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Our Brick Ranch Fixer Upper

A few days ago I shared that a little less than a month ago we sold and bought a new home. The move was local, within 10 minutes of our previous home, but it has still be a challenging transition.

The new house is a fixer upper, as I’m calling it the Brick Ranch Fixer Upper, and the areas of focus need to be tackled before we moved in. The scope started out as mostly Sheetrock work – ceilings and some walls – but in the recent days it’s expanded a bit. Before getting ahead of myself too much, let me give you a tour.

Brace yourself and use your imagination for it’s potential, because it ain’t too pretty (YET)…

Welcome to our Brick Ranch Fixer Upper…

FOYER

I adore a home with a true foyer / entry space versus walking right into the living space.  I like to have a distinct area to enter into the home before proceeding into the adjacent rooms.  Having an actual foyer really appealed to me about this home and I’m excited to use some of the furniture from the foyer in our previous home, along with new lighting and wallpaper or paint.

And the floors – hardwood – yes!!!

LIVING ROOM

Off the foyer is a living room space which we plan to update by removing the wallpaper and ceiling fan, sheetrocking the ceiling, and incorporate our style with new furniture, a gorgeous new light fixture, painting the brick, and window treatments.

KITCHEN + DINING ROOM

The kitchen has SO MUCH POTENTIAL.  It’s huge and will dual as a kitchen and dining room.  I have big plans for the future with a new layout, new cabinets, and new floors, but in the immediate I’m going to work with what I have.  My plan is to paint the existing cabinets, change the cabinet hardware, remove the scalloped valance above the sink, remove the wallpaper, and change out the tiffany-style chandelier.

Most of the furniture for this space will be similar to our dining room from our previous home, including my beloved coral china cabinet.

Can you see the potential?  No?  Stand by…

FAMILY ROOM

Now is the moment when you may ask, ‘why did they buy this house???’…

This room will get the most attention and love.  It’s not original to the house and used to be an outdoor courtyard.  At some point, the room was enclosed but not properly insulated and was poorly executed with vertical siding and an acoustic ceiling.

It’s a little shocking so just focus on the windows and the size of the room.  This room gets flooded with natural light all day long and I can’t wait to soak up the sun in this space.

Cleared from furniture, this is the space…  It’s DATED with a capital D right now, but this 20′ x 25′ room is incredible and going to be our main hang-out-area!   Most of the furniture for this room will be similar to the family room in our previous home.

BEDROOMS

The other big difference between this house and our last, is that it has 4 bedrooms instead of 3. This is going to be a huge change for us because my daughters previously shared a room, but will now have their own space.

I always dreamt they’d happily, willingly, and excitedly share a room until they moved out for college, but their sharing a space is very difficult. Maybe it’s the age, but their schedules are so different (i.e.: sleeping, waking, school) and many frustrating moments (i.e.: tantrums) occur because of it. So now everyone will have their own space and they’re very excited.

All the bedrooms are of a decent size and need similar work: new sheetrock ceilings, wallpaper removed, paint, new decor & window treatments.

Wood walls, wood floor, wood mouldings…  Just too much wood.  This will be my sons room and he wasn’t happy about all the dated wood (as he says, ‘it looks old’) + the fact that it’s smaller than his previous room.  The plan was to paint the paneling, but instead we’ll be sheetrocking the room.

BATHROOMS

The original plan was to leave the dated bathrooms as is (due to budget) and simply remove the wallpaper and paint. Welllll, for the main bathroom, one issue led to another and it ended up being a full gut.  Every material was removed down to the studs.  Much more on this bathroom transformation will be coming soon.

This is another bathroom which for the immediate will be getting a DIY makeover – paint the existing cabinet (as I painted the cabinets in our previous home), add luxury vinyl tile (like this installation of LVT), remove the wallpaper, paint, and new mirror.  I feel confident that we can transform this space for little cost (I hope).

EXTERIOR

The exterior is getting a lot of attention… again more than we originally intended, but for good reason.

This is the back of the house.  The yard has a lot of overgrowth… trees and shrubs will be cut back and trimmed.

So that wraps up the tour.

The house needs a new kitchen and new bathrooms, but that will come in time.

THE SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE IMMEDIATE IS:
> Sheetrock most ceilings to cover the existing tiles that are ugly and not properly installed.
> Sheetrock walls and ceiling, plus add insulation, in the large paneled room (it used to be an outdoor courtyard so this space isn’t original to the house)
> Move the washer and dryer to the first floor and create a laundry closet. It’s currently in the basement.
> Move some ceiling light locations; Install all new light fixtures (24 to be exact)
> Remove wallpaper in the bedrooms

Due to some unforeseen issues and / or changing-one-thing-which-leads-to-the-next,
THE SCOPE HAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE:
> Renovating one of thean entire bathroom
> Sheetrocking the 4th bedroom which has vertical wood paneling
> Exterior work including a new concrete slab at the front porch, new vented ceiling, new column configuration, adding vinyl board and batten to cover part of the existing brick
> And a slew of other little, costly, unforeseen issues.

It’s been an extremely exciting, nervewracking, and fun process. Walls are torn apart, ceilings have been removed, and it’s definitely at the point of being worse before it gets better. Each day though, I see the light in which this house is becoming a home.

Next post coming soon will be more insight and progress pictures of the transformation.

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!

Bathroom Makeover: Demo {Day 2-4}

It just got real.  No more dreaming or fantasizing about a new bathroom, because it’s happening NOW.

So it’s Day 2 for this Bathroom Makeover in 30 Days Challenge (day 1 was putting together the plan of action and by day 30 my goal is to be finished) and the DEMO HAS BEGUN!

Instead of me jumping ahead and sharing what it looks like now (a hot mess with walls missing), let me show you what it looked like before…

Bathroom before makeover

Yes, the space was fine, but it needed updating.  All the fixtures had seen better days.  The tub was an insert style and very dated, while the shower/tub fittings were starting to leak and even though I would scrub them regularly, the mildew would not go away.

It pains me to share these before images, but I’m just being real…

Bathroom before makeover

The difficult part about a tub insert is that it only goes 6′ high leaving the above space open for water splashing (which could lead to bacteria growth and/or warping of the walls).  Because the kids really abuse use this bathroom, the new space not only has to be pretty, but extremely functional.  With my kiddos it seems there is more water outside the tub than inside, so the surrounding areas really need to be protected (hence my decision to tile the entire tub area + the lower section of wall around the rest of the bathroom).

Bathroom before makeover

The current vanity is a factory-made cabinet and even though I freshened it up a few years ago with a coat of paint, it was starting to warp and fall apart (that’s what eventually happens to a paper composite cabinet that is in a moist area).  From the pictures, the space may look okay to you, but close-up it’s not.

Here’s a snap shot of the bathroom right before demo started…

Bathroom before makeover

So that’s the story about the before bathroom…

Onto the current.

Removing the Tub + Walls

The plan of action is in place and the start of the renovation has begun.  The other day I failed to mention that with all of the kitchens and bathrooms I have designed for others, I have never renovated my own kitchen or bathroom.  I think because I know the process and the unknowns that could happen, I have a fear of embarking on such a big project.  Putting fears aside, I am psyched about this new proposed space.  Like with all big projects, not everything can go as planned.  With that being said, LET THE DEMO BEGIN!

1. First up, the removal of the bath fittings.

Bathroom Makover: Demoing the exisiting

2. Next up, demoing the walls above the tub using a hack saw.

Bathroom Makover: Demoing the exisiting

3. Once the walls above were removed, the screws that held the tub insert in place (to the studs) were removed and the tub got cut up into pieces (separating the sides from the tub) to be hauled out.

Bathroom Makover: Demoing the exisiting

This is what the plumbing looked like (in the wall) once the tub was removed…

Bathroom Makover: Demoing the exisiting

Installing the New Tub + Walls

4. When the tub was out and the space was cleaned up (somewhat), the new tub was put into place.  As I mentioned the other day, we chose to hire this part out and called in a pro to install the tub, as well as the tub fittings so it was done right.  We don’t have any experience with installing tubs / tub fittings and the hookups need to be done right to avoid any water leaking.  A contractor + a plumber were definitely needed for this job – we know when to call in help, and this was the time!

Bathroom Makeover: Installation of the new tub

New studs were also added behind the tub + at the corners to provide the right support + best fit.

Bathroom Makeover: Installation of the new tub

5. Next up, the walls!  In the tub area cement board was installed (ie: DUROCK > Lowe’s) instead of sheetrock because it’s resistant to bacteria and fungus + will not warp, delaminate, or disintegrate when/if exposed to water – it really it a must-use material in a shower or tub.

I found this very helpful video with a great tutorial on installing backer board

Bathroom Makeover: Installation of the new the cement board in the new shower space

The new cement board butts up to the existing sheetrock walls that continue around the room.  It is important to have the two materials align as perfect as possible and also be at the same plane so the tile can be seamlessly applied.

The removal of the old walls + tub and the installation of the new tub and cement board took about 2.5 days – about 10 hours

Removing the Medicine Cabinet

6. Also on day 2, I removed the medicine cabinet that sits near the sink.  We never really used it in the past and I thought it would be better served as a niche.  I thought the removal process would be tricky, but it was actually very simple.

Inside the medicine cabinet were screws that were screwed into the surrounding studs.  I removed the screws and voila, the medicine cabinet came right out.

Now there’s a huge hole.  O, the potential for this little niche!

Bathroom Makeover: Removing the existing medicine cabinet to create a stylish new niche

So there you have it – day 2, 3, 4 are complete.  There are 26 more days left to meet my goal of a complete bathroom in 30 days!   The space looks pretty scary and I’m not feeling super confident, BUT I am trying to stay positive and like always, I’m going to keep chugging along…

Next up…  TILE!

Bathroom Makeover in 30 Days CHALLENGE! Day 2-4 Removing of the existing tub + tub walls & Installing the new tub & cement board in tub area. Follow along on this bathroom makeover and see if this DIY bathroom will be complete in 30 days!

{Day 2-4} Tub Removed + Installed – Complete!  26 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

Bathroom Makeover: Plan of Action {Day 1}

I’m at it again…  another project!  And this is a biggie.  I know, I know…. I haven’t even waited 0.05 seconds before starting something new, but this project has been in the works for over a year and I’m thrilled that my thoughts + ideas are actually coming to fruition!  So the next big remodel… the hall/kids bathroom.

This bathroom got a mini DIY revamp about 3 years ago, but it’s been used & abused by two kiddos, so it was time to put my design expertise to work and create a space that would handle the everyday splashes & wear of two busy bees.

Of course, I can’t start the remodel without a plan of action.  So here it is.  My creative vision board for the new bathroom space…

Bathroom Makeover: Creative Vision Board for the new space. Filled with basics + layers of bold. An entire DIY bathroom remodel.

I’m thrilled to be partnering with Lowe’s on this bathroom renovation and they’ve put me to the test to create a dynamic, on-trend space using their in-stock products (items that can be found in store versus online).   My vision for this revamp is to mix my design style of classic eclectic – classic for the background with bold elements layered in!   Since the tile is the dominate feature (shower + 3′ up all the walls) in this bathroom, that’s where I started…

My design philosophy when creating any space is to go classic for the elements that are expensive and/or difficult to change.  Similar to buying a sofa (which I typically go neutral in color and pattern), I wanted a tile that could “live” a long time…  I DO NOT plan on changing the tile in a year or two (or even 5), so it had to be something that I would like now & in the future.   There is nothing more classic and beautiful than 3 x 6 subway tile.  The bonus, it’s only .22 cents a tile – one of the least expensive Lowe’s has.  But (there’s always a but), I wanted something more.  I needed to create a wow-factor.  So along with the classic subway tile, I am also going to incorporate a gorgeous herringbone carrara marble.  Crossing my fingers that it looks as good on the wall as I envision it in my head {squeal}.

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

Lowes Herringbone Carrera Marble

But you all know me, I need color somehow, someway.  That’s where the layers in the space come in.  I’ve selected a dynamic wallpaper that is really give an incredible contract against the classic white subway.  It’s bold.  It’s unexpected.  It’s me.

Serena and Lily Palmetto Wallpaper – Inkwell Blue/Khaki

The classic and the bold are covered!  The other elements in this new proposed bathroom are all going to enhance the beautiful classic and bold selections.  The old builder-grade vanity will be headed curbside and a new, more modern vanity in an espresso finish will be installed in it’s place.  For the lighting, I wanted to introduce another unexpected element and chose an oversized single exterior industrial-style light fixture.

Here’s the catch… I’m doing 95% of this bathroom renovation on my own.   I’m crazy, right?!  Nutso, but I’m determined.  The part that I will not be tackling is the install of the new tub and shower components.  The mister nor I have ever installed a tub or shower fittings and are too nervous to tackle it on our own and want to avoid any possible leaks.  We know when to call in the pros and the tub install is not within our skill-set.  I am sure we could do it, but who wants to take the chance?  Not Us!  Beyond that though, it’s all on me.  Tile, toilet, vanity, lighting… All DIY baby!

Since this bathroom makeover is almost an entirely DIY job, it’s going to take longer than typical, so our goal is to tackle it in 30 days.  30 days start to finish, complete!  Can we do it?  Let’s see.  I hope you’ll follow along on another crazy DIY adventure…

{Day 1} Plan on Action – Complete!  29 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!

China Cabinet Makeover {Reveal}

It’s done!  What a journey it’s been for this china cabinet.

Upon finding this diamond-in-the-rough on Craigslist and rescuing it from a dilapidated garage that housed chickens, roosters, and a few other unknown animals (I was afraid to even look around), the once trash-bound cabinet now sits beautifully in my dining room with a vibrant new color & a complete designer makeover…

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

It has been quite the task of getting her to this point, but she’s complete!

We can’t appreciate the ‘after’ without looking at the ‘before’.  Remember what she looked like a few short weeks ago…

China Cabinet >>> before - details prior to the makeover

China Cabinet >>> before - details prior to the makeover

>>> read more on The Backstory + Choosing a Color <<<

Like I said, it’s been quite a journey. Let’s reminisce…

I was psyched to bring her home.  Once she landed in our garage, I started the prep work by removing all the hardware, the doors, and the shelves.

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

I cleaned her up a bit + lightly sanded all the surfaces.

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

>>> read more on Prep + Sanding Wood Furniture <<<

Once all the surfaces were ready, it was time to prime!  As I’ve shared over & over, priming is SO IMPORTANT.  The purpose of paint is to provide color, but the purpose of primer is to provide the ideal base for the paint to be applied.  The paint + primer in one is fine for walls, but a true primer like Glidden Gripper (which is what I used) will block the stain from bleeding through and will provide the needed base for the paint to adhere!  If you’re painting furniture, YOU MUST USE PRIMER.

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

>>> read more on Why & How-To Prime Wood Furniture <<<

After the key step of priming all the surfaces, it was time to PAINT!  Finally, right?!  I chose the color Red Red Rose by Glidden using the Glidden’s new simplified color palette.China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!This is a real wow-factor color and even before finding the china cabinet, I knew this rosy, raspberry hue would be perfection.  Typically I have the piece before choosing the color, but not in this case.  The other hues + layers in the dining space are fairly minimal and neutral, so I knew a focal point piece that would be the eye-catcher of the room would make a real impact.  It’s all about the contrast and the balance between neutrals and bolds.

The process of painting this beauty was laborious, but O So Worth the time + effort!

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

>>> read more on How-To Paint Wood Furniture <<<

Once the china cabinet was painted & sealed, I wanted to add a few fun, unexpected details.  I chose to add self-adhesive, contact paper to the back of the cabinet interior which provided a beautiful backdrop for all my dishes, platters, and china.

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

When I couldn’t find the exact hardware I had envisioned, I DIYed it to create exactly what I wanted at a fraction of the cost.

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

Once the jewels hardware was set, it was time to style this gorgeous gal!

It’s now all filled up with our collected plates, glasses, and platters…  Believe me, not one new thing was bought for this revamped beauty.

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

>>> read more on the Details + Hardware + Styling <<<

a recap of the process…

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

And then she was complete!

The ‘after’…

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

Styling Tips: Adding unique, one-of-a-kind details to the finish the china cabinet makeover!

Let’s compare one more time…

China Cabinet before & after >>> The process of giving this piece of a furniture a complete makeover!

What do you think?  Pretty major change, right?!

Thank you so much for following along on this Tale of a China Cabinet Makeover!  I’ve received countless emails, comments, and messages on how the multiple posts and step-by-step breakdown of the process has been an inspiration.  From your notes, it sounds like many of you have had the urge to paint that piece of furniture but either didn’t know how, weren’t sure of the process, or didn’t have the inspiration needed to get started.  I hope I’ve pushed you enough to make the move!

Here are the many posts related to this before and after
Backstory + Choosing a Color
Prepping & Sanding Wood Furniture
Why & How to Prime Wood Furniture
Tips + Tricks to Painting Wood Furniture
Accessories, Details, & Styling {China Cabinet Makeover}
China Cabinet Makeover {Reveal}

This post is sponsored by Glidden paint, but all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.  I am so excited about this project & was thrilled to partner with Glidden paint on this furniture makeover.

Details + Hardware + Styling {China Cabinet Makeover}

Yes, the paint color is unexpected, but adding a few other unique details to the china cabinet makeover has really made it a one-of-a-kind, perfect piece (in my eyes).

Last week I finished the most tedious part of the makeover which was painting the cabinet.  It took a few days and lots of patience, but the effort was absolutely worth the result in my book!  Once the cabinet was complete and dry, I started styling the interior.  After living with it for a few days (and sharing a peak on IG), I knew it needed something.  I loved the overall dramatic color, but I did want to pare it down a bit and decided to add a special something to the back + this bad boy needed some hardware!  Take a look…

Adding unique, one-of-a-kind details to the finish the china cabinet makeover!

Most of my china dishes and platters are plain white (with simple detailing on the edges) so I thought sitting against a dark background they’d look great.  Unfortunately though, the interior seemed kind of cavernous, so bringing in something lighter for the back of the cabinet made sense. I found this pretty patterned contact paper and thought it would be the ideal addition to lighten and brighten the cabinet.

Con-Tact Brand Creative Covering Self-Adhesive Shelf Liner, Talisman Pale Grey

Details.

This is a similar project/process to when I added the geometric contact paper to my media cabinet

After finding the center of the cabinet, I started off by adding the contact paper at the top edge.  I then slowly peeled off the backing, section by section, and adhered the paper to the cabinet back while pushing out the air bubbles with my hand.

Adding unique, one-of-a-kind details to the finish the china cabinet makeover!

I also made sure it was vertically plumb so it was hung straight.

Adding unique, one-of-a-kind details to the finish the china cabinet makeover!

Once I was towards the bottom, I left about an 1-2″ extra and cut the contact paper with scissors.  I followed that by using a straight edge blade and trimmed the paper so it fit perfectly at the bottom.  I also did the same at the top…

Adding unique, one-of-a-kind details to the finish the china cabinet makeover!

Once the center panel was done, I added the self-adhesive paper to the other two sides.  In the end, just being honest, there were a few air bubbles that I could not get out.  O well, it’s not perfect…  The dishes and layered accessories will hide those messy spots.

Adding unique, one-of-a-kind details to the finish the china cabinet makeover!

Once that was complete, I was able to accessorize!  But before that, I want to show you what I did with the hardware.

Hardware.

Remember at the beginning of this project I wasn’t sure what to do with the hardware… go with new or use what was original?  Well I decided on new.  Why? 2 reasons.  (1) Some of the hardware was missing – good reason for new, right? (2) I really wanted this piece to be a mix of old and new.  I adore the traditional lines of this cabinet (old), yet the color and the added details are more modern (new)… thus my style, Classic Eclectic!

For the hardware, I wanted a bit bling-bling, but on a budget.  On one of my daily trips to Lowe’s, I found these beautiful octagonal shaped knobs.  I really wanted a brass finish, but they didn’t have them, but for $3 +/- a knob, I couldn’t leave them.  So I painted them…

DIY Hardware: Adding unique, one-of-a-kind details to the finish the china cabinet makeover!

Using brass paint (liquid brass gilding, to be exact) that I had from another project, I painted them using a small brush.  It dried within minutes and this unique detail was added to the cabinet.

Adding unique, one-of-a-kind details to the finish the china cabinet makeover!

Adding unique, one-of-a-kind details to the finish the china cabinet makeover!

Check out the before and after of the hardware…

Hardware for the china cabinet makeover before & after

As I shared in the first post [prepping & sanding], I removed the existing hardware before getting started on the makeover.  To hide the holes that were on the door fronts, I used wood filler and then sanded once it was dry.  The holes that are on the sections that look like drawers, but really aren’t, remained and that is where the new knobs were installed.

What a change, right?!

Hardware for the china cabinet makeover before & after

Styling.

The last part of the makeover was beautifying it with all my stuff… my treasures!  Instead of showcasing my china + bowls + glasses the traditional way – by the set (plate/dish/bowl/cup) – I went for a more casual, non-symmetrical route of stacking the plates and dishes, and ‘displaying’ the glasses in groups.  This allowed me to maximize the space provided, plus achieve a simpler, less tailored look.

When I started the styling process, I began with the large stack of dinner plates and because they were the heaviest (physically and visually), I put those on the bottom shelf.  Then on the middle shelf on the other side, I added in some other random larger + smaller plates and stacked a few glass bowls on top.  After adding in some wine glasses (groups of 3 or 6 looked best) on the each side , I stepped back and it looked like this…

Styling Tips: Adding unique, one-of-a-kind details to the finish the china cabinet makeover!

I then added in some more pieces to balance out what I had started with.  Basically, the plates and glasses are mixed together on each side.  Neither side is weighted with only plates and/or only glasses.

Achieving balance is key to successful styling or a successful visual vignette!

Styling Tips: Adding unique, one-of-a-kind details to the finish the china cabinet makeover!

I saved the center section of the top cabinet for serving pieces, platters, and bowls.  I centered some of the elements, which gives a traditional feel, but other elements are off-center which brings a casual, organic feel.

After adding, editing, moving, and contemplating, it was finished.  Styling can be a little tricky, but go with what feels/looks right.

Styling Tips: Adding unique, one-of-a-kind details to the finish the china cabinet makeover!

For those not-so-pretty pieces or one-offs, I stored them in the closed section below.  I love space with doors… perfect for the not-to-seen decor.

Confession time…  I tried getting a picture of the overall styled cabinet, but it was impossible without capturing the reflection as well.   I’m not the best photographer, but I try 🙂

Styling Tips: Adding unique, one-of-a-kind details to the finish the china cabinet makeover!

I adore how the dining space is coming together and looks so beautiful for Fall…

Adding unique, one-of-a-kind details to the finish the china cabinet makeover!

What a transformation, right?!  Now that the cabinet is styled, it’s 99% complete.  The next post on this china cabinet makeover will be the reveal – yay!  Coming Soon…

Follow along on this makeover with these other posts
Backstory + Choosing a Color
Prepping & Sanding Wood Furniture
Why & How to Prime Wood Furniture
Tips + Tricks to Painting Wood Furniture
Accessories, Details, & Styling {China Cabinet Makeover}

Coming up (still to do)
China Cabinet Makeover {Reveal}