Project Sneak Peek: Teenage Boy Bedroom

After living in our house for over 3 1/2 years, I've finally decided it's time to tackle my step-son's bedroom. I don't know whether or not he's going to be very excited about the transformation. (He loves his hodge-podge bedroom with stickers on the walls, torn posters, and dirty teenage boy stuff everywhere.) But I'm tired of looking at all that and it's time for a change. I assured him it will still look "cool", it will just be a lot more organized, functional and stylish. I saw this room online while searching for inspiration and fell in love with the color combo;

Although he would love to have his bed hanging from the wall like the pictures above, we'll be sticking with a futon style bed instead. I love this color palette with gray walls, navy blue accents and pops of yellow. Here's the design board I came up with for my step-son's bedroom;

There is a large built in desk and cabinets in his room and I plan on painting them white, with the desk top painted dark gray. The dark gray paint color will also extend onto a focal point wall which will have a large built in bulletin board as well. I'm going to hang some navy blue curtain panels with black out lining (his one and only request for the bedroom) and also purchase a new rug for the space. His bedding will stay the same (a navy blue plaid comforter with gray sheets) but I plan on incorporating a yellow accent pillow or two.  All of the rock band/skateboard/surfing/etc. posters will go onto one large wall (I'm not going to be that mean and make him get rid of them!) Lastly, I think I'll incorporate some framed art above his bed (like in the inspiration pictures.)

So what do you think? Do you like this color combo and design plan as much as I do?! I'm excited to get started on a new project!

Feeling Inspired

I mentioned here that our outdoor living area is increasing in square footage this year. We have a gazebo that is enclosed on two sides that was primarily being used as storage for the first three years we lived in our house. (Lawn mowers, old work out equipment, golf clubs, etc. You know, all that ugly stuff that men seem to acquire that takes up a lot of space!) After a little reorganizing and getting rid of stuff we don't use anymore, we finally have a wide open space for me to work my decorating magic on! The covered structure is 14' wide by 19' deep and is located just off our patio (aka the 'outdoor living room' as we like to call it.) I've been going back and forth trying to decide what I should do with this newly acquired space. Outdoor dining area? Hang some hammocks? Built in banquet seating? After flipping through the latest Crate & Barrel catalog I had an 'ah-ha!' moment. Take a peak at my inspiration for the gazebo;

Our space is going to feature 'his & hers' hammocks, a low table with floor pillows to sit on as well as a built in banquet-style bench for extra seating and lounging. I'm also on the hunt for some lanterns to hang for ambient lighting as well as some other tropical accent pieces. It's going to be the ultimate chill zone that feels like you're on vacation rather than just hanging out in the backyard! At least that's my plan. . .Take a look at my inspiration for the bench;

via BHG

This budget friendly, do-it-youself bench made from cinder blocks is the perfect solution! I can't wait to get started (next week - fingers crossed!) on my new project of transforming our gazebo into an easy, breezy chill spot. I'll make sure to take some pictures along the way!

Project Reveal: Jordyn's Bedroom

I've been slowly putting the finishing touches on my stepdaughter Jordyn's bedroom for quite some time now and have been sharing bits and pieces of it with you along the way. You might remember the bookcase I painted, the nailhead inspiration board I made, the desk makeover, the DIY headboard, etc. Anyhow, I finally got around to tackling her dresser (another brown wooden beast that got a coat of glossy white paint) which completed my list of things to do in her bedroom. Jordyn will be turning 11 in about a month and I'm ecstatic to finally be done with her bedroom. I think it turned out to be a fun and girly space without being too juvenile or too sophisticated.

Just for kicks, here are some pictures of what the room used to look like;

 

Two years later, a whole lotta white paint, some fun fabric and a couple DIY projects later, this is what the room looks like now;

So what do you think? I love the way everything turned out and am happy with the cheery, colorful space! I think it's perfect for the outgoing 11 year old and she seems to be pretty pleased with her new room. Another happy client! ;)

DIY Headboard

Happy Friday! I want to share a 'lil project I recently finished around my house. You might remember the improvements I have been slowly making to my 10 year old step daughters bedroom. (If not you can check out this post, this post, this post or this post.) Well, I just completed an easy, do-it-yourself headboard for her bedroom and I love the way it turned out! Take a peak;

I found this fun material on clearance at my favorite discount fabric store for only $3.00/yard! I couldn't pass it up because incorporated all of the colors already in her room (red, pink, lime green, yellow and turquoise.) I also purchased a white, fitted bedskirt to help tie the bedding all together. I really cheated when it came to constructing the headboard - I used foam boards instead of plywood and adhered it to the wall with 3M tape. Shhhhhh, don't tell anyone my secret!) I lalala-love the way it ties the whole room together now! Here's a closeup;

Now the only thing I have left to do  is a dresser makeover and some art to complete the room. . . Have you finished any super easy and super cheap projects lately? I would love to hear about it! Have a wonderful weekend, and I'll be back next week with double posts since this week has been a little sporadic.

Living Room Snippet

I've been hesitant for a long while to share any pictures of my living room as I feel like it's a constant work in progress. After Christmas I did a little rearranging and acquiring of a couple new pieces so I feel like I am slowly getting it to the point where it's worthy of photographing. Here's a quick little snippet I thought I would share with ya!

The oak end table is a hand-me-down from my mom and I'm still debating on what I should do with it. Refinish it? Paint it? Leave it? Hmmm. . . The lamp is from Target and the white drapes are my favorite Ikea White Merete Panels. I made the Suzani inspired pillow out of a napkin if you can believe it! (More on that here) The 'artwork' is something I put together as well. Here's a closeup;

I used a frame and mat I already had stored in a closet and a note card that I had in my stash of thank you notes. I loved the bold and funky pattern so much and thought it would be a fun addition to the living room. I just mounted it right on top of a piece of white cardstock and popped it in the frame for a layered-mat look. I adore the way it coordinates with my new turquoise glass lamp!

So there you have it, one of the first glimpses into my living room. Whata ya think?!

DIY Kitchen Art

I created an art print to hang in my kitchen and I LOVE the way it turned out! Take a look:

I used Gimp (the free version of Photoshop) to create a 'kitchen conversion chart'. I can't tell you how many times I have had to hop on the computer while cooking or baking to google a conversion!  I figured this handy dandy (and super cute) piece of art would be the solution to my problem. Here's a closeup:

Feel free to download it and print it for yourself if you wish! (It's formatted as 5x7.) I mounted it on a piece of white cardstock and framed it in a white frame I already had. It's the perfect addition to my kitchen and cost only pennies! What do you think? Oh, and don't you just love my red Kitchen Aid mixer? I sure do. It was seriously one of the best wedding gifts we received - it's not only super functional but shiny and pretty and looks great in my kitchen! What's your favorite kitchen accessory or gadget? Please share!

Hallway Improvements

Right before Christmas I tackled a project around my house that I have been dying to get done for some time. . . the hallway! Take a look at the 'before';

This is the wall between the bathroom door and the doorway into the kitchen. As you can see, the thermostat is right smack in the middle making it a tricky spot to incorporate any wall decor. I decided a gallery style wall of pictures and art would be the best solution.

After we painted over the boring beige with a light and airy gray color I finally hung up some pictures and art, all framed in white. I used several pictures from our recent wedding as well as a couple pieces of art that we picked up while on our honeymoon. I also incorporated a wooden letter 'O' (since my new last name is Olvera.) 

I created an art print with our wedding vows written on it and framed that in the upper left hand corner. Here's a closeup:

My sister purchased a custom piece of art from Etsy, framed it and gave it to us as a wedding gift. It's our names and wedding date written in the sand which is hanging in the bottom right hand corner.

Here's a close up of my favorite wedding picture which is framed and hanging in the center above the thermostat;

I also hung up the abalone shell that we used to hold our wedding bands during the ceremony;

The picture in the upper right hand corner was purchased in a surf shop in Santa Cruz while we were there for a week after the wedding. It's a shot of the iconic light house taken by a local artist.

So what do you think? I think the thermostat blends in now and isn't such an eye sore, which was my goal from the beginning. It wasn't my initial intentions to create a whole 'wedding wall' of pictures and art, but I love, love, love the way it turned out. Of course down the road if I tire of all the pictures I can change them out, or add to it, but for now I love having a wall of special reminders from our wedding day and honeymoon!

Holiday Decor Around My House

Hey ya'll! It's the Tuesday before Christmas and I am finally getting around to taking some pictures of the decorations I put up this year. As most of you know our house is pretty small but I've managed to get the living room and dining room looking as festive as possible given the limited space that we have. This year I went with a turquoise, silver and lime green theme. I also incorporated white starfish and lots of burlap into the holiday decorations. Take a peak;

I made the wreath and stockings myself using burlap fabric left over from my wedding. I made the 'Merry Christmas' banner over the fireplace by tracing letters onto brown paper bags, cutting them out and stringing them on twine. I also made the tree skirt and bows on the tree out of the leftover burlap fabric and the white starfish are also leftover from the wedding. I picked through my existing ornament collection and pulled out all of the turquoise, silver and lime green ones so I didn't have to spend any money on new ornaments this year. You might have seen my chandelier adorned with ornaments already (I shared it with you here a couple weeks ago.) During the holidays I like to burn candles in the fireplace to give the room a nice cozy feel, since we can't have real fires.

So what do you think?! I love the way everything came together and was happy I decided to change things up and not use any red this year! What about you, do you stick to the tried and true green and red color combo when decorating for Christmas? Or are you a rule breaker and try out new things each year? Please share!

Quicky

I took my own advise from yesterday on decorating with ornaments and fancied up my dining room chandelier. I used turquoise, lime green and silver ornaments (which coordinate with my tree) and hung them using fishing line. The shiny ornaments add just enough sparkle and holiday cheer to the space! 

How is your holiday decorating coming along? I'm hosting Christmas this year (which is a first!) so I am trying to get every inch of the house feeling festive! I'll share more of my projects with you in the coming weeks before Christmas. . . Can you believe we're only 18 days away?! Eeeek!

Desk Reveal

The chair that I ordered for my step daughter's bedroom way back in September finally arrived!

 Home Decorators James Side Chair

If you recall I have been slowly but surely redoing her bedroom, one ugly piece of furniture at a time. My latest project was her desk. Take a look at the before picture;

Ugh! This hand-me-down desk and chair came from my inlaws and had been screaming for a makeover for the longest time. I debated back and forth about painting it a fun and bright color, but in the end I decided to go with white. (It's timeless and will grow with her from being a ten year old and into her teens.)  I sanded, primed and painted the piece and added new hardware and WOW what a difference!

I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing the transformation that takes place when you paint and revamp an otherwise dated and unattractive looking piece of furniture and turn it into something updated and chic! It's such a gratifying feeling.

So what do you think? Pretty drastic, right?! I love the way it turned out. Originally I had planned on finding cutesy, decorative hardware but the desk required 12 and I couldn't find anything budget friendly. I decided to go with these simple brushed nickle knobs that were only 90 cents a piece and I'm glad I did. They look perfect on the desk and coordinate with the other metal finishes in the room (like the chair, waste basket, etc.)

Amazon Brushed Nickel Knobs

 Here's one more shot of the new and improved desk;

To see more on Jordyn's bedroom makeover go here, here or here. Next on the to-do list, a custom headboard and bedskirt. . .