Home Projects in Progress ~ the Kitchen

Hi everyone! I have finally been tackling some projects around the house and thought I'd share some progress with you guys. You may remember my post on "loving where you live now," where I outlined some steps to make your current home feel as wonderful as it possibly can. I am following my own advice and tackling several small and large projects around the condo.

The first project is our kitchen. I mentioned on that post that we'd be adding a backsplash, paint, and hardware to take our "builder basic" kitchen up a notch. This was the scheme I was working with (though I've already changed things a bit):


I'm happy to say the backsplash is up and it looks great! I'm also in the process of painting, but the original paint I chose did not turn out at all how I wanted :(

(the light is distorted too, my cabinets are not that orange!)

Ugh! It just looked too bright and out of place. So I went back to the drawing board and picked another (more neutral) paint color that I'm happy with! I'm just putting the finishing touches in the room now. Stay tuned for the before and after soon!

Inspired by Alice Lane

Every time I see an image of an interior designed by Alice Lane, I fall in love. Their style is exactly what I love...sophisticated palettes, interesting contemporary pieces, loads of texture, and just the right amount of modern patterns.

Recently on their blog, they posted pictures of the owner Jessica's home. It is absolutely stunning!! I am so into these smoky "mushroom-y" tones lately, and wish I could magically move every single piece into my home this very minute.

What do you think? Here are a few other inspiring images from their portfolio:

Do you have a favorite from the above? I'd love to hear what you think. Have a great week!


All images from Alice Lane Home Blog

5 Tips to Love Where You Live Now

Lately my husband and I have been dreaming a lot about living in a bigger home. We still enjoy our cozy condo, but at times we wish we had a backyard for the dog, extra storage space, and most of all, a second or third full bedroom. Currently living in a one-bedroom with a den, that sounds like a luxury to us!

Realistically, though, thanks to our "lovely" economy this dream isn't coming true anytime soon. Our plan was to live in our place for four years at most, yet we are three years in and are nowhere near being able to move. After talking to some friends and neighbors, we see this is happening to a lot of us...

Rather than let it get us down, I started to think of what we can do to make us enjoy what we have now. Sometimes all it takes is a little tweaking, both in how we live and in our mentality, to make our current homes work for us. Below you will find some tips that I believe will help. I have already started implementing some of these tips, and can honestly say I am feeling more at peace with our situation.

Jesse Carrier

1) List the Positives

First, I would suggest making a list of the favorite things about your home. This way you can refer to the list whenever those negative thoughts creep in. Here is a peak into my list:

   -  We love our peaceful, dog-friendly neighborhood
   -  A small condo allows us to feel more connected as a family
   -  Less to clean! Plus, no mowing the lawn or shoveling snow
   -  The pretty view of the trees outside our window
   -  A smaller place = smaller mortgage = more money in our pocket!

Decorpad

2) Declutter and Organize

It's amazing what a little decluttering can do, both for peace of mind and in terms of organization. Think about what items you really use or need. If you don't love it or use it regularly, it should go. For example, if you have a small closet, think about investing in just a few wardrobe staples, then ditch that dress that you haven't worn in three years or those pants that never did fit so great. Do the same with the kitchen cupboards, bookshelves, garage, or wherever clutter collects in your home.

My husband and I have a tendency to keep things "just in case," but lately we've started to really rethink some of our possessions. Room by room, we've been getting rid of so many unloved things. Suddenly we feel like our place is no longer bursting at the seams. The condo feels bigger and much more organized!

Decorpad

3) Home Improvement

Knowing that we'll eventually sell our place, it seems smart to think now about what small improvements could add value to our condo. I always think it's funny that people wait until they are ready to sell to go ahead and make repairs or upgrades. Why not do it now and enjoy it?

For us, this in part means our kitchen. While I'd love to upgrade our countertops to granite, given our tight budget we plan on simply adding a backsplash, door knobs, and paint. After that, we are hoping to replace our windows and add closet systems to our coat/hall closet and hopefull mine too!

 New backsplash and possible paint color for our kitchen

4) Reconsider A Room's Purpose

Maybe you're dreaming about having an office but don't have an extra room. Just because the space near your living room was labeled "dining room" on your floorplan doesn't mean it needs to be one. Rethink a room's original purpose, get a little creative, and you'll be surprised at how many rooms can multitask to become exactly what you need it to.

In our case, we have a den/sunroom adjacent to our living room that currently serves as my husband's office and "music room" (he has a huge collection of CD's and a few guitars.) One of the reasons for wanting to move is to expand our family in the future. In a pinch, though, this room could get a door added, some new furniture and a fresh coat of paint to become a nursery. What will become of my husband's CD's is another story...

Amy Meier's Office in Dining Room, Better Homes & Gardens

5) Personalize It

Finally, a way to enjoy the space you live now is to simply make it your home! Our place always feels cozy when we have some music playing and a candle lit. Don't wait for your "forever home" to finally put up a gallery wall of family photos. Anything that makes you feel happy should be proudly displayed, and will only help in making your home feel like the place you are supposed to be here and now.

source unknown

Are you or anyone you know in this situation? Do you have any tips to share on how you are dealing with it?

Inspired by Sabrina Linn

I recently was reminded of the interior design firm Sabrina Linn, and off I went to check out their portfolio. I love so much of what I saw!

She is not afraid of using colors and patterns, which help create rooms that really come alive. Her vibrant style has led her to become a behind-the-scenes prop stylist and set decorator at the beginning of her career, and eventually to become a head designer on several top design shows. She then went into art directing for editorial and commercial photo shoots, including becoming the style editor for Canadian House and Home Magazine (hello, dream job!)

I love the fresh feeling in both the kitchen and laundry room below:

I love the glam vibe of this dining room below, and especially the chandelier!

The wallpaper in this bathroom is stunning, and how about that closet!

By the way, she also has a gorgeous selection of pillows! Check it out here.

What do you think of her work? Do you have a favorite from her portfolio?

All images from her website, http://design.sabrinalinn.com/

Inspired by Jennifer Worts Design

I have had an image saved in my inspiration folder for the longest time. It is one I always keep going back to, and wish I had saved the name of the designer so I could find more of their work. Well, finally the other day I came across the picture again on Pinterest, and I was so excited to finally find out who was responsible for this living room:

This is the work of Jennifer Worts Design, whose sophisticated rooms have graced the pages of Canadian House & Home, Style at Home and other magazines, as well as television. I just love her timeless combination of modern and traditional elements, and the soothing color palettes she uses.

 This is a creative idea for artwork

I am completely in LOVE with this bathroom!

Another soothing, elegant bedroom

I love that she created such a cozy nook out of the "dead" space under the stairs

You can see much more of her work on her website, here. What do you think of her rooms?

An Inspiring Tiny Studio Apartment

Ever since I came across photos of Caroline's tiny studio in Apartment Therapy DC, I haven't been able to stop looking through them! Her home is so charming, and I am just amazed at how well she utilized the little space she has.

I mean, she has managed to put a piano in this 475 square-foot studio!

Loving her sweet color scheme of white, black and pink.

Her adorable, retro-inspired kitchen:

And last but not least, her colorful collection of shoes!

There are lots more images in her house tour here. I hope you are as inspired as I was to make better use of every nook and cranny in our homes!

All images Apartment Therapy DC.

A Very Productive Weekend

Hello, hope you had a wonderful weekend! Mine was the perfect mix of relaxing and productive. It had been so long since I had a weekend like this, so it felt great.

On Saturday, I went to a few consignment and design stores with a friend. On the way there, I came across an interior design studio I didn't know was there. Of course, my curiosity peaked and I decided to come inside and talk to the owner. Turns out, the studio is called Sanctuary on Church, and they sell some beautiful accessories as well as offer design services.

Source

I spoke to one of the owners for a bit and told her I am starting to get into the field. She had some wonderful advice for me. She was so friendly and welcoming, that I decided to ask whether she would let me shadow her in one of her jobs - and she agreed! So hopefully I will be doing that soon. I am excited to learn more of the ins and outs of the job that you don't learn in school.

I didn't buy much at the consignment, but I did walk out with this crystal decanter:

I'm slowly building up a nice bar:

Then on Sunday, after a little trip to Home Depot, I walked out with a sample for a kitchen backsplash, and it's going to work out great! I've been wanting to do this for so long.

I also finally picked up a sample pot of what will probably be our new living room wall color. After looking through billions of colors, I kept coming back to Behr Parisian Taupe. I was surprised to actually feel like I nailed it with the first sample pot!

The picture is not very accurate, it's more taupe-y and looks a bit grayish at times - exactly what I was looking for.  I only sampled it on a piece of bristol paper, but next I am going to paint it on part of the wall, and hopefully it will work just as well.

Oh, and we also managed to paint our kitchen earlier today, from a boring off-white to... a boring off-white. Yeah, not at all exciting, so I didn't bother to take pictures. Our adorable dog Mac has managed to ruin our kitchen walls, so we just needed to freshen them up. One day when he's older I'll paint it a nicer shade.

Anyway, I feel like I rambled on this post, but I just feels so good finally making progress with projects around the home and taking a small step towards my career! Tell me, what did you do this weekend?

Color Series ~ Charcoal & Yellow

So far, I have shown you a few color schemes using the classic navy. Now I am moving on to another ultra-versatile color, charcoal gray. There are endless color combinations that will look good with this neutral, but I am starting with sunny yellow!

You may remember this image from domino, which featured this cheerful color scheme. The choice in tailored furnishings and a mustard-y yellow kept the room looking crisp and elegant:

domino

This scheme could work well for many rooms, but I particularly love this color scheme for kitchens! For me, a kitchen should be a bright, happy space, the heart of one's home. I once lived in an apartment with a kitchen that had white cabinets, gray countertops and one accent wall painted the perfect shade of yellow, and it was my all-time favorite kitchen (even though it was pretty small.)

With that in mind, I thought I would re-create a sunny kitchen for this week's mood board:

If you like it, where would you use this color scheme?

Moodboard sources:
White cabinet - Alpine Cabinet
Carrerra marble backsplash -  via Contemporary Interior Designs
Granite countertops - Discount Flooring
Yellow Rug - West Elm
Stools - DWR
Dish Towels - Dwell for Target
Owl Pitcher - via Kaboodle
Keep Calm Poster - Keepcalmandcarryonposter.co.uk
Mixer - Kitchen Aid

Lucky Mag Interiors - Happy Yellow Kitchen

Good morning! I hope you had a good weekend, as I did. The weather couldn't have been more perfect, and I also had lots of free time to finally work on my cabinet. I hope to have the finished product for you later this week. It is actually completed, except with all the layers of paint the shelves no longer fit! I am hoping my hubby can help me sand off some of the sides. This project has honestly been more work than it's worth, but overall I am happy with the newly white cabinet. It blends into the room a lot more. I can't wait to show you!

I wanted to keep sharing with you images from my Lucky Magazine archives, from back when they featured interiors. I so miss those days! Here is one happy yellow kitchen:

I love the open shelving! It is so well-styled. Yellow is my favorite accent color for the kitchen. Imagine making your morning coffee here - you'd barely need the caffeine!

Inspired by Massucco Warner Miller

Happy Friday! I am so glad the weekend is finally here. I had plans to finish painting my cabinet, until I remembered that Mother's Day is this Sunday. My parents live about an hour and a half away, so I will make a day out of it. Hopefully I will be able to squeeze some painting in between.

Like many of you, I loved designer Melissa Warner's feature in this month's House Beautiful. I decided to check out her firm's portfolio, and was not at all dissapointed! Massucco Warner Miller is run by three very talented ladies in San Francisco, who decided to partner up in 2008. Put three creative brains together and what do you get?

Beautiful rooms such as these!

I LOVE the idea of framing imperial trellis fabric onto the wall.

They love to use pattern, and always do it so well.

 

 

What a nice shower curtain! Loving the vanity, too.

 

My dream kitchen! White carrera marble with hints of green.

Adorable nursery!

I always love seeing good uses out of small nooks. It barely seems like a desk would fit in this little corner, but it works so well! The eye-catching blue chandelier doesn't hurt either!

There is lots more to see on their website.

Have a great weekend!