In our bedroom we have this armoire and two nightstands. My parents got them for us as a gift and they work great in the space. I haven’t been real thrilled with the knobs though so I decided to spray paint them, what a difference it made!!! They were’t bad before but I like them better with more contrast.

Before shots…

When I took the knobs off they were in two pieces, no big deal though!

I left the screws in so we could open and close the drawers for a couple days without the hardware.

I used oil rubbed bronze spray paint from Meijers and primer (which I also used on my lamps) from Home Depot.

One coat of primer…

Two coats of paint! Easy peasy!

After…

I like the darker look but could really do any color. Bright green? Gold? This is how you can create custom touches for little moola!

I hope you guys have a great weekend. Hubby is at school so I will be making the boys and I busy with projects, a birthday party, and hot yoga for me!

As part of my bedside table redo I am re-purposing lamps I already have. They are really old and I’ve been tired of the look for a long time. These puppies are getting a coat of “hammered metallic gold” and a spanking new white drum shade!

First, I wont be reusing the shades, so those went.

This little doo-hicky is called a lamp harp. Comes off super easy and I wont be using it with the new shades I bought.

Then within seconds my boys turned the lamp shades into hats and megaphones!

Can you hear me Mom?

Ooooh I love that little face!

Before spraying with primer I wrapped the cord so they wouldn’t get covered with paint.

This winter I turned our main floor bathroom into a spray booth. This room of the house needs to be redone badly and I don’t even care to use it in it’s original state. I can seal the room off from the rest of the house, put a fan in the window and spray away! It moves the air through pretty well!

After a coat of primer and two coats of paint I put on the new shades and was pleased with the new look!

I love gold right now!

This was such a simple project with a big change. All supplies totalled less than $25!!

Need help transforming your bedroom or another room in you house? I can help put together a plan to make you love your space again. Contact me here!

At my design workshops one of the top mistakes I talk about is the lack of “spark” in a home.  The feeling you get when you walk into a space and your eyes dance with joy! A lot of us get the room painted, furniture in, maybe window treatments up but don’t put a lot of energy into the final details. Artwork, pillows, accessories, throws, etc… Done in a thoughtful and personal way can turn a space you live in into a space that comes alive!!                                                                                      

Below is a really simple redo I did with a client. The living room was monotone and boring and really needed more contrast since there were a lot of neutrals.

BEFORE

We had a budget to stick to and wanted to be strategic about what we switched out. Some items were new or sentimental  and most of the room was on the right track! I suggested pulling more white from the black and white photo above the couch and here’s what happened…

AFTER

What did we do? Very simple:

1.     Two new white pillows

2.     One brighter red lumbar pillow

3.     One new rug

4.     Moved around some existing accessories

See again:

BEFORE

AFTER

Design doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated, just well thought out! I love doing these switcheroos!

Embracing the whole cute small house with character idea my parents Mark and Lori, moved from a bland, large newer home into a small cottage style house built in 1933. Since my Mom and Dad are accomplished do-it-yourselfers trading in a finished low maintenance home for an older house that needed to be completely redone wasn’t out of their league. Now that it’s just my youngest sister Gloria (love ya Glo!) and their three year old yorkie-poo Carlos (best dog ever!) at home with them they did not need as much room and were yearning for a house with soul. To say that this house needed a facelift is an understatement, we’re talking a full head to toe nip and tuck operation here. But this is why I love old houses, a couple swings of the hammer and she’s ready for the ball!

The first issue with the kitchen was the layout, lots of wasted space. Second, everything was basically falling apart, countertop cracked, dishwasher barely worked, and on and on.  Here’s a lovely picture of Cinderella before her prince charming…

We put together a layout that would provide more storage and open up the space. Then my parents started shopping around for the best value on cabinets, appliances, countertops, etc. They divied up the work between professionals (plumbing, electrical, installing cabinets) and themselves (painting, trim, installing tile). I love how the new space is floaded with light and lets you see more of the dining and living room. They planned a simple color pallet so colorful accents could jazz it up at a whim.

I love the concrete countertops and modern hardware…

My Dad, aka master tile installer put up the back splash, he throws a mean trowel!

My sweet little Bram helps define scale and proportion, the perfect model in my eyes!

I’ve lived though a couple kitchen renovations with my folks and they do a great job. It’s never fun to wash dishes in your bathtub or eat out of a microwave for extended periods but it was worth it!

Cabinets: Meridian, Appliances: KitchenAid, Flooring: Lumber Liquidators, Sink: Elklay,Trim Paint: Benjamin Moore White Dove, Wall Paint: Benjamin Moore Timid White, Tile: Lowes