A Bedroom Fit for a Superhero

When we moved Matt into his "big boy" room almost 3 years ago (wait, what?!) we were going for a hockey theme. Somehow it didn't all pan out as I imagined. The one cool thing we did was take dad's broken hockey sticks and made drawer pulls out of them for his built-in dresser. And besides a few framed prints of hockey apparel and some pucks he got from a Griffin's game, that was all...

So fast forward now 2 years later, and he has this Spiderman birthday party (he's never seen any movies, and just got a book for his birthday), because it seems like at some point, every little boy thinks superheros are the coolest! Well I never imagined I would encourage a Spiderman bedroom, but this boy's in love with the web-slinger, and his walls are already painted with a red, white and blue stripe that would kinda go with this theme.

As I mentioned last week, we're getting ready to move Ty into his big boy bedroom, and we need Matt's twin bed. Well, not really, but we need a queen bed somewhere in our house to sleep guests. So we're doing a switcheroo and giving Matt the queen bed, and Ty will have Matt's twin for now with a trundle underneath for Matt when guests are sleeping in his room.

Since this switch meant that Matt would need bigger bedding, I decided to lock down a theme for his room, and we landed on Spiderman, after consulting with the dweller of the space. He's pretty pumped, and thinks that this inspiration board is fantastic! I mean, who wouldn't want to sleep on Spiderman sheets??

 It kinda looks like a hot mess with all of the Spiderman paraphernalia, but those signs are small in comparison to the space, so it will be just fine! Like I said, his room is already painted with a tri-colored stripe running around it as pictured above, and the colors work. I won't be painted over those. They were truly a nesting moment, while I was pregnant with Ty and feeling the need to give Matt a really cool room! They were a labor (see that?) of love that took me longer than birthing a child. ;)

Of course he needed some cool new Spiderman sheets, courtesy of Pottery Barn Kids to kick start this process. As much as I sort of wanted the coordinating quilt they offer, I just felt that $230 was a bit too much to spend on something that he will surely outgrow before the quilt unravels. Instead I picked up this less expensive option that can transition with him forever from Target:

There's no giant Spiderman crawling on it, but it reminded me of webs, and Matt likes it, so it's all good! It's quite thin, but the boy sweats when he sleeps, so I'm not concerned. If he complains he's cold in the winter, we'll throw another blanket under this quilt for warmth. I'm thinking a red bed skirt would work well here, but I need to see what we do with the bed frame and headboard before I go ahead and order that.

On either side of the bed, I would love to make these sconces. I already have two of the cage lights by Threshold from Target, so I just need a couple of IKEA brackets to hold them up. And speaking of IKEA, this rug and these curtains are the pop of red this room needs. I love that the curtains are block-out! They'll go well with his block-out shade. Yup, my kids sleep in dark caves... but they sleep well! ;)

Somewhere I would like a cityscape in his room, and it looks like something I could paint myself. There's a small wall under his name that might be the spot, or possibly on his cork board. Either way the cork board needs some love.

As for artwork: the 4 decorative pieces are actually vintage tin signs I ordered from Amazon, and they're about 12x16, so not annoyingly large. The poster pictured by the curtains is a little larger (16X32), but it was $2, so I couldn't pass it up, and I like its simple Art Deco styling. I'll be making a sign or two for his room. I love the big brother signs, and of course we'll have to incorporate Spiderman's phrase: "With great power comes great responsibility".

He has a chair in his room that we brought up from the living room a few years ago. It's comfortable, but needs a slipcover, if you ask me. That might be a winter project. I suggested bringing his anywhere chair upstairs, but he said he likes to sit in it to watch movies in the basement. Funny... he's always on the couch next to me when we watch movies...

We're excited to get started! I told him as soon as his sheets are delivered, we can move the bed in and get it set up, so that might be as early as this weekend. This won't require much work, just hanging the signs and once I find time to run to IKEA (let's be honest, I need at least a day!), then I'll be able to unroll the rug and hang the curtains.

Until next time... whenever that may be. yesiknowimaninconsistantblogger

A Big Boy Room for My Little Man

In a little over a month, Ty will be 2 and a half. He still loves his crib, but I know the time will come quickly when he'll be ready for a bed, just like his big brother, and we're sort of hoping to make the transition before Thanksgiving guests arrive.

We have three bedrooms upstairs in our house - one is Matt's room, one is the guest bedroom/office, and one is the nursery, or Ty's room. We have a few things to switch around upstairs to make it all make sense.

First of all, there is a queen size bed in the guest bedroom that we'll be moving to Matt's bedroom. Then we'll need to move Matt's twin bed into the guest bedroom, or Ty's future room! The plan is to build (well, my husband would prefer I buy, for time's sake) a trundle bed so that when we do have guests, Matt can sleep on the trundle bed in Ty's room, and the guests can take Matt's room.

I've been working my tail off trying to clear out the excess clutter that we all seem to acquire once we have children. I took last Wednesday morning and cleaned out all of the closets upstairs - Matt's, Ty's, the guest bedroom and the closet that leads to our attic. We were going back to school shopping the next day, so it needed to be done, I just didn't actually think I could do it!

And while Matt went to the cabin with my husband, Ty and I tackled the attic. He was actually very helpful, although he did pull out some old toys that I had stashed away.  I was sweating like a pig while he was happily playing with a bike he found and a car that he loved last year! But after a couple of hours, the attic was somewhat organized, and I had 3 big bags of stuff to donate. I have to go back in again to really situate everything, but I'll wait for fall weather, so it's a little more bearable.

So now that the guest bedroom closet is not full of outgrown clothes, I think I can start planning this big boy room. One of my favorite parts of the design process is making inspiration boards! You may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. ;) Ok, sorry... check this out!

If there's something this boy loves, it's animals! Big or small he wants to pet them all, and talk to them, and play with them, and just be buddies. So I thought it would be fun to incorporate that into his new room, but in a style that can grow with him.

When I saw the Otomi stencil from Royal Design Studio, I knew I had a starting point. I love the deer, the birds, the bunnies, and the fish, as well as the leaves, acorns, and bugs in this pattern. It's playful, but in the right colors, it can be subtle, and not too theme-y. The walls in the room are already painted Palladian Blue by Benjamin Moore, and I think they'll stay. I'm planning to paint the stencil on just the wall behind the bed (above) in White Down, a white with a slight warm gray undertone that I've used on all the trim and built-ins throughout our house I've painted so far. It will look similar to the sample I created above on the inspiration board. *Please ignore the pile of stuff I still need to sort through on the left. This is real life, folks!*

Right now we have our desk in this room, which serves no real purpose, other than as a place to hold the printer and some files. A new home shall be found for it all! In it's place will be a cozy spot to read before bed, and to snuggle when he's sick at night. I have loved the Poang chair from IKEA in this colorful pattern since they first introduced it a few years ago. For under $100 it's the perfect addition, and it's surprisingly comfortable! The bedding I chose is also from IKEA, again for $10, I'm sold. And the curtains, too. Great color, great price. Although I might have to add some fabric to the back to make them block-outs. ;)

We already have the owl rug in the nursery. The colors work until I can find something else. I would love to make this barn door headboard from Shanty 2 Chic, but I'm not sure if my hubby will be on board, since it's taken me months to make a farmhouse table, mainly because I haven't had time, and it's so big that I can't build it in our basement. But school's starting soon, and this headboard could make it up the stairs safely... we'll see!

These honeycomb hexagon shelves on the other hand will be constructed and hung on the wall above! And if I get awesome at faux taxidermy (har har), he'll have some white resin animals heads on his walls as a nod to his dad's hunting obsession. I wish these puppies weren't $50-$100, but I'll see what I can find at TJ Maxx & Homegoods. The arrows are a find from One Kings Lane, but I'm pretty sure I can use one of the tutorials that I've seen floating around other blogs to make a few.  I might have to add some framed feathers, because we have quite a few chicken, turkey and blue jay feathers around our house from adventures!

I'm excited to get started, but before I can do that, I need to finish up Matt's room. We've switched ideas in there, and that's okay since he's getting a different sized bed now anyway, and the accessories just never came together before. Check out that inspiration board next week. It's a little more themed, but I promise I won't go overboard. ;)

Linking Up To:
Dimples & Tangles - Summer Style Soiree Link Party

Design Board: Colorful Cottage Dining Room

I've been busy scouring thrift shops and Craig's List for the right dining chairs to pair with the Farmhouse dining table that's currently in progress in our garage. Right away I found a couple of simple wicker parsons chairs for $40, and just last night I found a set of 6 wooden chairs that were originally purchased from World Market for sale at $15 each. 8 sturdy chairs for around $100 sounds good to me!

So here's the plan:

Here's the problem:
I have 5 colors and 8 chairs. In my very particular mind, there is a great need to eliminate one color, so that two chairs can be painted one of each color. I'm thinking the orange has to go. The color is great, but it's the easiest to remove and still keep the colorful look I'm trying to achieve here. Maybe it has a place somewhere else in the future. As a centerpiece on the table, or maybe in artwork on the walls. Only time will tell.

So instead of going on, I'm going to get back to building the table and refinishing the chairs. Building the table is going smooth so far, and it's fairly quick. Painting and staining everything will be time consuming, but well worth it in the end. I can't wait to see it all complete!

Linking up to:
Hit Me with Your Best Shot 
Enchanting Inspiration No. 6

My Family Cottage & A Dining Plan

I hope you all had as fun of a 4th as we did! We spent the whole weekend with family and friends at my family's cottage - just a short walk from the beach on Lake Michigan - swimming in the lake, playing in the sand, eating ice cream, and of course watching fireworks over the channel.

  

My parents bought our cottage when I was 4 & we practically lived out there during the summers. Between the trolley rides, walks to get ice cream, spending countless hours at the beach, and climbing sand dunes, my childhood was filled with adventure. I'm so excited that my boys are now at the ages where they can enjoy these activities as much as I did.

About 5 years ago major water damage all but ruined this wonderful place. During the winter there was an electrical surge that shut off the boiler, causing the pipes to freeze and burst leaving the floors covered in inches of water, frost on every window, and drywall bubbling. There wasn't much we could do to fix it other than gut the inside and remodel, keeping the shell of the house.

I wish I had before photos to share, because we were able to move rooms around creating a more open space that functions better for our family. We lost a bedroom upstairs, but gained one in the basement by removing the second kitchen that was original to the house. We kept the bathroom upstairs, but added in a stackable washer and dryer opposite of the custom vanity to conserve space.

The kitchen and a bedroom swapped spots allowing the kitchen to be up front by the deck. Now we're able to see the channel from the new dining room. When I stand in the "new bedroom" I can't believe a kitchen and dining room used to fit in that space.

Speaking of the dining room, it is in major need of a new table and chairs. Currently the table out there is... old. It's been there since I was a kid, and it's seen better days. We're down to 5 chairs, and more often than not there are more than 5 people at the cottage. Most of the time we eat dinner outside on the deck, but when it's raining or we just need a space to hang out at night, it's nice to have seating for everyone.

 

My mom has been hesitant, because she didn't want to buy an expensive wood dining set and have it get ruined. Understandable. I mean, we all want the Pottery Barn table, but we don't want anyone to eat at it. Am I right?!

Insert Ana White's DIY Farmhouse Table.

So lovely, and so similar to this table from Pottery Barn, but built at a fraction of the price.

 

 After having made the vanity for our half-bathroom, I really think this is something I can handle. I shared my design idea and plans with my mom, then ordered the legs from Osborne Wood right away. They'll be here this afternoon -- super fast shipping if you ever need some legs. ;)

I'm planning to paint the legs and apron Linen White by Benjamin Moore to coordinate with the cabinets. They'll be distressed and sealed with a clear wax. The top will also be distressed to hide any abuse it may be put through, but I promised my mom we would lacquer the heck out of it in an attempt to protect it. I'm thinking a darker gray driftwood stain would look nice. The floors are natural hickory and have subtle gray tones in them, and the ceiling is a pine tongue and groove, so I'm not looking to match that.

As for the chairs, I picked up a set of 2 wicker parsons chairs that I'm planning to paint. I'm looking for 4 or 6 more chairs on Craig's List and in thrift shops that I can paint as well. There isn't much color in this space, so my plan is to paint 2 chairs one color, 2 chairs another color, etc. to liven up the room. Something like this:

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 We have the cutest built in bench in the entry that's painted Caliente by Benjamin Moore, so that will be the red I use for 2 of the chairs to keep a bit of consistency throughout the cottage.

That's also the same color we used on the vanity in the basement bathroom, so it only makes sense to continue it. 

Speaking of that entry bench, did you notice the fantastic paisley fabric on the cushion? I'll be pulling the rest of the colors from that fabric. I'm thinking two red chairs, two yellow chairs, two blue chairs, and possibly two green (if we have room). Or maybe I'll paint each chair a different color; 1 red, 1 orange, 1 yellow, 1 green, 1 blue and... maybe 2 blue? I really depends on the chairs I find, and how big the table ends up being.

I'm excited to get started, and I can't wait until it's all done! I know it will really add character to the dining room and help with color flow throughout the whole cottage.

And in case you think I forgot, I don't have any major updates on my mom's kitchen renovation. The coffee bar is almost complete, and the cup pulls have been installed, but the knobs I ordered look a lot more minty in person than the aqua we are going for. I'm working on returning those now, and either exchanging for a new color, or looking at an entirely different knob.  I also received the fabric for the window valance late last week. I hope to get started on that soon, with a tutorial on how to make a simple and modern valance. Stay tuned! ;)

Linking Up To:
Everyday Enchanting - Enchanting Inspiration Link Party No. 6

Client Kitchen Updates: Design Plan

For years now my mom has been wanting to change a few things around in her kitchen to brighten it up and make it feel a little bigger. Due to the location of the kitchen, without major renovations, there's really no way to make it bigger or change the cabinet layout. It's a galley style kitchen, and that's how it shall stay.

Her home is very unique & pretty well known in our area. After all, there aren't many pieces of property on 7 acres in the city with horses. The house was built in 1949, but before going up for sale, the previous owners updated it. In my opinion, they chose less than stellar materials and finishes. Luckily my mom has been on a mission to restore her home to fit the original Colonial style, with modern amenities.

Below is a design board I quickly put together to give my mom and her builder an idea of the direction I was suggesting we head in:

She has these jars in red, aqua, and white, and loves the color combination -so that was our starting point.  The existing cabinets are cherry, and while painting them would be the easiest way to brighten the space, we've all decided that's not the best idea for wear-ability.  From there of course I jumped into fabrics. This kitchen has a gigantic window (we're talking 7 feet wide!) over the sink that looks into the backyard at the horses, chickens, and sometimes cows that take up residence behind her house. That was the only opportunity to add in some great color and pattern, so I ran with it.

For a classic element, we chose a subway tile back splash - white, with soft gray grout. The current back splash is a 3" extension of the dark taupe Corian counter tops, and painted above that. Pretty blah.

The counter tops will change to a quartz that is reminiscent of granite. After using quartz in our half-bathroom, I recommend it to everyone! No maintenance and a great look. One of my favorite additions to this kitchen is the white farmhouse sink that will be under-mounted into the quartz. A bright chrome bridge style faucet will be installed for a little glitz along with a hot water tap and a garbage disposal button for a clean look.

The current hardware is a rustic brown (not even bronze), that just blends in with the cabinets. Hardware is like jewelry for your cabinets, and you don't always want to wear jewelry that just fades into the background, do you? So we're kicking those up a notch with some chrome cup pulls on the drawers and some sort of blue knobs on the doors.

One major renovation taking place is the removal of the wine hutch. This cabinet was just taking up space in my mom's kitchen, since she's not a big wine drinker. There was also a small sink here, just feet from the main sink. To me, it didn't really make sense. That has been removed, and in its place will be a custom coffee bar, complete with a pot-filler faucet to keep the tank of her Keurig full conveniently, and drawers built for k-cups. This will be painted white.

After talking with her builder, he just happened to have some time to quickly fit in her kitchen while we were in Alaska. It's not complete just yet, but I'm amazed at how much they got done in a little more than a week! I can't wait to show you all the full reveal. Anytime I'm there we stand in the kitchen and say how much we love it. :) ...and it's still under construction!

Linking Up To:
Everyday Enchanting - Enchanting Inspiration Link Party No. 6

Kitchen Renovation {Before}

It's been almost 3 years since we renovated our kitchen, and today I thought I'd show you some of the before pictures, and some reasons why we decided to gut and start over.

 

Above is a view of our old kitchen standing in our dining room. Just to note, I had already removed the fruit and ivy wall paper that was on the bulkhead when we moved in. I planned on painting the bulkhead (one thing I didn't like... why not take the cabinets to the ceiling?)  a deep brick red to coordinate with the floor and small tiles in the back splash, but I ended up just painting it white, in hopes that we would demolish it all and start over in the near future.

But there it sat in this state for about a year and a half. The fridge on the end also bugged me. It felt like it was waiting for you to walk into it. The location of the double ovens (and the fact that we HAD double ovens) was one of the few reasons I liked this kitchen. On to some more reasons we didn't like it.

You see those dark green counter tops? In this picture they're quite clean, but since they are a solid color, they showed every spec of dust that landed on them... and it drove me crazy! The cast iron sink was also a pain to clean and keep clean. Can you tell I'm a fan of low-maintenance materials?

While the cabinets were solid wood, and custom built in home originally, the hardware was not really my style, nor were the exposed hinges. I know those are easy to change, but that was about the only easy thing. That huge fluorescent light in the middle of the kitchen being one more of the difficulties. And while I know they're more Earth friendly, I despise the light that fluorescents give off (ice, ice baby, too cold, too cold!).

Across from the end of the peninsula (sorry, I don't have a before picture) was a pantry. We kept our trash in there, small appliances, place mats... random stuff. It was only about 15" deep, and split into two upper cabinets, one of which was on the receiving end of the laundry shoot from upstairs, and two taller lower cabinets. It didn't work well at all.

We waffled over removing the quarry stone floor. There was not a crack or chip in any tile. That's impressive since it was over 50 years old! But it was so hard to work with, and went through the kitchen, dining room, living room, entry, half bath, and laundry. Much like the green counter tops, it was also difficult to make it look clean - everything showed.

Before we even decided to completely start over, I had drawn up some plans. These were 3 years in the making! I'm still happy with everything, so we definitely looked at our options.

I still love to look at those technical drawings. They're almost identical to what we're living with today. Watching my drawings and dreams turn into reality was so much fun! And being a part of all of the designing and building was so interesting and exciting. I can't wait to show you the after photos.

Half-Bathroom Design Ideas

As I explained here we're planning a complete half-bathroom renovation. With cracking grout and popping tiles, it's time.

When I first saw the Montaigne vanity from Home Decorators, I fell in love! It's clean yet rustic, and offers the perfect storage, in my opinion, for a half-bath. I eyed this guy for over a year, and finally this past Cyber Monday, I ordered it... and then I measured.  This vanity is 22" deep, and we have 19.5" from the wall to the door frame. I frantically called the very next morning to have it refunded and returned (because it had SHIPPED already!!). They actually offered to take a further discount if I would take it, but it simply doesn't fit.

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On to plan B.  After searching and searching for a similar vanity, I've decided to build one. Thanks to Ana White, I have a starting point for plans, and a source for legs, which I shared a sneak peak of last week.

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I won't be building anymore cabinet doors once I get done with the four I'm working on for our living room built-ins. For me, it's harder than it looks. More on that later...

For now, here's an idea of materials and products we'll be using for our renovation:

I'm still on the hunt for the perfect stain for the vanity, but I plan on something natural looking to accentuate the grain of the knotty pine.

After a trip to Virginia Tile, one of my favorite showrooms for inspiration, I actually found these great tile at Home Depot for under $2/ sq. ft. That's about 1/3 of the price in our quote from the installer. The mirror was a $65 Wayfair purchase, on a whim, that delivered the next day, and was perfect! I actually purchased this same faucet 3 years ago for our master bathroom, but when we installed it, the hole that the water tube goes through (P.S. I'm not a plumber, in case you didn't know...) was too narrow, causing water to literally drip out when turned on all the way. Needless to say, it went back to the store, and we still have our awesome fixture circa 1963 installed... one room at a time!

My plan for the plank walls is to take them about 3/4 of the way up the wall, then carry the wall paint above the planks and on to the ceiling. A fabric window treatment will be what pulls this room together, however I haven't found the right fabric yet. Usually I start with a fabric, but this time around, it might be the final addition to the room.

So that's where we are right now. We still have a couple of months before the tile installer could fit us in, so I've got plenty of time to finish the vanity. ...or start... Wish me luck!

Beefin' Up the Built-Ins

In our house we have two fireplaces and a set of built-ins on either side of both fireplaces. We spend a lot of time in our living room, especially after the boys go to sleep, and I've spent a lot of time staring at the built-ins in this room pondering how I can make them a little more substantial.

If you can remember waaaay back in October, I wrote about how I wanted to make some changes to this room. One thing I mentioned was some new doors on the built-ins. They are currently in progress, and I'm excited to share them with you, just as soon as they're finished.

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This is the door style I'm going with. I was going to go with a simple Shaker style, but decided to add a vertical lattice strip down the middle for a little more character. They'll be painted Benjamin Moore's White Down, and the shelves will get a fresh coat of paint as well. I might add some quarter round at the bottom and crown at the top, only time will tell!

I've put a little pressure on myself to get these puppies done before the weekend. My in-laws are coming down to visit, as well as my brother-in-law and his family. I always have something going, and I'm sure they think I'm crazy (nothing like making assumptions, right?). Hey, at least I'm not painting the entry for the 5th time... literally...

I Heart Photoshop & Navy Blue

So I painted.

I painted our living room navy blue... and I love it! There was a little hesitation after the first coat, due to lack of day light, but once the sun was shining, I was thrilled with the new deep tone of this room. As soon as I can remember the name of this paint color I'll fill you all in. I know it's a Benjamin Moore, but it's also a left-over from Matt's "big boy room".

Take a look at the before. Again, still pretty, but I was ready for change. Looking back, the artwork is too small, the pillows don't have quite the contrast that I enjoy, and something about the lamp just isn't right. But this room did make me happy for 5 years, and that's all that matters!

So check out the progress:

I love it so far! It has the contrast, vibrant & new pillows, and a fun lamp. I shopped our house and stole the lamp from our entry table. The color is great, and the shade has a nice texture. The old black lamp doesn't look too shabby in its place, but will probably get a make over in the future.

Does this shot look familiar at all? Sort of....

I've got more plans, and lots to work on! Of course that beautiful navy wall can't stay bare for long. I'm already building a couple of picture ledges, and I just completed some quick DIY artwork for cheap! We also have a recessed light fixture over the corner of the sectional. The light it gives off is very minimal, and the look of it is very... well, 60's. I would love to bring the light down and make it brighter over there.

Here's why I love Photoshop:

This fabulous program allows me to put my thoughts on the screen before making them final. I'm going for a mixture of family photos, artwork, and some of my photography (which I enjoy strictly as a hobby!) and a homemade sign or two.

I can't wait to wrap it up! Stay tuned....

Linking Up To:
The Happy Housie: Work it Wednesday 
Liz Marie Blog - Inspire Me Please - Linky Party #36 
I Heart Nap Time - Link Party Palooze#14

The 5 Year Itch

It's been said that in a relationship there comes a time when happiness declines. Typically this is around 7 years, in a marriage at least. Well, I've been living with a living room for almost 5 years now, and I've got a big itch for change.

How's that for a Carrie Bradshaw impersonation? ;)

I was at a good friend's house the other night, checking out her freshly painted first coat of coral in their half bathroom (she may have been having a minor freakout, and needed a little nudge to keep going), when we started talking about how small change leads to major changes.

When we bought our house 5 years ago, I painted this room Kentucky Haze by Benjamin Moore the night we moved in. Yep, I'm crazy like that! And while I still love this color (it remains in our laundry room, for now...) I'm ready to switch up the feel of this room.

I've been searching for new pillows for our sectional in here for almost a year, but I couldn't pull the trigger (or push the order button) since I wasn't exactly sure which direction I wanted to take this room next.  When I found these Zazzle pillows on Joss & Main a month or so ago, I figured I would go for it, and trust that my new obsession with navy blue would tie everything together. 

 

Then, while shopping at Target, I found another set of pillows that intrigued me. Whether they went together was questionable, but I could return these if not. 

 I waited patiently for my Joss & Main pillows to arrive. When they were finally delivered (really it didn't take more than a week), I was pleasantly surprised to find that I loved them together! 

 I love Instagram filters, don't you? This photo almost makes me want to keep the wall color. But alas, it IS a filter, and not quite like this in real life. Back my not-so-new navy blue obsession. I've been itching to paint something navy - a wall, a room, the back of a built-in, anything!  Now I've got the perfect victim space. 

Opposite of the sectional we have our fireplace (which is in desperate need of a mantel, don't you think?) and our lovely built-ins. My plan for these bad boys is uncertain at this time. One thing's for sure, I will be constructing two new sets of doors. Look close and you'll notice that the left door under the TV is pushed in. Little hands seem to think it's okay to push on this door and check out what's on the inside!

I would also love to paint the backs of these shelves, possibly continue the navy, or maybe introduce another color. Opinions welcome! Here are just a few ideas I've put together from my Pinterest board.

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From left to right: love the planking that Karianne at Thistlewood Farms did on the back of her bookcase, but I'm afraid it might be a bit much with our fireplace. The burlap might be winning in the "alternative to paint" category. I love the texture and warmth it adds, plus it looks pretty easy to do! Of course, painting the backs would be a quick way to change up the space. I love the bright color chosen in this room. Last but not least, another plank style, painted to match the built-ins. It's clean and classy, but we've got plans to spruce up the 5th wall as well!

Let's talk ceilings, shall we?

So we have these beams. They're fake, but we're still friends. However, the acoustic tiles in between them are not my friend. I'm not sure why they were installed in the first place. In my opinion, they make this space look a little cheap. So, instead of tearing it all out, we plan to cover it up. 

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I thought about a coffered ceiling, but the beams we have aren't centered on the fireplace for some reason, and it drives my nuts every time I look at them. I think adding more beams would make it even more noticeable. Our thought is to add some sort of painted paneling between the stained beams. We also want to beef up the beams with trim to give them more of a custom look.

Do you see what I mean? I bought a few new pillows and now we're talking about painting, adding paneling to the ceiling, maybe a mantel... possibly new curtains?  These things naturally snow ball. And that's why my husband LOVES doing home projects with me! :) Lucky for him, I'm going to try out the left over paint from M's room, since I only did a stripe around the wall, but insisted on a gallon of paint. So, let's get started!!

Linking Up To:

Love Grows Wild - Time To Sparkle Link Party #33 

Beneath My Heart - Best DIY Projects of October

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes...

It's time for a few more major changes around here. I love change... around our house. 

Life changes? Eh, I could do without the major ones, with the exception of weddings and babies. How about you?

So our giant to do list begins with the garage/front entry. They're one in the same you see. You walk in our house from the garage, and about 5 feet in front of you is the front door. When we remodeled our kitchen 2 and a half years ago, we ended up taking out every inch or the red quarry stone floor that was original to the house. That stuff was heavy duty! It was about a 1/2" thick and set in concrete. But it was red, and that's not easy to work with, nor is it one of my favorite colors. It had to go. We went with a 12"x12" ceramic tile, brick set. It was cost effective enough to fill the large-ish space that is our entry, half bathroom and laundry room. Well a little over a year later, the grout started coming loose, and in a short time was completely gone. Awesome... Now tiles are popping left and right, and we're not so happy about that.
Last week, in a fit of rage (well not really, just annoyance) I grabbed the liquid nails and re-attached 4 tiles to the floor with it, then re-grouted (my first grout job *tear*). About 3 days later the tiles are wiggling and grout's poppin' all over again! Argh! I was kind of hoping that band-aid would last through the three holidays we host, but it didn't even make it through our Halloween party. Sooo we have no choice but to tear it all out, figure out the real problem (apparently it's the plywood that's giving too much bounce), and re-do the whole shebang less than 3 years after it was installed!

We have a standard closet in this entry as well. Part of me wants to pull a Shelley & Cason and turn it into a bench nook, but we have a window and door that look directly into it at all times. If it's not in tip top organized shape, it might just be the first hot mess you see when you come to our house unannounced!

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At the same time, we're planning to gut our half-bathroom and give it a little more character. 

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This bathroom sums up what we would love to do! We already have a stained pine plank wall in our basement, so we're not jumping on the plank wall bandwagon, just adding more planks to our wagon. I'm not sure if we'll paint it a color, or just White Down by Benjamin Moore like the rest of our house's painted woodwork. Coincidentally, our guest bedroom is painted Palladian Blue just like this bathroom.

I've also loved this vanity from Home Decorator's Collection before I even saw it in this bathroom. I would love to DIY my own, sort of like Tracey and her husband did.

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 We've tossed around the idea of using the scraps of wood floor from our kitchen in here, and a herringbone pattern would be right up my alley! I'm not sure if we're up for the challenge though...

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Another major change we've discussed is remodeling our laundry room into a mudroom. This would involve moving the door in the garage a few feet (or maybe like 10 feet). That alone might blow the budget! But it would be awesome for our boys to be able to take off their dirty clothes and throw them right into a hamper. Or probably on the floor, then I'll throw them in the hamper. Nah, they'll learn! 

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This is sort of the setup I'm thinking for lockers, but maybe add doors to conceal the mess. We have a window in the middle that I would do a bench under. Alright, wake up Lindsey!

So this post is super long, way longer than I intended! These are just some ideas for one area of our house. I think this better be a two-part post, or maybe three-part...