Living Room/Family Room

We spend the most time here as a family, so naturally I wanted something cozy and relaxing. Here are some of the latest photos (taken with my phone...so not the best lighting). It's almost been a year since we moved in!

Red, White, & Blue

Kitchen Update!! Island

Here's the latest in our kitchen makeover!

We've added a kitchen island!

What still needs to be done to the island?
-Stain butcher block countertop to a dark brown.
-Add doors & drawers (not pictured)

We purchased the island at Ikea. It's three base cabinets (two 18" and one 24") and a butcher block counter top. It was too pricey for us to buy all at once so we opted to buy the "bones" of it and we will go back later for the smaller pieces. As of right now, it functions just perfect!

I already had bar stool seating from my kitchen nook at my old place (purchased at Bed, Bath & Beyond).

What's next?
1.Granite Countertops (installed in less than 2 weeks)
2.Removing that 60's tile backsplash and replacing with a modern backsplash
3.Wall color. Planning to go with "High Noon" which is a blue color
4.Dark hardwood floors
5.Center Island
6.Faux ceiling beams (dark wood)
7.Remove wall (photo below. Those papers hanging are my inspiration to keep moving ahead with this loooooong project)
8.Cabinet molding
9.Crown molding
10.New windows!

Kitchen Update- Counters & Walls (sort of)

Eeeekkkkkk I'm so excited that my kitchen vision is taking shape!

Here are some before & during photos of removing the backsplash tiles. This process was MESSY. I am still cleaning up dust from the demo. It spread beyond my kitchen and into my living room. My dad let us borrow his air compressor and chisel to complete this part. Then the cement and wire netting mesh underneath needed to come off. Andy did this part of the job and I know it was hard work (kudos to you boo) because I attempted one piece and didn't have the strength to break a single tile off.


Goodbye retro brown sink, icky faucet, and nasty tile, hello shiny new sink & counters!



Our sink and counter before







Good bye sink and good bye tile counters!





Shiny new sink






Faucet & New counters installed!!



Our one splurge was the granite countertops. This was the only thing we did not do ourselves. We went with the color Kashmir White. It is beautiful. Expensive...but beautiful :)


Paint! Here is the high noon color I mentioned in my last post. I love how bright and open the kitchen feels. Now its time to move on to my "to do" list.



Wall Paint color: High Noon
Granite color: White Kashmir
Sink: White
Faucet: Mediterranean Bronze
Total cost of wall paint, sink, faucet, and granite countertops: $2187.00

Here is my latest "To Do" list with some items checked off and a few added:
What's next?
1.Granite Countertops (installed in less than 2 weeks)
2.Removing that 60's tile backsplash and replacing with a modern backsplash
3.Wall color. Planning to go with "High Noon" which is a blue color
4.Dark hardwood floors
5.Center Island
6.Faux ceiling beams (dark wood)
7.Remove wall (photo below. Those papers hanging are my inspiriation to keep moving ahead with this loooooong project)
8.Cabinet molding
9.Crown molding
10.New windows!

This wall has GOT TO GO!

Kitchen Update-Cabinets

Finally, my dream kitchen is taking shape. It has a long way to go but I am content with the progress. We still have to add the cabinet molding.

I followed this DIY video for prepping the cabinets and then this DIY video for painting the cabinets. It was a tedious project but well worth it! If you plan on doing a project like this, here are my advice tips:
1. Plan to eat out during the process. Your kitchen dishes and pantry items will be hard to get to! I had pantry items stored in my guest room in reusable bags and small appliances against a free wall in my kitchen.
2. Know that your kitchen will look like a hot mess! I hate when things are not in their place and this was the hardest part for me to deal with!!
3. DO NOT TAKE ON THIS PROJECT SOLO. Thankfully, I had my beau Andy with me the entire way. Teamwork!
4. Have a work space. We used a work table in our garage. You will need this for prepping and painting the cabinets.
5. Measure the thickness of your cabinets/drawers before you buy hardware and hinges. We had to make a couple of trips to the hardware store for returns.
6. Have some wine on hand and this project will be much easier to enjoy. :)

Before/After (yes, my pic shows a handle missing but its up now!)

Paint color: Swiss Coffee
Hardware: Aged Bronze

Total cost of paint, primer, hardware, prepping items: $330.00

What's next?
1.Granite Countertops (installed in less than 2 weeks)
2.Removing that 60's tile backsplash and replacing with a modern backsplash
3.Wall color. Planning to go with "High Noon" which is a blue color
4.Dark hardwood floors
5.Center Island
6.Faux ceiling beams (dark wood)

Man Cave Progress

One of the things I loved about my home was that it had a bonus room. It sits upstairs from my garage. Our home is one story but has this two story bonus room. The previous owners never finished this room and I believe used it for storage. Here are some before pics and some progress pics. We have a little ways to go, and by "we" I mean my dad. This is my Dads' project while I work on my own projects within the house. I will do the painting and decorating part when he is done.

This is what we had to work with





Took down the false ceiling & reinsulated



Removed the groovy wood paneling from wall, removed linoleum tiles from floor, drywalled the ceiling, took down the side wall, and removed whatever that thing was hovering over the stairs & extended the wall space there.







Next: new windows, flooring, & walls ready for painting!!!

Books books books!

Whether you are a book lover & want to display your favorites, or if you're just looking for an inexpensive way to add color to a room; add books! Any books will do. Grab your old college books (the ones collecting dust on a bookshelf that you can't bear to get rid of because of the fortune they cost), or add some of your favorite coffee table books. Not a book collector but like the look? Visit your local thrift shop. You can find some cool cover bindings to match your color/style for under a buck.

I have some of my favorite books stacked on an accent table in my living room. A couple of home decor books, a Christian read, and a silly book by Kermit the Frog. A random reflection of my interests.


I used books on this stand to tier some photos of my girls. Stacking a couple of books to set a photo frame on did the trick.