Child's Play

When thinking about what to get my niece for her for her 1st birthday, no ordinary gift would do... I think I was still high from the paint fumes of my last painting project and decided that I would handcraft and paint a kiddie table for her.

I mean, how hard could it be? Famous. Last. Words.

It started simply enough and I found an unfinished table through Amazon.com:

I was not only excited about the fact that I could make a special one-of-a-kind gift, but was already patting myself on the back for saving hundreds of dollars after researching how much it would cost to have someone else make a custom table for me (btw, I'm thinking about quitting my job to become a kids' table painter because they make more than I do).

But once I opened that box, it took nearly 6 weeks to finish the table, which included putting the darn thing together followed by some trial and error designing... there were some highs, followed by some lows, but it ended with the best high of all... a happy niece!

So check out the process and the end result:

First - put together table and chairs...make sure you buy something that is UNFINISHED so you don't have to strip stain...

Then paint everything the lightest of the colors you chose - I went with a lime and raspberry, which are my niece's nursery colors. You want the base to be the lightest color because your darker colors will go over it easily versus the other way around.  And because I used unfinished wood, I had to do three coats of the base color before it would cover up the wood grain. And here's another tip: instead of using a soft, standard paint roller brush, opt for a sponge roller so the paint goes on smoothly.

I then started taping off the design with blue painters tape... there was no rhyme or reason to the design... I just went with the flow and once I had taped everything, I painted over the entire top with my darkest color.

Then I pulled the tape and this is what I got... and quick tip, I taped the freshly painted table way too fast... I was anxious and let the green paint dry only for 24 hours when I should have realistically waited a week before putting on the blue tape to make sure I got a crisp line. Unfortunately, the pink paint bled a bit (you can't see it in the picture) so this is when panic set in...

To remedy how messy the pink sections looked since they bled into the green, I took some white paint and hand painted around each pink part... I have the shakiest hands in the world, so the lines weren't 100% straight, but it gave it a hand crafted, kid-like look while hiding the imperfections of the tape job. 

I used modge podge to seal the top of the table and make it water resistant. I also bought some cute wooden heart cut-outs from Michaels (which were already painted and treated) that I glued in the center for some detail. And I used super glue that is made for painted wood - those puppies aren't going anywhere.

For the chairs, I put my niece's name on one and denoted one chair for a "pal." I created the letters by modge podging sticker letters - WAY easier than hand painting the letters and it looks so much cleaner. So I stuck the stickers on the chairs and then painted over them with the clear modge podge so my niece can't pull them off.

For a final, special touch, I modge podged (can you tell I love that stuff?!) a little note to the underside of the table...

 And here was the final package, bow and all!

So now its time for the big reveal... I couldn't pick just one picture, so here is a little montage!

This painting project was truly a labor of love... happy birthday, sweet Emily!! xoxoxo, Aunt Stevie

Great Expectations

My best friend is expecting her first baby (it's a girl!) and after years of beaming over how I've painted every room in our first home and then showing off the latest painting projects to her in our new place, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that I found myself agreeing to paint her baby's nursery.

At first, I didn't think I could live up to all the expectations… it's like trimming your own bangs - it's easy when they are yours but then when a girlfriend asks you to do hers, you suddenly panic and doubt your scissor skills. Okay, that's a really specific example, but you know what I mean.

So I took on what ended up being an adventure of many painting "firsts" for me. Not only was this the first room I painted not in my own house, but my bff wanted to go with contrasting stripes and I had never done anything like that before. The pressure!  

I felt like if I messed this up, this child would forever be scarred and if she ended up in jail at 18, I could see my best friend coming to me, weeping as she said, "If only you had painted her nursery better, she wouldn't have taken this path." The future of this unborn child rested solely in my paint brush holding hands.

Luckily, my bff is the sweetest person in the world and her unwavering confidence in my abilities gave me the push I needed to tackle the project… well, her and that adorable baby girl that is currently baking in her belly.

So here's the low down...

First, this is going to be a girl… and a GIRLY girl no doubt because my bff is as fabulous and trendy as they come. But the room they chose for the nursery was a blah, boy blue:

My bff came up with the greatest color scheme… the furniture is black, the accents are hot pink and she wanted the striped walls to be shades of warm white. But to ensure that the white paint would be true to color, I had to use primer over the blue to create a more workable surface. That was phase one.

Then we moved onto phase two: putting on the darker, base color, which was called "California White:"

I learned that do ensure crisp stripes, I would need to use "edge lock" tape - 3M sells it and its competitors offer similar products. Because the edge lock-specific tape is really tacky to ensure that no paint leaks through, you must allow your base color to cure for at least 2 weeks before taping otherwise the tape will take it off and damage your recent paint job.

So a few weeks went by and then I embarked on phase 3: the stripes! 

I have to tell you, I was losing sleep over these stripes. Sure, its not rocket science, but I just didn't want to let my bff down! I started slow and steady and started creating 8 inch stripes painting the contrasting stripe in a eggshell color, which was lighter than the base:

These were all my bff's design choices, so I can't take credit for the great color choices, but if you're looking for a dramatic look without dramatic colors, doing stripes in whites is really a great way to do it. So ready to see how it turned out??

I'll be honest. The stripes aren't all even or straight, but I tried. Luckily, the dramatic furniture will mask the imperfections. And when the baby is old enough to notice the inconsistencies, I left this behind to remind her that its not HOW the room was painted, rather what it was painted with… LOVE!

To create this "painted with love by Aunt Stephanie" sticker, I used standard card stock paper (I found a hot pink color to match the bedding) and just printed it off my home computer. I then used modge podge to adhere it to the wall. Super simple.

Phew. The pressure is off! And I KNOW I met the baby's expectations… do you want to know why I know? She sent me this note from the womb… she's already a genius (and a fashionista!)… 

An Outdoor Couch Worth Bringing In

The pace at which I'm decorating the new house you would think there was cash prize waiting for me at at the end... except there isn't... and I'm actually spending cash. Oh well.

So I moved onto the sun room recently and was on an intense hunt for a couch, but not just any couch... an outdoor couch. Because that room isn't temperature controlled, I wanted something sturdy, yet cozy, but still trendy... kind of like me. Okay, so I digress..

Anyway, during the onset of my search, I only  had only two options - 1) cheap, patio-like furniture that looked more like a park bench than a cozy couch or 2) entirely too expensive, chic outdoor seating that cost more than the "real" couch in our family room.

But then I found IT - the exact kind of couch I wanted at the exact price I had in mind. I got it online at... wait for it... Walmart.com.

I know, I know, either you're gasping in shock that I would find something legit enough at Walmart or you're gasping in shock that I would buy something that is only reasonably priced because of child labor. I get it. But I searched high and low and Walmart was the only source that had the full package I was looking for. Do you forgive me? Maybe you'll feel better if you see it...

So here is the couch assembled "as-is" before I accessorized it (those pillows came with it):

(BIG shout out to the hubs for putting it together... it took him two hours of sweating and swearing to assemble this bad boy.)

And here it is with some finishing touches from a successful trip to Homegoods:

And here is the view of the couch from the family room... because the rooms are attached, I wanted to have a color flow. The patterns and textures I used in the sun room are more "rustic" and natural, but their colors flow with the colors in the family room, so it really visually extends the entire living space.

Ah, success. And who would have thought this room would be inspired by Walmart... now if you excuse me, I need to go make a donation to "save-the-children."

Italian Lesson

Time to learn, folks...

Portico (n):  (from the Italian language) is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns.

Sounds thrilling, doesn't it? I actually didn't know what it was called just a couple months ago, but became obsessed with having one installed after breaking my promise to the hubs that I wouldn't embark on major (and more importantly, costly) home projects until we recouped some much needed funds.

It all started innocently enough. Within one week of moving in, we met our neighbors, who have completely remodeled their home and as I was admiring the work done to the exterior, I soon had the contact information for the company they used for "exterior design" services, called them up and had the owner quoting us for our very own portico... oh, and the portico was built and finished.

This was all done by week #3 after the move. I can't help myself. I have a problem.

But the results of the portico build have transformed our once flat-front colonial... 
 
BEFORE (I forgot to snap a pic before they taped off where the portico would go):

AFTER: 

I love it. Absolutely love it. But I guess I better love it considering that our next vacation will include us drinking a margarita standing beneath that portico since we have no vacation money. What I do for renovation love.

And if you are house hunting and fall in love with an interior that has as shabby exterior, fear not and know that you can transform the outside of your home. And when I say "transform" I really mean it - check out some of the jaw dropping before and after pictures on the site of the company we used to construct our beloved portico:  http://nuconceptswindows.com/photo-beforeandafter.html#photos/images/be24.jpg

This concludes your Italian lesson. Salute!

Fixture Fanatic

Born in 1975, our home may have made it through the 80s without leg warmers and outrageously large bangs, but it still has remnants of bad decor from decades better left forgotten.

Still on my mission to spruce up our new digs on a limited budget, I turned to my favorite technique - updating lighting fixtures - to help me modernize some spaces that were just rubbing (and in some cases, "fanning") me the wrong way.

Let's begin in our master bedroom, which housed the biggest, most dated offender. Behold the 1986 brass ceiling fan:

Quite the beauty, eh? Somehow our modern bedding and furniture just didn't mesh with the basket weave inlay of the fan blades.

When I hunted for a replacement I really wanted to hang a dramatic chandelier or a trendy light surrounded by an even trendier drum shade. While I fell in love with quite a few fixtures, there were three problems... 1) all the fixtures I found were not only dramatic in looks, but in price... 2) I have pretty much taken over the house and I don't think the hubs could bear to sleep beneath hanging crystals, which would probably strip him of his manliness as he slept... and 3) both the hubs and I turn into furnaces when we sleep, so having a ceiling fan is the only way to realistic keep cool under the covers.

So now I was on the hunt for a functional ceiling fan that had a trendy, semi-masculine look that still would give me the elegance of a modern chandelier or shade. Easy task, right? I was surprised when I found the solution at Lowe's of all places, for $180... check it out...

This fan is "exclusive" to Lowe's, made by their house brand, thus the low price.

Pleasantly surprised by the lighting selection, I thought it was time to replace these hall lights...

(Which aren't THAT bad, just not our taste and weren't jiving with the rest of the rest of our decor)





Into these:

Modern, different and 80 bucks. Gotta love it.

So today's lesson? Don't stay in the dark and remember what a dramatic impact the right (and inexpensive) lighting fixture can make.

Cheap Art Workout

I recently embarked on a 3 mile journey and braved the elements (aka 50 degrees with a slight wind) to create some cheap wall decor... I'll do anything to save a buck and shed a pound.

I have been wanting to put up some art in our front foyer and I felt like we needed something more personal than an "off the shelf" print could provide.

So I trekked through our new town taking what I deemed "artistic" black & white pictures of local landmarks and places that are important to me and hubs. I then snagged some really inexpensive frames from Kohl's - I got $50 dollar frames for 15 bucks with a sale and additional discount - and VOILA! I have transformed our foyer into a high end gallery (for a low end price) that will surely earn an "awwww" from our visitors when they learn that the pictures include the church we got married in and the place where Adam proposed.

So you take this...

 And add this...

To get THIS...

Okay, so I'm no Picasso, but I do really love how special these pictures are and they look pretty chic..

This photo idea also works really well for a special (and inexpensive!) gift. For example, when my sister was building her house, I hopped the construction fence and snapped black & white shots of the walls going up. I then put the pictures in a frame that has now been hanging in her house for more than six years.

So do you feel the burn?? Get out there and snap pictures that mean something to you and create wall art that will surely make your house a home.

A Toast to Our Housewarming Gift!

"Home is where your heart wine fridge is."

I learned that valuable lesson after my parents recently bestowed our housewarming gift upon us.

Check it out...

And let's not forget the handy-dandy drawer that doubles as a bar-serving surface:

 
Did you know that this kind of combo wine fridge/bar/cabinet even existed? After doing some research, there is really only one manufacturer producing a wine fridge show piece like this within this specific price range (aka - under 500 bucks), but I bet you'll start to see others come to the market with something similar.

(Search Google Shopping for "wine fridge cabinet" if you want to peruse what's out there.)

For us, this beauty solved two issues -1) we never seem to have enough wine in the fridge to accommodate unexpected guests (and its ironic that two of the recurring, unexpected, wine-drinking guests are also the ones who bought us the gift), so now we can just pack all our white wine in this puppy and not think twice and bottles taking up valuable kitchen fridge real estate and 2) we needed to fill some extra space in the dining room, but didn't want anything too large, so this slender piece is a great addition that serves multiple purposes.

Love it!

So if you've always wanted a wine fridge, but don't have the space to slap a naked fridge on your counter or on the floor, consider checking out a wine cabinet like the one that we now proudly call our own... you don't need to renovate your kitchen to make it fit and it's really something unique.

Cheers!

And thanks again, Mom and Dad!

Behind the Curtain

Nothing screams "finished room" quite like drapes. And nothing screams "I created a great look with a killer deal that I want to brag about" quite like... well... me.

As you know, our family room is on its way to becoming the first official room that is "done" in our new home. I toiled over the crown molding, I slaved over the accent wall and I pulled muscles moving our furniture. When its all said and done I'm left with a heart full of pride a back full of aches.

The only thing remaining in the room that needed to be done was dressing up the sliding glass door. A nice set of curtains can really transform any room in your home, and I had been anxious to put up the drapes I had recently bought online... and yes, I bought my drapes really sight unseen... I live on the edge. 

[Side note: Who is anxiously awaits the opportunity to hang curtains?! I dreamt about this moment... I'm not even kidding.]

Let's do a little "before and after," shall we?

So this is a "before the before:"

This was weeks ago mid-paint job and note the brackets along the the top of the door frame. Those once held 1984-quality vinyl, vertical blinds that knocked me off my step stool as I pried them off the wall...







Now this is the "before" just moments before the big reveal:

What's important to note here is A) I take bad, inconsistent "before" pictures really negating the whole purpose of "before and after" pictures and B) yours truly spackled the holes left behind from the vertical blind brackets and then sanded and painted over the repairs... I know, please take a moment to marvel in my handiness.



And here is the AFTER:

Better yet, from the drapes to hardware, this entire window makeover cost only $150. Let's face it, you can easily spend $150 on the curtain rod alone if you shop at the wrong places.

Where is the RIGHT place to shop for your window coverings, you ask? The best kept secret in rich-looking, but cheap-costing window treatments is JCPenney. Probably don't think of them often for home decor, right? Don't underestimate this store or its website!

[Another side note: the drapes I bought were 95 inches in length - aka - long. By hanging curtains well above your window or door frame, you elongate the room and create a really modern look.]

So that's all I got for today, folks. I have taken you behind my deal-finding curtain by revealing the curtains I found for a deal... wow, I'm getting poetic with all this home improvement, aren't I?

Less is More

When we bought our new home, there was one room in particular that I wanted to dig into right away and change from top to bottom - the family room. Unlike the rest of the house, the family room had oak molding that I immediately knew I wanted to paint white (actually deep down in my home improvement heart, it wasn't a want, it was an absolute NEED). The room also had great built-ins, but again, they were oak, which just doesn't fit our modern tastes, so I had grand plans to stain the built-ins and the mantle a sexy, deep cherry.

Now, before PETO (People for the Ethical Treatment of Oak) comes after me, let me say that I have nothing against oak trim or stain. Its beautiful, its just not for me.

So here is a look at the room before I really dug into it:

I rolled up my sleeves and decided to tackle the molding first - its seemed like a logical, "easy" place to start. If you ever want to transform stained, oak crown molding into a white, glistening masterpiece, this is how you do it...

First, tape it off...                                           ... apply one coat of primer...

 


And apply two VERY generous coats of semi-gloss white paint...

Not too shabby, eh? It took me less than 60 bucks to transform the molding in this entire room, I even tackled the sliding door that was trimmed in oak. The good thing about semi-gloss white paint is that you can slop the stuff on and it shows very little screw-ups... if only my CoverGirl foundation was so forgiving.

A few more before and after painting pics:

As I stood back and marveled at my handy work - aka - the project took MUCH longer than I thought and I forgot to eat lunch and started getting light headed so had to sit down, take a HGTV break and eat a snack - I started to think, hmmm... those built-ins aren't THAT bad.

My change of heart was due to a combination of being moved by the beautiful new white trim and the fear that overcame me as I looked over at my staining materials... which included a mask and gloves... any project that requires you to wear a mask and gloves that doesn't include delivering a baby, is probably a project better left to the professionals. And yes, I would deliver a baby in an emergency if I had to, but under no circumstances do I think stripping and staining wood would come down to a life or death situation.

The key to good home improvement is taking time to think and stopping yourself before you go too far. PETO must have channeled some good thoughts my way because I actually started to admire the beauty of the lighter wood.

Instead of diving right into the staining project that I once had my heart set on, I decided to bring in some of our furniture to see how things would start looking. After all, the room looked like a "kill room" for the past three days (Dexter fans, anyone?) and I had no sense of where my design intuition was taking me.

Enter our furniture with no additional changes to room other than the newly painted molding:

I was shocked! The room worked! And all I had touched was the ceiling and molding! And the best part is that every single piece of furniture and decor in this room was in our old home. I mixed and matched pieces and suddenly the room came together in a matter of minutes and the built-ins were making sense.

[NEW HOME DECORATING ON A BUDGET TIP: Mix and match items from the rooms in your last place to get a fresh look. Don't get stuck in the rut of putting everything in its "original" spot...  for example, the clock over the mantle used to be in our old living room and the candles on the mantle were once in our dining room...]

But there was something missing. I had planned to paint the entire room a deeper brown, but my aching painting muscles and the realization that our new home is much larger than our old home, which I was accustomed to painting, made me think of another way to get the drama of color without the drama of an entire paint job.

Enter an accent wall above the mantle and strategically placed wall art:

The accent walk took one measly quart of paint and one hour from prep to clean up.

Our family room is now a very cozy and pretty modern spot that makes this new house feel like a home. I wouldn't have achieved this less expensive AND labor intensive look that I now love if I didn't embrace the "less is more" philosophy.

So for you fellow self-proclaimed home improvement junkies out there, I challenge you to take a "less is more" approach with your next DIY project to not only gain an unexpected great look, but save time, money and probably a lot of pulled muscles.