Bedroom Updates

To finish the week off, I will show you two changes to my bedroom.  Well, one to the room and one to the closet.  In the original list I stated, "Purchase another one of these as a credenza and style it"

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I got to the point of purchasing and constructing, but the styling is a work in progress.  This is before-

This is after (excuse the different angle)-

Ultimately I want to place baskets inside of some of the openings so that the ugly wires in the back will no longer be visible, and also for extra storage.  Something like this would be ideal.

Okay I got a little Photoshop happy.

All of the books lead to the next transformation.  In the original list I stated, "Spray bookcase white and move into closet for shoe and accessory storage".   I completed half of that by moving the bookcase into the closet.  I also removed one of the fabric hanging storage shelves which opened the space up a little more.  This is before-

This is after-

I still have a long way to go, but I really like the bookcase being in the closet.  It fits in that space just right and doesn't even cover up the light switch (one of my concerns).

That is all for the little updates that I completed over the spring and summer.  I still have a long way to go, but I think I'm making good progress.

Enjoy your weekend!

Dining Room Update

Greetings!  To continue with reveals for this week, I have a small one for you today.  I mentioned that I wanted to "Add round light bulbs to the light fixture (and maybe spray paint it) so that it can look similar to this"


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I ended up just replacing the light bulbs but haven't gotten around to spray painting it yet (if I even want to do that still).

This is the fixture before-

And this is after-

 

I enjoy the change, but I think I would still like to spray paint it.  Maybe next spring...

Updates to the Kitchen

A few months ago my job moved to a new building and bought all new furniture.  This was great because they were getting rid of every little thing that was in the old office (for the most part).  I snagged a couple of items and have put them to great use since.  One of those things was a kitchen cart.  It was perfect because I wanted one for the kitchen anyway and I didn't even realize that it was a cart until I pulled it out of the corner in the break room that it had been in for years.  I thought it was just a metal shelving stand and I had intentions on putting it into my office as a new more sturdy place for my printer and paper.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was a cart with wheels and everything!  I had been wanting to add an island here since last year when we had a small table in there temporarily and I liked the extra work space that it provided.  I thought this cart would make an ideal temporary island.  It cleaned up great and is a nice little addition the kitchen.

Here's a before of the kitchen a while back.  It has pretty much been like this for 1.5 years.

And here is the "island" now!

Oh yeah, I also scored that vase from the old office, too (the flowers were from our rose bush out front)!

Next for kitchen updates is some art work that I DIYed.  My intention was to hang a few art prints related to kitchens or cooking on the large wall that separates the kitchen from the dining room.  I searched for a few quotes and came across one that I liked and turned it into an art print.  I also liked the silhouette images of kitchen gadgets that I had seen around pinterest, so I got a few images from a free clip art site and made silhouettes of four different gadgets then paired it with the print.  Here is the wall a few years back (old image, excuse the small size).

Still a work in progress, so this is it so far.

If I decide to stick with the gallery wall idea, I'd like to do something like this:

Of course I would use different images that match better and aren't as busy, but hopefully you get an idea of what I'm thinking overall.

So that's all for the kitchen changes thus far.  I think it's coming along okay, but I have been thinking about repainting in there again.  Oy!

Spring Forward Project List 2013 Edition *Update*

Hey there people!  Before I crawled under that blasted rock (the one that kept me from blogging for nearly three months), I posted this list in the Spring and wanted to update you all on what's been completed or is a work in progress.  Here goes...

Spring

1. Finish decorating the living room

• Create a new painting to hang above the TV
• Style the mantel and hang a large image above it

2.  Dining Room

• DIY roman shades (or purchase on sale)
• Add round light bulbs to the light fixture (and maybe spray paint it)

3. Kitchen

• Create artwork to hang on the larger wall
• Add a small island

Summer
1 . Master Bedroom

• Paint
• DIY a headboard
• Spray nightstands white
• Lamp project for nightstands
• Make a small table for the sitting area
• Re-purpose a coffee table into a bench
• Make two pairs of curtains and three roman shades
• Add artwork (photography, paintings and prints all DIY)
• Purchase another one of these as a credenza and style it

2. Master Closet (this may be for autumn instead, but this is the list)

• Remove door and make a curtain
• Remove all racks and replace with white shelves
• Spray bookcase white and move into closet for shoe and accessory storage
• DIY a small table for all of my nail polish and nail care products
• Change light fixture

Yikes...still didn't do as much as I would have liked.  Oh well, there's always Autumn and Winter.  BUT on a brighter note, all of the projects that are still in progress or already complete will be revealed this week!


And now for a couple of pictures...because as I've stated before, I like images in blog posts.

A Fresh GA Peach popsicle by King of Pops ...and this thing was FRESH...like peach skin and all.  Chomp!

This is the cute little popsicle stand that they sell from.

Just looking at these images makes me miss summer even more.

Spring Forward Project List 2013 Edition

Hey there and Happy Daylight Savings Time!  If you remember, last year I shared my love for Daylight Savings Time and listed the projects that I wanted to complete.  Looking back I see that there is a lot that I did not do.  I only completed 2.5 projects/rooms out of eight.  Woops!

This spring/summer I have a few things that I would like to do around the house.  Some things are projects that I never started from last year.  I plan to focus more on DIY, repurposing and inexpensive purchases (aka no big ticket items).  I also think that I was unrealistic with all of the things that I listed last year, so this will be a more comfortable list.

Spring
1. Finish decorating the living room

• Create a new painting to hang above the TV
• Style the mantel and hang a large image above it

2.  Dining Room

• DIY roman shades (or purchase on sale)
• Add round light bulbs to the light fixture (and maybe spray paint it) so that it can look similar to this

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 3. Kitchen

• Create artwork to hang on the larger wall
• Add a small island

Summer
1 . Master Bedroom

• Paint
• DIY a headboard similar to one of these

 

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• Spray nightstands white
• Lamp project for nightstands
• Make a small table for the sitting area
• Re-purpose a coffee table into a bench
• Make two pairs of curtains and three roman shades
• Add artwork (photography, paintings and prints all DIY)
• Purchase another one of these as a credenza and style it

   

 credit

2. Master Closet (this may be for autumn instead, but this is the list)

• Remove door and make a curtain
• Remove all racks and replace with white shelves
• Spray bookcase white and move into closet for shoe and accessory storage
• DIY a small table for all of my nail polish and nail care products
• Change light fixture

Hopefully this list will not be too much of a challenge to actually complete.  Any fun projects coming up for you guys? 

 

Patio Reveal

Hi there!  I mentioned yesterday that I had a fun reveal coming up this week from my Spring Forward Project List.  Based on the title, you now know what it is.

8. Spruce up the patio area (add pillows to the furniture and some potted plants. extra credit: a new light by the door)

When we first moved in, we started out with a small patio set that came from our apartment.  I was dreaming of upgrading to an outdoor living room set but the prices were waaaayyyy out of budget.  A few months later, my friend and I (she bought her house a year before me so we love going home decor shopping together...we've spent 5 hours in ikea before) went to the Atlanta location of the Habitat for Humanity Restore and I saw a patio set similar to the ones that I loved.  You never know what will be at the Restore, so finding this was miraculous.  After the purchase, our patio turned to this (and has been this way for the last three years).

And finally, here is the newly spruced up patio.

As far as purchases, I started with the lanterns.  I wanted to create a fun, eclectic space and the yellow was a perfect place to begin.

I found the indoor/outdoor rug at Home Goods on clearance.  For some reason it was the only one on clearance, but after careful observation, nothing looked strange to me.  Snatch!

Next, I bought pillows.  I was planning on having my Grandma make some for me, but I couldn't resist these pillows from Target.  I guess June is considered "end of summer" because the patio section in Target was full of clearance items.  This is also where I purchased our first umbrella (shown in this patio sneak peak post), but returned it because it didn't mix well with everything else.  I ended up at Lowe's and found the current umbrella (clearance again).  Apparently the best time to purchase items for the summer is IN the summer.

I moved the bench that my Grandma's husband made for me for my b'day last year to the spot under the side window.  Extra seating is always a plus!

A few things to note...

-I mentioned that I wanted to add some potted plants.  Well the only plants that I have out there are my herbs.  I'll possibly get large plants to place on the ground in large planters next spring.  Besides, I'm not interested in bugs, and I think the plants will attract them.

-I also mentioned extra credit being changing out the back light.  Well that didn't happen either.  I saw a few that I liked, but decided to wait because it's not that big of a deal.  Besides, I got an umbrella and a rug...two things that weren't even on the list.  I consider that extra credit!

I've been loving sitting out with the umbrella open especially when the sun is directly overhead.  I also love the secluded feeling that it gives at night.  It feels like I'm on vacation every time I sit out.

Decorating is a never ending thing, so I'm sure at some point additions/subtractions will be made.  For now this is what it is, and I love it :)

Patio Sneak Peek

If you recall my Spring Forward Project List, one area to be tackled was our patio.  I have been slowly adding items and am happy to say that I'm just about done.  Here are a few sneak peek shots-

The full reveal is coming soon!

Spring Forward Project List

I like to celebrate Spring a little earlier than the official day because I LOVE when daylight savings time begins!  Okay, I don't like that I'm sleepier because of the lost hour, but that is overshadowed by the following:

• Arriving home from work when it's still daylight (i.e. not feeling so sleepy on the ride home)
• Weekday grilling
• Sitting outside watching the sunset from home
• Wearing sunglasses on the way home
• Being able to take a walk in the evening

This is all to say that I will be able to do more with my evenings.  I will even be able to start a few projects that I've been sitting on due to lack of daylight and the cooler temperatures!  So here is my Spring project list accompanied by current pictures (i.e. before pictures) of how each place looks-

1. Master bedroom/bathroom decorating (paint, furnish, styling, extra credit: ceiling design)

2. Master closet renovation (new light fixture, add shelving and create a very girly area)

3. Paint furniture (dresser, desk and nightstand)

4. Decorate the entryway (paint walls, add a better window covering, runner and artwork)

5. Finish decorating the living room (make artwork, get some bookcases and another TV stand, get better window shades, mantel and mantel wall decorating)
 

6. Change out the kitchen light fixture and hang more artwork (extra credit: purchase new bar stools)

(this is the best picture I could find...I know it doesn't show the current light fixture.  It's nothing fancy.  Just a big, rectangular fluorescent hunk of blah)

7. Re-style the bar area

8. Spruce up the patio area (add pillows to the furniture and some potted plants. extra credit: a new light by the door)

This list should keep me busy well into the Summer, so when I say "Spring Forward Project List" I mean starting in the Spring, ha!  I will probably be working on all items simultaneously, so it should be interesting around here very soon.

What projects do you all have lined up?