Since Brian and I have moved into our 1970’s fixer-upper, we have been doing low cost renovations and makeovers all over the house. I have carefully planned, budgeted and thrifted each space to assure I spent the least amount of money but made the largest impact. I successfully redid my bathroom for under $200 a few months ago and decided it was time to tackle Brian’s bathroom now. This is when I got serious about high impact and low budget – I broke it all down one day on how to do this, and decided this would be a great blog post for y’all. When the budget is smaller, but the want is large, focus on these main things… WALLS It’s no surprise that walls have the largest impact in a space. Painting your walls a new color can totally transform a space – and for such a low price! If you want more of an impact than just painting one color, consider doing one of these things: peels and stick tile wall (awesome for kitchen and bathroom makeovers) wallpaper (all walls or just an accent wall) stenciling a pattern on the wall (cheaper than wallpaper) bold accent wall with contrasting paint color adding wood work (board & batten, shiplap, bead-board, etc) faux ship lap LIGHTING Lighting can make or break a space! If you have a room with zero lighting, then getting floor and table lamps is a must, but if you have an existing ceiling light that needs […]
how to decorate & keep the peace
What’s more challenging – moving in with someone or deciding on a decor style for your home? How about doing both? Combining and compromising on style when you move in with a significant other can be quite the task. It can be super rewarding and fun to find a style you love together..but how about when your styles clash? Or you both has strong taste opinions? Don’t let that be something to fight about, and don’t let clashing styles hold you back from creating a beautiful home! There are many ways to combine styles, compromise, and find a happy balance for decorating your home with your partner (and contrary to what HGTV might show you – it doesn’t have to be one sided! My Story Let me start with how Brian and I did it. I, of course, felt like I needed 100% control over the design of our home. I was in fact the one with the design degree, however I quickly learned that that’s not the answer to a harmonious house. He didn’t have a strong opinion on the furniture or decor, as long as it was comfortable and functional, I got the green light. For instance, we went shopping for sofas together and tried them all out! If Brian thought it was “lounge-able” and I liked the style, it was a winner. It’s been that way for everything, and it’s worked great in our home. We also both have our own spaces to do with what we […]
DIY Beaded Chandelier
If you don’t think lighting is important in your home’s decor – think again. Especially in entryways, lighting makes a first impression, and you want it to be good! I have been eyeing up beaded chandeliers for months now, trying to find one that wasn’t going to break the bank – to no avail. That’s when I decided to DIY one (okay this is a partial DIY!) Entryway design My entryway was like the rest of my 1970’s house – bland and beige. Wood trim, brown doors, peachy-brown walls and brown carpet. Makes me itchy just writing that! I have big plans to brighten and lighten the whole space – but at this stage, I am working on the lighting. I love mixing elements – smooth and textured, light and dark, etc. That’s why I LOVE beaded chandeliers. They work with a lot of styles as well – eclectic, coastal, boho, even classic. Since my house is a little bit of everything, I figured this was a style I could live with even when I change out furniture and decor. Inspiration My inspiration was this $299 beaded chandelier from Pottery Barn Kids. I loved the flush mount style – which is perfect for a room with low ceilings where you still want to create a dramatic impact. I also loved the twine and tassel – it makes it a little more casual and bohemian. However, my budget for my entryway is only $400, so spending $300 on the light fixture […]
DIY Wood Desk
At I sit here, writing my blog post at my newly built DIY wood desk, I’m so excited! Maybe it’s the fact that I worked from home from a 30″ child’s desk for 2 years or the fact that this crate desk turned out better than I ever expected it too! Sometimes I go into DIY projects just hoping for the best, because i’ll be honest, as many DIY wins i’ve had equals how many DIY fails I’ve had too. Live and learn baby, right? I am the kind of person who spreads out all my papers, has about 10 mugs on my desk, and two monitors going at all times, so I need a desk that was long. I scoured the stores and online sites, only finding cheap looking computer desks that spanned over 60″ OR desks ranging in the $3 – 5k range – so I knew I had to get crafty. Crates & Old Wood? I’ve always loved reclaimed wood, crates, vintage wooden items, industrial things, etc. You get it! One day as I was mindlessly shopping at Michaels Craft Store (so just another Monday) I came across their crates, $10 a pop, and thought, those would make great shelves. A few more trips to the thrift door and salvage yard, and I had enough crates, lumbar and hardware to craft a desk that would work for me. The way I constructed the DIY wood desk was all through trial and error, but now that it’s been in […]
Why trendy has never been in my vocabulary.
I truly believe everyone has there own style. I have a very unique style, and when I first started my Instagram and blog, I was worried. I didn’t fit into farmhouse stye, or traditional, or classic, or Scandi-boho or any of the trendy styles. Then I realized, my house tells the story of who I am, and that’s more powerful that appealing to the masses. I started posting pictures of my house and my tutorials, and realized it wasn’t about if my style was trendy or “in”. Maybe i’d have more followers and more likes and yada yada, all the superficial things if I was just like everyone else. However, my message for everyone isn’t to fit-in. Sure you could go to Home Goods and buy the entire display, set it up just like that, and your house will look great. (By the way i’m not knocking Home Goods at all – i’ve bought plenty there! I’m just saying, I never want anyone to feel like their home isn’t good enough because it doesn’t look like it was bought from a home decor magazine) But i’m not a cookie cutter girl, and I never have been. And I’m not looking to help anyone create a cookie-cutter home. You’ll definitely never find another space online that looks like my house, which is what I want. I don’t care if everyone loves it, if it gets a million reposts, what I care about is helping everyone find their personal style – and tell their story […]
