Tag: saratoga springs interior design firm

Pop of Color: How-To Paint a Door

Written by Jenna on May 5, 2014. Posted in DIY, Paint, Paint Techniques, Paint Tools. 7 Comments on Pop of Color: How-To Paint a Door

I’m still working on my boys room. It’s almost done, but it’s probably been the longest room makeover in history (well maybe not, I think that was the master bedroom which I am happy to say is complete – well 95% complete). Even though I want to call this latest makeover DONE, a room often does AND should take time to create and come together. The transformation of a space is like a 1000 piece puzzle, it takes time and patience to get all the pieces just right and often, it’s the final stretch that takes the longest. And that’s okay.

As I am rounding up the room finishing up the final details (the window treatments are the last element which I’m just not feelin’ yet), I wanted to share one element that has really given the space added color + the punch it needed… a newly painted closet door. It’s amazing how the wall (and actually the overall room) came alive with a new hue.

Take a look…

Adding a pop of color was my Lowe’s Challenge for this month and I think I surely succeeded. Huge difference, wouldn’t you say?!

Updating a door (interior or exterior) is super easy and if a space is fairly neutral, painting the door will make a huge impact. If you happen to remember, I initially wasn’t overly fond of this very neutral / light wall color, BUT now I am loving it. WHY? It’s been able to provide a neutral backdrop for lots of color in all the layers like the red dresser to the left + the fun Frames Wallpaper + the honeycomb shelves on the opposite wall.

Choosing the RIGHT COLOR for the door!

When shopping for a color for the door, choose something that picks up on other colors in the room. Also a semi-gloss finish is best (so marks can easily be wiped away), but eggshell or satin will also work.

For my boys closet door, I picked up a color from the new rug and chose a deep blue hue (which was leftover paint from my office makeover – Benjamin Moore Van Deusen Blue) in an eggshell finish.

Along with wanting to add a pop of color to the room, the new trim/moulding color and the old door color were 2 very different and competing whites. So it was in good reason that this door needed a makeover!

Here’s a closeup:

Here are the easy-peasy steps to adding a pop of color on a door:

1. PANELS: No matter what style doore, start off with the crevices / nooks-and-crannies. Using a quality brush (a 1″ or 1-1/2″ Purdy angled brush is my favorite) start with the panels of the door.

2. HARDWARE: I decided not to remove the hardware before painting (because of pure laziness) and painted around the door knob using my angled brush. The result was great…

3. EDGES: After the panels an the hardware, comes the edges of the door. Be sure to lay a dropcloth or plastic under the door so paint doesn’t get on the floor. Also, it’s best to open the door so no paint gets on the door frame. When painting the side edges, don’t drag the brush, but instead start from the door center and pull away to get a nice clean edge and no paint on the side of the door.

Once all the panels + hardware, and most of the edges were done, here’s how the door looked…

The next + last steps are the rails…

4 & 5. RAILS: Use a brush or roller for the rails. If the door has a slight texture to it (like mine) then a brush will do fine because you won’t see brushstrokes, but if the door is smooth, you’ll want to choose a small roller. You can also use floetrol, an additive that can be mixed with paint to avoid brushstrokes. I didn’t use it for this project, but I did for my kitchen cabinets.

It’s one of my favorite products.

Once the first coat of paint was finished, this is how the door looked.

After another coat of paint using the same steps above, the door was done…

Pretty big change for no money & very little time.

When looking around the net at other homeowner door makeovers, I found 2 helpful tutorials that you might benefit from if you’re looking to add a pop of color to your door(s)…

via

O, and one more place in my home where I decided to add some color to the doors… the upstairs hallway. Just last week, I shared how I updated the space with a new chalkboard wall, but to also add some color in, I chose to paint the doors my favorite Benjamin Moore Texas Leather.

Here’s how the hallway evolved…

What a huge difference painting a door makes, especially when the walls of a space are neutral. This was a fun project to work on and once again, it shows that with a little effort, a space can surely be transformed in no time and with little or no money.

Have you ever thought on painting your interior or exterior door(s)?

To gather even more unique, fun, and creative ideas for your indoor and outdoor Spring spaces, I would definitely suggest downloading the Loweâ€™s Creative Ideas app on your iphone and/or ipad. Iâ€™m always checking out the FREE app for great seasonal + do-it-yourself inspiration.

Disclosure: I am part of the Loweâ€™s Creative Team and was provided with a Loweâ€™s gift card to purchase items for my project. I was also compensated for my time to use the products. No one told me what to create, what to buy, how to use the product, or what to write. All opinions are 100% mine!

Taking over & Transforming the ‘Ugly Bathroom’

Written by Jenna on April 30, 2014. Posted in Bathroom, Bathroom Makeover. 1 Comment on Taking over & Transforming the ‘Ugly Bathroom’

Let’s talk bathrooms…

They’re one of those spaces in the home that often gets neglected, yet should get the most attention. Whether just moving into a home that has a bathroom in dire need of a makeover or a bathroom that’s gone too long without a refresh, revamping a bathroom doesn’t have to be overwhelming or expensive.

Let’s face it, who doesn’t duck away from it all for a few minutes of peace and quiet in the bathroom (especially when you have kids). And who doesn’t relish in a long, hot shower after rolling out of bed to actually feel fully awake. No moments of any day should be spent in a blah bathroom.

The bathroom is truly a space that should feel like a fresh, calming oasis to start the day.

all images taken from a previous post on Real-Life Sensational Standard Sized Bathrooms.

Having said that + sharing glimpses of amazing bathrooms, you have to start somewhere.

Do you remember the master bathroom we started with when we moved into our home 4 years ago? It surely wasn’t pretty and it was the last space in the house to get a transformation…

Were we overwhelmed? YES!

Could it have been expensive? YES!

But we ‘took it over’ and made it ours on a very slim budget of less than $500.

Here is the before & after…

If we could do it, so can you!

I’ve transformed my fair share of bathrooms and even though the task of a makeover may seem daunting + expensive, there are many ways to give this important space in the home a refresh WITHOUT spending a huge amount of money or time! That’s why I was super excited when Lowe’s reached out to me about partnering together to share my design expertise + budget friendly ideas with YOU, my fabulous followers. They have put me up to the task of giving my design advice + a plan of action to a reader who is in need of a bit of help & a “point in the right direction” for transforming their ugly bathroom.

I’m here to help rid you of your ugly bathroom…

The Lowe’s team + I will choose one space for which I will create a Creative Vision Board + a ‘plan of action’ for, and it will be showcased on the blog. As always, I will share doable do-it-yourself ideas + affordable, but stylish design suggestions to transform the bathroom using some of my favorite items from Lowe’s!

Disclosure: By submitting your images to Lowe’s Companies, Inc, including any of its subsidiaries or affiliated companies (“Lowe’s”), you acknowledge that you have read and agree to the following terms, grants, and conditions.

You agree that (i) any images you submit are voluntarily provided; (ii) you have no expectation of compensation from Lowe’s or otherwise; (iii) you own all right, title, and interest in and to the images free and clear without any encumbrance whatsoever and (iv) no relationship of trust or confidence, whether express or implied, exists between you and Lowe’s in connection therewith. In addition, if any of your images references or includes any copyright-protected content, any invention or any other intellectual property, you hereby grant to Lowe’s an irrevocable, perpetual, transferable, and royalty-free license, with the right to sublicense others, to make, have made, use, sell, offer for sale, import, distribute and promote products (including packaging) and services that incorporate in whole or in part your patent, copyright, trademark, trade dress, or other intellectual property rights referenced or included in any one or more of your image(s). You also hereby grant to Lowe’s an irrevocable, perpetual, transferable, and royalty-free license, with the right to sublicense others, to use, reproduce, modify, perform, distribute, and create derivative works based on, any content included or contained in any one or more of your images. The rights you grant herein are for the purposes stated by Loweâ€™s and, at a minimum, for use in accordance with any of Twitterâ€™s terms of service/rules and in accordance with the Loweâ€™s privacy statement (located at http://www.lowes.com/cd_Privacy+and+Security+Statement_137461171_ ). You understand and agree that Lowe’s may be working on or may already know of such images. You also understand and agree that Loweâ€™s is free to disclose or use the images as it deems fit.

Old Lamp. New Life.

Written by Jenna on April 25, 2014. Posted in DIY, lighting. 6 Comments on Old Lamp. New Life.

One of my Saturday favorites is to hit up some local thrift stores for unusual finds and inspiration. Unfortunately it doesn’t happen as often as I’d like, but a few weeks ago when the kiddos were with the grandparents, the Mister and I hit up one of my go-to places.

We scored a couple of cute things, like a brass owl bell (which my kids love to ring) + a new chair (which will soon get a spray paint makeover)…

…as well as this brass wall sconce for $15. It was something that I’ve been searching for, but others I almost bought (new and old) were much more expensive. I was thrilled to find this treasure and I knew the perfect place for it!

The blue room (a.k.a. my home office / family room) has been complete for over a year, but I’m always ‘changing things up’ and switching out the layers of pillows + accessories. One element that I was on the search for since finishing the space was a wall sconce to attach to the side of the painted bookcases.

My new found treasure worked out perfectly…

Here’s how I gave this old lamp new life…

The back of the lamp had no “guts”, which worked fine for me because I took a piece of scrap wood and cut it to fit snug inside the round plate.

Once I knew the fit was just right, I took the piece of wood out of the lamp. I determined where I wanted the lamp to sit on the bookcase, and then attached the piece of wood to the side of the bookcase with wood screws.

Once the wood was secure, I stuck the lamp base onto the wood. The round base fit so snug that there was no additional screws needed. The base simply is held in place by tension…

And voila, it was complete (almost)…

After giving the brass a good shining + adding a new lampshade (the old one was garbage bound), this was the result…

And how the room looks now with this new found treasure…

And the best part, it works…

From start to finish, the lamp literally took minutes to install + there was no electrical needed. The cord was attached to this thrift store find and all I had to do was plug it in. And a little tid-bit ~ to keep the cord taught on the bookcase, I used a piece of duct tape to keep it in place.

I’m simply smitten over my new trash to treasure!

It’s amazing what a little outside-of-the-box thinking can do. I’m thrilled that I waited it out to find just the right piece and in the end, it only cost $15!

What have been your favorite trash to treasure finds either from a garage sale, thrift store, or on the side of the road?

Groutable Luxury Vinyl Tile Floor {an Update}

Written by Jenna on April 23, 2014. Posted in DIY, Groutable Luxury Vinyl Tile, Tile. 12 Comments on Groutable Luxury Vinyl Tile Floor {an Update}

In the 400+ posts I’ve shared over the years there are a select few that I receive questions about on a daily basis. Which, by the way, I love! Reader inquiries + questions make me so happy 🙂

One post, in particular, that many readers are interested in is my experience with groutable luxury vinyl tile flooring.

I’ve installed groutable LVT in my parents floor + my foyer + my master bath + in the kids bath, so I can officially say I’ve had some experience with the product.

So the basic question I continually get asked is: Has your vinyl tile held up + How is it today?

Here are just a few of the reader questions I’ve received:

From Rachele
> Hi! I just came across you on pinterest about the groutable vinyl floor tiles I was curious how they hold up over time? I never knew you could do this so of course I’m thinking tomorrow we will go buy flooring and get busy! LOL but I wanted to ask over time how it held up? Thank you so much.

From Shirley
> I’m in the process of installing vinyl groutable tile in a kitchen and dining area. The area already have vinyl square tiles on the floor. My question is, do I need to install a sub-floor/wood boards before installing the vinyl tile ?

From Kamie
> Hello, I came across your post about the installation of peel and stick vinyl tiles in January of 2012. I found this same product today on my hunt for new flooring for my kitchen. My question to you is, how has it held up so far? Is it durable? Are you still satisfied with the product? You response and insight are greatly appreciated.

From Cathy
> I saw these vinyl tiles at Lowe ‘s and read the box, but it didn’t have a lot of details. For example, we want to put these in our kitchen which has vinyl sheeting glued on concrete. Should we remove the old vinyl first or put these tiles directly ver the old vinyl. I’m sure it will be extremely difficult to get the old stuff up. Then there will be old glue to also get up. Another question I have is should you put down additional glue besides the glue on the back of the tile? If so, what kind? These do appear to be easier than wood, cork, or porcelain tile. We’ve used the old peel and stick before in other homes. Thanks for your info.

From Carrie
> I am researching groutable tile and came across your blog. Now that it has been down for a year how is the grout holding up? We are thinking about putting this in our kitchen and keep going back and forth on whether or not we want to grout it. It seems like the people who put it over pre-existing ceramic tile or cement have the best results. Ours is just a lauan subfloor and we live in an old house (1870’s) so it is hard to have perfectly level floor. Just wondering your thoughts of the durability. Right now in our renovation we are at the end of our budget so we wanted something we can do by ourselves but also looked good in the end. I am just terrified of having the grout crack and pull away. The tiles we are looking at are beveled so we could do it without grout, but that makes me worried that dirt and liquid could cause a problem.

From Joseph
> I came across your web page while looking for groutable vinyl tile and I was just curious how is it holding up 2 years later? Would you do it again. Are there any cons to it that you have come across? Thanks

> Hello Jenna – I was so glad I found your great DIY on groutable vinyl floor tiles – this is exactly what I want to do for my kitchen floor. I will also be covering
smaller square ceramic tiles with larger vinyl tiles. My question is, did you have to put extra adhesive down in the lower grout lines of the ceramic floor to eliminate any “sunken” or dip lines in the finished vinyl tile floor?

From Janet
> Thank you for you thoughts. What you did for your parents foyer looks great and you have me very psyched to do this!!

And there are many more, but these are the general questions readers have asked & this post is dedicated to answering them all (or as much as I can…)

My Overall Thoughts on Groutable Luxury Vinyl Tile

I am very satisfied! Overall, all of the LVT floors I have installed have held up amazingly. There has not been one issue with the flooring cracking, settling, sinking, etc. With all the floors I have installed, I DID NOT remove the existing floor, but all the floors ‘before’ were ceramic and in good condition with no cracking. In none of the spaces did I fill in the existing joints and none of the luxury vinyl floor tiles have “sunk” in those crevices. LVT floor is thick and really not bendable as in typical vinyl tiles. You can definitely tell the difference between the two and the cost reflects that. LVT is more expensive than a typical vinyl tile, but it is absolutely worth the additional cost. I still feel that using groutable luxury vinyl tile is a wonderful long-term solution for a floor. The look is very similar to ceramic tile & the turn-around time and ease of installation is incredible. A floor that can be done in one day (install + grout) with no prior experience is pretty great, don’t you think?!

Luxury Vinyl Tile in the Master Bathroom

Now that I’ve shared my overall thoughts on LVT, here are answers to the Top TEN Questions that have been asked:

1. How has the tile held up over time?

Fabulous. As I said in my overall thoughts, there has not been one issue in any of the spaces that I have installed the LVT. With the use of grout, the tiles are very sturdy and there have been no issues with loosening of the glue or the tile shifting over time. Once the grout hardens, the tile is fully adhered to the floor below. When I remodeled the powder room and replaced the toilet, a few of the tiles had to be fixed because I had originally cut the tile around the base of the bowl. The LVT and grout were installed so well to the floor below that it was actually difficult to lift the tiles. They eventually came up, but it took some muscle.

2. Do I need to install a sub-floor/wood boards before installing the vinyl tile?

This is a difficult question to answer because every floor, in every home is different and I’m sharing my experience and the installation process I took. BUT, here is my thought… If the floor you are working with is in good condition – no cracks, lifting, etc – you should be okay to install the LVT directly on top. So basically you are purely changing the floor because of how it looks versus because it is damaged. If the floor you are covering has issues and/or is damaged, then it would be best to remove the floor, install / patch the existing subfloor, and then install the luxury vinyl tile.

3. Is it durable?

I think the product is very durable, especially with the use of grout. All of the spaces (foyers + bathrooms) I have installed the LVT are high-traffic areas and the tile has been exposed to water, mud, wet shoes, and more. No where have I seen issues with lifting or general wear.

4. Why do you love LVT?

4 reasons…

> The ease of install – it’s a one day job (depending on the size of the space of course). Yes, I have tiled before, but I do not feel that installing LVT was difficult at all. I think a person with little experience can complete this project with ease. Measuring and cutting is really the most difficult part of the project, so take your time and measure correctly! Installing ceramic tile is not difficult, but it is tricky and experience is helpful. Cutting ceramic tile can often be difficult and time consuming. For prior ceramic tile projects, Iâ€™ve used tile snips, a tile cutter, and a wet saw. A wet saw is the best for cutting ceramic tile, but itâ€™s not easy â€“ Iâ€™ve made alot of mistakes. In my estimation, ceramic tile would take about double the time for installation compared to installing groutable vinyl tile.

> No prior experience installing a floor is needed.

> The cost is more than half of ceramic tile. A standard 40-50 sq. ft. space is fairly inexpensive. The typical luxury vinyl tiles that I purchased from Loweâ€™s were $1.08 and the premixed grout cost $7. The total cost of an entire project for this square footage would cost about $65. Ceramic tile is available in a range of prices, but usually starts at $2 per sq. ft., so the savings right there is 50%.

> Luxury vinyl tile is flexible + forgiving. I’ve installed ceramic tile before and within a few months it started cracking in some areas because the subfloor wasn’t level. I’m not a professional and don’t have the budget to pay a professional, yet I wanted change. LVT is a great solution because it provides the flexibility for a slightly uneven floor below. YET, by adding the grout, the result is a sturdy, durable finished product.

5. Should you put down additional glue besides the glue on the back of the tile?

I never used additional glue. I felt the glue that was on the back of the tile was enough for it to adhere to the floor below. The glue on the back of the tile is very sticky and once the paper backing was removed, I immediately laid it into place. IF the tile isn’t used right away and over time the back is exposed to air, additional glue might be needed. I can not recommend a glue to use since I have never used one.

6. The tiles we are looking at are beveled so we could do it without grout? What are your thoughts?

I don’t prefer the look of a beveled LVT because to me it defeats the purpose of them looking like ceramic tile and that is the reason I like LVT. If you use a beveled tile and don’t use grout, I do not think you will get the same result as I did. The finished look won’t be the same and durability could be compromised because the addition of the grout really keeps the tiles in place. I would suggest if you are spending the money and taking the time to install a vinyl floor, the luxury vinyl tile + the grout is your best option for a long-lasting result.

7. Did you have to put extra adhesive down in the lower grout lines of the ceramic floor to eliminate any “sunken” or dip lines in the finished vinyl tile floor?

I did not. In my foyer I was going to add a skim coat before installing the LVT but decided against it. The grout lines were very large and deep which is what I was worried about, but I decided to move forward with the LVT. After 1.5 years, there have been no issues and no “sinking” / dip lines. Again, this is my experience with the LVT and I feel that because it’s thicker than typical vinyl tile, it holds up extremely well.

8. Where do I buy Luxury Vinyl Tile?

I purchased the luxury vinyl tile for my projects at Lowe’s. There are a few companies that sell LVT and there is a special section with these specific tiles. LVT is the general name, but don’t get them confused with other names like high-end or something else. You will definitely know the different between LVT and regular vinyl tile – they feel much more durable.

9. How long do I have to wait to grout after the tile is installed?

0 minutes. There is no “set time” with LVT as is with ceramic tile. As soon as your tiles are installed, you can immediately get to grouting! How fab is that?!

10. Name 1 Con!

That’s a tough one… I guess I would say, the one con is the color selection. I have purchased groutable luxury vinyl tile at Loweâ€™s, but other home improvement stores also offer similar products. The selection is not as vast as ceramic tile (which is a con), but I was surprised by the wide range of colors and textures. When I was at the store making my purchase, I was told by a sales rep that any peel-and-stick vinyl tile is groutable, except for the styles that have the faux grout look around the edge. I donâ€™t know if this is true or not, but itâ€™s what I was told.

Have more questions? Please Ask!

I’ve tried to cover it all. How did I do??

Check out these posts on how-to install groutable luxury vinyl tile floor:
DIY: Installing Groutable Luxury Vinyl Tile {my foyer}
How-To Install Groutable Luxury Vinyl Tile {my parents foyer}

Since groutable vinyl tile takes no experience, is half the cost, and takes half the time, what will use for your next tile project?

DIY: Wood Honeycomb Shelves

Written by Jenna on April 2, 2014. Posted in DIY, Shelving. 18 Comments on DIY: Wood Honeycomb Shelves

Even though we veered away from the original design for the revamped shared kids space, my son had his heart set on honeycomb shelves after I showed him the Land of Nod style. And since this mama can’t let her boy down, I had to pull through.

But instead of buying, what did I do? DIYed them, of course. After a little research & this post by A Beautiful Mess, I was confident to move forward.

Not only are these honeycomb / hexagon shelves functional, the whole ensemble is like a piece of art. And instead of painting the shelves a color or staining them a traditional wood finish, I chose an interesting blue hue which is in-trend and spot on with the other tones that I’ve introduced into the room.

Take a look…

The entire shelf composition runs the length of the twin bed, which is about 80″ long, and makes the entire wall truly come alive. This “installation” also parallels with my Lowe’s Creative challenge project for this month which focuses on introducing the submerged color trend of watery, cool blue hues into a project. With the size + interesting finish, this project is by far one of my favorites!

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Before we move forward, it has to be said that this project was a big challenge, but the bigger the venture, the better the result. I don’t often do large-scale woodworking projects and at times I thought it was going to be a big F-A-I-L, but in the end the honeycomb shelves MAKE THE ROOM. Take Away? Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. Push through because in the end, it’ll be worth it!

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Like usual, before starting a larger scale project, I sketched out my idea and figured out the supplies I needed. This was the first sketch…

And then the shelves ended up evolving into this layout instead so not all of the shelves are actually attached…

Supplies I used:

(7) 1″ x 6″ x 6′ long pieces of wood – each shelf took approximately (1) board
1-1/2″ wood screws
1-1/2″ corner brackets
Plastic toggle anchors
Stain or Paint – depending on how you want to finish the shelf surface
Other supplies: miter saw, tape measure, drill, sander, level, pencil

To save on time, I often have my wood cut while at shopping at Lowe’s, but for this project, I cut it at home because of the quantity needed + the angles.

Here are the steps I took:

1. I set the miter saw to 30 degrees and never touched the saw again for the entire project. This angle is crucial so each of the 6 pieces will make the perfect hexagon shape. I approximated that I wanted each finished shelf to be an overall dimension of about 14″ x 14″, and chose the length of 7″ for the long side of each piece.

After marking the wood with my tape measure + pencil, I made the first cut using the miter saw. Then I flipped the piece of wood over to make the second angled cut.

This is what the first piece looked like when cut.

Then I cut about 42 more…

2. Before taking the next steps of attaching each piece to make the shelves, I layed all the pieces out to see how they’d actually go together.

3. Then we were ready to chug forward and attach these bad boys…

The first hexagon box was created using 6 pieces and all the angles faced each other. It’s best to stand them up on their sides, so the floor acts like the wall. The Mister (who was a huge part of this project as well) and I actually moved from the carpet to a flat, hard surface so the pieces would lay flat. The carpet was too cushy.

TIP: You must use wood screws for this project. We started out with screws, but it wasn’t working right (because we didn’t pre-drill), then changed over to using nails. BIG MISTAKE.

Once you have the angled wood pieces in position, first pre-drill the holes, then drill in the wood screws. If you don’t pre-drill the holes, the wood will probably split, which is what happened to us atfirst. Using a nail won’t work because they’ll pull out and the overall shelf won’t be stable / sturdy. Believe me, these are all lessons we learned along the way!

4. When the first box is complete, you can either be done or add on to it to create a multi-honeycomb shelf like ours. If you continue adding on to the first hexagon, you’ll use one side of the original hexagon to create the second hexagon. This time though, the cut angles won’t touch each other, but instead overlap. I’ll be honest, it does get tricky at this point and the shelves become a big jigsaw puzzle. We ended up with (1) 3 box shelf, (1) 2 box shelf, and (1) stand alone shelf.

Once all the shelves were screwed together, we were ready for the next steps… finish the surface + install.

It took me some time to determine how I wanted to finish the shelves. At first I was going to paint them, but then steered away because I wanted to see the wood grain shine through. That meant stain. But, what stain? In the end, I chose a gray / blue water-based stain by Minwax. The submerged color seemed perfect with the other hues in the room and was ideal with what’s on-trend right now.

5. First, I gave the edges and all the surfaces a good sanding with my orbital sander. Then using a rag, I applied the wood stain and almost instantly wiped it away so very little actually soaked into the wood. Because of this, the drying time was very quick.

6. About a day later, the shelves were ready to install. I first attached the metal angle brackets to the shelves. Then I determined the height + positioning of where the shelves would be hung.

Next, the Mister + I marked the holes through the brackets and pre-drilled the holes into the wall. As with hanging anything, I always love using plastic toggle drywall anchors (I shared a pic recently on Instagram).

Once the anchors were in each hole, we repositioned the shelves in place and screwed them in using a drill + screw. It’s key to use a level as well so the shelf doesn’t get installed crooked!

At this point, the shelves were almost done…

I loved the look of the blue shelves against the lighter gray walls, but I still wanted to make them pop. To do so, I chose to paint the front edge of the shelves a white color which matches the moulding throughout the room. Two coats later with a small, flat brush did the trick.

Lastly, so the metal brackets didn’t stand out so much, I painted those as well using the wall paint color.

And then they were finally complete!

Love the under-the-bed wood rolling carts? I shared the tutorial on how to make them earlier this week.

These shelves are perfect to fill with books, toys in containers, and any fun thing(s) to display.

And here is a pretty pinnable picture if you want to remember this project for a later date…

So what do you think?

Do you like the honeycomb / hexagon look? Have you incorporated this new trend into your home? What has been your most difficult DIY project endeavour?

Also consider following Loweâ€™s on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram as well.

DIY: Rolling Underbed Wood Storage Cart

Written by Jenna on March 31, 2014. Posted in DIY, Storage. 14 Comments on DIY: Rolling Underbed Wood Storage Cart

I’ve been busy-busy on finishing up the details for my boys room makeover. This room has taken quite the turn from it originally being a boy/girl, sister/brother shared bedroom, to a full-on boy hangout haven! Even though my little guy is only 7 (just shy of 8), I feel it’s a space he can grow with (until I get my hands on it for another makeover, hehe).

So my latest and greatest DIY project in the room is something that holds stuff that I often refer to as the ‘bane of my existence’… TOYS. Specifically, the little, itty bitty toys like Legos and Kinex that somehow always end up under my feet giving me a great big ‘OW’.

Often under my kids’ bed is the ‘stuffing place’ where things are put that don’t have a home. When I do a big cleaning, I never know what I will find… Do you have that problem? Please tell me yes and reassure me that I’m not the only one. My solution to a neat under-bed space? Make something to take up the space so there is no room to stuff!

Thus the creation of these rolling underbed wood storage carts.

Pretty + Functional! I’m in heaven.

Want to know how to make them? Let’s Go!

They are really easy & super inexpensive. Actually after making them, I did a quick search online (not thinking I’d find anything similar) and saw similar styles for a minimum of $40… Crazy that mine cost about $10/each to make.

Supplies You’ll Need:

for a 24″ x 24″ box (buy more or less if you want to change the size)

(2) 1″ x 6″ x 24″ long piece of wood
(2) 1″ x 6″ x 22.5″ long piece of wood
(4) 1.5″ rolling wheels
(1) 24″ x 24″ piece of 1/4″ plywood
1.5″ long wood nails
3/4″ long wood nails
optional: paint, chalkpaint, 1/2″ thick rope

Before buying the supplies, I determined that the size of rolling wood carts would be 24″ x 24″ and (2) under the twin bed would fit perfectly leaving some additional space for other awkward toys (like my little guys plastic skateboard ramp). Here is a sketch I did before heading to the store…

Note: a 1″ x 6″ is actually 3/4″ x 5-1/2″. To make a perfect 24″ x 24″ square box, (2) sides were cut to 22.5″ long.

Here are the steps I took:

1. Using the 1.5″ long wood nails, I attached the 24″ piece to the 22.5″ long piece. I first added a dab of wood glue, then followed it with (3) nails.

2. I continued attaching the other wood pieces so the box was created…

I’m not sure why my little girl in the background is holding a coffee cup, but rest assured she wasn’t drinking it. At least I hope she wasn’t…

3. Once the 4 sides were put together, I attached the 24″ x 24″ plywood using 3/4″ long wood nails. About 4 nails per side should be enough to make it sturdy.

4. The (4) wheels were next… Using 3/4″ screws, I attached a wheel to each corner.

The result of the rolling cart thus far…

The beauty of this wood cart is that it doesn’t have to be only for under the bed. Change the size – make it taller or less wide – and use them in the living room for toys, blankets, or DVDs. How about in the garage for tools? Or in the craft room for supplies? There are so many ways, so many uses!

To jazz up the rolling cart, I thought it would be neat + easy to add a fun + functional rope pull.

But first, I gave the overall cart a good sanding. Kids + Splinters aren’t pretty…

Yes I sometimes DIY with a leopard scarf…

And rest assured after posing for this pic, I put my eye protection on. Promise!

Now onto the rope.

5. In the center of one side, towards the top, I drilled a hole slightly larger than 1/2″.

6. I then cut a piece of rope about 12″ long (I think, I actually eyed it and didn’t really measure) and threaded it through the hole and tied it on both sides.

The rope was a bit expensive – I think this roll was about $8 – but I plan on using it for another project, so it made sense. You don’t really need rope if you don’t have it on hand. Instead try a piece of cabinet hardware or something you already have in the home.

7. Once the rope was in, I gave the overall wood surface a quick dry-brush paint application. One quick, imperfect coat and it was almost complete.

8. To jazz the cart up one more step, I added a chalkboard front using chalkboard paint. Using my eye, no measuring tape, I created a box with painters tape and painted 3 coats of the chalkboard paint.

9. Right after the last coat was brushed on, I had a little helper take off the painters tape while the paint was still wet.

Look at that beautiful straight line…

And the rolling wood carts were complete!

Check out the honeycomb shelves… My longest, most difficult project yet, but I’m in love. More to come on those later this week!

BTW, you can see more of that fabulous wallpaper on the wall to the left in a recent post I shared.

So what do you think? Could these wood carts be something you could use in your home? Each were about $10 to make and both took about a total of an hour (maybe a little more) to make. Not too bad!

What are your favorite toy storage solutions? What are your favorite under-the-bed storage solutions?

Decorating with Leaning + Ladder Shelves

Written by Jenna on March 24, 2014. Posted in Decorating, Shelving. 1 Comment on Decorating with Leaning + Ladder Shelves

Within the past two months, I’ve purchased 4 leaning shelves (a.k.a. ladder shelves).

Obsessed? No.

Great for storage? Affordable? Open + Airy? Yes.

For the same reason, I’ve been loving leaning shelves as of late, I’ve got my clients hooked too and I’d like to share with you why leaning shelves work so well for any room in the home.

Any style shelf gives height to the room. Most pieces of furniture (tables, sofa, chair, bed, etc) aren’t higher than 30/36″ off the floor, which often leaves pictures / artwork to be the only source of height in a room. As much as it’s important to have “things” on the wall, it’s also important to break up the monotony and a bookcase / shelves can be that element. Don’t get me wrong, I love the look of a closed bookcase, but I also really prefer the style of a leaning shelf.

Why?

> Height: Art + pictures are a must on the walls, but without anything else to grab the eye and break up the plane, a space can become boring and lack depth. By adding shelving, specifically leaning shelves, a wall can have the needed to break and 3-dimensional look needed to add visual interest. With the addition of books, accessories, baskets, and more, the shelves can become the star of a room.

> Storage: The aesthetic part of shelves is that it brings height + interest to a room, but the storage element of shelving brings in the functional aspect. Who doesn’t desire more storage in their house? I certainly do {raising hand in the air}… Adding in a tall element, like a shelf, allows you to use the vertical plane of the wall instead of the horizontal, floor area, of a room. Save on floor area, use height instead!

> Affordability: Leaning Shelves are very affordable, probably because there really isn’t much too them. The most recent style I chose, I purchased at Target for a few dollars over $100. I’ve also been wanting to make my own version – I think it would be fairly easy – but I’m still gathering the guts + time to do it. Anyway, there are versions that are less than $100, like this one and styles that are a lot more (but are pretty fabulous) like this one at $1600. Add height to a room for around $100? Perfect!

> Open + Airy: I specifically like the look of leaning shelves because they provide the height and the storage needed in a room, but they aren’t closed in as a typical bookshelf with a back + sides are. The leaning shelf is minimal allowing for any size space (even small spaces like bathrooms & laundry rooms/nooks) to handle the horizontal attention-grabber. Plus I’ve seen leaning shelves in a variety of widths, as well.

I must be on the right design track with my recent purchases because I opened two design magazines this month and they both featured spaces with leaning bookshelves.

After reading the first feature in the March issue of HGTV magazine, it ‘s what inspired me to write this post. I know you all would love and feel confident to use leaning shelves after seeing these inspirational spaces!

1. A leaning shelf in the kitchen

Perfect for holding dishes, cookbooks, bowls, coffee supplies, and so much more.

2. A leaning shelf in the living room

Ideal for books, pictures, accessories, and I adore the idea of a adding a reading light. No more need for a side table.

See how this ladder shelf gives so much height to the space, yet there is no real break of wall color or ‘closed-in’ feeling.

3. A leaning shelf in the entry

Essential for all the winter-wares, shoes, and bags! The shelves allow space for the must-haves, along with some surface to display some pretty like a plant and cool fan.

4. A leaning shelf in the entry

Big or small, most bathrooms could use more storage. Am I right?? And if you have a pedestal-style sink, you really are in need of more surface space. A ladder shelf is the perfect solution for all your products + towels.

5. A leaning shelf in the laundry

Another spot that most everyone can use more space. Depending on the layout of the laundry room or nook, a leaning shelf can provide the extra storage needed to keep the space tidy + organized.

The above images of 5 ways to use a leaning shelf is from HGTV magazine

The other publication that I was flipping through and came across an interesting display of leaning shelves was Better Homes and Gardens April issue.

For these shelves, I am pretty sure they painted them the popping turquoise hue, but what a great space, right?! I love the color palette of the vivacious yellow, gray, and turquoise. If you can, get your hands on this issue – they’re are lots of great + affordable ideas for bathroom upgrades.

After seeing all these ideas, I am sure you want to get your hands on some new shelving. Am I right? I put together a collection of a few favorites with resource links.

Resources:
1. Cherry-finish Leaning Shelf
2. White Leaning Shelf
3. Iron frame / Wood Shelves Leaning Shelf
4: Black Leaning Shelf
5: Lucite (clear) Leaning Shelf
6: Gray Leaning Shelf with Bins
7: Leaning Shelves with Desk

Here’s a peak at the recent leaning shelves I purchased…

Recognize the room? It’s my boys room that I am currently giving an overhaul. work is still in progress…

I’m sharing this because it’s amazing how much these shelves have brought to the room! The amount of storage / surface space is incredible. From books, to ‘special things’ to ALL THE LEGOS, these shelves hold it all + have there is room for more.

My daughter’s room also got a leaning shelf.

We moved the pictures that were there into the master and added the shelf in it’s place to hold books, and of course ALL THE LEGOS!

Seen enough? No? Okay, I’ve got more inspiration for you…

Awesome coastal living room with a leaning white shelf/desk. via: Sabrina Alfin Interiors

Seriously, how great is this space with the leaning shelves used for wine storage? Doesn’t get much better than this! via: Cynthia Lynn Photography

Work space with white leaning shelves. Shelves by The Container Store

How amazing is this lucite leaning shelf? It’s incredibly expensive, but is a show-stopper! Leaning Shelf by Wisteria.

Such a bright + vibrant space. Ideal for a playroom or girly room. Leaning Shelves by The Container Store

Metal + Wood combo shelves by Pottery Barn

Such a bright, airy space with the perfect element to bring in some height… a leaning shelf! Unknown Source

What a great office space with a non-traditional leaning shelf and I adore the pops of turquoise + the amazing wallpaper. via: Matilda Rose Interiors

How fun is this? I love chalkboard walls and layering it with a leaning bookcase still allows for the wall to be seen through it. Same style as shown above in my favorite finds, this leaning shelf is by Land of Nod.

Leaning shelves with a desk make a great combination for storage + work. via: CM Glover

Leaning shelves come in all sizes. This narrow style in a colorful deep red hue is adorable in this nursery. Unknown Source

Leaning shelves are great for an office space! via: Asbury Remodeling & Construction

Shelf / Desk combo by The Container Store

A more modern style shelf/desk combo at Crate and Barrel

The shelves on this white ladder shelf are thicker which gives it more weight and style. How great for a kitchen or casual dining space.

Leaning shelves for everyone. Are you now ready to purchase one (or 2, or maybe 3) for your home?!

Creating Colorful Easter Eggs with Melted Crayons

Written by Jenna on March 18, 2014. Posted in Craft, DIY, Easter, Holiday. 60 Comments on Creating Colorful Easter Eggs with Melted Crayons

In just about a month, another Easter will be upon us. Along with focusing on the importance of Easter, creating colorful eggs is often a tradition that many kids enjoy as the holiday approaches, mine included! A basket filled with eggs of varying hues can make a gorgeous centerpiece and is the ideal reminder that Spring is on it’s way – I hope.

A new and unique alternative idea that you may want to try this year is to use crayons instead of the traditional food coloring or store-bought dye kits. I have to tell you, the result will be unexpectedly awesome! Have you ever felt that the traditional food coloring or dyes don’t create an intense enough color? Yes, you can leave the eggs in the dye filled cup for hours, but what child wants to wait that long? Mine certainly don’t… With the technique of using melted crayons, the color can be as bright (or subtle) as you’d like and the result is instant…

Here are the steps I took with my kids to create Colorful Easter Eggs Using Melted Crayons…

Supplies Needed:

Eggs (steps to hard boil the eggs are below)
A colorful collection of crayons

To start off…

1.Put the eggs in a pot and fill the pot with cold water so it covers the eggs about 1-2″.

2.Once the eggs come to a full boil, remove the pot from the stove and cover for 12 minutes (so they create a hard-boiled egg).

3.Carefully remove the eggs from the pot and let them stand for about 1-2 minutes (the eggs will be very hot, so be sure to use tongs when removing them from the pot).

Here comes the fun part…

4. Using crayons, start drawing on your egg. Be creative. Get the kids involved. It’s a lot of fun to try different patterns and to mix the colors. For our eggs, I used one color as the base, then added another color on top. I smudged in the background hue which gave a fun, swirly look.

Because of the hot exterior of the egg, the crayon will melt on the egg’s surface. Once your masterpiece is finished, gently place the egg into the original egg holder and place it into the refrigerator. After a few minutes they will be cool and the decorated eggs can be handled and displayed as you’d like.

They’ll make a beautiful addition to any centerpiece – paired with other Easter decorations or simply on their own.

Want to save it and/or pin it for later use? Here’s a quick graphic to remember the steps…

Enjoy and Happy Easter Egg Decorating!

How-To Hang Wallpaper Like a Pro!

Written by Jenna on March 11, 2014. Posted in DIY, Wallpaper. 7 Comments on How-To Hang Wallpaper Like a Pro!

If you follow me on Instagram – my favorite place on the web to share snippets throughout my day – then you know I had a busy weekend wallpapering. The kids room took a design turn after we found out a few weeks ago that baby #3 is going to be a girl. In the end, as a family, we decided the kids will stay in the rooms they are currently in and the girls will eventually share a room once the baby is ready to move in. So what does that mean?? Design changes! The room that was going to be a shared boy / girl room was no longer needed. Since we had already started on the transformation for my little guy, it meant we had to continue chugging along. And let me tell ya, he’s a happy camper!

After choosing a new paint color (Benjamin Moore Hazy Skies) that I was very unsure of, because it was way lighter of a color than I’m used to, I am now thrilled with the decision. Why? Because I’ve been adding in colors in other ways. Layers, my friends! Layers are huge and in a kids room, books and toys add an amazing pop! BUT, I was in need of more. Yes more! And that more resulted in a fun + unique wallpaper for the focal window wall that instantly turned the entire 12′ width into a photo gallery wall…

How fun is that?! And before we go any further, I want to give you a peak at the before and after…

I want to show you more of the room because it’s turning out pretty fantastic, but I can’t. That’s to come – pinky swear!

This incredible wallpaper is made by Taylor & Wood through Graham & Brown and it truly brings a wall to life. I knew I wanted to do something fun on this focal wall. Originally I was thinking a stencil, but this is way better. So let’s jump right into how I installed it…

How-To Hang Wallpaper… LIKE A PRO!

Similar to the last time I hung wallpaper in the powder room, this paper was also NOT pre-pasted (wallpaper that has paste and is activated with only water). After wallpapering a few areas in my home, I have found that higher-quality wallpapers typically are not pre-pasted, so instead a paste has to be added. I actually think the paste is easier to use than putting the paper through water. I wrote a tutorial a long time ago on How-To Hang Prepasted Wallpaper, if you want to check that out.

Supplies:

Wallpaper
Wallpaper Paste
Smoothing Took
Sharp Razor or blade
Other handy tools for wallpapering are: a tape measure, a laser level, a pencil

The Steps:

1. To start off, I found it best to measure the wall and cut a piece of wallpaper the length of the wall + an additional 6-8″ for extra at the top (ceiling) and bottom (floor).

a little helper is always fun + keeps you entertained!

2. I wasn’t worried about centering the paper on the wall for this project (in the powder room I did) and started at the left most edge of the wall. When hanging wallpaper, I find it best to add the best directly to the wall, THEN add the paper. I used a cheap $1 brush to add enough paste to cover the width of the wallpaper (not the entire wall).

3. Once the paste is in place, then I started at the ceiling (adding about 2-3″ extra paper to trim), I hung the paper making sure to match the seam of the adjacent paper. NEVER overlap the paper.

4. When the paper initially adheres to the wall, there are always bumps and wrinkles. No worries. Simply smooth them out with the plastic smoothing tool. Itâ€™s best to start at the top and move down the wall, as well as from the center of the paper and smooth out towards the edges. You want to press firmly, but not too hard so all the glue seeps out. Alittle glue seepage is okay and expected.

5. Cutting around windows, doors, and outlets. Thought to be tricky, but really not. For the large window, I added the paste to the wall. Then I hung the paper temporarily (very lightly) and trimmed the paper around the window using a scissor, leaving about 2 extra inches for trimming. Once I cut the paper, THEN I went back and adhered the wallpaper to the wall properly.

Here is a picture of me trimming the wallpaper around an outlet. I used a sharp razor, cutting a small hole at the outlet and trimmed so the entire outlet was exposed. The paper was wrinkled, but I smoothed it out after the hole was cut.

CONFESSION: totally my opinion... Wallpaper is kind of like giving birth (that’s all I thought about throughout the process). Going into it, your excited and ready to do “the work”. You’re in the midst of it cheering yourself on. Then there are some snags along the way and you start to get frustrated and defeated. The end is almost near. You’re exhausted and your patience is done. AND it’s over. All is beautiful and you can sit back and relax. After a few days, the memories start to fade and within no time, you think back that it wasn’t so bad after all. Until the next time…

Anyway, let’s move on. Obviously you know where this prego girls head is.

Here are some pictures mid-project (the moments when exhaustion started to set in).

And the result once finished. The part of enjoyment…

I started to jazz up the wall by hanging a few real picture frames over the “frames”. It started to bring in some color and dimension! I used a few pieces of command strips to keep the frames in place instead of nailing them to the wall.

We (meaning my son + I) have a lot more ideas for making this wall even better. In the meantime though (after hours of joyous wallpaper hanging) a few pictures and frames did the trick for fun.

I even added some hooks for hanging a few hats and metals.

So there you have it. A 2 in 1. A tutorial on how-to hang wallpaper + a fun & unique way to create an instant photo gallery wall. A LOT more is happening in this room to make it suit the style of my little guy. More to come soon…

Kitchen Revamp: Before + After

Written by Jenna on March 5, 2014. Posted in Decorating, Kitchen. 9 Comments on Kitchen Revamp: Before + After

Oh My, where are the days going? I swear, I wake up and 5 minutes later it is night time. I can not keep ahead, but thankfully all is good – NO complaints, except for the bitter cold temps. Some fun news to share… I was in NYC for a quick trip late last week and met up with some blogger pals – Diane, Kelly, and Denise – for a Better Homes and Gardens event. BHG, along with BrandSpark, invited some local bloggers to the Best New Product Awards, where we got to mingle with representatives of some big brands. It was so fun to “get out” and meet others who are just as passionate as I. I’ll have more to come soon on the products and a chance for you to win some cool stuff.

While I should have my feet up resting (at 5 months prego, my body is definitely feeling aches + pains), I’ve been busy busy with a few client kitchens – all at different phases of construction. One I just started and have a design meeting for later today, another is mid-install, and another I just finished. I shared a peak of it the recently completed kitchen the other day, but now it’s time to show more + it’s evolution…

This kitchen was really wonderful to work on, but a definite challenge. For privacy sake, I can’t show the floor plan, but there was a large area of the “kitchen area”, which I would say technically was the eating area, that was unused. Then the space for the “kitchen” with the cabinets was very small + tight. When the client brought me in, she really expressed the want + desire to reuse much of the existing cabinetry. The challenge? They were faux wood/stained cabinets from Ikea and to match them exactly isn’t the easiest objective! My carpenter/cabinet fabricator was up for a challenge… Could he do it??

Here are a few before pictures…

Once we discussed the scope of work + the clients needs + style, this was the Creative Vision Board that I created…

The “known” of the space was the cabinetry. The client wanted to match the new with the existing. I spiced it up with the layers + details

>Lighting

>Fabric

>Tile

>Open shelving

These 4 elements brought the kitchen to the next level!

Lighting: The lighting before was very contemporary and did not fit the style of the house, which is old-world eclectic. Yes, it has modern features, but certainly is not contemporary. I wanted to bring in a sense of the handcrafted look and chose new fixtures for the space.

Fabric: It’s often a challenge in a kitchen to bring in color, but fabric on a window can be the needed element to soften and liven a space. The client and I looked at several options for window fabric and chose a modern pattern with colors of teal, mustard, and taupe.

Unfortunately, the window treatment is the only area of the space that is still incomplete. We are awaiting the roman shade for the window. Here are a few options we looked at before choosing #1…

Tile: Along with the cabinets, the countertop which is soapstone, was also staying. To balance the darker hues of the cabinets and counter, I knew a lighter natural stone would be the perfect compliment. The client and I visited a local tile shop and found this beautiful natural tile with light gray veining – the size: 2″ x 8″ – which was ideal.

Open Shelving: To break up the monotony of the stained cabinets, I wanted to bring in an opportunity of open shelving to give the space more openness. We chose for the shelves to be minimal and painted them to match the crown moulding that was added around the room. The backsplash tile was also continued behind the open shelves to give a cohesive look.

With a few more tweaks + tricks throughout the space, it came together amazingly. My carpenter is incredible and not only did he match the new with the old, he also used a few of the existing doors and reworked them to fit in new spots. For example, using one of the old doors, he used part of it to create a pull-out spice rack which now sits next to the new dishwasher.

I love when clients want to work with what they have! The outcome of this kitchen made me so happy. Here are some more after pictures…

Lastly some Before + Afters – sorry for them not being at the same angle…

There you have it. A few more details and the kitchen will be complete! In the meantime, want some more ideas for upgrading a kitchen? Check out this post of mine on 5 Upgrades for a Killer Kitchen…

more client kitchens coming soon…