Author: Jenna

Selling. Buying. Moving.

Written by Jenna on October 24, 2017. Posted in Uncategorized. 2 Comments on Selling. Buying. Moving.

It’s been 3 weeks since we moved.

Yes you heard me right, we sold our house, bought another house, and MOVED.

It all started mid-summer and completely came out of left field; it was totally unexpected.

Short version of the story… we always desired to live in another part of our town with hopes to eventually move there in a 3-5 years from now. Well, we’ve been thrown hurdles before and I’ve learned when you have a plan in mind, it never goes the way you think. Different from past hurdles though, this move was to a setting we’d had always dreamt about.

So it all happened one Sunday late in July when we went to an open house. The mister had his eye on this house for the year it had been on the market while I hadn’t given it a thought for a minute. The home was originally overpriced and needed work so it sat for a long time with little interest. As soon as we stepped inside, both the mister and I had ‘the feeling’. It was immediate. The location, the size, and the potential for us to put our “mark” on the house were ideal. It just felt right. We were there for over an hour and left with a phone call immediately to our realtor, who is a friend.

Within two days, we had negotiated a sale price. Mind you though, we weren’t planning on moving so even though we had tackled a lot of work on our house over the years, it wasn’t showcase ready. By that Thursday, I had whipped our home into shape, taken pictures, and our realtor listed it. The first viewing was Saturday and that evening they put in an offer. So in less than a week, we had essentially found a house and sold our house. We were feeling all the feels. Ecstatic, nervous, thrilled, scared, happy, sad… It was all happening so fast.

Within the following weeks, we had our inspection and met with contractors to review the scope of work we had planned before we moved in to the new house.

At some point along the way, there was no turning back and that scared the crap out of us, but in the same moment this house felt so right.

With any major transition, there were days and weeks that I was pulling my hair out. There were feelings of frustration. Of angst. There was a lot of organization, planning, and coordination with selling furniture, packing, moving, the closing, etc.

And then we said goodbye. Here’s a glimpse at all of us on the last day…

But all those parts are done and now we’re on to the construction part that’s brought its own challenges, hurdles, and frustrations. It’s also been an exciting ride because we are renovating a house that will soon be our home, we hope, for a long time!

So there you have it. We moved. I certainly never thought I’d be saying that.

Life certainly throws curveballs sometimes. Thankfully this curveball was a homerun!

Come visit the ‘before’ tour of our Brick Ranch Fixer Upper…

Magazine Feature: BHG Do It Yourself

Written by Jenna on August 31, 2017. Posted in Uncategorized.

Hi All!

Goodness, it’s been such a long time since I shared anything on the blog. As I mentioned a year ago (I can’t believe it’s been that long), I took a step back from blogging in early 2016 to focus more on my Interior Design business that was booming. I just couldn’t keep up doing both blogging + designing, and I also wanted to take a step back from blogging as I found the dynamic had changed since I started in 2010 and admittedly, I was kind of burnt out.

Anyway, the pendulum, once again, might be swinging the other way. I will have news to share soon on some big changes coming my way.

In the meantime, I’m hopping on here to share that I have projects currently featured in a national publication called Do It Yourself Magazine, a specialty publication by Better Homes and Gardens.

Back in February of 2015, over 2 years ago, BHG came to my home to photograph 5 projects that I created using drop cloths.

Here were two sneak peak pics that I shared at the time on Instagram…

Fast forward 2.5 years to present day and the projects are finally in the magazine, on newsstands NOW!

Here is the 6-page spread, but I suggest snagging a copy of your own because not only is this feature filled with great DIY ideas for the house, but there many more!

It never gets dull seeing my work featured in a magazine. It’s so validating and such an honor!

Big News coming soon…

Back-of-the-Door Towel Bar

Written by Jenna on February 6, 2017. Posted in Uncategorized.

There are a handful of posts that I receive so many questions about. One of the most asked-about post is how I hung towel bars on the back of my bathroom door, especially upon me sharing details of the newly renovated master bathroom.

Life could not go on anymore without me addressing this, ha. Joking aside, this post is going to be short-n-sweet, but will address the question that I’ve been asked 582 times… “How did you hang a towel bar on a hollow core door”

The simple answer… With a screw.

To be honest, since the towel bars have been on the back of the door for over 5 years, I actually forgot how I hung them. So today, I actually dismanteled them to confirm the process I took. (sometimes, I’m a do-er, not a thinker, and just go for it without analyzing + strategizing first – sometimes it works and something it doesn’t…).

OVERVIEW

With all towel bars, comes a mounting bracket. Once you’ve confirmed your placement for the towel bar, the mounting brackets get attached first to the flat surface (in this case, the back of the door), then the towel bar escutcheon is attached and gets secured with a set screw.

DETAILS

Once the placement for the towel bar is determine, place the mounting bracket on the flat surface and use (2) 3/4″ long screw to secure it. Even though the center of a hollow-core door is hollow, the thickness of the door is almost like wood (unlike sheetrock which crumbles if you screw into it) so it’s dense / hardy enough for the screw to be secure.

And that’s it. Once the two screws have been installed on each mounting bracket, the escutcheon plates can be attached and secured with a set screw.

Being 100% honest, these towel bars have been incredibly secure for 5+ years! I’ve had towel bars mounted in sheetrock with an anchor and they haven’t held up as well as being mounted on the door.

Give it a try! You’ll love the wall space it saves.

Serene + Sophisticated Master Bathroom Reveal

Written by Jenna on February 2, 2017. Posted in Bathroom Makeover, DIY. 3 Comments on Serene + Sophisticated Master Bathroom Reveal

It’s been months in the making, but I am excited to share that my master bathroom renovation is complete. I actually wrapped it up right before the new year hit, but I was awaiting a few accessory items (the finishing layers always make complete a space) + I really wanted to use the space on a daily basis before sharing my thoughts on the outcome.

Without further ado, here is our recently remodeled master bathroom…

Before getting to far ahead of myself and throwing loads of pictures at you (which I can’t wait to share), let’s remember where this bathroom started when I walked into a shell-of-a-house 7 years ago…

I don’t know who in their right mind would find this shade of purple to be pleasant each day, but it wasn’t for me. If you can believe it, this space ended up being the last of all the rooms to be renovated (why did I wait so long?).

Finally in 2011, we gave the bathroom a DIY overhaul with a new floor (groutable luxury vinyl tile, tutorial here), new paint on the walls, new paint on the cabinet (faux glaze tutorial here), and new accessories (like the shower curtain made using window drapery panels, tutorial here).

What a huge difference. We loved it.

Fast forward 6 years, and we were in want + need of a total bathroom overhaul. I envisioned a large shower, a longer + newer vanity + tile!

And voila, this is our new renovated bathroom…

This is the vision board that I originally created…

3 walls now are floor to ceiling tile and this space feels (and looks) like a high-end hotel bathroom with a serene spa feel.

If you know me, I adore color, but for this space, I stayed with lighter + brighter hues of neutrals and added contrast with a dark gray cabinet + layers of accessories in shades of blue.

The paint color for the space was tricky… I actually had another color chosen but because the tile above the vanity is glossy & reflective, the tile took on an ugly color. So I went to the light section of the color wheel and choose a soft blue. It’s called Sunday Sky by Valspar.

Because of the small amount of wall space, I decided to paint the ceiling a color as well and chose a slightly darker shade of blue (in the same color family as the walls). It’s called Windblown Blue by Valspar.

The previous vanity was only 36″, but there was plenty of space to install a longer vanity. We were able to increase the the size to this 48″ wide vanity that has two doors in the center and 3 drawers on each side (it looks like 4 drawers, but the bottom 2 are actually one taller compartment).

The additional 12″+ has been a game changer with the amount of usable counter space. Yes, a double sink would have been glorious, but I’ll take what I can get!

Having drawers in the bathroom has also has been a welcomed change. There is now so much room for the smaller bathroom items, as well as taller items like hairspray and nailpolish remover.

I lined the drawers with this cute contact paper that I snagged from Target for $3. Just a small touch that makes a big difference.

The countertop for this vanity is a beautiful carrara marble. Never great for the kitchen, but perfect for the bathroom! This vanity came with the marble top + undermount sink in a square shape.

A 36″ round jute rug placed in the front of the vanity has been such a nice added touch for softness and texture.

The marble countertop arrived with 3 holes to accommodate this widespread sink faucet. When possible, I always prefer separate holes for the faucet + handles versus being together on one late. The look is higher end and appears like it was custom cut.

The frameless tile mirror above is a favorite of mine not only because it’s affordable at less than $100, but also because it’s a sophisticated, classic look + it can accommodate people of different heights since it tilts.

I have to talk about the tile… The tile is what truly sets this bathroom apart and gives the space a custom, unique look! The tile in the shower space is a 4 x 12 white subway tile and I added a 12″ high band about 3′ high above the floor, which continues to the ceiling on the wall of the vanity.

The accent mosaic tile (which comes on a 12″ x 12″ mesh sheet backing) is made of a variety of ceramic + natural stones in varying shades of neutrals. It is such a beautiful backdrop to the vanity and is so dramatic, but not in an overwhelming way, when you enter the space.

As you make your way around the space, the window adorns a new roman shade made by my go-to-fabricator Tonic Living. I work with them a lot on client projects and they create such gorgeous window treatments. This fabric just truly captures everything that I wanted this bathroom to evoke.

One large component of this bathroom remodel was the removal of the existing tub and creating a shower space in it’s place.

This renovation was part DIY and part highered out to a contractor. There were areas (mainly plumbing) that was beyond our skillset to take on, so calling in a contractor was a must. Once he removed the existing shower unit, he installed a new shower pan. We installed the tile on the walls, and then he returned and installed the new shower enclosure.

>>> Check out more here on how the walls were tiled

Transitioning from a tub to a shower left us with one challenge. The shower pan was 2″ narrower than the tub so there was a gap between the floor ended and the shower pan edge. What to do? What to do? Using a few extra mosaic pieces, I filled in the gap, and no one will ever know – wink, wink…

One moment it was a problem, the next a simple resolution was discovered!

I am really loving this shower door because it eliminates the difficulties of a typical swinging shower door (they swing into the shower so the placement for the shower fittings needs to be configured properly) + the design of it is so modern + minimal.

The one panel is stationery (left side in the picture above) and the panel with the handle is operable. The wheels seamlessly roll on the bar above similar to a rolling barn door.

In lieu of a bench or built-in niche for shampoo (something I would have loved, but beyond my skillset + budget), I found a petite teak bench perfect for sitting and/or holding various shower necessities.

To finish off the tile where the tile meets the wall on the shower fittings side, I added a 3×6 bullnose tile in a vertical layout. With the one side of the tile being curved, it transitions beautifully into the wall.

The layout of this space is somewhat tricky because there is an angled wall that is too large to leave bare, but too small to add a piece of furniture that is oversized. When I was scouring for accessories, I knew what I wanted, but couldn’t find anything that was just right + within my budget. In the end, I found this gorgeous lucite + leather (white) stool. I just couldn’t leave it.

I knew I had to pair it with a simple + minimal vanity. Shopping came to a halt because I decided to build the simple vanity that I envisioned.

I used 2 x 3 for the 4 legs + 1 x 4 for the apron surround + 1/4″ thick plywood for the top, then painted it a color similar to the ceiling. It’s the perfect size + scale for the space and is the ideal spot for perfumes, cotton balls, q tips, etc…

All the beautiful artwork in the bathroom is from Minted.com. They are a fabulous source for fine art + limited edition prints at an affordable price.

One of the most frequent inquiries I get on the blog is about the towel bars mounted on the back of the door. The bathroom space is decent, but there is no perfect place for towel bars, so the existing back-of-the-door-towel-bars remained.

>>> Check out this post on How-To Hang a Towel Bar on a Hollow Core Door

Like all renovations, this project came with it’s hurdles + challenges, but nothing that couldn’t be overcome with thinking outside the box and a bit of patience. As with all projects, there is a first for everything and with each completed endeavour, I take away something new, which builds my skillset + confidence. At the same time, I know when to turn to others and call in the pros.

If you want to see more on this bathroom remodel, check out this previous posts:

Master Bathroom Renovation: Plan + Mood Board

Master Bathroom Renovation: Demo!

Master Bathroom Renovation: Tile + Grout

Now through March 23, Lowe’s is having a kitchen + bath event with deals up to 40% off. Work with a Lowe’s project specialist to design you dream space… It’s the perfect opportunity for a refresh!

DISCLAIMER: THIS BATHROOM RENOVATION IS A COLLABORATION WITH LOWEâ€™S. ALL OPINIONS + SELECTIONS ARE MY OWN.

New Site + New Magazine Feature

Written by Jenna on January 10, 2017. Posted in Uncategorized.

Happy New Year!

We’re 10 days in and I’m welcoming the new year with open arms, love, and kindness. For the world, our surroundings, myself. Over Christmas break I read the amazing book, Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton, and it has brought me to a new level of life. For this new year, I am on the hunt to further explore doing all things with purpose, truthfulness, and love…

With the turn of the calendar, I’m excited to share 2 new bits of excitement….

First up, I made some changes to the site – yes, the website you are reading right now. And the second ‘new’, is a magazine that I am featured in this month that I am thrilled to dish on the details about.

NEW SITE

A few weeks before the end of the year, I was getting a hankering to freshen up the site. It had been a few years since the last update and I was yearning for a ‘remodel’…

I was thinking maybe a new color palette, or new font, or layout. After I evaluated what was working, and what wasn’t, I chose to make a few simple updates which included a new home page + logo + header design.

The website > www.JennaBurger.com < which is the main page used to be a hybrid for my blog AND design services. In the past year since taking a step back from the blog to devote more time to expanding my interior design business, I thought it made sense to make the main page more user friendly for all, so I designed a clean + simple landing page where readers / inquirers could choose to go to the page they want > DESIGN SERVICES, PORTFOLIO (pictures of my design projects), or the BLOG.

If you haven’t seen the new main page, here it is:

I also revamped the Portfolio page, which features many of the projects that I’ve created.

Thinking about wanting to freshen up your home this year? Check out the many spaces I’ve designed – I’d love to work together…

The BLOG page is similar to what you saw before with new posts on the left and a sidebar with links to awesome DIY projects I created on the right.

What is new on the BLOG page (and all the pages) is the header design – Jenna Burger Design, Layers of Inspired Style. A new layout + fonts for the header created a stylish, clean update!

Poke around and let me know what you think. I hope you enjoy + feel inspired!

NEW MAGAZINE FEATURE

In late December, I received an exciting email from Better Homes and Gardens that there would be a new magazine to hit stands within the coming weeks called I Did It. After a squeal + an embarrassing happy dance (thank goodness I was home alone), I was thrilled to find out that the magazine was developed out of the beloved column in the main Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

Until recently, The I Did It column (well actually full page article) was always the last page of the main magazine. I was featured on the page, along with my 2 older kids, in the January 2014 issue – wow, that’s 3 years ago already, time flies.

Here was the article + the blog post I wrote on my experience of the photoshoot:

Look how little my kids looked back then (this was photographed in Spring 2013, so almost 4 years ago)

In the recent email I received from BHG with the news of the new magazine, they made mention that my Central Command Center would be featured. Eek.

Even though this area is so small at only 30″ wide, we still use it everyday and it still is incredibly functional keeping us on track to know where we are going when…

Certainly 2 exciting ways to start off the year. Cheers to a blessed year ahead…

xo.

Master Bathroom Renovation: Tile + Grout

Written by Jenna on December 8, 2016. Posted in Bathroom, Bathroom Makeover.

It’s been a few weeks and lots of progress has been made on the master bathroom renovation!

Last I left off, I shared details on the demo (which we hired a contractor to do) + the steps to prep the space for tile. Once that part of the job was complete, it was my turn to step in. Thankfully I’ve tiled before so there wasn’t too much of a learning curve, but I knew tiling 3 large walls from floor to ceiling would be time consuming…

And it was! BUT… it’s so worth it. Check out where I left you last time…

…And what the bathroom looks like now…

Woah! Big Difference!!

Once the tub was removed removal and the new shower pan + cement board walls were installed, it was time to tile! To start, I chose the center point of the shower space â€“ the back wall â€“ and worked my way out and around the room using a 4″ x 12″ tile. I marked out a level line at the base of the tile so the tile would be as plumb as possible.

It’s important for the first row to be about 1/8 â€“ 1/4â€³ above the shower (same for a tub deck) – I used shims so the tile would not slide down. Instead of filling the 1/8″ gap with typical grout (which could crack), I used an expandable caulk once the tile was completely installed.

I continued my way around the base of the shower pan and installed the tile on the plumb line. At that point I stopped for the evening (yes, most all of the tiling was installed at night when the kiddos were in bed) to let the first row of tile set.

HELPFUL HINT: 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), 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 every tile butts next to each other.

The next evening I was back to work installing one tile at a time… row by row as I made my way around the shower.

Making sure the tile is straight is so important!

About half way up the wall, it was time to add the pretty mosaic tile.

It took a while for me to decide on a mosaic tile, as there were so many beautiful options…

In the end, I chose the bottom left mosaic which is a mix of ceramic and natural stones all in lighter tones of creams and whites. Because of how much mosaic I am using (entire wall above the vanity) + with the overall serene and calm aesthetic I want to achieve, I felt it was a perfect pairing with the white large subway tile.

Same as with the first tile installed on the wall, I found the center point of the back wall and adhered the first mosaic sheet.

And continued around the shower.

Here I am in my Sunday best…

The beauty of these mosaic tiles is how each sheet links together to create a seamless pattern.

After the one row of mosaic in the shower was installed, I continued above it with the 4″ x 12″ tile.

But outside of the shower, the mosaic tile continued to the ceiling and all the way over above the vanity.

It was a lot of tile to install and my shoulder was sore for days, but the result is breathtaking!

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.

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, a wet saw is needed!

WET SAW
The beauty of the wet saw is the ease and preciseness of the cuts. BUT itâ€™s messy and there is a setup / cleanup process. Many wet saws come with a stand, but we donâ€™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 when it came time to cut the mosaic tiles, we waited till the weekend.

ADDING ADHESIVE TO TILE

Because I couldnâ€™t spend 8 hours a days tiling (I wish â€“ Iâ€™m glad if I got in 2 hours each day), I purchased pre-mix adhesive (instead of making my own batch each day) which was a life saver.

HELPFUL HINT: 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. been there, done that

HOW-TO GROUT TILE

Grout seals the deal! It not only gives a finished look, but grout â€œlocks inâ€ and secures the tile to stay in position.

For this bathroom renovation, I chose to use a premixed unsanded grout. Sanded grout is typically for larger joints from 1/8â€³ â€“ 1/2â€³, while unsanded grout is for smaller grout lines that are less than 1/8â€³.

Using a float, smear the grout on the tile surface. Then to wipe away the grout, use a damp sponge. A light haze will soon show after, but with a few more passes of the damp sponge, the tile will be clean and complete.

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

Once the bathroom was tile and grouted, this was the resultâ€¦

The installation & grouting of the tile & grouting took about 2 weeks â€“ in total about 25 hours

Onto the finishing touches of the space…

DISCLAIMER: THIS BATHROOM RENOVATION IS A COLLABORATION WITH LOWEâ€™S. ALL OPINIONS + SELECTIONS ARE MY OWN.

Master Bathroom Renovation: DEMO!

Written by Jenna on November 28, 2016. Posted in DIY, Renovations.

Hi All!

Last I left you, I mentioned we were about to undergo a major renovation of the master bathroom. It was a space that got a DIY makeover a few years back, but with wear + tear it was time for an overhaul.

As much as I adore color, I could only image this new bathroom to be soft + serene and clean + calm. The overall aesthetic will be based more on texture rather than color. Plus layers will add an important element to give the overall space contract + depth.

Just to share a reminder of the ‘before’ space…

The morning of demo day, I snapped the picture above of the bathroom, and in no time the contractors got to work…

From the tub to the vanity to the toilet, everything was ripped out!

As I mentioned in my last post, this renovation is a dual endeavour. Due lack of time + components outside our skill set, we are taking on some areas of the renovation, while other areas will be performed by a contractor. As I previously said, I don’t want to be without a bathroom for months AND I want to stay sane (somewhat).

The contractors are tackling the major areas including demo + installing the main components – shower pan + fittings, toilet, vanity + faucet.

DAY ONE

On the first day, the three-man crew removed the existing pre-fab tub, the sheetrock above the tub, the toilet, and the vanity. It’s a small space, but by lunch time, the space was cleared out…

Instead of installing a new tub, we decided to use the 30″ x 60″ outcove for a shower. After the tub + sheetrock was removed, the space was ready for the new shower pan. For the new tile to adhere to, hardiboard (also known as cement board or backerboard) was installed.

Sheetrock is still a great product for the walls and ceiling of a bathroom, just not in the tub/shower area. Cement board is made with actual cement + a firberglass mesh exterior, so it’s waterproof and won’t deteriorate over time when/if it comes in contact with water.

Additionally, the new vanity that I chose is 48″ whereas the existing is 36″… I’m gaining 12″ of counterspace – I’m over the moon! Because of this change, the electrical wiring for the light needs to be moved so it will be centered on the new 48″ space.

By days end, this was the result…

Check out the purple wall color that was behind the toilet… it was from before we renovated the last bathroom… Gosh that color is ghastly and I was hoping to never see it again, ha.

DAY TWO

On the second day of renovation, the new shower pan was installed and the remainder of the space got prepped for tile. After another day’s work, it was my turn to step in to install the tile.

Here’s a peak of how the finished cement board looks upon installation with the new shower pan…

It’s ready for me to tile!

More details of the master bathroom renovation coming soon.

I gotta get back to tiling…

Oh, and I’m still deciding on the accent tile. Any suggestions? What do you like best??

DISCLAIMER: THIS BATHROOM RENOVATION IS A COLLABORATION WITH LOWEâ€™S. ALL OPINIONS + SELECTIONS ARE MY OWN.

Master Bathroom Renovation: Plan + Mood Board

Written by Jenna on November 16, 2016. Posted in Bathroom, Bathroom Makeover, DIY, Uncategorized.

It’s been quite some time – about a year – since we tackled a full-on big room renovation. To put it plain + simple, the kitchen remodel last Fall just wiped me out… and we didn’t even do too much on our own. When it was done, I was desperate for a break. Then life got busy. Sports. Work. School. Appointments. You know the drill… But when this past Summer turned into Fall and the kids were back to school and a everyday routine was once again established, I was finally feeling the itch to get my hands dirty… again.

If you remember back about 4-1/2 years ago, one of the last spaces in our home to get attention after moving in was the master bathroom. The walls were a horrendous purple/pink hue with dated + dusty brass accents. It all had to go…

…but it didn’t all go.

With a few cans of paint, I transformed the walls, the trim, and the cabinet with a whole new color palette. Then to finish it, I laid a new floor using luxury vinyl tile, hung a new mirror, and changed the light. A few hundred dollars later, and the space was completely transformed… for the most part.

DIY Projects:
How to Paint + Glaze a Cabinet
How to Make a Curtain into a Shower Curtain
How to Install Luxury Vinyl Tile (to look like ceramic tile)

And if you can believe it, the renovated space even ended up in a national publication, Kitchen + Bath makeovers, Fall/Winter 2014

But after 4 years of using the bathroom day in + day out, it needed a makeover. A real makeover. The pre-fab tub was drear and the builder-grade cabinet had seen it’s life span.

I envisioned Carrara. White. Clean. Fresh. Fun…

…And created a vision board.

eek! It’s all so pretty and fabulous.

Sophisticated, but casual.

Elegant, but inviting.

I am really excited about this new bathroom. You know me, I adore a striking + bold color, but for this space, I need it to feel tranquil and serene. With being pulled in 92 directions each day, I want to start off and end each precious day in a calming way.

Thanks to my friends at Lowe’s, who I have worked with for years, for choosing to partner with me on this project to create an inviting and peaceful place.

Here is what I have planned…

> The tub will be changing from a pre-fab bathtub to a shower with a frameless rolling glass door

> New Tile will be added from floor to ceiling in the tub space and will continue on the entire wall of the vanity

> The main tile will be 4 x 12 white subway with an accent glass/natural mosaic tile

> The walls will be painted a light mint green hue

> The 36″ vanity will be replaced with a 48″ vanity in a dark gray finish to give contrast and a white cararra countertop will be added to give a finished luxury look

> To finish the space, artwork and a fabric window valance in hues of blue will add pattern and color

These are the specific items I plan to use (and are shown in the mood board above):

Vanity
Toilet
Shower Door
Main Subway Tile
Glass Mosaic Tile
Sconce
Mirror
Artwork
Fabric Valance

This is the overall layout plan + elevations that I created:

DIY + Calling in the PROS!

This bathroom renovation, like the last one I tackled, isn’t going to be a devoted do-it-yourself project. For 2 reasons. One, I don’t want to be without a bathroom for months AND I want to stay somewhat sane. Two, other than the basics, the Mister & I don’t know much about plumbing and leave those things to the experts.

As with the previous bathroom renovation, we worked with a contractor to demo the bathroom and install the major components. What is on our list to tackle for this renovation is: tile installation (there’s A LOT of tile!), paint, baseboard, installing the light, installing the accessories, hanging artwork, etc.

By splitting up a project with tackling some of it on our own and calling in the pros where needed, we’ll save money AND our sanity (i hope)!

There you have it… for now.

Demo has begun. Wish me luck. I’ll need it 😉

DISCLAIMER: THIS BATHROOM RENOVATION IS A COLLABORATION WITH LOWEâ€™S. ALL OPINIONS + SELECTIONS ARE MY OWN.

Being Recognized…

Written by Jenna on June 6, 2016. Posted in Magazine Feature.

As far back as I can remember, I’ve loved anything to do with decorating and design. As a child, I loved creating house plans, floor plans, and elevation + section cut-throughs of fictitious houses.

Anything to do with the home, I couldn’t get enough of.

For my tenth birthday, I asked for a book of home plans (who does that?!?) and just soaked up every page, imagining myself walking through room-by-room, even though they were only a 2-dimensional idea.

My passion for the home brought me to where I am today and I feel truly blessed to have journeyed down a path that was made for me.

To top it off, it doesn’t get much better than when you are recognized for doing what you truly love and are most passionate about. I am so appreciative and thankful to have my work acknowledged in the most current issue in the local (to me) magazine Simply Saratoga. I’ve written for the magazine on several past occasions, but over the recent months my plate has been overflowing with work (certainly, no complaints). This time though instead of me writing an article, I was featured in an article about my work and my design approach.

[Check out the full issue here]

The 7 page spread dissects four client projects – 2 residential, 2 commercial – plus a peek at my humble abode. And even cooler, my kitchen is featured on the cover!

HOW TO MAKE A HAPPY PLACE

That’s surely what I strive for… happy + functional + most importantly, meaningful!

Following the opening page, the article dissects two commercial projects in my town that I recently completed – Saratoga Paint and Sip + The Henry Street Taproom. Neither were full gut renovations, but instead each needed a refresh with a warm, welcome, inviting aesthetic + better function and flow. The result for both was to enhance + elevate the original bones of the spaces.

The next feature was on two residential projects I tackled. One of which was a bathroom remodel and the other a complete kitchen renovation + living room revamp. You may have seen these two projects here on the blog, since I shared the before + afters. Both were incredible transformations!

And lastly, my home and a peek at a few rooms. If you follow my blog, you may have seen these spaces once or twice, ha! If you want to see more of my bold + eclectic home, come crash my pad and check out the recent home tour I shared!

Thank you Simply Saratoga for the incredible feature.

BEING RECOGNIZED for doing what you love never gets old!

WHAT NOW?

So what now? If you’ve noticed, my sharing of projects on the blog lately has been minimal. No, I haven’t been lounging in my PJs eating bon bons all day – although I do wish I could do that on occasion. Somehow, someway, and for some reason, things have changed since the beginning of this year. I’ve taken on several very large-scale design jobs that have been wonderful but VERY involved. These intricate projects + the needs of my family have taken a front seat and unfortunately my blog is now on the back burner. I don’t foresee me ever completely walking away from my blog, because it’s my outlet. Whether thousands read it a day or just one, it’s a place where I can share my thoughts on design + inspire others. That’s what it has always been and that’s what I hope it’ll continue to be.

Admittedly though, blogging has changed since I started 6 years ago. When I first started out, there was no Pinterest or Instagram. Pictures that were shared didn’t have to be magazine-worthy. Over the years, the bar was raised (which is no doubt positive), but the joy and ease of creating + sharing has been lost. Now it feels like pictures have to be perfect and beautifully staged and if they’re not, why share them?! We all did it, myself included. We all raised the bar. I understand that raising the bar, makes you better and stronger, but at the same time, when is it too much? Unfortunately, for me, the connections with others and the fun of it has been lost. I kind of feel like I burned out and it’s not enjoyable anymore.

I started blogging as a parallel to the launching of my design business. The blog part was more a hobby with no expectations. At the time, I didn’t really know what I was doing or what I was getting into. And I CAN NOT believe the opportunities that it gave me. Countless national magazine articles, cover features, speaking engagements, celebrity interviews, exclusive product reviews and the list goes on… And moreso than all of that, I got to change peoples lives by inspiring them to create through the creations I made. Our house has been transformed into a home we love and enjoy being in. Room by room, ever wall, ever surface, everything has been touched. The shell that we walked into 6 years ago now reflects our family. Our story certainly isn’t over, and I’m sure we won’t live in this house for a lifetime, but for now the chapter is on pause. And for that I am grateful.

So what now? That is where I began this monologue…. After evaluating my life and the needs of my family + truly digging down deep to figure our and understand what I love most, I will continue to focus on the growth of my design business. I don’t know where it will go from here. Looking back 10 years ago, I never could have imagined I would be where I am today. And that’s a good thing.

This is certainly not a goodbye, but more of a, I’ll see you, when I see you…

xo.

House Tour 2016

Written by Jenna on May 16, 2016. Posted in Decorating, DIY. 6 Comments on House Tour 2016

I’ve been blogging a long time – almost 6 years to be exact.

Over this half decade, our home has changed, evolved, and become a place that is filled with meaning + reflects who we are & where we’ve been. And along the way, there hasn’t been a single surface that’s gone untouched – sometimes twice (or more).

Since it’s been several years (and a whole lotta projects + room renovations later), I thought it was time to share an updated HOUSE TOUR of our humble abode!

Last year was a big year with so many updates. We tackled the kids/hall bath, the living room, and THE KITCHEN, which completely changed the look and feel of our home.

Let’s get to it. Grab a cup of something-good.

WELCOME

Come on in.

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.

The entry into our home has been a labor of love (and at times, hate) for many years. From the earlier days of a rickety railing and overgrown shrubs, to the current days beautifully landscaped + open and colorful front porch, this is what we call our entryway…

Winter, Spring, Summer, FALL… our front porch is filled with seasonal favorites.

EXTERIOR POSTS

Creating a garden edge using stone

Adding a stone veneer base to the foundation wall

DIY: vertical pallet garden

Choosing + Painting the front door

Spring + Summer Porch 2015

Fall Front Porch… with COLOR!

step inside…

FOYER

A few years back this foyer received quite the transformation. 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.

FOYER POSTS

Foyer Reveal

Painting perfect stripes on the wall

New greige wall color

Removing carpet from stairs

Filling homes & staining treads

Staircase Reveal

Stenciled Wall

How to install a luxury vinyl floor

DIY Fern Art

The foyer isn’t overly large, but I’ve really tried to maximize on space since it’s the hub of coming & going.

In the small area behind the front door, I transformed the unused wall by adding hooks to hang everyday coats and bookbags. This tiny spot has been a game-changer!

Post: An easy upgrade for a small space

POWDER ROOM

Next to this entry nook in the foyer is the powder room. The neutral greige walls of the foyer are the perfect transition to this big + bold bathroom with a vibrant Amy Butler wallpaper as the focal point. This room might just be my favorite of all…

This quaint, but dynamic space was photographed and featured in many Better Homes and Gardens magazines over the years. The credit for this photo goes to them… their photo is so much better than mine…

POWDER ROOM POSTS

Powder Room: Plan of Action

Repairing the walls + hanging the wallpaper

Powder Room Reveal

LAUNDRY ROOM “CLOSET”

Also off of the foyer (I told you it’s a small space with a lot of purpose!) is the laundry room. Well I should say CLOSET. A few years back the teeny space got a remodel which included removing the doors, painting the walls a robins egg blue, and organizing the shelves with baskets + bins. Here is the result…

Is it my dream space to do laundry? Certainly not, but it’s much nicer now!

OFFICE / FAMILY ROOM

When entering into the foyer from the front porch, to the right is the office / family room. Another space that has greatly evolved over the years.

A few years back it was photographed and featured on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens Storage Magazine. It was a huge highlight and honor. This multi-use room has had a few updates + furniture moves, but for the most part it has remained the same.

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 ).

My forever favorite kids art wall. I love adorning the walls of our home with the kids artwork.

OFFICE / FAMILY ROOM POSTS

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

A view from the office / family room into the newly renovated kitchen…

KITCHEN

Speaking of kitchen, this is the most recently renovated room in the house. And since the transformation, I truly feel that our home is complete. It finally reflects our aesthetic + style. The remodel process wasn’t easy. At times it felt like forever and was even a bit painful at moments, but 100000% worth it. If you are going to update a room in your home, it has to be the kitchen.

KITCHEN POSTS

Wonderful White Kitchen Inspiration

Kitchen Remodel: Before + Plan of Action

Demo Day: Steps for Demolishing the Kitchen

Kitchen Progress: Staining Hardwood Floors

The Cabinets Arrive + Get Installed

Natural Quartz Countertops in the Kitchen

10 Countertop Materials to Consider for the Kitchen

Subway Tile Installation + Choosing the RIGHT Subway

Kitchen Backsplash Tile Options + Inspiration

Choosing a Paint Color + Wallpaper for the Kitchen and Dining Room

Kitchen Renovation: The Appliances

Dissecting the Details

Kitchen Renovation: REVEAL + RESOURCES

Before the full gut of this kitchen, we remodeled it DIY-style in 2011. Here is the result + the associated posts.

2011 DO-IT-YOURSELF KITCHEN MAKEOVER

Featured in Better Homes and Gardens KBMO magazine a few years back:

DIY KITCHEN POSTS

Countertop transformation

Painting the cabinets

Custom tile backsplash

Faux support brackets

Kitchen reveal

Simple window upgrade

Change a recessed light to decorative light

In the space between our kitchen, foyer, and dining room is where I have my central command center. A.K.A…. the little niche that keeps us on track daily so we know where we’re going & when.

If you’ve been following my blog for the past several years, you might remember that my kids + I were featured in the I DID IT section of Better Homes and Gardens. It was such an amazing + thrilling experience. Looking back the kiddos were so young…

DINING ROOM

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. With our open concept floor plan there really is no separation from space to space; I love the bright and airy feel of flowing rooms.

Navy was a color that I started to introduce a few years back and from the looks of the dining room, and obviously my office (pictures above), you can see that I just adore the deep hue, which over the recent years I’ve paired with raspberry colors. The dining room has a large bay area (which I recently wallpaper) 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)!

Post: Before & After China Cabinet Makeover

LIVING ROOM

Having one open space, makes our home feel so much larger than it really is.

Continuing from the dining room, there is one step down into the living room. Because of the vaulted ceilings with skylights, this space always feels so light + bright. When the time came last year to give this room a revamp, I knew it could handle + needed a dynamic dark color. Everyone thought I was crazy for choosing a black paint color, but once it was complete and the lighter layers were brought in, the space resulted exactly how I envisioned.

This is our everyday, hang out space and it’s such a delight to melt into after a long days work!

LIVING ROOM POSTS

Living Room Makeover: Plan of action

How to make a laminate bookshelf into a built-in

DIY Dropcloth window panels

Planning + creating an art wall

Top paint colors for black walls

Tiling the fireplace surround

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

into the master bedroom.

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 a few years back when I added pops of citrine + plum! The space is still very serene and has an overall quiet palette of whites, but pops of color bring in the added dimension and depth it needed to pop.

MASTER BEDROOM POSTS

DIY Rolling door hardware using plumbing pipe

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

MASTER BATHROOM

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? sâvior)!

MASTER BATHROOM POSTS

Horrid to heavenly master bathroom reveal

How to glaze a cabinet using stain

How to make a shower curtain using a curtain panel

(psst… this room might be getting a remodel next)

Another room that was featured in Better Homes and Gardens KBMO magazine.

Onto my kids spaces

GIRLS ROOM

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

This nursery nook won’t look like this for too much longer as our littlest lady is approaching 2. WHAT? How can it be?!

GIRLS ROOM POSTS

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

Nursery nook

Handmade nursery mobile

Honeycomb hooks

BOY BEDROOM

And now to my little guys room (who is 10 – what?!)

His room has had many evolutions over the years since we moved in when he was 4 and now he’s 10.

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. So many of you loved the stripes on the wall…

2013 BOY BEDROOM

How to paint stripes

Skateboard shelves

How to make pallet shelves

Painted two-tone desk + Tips on painting furniture

A few years back, we revamped his room again with a light gray wall color + a fun picture frame wallpaper + cool wall decor.

BOY BEDROOM POSTS

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

DIY: Pallet Book Holders

Boy Bedroom Reveal

Last but not least…

HALL / KIDS BATHROOM

This bathroom revamp was my biggest + most-challenging DIY to date because it involved hardwork + manpower (actually more like willpower) + plumbing, which made for a big job! This is the result…

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

We’re not done yet…

BACK DECK

Over the years, we not only touched every nook + cranny on the inside, but we’ve also revamped much of the outdoors.

Join me on the deck where an oasis has been created to lounge and enjoy the warm days of Spring + Summer.

DECK POSTS

An outdoor deck for outdoor living

DIY Pallet Sofa

How to stain a deck

Aside from our front porch + back deck, we have one more outdoor spot where we like to relax and lounge…

PATIO

… our patio paradise. This area of the yard was a horror show when we moved in. With a lot of TLC and years of attention, we’ve used the base of what was there and transformed it into an inviting oasis that we always envisioned and now can truly enjoy.

Post: Before & After Patio Paradise

And that’s a wrap. That’s our home. I hope I didn’t loose you in one of the rooms.

What a treasure it’s been to walk down memory lane and reminisce on all the projects + rooms we’ve revamped to make our own!

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