The Master

The master bedroom.

 Otherwise known as the room that is always last on my list.

We have lived in seven houses and I can honestly say that this room, my room, well Brian's also, never ever gets any attention! 

I don't know if it's because no one ever really see's it, so why bother?  Or maybe it's because I get up in the morning, make my bed and I don't go back in there until 10pm at night?

Whatever the reason, it has been terribly neglected.

I have heard all the rumors... the ones that say "Your room is your sanctuary" and yes, it should be.  

A place to unwind at the end of the day. A place that is just for the two of you, in a house full of girl's that have taken over almost every other room!

Another reason I didn't love our bedroom is because we didn't have any furniture in there that was really ours. Up to this point it was all hand me downs and nothing I would pick out myself. Not that we are alone in that. I know a lot of "grown up's" still sleeping on their childhood mattress and using the same dresser they had in college. We were two of of them.

I decided with this house we would finally purchase the bed that I had always wanted and with Brian's approval (who am I kidding, he could care less) I got this one from Ballard design.

Shockingly, its cream and it's upholstered and I love it!!!!

 It sat in our garage at the old house for month's before we moved..it was killing me that I had to wait to use it! 

The bedding is a mismatch of Anthropologie, Homegood's, Target and Walmart.

 I can be a little afraid of color so I keep all the main parts cream (duvet, shams, sheets) and change out the throw pillow's and quilt frequently. 

My night table is another old dresser from an auction. I think this is the third color it has been and the   two bottom drawers don't open! Which is fine because it was $8 and at that price you cant be picky! 

These Ikea frames worked great for framing old feed bags from local Indiana farms. 

We have this large wall in our room that has no window's or furniture against it to break up the space, so finding something to fill it was a pain! But these have really worked well to balance the wall space and they coordinate with the bedding perfectly. That was a total coincidence! Well, maybe it wasn't? 

I find that if you buy things that you truly love, you will start to notice that most of those thing's will work well together. So always stick to your gut!

It only took seven houses for us to finally have a space of our own and at 10pm it is warm and cozy and I love it in here. 

But I would be lying if I said the girls are never in here because every weekend this floor is covered in blankets and sleeping bags and I love it! 

One day they won't want to be so close to us so for now I don't mind sharing this space with them...but only on the weekends!

Work Room

If you read my last post, you will know that it always takes me a while to figure out a house. 

Where is everything going to go, what rooms will we use for what purpose? 

When we moved in, I didn't have a work room and after a few months I realized that it just wasn't going to work with out one.

So I rearranged a few rooms and although that meant that we lost a guest room (it turned in to our playroom) it also meant that I gained a work room!

I was so happy to finally have a place to sew, craft and work on my blog. 

The girls were also happy to have a place to do homework and art project's!

Basically, all those things that having an actual work room comes in handy for.  

At first, it was pretty empty and didn't have a whole lot of life to it, but it didn't stay that way for long.

One thing we needed was storage and a trip to Ikea (one of my most favorite places on earth) fixed that. 

Along with this blue cabinet that I pulled out of the basement we were set.

Another thing that I needed desperately was a place to blog, pay bills and basically just explore the internet, all while getting nothing on my to do list done....this space has been perfect for that.

Here is my old chair that has been reupholstered (sort of) by me twice and currently has material pinned, yes, pinned to it because I can't decide what I want to do with it (and I'm being lazy about the whole thing) so for now it's a little dangerous to sit on due to possibly getting stuck with a straight pin at any moment, but it's comfy!

We've started a gallery wall on the opposite side of the room for all of the girls extra special artwork. My girl's love to draw and paint and we have A LOT of artwork that's made on a daily basis.
But you just can't display or keep all of it!! You just can't!!!
Otherwise, there you are, being asked to film an episode of hoarder's because you can no longer walk through your home!
 Because you felt guilty and never threw away any "artwork" that your kids made!
I tell myself this all the time and it helps just a little when I'm hiding those paper's under the cereal box or whatever will sufficiently cover it in the trash!
Not to mention the joy on their little faces when they know they have made something really good and decide it should go on the wall.
The goal is that one day the room is filled with little masterpiece's everywhere!

Our work room is now used more than any other room in the house and I sometime's wonder what I was thinking by not having it here to begin with?!?

5 ways to avoid boring decor

Many of my clients remark  that my home must be perfectly decorated.   My answer is a resounding NO.   I actually have little interest in perfectly decorated homes because that usually means boring in my book. Besides, the reality is that there is only so much money and time that one can devote to a place to live.  You have a life, you have things you want to do, and often home projects get pushed to the bottom of the pile as you live with your decisions.  It's called setting priorities.

If you are spending your hard earned money on a place to live, how can you have the best space possible within your budget parameters?  This is a roundup of suggestions supported by  past posts that you might want to consider as you decide how to create an interesting home.

1. Don't try to keep up with the neighbours

  Don't go there. I've had lots of chats especially with young  professional first time homeowners who feel trapped in the friends' comparison games. You know the checks and balances  of where something was bought, the cost, the  hot style you need to have to be "successful". This is a trap for more than young homeowners.   Designing your house considering  such dictates will lead to a  very cookie cutter product (the show home look) and will possibly deplete your bank account at the same time.

Today's most popular kitchen look

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 Rather than questioning if your home is up to par with the neighbour's, switch your thinking to how can I make my home unique. Not everyone is daring enough to have a teal kitchen, but it looks lovely and inviting and certainly isn't like ever other kitchen.  Read this to find  ways to add interest  your space.

 2.  Don't be a slave to trends  

 Trends come and go and adhering to them often means  changing  accessories, appliances and furniture more frequently than is warranted by normal wear and tear.  Are there trends that you should pay attention to?  I've discussed that topic here.  Would you be horrified to have white appliances,  natural oak hardwood or 80's European style cabinets?  ( I have all three)  Is granite the only countertop you would accept?  ( I have butcher block and laminate)!

Timeless v.s. trendy

 

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 Right now yellow, gray,  and black and white are "on trend", but I wouldn't call this space trendy.  Ten years from now this modern space warmed with wood and art will still look distinctive and inviting. 

Chrvrons, antlers and gray

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 If you are at a home decor store every week  looking for accessories to add to your home,  you might be  going down the trend road. If you have chevron patterns, a chalkboard wall, antlers, cute lettered signs about family, love or keeping calm, lots of  baskets, or starburst mirrors, you are an accessory  trend follower.  Pinterest tells all!

3. Dare to have a personal style

 A more creative solution to home decor is  to determine what your personal style is and stick with that, adding select pieces over time. Make choices that reflect your family lifestyle and history. What makes your home yours?  Do you like antiques; are you a painted furniture aficionado; do you collect things or have travel mementos;  are you into yoga and zen spaces;  is music important to you;  are you a painter,  a wood worker,  a stained glass artist or photographer?  Reflect your loves in your space.  Check out this post for a more in depth look at what your house says about you.

Distinctive zen bathroom

This is not your average bathroom space nor will it be everyone's cup of tea. That's the thing about personal style.  It should not be cookie cutter.   Each element is distinctive and they are creatively combined to produce a quiet, zen like space. 

 Antiques and interesting finds

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 This bath has an interesting combination of antiques and practical objects.

 

 4. Forget about over matching 

There is nothing that sucks the soul out of a space more  than over matching. If I went through fifty spaces in a row on Pinterest on any one day, way too many of them are so perfectly matched they are downright boring.   Every space needs an edge, you choose what that edge is.  This post discusses the matchy match look and how to avoid it.

 A well matched spa inspired bathroom

There is no doubt this is a restful space reminiscent of cool ocean breezes, but I would love to see at least one thing that was "out of theme". Something unexpected... a different mirror,  shelf  or light fixture.   

Spa bathroom with interest

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This is still a small bathroom space but materials have been used more creatively to produce a distinctive look. Imagine this space without the art work over the tub.  I would nix the plant.  I could see myself tripping over it every time I moved.

 

5. Move around what you have

 One of the first things I do when I begin a project with  clients who have hired me to  accessorize their space is ask them to pull out what they have stored. You would be surprised by  some of the finds that went from the basement to front and centre.   This post  will give you an idea of this type of thinking.

With so many ways to to create inviting, individual environments, do you have a favourite one that works in your space? 

Room with an identity crisis

The front room of our house has an identity crises.
It's not quit sure what it is and that is my fault.

Is it a Dining Room?

Is it a Living Room?

It  doesn't really know, because I can't make up my mind about what I want it to be?!?

When we first moved in, it was a dining room and it looked like this...

but then I talked Brian in to doing a little board and batten trim work in here...

 (excuse the blurry picture)

....and I thought, who needs a formal dining room?  

So then it became this....a living room?

But then, I changed some other things in the house around and I thought, well, what if we used this room for a dining room? 

Have you ever read the book If You Give A Mouse A Cookie? 

Yes, the same thing is happening around here. 

I change it on a whim all the time and I think it's making my husband a little nuts. He's pretty much over moving the furniture in and out all the time. 

Right now it looks like this, and it will most likely stay this way for awhile.
We (I) moved the sofa in to the basement this last time, and if getting it up the stairs, is as hard as it was getting it down there, well then, that thing will die down there.

So for now this is our lovely dining room and it's working for us. It's not formal at all and we actually do sit in here and eat on occasion. One of my biggest pet peeve's is when rooms go unused so that better keep happening, otherwise it may need to turn back in to a living room!

Carpet to wood staircase

Carpet on stairs. 

Why, oh why,  must they (builder's) put carpet on stairs? 

I mean, I know why of course, it's much more cost effective. 

But oh, so not prettier.

Trust me, I'm well aware of the fact that there happen's to be a ton of people carpeting their stairs! 

All the time! 

Because that's what they like. 

But I also know that there are a slew of people moving in to those houses and tearing it all off again. 

I would be the later of the two.

When we built this house I asked (begged actually) the builder to not carpet the stairs...they said no. We are are a semi custom home builder, I was told....you want a wood staircase...go build a custom home. 

Thank's a lot. 

So after a year and a half of staring at that carpet, and noticing in just that short amount of time, it was starting to look a lot older then that already. I sent Brian (my hubs) a text "Hey honey, how would you feel if I ripped all the carpet off the stairs?" His reply: "If that makes you happy."

Ten minute's later.... I sent him this picture

His response, "thing's just got real!" 

He's a patient guy.

I spent the next hour tearing it all up. Pulling staples and nails. 

I felt very confident in my decision because even in this condition, I liked it so much better. 

Brian was a champ and worked on it for days and days. He filled in all the staple and nail holes and then started sanding it all down.

The sanding was a pain, and even though we tried to be proactive and tarp it off, it still made a giant mess!

Once it was all sanded and looking (in my opinion) very pretty, already. It was time to stain. 

Brian stained every other stair so we were able to get up and down them during the process. Smart.

Then he polyurethaned them with a spray...I'm pretty sure that part took a few years of our lives, with all the stinky fumes that it produced.

 The kid's were outside...I know you what you were thinking.

We finished with white paint on the risers and finally we were done! 

This project was not hard at all, but it definitely took longer than we had planned. 

But the outcome was so worth it and I don't have to look at that yucky carpet anymore! 

So my suggestion is, if you want a wood staircase and you are staring at yucky carpet. 

Pull it up and see what's under there....you'll be so happy you did!

Family Room

When I was planning on how I wanted my new home to look, months before it was finished, I knew I wanted it light and bright in some areas, while keeping other parts of the house warm and cozy. 

The family room has a lot of windows which bring in a ton of natural light. I didn't want to darken the space at all so I went with light colored furniture.

I seriously looked for months for the right sofa. 

First, I thought I would do two Chesterfield's. One on either side of the room. But the more I looked at them, the more I felt they were a little to formal for our family. 

What look's great in magazines isn't always the best for the real world!

Knowing, I wanted something light and comfortable, I decided that the sectional was the way to go. Now, it was time to search for one that was not only light, but comfortable, and affordable. 

 Some of these sucker's can cost as much as a small car! No thanks!

Finally, I found this one and I'm in love with it. 

We paid the extra cash for the super duper warranty so I would actually let my kids sit on it!
 I'm not completely insane after all.

I wish I could say that we moved in and I knew exactly what this room was going to be and I just threw it all together overnight. 

Actually, it's been through a ton of change to get it to this point. 

When we moved in, the nook next to the fireplace was this empty space that needed to be filled.

 After a series of different things, we finally put the Ikea bookcases from the last house in there. I wanted "new built in's" but that wasn't in the budget.

 At first, I fought against using our "old" stuff in my shiny new house. But until I learn how to grow that money tree, I've learned to embrace the "old" stuff. 

Here are some of the "before" pictures to show how much it has changed in here over the past year. 

   And I'm pretty positive that with my addiction to decorating, that will only continue!

Our bookcases in the garage, before I realized that it was going to be those or nothing:)

Avery's big girl room reveal

When we moved in to our home I was beyond excited that I would be able to decorate my girl's rooms the way I had always wanted. When you are renting a home you usually don't have the option to create a space that is really yours. That is if you want your deposit back. Which we always seemed to lose anyway so in retrospect my new policy is do what you want..renting or not. 

Avery was a big influence when it came to the color scheme and what she did and did not want...the girl knows what she likes.

The first thing we started with was the gold dot decals from Urban Walls and not only are they super easy to apply but you can also remove them easily. Huge bonus in my opinion!

Her nightstand/desk, which I realize still needs pulls, was the first piece of furniture that I ever owned as my own. My cousin was getting rid of it and I begged her to give it to me, and 23 years later, I still have it. I loved furniture even way back then.

The dresser is a auction find for $7. Painted white with the pull's sprayed gold.
Her bedding is a Pottery Barn Teen duvet with some pillows I made to pull it all together. I actually had the material left over from another project and we thought is was perfect for her room.

Avery's next request was a chalkboard wall. I'm going to be honest here, I love me some chalkboard paint, but the idea of loads of chalk dust in her room wasn't thrilling me. So instead we scaled it down and painted a chalkboard heart for her and her friend's to draw on.
Her lamp is from target and it was black at first, so for fun we sprayed it gold and then painted the stripes on the plain white shade. It's amazing what you can do with a can of spray paint!

One of her favorite hobbies is to make her Lego buildings and she needed a place to display her creation's that was out of reach of little hands. I found these Ikea shelves in our storage and after spraying the bracket's gold they made a perfect home for her Legos.

The best part of this whole project for me was that we were able to do it together and besides the decals and paint, we created her new space with things that we already had somewhere in the house. She loves her new room and that is what makes it all worth while!