Lappljung Ruta), Ikea
> Solid with Tape, Target
> black and white square, Target – no long available
> Blue & Turquoise ombre, DIY creation
> White Faux Fur pillow, Amazon

19 – Charcoal Sofa, local furniture store

20 – DIY: Window panels (roadside rescue) turned picture frames

21 – Work Lamp (Ranarp), Ikea

22 – Eames White Molded Plastic Chair, Amazon

23 – Parsons Desk, West Elm

Paint Colors >>>

Changing of the wall color was as much important as the elements that went into updating this space. The orange wall @ the fireplace was pretty dramatic before, but the black is just as eye catching + dynamic. To balance the deep, dark hue, I chose a lighter color for the other walls in the space.

These are the new paint colors…

Fireplace Wall (soft black hue) – Valspar Black Heron V120-3, flat

Other Walls (light gray/blue hue) – Valspar Silver Thistle Down V120-1, satin

Trim + Fireplace – Valspar New Ream V148, semi-gloss

And that’s a wrap! If you haven’t seen the finished space, pop on over the {reveal} post. There are a whole lotta pictures + inspiration…

I want to give a HUGE shout-out and THANKS to the following companies who chose to partner with me on this room makeover. I reached out to them & I am truly thankful that they believed in me to showcase their awesome product(s) for this room redo! Thank you to Minted (who provided the amazing framed artwork), World Market (who supplied some of the furniture + accessories), and Valspar Paint (who supplied the paint).

So what’s your favorite new element in my living room?

Living Room Makeover {Reveal}

Written by Jenna on April 16, 2015. Posted in DIY. 15 Comments on Living Room Makeover {Reveal}

I hope you are having a wonderful week. I am in pure bliss at the moment. Between the amazing 60 degree sunny days we’ve been having + finishing the living room, I am incredibly delighted. plus my little guy is going to be turning 9 in a few days and that just makes my heart happy…

So yes, the living room makeover that I’ve been working on for the past 4 months is FINISHED and I am overly joyed to finally share details of the makeover + the big reveal!

The evolution of this space has been quite long + slow. And I am perfectly content with that because we’ve gotten the chance to “live” in it to know what works + what doesn’t.

When we moved in to our home about 5 years ago, it started out like this…

welcome to our new home – ugh, ok not so pretty.

We needed color right away, so we painted the fireplace wall a deep burnt orange hue, while the other walls were covered in a warm-beige, cardboard brown tone. Furniture from our previous home went into place and we were happy to have a space for our family of 4 (at the time).

With some minor updates + layers, eventually the space started to feel like “us”…

That’s how our living room looked until this makeover started.

Over the years, I knew the furniture didn’t work “right” for the room, but because of the emotional connection/attachment to our beloved sofa + the lil’ budget we had, it stayed as is.

Then late last year we got the bug. Even the Mister who hates change & is content with most any ole’ space, was thinking the room needed some new life. And it all started with the TV…

Here’s a quick storyline: The Mister wanted a larger flatscreen, which the TV cabinet wouldn’t be large enough for. That got the ball rolling to get rid of the oversized TV cabinet [you can see what it looks like in this post].

Once the cabinet was gone, the sofa followed along with it, and rearranging the furniture so the TV would no longer be opposite of the windows because of the sun glare made the most sense. it was near impossible to watch tv during the day because of the sun filtering in. In the end, a friend bought most of the furniture and we were left with a big empty shell!

This was the new layout I created for the space…

My creative juices started to flow and this was what I envisioned for the room. [click to read my original plan of action for this space]

After some project fails & loss of momentum along the way, here is the result of our new living room…

That is the main view of the room from the kitchen & dining space.

To the right is a desk nook where the kids do their homework & keep their art supplies. I made some styling edits when I photographed the space, but typically there is rolling cart next to the desk that holds their coloring books, notebooks, and art supplies.

Last Fall a local photographer took family photos of us, which we get to treasure in window panes (that I found on the side of the road) turned photo frames.

Above the desk is a recent handmade sign creation that I shared about the other day. No stencil or silhouette was used to create it, but instead I used chalk to “transfer” the letters. It was a fairly easy process and the “chalk transfer” technique can ultimately be used for any design onto any hard surface.

Continuing around the room, I decided to put the TV stand + new flat screen TV (the element that sparked the redesign) in front of the window.

When I shared my original plan for this makeover, I got some comments about the TV location – “you’re putting the TV in front of the window?” – but honestly it really works in this room. The windows are really large + there are skylights above that bring in lots of light. The location of this space is also in the back of our home, so no one from the outside is looking in. I questioned the placement at first too, but we are really enjoy seeing the outdoors (ie: many snowfalls) at the same time we watch TV.

The TV cabinet is from Ikea and to make it unique, I added similar knobs to the china cabinet (that I transformed last year) + ‘L’ brackets to make it like a campaign-style cabinet.

The window panels are the same as those previously in the room, but they too got spiced up with new fabric on the leading edge [the material is drop cloth and here is original the tutorial]. Layered behind the window panels are bamboo roman shades – same as they were before. When I painted the mouldings wood to white a few years back, this window with the layered window treatments took on an entirely new life!

Isn’t that new chair fabulous?! It’s new and it’s daring and I love it. I’m going to share all the sources for the new room in another post, but I have to spill the beans. This fabulous emerald chair (yes, it’s a true emerald green color) is from World Market and it’s really a great bang-for-the-buck. At first, I had another chair in it’s place and it wasn’t dynamic enough. I nervously ordered this chair unsure if it would be too bold for the room. It arrived and there was no other green like it in the room. I thought about it and lived with it for a few days and fell in love. Now I feel it truly makes the room!

The new black focal wall is a show stopper. Many people thought I was crazy when I said I was going to paint this huge wall black, but it really works. The black is a soft, charcoal hue, so it’s not harsh. The walls flanking the fireplace were always tricky to style and since we never have enough bookcases, we built these beauties – more on that in another post.

The shelves of these new bookcases hold lots of our books, magazines, and accessories + some of the kids toys. This is a living room for our family of 5. This is the #1 space we hang out in, so when designing the new layout, it HAD to be kid-friendly. The older 2 kids have a lot of their toys in their rooms or in the basement, but some of their smaller things are now in baskets on the shelves and are easily accessible.

I have a few more stylish baskets in the living room that also hold the baby toys. I love baskets and when they’re pretty, it doesn’t matter what’s inside. [Here are more savvy storage solutions using baskets]

As you continue around the room, there is a second bookcase to match the other, which holds more books, family photo albums, CDs (yes, we still listen to CDs even though it seems archaic to some), and a large basket that houses a few comfy blankets.

As you make your way around the space, the sofa now sits opposite of the window and a blank canvas above was turned into a beautiful art wall with a bit of old and touches of new.

The new deep charcoal sofa is heavenly. It’s beautiful against the light blue wall + picks up the tones of the black focal wall. It was hard to see our other sofa go (but I still see it often because a good friend of mine is now enjoying it), but this new one really fits the room so much better. We chose a sofa with a chaise on the end, which gives extra seating + a spot to put your feet up and lounge.

The rug really is the statement element in the room and that was the one piece that started the design. I was drawn to it because it has so many colors from other rooms in our home. This space now truly feels cohesive with the rest of the house! The coffee table is another piece that I love. It’s there, but at the same time, totally disappears, allowing the rug to “speak” it’s beauty.

Creating the art gallery wall was fun, but challenging. This wall is almost 20′ of open canvas, so it definitely took some planning [read more about the planning + creating of the art wall] but the extra steps to get it right was worth the effort.

One of the issues with the old space was the lack of lighting. We have a decorative ceiling fixture in this space, but it’s somewhat harsh on the eyes. Personally, I like soft light from table lamps and floor lamps.

I didn’t want to go matchy-matchy on the sides of the sofa, so instead I chose to use a table lamp between the chair & sofa that sits on a side table and an arched floor lamp (which provides a lot of soft light) to the right of the sofa. Now when the lights are turned on in the evening, the 2 fixtures provide the perfect ambiance.

It was very important to continue colors from other areas of the house into this new space. Because our first floor is all open where each room flows from one to the next, bringing in elements to make it feel cohesive was the only way this room would work and feel like an extension of what’s been created elsewhere.

From this view, you can see how the china cabinet painted in a deep raspberry color is in the adjacent dining area. It now all flows and feels like one.

And just so you know we are a real family who absolutely use this space. Here’s my crazy clan of 3 in action…

From sunrise to sunset (and beyond) we are 100% enjoying this new living room space. Even though there were a few ups and downs to creating this new haven in our home, we are overjoyed with how fresh it feels & how much it reflects our vibrant family!

I’m sure you are interested in knowing where I found all the awesome pieces for our new living room. Next post will be details on all the sources.

Getting Organized in the Garage: Ideas for Organization & Storage

Written by Jenna on April 9, 2015. Posted in DIY, Organization. 1 Comment on Getting Organized in the Garage: Ideas for Organization & Storage

As the days are getting warmer, time spent outdoors is about to increase – finally, right?! It’s been a loooong winter. And lots of fun in the sun, comes months ahead with the garage door open and hours a day playing various sports activities + time spent on the lawn & garden.

While cooped up all Winter, we barely stepped foot in the garage other than to throw out the garbage + recycling. From remodeling the bathroom to receiving many large packages for the living room makeover (which is almost complete), the garage was totally neglected and got piled high with a lot of stuff. It was in desperate need of an overhaul + organization!

A few weekends ago we got our hands on the mess and started the process of whipping it into shape…

The temps were still a wee bit chilly, but the Mister and I set forth to start taking back our garage space. It’s definitely going to take time (we are not at all finished – yet), but we had to start someplace and that someplace was the kids stuff + lawn & gardening supplies.

Garage Takeover Step 1, in action…

We chose to use a product by Rubbermaid called FastTrack Garage Organization System. This system is similar to the closet organizational products that Rubbermaid also offers (we have similar systems in the coat closet/pantry + the kids bedroom closets) where there is one track at the top and brackets mount to it to easily add/adjust shelving for storage. It’s ideal because you only need to screw in the one rail and everything hangs off of it making the install time much quicker + easier.

The FastTrack System has a huge range of products that gets the most out of your vertical wall space to achieve an organized garage. I shopped at Home Depot for the items and they have a wide selection + a nice display set up. If there is something you are looking for specifically that they don’t have in the store, I discovered there are even more accessory options for purchase on the website.

Here are the accessories that I chose for our garage space…

the vertical ball rack

the wire basket which holds up to 50lbs.

the cooler hook (which is holding the scooter) and the multi-purpose hook (holding the lacrosse sticks)

Similar to a closet system, the Fast Track offers uprights + brackets + shelving options to get the most out of a vertical surface. Being able to have a shelf for storage is a must in the garage. I’ve loaded this shelf with our fishing tackle boxes, skates, bike helmets, etc.

Last, but not least we used the track system to hold all of the lawn + gardening supplies…

(left to right) the power tool holder, the cooler hook, the multi-purpose hook, the utility hook

Once I came up with my plan of action for how the organizational components would work best on the wall, the install was very easy & took about 20 minutes – I swear. It doesn’t take long because all that needs to be installed are the rails. Once those were up, I was able to hang everything off of them + make adjustments as needed.

We chose (3) 4′ long rails (they also come in an 8′ length), determined where the studs were located, then installed the rails using the FastTrack hardware. For one rail, we couldn’t locate the stud, so we used the anchors that came with the hardware package. After the rail was in place & level, we slid on the black cover. Per the FastTrack website, each rail holds 1750 lbs – wow!

After that, the accessories easily attached to create a truly customized garage storage system.

You simply attach, snap, and hang!

Oh and I never showed you the ‘before’ of the garage – yikes, it looked horrible and SO UNORGANIZED. Now it’s a completely organized + tidy spot…

Staying Organized

Organizing takes a bit of time + energy, but really isn’t difficult. What is DIFFICULT though is staying organized… that is always the challenge. Since this section of the garage is a lot about the kids, I really need them to stay on top of keeping it organized. I don’t have the time to clean up after them each day AND I want them too take responsibility for putting back what they take out.

Call me crazy, but I snapped a picture, printed it, and put it in a clear sheet protector. I added a few hand-written labels – nothing fancy – and pinned it to the wall. Now there is no excuse or wonder as to where things are supposed to go.

We shall see if it works…

I’m still making my way around the house, room by room, to get organized using my foolproof steps to home organization! I realized those same steps can pertain to the garage space too…

> make a list write down a plan of action for what you want to organize and what you need to lose

> get moving now once your plan of action is in place, itâ€™s time to get moving. Donâ€™t analyze (which Iâ€™m known to do) Just start.

> purge. toss. donate. start by sorting through the items you no longer need, use, and/or want. Set up 3 boxes or bags (I typically use large heavy-duty garbage bags) to purge, toss, and/or donate.

> organize using shelving with baskets, bins, and other storage caddies are a great way to organize items you want to keep.

> go vertical maximize your storage capabilities by using more wall space – just like I did with the FastTrack system

> commit getting organized is one thing, but staying organized is truly a commitment. Once youâ€™re organized, take the extra few minutes to maintain it.

I am so happy with how this section of the garage turned out. We have lots more cleanup to do in this neglected space + a whole lotta work outdoors once the snow completely melts, but with warmer days on the horizon, we’ll make our way one day at a time.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by Rubbermaid FastTrack. I chose to work with them because I knew it would help organize my dreaded garage space. I have been provided with product, but as always I was not told what to write and I only feature companies on my blog that I truly love and believe in 100%.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Newell Rubbermaid. The opinions and text are all mine.

Eclectic Style Kitchen + Living Room Tour

Written by Jenna on April 2, 2015. Posted in Decorating.

Last year I had the opportunity to work on a kitchen renovation project with a client and the result was incredible. I recently was asked to return to make some updates to the living room and I’d love to show you the before & after of each space.

The house is very charming & unique with high ceilings, wood beams, and an eclectic aesthetic.

On my first visit to the house to discuss the scope of work with the client, I immediately realized that the kitchen layout was totally wrong. There was so much potential, but the dated cabinets and flow of the space was taking away from it’s true potential + function. The space itself was of a decent size, but the layout with a ying-yang peninsula made the kitchen awkward & tight to maneuver.

the ‘before’…

With the kitchen sandwiched between the living room and dining room + with only 2 small windows facing the north, the space was dark and drear – all day the client would leave lights on to make the space look + feel brighter & airier.

Aside from reworking the cabinetry layout, I also needed to figure out a way to bring in light. This space needed it’s moment!!!

another ‘before’ picture…

We were originally thinking about painting the existing cabinets, but upon further inspection and confirmation from my cabinet guy about their durability + that we had to reconfigure the cabinets, we realized the painting route wouldn’t be worth the effort + cost, so everything got ripped out!

We chose a new palette with a mix of soft gray, light teal, and quarter sawn oak for the cabinets + a gorgeous danby marble countertop. This was the creative vision board/mood board I created for the proposed kitchen…

New cabinets were built for the perimeter of the kitchen, the refrigerator was relocated, and the sink + stove were moved to locations that made better sense for the function + flow.

The biggest addition was creating a giant opening between the kitchen and dining room to let the natural light shine through! There was previously an opening pass-through to connect the 2 spaces, but it went from 3′ wide to 9′ wide + 2′ higher.

We also added a faux beam above the opening which ties in to other door openings in the home. Continuing the style + making new look cohesive with the existing is very important!

The center peninsula that made the ‘before’ kitchen like a maze was eliminated and in it’s place we decided on a big island that houses the microwave & lots of cabinetry storage. The island countertop was extended to create a seating spot for stools.

So it went from this to this…

It’s difficult to even believe you are looking at the same space, pretty much from the same angle. Here are more ‘after’ shots.

the ‘after’…

A smaller sized rectangular glass tile in a gray/blue hue was chosen for the backsplash and continues up to the ceiling behind the hood. The section of wall behind the commercial-style range + hood was built out about 6″ to give the wall more depth and prominence.

New sconces were installed above the existing windows & new roman shades were hung high on the wall to give the appearance of a taller window.

It is incredible how much brighter this space is with the lighter hues on the walls + cabinetry & the new larger opening.

Shelving storage was a must for this kitchen and when it was decided to close up a small passageway between the living room and kitchen, it allowed space for shelves. The shelves are 1.5″ thick and made of quarter sawn oak, which has the most gorgeous grain. The refrigerator now sits on this side of the kitchen – a spot that is much less dominant.

Let’s talk about the island lights since they’ve been in almost every picture. Aren’t they spectacular?!

The pendants are overly large – YES, but this space needed it. The ceilings are high (over 12′) & the kitchen space is big, and there is nothing more near & dear to my heart than adding drama with lighting. These show-stoppers make the kitchen. The space would have been okay without, but they give it the edge needed to stand out & be dramatic!

Way back a long time ago, I shared a sneak peek of these lights on IG & many of you loved them too. The lights are from Shades of Light but unfortunately aren’t available anymore – sorry.

The view from the dining room looking into the kitchen…

On to the living room, the room we recently worked on & wrapped up just a few weeks ago.

The living room has the same high ceilings with cable lighting above, wood flooring, and an eclectic style. The space was challenging the client because the layout (again) of the furniture wasn’t working. The room is not a stand-alone living room, but is the space where you enter in from the front door, the traffic flow that connects to the second floor, and the only real spot for reading + “hanging out” in (which = a need for ample seating). A better layout with more function was needed!

The wall that began with one mirror, now holds a dozen. Stairs can be challenging, so this eclectic mix of mirrors in varying sizes that reflect the light shining through from the windows opposite the wall, was the perfect solution.

The revamp for the living room was a mix of reusing the old, refurbishing the worn, and layering in some new.

The settee, which the client had mixed emotions about keeping, was given new life when we chose a new vibrant colored rug for it to sit on. Then layers of new pillows were made in fabrics of bright hues including blue, red, orange, and green to give a pop of color & warmth.

One of the many challenges in this space were the windows. There were 4 windows with differing heights, so to tie them together we decided on a common height and had new roman shades made in a geometric pattern of green & white.

It’s amazing how this room feels + functions so much better now by simply rearranging the furniture and adding in new layers – a rug, pillows, lighting, mirrors, etc. It truly is a relaxing + inviting space that I would personally love to just sit, read, and soak-up-the-sun in all day.

A chair that had been covered with blankets because the fabric was torn underneath was recovered in a deep navy velvet fabric and is now Oh So luxurious!

We also brought life back to another chair in the room by reupholstering it in a fun Ikat pattern of navy + white.

I adore the result of these beautiful new rooms (especially the kitchen), and I hope you did too! Thanks for taking time out of your day to take the tour 😉

DIY Hand Painted Wood Sign (using chalk transfer) #LOVEYOURHOMECHALLENGE

Written by Jenna on March 31, 2015. Posted in DIY. 2 Comments on DIY Hand Painted Wood Sign (using chalk transfer) #LOVEYOURHOMECHALLENGE

Hi there! Today is a very exciting day. Not only am I going to share an awesome, easy-peasy DIY project + tutorial, but I also have news about an incredible + talented person you might happen to know.

First to the latter… my sweet + uber-talented friend Melissa of The Inspired Room wrote a book which is being released today called Love the Home You Have (< affiliate link).

It is the first of many that she’s got lined up and it’s less about decorating and more about falling in love with your home & what you have now… today. Some of the topics include: taking care of your home, finding beautiful in the simple things, finding balance between beauty and mess, using what you have to decorate, arranging furniture, decorating with things that mean something to you, finding contentment, and so much more.

If you recall back to last years Creating a Meaningful Home blog series: Year 2, Melissa started off the series with a bang and shared her poetic + inspirational words. There is not a person more deserving to share thoughts of such meaning and beauty.

To kick off the launch of her first book, Melissa has put me to a challenge along with a bunch of other Blogger friends and has asked us to showcase a project using the 31-day LOVE YOUR HOME CHALLENGE section in the back of her book. So fun!

Similar to Melissa, I feel that our belongings should honor and reflect who we are, where we are from, and what we love. A house is the shell, but it’s what we create in the shell that makes it a home. For my home and the homes that I work on with clients, I always strive to create something that is a reflection of who resides there.

As I am slowly making progress on my living room makeover, I want to adorn the walls with not only prints that I love & have special meaning, but also DIY art that I create. When this ‘challenge’ came up, I knew it would be the perfect time + opportunity to share with you a recent creation…

The previous owners that resided in our home, had a pool table in the basement. While making some changes to create a basement that works + functions for us, I came across a cue stick holder that was tucked away in a closet. Aside from a few cobwebs in the corners & screws hanging out, it looked like something I could totally make into something else. An upcycling project was calling my name! I left it in it’s place, but never forgot about it. DIY ideas flurried through my head over the months and then I had an ah-ha moment while creating the new room. It would be perfect for a big ole’ sign & with the 3″ lip, when hung it would create a ‘ledge’… almost like a knick-knack / chachka shelf to display collectibles from trips… we always grab a little something from places we visit to remember our experience – something cute to continue ‘our story’.

I thought and thought about the perfect quote to create on the cue stick holder-turned-DIY art and then Good Morning SUNSHINE came to mind!

Every morning when the kids wake, I always say “Good Morning Sunshine” in this over-the-top, probably annoying-to-them voice. But it’s just what I do and it’s become a ritual. I just feel like it’s a great, cheery way to start the day.

how to make a HAND PAINTED SIGN USING CHALK

1. To start, I used a new Word doc and created the words to a size I desired (about 4.5″ high), then printed them (I used gray scale on a fast printing setting so I didn’t waste too much ink)

These are the fonts I used:

> GOOD – Pottery Barn font

> MORNING – Honey Script font

> SUNSHINE – Century Gothic font

Once printed the words, I cut around the edges…

2. Before placing the paper on the wood, I flipped it over to the back and rolled on the chalk from edge to edge so the letters on the other side would be covered. A colored chalk, like red, works best!

3. Then I positioned the paper on the wood and taped down the edges so it stayed in place.

3. Using a pen (I found it was better than a pencil because of the hard tip), I traced over the letters.

And voila, when you lift the paper, the outline of the letter (or design) can be seen…

Here’s the overall design embossed on the wood…

After that, it was time to paint.

Because each word was a different font, I didn’t want to go crazy with different colors as well, but at the same time I didn’t want all one color, so I chose to create an ombre effect with the words starting with a very pale yellow for GOOD, then a light yellow hue for MORNING, followed by a vibrant yellow for SUNSHINE.

I used basic, inexpensive craft paint – wall paint or anything similar would also do just fine – along with a thin brush to be sure to stay within the lines (as much as possible).

Perfectly in the lines wasn’t important… Imperfect actually is perfect!

From start to finish, the overall project took about 2 hours to create. This is who it looks done & hung on the wall…

Keepsakes from our travels sit on the ledge of this once cue stick holder, now hand painted sign.

I love how it came out and it truly makes my day a bit sunnier, right SUNSHINE?!

Along with the cute wood sign on this wall, I also added a few of Melissa’s illustrated quotes from her new book + website, and hung them with colorful washi tape.

If you’re interested in seeing what other Bloggers created for the #LOVEYOURHOMEchallenge, here is everyone that is included and if you head over to visit Melissa there will be links to all the projects.

If you’re interested in joining in on the fun too, Melissa would love to have you share your own Home Love challenges on her new community site Home Love Stories. If you’d lik, use the hashtag #LoveYourHomeChallenge to follow along and/or share your story.

The new revamped living room is really coming together – finally – and I can’t wait to share the reveal with you very soon!