Month: March 2013

Powder Room Remodel: The Plan of Action

Written by Jenna on March 27, 2013. Posted in DIY. 12 Comments on Powder Room Remodel: The Plan of Action

Happy Hump Day, y’all!

You may have noticed a lack of DIY creations around here lately. To be honest, I have been knee deep in so many other projects that my personal projects have had to take a back burner. From E-Design clients, to local clients, to getting the house ready for the BHG crew to come soon, I have been non-stop on the go. Plus I was away last week on a little vacay, so getting back into the groove of things has been a bit rough.

Powder Room Renovation_SASinteriors.net ANYWAY, enough of the chit-chat, I am psyched to share with you that I have decided to spice-up one of my bathrooms. The powder room to be exact.

It’s pretty.

It’s fine.

But I want it to be dynamite! So a new (hopefully quick) reno is in store.

Before that, a ‘before‘ shot is a must.

The current space has an orange focal wall – same paint color (glidden crisp autumn leaves) as the family room. The toilet, pedestal sink, and faucet are original to the house (about 15 years old), but the light and door hardware got a switch-aroo since we’ve lived here… hence why they are oil rubbed bronze and the faucet is chrome. The tile floor is new – used to be blue ceramic – so that will be staying.

I’m pretty psyched about what I have planned for the new space. After much thinking about how to create a WOW impact in a 4′ x 4′ box, I think I’ve come up with a pretty awesome solution.

So on to the plan of action…

The fixture placement will remain – there’s no need to move them, the cost would be way too much, and I couldn’t even think of a better configuration than the existing. So basically, the fixtures will be replaced, a new vibrant wallpaper will be introduced, and some major awesome accessories will complete the look.

The concept for the powder room reno started with this beautiful wallpaper by Amy Butler.

Amy Butler Graham & Brown Wallpaper _ Powder Room Reno _ SASinteriors.net

Continuing my love for navy, it will be the perfect addition to the powder room which can be seen from my home office / family room that dons deep blue walls.

The repeat is fairly large, so this space is going to be dynamic. Here’s a picture of the wallpaper used in a foyer setting.

amy-butler-lacework-midnight-blue-wallpaper_1320679302

Once I found the wallpaper, I started to become really excited about the rest of the space, but was still at a loss on what style sink would be ideal. Pedestal? Cabinet? And then I found this wash sink at Lowe’s and literally gasped when I saw it.

Powder Room Remodel_SASinteriors.net

I’ll be honest, I think it looks better in person than in this picture. And I think it’ll look even more fabulous against that hot modern floral Amy Butler wallpaper. Don’t you think?

To complete the bathroom, a few new other details will be added. Here is a quick Creative Vision Board I put together.

Major gorgeousness, don’t you think? It will absolutely be epic, and continue the classic eclectic style of my home.

So here is the bummer part. I have the wallpaper. I have the wash basin (sink). But I have not started any of the actual remodel yet. Like I said, I’ve been super busy over the past few weeks, but by mid-April I hope to start tackling all of this DIY goodness. I hope you’ll follow along for the before-and-after.

Stay Tuned…

Have you tackled a DIY bathroom makeover? How did you make it WOW and dynamic?

Spring Mantel with Sensational Succulents #LowesCreator

Written by Jenna on March 25, 2013. Posted in Uncategorized. 5 Comments on Spring Mantel with Sensational Succulents #LowesCreator

Happy Monday! Yes, it’s Spring, but sadly it doesn’t feel like it (at least here in NY).

I am so ready for the warmer days ahead and am yearning for the array of colorful flowers, the endless chirping of birds, and the sounds of outdoor laughter. I know it’ll be here soon, but I am just ready for winter (and the endless snow) to be over.

In my search for all things Spring, I decided this years seasonal mantel had to include elements of the outdoors. Last Friday when perusing the aisles of Lowe’s, specifically the outdoor section, I saw a huge display of succulents. I immediately knew they’d be the ideal addition for my Spring mantel!

While in the gardening section, I gathered a variety of succulents in different sizes and styles, along with a new bag of potting mix. I wasn’t going to dare dig through the garage in search of leftover soil from last year, plus I saw this soil that is fast draining and made for cactus type plants. I thought I’d give it a try, since I don’t have a great track record with keeping greenery alive. Yes, I admit, I don’t have a green thumb…

Once home, I collected a bunch of glass vases, dishes, and bowls that I had laying around the house. A few I picked up last week at TJ Maxx, but most I’ve had for a long time stored in the closet.

Then it was time to transplant these beauties into their new homes.

Choosing the right size bowl / vase for the size of the succulent is important. One rule of thumb that I always try to follow is to be sure that the plant isn’t too big for the pot (or bowl / vase in my case) so it has room to grow. The teeny size succulents (which I bought for $2.98/each) went in the smaller bowls and the larger styles ($3.98/each) went into the clear glass vases (which are my favorite because you can see the soil and plant roots – so interesting).

Once the right size “home” was chosen, I loosened up the roots and made the transfer. A few minutes later, all my succulents were planted and ready to add to the mantel.

Gardening in the kitchen isn’t something I would suggest, but with 30 degree temps, I wasn’t going to dare be outdoors longer than I had to. A little mess wasn’t too bad to clean up…

Then the fun started and here’s the result of my natural Spring mantel using sensational succulents…

It’s a beautiful collection of natural elements mixed in with colorful favorites.

Any style bowl, vase, cup, or container will make for the perfect holder to display succulents. My collection includes a clear glass round vase, a similar square style, a plain white double dish, a decorative ceramic bowl, and a white milk glass cup.

Choosing succulents of varying sizes allows for an interesting mantel composition.

Despite the frigid temps, the Lowe’s gardening section is already stocking up on their summer displays including an array of flowers, plants, and a large selection of outdoor furniture.

To gather even more unique, fun, and creative ideas for your indoor and outdoor Spring decor, I would definitely suggest downloading the Lowe’s Creative Ideas app on the iphone and ipad. I’m always checking out the FREE app for great inspiration. Consider following Lowe’s on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram as well.

Disclosure: I am part of the Loweâ€™s Creative Team and was provided with a Loweâ€™s gift card to purchase items for my project. I was also compensated for my time to use the products. No one told me what to create, what to buy, how to use the product, or what to write. All opinions are 100% mine!

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Todayâ€™s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, The Shabby Nest, Serenity Now, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Tip Junkie

Come Tour My Home

Written by Jenna on March 21, 2013. Posted in Decorating. 20 Comments on Come Tour My Home

The entrance way to a home, is what I believe, sets the tone for what’s to come, so it’s such a delight to surround our home in nature’s beauty.

Step inside.

What a transformation this foyer has received. From an entire new staircase to new flooring to the gorgeous stripes on the wall (the wall used to be stenciled), the foyer sets the aesthetic of my classic eclectic design style where I believe, all things should have meaning.

Posts associated with the foyer
Foyer Reveal
Painting perfect stripes on the wall
New greige wall color
Removing carpet from stairs
Filling homes & staining treads
Staircase Reveal
Stenciled Wall
Glazed cabinet
How to install a luxury vinyl floor

When entering into my foyer and as soon as you look to the right, BAM there is my newly created home office / family room. I’m loving the blue walls and this is one of the spaces that was recently featured in a major mag AND will also be featured in BHG soon (squeal)! This room has had quite the evolution process (and probably the most difficult in my home to design), but the result was so worth the wait. It’s such an inspirational space, which I’m so thankful for since it’s where I spend the most time (other than the kitchen… hehe).

Posts associated with the office / family room
How to paint laminate shelving
How to style a shelves
My favorite navy wall colors
How to hem & paint stripes on curtains using paint
How to make a GIANT inspiration board
Home Office / Family Room reveal
DIY: Modern to industrial style coffee table

Speaking of kitchen… My office / family room is adjacent to the kitchen. This space got a huge DIY renovation 2 Summers ago and everyday I still love the color I chose for the cabinets. I had originally thought black cabinets, but changed my mind to this gray/taupe/almost-green hue. It’s a color that I have continued to use around my home and can be seen in other accents like the stair banister and the fireplace surround.

The countertops also got transformed from hunter green to black. What a change and a great spot to cook!

Posts associated with the kitchen
Countertop transformation
Painting the cabinets
Custom tile backsplash
Faux support brackets
Kitchen reveal
Simple window upgrade
Change a recessed light to decorative light

From the kitchen is the dining room / breakfast room / we-eat-all-our-meals-here room…

If you were to walk straight through the foyer, you’d enter into this space as well. My home is a total open concept, so every space flows into each other; I love the bright and airy feel of flowing rooms. Navy was a color that I started to introduce last year and from the looks of the dining room, and obviously my office (pictures above), you can see that I just adore the deep hue. The dining room has a large bay area with two side windows and a sliding glass door that leads to our deck. Super easy access to the outdoors. We love being outside once the weather warms up (I can’t wait)!

The dining room then leads to the orange-accent-wall living room…

Another example of how I love color. This is our comfy room. The space where the kids play and our family relaxes (well tries to relax amongst all my DIY projects). It’s a large space and really makes the house feel bigger because it steps down from our dining room and has a high angled ceiling. With the addition of the skylights, there’s so much sunshine that enters in, which we adore.

Would you like to come relax with us?

Posts associated with the living room
Fireplace Transformation

So that’s basically it for the first floor. Come on upstairs…

…into the master bedroom. A space that has forever been in transition (and is still a work in progress). Somehow this room gets neglected often and even though it looks pulled together here, it rarely looks like this (I’m so bad at taking the time to make our bed). Just like my office, this space has a huge amount of light filtering through. The windows are amazing.

The aesthetic in this room is more serene than the rest of the house. Comparably to the other spaces, it seemed less dramatic, until it got a revamp earlier this year! The space is still very serene and has a quiet palette, but pops of color bring in the added dimension and depth it needed to pop.

Master Bedroom

Posts associated with the bedroom
How to make a simple lined curtain (from previous space)
Master Reveal {2014 revamp}
Master Makeover: Plan of Attack
The Dark Side: Choosing a Contrasting Paint Color
Ideas for Breaking Up Matching Furniture
Customizing Store Bought Curtain Panels
How-To Make a Pendant Fixture
Desk Makeover using Make-Your-Own Chalk Finish Paint
Picture Gallery Wall
DIY: Jewelry Holder

And then there is the bathroom. If you want to see a horrid looking bathroom, you have got to check out the ‘before’!! You’ll be frightened. And to think back and remember that it took us over a year before we even started to redo it, just simply scares me. Anyway, similar to the bedroom, the master bathroom is another quiet space accented with shades of blue. From the ‘before’ color, you’ll know why this hue was chosen.

Similar to most of the spaces in my home, the master bathroom was a full-on DIY endeavour. From the cabinet to the floor to the mirror to the shower curtain, this space was entirely transformed using my two hands (and a bit of the Misters – gotta give him credit. He’s my “Can you help me?” savior)!

Posts associated with the master bathroom
Horrid to heavenly master bathroom reveal
How to glaze a cabinet using stain
How to make a shower curtain using a curtain panel

Onto my kids spaces…

The room that my 2 daughters share has had quite the transformation over the years starting as a nursery, then getting revamped to a big girl room with a 3-in-1 play tent. Once baby #3 (our littlest lady) came along, a new wall color was added and changes were made to accommodate a nursery nook.

This is kind of how it looks today minus that the beige wall which was recently revamped with a new mint-colored hue…

Posts associated with my girls bedroom
Washi tape initial craft
How to add decorative trim to curtains (for cheap)
DIY: 3-in-1 Play Tent
Nursery to big girl room reveal

Here is the nursery nook (which took place of the 3-in-1 tent) & the newest DIY creation, honeycomb wall hooks.

And now to my little guys room…

His room actually got a makeover last year, which has received lots of kind comments, but many of you still love his old space with the stripes, so here are details on both…

At one time he had bunkbeds, but we took them apart to make two twin beds. Since we don’t have a guest room, having an extra bed was nice, but it was rarely used so in his current revamped room, he only has one twin bed. His ‘before’ room, which is an untraditional blue-for-boy was a fun and creative space.

Posts associated with my boys ‘before’ bedroom
How to paint stripes
Skateboard shelves
How to make pallet shelves
Painted two-tone desk + Tips on painting furniture

His current space which was finally completed in mid-2014…

Rolling Cart 10a

Boy Bedroom

Posts associated with my boys ‘current’ bedroom
Ideas for a shared kids room (when we thought our kids were going to share a space)
How-To hang wallpaper like a PRO!
New Leaning Shelves: Decorating with leaning + ladder shelves
DIY: Rolling underbed toy storage crates
DIY: Honeycomb Shelves
Boy Bedroom Reveal

Last, but not least (since it’s my latest + greatest room revamp), the hall bathroom…

This was my biggest DIY to date because this involved hardwork + manpower (actually more like willpower) + plumbing, which made for a big job!

Posts associated with the hall bath
Plan of Action
Demo: Removal + Installation of the Tub & Walls
How-To Tile + Grout the Bathroom Walls
Installing Wallpaper
Adding a Tile Accent Border
Creating a Tiled Niche

And that’s my home. WOW! I hope I didn’t loose you in one of the rooms.

Thanks for taking the tour with me. What’s your favorite space? Hmmm… I’ll have to give some thought to which mine is.

While your thinking, if you want to check out the paint colors in my home, here is the post on all the details…

Before and After: Kitchen Makeover

Written by Jenna on March 19, 2013. Posted in before-n-after, Decorating. 20 Comments on Before and After: Kitchen Makeover

I hope your week is going well and you’ve had some time to shop!

A few weeks ago, I shared a teaser about a kitchen that I just finished up for a local Client. The transformation is pretty spectacular and the space not only looks amazing and is now completely updated, the way it functions is SO much better.

Here is the breakdown of what needed to change with the old kitchen…

To start off, the Client and I evaluated what was wrong with the kitchen and how it was not functioning the best way possible. We discussed widening the space by adding an addition to the outside wall, but the cost would have been way too much. We discussed moving the sink location to the outside wall, but decided the current placement was better. In the end, the only large appliance to be relocated was the refrigerator, since ‘before’, it dominated the main focal wall. Other details that had to be addressed were:

1. The unused space above the upper cabinets

There was about 12″ of unused space, so we brought the new cabinets to the ceiling plane which allowed for additional storage, plus the taller cabinets heightened the entire room.

2. We removed the angled wall & countertops

The wall that separates the living room and kitchen was extended to define each space more. The layout is still an open concept, put eliminating the angled wall allowed for more definition and cabinet space.

3. The cabinets were dated

Enough said about that! The client wasn’t sad to say bye-bye to the old white cabinets.

4. Same with the countertop – dated!

The turquoise blue countertop wasn’t a color that they wanted to keep, so that also had to go!

5. The placement of the large refrigerator was dominating the main focal wall

Figuring out a new location was tricky! In the end, there was a pipe chase on the other side of the room that was boxed out around 1 pipe. It was crazy that this crucial floor area was going unused. After calling in a plumber and electrician to move the pipe location, the new-found floor area resulted in the new home of the refrigerator.

6. With the refrigerator location moved, wall space was freed up for more cabinetry = more storage!

The unused wall space next to the ‘before’ refrigerator allowed us to create a beautiful “china-style” cabinet.

7. Last, but certainly not least was the removal of the “popcorn” ceiling.

“Popcorn” ceilings create shadows resulting in the space feeling not as high as it actually is. It’s a pain to take down, but well worth it. For this Kitchen Makeover, the clients tackled it themselves (using Brittany’s tutorial) and they did a damn good job!

So that’s it in a nutshell.

The transformation is incredible.

The cabinets are all from Lowe’s and the team there was very helpful. I worked with the Client every step of the way in choosing the three-toned cabinet colors and all of the other selections. The Lowe’s team was great at helping us with all the nitty-gritty cabinet sizes and options.

AFTER

Tackling a kitchen makeover is quite an endeavour, but if planned out correctly from the start, the process doesn’t have to be overly grueling. My best advice is to plan ahead and choose / purchase all the new selections before anything in the space is touched.

This is BIG!

Written by Jenna on March 13, 2013. Posted in Happenings on the Homestead. 61 Comments on This is BIG!

I can not contain my excitement anymore and am bursting at the bubble to share 2 BIG announcements…

First, I’m psyched to tell you that Joss and Main has asked me back for a third run at hosting an exclusive Curator Collection. My first time hosting was last Summer and it was a blast, then in December I collaborated with 9 other past Curators for a Holiday Collection, and starting this Sunday (3/17) at 9pm will be my latest and best Collection to date.

The Collection that I put together for Joss and Main last Summer was based more on my personal style, Classic Eclectic design. For this new and upcoming Collection, it’s all about COLOR!

Upon finishing my home office / family room, I know this Collection had to reflect my passion and love for bright and vibrant hues. I still love a great neutral, but layering in color is a must in my book. If you love pops of color, then this new Collection I have created for you, will not disappoint.

I should take a step back for a moment. Have you heard of Joss and Main?

If not, no worries. Joss and Main is an online site that offers new events every day pertaining to different styles / themes which last for a limited time â€“ so you have to act fast; you snooze, you loose. Items include housewares, gifts, furniture, accessories and much more at prices discounted up to 70% off retail. Major SCORE! Joss & Main is a members-only site, but no worries because their membership is FREE and here is your exclusive invitation from me.

Here is a sneak peak at just a few of the many colorful pieces you will see…

My BIG EVENT goes live the evening of Sunday, March 17 (yes, St. Patty’s day) so mark your calendars! Are you as psyched as I?! Iâ€™m hoping youâ€™ll sign up now so youâ€™ll be ready to shop-till-ya-drop.

Want more?

A little more news to come your way, and honestly it’s a really big moment for me.

I’ve been reluctant to share this in case it’s all a dream, but I received the A-OK that it’s actually happening, so…

A few of my projects are going to be featured in Better, Homes, and Gardens magazine. SCREAMING.

Here are the details. I was given the contact information of one of the BHG scouts, who after contacting, I found out lives in my town. CRAZY, right?! I sent her a ton of pictures of my home, as well as a few client homes. In the end, my kitchen, master bathroom, and a clients kitchen were chosen to be in a future issue of the BHG Special Interest magazine called Kitchen and Bath Makeovers. Additionally, my home office / family room was selected to be in the BHG Special Interest magazine, Storage, which specializes in organization and storage solutions.

Can you believe it? Boy this year has been so amazing thus far. My FIRST for Women magazine feature this month, and now this. It’s surely a dream. Anyway, I just got the go-ahead that the crew will be arriving for styling and photographing the second week of April and it will take almost an entire week. WOW! My lil’ ole’ house in a big magazine. Now that the word is out there, I’ll obviously keep y’all updated as the date nears and more details come my way.

In the end, I owe it all to you, my amazing readers, who keep me chugging along each and every day. Thank you all!

Now, make sure to sign up for the Joss and Main sale. I wouldn’t want you to miss out…

DIY: Modern to Industrial-Style Coffee Table

Written by Jenna on March 7, 2013. Posted in DIY. 29 Comments on DIY: Modern to Industrial-Style Coffee Table

Since the home office / family room reveal, I’ve shared quite a few of the DIY projects that went into creating the room. One in particular that I’ve been excited to share because it is an upcycled piece is the coffee table.

When initially thinking about the aesthetic for the room, I wanted to bring in some darker tones. The walls are darker and rich, while all the white elements make a great layered contrast, but some texture, wood, and something deeper was still needed. At the same time, I’m a big fan of industrial-style furniture and have always adored the varying patterns and “rough”, but somewhat refined look. So…

Taking the modern glass-top table that has a dark metal frame, I updated it to create the industrial-style table that I was desiring.

Here’s a before shot…

Using something similar to this coffee table from Home Decorators, I decided to make my own using similar textured and stained wood.

Here’s what I did…

Using my mad-math skills, I determined how many planks I needed for the top surface (then doubled it for the bottom surface). After triple checking my numbers (yes, I’ve made mistakes in the past- hehe), I figured out that I needed (2) 1 x 4’s and (2) 1 x 4’s that needed to be trimmed (X2 – for the bottom surface). Thanks to Lowe’s, they made all the cuts so I was ready to start working right away once I brought the wood home.

To get the look similar to the inspirational table, I used dark walnut stain.

Using a lint-free rag (confession: I think I used a towel, but it wasn’t the best choice. lint-free it better), I added the stain and quickly (instantly) wiped it away. If I had left the stain on the wood longer, more would have seeped into the grain resulting in a darker stain finish, which was not what I wanted.

Within just a few minutes, the staining was done. Because the process was a simple ‘wipe-on wipe-off’, it went really fast. I let the planks fully dry for about 24 hours before bringing them into the house.

The next day, I took the glass out of the frame…

… and replaced it with the wood planks.

What a different look. I was loving it right away! Then it was time to style…

I just thought I’d add that the wood planks are only leaning on the metal frame. They aren’t attached at all so if some point in the future I want it to be glass again, the switch back is easy!

Gorgeous accessories on top always complete the look.

And a huge basket underneath was the perfect storage solution for magazines.

Thanks for checking out my DIY update project where I took my once modern coffee table and made it into an industrial-style piece. After having this coffee table for 10 years (originally purchased from Crate and Barrel), I’m thrilled that I was able to create a solution to continue using it instead of bringing in something new.

If you haven’t seen the rest of the space, it’s a must. Click {here} to see it all!

Do you like industrial style furniture? How have you upcycled a piece of furniture to change the look?

Creative Vision Board: Inspiring & Vibrant Craft Room

Written by Jenna on March 4, 2013. Posted in Creative Vision Boards, Decorating. 3 Comments on Creative Vision Board: Inspiring & Vibrant Craft Room

I’ve been working on some really fun client projects lately, and one in particular is a mega craft room / office space.

The client recently moved into the home and instead of using the formal dining room for it’s true purpose, they decided to transform the space into a totally functional craft room and office. The space will be used for work purposes, as well as some major crafty creating!

Construction is about to begin in a few weeks, but here’s the ‘before’ of how the space currently looks…

Thankfully it won’t be like this for much longer because we have some major goodness coming.

I shared a sneak peak of colors last week on my FB page, but here is what we envision for the space…

Fanta-bulous, right?!

Color. Color. Color. is going to fill this room in no time. I have been loving the color combo of turquoise, citron, and raspberry, and I knew this was the perfect space to try and test my rich & vibrant color vision.

The following steps to come are:

removing the carpet
removing the popcorn ceiling
removing the dated window treatments

then…

painting the walls a neutral gray
adding layers of color through accessories
doing a few light construction modifications
installing new recessed lighting and decorative lighting
adding a whole bunch of gorgeous built-ins!

The built-ins are going to totally make this space. Here is a small peak at the drawings I created for this project:

The door design, which has changed slightly from the drawing above, is going to be mega! We’re having two custom rolling doors built and the design will be similar to this inspirational image…

I can’t wait to share more details as the project develops. Stay Tuned!