Upcoming Projects - Part 2

I hope everyone had a great memorial day weekend.

I finally had some time to get pictures of the rooms for this post.  Some of the rooms were quite messy.  So, I needed to do some cleaning first.  But, I got it done none the less.

Part 2 has to do with rooms that need a lot of work.  Nothing major, just a little bit of painting and new furniture.  These rooms will take quite a bit longer to finish.

The Office

This is what our office looked liked before we turned it into an office.

This is what the office looked like last year.



 This is what it looks like now.

Why does it look like this, you ask?

Well, I had the room setup for my photography business (the 2nd set of pictures from last year).  We moved that business out of the house and took most of the furniture to the new location.  We needed it to still function as an office for our restaurant.  So I temporarily moved the furniture that was left into a configuration that would work for my husband.  Because the first 3 rooms on my list were more important, the office still looks like this.  It has become the dumping ground for all the project materials from the other rooms.  So now it is completely out of control.

The room is a bright blue that I am not feeling anymore.  I have already painted 1 wall with black chalkboard paint.

The office will be set up so that I will have a space for blogging and designing.  My husband will have a space for running the restaurant.

Here is what needs done:

• Paint 3 walls gray
• Move furniture around
• Purchase new furniture/Assemble
• Add doors to expedits
• Install doors on billy bookcases
• Make artwork for wall
• Sew curtains
• Make framed corkboard
• Paint rug
• Install new light fixture
• Add accessories
• Add art to chalkboard wall

Kitchen

Here is our extremely small kitchen.

This room is basically the same as it was when we both moved in.  We have a plan to only live in this house for up to 5 years.  So we have decided to only do minor adjustments to this kitchen.  It just wouldn't be worth the money. 

So here is what we are going to do:

• Paint walls light gray
• Repaint ceiling white
• Paint cabinetry gloss white
• Replace handles with modern handles
• Change light fixture
• Replace formica counters with black counters from Ikea
• Put in chrome backsplash
• Add billy bookcases with doors for more pantries
• Add mobile cart
• Put Flor tiles in (to cover hideous floor)
• Add recycling/Trash bin in cabinetry
• Make roman blinds/Install

Entry

Yes, this is our entry into our house.  Not much of an entry.  It is super small and not much room to do anything with.  It needs spruced up and it needs to feel welcoming.

• Paint door
• Paint basement door (directly across from the entry door)
• Add cool window covering (it is a surprise)
• Add artwork
• Add rug

Basement

Craftroom and Storage Area

This is the future home of my craft/sewing room.  Because our office isn't big enough for 2 computer stations and a sewing area, the sewing machine needed a home.  Our basement is a decent size and we are only using it to store things.  I thought it would be a perfect place for my crafting and sewing.

• Move things that need stored to designated area (see below)
• Clean/Mop
• Spray for insects
• Paint floor black and white checkerboard
• Buy new furniture/Assemble
• Install ceiling treatment
• Make light fixtures/Install
• Install doors for billy bookcases
• Organize craft supplies

This area is our storage area.

There will be several gorm shelving units from Ikea that will hold storage totes of things that we don't use on a daily basis but need access to.

That's not all!  Stay tuned for part 3 of this post to wrap up the rest of the projects.  The final part will cover 2 major projects that we will no doubt leave to last because of how much work it will be.

What do you think of all the projects I have planned so far?  Do you think I am crazy for doing all this work to a house we will move out of within 5 years?  Let me know what you think.

Upcoming Projects - Part 1

There are so many projects that need done around our house.  Some times I get a little overwhelmed by it all.  But slowly the projects get done and it is a lot of fun watching the house come together.

Here is a breakdown of all the projects on the horizon.

Part 1 is the rooms that are started and only need finishing touches.  I don't want to include any pictures until the final reveal of these rooms.  I have shown sneak peeks of projects in those rooms.

Dog's Room/Storage Room

• Paint Toy Box
• Sew crate covers & dog beds
• Sew pillows
• Sew curtain for door
• Remove broken window lattice on door
• Paint door
• Do artwork for wall
• Add o'verlay to dresser
• Fix expedit
• Make light fixture/Install
• Finish adding accessories

Bedroom

• Install curtain rods on pax wardrobes
• Add handles to pax wardrobe doors
• Sew curtains for wardrobes
• Hang curtains on rod
• Sew pillows
• Make artwork for wall
• Sew new comforter
• Install ethanol fireplace (Future)

Living Room/ Dining Room

• Tear out carpet
• Install new laminate floor
• Install light fixture in LR area
• Make light fixture for DR area/Install
• Install faux beams on ceiling
• Install shelves on wall
• Make sunburst mirrors
• Hang mirrors & artwork on walls
• Add mirror doors to expedits
• Sew curtains
• Sew pillows
• Change slipcover on couch
• Add wallpaper inside bookcase
• Embellish doors on bookcase and TV stand
• Embellish closet doors
• Install pendant light
• Put Flor tiles down in DR area
• Finish adding accessories.

So that is the long list of projects for the 3 rooms that have been started and need finished.  The rest of the house is major projects.  I will continue with part 2 of this post with rooms that need completely redone.  That post will have pictures of what the rooms look like right now. 

Please become a follower to see the rest of my upcoming projects.

When I'm Not Working On My Home

I have taken a break from doing projects in my house for a few reasons. 

One, I tore my meniscus in my left knee on my birthday outing at the beginning of April.  It has been a slow recovery.  The first few weeks after the injury, I wasn't able to bend my knee hardly at all without shooting pain.  That limited the projects that I was able to do in my house.   

Two, I have been saving my money to buy the Flor tiles for the dog's room (see this post). 

Three, my sister needed a new design plan for her living room.  I volunteered to give her my opinion.

This is the first time working up a design plan for any one really.  So I was super excited and I felt like a professional designer.  Then, I was kind of worried that she wouldn't like what I came up with.  But she didn't hire me or anything.  It was just a fun challenge for myself.  I really like what I came up with and I hope she takes my advice and really does some of my suggestions.

I had her email pictures of her living room.  When I visited to take measurements, I forgot to bring my camera.  She wanted to clean first any ways.

Here is her room as it is right now.

She has changed things around several times in the 2 years she has lived there and nothing was wowing her.

The furniture needed to stay.  Which was a huge challenge for me.  But I worked with what she had and added a few pieces I thought she was lacking.

Here is the floor plan that I came up with.

Here is the screen shots of what the room would look like.

In Chief Architect (the design software that I use), I placed her existing furniture in the room and came up with a plan that I thought would suit her family.  The software limits some of the styling.  So of course, there needs accessories added to the bookcases and on the tables.  This software is just a tool to see how the furniture fits in the room. 

The patterns on the curtains, pillows and rug aren't necessarily what she would use.  I love chevron stripes so I couldn't help add them.  I do think she should still use the dark navy blue on the curtains and the rug, but in whatever pattern that she likes. 

There was a space near her kitchen that only had a china cabinet.  It seemed like wasted space.  In order to create a dining area, I had to block off the doorway that went into the hallway.  They have another doorway into the hallway in the kitchen.  I wasn't sure why the house needed 2 doorways that go to the same place.

I thought a pallet wood feature wall would be the "wow factor" in her room.  I added that to the large wall that the TV is on.  I got the idea from the blog Bower Power.  Here is a picture of what they did.

You can find out how they did their pallet wall here.



I scoured blogland for other DIY projects that I thought she could incorporate into the room to save money on updating her living room.

A Painted Rug like this from Birdhouse blog.

You can find the tutorial for this painted rug here.

Drop Cloth Painted Curtains from A Drop in The Bucket.

You can find the tutorial for these curtains here.

Large framed chalkboard like this by PB & J Stories.

You can find the tutorial here.

Photo Banner like this one by Dear Lillie.

You can find the tutorial here.



Monogrammed Drop Cloth Pillow by It All Started With Paint.

You can find this tutorial here.



Silhouettes by Brooklyn Bride.

Get the tutorial here.



Milk Glass by Ruffled.

You can find the tutorial here.

Book Page Art by Life as a Thrifter.

You can find the tutorial here.

Chalkboard Chargers by Tatertots & Jello.

You can find the tutorial here.

Paint Stick Sunburst Mirror by Centsational Girl.

You can find the tutorial here.

Jute Bottles by Living With Punks.

You can find the tutorial here.

Ombre Lampshade by Vintage Revivals.

You can find the tutorial here.

Book Page Wreath by The Shabby Creek Cottage.

You can find the tutorial here.

Reclaimed Wood Candle holder by Stephanie @ Home.

You can find the tutorial here.

Map Monogram by Callaloo Soup.

You can find the tutorial here.

Jute Table Runner by Tara Dennis.

You can find the tutorial here.

I love all these projects and I think if my sister incorporated some of these projects into her room it would give her the wow factor that she is looking for.

Now that I finished her design plan, I purchased and installed the Flor tiles for the dog's room and my knee is finally feeling better,  it is back to some projects.  Tomorrow, I will be posting what I have on the agenda.



Happy Late Mother's Day

Happy late Mother's Day to everyone.

I waited to do this post for a couple of reason.  One, I can only blog on my weekend (Saturday, Sunday and Monday).  My husband and I own a restaurant.  We are there pretty much all day through the week.  Last weekend I was busy finishing up my Mother's day present for my mom.  So I wasn't able to do this post.  Secondly,  I didn't want to reveal my mom's present until after I gave it to her which was on Monday.

Here is what I was working on.

(I am still working on my photography, so please don't judge!)

I found this wreath tutorial through a link party and I thought it would really fit my parent's front door perfectly. 

The wreath was done by Jody at Homey Home Design.  I didn't do anything different.  I am kind of a copy cat sometimes.  Also, I have never crafted anything.  This was my first attempt at making a wreath.  I must say I am pretty proud that the wreath looks as good as Jody's.  Thanks Jody for posting the tutorial that helped me make my first wreath.



I got the best Mother's Day present ever.  It was actually my very first Mother's Day present.  You see, I don't have kids.  I have dog's.  I decided very early on that I didn't want to have kids and have stuck with that decision.  So I usually don't get to participate in the festivities.

This year, my fantastic husband surprised me with a dozen pink roses and 4 cards from each of my dogs.  He wrote from each dog's perspective.  It was the cutest and sweetest thing ever.  He really nailed their personalities.  It is honestly the best present I have ever got in my whole life.

I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day.  I know that I did.  Is there anyone else out there in blogland that doesn't get to experience Mother's Day because they have made the decision not to have kids?  I would love to hear from you.  Some times I feel like I am the only one out there.  Haha!

Tomorrow I will be posting what I have been up to the past few weekends that has taken me away from projects in my home.

Photo Collage Dining Room Table {LR/DR Sneak Peek}

Here is our dining room table.  I decided to do a photo collage in the shape of a heart after seeing it in blogland.  Mostly, people put the collage on a large wall, but I didn't really have the open wall.  I did have this large white table top that looked like it needed something to give it that wow factor.

We love our pictures.  We have tons of pictures of us together that we wanted to display.  Pictures of us on vacation, going to concerts or on our annual fall in love day.  Also, our engagement session, wedding and day after session.  I sorted through them all and figured out how many vertical and horizontal pictures I would need to create the heart shape.  I used mpix.com to order the prints.

Once I had the pictures in hand, I had to arrange them on the table in a heart shape.  After I had them where I wanted them, I put double sided tape on the back of each picture and put them in place.

I added red and purple paint chips as stripes going horizontally through the heart.  This ties into another part of the room that I will reveal at a later time.

Because this is the table we eat dinner at, we didn't want the pictures to be ruined with food and what not.  So we had a piece of glass cut to fit the table top.

Follow my blog to see more of my projects.

I am linking this project over at: