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Year: 2014

2014 Year in Review… a look back

I feel like I say this way too often, but seriously, Where does the time go?

As another year comes to an end, I love taking a few minutes to reflect + reminisce on all that I’ve worked on & accomplished over the past 12 months.  And it has been quite a year, for sure.

From being featured in 6 national magazines ( > see them all here), to revamping 4 spaces ( > boys bedroom + master + patio + bathroom), to completing 3 client kitchens ( > see one of them here), to having a NEW BABY (my biggest + best accomplishment of 2014), it has been an incredibly busy, but joyously & rewarding year.

Take a look back on all the highlights of 2014 with a year in review!

As always, it’s fun and a bit bittersweet to take a stroll down memory lane.  Let’s see what exciting + crazy adventures I got myself into to over the last 365 days

Central Command Center revamp (again) - creating a central "spot" that works for your family!

January started out with a bang when I was finally able to sing from the treetops that my kids and I were featured in the I Did It section of Better Homes & Gardens.  Third times a charm, right, and the year began with me sharing our revamped (again) Central Command Center.  As our family needs changed, the CCC was updated to follow suit.  Even today, it looks a bit different than it did a year ago.  As the first month of the year continued, I made some updates in the kitchen to add some color + openness – an update that I am still enjoying today.

The biggest post of the month was the announcement that our family was expanding.  After a rough 3 months prior, it was exciting to finally spill the news.  After that, I shared ideas for our kids sharing a room (even though they ended up not).  A few days later I shared even more inspiration for shared kids bedroom spaces, which then started the process of making over my son’s bedroom.

But before that, the master…

Master Bedroom Makeover with many DIY projects

 

Valentine Wreath using Paint Chips

As February rolled around, I shared my Valentine wreath (still my favorite to date) and started the room makeover #2 for the year, my master bedroom. After choosing a darker color for the bed wall, I painted a desk using my own chalk finish formula, jazzed up store-bought curtain panels by adding a leading edge fabric, and made a light fixture with a capiz shell pendant.  A little rearranging of the walls to create a large picture gallery wall to conceal the TV completed the makeover and the master bedroom refresh was finished!

Then back to my boys bedroom…

Rolling Cart toy storage

A kitchen I designed on the cover of KBMO

Then March rolled around and I was back to room makeover #1, my son’s bedroom.  The plan was for my 2 older kids to share a bedroom, but when we found out Baby #3 was a girl, that plan went out the window.  Since his room was already in the midst of a revamp, we just continued with it…  I started with painting the walls a lighter hue, hanging a fun wallpaper, and adding much-needed storage for toys!  March also was an exciting month when I shared the ‘after’ of a client kitchen I had worked on and the feature of another client kitchen which was on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens Kitchen + Bath Makeovers.

Hexagon Shelves

Frame Turned Tray

April was welcomed with a mix of projects and creations…  From creating 2 DIY colored Easter eggs (using crayons and food coloring), to sprucing up the foyer for Spring, to making a jewelry holder, it was a month of transition to the warmer months to come.  And of course, I continued to work on my son’s room and created my favorite DIY project of the year, the wood honeycomb shelves.

Outdoor Deck

May, the month we were finally able to spread our wings and spend more time outdoors than in.  Throughout the month I worked a little here and a little there… I continued working on my son’s bedroom makeover by painting his closet door with a pop of color and creating instagram art for the walls.  Additionally I collaborated with Lowe’s in May on an “Ugly Bathroom” campaign and shared 5 ways to update a bathroom on a budget + design solutions for an ‘ugly bathroom’. Have a bathroom in need of a makeover, then this post is a must-read. Finally by the end of the month, the Spring weather was incredible so I spruced up our outdoor deck and created a plan for our patio makeover.

8-545x800

As June rolled around, I was getting bigger by the minute and slowing down fast.  BUT, we managed to finish the patio makeover (which came out dreamy) and I also shared a peek at the new nursery nook that was created for baby #3.  I also had a little downtime strawberry picking with my girl and shared 15 must-try strawberry recipes (you will definitely WANT these for Spring!).  The month also brought the start of Year 2 of the Creating a Meaningful Home blog series.  My friend, the incredibly talented Melissa of The Inspired Room, started out the series with some beautiful thoughts + words about what fills a home with meaning.

By month’s end, our best DIY + biggest accomplishment of 2014 arrived

and she’s now 6 months old.

Here are my clan of 5 just a few days ago on Christmas…

My clan of 5

Where has the time gone?!

Boy Bedroom Reveal

July was quiet.  You probably don’t need me to tell you why…  But action on the blog didn’t stop.  More of my great friends – Carrie, Jennifer, Jaime, Jenna, Carmel, + many more – filled the days with posts on how they’ve made their homes meaningful.  July also brought the reveal of my son’s bedroom makeover.  I, of course, finished it before the baby arrived, but hadn’t had a chance to share it.  The result was pretty spectacular!

My chat with David BromstadAugust was just as crazy + hectic at our homestead, but on the blog even more friends opened their beautiful homes for the Creating a Meaningful Home blog series.  Additionally, I shared my announcement of being featured 3x in one national magazine, had a chat on the phone (for real) with celeb-designer + HGTV star David Bromstad, and got an incredible new mattress (the best ever & I am still sleeping like a baby)!

Reupholstering a bench

Fullscreen-capture-8292014-71304-AM

By September, I started getting my s**t together a bit more.  The kids were back in school, my little baby was 2 months old, and I actually started to shower again (ha, some days).  I also started getting my DIY groove back and tackled a few new projects like reupholstering the dining bench, making a window valance, and starting the china cabinet makeover that I found on Craiglist.  This month, I also shared inspiration on making DIY window treatments, gorgeous Fall spaces, and EVERYTHING FALL – all my seasonal posts in one place.  The month didn’t end without a huge highlight… my home on the cover of STORAGE magazine. {squeal + two pinches to make sure this is reality}.

Craigslist China Cabinet Makeover

Fall Tablescape

October rolled around and I was in full-on DIY mode with my latest + greatest makeover, the china cabinet!  From prepping + sanding, to priming, to painting this cabinet got a major transformation.  The result was pretty fabulous!  October also brought a beautiful Fall tablescape creation & the start of #4 room makeover, the bathroom.

Bathroom Makeover

November was filled with a mix of the bathroom makeover + Christmas prep (with a nature-inspired theme).The bathroom makeover was hands-down my biggest & toughest DIY makeover to date.  With it not being the typical paint + fabrics, but instead demo, tiling (big time), plumbing, wallpapering, and more, this was a full-on challenge.  But I am always up for a challenge and we (the Mister + I) pushed through!  psst… final reveal coming next week.

Christmas Home Tour 2014

And lastly, but certainly not least… The last month of the year, December.  I always find this month bittersweet.  There is so much excitement leading up to Christmas and then when it’s over and the stillness + quietness set in and time allows for reflection, it’s brought with smiles + a few tears.  Smiles for all the good and tears for it going all too fast…  This month has been a great one starting off with my Christmas Home Tour which was apart of the Jennifer Rizzo Holiday Housewalk for the 2nd year.  After that I shared more details on my mantel, progress of the bathroom makeover,  and a look ahead at the new color of the year, Marsala.

New Site - JennaBurger.com

December also brought the exciting change / upgrade of my website.  As I head into Year 5 of my business + blog (yes I started this whole thing in 2010), I felt my site no longer reflected what I was feeling.  In 5 years, my design style has grown + evolved, and I wanted my site to evoke that simpler, cleaner, but eye-popping aesthetic.  That being said, my mission to inspire & live with meaning will always be at the forefront of my blog and business!

So raise your glasses (or your cup of Joe) and Cheers to a wonderful year that is winding down & an even better year to come!

As I did last year, I am hooking up with a few of my blogging besties, Jessica of Decor Adventure & Carrie of Making Lemonade, to host a link up party for fellow bloggers who have also created a “Best of 2014” or a “Year In Review” post. These posts are always a fun + fantastic recap highlighting the biggest accomplishments throughout the year.

Year in Review Link Up!

After you link up your post, head on over to Carrie and Jessica’s blogs where they are sharing their recaps + your “Best of 2013″ posts will be seen on their blogs too.

The only party guidelines: Visit the co-hosts and if you link up, perhaps publicize the party on Facebook or Twitter so others can find out about it as well. The more the merrier!

Changes for Year 5

What a week it’s been!  From an update to the bathroom TO the interesting new color choice by Pantone (what’s your take on Marsala?) TO sharing my TOP TEN TOOLS for DIYers, it’s been jam-packed with goodness.  But I have news to share that’s even bigger and better… My blog + business of almost 5 years is getting a revamp.

Here’s a peek >

New Blog Design

If you haven’t noticed yet, some changes have already taken form.  For the past week, what used to be sasinteriors.net is now jennaburger.com (take a look up at the URL bar – My site will always be accessible using sasinteriors.net, but going forward it’ll automatically redirect to jennaburger.com).  This weekend, the blog will be down for a bit while the design is changed over but bright and early Monday morning, the new blog will be up and running with an entire new look.

New Button

Why the Change?

As I head into Year 5 of my design business & blog,  I was feeling a need for change.  It’s like that moment you walk into your closet, hate everything, and rush out to buy an entire new wardrobe.  Oh, thats never happened to you?  Me neither, but I dream about it sometimes… 

The decision to change my blog name + redesign my little spot in the blogosphere was difficult to make.  From day one choosing a name that defines my mission for inspiring & creating seemed impossible.  I was never thrilled with my blog & business name, and after living it + breathing it for 4 years, I was ready to go in a different direction.   Since my site is not only my inspirational blog, but also a business platform for my design company, the title / the name needed to make sense for both facets.  To simply use my name, Jenna Burger, made the most sense.  That’s what people know me as and over the years it has become my brand.  I, Jenna Burger, am the one to create and I am the one who inspires.    The new tagline Layers of Inspired Style was a fluid addition to accompany my name and I feel it sums up my mission & thought-process on design with the layering of materials to create a cohesive, unexpected, and eye-catching composition.

With all the new changes coming, PLEASE don’t fret that my mission and design ideas will be changing.  That will all remain the same and more awesomeness is to come in the New Year!  I feel this new design and layout is a better reflection of me and my design aesthetic.  The new layout/design is a lot cleaner & simpler so in turn my hope is for you, my readers, to find things & navigate the site faster & easier!

There might be a few hiccups over the next couple weeks so if you see a broken link or something missing/wrong, please let me know.  An extra set of eyes is always helpful.  Thanks so much and as always, I appreciate all of you so much!  Here’s an early CHEERS to 2015!

Bathroom Makeover: Tiled Niche {Day 19 + 20}

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind with decking the halls and preparing for the Christmas season, resulting in the bathroom makeover being put on the backburner.  BUT, progress is still being made and it is almost complete – YAY!

I can officially say, the walls are complete.  Last I shared, I had finished the install of the wallpaper & the tile accent border.  It’s Day 19 & 20 of this Bathroom Makeover in 30 Days Challenge and it’s focused on creating a tiled niche near the vanity.  Here is the result…

Bathroom Makeover: a tutorial on how to create a tiled niche + many more DIY projects.

Before this niche was created, there was a medicine cabinet in this space. This is how it looked when we moved into our home about 5 years ago…

before bathroom makeover

Then about 3 years ago when I gave this bathroom a refresh, I painted the glass of the medicine cabinet with chalkboard paint and added a frame…

before bathroom makeover with chalkboard medicine cabinet

While creating the plan of action for this bathroom makeover, I had the idea of removing the medicine cabinet to create a niche – the perfect small storage solution.   Since I already had the natural stone herringbone tile planned for the shower, I thought the niche would be another ideal spot for it.   Unexpected & a great tie-in.

During the demo phase of the bathroom, I removed the medicine cabinet from the wall by unscrewing a few screws.  It was much easier than I thought it’d be.  In the end I was left with a sheetrocked cavity.

Removing the medicine cabinet

I wasn’t expecting “the hole” to be sheetrocked and was originally planning on needing to create a box to fit in the hole.  Upon removing the cabinet and discovering this, I was pleasantly surprised.  I was able to install the tile directly on the sheetrock that was already in place.

To create the tiled storage niche, I used the beautiful 13″ x 13″ natural stone herringbone mosaic and the 3 x 6 white subway tile that I found at Lowe’s.

White subway tile - the most classic, most beautiful (an one of the least expensive) tile you can get!

Lowes Herringbone Carrera Marble

1. To start, I created a template of the back surface of the niche using craft paper.  Then I layed it on the herringbone tile and traced the outline using a marker.

Bathroom Makeover: a tutorial on how to create a tiled niche + many more DIY projects.

Bathroom Makeover: a tutorial on how to create a tiled niche + many more DIY projects.

2. Then using the wet saw, the Mister (gotta give him creditwink, wink) cut along the line.

Bathroom Makeover: a tutorial on how to create a tiled niche + many more DIY projects.

3. Then I layed the tile inside the niche to make sure it was the right size (it wasn’t perfect, but I knew the grout would “hide” any imperfections).  It fit – yay – so using adhesive (the same method I used to install the wall tile), I added the herringbone accent tile to the back surface of the niche.

Bathroom Makeover: a tutorial on how to create a tiled niche + many more DIY projects.

4. When the back was finished, I cut and added 3 x 6 subway tiles (same tile as shower) on the sides, top, and bottom.

As I was working from bottom to top on the sides, I cut and added (2) shelves (marble slabs typically used for a door threshold) at varying heights.  The Mister cut it to the right length using the wet saw and we made sure it was long enough so it fit between + sits on the subway tiles.

Bathroom Makeover: a tutorial on how to create a tiled niche + many more DIY projects.

5. Once the tiles were in place, I grouted all the joints using the same method as the wall tile.

Bathroom Makeover: a tutorial on how to create a tiled niche + many more DIY projects.

6. After the joints were filled and the tile was cleaned off, I added trim around the edges using a 3/4″ decorative moulding.  It was basically like creating a picture frame surround. I cut all the pieces using the miter saw and nailed them in place with finishing nails.  To give an extra tap in place I also used a nail punch to drive home the nails – love that tool.

Bathroom Makeover: a tutorial on how to create a tiled niche + many more DIY projects.

7. Then I filled in all the holes using wood filler.

Bathroom Makeover: a tutorial on how to create a tiled niche + many more DIY projects.

Bathroom Makeover: a tutorial on how to create a tiled niche + many more DIY projects.

After the last piece was put in place, I gave the moulding a light sanding, and painted it with semi-gloss white.  Here’s the result…

Bathroom Makeover: a tutorial on how to create a tiled niche + many more DIY projects.

A closeup…

Bathroom Makeover: a tutorial on how to create a tiled niche + many more DIY projects.

Bathroom Makeover: a tutorial on how to create a tiled niche + many more DIY projects.

This new niche is such a fun, unexpected addition to the bathroom.  Pretty + Functional = A great storage solution

Here is the niche filled with a few things…

Bathroom Makeover: a tutorial on how to create a tiled niche + many more DIY projects.

And a glimpse a few steps back…

Bathroom Makeover: a tutorial on how to create a tiled niche + many more DIY projects.

Bathroom Makeover: a tutorial on how to create a tiled niche + many more DIY projects.

A few more details to go and I will be able to call this bathroom makeover DONE!  Adding a tiled niche on Day 19 + 20 is complete!  Up next… adding details – moulding, lighting, and accessories.  More to come soon!

The installation of the tiled niche took 2 days, about 4 hours each day

From start to finish, these are all the posts pertaining to this bathroom remodel
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
Bathroom Makeover Reveal
Resources

{Day 19+20} Tiled Niche – Complete!  10 more days to go…

Lowes Creative Ideas Team Member

To gather even more unique, fun, and creative ideas for your indoor and outdoor Winter spaces, I would definitely suggest downloading the Lowe’s Creative Ideas app on your iphone and/or ipad.  I’m always checking out the FREE app for great seasonal + do-it-yourself inspiration.

Disclosure: I am part of the Lowe’s Creative Team and was provided with a Lowe’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!

Christmas Mantel

Christmas mantel filled with old & new and lots of DIY creations!

Happy Friday!  Boy, am I glad it is FRIDAY.  It has been a heck of a week, how about for you?

I hope you enjoyed my Christmas Home Tour that I shared yesterday.  Thank you to all those that left the kindest, sweetest comments – I can not tell you how great they make me feel.  I am really loving how festive & warm our home feels right now and I hope I was able to convey that to you throughout the tour!

As I was putting the post of The Tour together, I was left with many more photos of the fireplace mantel.  Instead of making the post miles long, I thought I would create another post on just the mantel.  I am so smitten over how the mantel resulted this year, so let me show you around.

Come join me in the family room…

Christmas mantel filled with old & new and lots of DIY creations!

With our tree at one end of the room and the fireplace at the other, this is such a cozy, restful place.  The mantel this year is filled with a little old and a little new.

Christmas mantel filled with old & new and lots of DIY creations!

My approach for this years mantel was to lean and layerWhat do I mean?   From front to back, I added height with various items that I simply leaned on each other to give a layered (dimensional) look.

I started with the stained wood backdrop and added the pretty, glittery wreath I got from Lowe’s last year.  Leaning on it, I added the JOY pallet sign, which is really the focal point of the mantel.  Then I added a new chalkboard printable & the oversized wood snowflake (a roadside rescue).  It’s all about the layers!

Christmas mantel filled with old & new and lots of DIY creations!

The chalkboard printable is something new this year and it is a creation made by my friend KellieHow did I create it?  I saved the printable to a USB key, brought it to Staples and they printed it on blueprint paper for less than $4.  I then brought it home and framed it.  Easy-Peasy and it is a beautiful addition to the mantel.

https://www.jennaburger.com/2014/12/christmas-home-tour-2014/

For a bit of whimsy, the kids and I collected some branches from the backyard, which I used to fill a simple white vase.  It really grounds the fireplace.

Christmas mantel filled with old & new and lots of DIY creations!

When I initially placed the vase on the mantel, the brown branches got lost against the orange wall.  To make them stand out more, I took some white craft paint and painted them.  A few minutes later, they were finished and dry.

Christmas mantel filled with old & new and lots of DIY creations!

So pretty, right?

When decorating for this Christmas, I ended up changing the place of a few of our festive favorites.  One specific DIY creation that we all love & admire each year is the Christmas Card Holder.  This season, I chose to hang it to the right of the fireplace and it’s already starting to fill up.

Christmas mantel filled with old & new and lots of DIY creations!

On the other end of the mantel are a few more layered-in elements that give height & interest to the overall mantel.   For the last few years, my go-to favorites for Christmas are these modern cone-shaped Christmas trees from the Christmas Tree Shop a few years back.  We have them in a few different sizes in white and gold.  I just love how sparkly they are!  And how simple, yet glowing is a bowl filled with ornaments.  A 3-second creation that is beauty to the eye!

Christmas mantel filled with old & new and lots of DIY creations!

This years mantel would not be complete without a WOW.  The gorgeous cedar garland truly completed this years mantel montage.  I just adore how full and organic it feels.  My idea of being inspired by nature this holiday season really came to fruition with this garland.

Christmas mantel filled with old & new and lots of DIY creations!

I am so grateful to my friends at Lynch Creek Farm who sent me the garland, as well as the wreath for the front door.  And the smell…  I can’t even begin to explain how yummy our home smells.  I just wish you could dive through your screen to get a whiff.

Lynch Creek Farm

Here is a peek at the gorgeous wreath on the front door which you can see more of in my Christmas Home Tour.

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

Back to the mantel…

I hung this beautiful cedar garland at each end of the mantel so it has a gentle swag in the center.  On the one side, I added a pretty red + black bow and on the other side, I hung 3 stockings that I just picked up from Lowe’s.

Christmas mantel filled with old & new and lots of DIY creations!

Christmas mantel filled with old & new and lots of DIY creations!

A few more views (I told you I couldn’t stop myself from photographing & sharing this mantel)…

Christmas mantel filled with old & new and lots of DIY creations!

 

Christmas mantel filled with old & new and lots of DIY creations!

Christmas mantel filled with old & new and lots of DIY creations!

From the kitchen to the dining room to the family room, you can see how the fireplace is a focal point in our home and we are truly admiring this years mantel creation…

Christmas mantel filled with old & new and lots of DIY creations!

Thanks for stopping by to enjoy my home decorated for Christmas!

Have you decorated your home for the holidays yet?

Christmas Home Tour 2014

Christmas Home Tour 2014Welcome!

I have been waiting for this day for so long.  Another holiday season is upon us and I am thrilled you are here to take the tour of my home decorated for Christmas.

If you are following along on the Jennifer Rizzo Holiday Housewalk (start the tour here), I am house #24 and you just came from Monica’s home at East Coast Creative.

east coast creative

Wasn’t it awesomely decorated?  She has such a creative style!  I am so happy to be on the tour for the second year in a row (click to see last years Christmas tour) and let me tell you… you are in for a treat!

Over the past year, I have made many changes to our beautiful abode and it has been enjoyable to put new touches on our latest additions.  Without further ado, grab a cup of something, put your feet up, and enjoy.

Let the tour begin…

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

Our front porch + (new) front door are adorned this Christmas season with gorgeous greenery in a mix of cedars (thanks to my awesome friends at Lynch Creek Farm).  The garland on the front columns & the wreath on the door beautifully surround our entry and create the most perfect welcoming feeling.

We just had this new glass front door installed a few weeks ago and even though it’s only primed – yes the brownish red color is how it came primed – I am loving how much light in filters into the front entry.  I have more planned for this door (like a pop of color) but it’ll have to wait till Spring.  For now, I hung this beautiful wreath and I am calling in done!

Come on in…

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

For seasonal decor, I don’t believe that every space needs to filled with floor to ceiling decorations.  Often a few small touches, are ideal and just enough.  Our entry isn’t overly spacious and with 5 of us, there is a lot of foot traffic throughout all hours of the day.

My holiday decorating approach for the entry/foyer space was to set the tone for the other spaces and to add a few festive layers to our everyday decor.  I loved the ornament tree (small colorful ornaments hung from tree branches found in our backyard) that I created for our buffet last year, so this season I reenacted a similar idea on the gold dresser (which isn’t only glamorous but actually is functional too holding shoes, keys, and lots of stuff), and brought in a few festive favorites.

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

A few weeks back I mentioned my design ‘theme’ for this Christmas was to be inspired by nature.  With that in mind while decorating, I was able to hone in on what made sense and to not overwhelm the spaces with non-meaningful things.  The result being, we truly feel surrounded – inside and out – by many natural elements and things that we love most.

Along the stair railing, I hung a beautiful magnolia garland that I got from Balsam Hill – simple, but sophisticated.  It’s artificial, but it has a realistic look without the fuss.

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

To the right of our entry is the office / living room.  I love how the room glows in the evening with our sparkly white tree…

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

As you can see from the light that filters into the photo, this space is incredibly bright.  I chose to display our all-white tree in front of the stair railing this year and decorated it with colorful ornaments in shades of pinks, purples, browns, and golds. It’s beautifully lit with white lights and finished off with my easiest + fastest + cheapest tree skirt EVER!

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

A mirror turned horizontal makes for the perfect seasonal coffee table vignette. The festive montage is topped with a few Christmas favorites including gold trees (from the Christmas Tree Shop), the light turned vase filled with ornaments, and of course Santa.  Also displayed in a tray on the coffee table is a colorful poinsettia (fake artificial) in a bright yellow vase (which I typically have filled with a fern).  Pops of color all around…

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

As we come down the stairs each morning, this is the view we are blessed with…

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

As we continue on the tour, my living room/office leads us to the kitchen and dining space…

This is our main dining table for breakfast & dinner, so again the space had to remain functional for the every day, so a few seasonal layers were just enough to bring in the magic.

Above the sliding door, I added another (faux) magnolia garland and below is a simple boxwood wreath (last year from Lowe’s) hung from the door frame by a pretty gold ribbon.  Hanging from the chandelier are some colorful + bright ornaments and for the table centerpiece, I used the stained wood box that I recently made and filled it with small Christmas trees, greenery, and more ornaments.

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

I love decorating with trays.  It makes creating vignettes so easy & moving them (especially at the dinner table) is a cinch.  There is no way a display like this directly on the table could be moved twice a day.

Here’s a closeup…

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

For the recent Craigslist-found china cabinet the I transformed, I let the color stand strong and draped a simple paper garland from edge to edge.

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

Using a round 1.5″ diameter paper puncher, I cut out circles from Christmas scrapbooking paper, and sewed them together with the method I used to make the crib mobile. So simple, yet festive.

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

The Christmas Countdown pallet tree that I made last year is still gong strong and is still one of my most favorite creations.

Christmas Countdown Pallet Tree

Here’s an overall view of the entire space…

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

As you continue from the dining room, the adjacent space is our family room where we put our feet up and chill.  It’s a comfy space with a big ole sofa and a fireplace to keep us toasty warm.

This year we have a new (artificial) Christmas tree that is the focal point of the room.  Our previous tree hit it’s life span.  Of course once the old tree went curbside, the big debate of choosing between white or multi-color lights for the new tree began.  Well this tree is the perfect solution… It has both!  As easy as you can change the lights with a scroll of the mouse, is as easy as we can change from white to color with a click up a button.  When in life, can you make everyone in the household happy???  Well I did it with this great find!

white…

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

and

color…

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

Here is the overall space with a roaring fire and all!  The Mister is a master at making the best, toasty fires.  Me?  Not so much.  I attempted to make a fire a few weeks ago and forgot to put up the flue.  Enough said.

That cute, colorful yarn garland hanging over the window is a recent creation that I used this tutorial to make.  I love how whimsical it looks.  Here is another glimpse of it hanging on my fireplace that I shared on Instagram.

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

As you continue in the room, our fireplace is decked out this year with a little old and a little new!

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

The fun, vintage JOY sign is something I made a few years ago and is a favorite of mine as the focal point of the mantel.  The wood sign made of pallets is layered in front of a larger espresso stained wood sign/backdrop.  A few other glittery, sparkly favorites like the wreath, trees, and ornaments are scattered about.

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

To the side of the fireplace, I hung our Christmas Card holder.  It’s a new spot for this DIY creation and I am really loving it.  The cards are starting to arrive and before we know it, this card holder will be all filled up.

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

Here is a separate post with more pictures of the mantel!

And that’s a wrap.  Thank you for stopping by for my Christmas Home Tour 2014.  And don’t forget to give a little jingle, jingle on your way out…

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

I hope you take the time to continue on the Jennifer Rizzo Holiday Housewalk.  Next up is the home of Between You & Me

between you and me

I wish you a happy holiday season!

You may also be interested in checking out my Christmas House Tour from last year >>>

Christmas Home Tour 2013

As well as ALL the creations I’ve ever made for Christmas time (5 years of seasonal projects) in my EVERYTHING CHRISTMAS post >>>

Everything christmas - All Christmas and seasonal creations in one post!

Everything CHRISTMAS {all posts in one place}

Another Holiday season is upon us!

I didn’t want to bombard you with Christmas posts before celebrating Thanksgiving, but I couldn’t hold off anymore.  Since Thanksgiving is tomorrow, I thought some of you would be starting the holiday decorating over the long weekend and could use some inspiration.

To make it easier and be inspired by all the Christmas creations that I’ve made over the 6+ years that I’ve been blogging, I am putting this post together with EVERYTHING CHRISTMAS.  All the posts I’ve ever shared pertaining to Christmas will be in one spot.  How great + easy?!

We’ll start with the home tours…

Christmas Home Tour - JENNA BURGER DESIGN

Christmas Home Tour 2015

Christmas Home Tour of Jenna Burger, one of the homes featured on the Jennifer Rizzo 2014 Holiday Housewalk

Christmas Home Tour 2014

Christmas Home Tour 2013

DIY: Tutorial on how to make a FAUX STACKED LOG FIREPLACE SCREEN. check out how-to make it at www.JennaBurger.com

Creating a Faux Stacked Log Fireplace Screen (we keep it up all year long)

Christmas Buffet & Ideas for Holiday EntertainingChristmas Buffet & Tips for Holiday Entertaining

Gold Wood Black Candle Holder {DIY tutorial}Wood Block Candle Holder {DIY tutorial}

J-O-Y Sign using pallets & paint {DIY tutorial}J-O-Y Sign using Pallets + Paint {DIY tutorial}

Christmas WrappingChristmas Wrapping with Duct Tape {DIY tutorial}

1Let There Be Peace On Earth sign {DIY tutorial}

Inspirational Christmas InteriorsInspirational Christmas Interiors {Project Roundup}

Log Centerpiece cradled in branches, pinecones, berries, and ornaments - a simple centerpiece arrangement for the holidaysLog Centerpiece

Christmas Card Holder: DIY project using 2 x 10 and clothespinChristmas Card Holder {DIY tutorial}

Pallet Christmas Countdown {DIY tutorial}Pallet Christmas Countdown {DIY tutorial}

Christmas Stocking using drop cloth {DIY tutorial}Drop Cloth Stockings {DIY tutorial}

Ideas for Displaying Christmas Cards15 Creative Ways to Display Christmas Cards {Project Roundup}

Nature Inspired Holiday DecorNature Inspired Holiday Decor

Christmas Holiday TablescapeaChristmas Tablescape

Pinecone Wreath {DIY tutorial}Pinecone Wreath {DIY tutorial}

Creative Ideas for Wrapping Holiday Gifts Creative Ideas for Wrapping Holiday Gifts {Project Roundup}

Cozy Adirondak Christmas PorchCozy Adirondack Christmas Porch

Christmas Porchesa, Doors, and Entryways13 Christmas Porches, Doors, and Entryways {Project Roundup}

DIY Christmas Ornament using a SharpieChristmas Ornament using a Gold Sharpie {DIY tutorial}

The Easiest + Fastest + Cheapest Tree Skirt EVER!The Easiest + Fastest + Cheapest Tree Skirt EVER!

DIY Placement using Drop ClothDrop Cloth Placemat {DIY tutorial}

Christmas Stenciling IdeasStenciling Ideas for Christmas

Holiday Photo CardHoliday Photo Card {DIY tutorial}

making a Lego Christmas CardMaking a LEGO Minifigure Christmas Card

Have a wonderful + blessed Holiday Season!

Bathroom Makeover: Tile Accent Border {Day 18}

Since the wallpaper, the last phase of the bathroom makeover, was fairly quick taking only a day from start to finish, I was able to move on the next step pretty quick.  With the completion of the dynamic + bold wallpaper, I am feeling so happy with how the bathroom is coming along.  There were a few points that I questioned my decisions + selections, but I feel the wallpaper really pulled it together and added the interest needed to make this new space + funky against the stark white tile.  It’s all about the balance and the contrast…

Onto the next phase to get this space done.  I’m on Day 18 of this Bathroom Makeover in 30 Days Challenge and it was spent adding a tile accent (trim) border to finish the edge of the subway tile.

Take a look…

Adding a Tile Trim Border in a bathroom to give a finished edge!

From the start, I had intention of using a tile board to finish off the subway tile, but once the installation of the horizontally layed subway tile was complete, it confirmed that something was definitely needed to finish the ends.  I chose a pretty decorative tile at Lowe’s that was the perfect complement to the subway tile.

American Olean Linea Gloss Ice White Ceramic Chair Rail Tile (Common: 2-in x 6-in; Actual: 2-in x 6-in)I chose to use the border tile vertically to border the shower tile and then turn it horizontally to border the subway tile on the walls outside of the shower space.  Originally I was going to use this accent barliner to border the herringbone tile in the shower as well, but I chose a simpler tile instead > see it here.   Like I said before, this has been my biggest tile job EVER.  I HAVE NEVER ventured into a project as big, so I was learning as I worked.  I questioned my skillset a few times along the way, but in the end I am very happy with the result.

For the tile border, I started with the corner pieces because they had to be cut on a 45 degree angle.  I measured and cut the two pieces using a wet saw and then worked my way up vertically and over horizontally.

Adding a Tile Trim Border

I installed the accent tile using the same method as I did for the subway tile.  To learn more about installing the tile, check out my post on How-To Tile + Grout Bathroom Walls

Once the tile border was in place, I used painters tape to tape off the wallpaper so the grout would not get on it.  After installing that gorgeous paper, the last thing I wanted was to get it ruined!

Then it was time to grout.  After mixed + made the grout mixture, I put it in a ziploc bag and cut one corner creating a small hole for the grout to come out of.  Kind of like icing a cake…  Then I worked the grout into the cracks & crevices.

Adding a Tile Trim Border

It was a little messy, but using the Ziploc bag was very helpful to direct the grout where I wanted it, instead of going on the entire tile surface.

Adding a Tile Trim Border

Once I filled all the holes and crevices, I used a damp sponge to smooth out the grout.  This not only cleans the tile face but smooths out the grout joints.

Adding a Tile Trim Border

If your walls are painted or have wallpaper on them, like mine, go slow + be careful so the wall surface doesn’t get grout on it otherwise it’ll become hazy.  Thankfully the wallpaper was easy to wipe off, but I am sure paint wouldn’t be as simple.  I guess you could always touch up those spots…

BEFORE THE GROUT DRIES, REMOVE THE TAPE!  This is in caps because if not the tape will dry into the grout.  Yes, it’s happened to me (not on this project thankfully).  As soon as you finish grouting while the grout is still moist, pull the tape off.

Adding a Tile Trim Border

From start to finish…

Adding a Tile Trim Border in a bathroom to give a finished edge!

And the result…

Adding a Tile Trim Border

BathroomAdding a Tile Trim Border in a bathroom to give a finished edge!

Adding a Tile Trim Border in a bathroom to give a finished edge!

Adding a Tile Trim Border in a bathroom to give a finished edge!

And a peek at a few other things happening {art + accessories}…

Adding a Tile Trim Border in a bathroom to give a finished edge!

The tile accent border is truly a beautiful addition.  Not only did it hide a lot of little mistakes and imperfect spots, but it has given this bathroom such an elegant + sophisticated finished look.  I am so happy that I installed the wallpaper before adding the border because it has really given a nice clean edge.  If / when I ever want to remove the wallpaper, my plan would be to score the edge of the accent tile with a sharp blade and then peel the paper off.

Adding a tile accent border on Day 18 is complete!  Up next… creating a tiled niche.  I removed the old medicine cabinet and replaced the space with a tiled niche.  More to come next week!

The installation of the tile accent border took about 4 hours on one day

From start to finish, these are all the posts pertaining to this bathroom remodel
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
Bathroom Makeover Reveal
Resources

{Day 18} Tile Accent Border – Complete!  12 more days to go…

This post is sponsored by Lowe’s, but all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.  I am thrilled (and a bit nervous) about tackling this project, but very excited to be partnering with Lowe’s on creating an entirely new bathroom space.  I’d love for you to follow along on this new project!

Bathroom Makeover: Installing Wallpaper {Day 17}

Bathroom Remodel: DIY bathroom makeover in 30 days. This phase of the project is installing wallpaper. Check out the details + the before & after NOW

If you follow along with me on Instagram, then you may have seen a few sneak peeks of the next phase of the Bathroom Remodel… the WALLPAPER!  Tile is done (well mostly) and after 17 days of cutting, grouting, tiling, I never want to touch another tile again in my life.  Now we know that’s not true.  But in all honesty, it was a big job.  Totally doable for any skill level, but just time consuming!

As I move forward with this Bathroom Makeover in 30 Days Challenge, the walls are now adorned with pure beautiful.

Take a look…

Bathroom Remodel: DIY bathroom makeover in 30 days. This phase of the project is installing wallpaper. Check out the details + the before & after NOW

Can we say dynamic?!  What do you think??

The evolution of this bathroom has been quite interesting.  Every moment I think I am leaning one direction, I end up going the opposite way.  Such as life, I guess.  Originally my plan was to go basic and neutral for the base elements, and then add pops of color and interest with layers.  Before tiling, I painted over the previous yellow paint color with a neutral greige. Once the white tile went up, it felt boring.  It wasn’t a reflection of my design style or the home we’ve created.  It needed something…  Then I found the wallpaper.

This wallpaper by Serena and Lily gave the perfect amount of eye-catching intrigue without overwhelming the space.  There is still a lot of whites + neutrals, and with the other elements I have planned, it’s going to be my next favorite space.

So on to the install…

I’ve wallpapered areas in my home before including the powder room and my son’s bedroom.  Both were one wall projects and didn’t involve a lot of cutting.  When working with a tight space that has lots of nooks, crannies, and crevices, it can get a bit tricky.

Differently from the other walls I’ve used wallpaper on, I never before used a wallpaper paste.  A discussion started a few weeks back on a picture I shared on Instagram about using wallpaper primer.  An expert chimed in strongly suggesting using wallpaper primer before wallpapering, ” You can install wallpaper without primer if you have smooth walls, however, it’s going to be a pain later when when you want to remove it. If you prime your walls, the wallpaper will roll down in long flowing strips. If you don’t prime, the drywall comes off with the wallpaper in 6+ years.”  My thought upon this input… USE WALLPAPER PRIMER.

Bathroom Remodel: DIY bathroom makeover in 30 days. This phase of the project is installing wallpaper. Check out the details + the before & after NOW

I chose this clear wallpaper primer at Lowe’s and the gallon was about $16.  I used the smallest amount so a little goes a long way.  I wish they sold it in smaller amounts, but o well.

I poured the primer into a paint tray and using a roller, I  applied it to the walls.  You really only need a thin coat because it is watery.  I found after a few minutes some of the primer dripping down the wall, so I took a cloth and dabbed it so it wouldn’t harden.

Bathroom Remodel: DIY bathroom makeover in 30 days. This phase of the project is installing wallpaper. Check out the details + the before & after NOW

In about 3 hours, it was dry and ready to wallpaper.  I waited till the next morning to start though…

Supplies for Wallpapering

  • Wallpaper
  • Wallpaper Paste
  • Smoothing Tool
  • Sharp Razor or blade
  • Other handy tools for wallpapering are: a tape measure, a laser level, a pencil

How-To Wallpaper

I started off at one edge of the wall and worked my way around the room from that point. Because I am planning on adding moulding at the top of the wall, and a tile trim piece at the bottom, measuring exactly wasn’t needed – phew!  I measured about the length of the wall and cut my wallpaper with a scissor. Then I layed it on the floor so I could apply the paste.

Bathroom Remodel: DIY bathroom makeover in 30 days. This phase of the project is installing wallpaper. Check out the details + the before & after NOW

Unlike with my previous wallpaper experiences, this time I applied the wallpaper paste to the back of the wallpaper as indicated on the instructions that came with the wallpaper.  In the past, I put the paste directly on the wall, then adhered the paper.  I wanted to see if this other method worked better (and in the end, it did!).  Why?  I felt that by adding the paste to the back of the wallpaper instead of applying the paste to the wall there resulted in less air bubbles and air pockets.  The paper was easier to smooth out which avoided the paper from getting creased or damaged.

I applied a nice coating of wallpaper paste using an inexpensive paint brush.

Bathroom Remodel: DIY bathroom makeover in 30 days. This phase of the project is installing wallpaper. Check out the details + the before & after NOW

2

Then I let the paper sit about 3 minutes (as the instructions stated) and aligned it on the wall.

Bathroom Remodel: DIY bathroom makeover in 30 days. This phase of the project is installing wallpaper. Check out the details + the before & after NOW

Once I positioned it where I thought it look best, I used a long level (sorry no picture) and made sure it was vertically plumb.  Once I had the paper in the right place, I used the smoothing tool to smooth out the paper from air bubbles and air pockets. It’s best to start in the center of the paper and work your way out to the edges.

Bathroom Remodel: DIY bathroom makeover in 30 days. This phase of the project is installing wallpaper. Check out the details + the before & after NOW

Once the paper was smooth, it was time to move on to the next piece.  I cut another piece of wallpaper length and then aligned it edge to edge with the previous piece.  Never overlap the wallpaper.

Bathroom Remodel: DIY bathroom makeover in 30 days. This phase of the project is installing wallpaper. Check out the details + the before & after NOW

Bathroom Remodel: DIY bathroom makeover in 30 days. This phase of the project is installing wallpaper. Check out the details + the before & after NOW

Once it was smoothed out, I took a lint-free rag and cleaned off the paste from the seams. One reason that I love this paper is that is easily cleanable.

Bathroom Remodel: DIY bathroom makeover in 30 days. This phase of the project is installing wallpaper. Check out the details + the before & after NOW

This damask looking wallpaper was really nice to work with and the quality was very good, but I was slightly unhappy with the design repeat when I went to align the edges. The design didn’t match exactly like it should and I was bummed about it.  I tried my best to line up the design to make it look right.  Thankfully the pattern is so busy that you don’t really notice.

Bathroom Remodel: DIY bathroom makeover in 30 days. This phase of the project is installing wallpaper. Check out the details + the before & after NOW

Once I had the 2 sheets up, I was feeling really confident in my work.  I continued around the room and then I came to my first obstacle…  the corner and the door.

For this area, I used the old method of applying the paste to the wall because I was afraid if I didn’t, the paste would get on everything – door, tile, etc.   To start, I measured and trimmed the paper leaving lots of extra on the edges. Then I put it in place and trimmed again until the size of the paper fit the exact space.

Bathroom Remodel: DIY bathroom makeover in 30 days. This phase of the project is installing wallpaper. Check out the details + the before & after NOW

I had a few other obstacles to overcome like the outlets, the switches, and the light.  I typically use a scissor or a sharp blade to cut the paper.

Bathroom Remodel: DIY bathroom makeover in 30 days. This phase of the project is installing wallpaper. Check out the details + the before & after NOW

Before I knew it, a few hours later, all the walls were covered and the wallpapering process was complete.

Bathroom Remodel: DIY bathroom makeover in 30 days. This phase of the project is installing wallpaper. Check out the details + the before & after NOW

A recap of the before & in-progress now.

Bathroom Remodel: before & progress / Check out this DIY bathroom makeover

Whats up next?

The moulding at the top + the tile trim around the shower & walls…

Bathroom Remodel: DIY bathroom makeover in 30 days. This phase of the project is installing wallpaper. Check out the details + the before & after NOW

As you can see, this new bathroom space is surely NOT going to be boring.  I can’t wait to finish it up and finally use it.  Even though there are lots of little things still to do, I am thrilled with the direction that it is taking.

The installation of this dynamic wallpaper took about 5 hours on one day

Follow along on this bathroom remodel with these other posts
Plan of Action {Day 1}
Demo: Removal + Installation of the Tub & Walls {Day 2-4}
How-To Tile + Grout the Bathroom Walls {Day 5-16}
Installing Wallpaper {Day 17}
Adding a Tile Accent Border {Day 18}
Creating a Tiled Niche {Day 19 + 20}

Coming up (still to do)
Details: Moulding, Lighting, Accessories
Finishing Touches
Bathroom Remodel Reveal

{Day 17} Wallpaper – Complete!  13 more days to go…

This post is sponsored by Lowe’s, but all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.  I am thrilled (and a bit nervous) about tackling this project, but very excited to be partnering with Lowe’s on creating an entirely new bathroom space.  I’d love for you to follow along on this new project!

Check out more of my posts on wallpapering

[Frames Wallpaper in my son’s bedroom]How To Wallpaper: tips + tricks to wallpaper like a pro!

[Amy Butler Wallpaper in my Powder Room]How-To Hang Wallpaper with paste

Bathroom Makeover: DIY Tips & Tricks on How-To Tile + Grout a Bathroom {Day 5-16}

It’s Day 5-16 for the next phase of this Bathroom Makeover in 30 Days Challenge.

The tile is done.  I could not be more happy.  It wasn’t difficult, but it took a long time.  Rightfully so since this 5′ x 8′ space is almost completely covered in tile.

Before this I had only tiled small areas – a fireplace surround, a kitchen backsplash, and a bathroom backsplash (and a few floors but that was using luxury vinyl tile). But this was a mega job.  I was nervous and I got overwhelmed at times.  BUT it’s complete and it feels so good.  And looks good too.  I’m still no expert, but I surely have some tips to share.  Take a look at the bathroom now…

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

And just to give you a reminder of what it looked like before…

Bathroom before makeover

Before I got started, I put together a Plan of Action and that has kept me on track when picking and choosing the new elements + items for the bathroom.

I’ll admit though, even though it is a small space finalizing a design direction was tricky.  My #1 objective was to make it functional (since it’s the hall / kids bath) and classic (subway tile), but I also wanted to bring the unexpected (wallpaper).  I searched the tile aisle of Lowe’s many times before finding a tile that I loved…

Walking the aisles of Lowe's searching for the right tile

In the end, I chose to move forward with 3 x 6 white subway tile and 13″ x 13″ natural stone herringbone mosaic

White subway tile - the most classic, most beautiful (an one of the least expensive) tile you can get!

Lowes Herringbone Carrera Marble

Once the removal & installation of the tub + cement board walls were complete, it was time to tile!   To start, I chose the center point of the space – the back wall – and worked my way out and around the room.  I marked out a level line at the base of the tile so I the tile would be as plumb as possible.

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

When starting the first row, it is important to keep the tile about 1/8 – 1/4″ above the tub deck (I used shims so the tile would not slide down).  Instead of filling this gap with typical grout, use an expandable sealant to repel the water.

Tip to Know: Subway tile is the only tile that has a slight bevel, so there is no need to add a spacing/ joint between tiles. If you added a joint (using a spacer) than the joints would be very large.  The pro for using subway tile is they stack one on top of the other.  The con for using subway tile is you have no wiggle room.  If a tile is off (when using spacers), you can cheat on the next tile or the next row, but not with subway since ever tile butts next to each other.

I continued my way around the base of the tub and installed the tile on the plumb line.

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

Once the first row was finished and the tile was cured, I continued my way up the wall starting at the back.

Somehow, somewhere I got this crazy-zany idea to introduce an accent tile.  Yes gorgeous, but should an inexperienced person (me) be acting like a pro on the Day 2 of tiling?  I asked myself late one evening.  Well there was no going back…

Once I figured out how large I wanted my accent tile inlay to be, I marked lines on the wall using a level.  Then to outline the accent tile, I used a 1/2″ x 6″ pencil liner.

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

The two sides of the accent tile nearly killed me because of all the cuts, but I kept saying to myself, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

But then, the sides were done, the pencil tile was added to the top and the bling-bling accent tile was ready to be installed!

 

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

For the accent tile, I found the midpoint of the box and laid the first tile which is 13″ x 13″ natural stone herringbone mosaic (on a mesh sheet backing). Then I added the adjacent tiles.  For this part, the Mister and I worked fast because we wanted to avoid the tiles from sliding down (gravity was not our friend on this day).

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

FYI: I tried taking as many pictures along the way, but to be honest, my hands were messy and filled with mortar.  All the pictures were taken with my iphone and much of the project was tackled in the evening (with poor lighting).

[details on adhering the tile to the wall below]

 

Once the walls of the tub were complete, I continued the tile about 3′ up on the main walls of the bathroom.

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

Before & After of the sink area…

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

 

What’s to Come

Once the subway tile is complete, I will be wallpapering the remaining exposed walls + a decorative border tile will be added to the edge of the subway tile to give a finished look.

Those were the steps I took for installing the tile and here are some details + specifics

How-To Cut Tile

There are two methods I used to cut the tile, (1) with a hand-held tile cutter (like this) or (2) with a wet saw (like this).  There are pros and cons to both.

Hand Held Tile Cutter
The subway tile was fairly easy to cut/trim, so for those cuts I used the hand-held tile cutter and was able to do it right on the bathroom floor.  This made the project easier and more manageable to tackle at night (which is when most of the bathroom came together).

Once I marked where the tile had to be cut.  I lined it up on the tile cutter.  Scored it 3-4 times with the manual blade.  And snap.  The tile was cut.

Using a hand-held tile cutter to cu subway tile. It's affordable and easy to use with no mess, no water, and simple clean up!

For smaller sized ceramic tile, I find that the hand held tile cutter is perfect, but for larger tile (ie: 12 x 12 or larger) and thicker natural stone (ie: the herringbone) a wet saw is needed!

Wet Saw
The beauty of the wet saw is the ease and preciseness of the cuts.  BUT it’s messy and there is a setup / cleanup process.  Many wet saws come with a stand, but we don’t have one and instead set it up on our driveway.  Since water is needed, there is a tendency to get wet and when working on a project late at night, who wants to be running up and down the stairs to go outside to cut tile?  NOT I.  So, for the cuts using the wet saw (herringbone accent tile and the decorative border tile) we waited till the weekend.

Using a wet saw will give you precise cuts for your tile. Ideal with larger and thicker tile!

Adding Adhesive to Tile

Because I couldn’t spend 8 hours a days tiling (I wish – I’m glad if I got in 2 hours each day), I mixed small amounts of adhesive at a time, so I had to alter the directions from the back of the bag since they called for using all the adhesive at once.  If you plan on tiling over many days, then mix small batches so the adhesive is fresh each time (otherwise it will harden).

Totalflex Universal Mortar tile adhesive

Tip: Instead of cleaning out the bucket of mortar (as well as grout) each time, grab about 5-10 small buckets so they can be thrown away.  And never ever, ever cleanup your tools in the sink of your home.  Yes you can wash your hands, but be sure to run hot water for a few minutes afterwards.  Washing a bucket or the tools in the sink of your home could result in the mortar (or grout) hardening in the pipes.

Why am I sharing this with you?  Because  it happened to me.

The consistency of powder to water should result in a pasty (not watery) mix…  It shouldn’t fall easily off the trowel.

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

Most experienced tile installers put the adhesive on the wall to attach the tile.  I tried that and found it made a lot of mess + a lot of wasted product.  Instead, I found it much easier to add the adhesive directly to the back of the tile (for both the subway tile and the accent tile).  This process may seem longer, but for me it worked better and there was very coverage.

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

Using a trowel, I added the adhesive to the back of the tile, then using the notched edge, I raked the adhesive in a vertical direction (perpendicular to how it will lay on the wall).   Then I applied the tile to the wall.

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

Once the tile was on the wall, I wiped away the excess adhesive on the tile surface.  If I hadn’t, it would have hardened on the surface.

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

Once the tile was set and the adhesive cured, it was time to grout!

How-To Grout Tile

Grout seals the deal!  It not only gives a finished look, but grout “locks in” and secures the tile to stay in position.

For this bathroom renovation, I chose to use unsanded grout (watch this video on how + why to use sanded / unsanded grout).  Sanded grout is typically for larger joints from 1/8″ – 1/2″, while unsanded grout is for smaller grout lines that are less than 1/8″.

Using a small bucket, I added the powder then the water to create a pasty mix (similar to the consistency of toothpaste).

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

When the grout mix was ready, I added a nice amount on to the grout float.  Then I chose a starting point and worked the grout into the joints with the float.  Once a good sized section of tile was covered in grout, I took a damp sponge and wiped the surface.  This not only cleans the tile face but smooths out the grout joints.

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

You can see how finished the wall looks with the grout by comparing the area with the joints filled in and the area without.

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

Once the bathroom was tile and grouted, this was the result…

How-To Tile and Grout a Bathroom tub area: tips & tricks to do it yourself. Follow along on this DIY bathroom remodel!

The installation & grouting of the tile & grouting took about 12 days – in total about 25 hours

Just shy of 1600 words, this post is jam-packed with information – I hope I didn’t overwhelm you!  I was very apprehensive about tackling such a BIG project and at times I was overwhelmed, but in the end the job wasn’t difficult.  Long YES, but not difficult.  If I could tackle this huge space, so can you!

{Day 5-16} Tile & Grout – Complete!  14 more days to go…

From start to finish, these are all the posts pertaining to this bathroom remodel
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
Bathroom Makeover Reveal
Resources

This post is sponsored by Lowe’s, but all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.  I am thrilled (and a bit nervous) about tackling this project, but very excited to be partnering with Lowe’s on creating an entirely new bathroom space.  I’d love for you to follow along on this new project!

Chalkboard Wood Garland

Can you believe it’s November?  I’m breaking away from the bathroom for a bit (the remodel has taken over my life) to start thinking about this years seasonal decor.

Every year, we enjoy displaying our Christmas favorites, but at the same time we like to introduce new elements & of course, make some fun festive creations (like last years pallet Christmas Countdown).  Even though we typically start the process of unpacking the holiday boxes before Thanksgiving arrives, we certainly don’t overlook the beautiful Holiday of giving.  For that tricky time when we’re transitioning from one holiday to the next I have created this pretty & nature-inspired Chalkboard Wood Garland.

DIY: Wood Disc Garland with Chalkboard center - perfect to hang from the mantel, on the front door, or on any wall! Good for the holidays or any time of year.

As the Holiday prep begins, I wanted to make something that would give our family a little reminder to slow down (especially this time of year) & to truly enjoy the moment when everything around us is hustling & bustling.

For now, I thought the word blessings really sums up how we should be feeling and to be thankful for all we have – this time of year and always!   This is why the best part of the creation was the chalkboard layer – anything can be added and just as easily erased.

How To Make Wood Garland

To make this wood disc garland, I headed straight to my backyard to grab a big ole’ log.  I actually first sent the mister on the hunt and he returned with a fallen branch about 1″ round.  That wasn’t going to do, so I threw on my boots and headed for the woods.  I returned with a log about 3.5 – 4″ round.  He was skeptical we could cut it, but I put our circular saw to the test and it cut like butter.

We created 10 discs about 1″ thick.  More or less discs can be cut depending on the word(s) you want to spell out.  I thought 10 would be ideal and if one or more discs aren’t used for letters, a pretty picture can be added instead.

DIY: Wood Disc Garland with Chalkboard center - perfect to hang from the mantel, on the front door, or on any wall! Good for the holidays or any time of year.

Once all the discs were cut, I took my chalkboard paint from Lowe’s (left over from the chalkboard wall)  and freehand painted a circle on each disc.

DIY: Wood Disc Garland with Chalkboard center - perfect to hang from the mantel, on the front door, or on any wall! Good for the holidays or any time of year.

After they dried, which took about 2 hours, I drilled 2 holes about 1″ apart on the wood section of the disc.  These holes are for the twine to thread through in the next step.

DIY: Wood Disc Garland with Chalkboard center - perfect to hang from the mantel, on the front door, or on any wall! Good for the holidays or any time of year.

Then I threaded the twine through.  Twine seemed like the right material since it’s a natural feeling and looks rugged like the wood.  Though any type of string or ribbon could be used, it just depends on the look you want to achieve.

Since the drilled holes were kind of small, I attached an unfolded paperclip to the end of the twine and wrapped it with duct tape (superman duct tape to be exact, lol.  But any tape will do the trick).

DIY: Wood Disc Garland with Chalkboard center - perfect to hang from the mantel, on the front door, or on any wall! Good for the holidays or any time of year.

I added my letters for the word blessings.  I didn’t use any fancy fonts, just what came to mind…

DIY: Wood Disc Garland with Chalkboard center - perfect to hang from the mantel, on the front door, or on any wall! Good for the holidays or any time of year.

And voila… a beautiful festive garland was created.

DIY: Wood Disc Garland with Chalkboard center - perfect to hang from the mantel, on the front door, or on any wall! Good for the holidays or any time of year.

Perfect for the mantel, the door, or any wall in the home, this new wood garland can really be used all year round.

DIY: Wood Disc Garland with Chalkboard center - perfect to hang from the mantel, on the front door, or on any wall! Good for the holidays or any time of year.

DIY: Wood Disc Garland with Chalkboard center - perfect to hang from the mantel, on the front door, or on any wall! Good for the holidays or any time of year.

DIY: Wood Disc Garland with Chalkboard center - perfect to hang from the mantel, on the front door, or on any wall! Good for the holidays or any time of year.

DIY: Wood Disc Garland with Chalkboard center - perfect to hang from the mantel, on the front door, or on any wall! Good for the holidays or any time of year.

I also tried it on the front door along with a pretty red wreath…

DIY: Wood Disc Garland with Chalkboard center - perfect to hang from the mantel, on the front door, or on any wall! Good for the holidays or any time of year.

Something unique, right?!

DIY: Wood Disc Garland with Chalkboard center - perfect to hang from the mantel, on the front door, or on any wall! Good for the holidays or any time of year.

DIY: Wood Disc Garland with Chalkboard center - perfect to hang from the mantel, on the front door, or on any wall! Good for the holidays or any time of year.

This creation has been such a great break away from the bathroom renovation.  Even though I love diving into a big DIY project, sometimes simple + quick is much more gratifying.  Now I feel inspired & ready for the Holidays.

Have you started thinking about your seasonal & holiday decor?

When do you start decorating?

Lowes Creative Ideas Team Member

To gather even more unique, fun, and creative ideas for your indoor and outdoor Winter spaces, I would definitely suggest downloading the Lowe’s Creative Ideas app on your iphone and/or ipad.  I’m always checking out the FREE app for great seasonal + do-it-yourself inspiration.

 Also consider following Lowe’s on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram as well.

Disclosure: I am part of the Lowe’s Creative Team and was provided with a Lowe’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!