Tag: saratoga springs interior design firm

Master Bedroom Refresh: REVEAL

Written by Jenna on February 26, 2014. Posted in Decorating, Furniture, Room Reveal. 15 Comments on Master Bedroom Refresh: REVEAL

The master bedroom refresh is finally complete. I’ve been sharing most, if not all, of the steps along the way and it’s been an exciting journey. I’m thrilled with the result and today I’m ready to share all the nooks + crannies of the room. Ready? Let’s go…

Where it all began…

The Creative Vision Board. The idea + direction for the master bedroom refresh…

The bedroom took on a new life with an inexpensive upgrade to the bed wall. Before, all of the walls with the exception of the bed wall, were painted Berkshire Beige when we moved into the house. The bed wall was painted Texas Leather which is slightly darker, but with all the light that filters in from the large windows, the contrast wasn’t enough.

To really add some depth and contrast to the bed wall, I started out the refresh by going to the dark side and painting the wall a deep chocolate hue called Brownstone by Benjamin Moore.

I had to start out the reveal with my favorite picture because it has my pretty kitty, Jessie. She made her debut on the blog over a year ago when we finished the foyer floor. Hasn’t she grown so much?! She’s the sweetest.

This is the area of the room that is to the left of the bed. It had pictures before, but I rearranged them a bit to create a new and refreshened montage. It’s amazing how a space can look so different using things you already own.

To put the collection together, I played around a little with the arrangement before adding nails to the wall…

I love the balance of pictures and meaningful (to us) quotes.

In this picture below, you can also see the contrast of the two paint colors. The dark wall surely makes a statement!

The statement. The focal point of the room. THE BED! With the surrounding new/updated elements, the bed takes on a completely new look and feels brand new, even though it’s 10 years old. I love the look of fully upholstered beds instead of just a headboard. It eliminates the need for a bedskirt and gives a higher-end look to the space. Yes, upholstered beds (with fabric side rails) are slightly more expensive than just a headboard, but they’re totally worth the splurge. That’s a place to spend the money!!!

I feel like I sleep in luxury every night (and a few weekend afternoons) with my new bedding from Crane and Canopy. We worked together on choosing the right look and feel for the room. With the other vibrant colors (plum + citrine), the simpler Linden Gray Border bedding was the perfect compliment. Sleeping under this luxurious 400 thread count duvet is like heavenly bliss. To be honest, it was difficult to choose a bedding style. They’re entire collection is beautiful!

The square canvas images above the bed are actually one collection purchased from Ikea years ago. sorry, but I doubt they’re still available. As with most rooms I design, I typically start with one element; one statement piece. The art is ‘The Element’ that the rest of the room evolved around. The plum pillow on the bed and the striped pillow on the chaise were purchased from Crate and Barrel years ago as well and they compliment the artwork perfectly. The only new pillows are the citrine shams that I randomly found at Homegoods. Of course I wasn’t looking for them at the time, but I am so thankful to have went with my gut because they make the room. In the store, I really didn’t think the color was right, but once home, they were spot on with the hues of the artwork! #score

Breaking up the matching furniture was key to making this room refresh a success. The space before looked heavy with 4 large pieces of furniture all in a dark hue. Something had to give. Eliminating one of the nightstands so the 2 weren’t matchy-matchy, was a great solution. I relocated the one nightstand to my office and brought in a new smaller, round table in a light gray color. It makes such a difference.

With the main wall going darker, other elements had to go lighter, which meant lots of white layers. The new white velvet window treatments were the perfect compliment, but needed to be jazzed up. My simple, inexpensive solution? Add a decorative leading edge! The update is incredible and the contrasting plum fabric frames the windows beautifully.

Also in this area of the room are the new hanging pendant-turned-light and the revamped desk that was headed curbside. Both were fun projects and made this corner of the room so interesting… so much more than before.

The desk is surely my most favorite furniture makeover to-date. I love what the bright hue does for the space + I’m happy to have tried something new – Make Your Own Chalk Finish Paint!

The pictures and artwork seen above the revamped desk are a new gallery montage I created and they continue across almost the entire wall, which is opposite of the bed wall.

This is what I wake up to and see every morning!

I love the new dress form that holds some of my pretty, colorful necklaces. It brings such an elegant, feminine quality to the bedroom.

So do you want to know more details on what I purchased where? Here are some resources:

Resources:
1. Wall Paint – Benjamin Moore Brownstone in flat
2. Artwork – Ikea, Collection of 3
3. Lamps – JCPenney
4. Wedding Song pillow (DIY project) + striped pillow from Crate and Barrel
5. Nightstand – part of a 4 piece collection purchased at a local store
6. Chaise – Crate and Barrel; item no longer available
7. Rug – Safavieh purchased on Joss and Main
8. Duvet – Linden Gray Border bedding from Crane and Canopy
9. Upholstered bed – Queen Colette Bed from Crate and Barrel
10. Citrine Shams – Homegoods
11. Bamboo Shades – Payless Decor
12. Deep plum pillow – Crate and Barrel
13. Drapes – white velvet panels from Lowes with custom edge detail (DIY project)

14. Wall Paint – Benjamin Moore Berkshire Beige in flat
15. Lantern from World Market turned Light Fixture (DIY project)
16. Chair – Thrift store chair given new life with spray paint (DIY project)
17. Throw – Homegoods
18. Desk – Desk Makeover using Make-Your-Own chalk finish paint (DIY project)
19. Gallery Wall – Everything was repurposed from throughout my home; nothing new on the wall
20. Dresser – part of a 4 piece collection purchased at a local store
21. Lamp – Crate and Barrel; item no longer available
22. Silver Leaf Tray – Target
23. Dress form – Homegoods

And there you have it. The master bedroom refresh {reveal} in it’s entirety. Most of the space was revamped with new DIY creations and items from other rooms in my home. A few new items that I didn’t have were seamlessly added to create a cohesive look. I know it took a few weeks from start to finish, but thank you for following along on the ‘real’ timeline of my room refresh!

Master Bedroom: Picture Gallery Wall

Written by Jenna on February 24, 2014. Posted in DIY, Photo Gallery Walls, Room Reveal. 6 Comments on Master Bedroom: Picture Gallery Wall

One topic on the blog that I’ve shared inspiration on the most times, have received the most pins, and gets the most questions + comments, is creating a gallery wall.

Gallery walls are one of my most favorite design elements in a home because it tells so much. Whether putting together a collection of a few large black and white family photos or creating a wall from wall edge to wall edge filled with colorful instagram images + momentos from your travels, a gallery wall is an expression of who you and your family are; truly the most important part of creating a meaningful home.

As the plans for my master bedroom were originally coming together, I knew I wanted to relocate the TV and create a gallery wall opposite of the bed. The room just called for it. It asked to have more photos. I love being surrounded by photos, artwork, and elements that are most special to me. In the bedroom, it makes the most sense.

The opposite of the bed used to have a large mirror (which was part of a bedroom matching set that I broke up) and the TV mounted to the side with a table underneath. Very plain jane. The space certainly didn’t reflect ‘us’.

We removed the wall-mounted TV and the mirror, and placed the TV on top of the dresser. The dresser, which is about 5′ long has a lot of surface space, so in addition to the TV, I added in one of my all-time favorite lamps that I hadn’t found the right home for since we moved here. It’s a purchase from Crate and Barrel years ago and used to be in our previous home’s guest room. I’m so happy to have found such a prominent place for it! #happygal

These two elements – the TV and the lamp – were the perfect size, and balance each other well. The TV isn’t the focal point anymore and with the pictures that are about to be mounted on the wall, the TV will “disappear” and/or appear as just another frame on the wall.

As for the art / pictures on the wall, nothing was purchased. ALL came from other areas around my home or my storage closet with all my extra goodies. I wasn’t worried about the color of the frames or the images themselves, I just wanted only things that were important to us. This is the wall we wake up to and see every morning… It’s a great way to start the day (most days).

I don’t have too many in-progress pictures because I was so in-the-moment, but I started the gallery wall with the square mirror. Part of it is actually behind the TV, so the TV overlaps it, which creates a shadow = depth. Then I continued with the surrounding pictures – the square pictures above (Norman Rockwell prints) and the black and white Fallingwater image.

As the wall continued, it started to take form, but it wasn’t smooth as butter. Creating a gallery wall takes time, planning, and most likely a few mishaps before it’s just right! Believe me, I didn’t snap my fingers and say Presto, to have it all complete in 5 minutes. It definitely took a few days and a few moves. As I’m working on a big project, especially something like a gallery wall, I like to do it and then take a step back to reflect.

After hanging most of the images and reflecting on it, I realized something was off. Many of the frames were too in line and not overlapping enough. To create a successfully balanced gallery wall, I feel it’s important to have a mix of larger and smaller pieces, along with them being staggered / overlapping.

I took a picture of why I didn’t feel this 1st attempt wasn’t right…

And take a look at the change after a few adjustments / moves…

Many of the pieces of art were given to me and a few are store-bought finds.

> The sepia image of the flower was in our previous powder room and purchased at Homegoods. It’s actually part of a pair, but I broke them up.

> The black and white image above is a charcoal drawing of a house that the Mister drew. He’s so talented!

> The pretty sunset image in the larger white frame to the right used to be in my daughter’s room, but I stole it 🙂

> Continuing to the right, the 2 square images are Norman Rockwell prints – Day in the Life of a Little Boy + Day in the Life of a Little Girl. They remind us so much of our little kids.

More of the wall…

> To the right of the Norman Rockwell images is a black and white picture of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater that was gifted to my husband for his graduation. We were both Architecture majors in college, so it means a lot to us.

> The gold framed image at the top is an oil painting of Paris gifted to me after my Mom and I took a trip there 10 years ago.

> The other gold framed oil painting is a random picture that was given to me from my parents (or maybe I just took it from their house – can’t remember)

> In the black frame below are my little boys handprints – my first mother’s day gift.

The rest of the wall…

> The white framed ballerina piece of art was recently given to me by the talented Donna Talley, stylist and producer for BHG. She’s been a very special person in my life as of late! She has provided me with some amazing opportunities.

> The other white framed image above is another charcoal work by my husband of Falling Water.

The wall in it’s entirety…

Now that I’ve shared the result of the entire wall, I thought it would be helpful to show you where I started (with the mirror #1) and how it took shape.

Some tips for creating a gallery wall:

Start with one framed picture and continue laying out the wall off of it. Laying out the gallery wall on the floor first can also be helpful. I did that on this previous wall I created…

Stagger the framed pictures instead of laying them out in one line.
Overlap framed pictures to give depth.
Create balance with a variety of larger and small pictures

For more ideas + inspiration, visit this previous posts:

Creating a Photo Wall Display
Useful Ideas and Layouts to Create a Photo Gallery Wall
Ideas + Solutions for the Wall Behind the TV

If you want to check out my EASY tip on hanging a picture or artwork, check out this post:
The Best Tip to Hang a Picture

Let me show you the rest of the wall.

The view as we enter our bedroom with lots of beautiful light filtering in…

The before, in-progress, and after is pretty different. I’m so happy with the transformation because it’s a space I created that truly reflects us!

The gallery wall… the final project before the big reveal.

Even though you’ve pretty much seen the entire room throughout all the DIY projects that I’ve shared over the past few weeks, the final reveal is coming later this week!

A Simple Idea for Customizing Store Bought Curtain Panels

Written by Jenna on February 11, 2014. Posted in DIY. 6 Comments on A Simple Idea for Customizing Store Bought Curtain Panels

After more work this past weekend on the master bedroom, I can say it’s almost done and I couldn’t be happier with the overall refresh.

Everything in the space has been upcycled, repurposed, or DIYed, so essentially little $$$ (money) has been spent on jazzing it up – that’s my favorite kind of room makeover.

Today, I’m going to share the details on the new window curtain panels. Now, you know I went darker with the focal wall, so that meant the layers in the space needed to go lighter to create balance and contrast.

I found pretty, but basic cream-colored solid velvet rod pocket curtain panels at Lowes and thought they’d be a perfect base for the room. Of course, I couldn’t just leave them as-is and had to customize them to give them a designer, custom look.

This is the result…

I forgot to snap a picture of the packaging, but believe me the ‘before’ was a simple cream-colored curtain. AND each of them were a wrinkled mess. Here is a peak at what they looked like.

Plain Jane.

Now the ‘How-To‘ on jazzing them up to give a custom, designer-look…

Materials Used:

Store Bought curtain panel(s)
Fabric for leading edge – 1 yd. was enough for 3 panels
Matching thread for leading edge fabric
Sewing machine
Iron
Measuring tape
Misc / typical sewing materials + supplies

When shopping for a leading edge fabric, I found a deep plum colored material that coordinated perfectly with some of the other accents in the room. I purchased 1.5 yds, but only used about 1 yd.

Once I determined that I wanted to have a 3″ leading edge, I layed out the fabric and marked off, then cut every 4-1/2″.

Here is the breakdown: 3″ finished leading edge + 1/2″ seam on side edge + 1″ seam on the other edge = 4-1/2″

I used chalk to make the 4-1/2″ line, but a straight edge could also be used. Then using the same straight edge or a scissor, cut the line.

One strip of fabric won’t be enough length needed to create the leading edge, so two strips will need to be sewn together to create one long strip (then depending on your panel length, you should have a longer strip than panel).

For my 3 panels, I cut 6 strips that were each 4-1/2″ wide, then put 2 of the ends together and sewed them.

Once the longer 3 strips were made, it was time to iron the edges to create (1) side that has a 1/2″ seam and (1) side that has a 1″ seam.

I used a tape measure to make sure my 3″ was consistent throughout the entire strip.

Once the 3 strips were ironed, it was time to attach them to the curtain panel.

I started off by placing the curtain panel and the leading edge fabric face down, leaving extra contrast fabric at the top and bottom. Then I tucked the edge of the curtain panel into the 1″ folded side of the leading edge fabric and pinned it in place.

It was time to sew.

I started by sewing the edge of the curtain to the edge of the contrast fabric.

Then I sewed the other edge.

Once each side was done, I was ready to deal with the 2 ends at the top and bottom of the curtain. At each end, I folded over the extra fabric and sewed.

Once the top and bottom were sewed, I trimmed the extra threads, and the panel was complete!

Instead of using the rod pocket, I used rings with clips to hang the panels.

Here is a good closeup view and you can see how the leading edge fabric is sewed all the way around onto the edge of the curtain panel.

The windows in my bedroom are large and here is a peak at how the space is all coming together…

It feels great to have this space almost complete – Finally after almost 2 years!

If you want to see some more ideas and inspiration on creating / embellishing curtain panels, take a look at these past posts:
How-To Make a Simple Lined Window Panel
Drop Cloth Curtain Panel with Leading Edge Detail
How To Add Decorative Trim to Curtains {for cheap}
How-To Hem Curtains
Adding Stripes to Curtains using Paint
The Right (and Wrong) Way to Hang a Curtain
10 Online Resources for Affordable Curtains

Have you ever jazzed up typical curtain panels? Or do you stick with the store-bought style? Have you had window panels custom made? Was it worth the cost for custom? It really is amazing what can be done with a little fabric and/or trim!

Desk Makeover using Make Your Own Chalk Finish Paint

Written by Jenna on February 7, 2014. Posted in DIY. 22 Comments on Desk Makeover using Make Your Own Chalk Finish Paint

OK, so let me start off by saying, THIS. IS. MY. FAVORITE. FURNITURE. TRANSFORMATION. yet

And the kicker is, I have a lot of furniture purging planned for the Spring and this desk was on the to-go list. Can you believe I was going to sell this beauty?!

Here’s the before and after + a few closeup shots. I’ll share the details of the transformation on the other side…

Pretty crazy that it’s the same piece, right?! And I am in love with the color.

So this month’s Lowe’s challenge for the Creative Team was to create / transform something using make your own chalk finish paint. Since I’m in the midst of my master bedroom makeover and this desk was about to go curbside, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to jazz it up. If the result wasn’t right, nothing lost, nothing gained.

The desk was purchased years ago from the Bombay company (during my dark-furniture-all-over days) and it’s served it’s purpose well, but I was ready to say adios.

The making of my own chalk paint made me a bit nervous, since I’ve only used the premade mix by Annie Sloan and that took a bit of getting used to (more for the wax application than the actual paint). But, I decided to jump right in.

Here are the supplies I used:

Latex flat paint (I used Valspar Signature latex)
Plaster of Paris
Stir sticks
Plastic bucket
Water (cool, not warm)
Measuring Cup ( do not reuse for food)
Sealer – wax or polyurthetane

Here is the formula I used:

In a mixing cup, add 1 cup of latex paint
Then add 1/3 cup Plaster of Paris + 1/3 cup cold water
Mix all together until the Plaster of Paris is fully dissolved

The mix will make enough chalk paint to apply about one coat to an average-sized 6 drawer dresser. I ended up using only 1/4 of the mix and apply 2-3 coats, so it makes a lot. Chalk paint goes a lot further than typical paint.

Once the formula was mixed, I was ready to paint!

It’s important not to have too much paint on the brush, especially when painting furniture. It’s better to apply thinner coats. When applying too much paint at once, drips and runs could develop in the corners and crevices of the furniture.

If that happens, no worries. Get as much paint off the brush as possible and drag out the “puddled” paint so it thins out and covers more of the furniture surface.

I forgot to mention this neat tid-bit about the desk… it actually opens up to a writing surface.

The difficult part was deciding where to start and stop the paint because I did not want to paint the inside – too difficult.

In the end, I chose a start and stop point for where the paint would go. At first I was only going to paint the legs, but wasn’t thrilled with the look. Here is a peak…

painting on the counter is so much easier than on the floor!

So in the end, I decided to paint the top as well, leaving only the line of the desk that opens, the original stained finished. It actually makes for a more interesting piece – well, I think.

Here’s the top with one coat of chalk finish paint.

2 coats later (3 in some spots), the desk was complete…

And ready to display in my room…

I sealed the entire desk with wax that I had on-hand. Others that have used their own chalk finish paint have used clear finishing wax (Lowes link) or polyurethane.

If you want to read more on applying wax, head over to this post…

The revamped desk fits perfectly next to my existing dresser with a new gallery wall above (more details on that coming soon – I’m still finishing it up)

The chair wasanother furniture transformation from a few years ago and I just recently added a new cushion using black and white striped fabric from The Online Fabric Store. The furry looking throw draped over the chair back is actually fabric that I plan on making some fun pillows with.

Check out what this space looked like before…

BIG DIFFERENCE!

Let me show you a few more ‘after’ shots…

What do you think?

What’s your favorite part of my desk? The new color? The lines of the desk? Or the ‘secret’ compartment of the writing desk? For me, it’s all fun, but I think I love the paint color the best. By the way, the color is Benjamin Moore Martini Olive. Lowe’s color matched it for me and used their Valspar Signature Latex paint.

My thoughts on making my own Chalk Finish Paint.

I really like it! Comparing it to other chalk finish paints, it is very similar and obviously the cost is a lot less AND you can make any color you’d like. With other chalk finish paints there are only about 30-40 different colors to choose from. When making your own, your color choices are limitless. The cost is also significantly less because the Plaster of Paris is about $6 and a quart of paint is about $15-20. Since only one cup is needed, a sample pod / tester most likely would have been enough for this project. Also, I could have used a latex color that I already had on hand (in my stash). Comparing the application process, it’s very similar and the finish result is about the same. A dull, chalky (but not grainy) finish is what you will get. Waxing is important when using any chalk finish paint because it seals the color and finish. I’ve also heard of people using polyurethane as a sealer, but I have never tried that.

Why chalk finish paint?

I feel the advantage of using chalk finish paint is the elimination of sanding, prepping, and priming the existing wood. When using chalk finish paint, you can simply start the painting process directly over the stained or painted finish. *If a piece of furniture has a hi-gloss, then I would recommend sanding and possibly priming first so you have a thorough base to paint.

I hope you enjoyed my adventure of making my own chalk finish paint. I love trying out new things and this is a winner! Have you used chalk finish paint? Have you made your own or have you used a premade mix? Would you try this on a piece of furniture?

To gather even more unique, fun, and creative ideas for your indoor and outdoor Winter 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. And even better, this Pallet Christmas Countdown creation will be featured in the upcoming Winter guide â€“ how cool, right?!

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

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!

Valentine Wreath with Paint Chip Flowers

Written by Jenna on January 16, 2014. Posted in DIY, Uncategorized. 2 Comments on Valentine Wreath with Paint Chip Flowers

Thanks all for loving my printables so much – I didn’t realize what a hit they’d be. I guess next time I should have more confidence… Weren’t all the other printables along the Blog Hop super cute as well? I am still in the romance mood (that sounded corny), and wanted to share with you a wreath I created last year. It was originally featured on Jen’s blog, but I wanted to give it a refresh and share it all with you. It’s one of my favorites to-date!

Come see how I made this Valentine Wreath with Paint Chip Flowers…

It wasn’t difficult to make at all and the flower petals were actually a bit calming to create.

The supplies I used for this wreath creation were:

Grapevine wreath ( I got mine on sale at AC Moore for $2.50)
Eucalyptus leaves
White spray paint (I used a gloss finish)
Paint chip samples in an array of pinks and reds
Hot glue gun
A heart punch or scissors to manually cut out hearts

I started off with the paint chip flowers.

Using paint chip samples in a range of colors from pinks to reds to purple, and a 1.5â€³ heart-shaped hole punch, I cut out about 40 hearts. I got this decorative paper punch at AC Moore for less than $10, but as an alternative, you could cut hearts out with plain oleâ€™ â€œold schoolâ€ scissors. The hearts may not result as exact, but the idea is still the same.

Then I cut a piece of felt about 3â€³ round (any heavier material will work as well), laid out 6 hearts around the outer edge, and secured them with a nice-sized dab of hot glue.

Then for the inner hearts, I curled the top edge using a pencil to create the look of a flower.

I layered (4) â€˜curledâ€™ hearts in the center, on top of the outer edge of hearts. To complete each flower creation, I added a small 3 dimensional piece of paint chip for the center of the â€œflowerâ€.

After making a few more flowers of different sizes (they donâ€™t all have to be this large size â€“ differing sizes make it more interesting), I added them to the wreath. Having the back of the flowers on felt, allows the ease of adding them to the wreath. With a dab of hot glue, I attached the felt-backed flowers to the wreath. Once Valentineâ€™s Day is over, the flowers can easily be removed from the wreath, and different embellishments can be added for other holidays or occasions.

This wreath truly was a joy to create and took only about an hour to make (I add the eucalyptus & spray painted the wreath Day 1 which took about 15 minutes, then made the flowers and attached them Day 2 which took about 30 minutes).

This festive Valentine wreath would be great hanging on a front door or inside the home. I have it above my fireplace â€“ itâ€™s the perfect centerpiece above my mantel.

Super cute, right?!

I like it so much because it doesn’t scream Valentine’s Day. It could really take you right through the Spring months. Wouldn’t it also look good with fall colored paint chips – Ooo, that gives me an idea!

Want to see some more of my Vday creations? Here are a few:

> The valentine burlap wreath with felt flowers that I created a few years ago

click on image for tutorial

> My ‘love’ connection wood sign. Do you see lame / dorky or wow, she’s really creative?

click on image for tutorial

Do you decorate for Valentineâ€™s day?

Central Command Center Revamped (again)

Written by Jenna on January 7, 2014. Posted in DIY. 16 Comments on Central Command Center Revamped (again)

The year has been a little slow going for me. With the 2 week christmas break for the kids + a couple involved (but uber-exciting) client projects + computer issues (my laptop keyboard stopping working due to a virus – UGH), I’m a bit behind. BUT, I’ve got something good for you… My Revamped (again) Central Command Center.

I Did It again.

This is the 3rd time I revamped our family central command center (the previous posts can be found here and here). Our hub of the home. The 30″ wall that keeps our family on track so we know where we are going when.

So why did I change it once again? Because our family needs have changed in the last year. Over time, I found that there were elements on the CCC that we weren’t using and I found that there were other things that we needed. Keep on reading and I’ll tell you all the particulars about the changes…

But before I share the 411 on the details, you might not know a little something. Our central command center (the previous version) is featured in this month’s (January 2014) Better Homes and Gardens magazine on the last page in the “I Did It” section. If you want to read more about the article + some behind-the-scenes footage, take a look at this post.

So onto the revamped (again) command center.

One of the major needs for our family (actually more so the needs of the 2 kids) were a spot to put ALL THE IMPORTANT PAPERS that they receive from school. Even though we are a “paper-less” school, a lot of 8.5 x 11’s come home each day.

When making the decision to revamp the CCC, I was on the lookout for some file folders. Obviously since the wall is small, I couldn’t get anything that was overly large. After a little searching and waiting, I found a great 3 file wire bin on Joss and Main. The size was just right, so I snagged it.

Each of the kids now has one opening and there is enough room for a few small folders for the different kinds of papers that come home (ie: school, sports, religion, etc). A cute little label front in an apple green hue pulls it all together and adds a splash of color.

So as you might notice from the before CCC, the black bins came down (after we redid the foyer, they weren’t needed anymore), and we reduced the amount of clipboards from 4 to 2. The clipboards that remain now contain our grocery list and a peek at the week ahead. The other 2 charts that went away – the chore chart and the reward chart – were relocated to another spot. BUT, I’m still going to share ALL the chart printables with you – see below.

The top of the CCC also had a few changes. I reduced the amount of inspiration framed images to one and replaced the others with a round wall clock. I realized other than the oven clock, we didn’t have any other place to tell time. Plus, an actual wall clock (which I scored at Target for less than $10) is great for learning versus the typical digital style.

The 2-month personalized calendar is still in use – a definite MUST-HAVE for our family to run!

One more change… The corkboards. Aren’t they adorable with the ikat pattern?! They are by Nate Berkus available at Target and each square panel was about $10. I put 2 together to make a rectangular look. With the previous command center, I didn’t have a place to pin ‘stuff’ like invitations, announcements, cards, etc. That was a major need, so now we have that.

The glass jar pipe clamp pen/pencil holders are still in tact and they are great + uber-functional.

And that’s about it for the updates.

The result…

And a breakdown of the changes I made for the revamped 2014 central command center…

Here’s an interesting before + after. The blank slate I started with 2 years ago and how it looks now…

It’s truly amazing how such a small wall can be used to the max. From floor to ceiling, side to side, this wall is 100% functional!

Okay, so I mentioned earlier in the post that I’d share the printables that I created for this wall. Some I still use and some I don’t, but were featured in the magazine article.

Calendar

Click to Print: Calendar Printable (for personal use only)

Grocery List / Weekly Menu

Click to Print: Grocery List (for personal use only)

Chore Chart

Click to Print: Chore Chart_2014 (for personal use only)

Reward Chart

Click to Print: Reward Chart (for personal use only)

Peek at the Week ahead

This is a printable I created for the BHG photoshoot, but the idea for this printable came from Jen at I Heart Organizing. I would never want to take someone’s idea and present it as mine, so I’m not sharing a copy of this for you to download. Instead I encourage you to print the one she created (which is much cuter than mine) or be inspired and create your own. Click here for Jen’s Peek at the Week Printable.

If you have any trouble downloading the printables, please let me know. I don’t often create printables, so I hope they are easy to print. From my end, they look good to go!

Later this week I will be guest posting about ways to create a command center in your home over at the Style Spotters blog on the Better Homes and Gardens website. Be sure to check it out and of course, I will share a link.

In the meantime, cheers to 2014 and getting organized + making life simpler for the New Year!

2013 Year in Review + {Link Up}

Written by Jenna on December 30, 2013. Posted in Uncategorized, Year in Review. 14 Comments on 2013 Year in Review + {Link Up}

What a year it’s been. I don’t know about you, but for me, it’s gone by in a blink of an eye. Seriously. I don’t think a year has ever gone by so fast. Anyway, the past year has been filled with many unexpected and rewarding opportunities – I can’t be more thankful. As always, it’s fun to look back on all the DIY creations and projects that have been accomplished around the ole’ homestead. Let’s head down memory lane for 2013…

January started out with revamping my central command center with a new chalkboard wall behind. Who knew at the time that it would be chosen to be featured in a national magazine, Better Homes and Gardens (on stands now). Crazy. This 30″ spot in our home is incredibly functional and truly keeps our family on track so we know where we’re going when.

I will mention, since a year ago, this spot has changed once again (as our needs have changed) and it’s one of the first projects I’ll be sharing with you in 2014.

Along with this fun + functional wall, January was also filled with inspiration on starting a blog, fixing unaligned furniture, and turning trash into treasure (lamp to vase).

As we headed into February, the focus was on designing my new office / family room and all the new details that went into creating it like the striped window treatments using paint, the modern to industrial-style coffee table, and the creation of my GIANT inspiration board. The backstory of how the room evolved over the years is quite interesting…

What a busy month!

March was another busy month around my neck of the woods, along with a few client projects. The MEGA craft room with bright + vibrant colors that I had finished was finally ready to be revealed…

…as well as a newly renovated client kitchen. Both were such rewarding projects (and both were photographed for BHG and will be featured later this year). Pinch me again.

April was another exciting month with the start of my powder room makeover. And still to this day, I just LOVE it. The renovation started with removing the existing toilet and sink, then the following month I moved on to wallpapering the space, and installing the new toilet, sink, and accessories.

Also in April, I shared inspiring Spring porches + entryways, ideas for infusing color into the home, and superb Spring mantels. So much INSPIRATION to go around. The biggest project in April though was definitely the creation of the Vertical Garden Pallet for my front porch.

Spring was one of my favorite seasons on the blog because I hosted a beautiful blog series about Creating a Meaningful Home. Many of my blog friends contributed and opened up their homes to share how they’ve created a meaningful home. If you want to see the entire series, this link will take you there.

On the DIY front, May was a big month because we finally tackled the staining of our exterior wood deck. Looking back at the before picture makes me simply shake my head. I can’t believe how desperate it needed some TLC. It was a big project to tackle, but so worth it in the end!

In June, the Creating a Meaningful Home blog series continued, but it was also a month filled with making cute mason jar terrariums with the kids, sharing inspiration on 5 upgrades for a killer kitchen, and my new entry drop space. The entry upgrade has made the foyer space so much more user-friendly and even though it’s not a huge area, extra room for coats and bags has been wonderful.

As the summer rolled around, the powder room kept me busy throughout the month of July. Once it was finally finished near the end of the month, I was able to share the big reveal. What a CHANGE!

During the Summer, I was also asked to become apart of the Apartments.com team as a Brand Ambassador. Through my partnership with Apartments.com I have been able to share ideas + inspiration about living in an apartment and/or a small space. We’re all looking for strategic ways to maximize our space and often with a little planning and outside-of-the-box thinking, a better use of space is possible. As a Brand Ambassador for Apts.com, over the past few months I have shared many easy-to-create DIY projects, like these rope wrapped vases and glasses.

August was a slow month on the DIY homefront, but it was a busy month in general because my family and I hit the road for the biggest roadtrip we’ve ever taken. We headed to Atlanta for the Haven Conference in a 2300+ total mile trip. The trip truly changed my life. I finally got to meet so many friends that I had only known thus far through the computer. It’s amazing how blogging has made such an impact on my life.

Once I returned from Haven, I was still a busy DIY girl! I kept myself occupied with revamping my bookcase backs, sharing inspiration on ideas for open kitchen shelving, and my latest DIY creation – a new pallet gardening table.

Also in late Summer, I became a covergirl by having a space I designed featured on the cover. I had worked with a local magazine called, Saratoga Mama, and their Fall magazine featured a Kids Corner Craft area that I designed. It was such a fun project to be apart of!

As Fall rolled around, and we welcomed September + my 3 year blog anniversary, ideas for a foyer revamp started to fill my head. And when I set my mind to something, I usually can’t let it go. The best part of the foyer makeover was definitely the addition of wide horizontal stripes. Of course, I shared a few tips + tricks I learned to achieve the most perfect stripes…

A few other favorite projects + posts in September were how I created drop cloth curtain panels with a leading edge (one of my most favorite projects to date), my unique Fall wreath with plums + peacock, and ideas + solutions for the wall BEHIND the TV.

In October, I tackled quite a few fun and easy DIY projects like the creation of the stained yellow coffee table with dipped legs, the chevron patterned pillow, and how to bring the outdoors in with Fern Art…

October was also an exciting month because I got to share the final foyer reveal with you. The space has had quite the evolution of styles over the years!

November brought the start of the Christmas decorating season. We started early this year! But before I began showing you all things Christmas around the house, I opened up a secret door in the house. One that is often not revealed to anyone. What am I talking about?? The inside of the kitchen cabinets, of course. But I was okay with opening them up because I reorganized them and they looked fab.

As December rolled on in, the house transformed into a seasonal wonderland. I was honored to be apart of the Jennifer Rizzo Holiday Housewalk Tour and opened my home for Christmas Tour. I was blessed to be apart of this well-known blogland tour and had a great time showing you around my holiday decorated home.

And to round out this blessed year, my kids and I are currently featured in the I Did It section of the Better Homes and Gardens January issue – which is on stands now. I shared all about the behind the scenes of the day just a few weeks ago.

What a year it’s been. To be honest, not until putting this post together did I realize how much we’ve tackled and accomplished this past year. Like I’ve said so many times, it’s been an incredibly surprising and rewarding year. I can’t wait to see what 2014 brings…

A few of my friends and I are hosting a link up for you to share your “Best of 2013” or “Year in Review” posts. These types of posts are great because they give a fantastic recap into the biggest accomplishments throughout the year.

After you’ve linked up, head on over to Beth, Carrie, and Jessica’s blog where they are sharing their recaps + your “Best of 2013” posts will be seen on their blogs too.

Beth, Unskinny Boppy

Carrie, Making Lemonade

Jessica, Decor Adventures

The only party guidelines: Visit the co-hosts and if you link up, perhaps publicize the party on Facebook or Twitter so others can find out about it as well. The more the merrier!

DIY: Personalized Word Christmas Ornament

Written by Jenna on December 18, 2013. Posted in Christmas, DIY. 7 Comments on DIY: Personalized Word Christmas Ornament

One week to go and Christmas will be here. Can you believe it?

As you know, my home has been decorated for quite a few weeks, but I have still been working on new holiday projects here and there to add to this years decor. Once the house is ‘set’, I still enjoy adding new and unique touches for the season.

Since adding in a second tree this year, which is more of a pretty tree versus the sentimental traditional tree we decorate as a family, I’ve had fun with the gold + brown theme. Along with the ball ornaments, I’ve added in some gold feathers (yes gold + feather in one combo: heaven) and just this past weekend, I jazzed it up even more with my latest DIY creations, word Christmas ornaments…

Super fun, right?! I got the idea from seeing a beautiful vignette in the Garnet Hill catalog. I didn’t see the ornaments for sale (not like I would buy them anyway because they’d probably be $10+) and decided to create my own version.

I started off by grabbing a box (set of 6) of clear bulbs and a gold Sharpie marker at AC Moore. With my 50% off coupon, I ended up getting both items for a few cents over $6. Not bad for 6 ornaments, which = about $1/ornament…

Before putting pen to glass, I wanted to find the perfect font and words to write. I decided on the words Joy, Peace, Shine, Merry. All words that are meaningful around Christmas. For the font, there was a toss up between Jenna Sue and Channel.

In the end, I decided on the Channel font because I thought bigger and bolder would be better, plus it’s a little more forgiving – I’ll tell you why in a moment…

I started out by copying the script font from the computer screen to the ornament.

The result… Not exact, but pretty close.

For each word, I started out with one line, then embellished each letter with thicker lines. This type of font is more forgiving because you can layer and add onto each letter instead of it being a ‘one shot deal’.

Once the first layer of gold Sharpie was dry, I added another layer for a second coat.

Each ornament took about 8-10 minutes, so within about 40-60 minutes, I was done with the project.

All 4 unique and personalized ornaments would be perfect for a gift. Any words could be used. Maybe each ornament could say a member of the family or something silly about the holidays…

Once I was done, the ornaments were ready to immediately hang since Sharpie’s take no time to dry.

So what do you think? A project you’d consider tackling? What type of project does it inspire you to make?

I Did It: Better Homes and Gardens Feature

Written by Jenna on December 16, 2013. Posted in Featured Publication. 25 Comments on I Did It: Better Homes and Gardens Feature

I’m over the moon to share some exciting news with you. First though, it can’t go without saying that I find it truly incredible how one’s life and journey evolves over time. For me, I have put so much time and effort into my passion for design and inspiration, and I have been incredibly blessed with unimaginable opportunities – opportunities that have exceeded hopes and dreams. By being open minded (somewhat) and following my destined path, I have been given, rewarded, and I am ever so grateful.

On to my exciting news… I don’t even know where to begin or how to start, so here I go… My kids and I are featured in the I Did It section of the Better Homes and Gardens January 2014 issue. This feature is beyond amazing. It’s the last page of the magazine, so it’s really just as important as the front page (if you’re a back to front reader like me, ha).

Here it is…

Crazy, right?!

How did this happen?

I’m still pinching myself.

About a year ago through a friend/client, I was lucky to meet the incredibly talented Donna Talley, Stylist and Producer for Meredith Corporation (publisher of BHG and many other magazines). We worked together on a few project submissions and photoshoots (more of which will be coming out in other BHG magazines in 2014), which then led to the submission of my central command center. After review, the BHG team loved it’s incredible function and ease for any family to implement. They thought it was perfect for their get organized-theme January issue.

From that point, a date for shooting took place, which was in mid-June, and the rest was history. O wait… I failed to mention one important detail. My kids were also asked to be in the feature with me. Yikes. That news alone made the pressure (pressure I put on to myself) for perfection that much more. Not only did I have to look good, but I had to worry about how my kids would look (not too big of a deal) and how they would act (sometimes a challenge).

And the biggest challenge of all… WHAT TO WEAR!

In the end, nothing went as planned, yet ALL went incredibly well. And it was ALL incredibly fun!

So here’s a little insight into the day…

Initial ideas for clothes. In the end, totally different choices were made.

A central command center, of course, needs organization!

And there were many options. Working with Donna, options are everything. The motto Less is More, is not allowed.

It’s all in the details, so my nails were done…

And a few curlers helped my blah hair…

my sweet friends on IG left me some nice comments. xo

And then I was ready and in front of the camera.

Photos were taken. Outfits were changed. More photos were snapped. And then the result. On the back page of BHG magazine.

It surely was a wonderful and eye-opening day. The amazing Donna Talley vamped up my central command center like no other. It was perfect-i-o-n. And the talented, John Bessler, photographer extraordinaire, made my kids at ease and as always took beautiful, engaging photos.

Since being involved in about 10 other photoshoots with Donna, it still amazes me how much goes into the set up and lighting. Pictures in magazines look effortless, but there is so much that goes into making them camera-ready. For my little 30″ command center wall, look at how the room needed to be transformed.

To get the light ideally balanced takes an incredible amount of work. Something that I surely took away from the shoot and try to implement in my own blog photoshoots.

And lastly, a few pictures that I took of the central command center once the day was over and everyone was long gone.

These pictures are certainly not like the professional ones. But they are good enough for me 😉

And that’s a wrap. Phew, I am so glad I could finally share this exciting news with you. It’s been a long 7 months holding it in!

My take away from this whole experience… Amazing opportunities and experiences can happen to anyone. Simply do what you love. Put in the effort and your reward will come.

If you’d like to get your hands on the January issue, it’s on the newsstands now. Not only is my feature fun, but the entire issue is jam-packed with great organization tips.

If you want to see more of the central command center, visit the original post.

I will confess that the command center has been updated since the photoshoot and I’ll be sharing more of that in 2014!

Cozy Adirondack Christmas Porch

Written by Jenna on December 12, 2013. Posted in Christmas, Decorating. 21 Comments on Cozy Adirondack Christmas Porch

Christmas is officially less than 2 weeks away. It’s crazy how the season is passing us by so quickly. Are you ready?

So I’ve got another surprise for you today… Yes, another secret!

Since I shared a tour of the inside of my home last week, it’s time to take you outdoors… to my newly decorated Cozy Christmas Adirondack Porch.

Welcome…

I’m usually so focused on decorating the interior for the Holidays, that the porch often gets little thought and sadly neglected – are you like that? Well not this year!

On a way-too-cold-to-be-outside day a few weeks ago, myself and the troops (a.k.a The Mister and the kids) ventured outdoors to decorate. After a few hours, way too many decorating edits, broken bulbs (and they were brand spank-in new), and a couple of trips to Lowes, I was finally satisified with the result of this year’s cozy adirondack-style front porch. And I have to say, itâ€™s our best yet.

Thankfully I can say that I live in the adirondacks, so having a front porch with a rustic, natural aesthetic is so apropos. (my interior doesn’t really reflect the same look, but that’s okay).

I didn’t start off the porch with a specific idea in mind, but as the family and I started decorating, it all came together (over many cold hours) to create a cozy outdoor haven. We began the transformation by removing some of the porch furniture that we have out for the summer. We left the pretty lutyens bench though, draped a blanket over the back, and added a few pillows – it was the beginning of the adirondack porch.

In front of the bench, I positioned a round table (which is actually an electrical cable spool that I found on the side of the road) and added some festive elements including “dressed-up” mason jars, a lantern, and some pine and berry sprigs.

I said to the Mister that afternoon, “Let’s get some hot chocolate, cuddle under the blanket, and enjoy our newly decorated porch”. Well we all ended up being too chilly and unfortunately ‘sitting and enjoying’ hasn’t happened yet, but it sure looks so inviting.

Would you stop over and have a cup of-something with me?

On the other side of the porch, I created a small festive vignette. I stacked two large slices of cut logs and topped them with a poinsettia and a small pile of pinecones. As a larger and taller anchor, I brought in the potted boxwood (which sits throughout the year next to the garage), two lanterns filled with a large candle, and another poinsettia. The varying heights and sizes of the elements, plus the differing textures, in the vignette, create an interesting composition.

Behind the poinsettia and pinecone vignette, I wanted even more height and added a leftover piece of pallet scrap, which I added a quick coat of white paint to and wrapped with twine. A super simple 3 minute project!

Of course, we needed some greenery on the porch and I surely didn’t fail in that department.

On either side of the front door are two small (3′ high) faux trees decorated with petite ornaments and twine for garland. Plus we added more greenery on the columns with a garland mix of pine and cedar.

The last element that we added to the front porch are the hanging ornaments. This was the last addition and definitely my favorite!

The overall porch…

And alittle more ornament action…

And of course donned on my front door is my whimsical winter wreath that I made a few years ago. Still a favorite.

Thanks so much for taking a tour of my newly decorated cozy adirondack front porch. The porch and/or entryway of a home sets the tone for what’s to come inside. Whether you have a simple wreath on your door or you go all out with lights, festive decorations always bring happy cheers and smiles.