...because home doesn't happen overnight.
Once a month, I like to share an inspiring paint color with you. Well, really, I’d like to repaint my walls once a month just because there are so many great paint colors out there to try…but that’s not realistic now, is it? So, instead, I’ll stick with sanity and simply talk about the colors of my painted rainbow here. This month I’d like to introduce you to Ralph Lauren’s Winchester #NA64.
The virtual color swatch comes off pretty dark, but it seems that Winchester is a medium gray with greenish undertones in reality. I found this paint color inspiration by way of an Ohio home that was featured in Country Living. {The house tour has been in my inspiration folder for quite some time.} The homeowner attests to Winchester’s ability to change throughout the day and take on different hues in different rooms. {Which sounds a lot like our Valspar Bonsai that can look gray, green, muddy, or sandy depending on the light.} Take a look at how the greeny-gray paint serves as a neutral backdrop for pops of color in this fab mudroom.
Totally fresh and grown up at the same time.
Or go sophisticated by pairing Winchester with contrasting espresso and white accents as seen in the bathroom above. Touches of natural wood, live greenery, and reflective surfaces keep it from feeling bland. Since Winchester is a medium-toned gray, remember that it will look quite different in rooms that don’t receive a flood of natural light. Both the mudroom and bathroom above appear to be drenched in natural light. Still, Winchester would look pretty darn cozy in a den.
This open concept kitchen/family room sports a few Winchester painted elements. Notice the painted built-in surrounding the refrigerator and the architectural detail just right of the hood. This picture is probably more telling of what this medium gray color would look like in a room where the walls aren’t flooded in natural light. Isn’t it downright homey and handsome? I tend to lean towards light and airy rooms for inspiration but I’ve always been drawn to this somewhat dark and comfy great room. It works because Winchester is used sparingly {you don’t see one huge wall painted in it} alongside shiny light-reflecting stainless steel appliances, a light backsplash and countertops, textural pops of white {rug, pillows}, and eye-popping green accessories {plants, pillows}. That’s one no-fail design mix!
In a boy’s bedroom, I like the idea of mixing Winchester with yellow, white, light gray, and turquoise accents. It could definitely span the life of a boy from infant to teenager.
Winchester is gender neutral. I could totally see it in a girl’s room, too. Make it light and feminine with lots of white and sand and pops of pinky coral.
Taking cues from the Ohio house tour above, try Winchester as a backdrop to olive, bright gold, and creamy accents. Just remember to add in some shiny surfaces like glass, mirrors, or metal to avoid a dark, heavy feeling.
Winchester has a way of cozying up the un-coziest of spaces. Who knows? Maybe I’ll stray away from white, white, white in our next home and go the warm route.
To see more of the warm, industrial house seen above check out this Country Living house tour.
images: 1) Ralph Lauren 2-4) Don Freeman 5-7) Ralph Lauren paint collages by Dana Miller
We’re in the process of downsizing. Which means our current home is for sale and we’re on the hunt for our next. Every once in a while, I like to share a home that we’ve looked at along the way. Today is one of those ‘every once in a while’s', so let’s go house hunting!
We toured this lil’ charmer several weeks back and continue to reminisce about it. It was a 2-story home built in 1930 that had been completely renovated. This is the view of the living room upon entering the front door.
Can you say character? With the fireplace {gas but inoperable}, ceiling beams, and original windows and hardwoods, it was hard not to adore this quaint space. Here’s the view looking back toward the front door {to the right} and stairway.
Isn’t all the restored woodwork amazing?! With the configuration of the room’s features – fireplace, front door, stairway, dining room doorway – I knew right away furniture placement would be tricky and tight. Right off the living room was a decent sized dining room that probably would have doubled as an office.
Notice all the original windows. Glorious. Especially when they let light stream onto those gleaming floors. The dining room led to the totally remodeled eat-in kitchen. The door way joining the dining room and kitchen was of standard width but Handy Hubby said he would want to widen it another 8″ or so to open it up more.
You know I love white kitchens, but Handy Hubby and I both agreed that we would have left these cherry cabinets as-is. They really warmed up the room {with all the stainless steel and ceramic tile going on} and were of great quality. We probably wouldn’t have picked out the laminate countertops ourselves but they weren’t awful…very doable…meant to look like a solid surface countertop. And I absolutely loved all the windows – 3 in total – and the glass paned door leading to the backyard. They let in tons of natural light. We were smitten with the island, too…sink, faucet, dishwasher, two-tiered top and all.
We probably would have changed out the pendant lights and upgraded the refrigerator at some point. But all-in-all, we were very impressed with the kitchen considering the age and size of the home. Off the kitchen {back by the refrigerator} and down a flight of stairs was a small, clean, unfinished basement with a space for a washer and dryer. Sorry, guys, no pics of that. The second floor included 3 small bedrooms and 1 full bath along with more hardwoods and original windows. {That’s right, folks, only one bathroom in the whole house and it was upstairs.} I pictured this being Layne’s bedroom and somehow turning that little alcove into a reading nook…the kid loves to read.
I love bathrooms that have their own windows! Don’t ask me why, but one of my favorite details of the entire house was this built-in for added storage. Darling.
The backyard was teeny {the entire lot was 0.15 acres}, housing a detached 2-car garage, concrete turn around, and storage shed.
Overall, we left this place feeling pretty happy about it. It was cozy with tons of original character throughout. From what we could tell with our own eyes {we never had an official inspection done}, it looked like a house we could move right into {after a lot of purging} and just start living in. It was located in an excellent school district and nearer to Handy Hubby’s work than any of the other homes we had looked at.
However…{there’s always a but}…
We were concerned about the immediate neighborhood. While the location in general was great {close to HH’s work, great public schools, good eating, good shopping, etc}, the house was very close to a section of town devoted to rental properties. {The schools are so good in the area that there’s a huge rental market. Parents who can’t afford to buy a home in the district will rent just so their children can attend the premier school.} Not that we have anything against renters; in fact, we’ve considered taking the landlord route someday waaaay in the future. But, typically, nearby rentals limit the selling power of private residences. And this house was located on a busy, busy, four-lane road. It was nearly impossible to make a left turn out of the driveway, and I wouldn’t have trusted my kids to play in the front yard. We would have gotten a lot of street noise…especially since the house still had many of the original, non-insulated windows. Not to mention the neighbors on either side were right there. Not a lot of privacy happening.
Another con was the size of the home. The images above are all via the realtor, so everything is stretched to make the house and yard look bigger than it really is in person. It was just over 1,200 square feet and the bedrooms were itty bitty with almost zilch closet space. I’m all for paring down and living with only what we need, but we thought we’d need more closet space than this house provided. More than likely, we would have had to replace many of our current, main furniture pieces with smaller, more-to-scale pieces. Now, that was kind of a plus for me. Thrifting and shopping, yay! But Handy Hubby really enjoys his leather sectional and plasma TV, and I’d hate for him to give them up if he didn’t have to. {But, man, I could do so much better design-wise without those big, dark pieces. Compromise, Dana. You’re not the only one living in the house.} I was fine with having only one bathroom to clean, but Handy Hubby would have liked at least another half bath.
Finally, the thing we had the problem with the most was the remodeling. Yeah, can you believe that? It wasn’t that the owner had done a shoddy job or anything. In fact, from what we could tell without a formal inspection, the work seemed solid. But the finishes – while quite nice – weren’t really our style…the cherry cabinets, the laminate countertops, the ceramic tile in the kitchen and bathroom, the bathroom fixtures and some of the lighting fixtures. Sure, they could have been replaced but the home was already near the top of our budget, so we wouldn’t have had any $$$ left to change any of that stuff. We would have been left feeling like we were living in someone else’s house. After all, we’re not above getting down and dirty to make a house our home. Just moving in, plopping furniture down, and slapping some paint on the walls sounded, dare I say?, boring. I know. ’Be careful what you wish for.’
In the end, we didn’t put an offer in on this house. We found it to be not enough for us. Not enough space. Not enough storage. Not enough privacy. Not enough yard. Not enough $$ left for making it ours. Damn, we’re picky.
If you’d like to read more about our house hunting adventures, check out these past posts:
Um, No.
Too Much
The One That Got Away
images: all via Timothy Chupka for Sibcy Cline
I saw this vintage apothecary matchstick bottle in the most recent issue of House Beautiful and thought, “I should try DIYing that!” It was simply a small glass bottle filled with matchsticks and etched on the bottom for lighting the matches. I already had a perfect little glass vase that I had found at Goodwill for $1 but had trouble scoring long {think 4″-6″} matchsticks to fit inside. I finally found these 4″ matchsticks on Amazon.
They come in a set of three. They were expensive for matches, but I planned on making two more of these matchstick bottles {for Mom and MIL for Mother’s Day} if the first one turned out okay so I figured ‘what the heck?’ and ordered ‘em. One matchstick bottle for myself and two Mother’s Day gifts for less than $20 total is actually a steal, right? I tried etching the bottom of the glass vase like my House Beautiful inspiration had on it, but the etching turned out not to be coarse enough for lighting the matches. Scratch Plan A and onto Plan B which consisted of me cutting out the lighting strip from the matchbox, cutting it down to size, and adhering it to the exterior bottom of the vase with scrapbooking mounting squares.
I didn’t like the way the lighting strip showed through the glass when the vase was upright.
I cut out a circle of scrap fabric {from some leftover kitchen curtain material} and placed a folded piece of painter’s tape to hold it in place into the bottom of the vase. {I wanted to be able to remove the fabric easily if I ever need to clean out the vase.}
I filled the vase with matchsticks and tied a small tag {another scrapbooking product that I already hand on hand} around the lip of the vase with twine.
Yes, that’s computer text added to the tag. I didn’t want to write something on it just yet since I plan on gifting two matchstick holders to my mom and MIL for Mother’s Day. I don’t have the other two vases {which I plan on buying at Goodwill} yet and want to make ‘em personal after I decide which one stays with me, which goes to my mom, and which goes to MIL. I might even switch up the phrasing to something else but I like this one for my own home.
The lighting strip really works, too! You just grab a match, hold the open mouth of the vase with one hand, and swipe the match across the bottom with your other hand. Oh, and it doesn’t budge at all with those super sticky mounting squares holding it in place. Just remember to keep it out of reach of little ones!
With the vase full of matches, you can’t see the fabric-covered bottom. But as the match supply begins to dwindle, it will be revealed…instead of the lighting strip’s ugly backside.
I’ll have to keep you posted on how I tweak this DIY project into a Mother’s Day gift when that time approaches. Wouldn’t it be nice to gift it along with a yummy-smelling candle? And to think that I’ll get 3 matchstick holders for the same price {$20!!} as the one in House Beautiful is pretty sweet. Nothing like taking inspiration from high-end products and dumbing it down into something affordable!
images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking
Handy Hubby, the kiddos, and myself all headed down to Cincinnati on Saturday to check out an outlet that Handy Hubby discovered last year and has been wanting me see in person ever since. After his first visit to Building Value, Handy Hubby went on and on about the unique housing materials he’d found {but didn’t purchase}. He thought I’d have fun imagining ways to repurpose all the salvaged inventory. He knows me so well! I had a blast.
Building Value’s inventory comes from manufacturer donations, local deconstruction projects, and generous remodelers. They specialize in salvaging reusable materials for sale to the public in an effort to help the environment, reduce the cost of disposal, and give architectural gems a second life. 100% of the proceeds go to the Easter Seals Work Resource Center benefiting people with disabilities. It’s a win-win situation. I found several items that could possibly make an appearance in our next, downsized, home. {Most of the homes we’ve looked at so far are foreclosures, short sales, or estate sales in need of some TLC.} Wanna see the stuff that caught my design-lovin’ eye?
First up and right inside the front door was this rain barrel. I’ve been wanting to collect rain water for some time now. If we weren’t in the middle of purging in anticipation of a move, I’d have grabbed this bad boy and tried to talk ‘em down in price. If I’m lucky, maybe he’ll still be there after we settle into our next home.
There was a huge selection of interior and exterior doors…mostly old, some new. And, like the sign says, they were unique. A few had to have once lived in mansions because they were at least 12 feet tall – and gorgeous!
I found this glass panel door that I wouldn’t mind having as a front door some day. It was marked at $50.
I absolutely fell in love with this chunky, square pedestal sink. I even liked the fixtures. And then I found its perfect bathroom soul mate…
…this vintage clawfoot tub. I’d paint the outside a contrasting color {like black or charcoal} then hang a simple curtain around it from an industrial, oval shower rod. To. Die. For. I’m secretly hoping our next home needs a total bathroom overhaul.
One section of the outlet was devoted entirely to salvaged architectural elements: columns, molding, trim, banisters, railings, spindles, corbels…you name it. I was particularly smitten with these primitive fireplace mantels. One of these installed on a long, blank wall would instantly scream “FOCAL POINT!” I’d add a mirror where the firebox normally goes and call it a day. Okay, now secretly hoping that our next home has a blank canvas of a wall in desperate need of a faux fireplace.
And wouldn’t this arched window make a grand first impression installed above a front door? Although, I’m pretty sure it’d be too grand for whatever home we downsize to. I’d love to have seen this window in its original home. Maybe it wasn’t even over a door at all. Maybe it was a third story attic window. Wherever it used to live, this window has a great shape and could be a one-of-a-kind detail.
I’ve already professed my love for school on H*T before, so it should come as no surprise that I adored the selection of pull down/roll up school maps. There were even retractable mounting kits available. I thought the Ohio state map would look great in one of my kids’ future bedroom.
The outlet’s stock overflowed outside where more doors, tubs, lumber, windows, and various other building materials were stashed. I was drawn to the pallets of bricks and pavers. DIY patio, anyone?
I knew browsing through ‘house stuff’ {as my boys call it} wasn’t exactly my kids’ idea of a good time, but I was pleasantly surprised when Layne started picking out items he thought were pretty cool. Like the orange dentist’s chair. We spent a good 10 minutes at that chair letting the boys take turns ahhhing. Funny how our dentist has a room devoted strictly to children with painted jungle wall murals, stuffed animals, and a flat screen TV to make the kids feel more comfortable. I think my kids would be perfectly fine as long as this old orange chair was in the room!
My boys also had fun playing with Building Value’s mascot, Betty. She was hard at work on her computer when the boys distracted her with a piece of twine. It was a good ‘black cat crossing your path’ experience.
After all that, we ended up with 2 for sale signs that cost us $6…after a little friendly haggling. Hey, we gotta sell this house before we can even begin to buy for the next. I put them out at two busy intersections close to our home to draw in more traffic hopefully. {So far, we’ve had tons of interest, decent traffic, and even one offer which, unfortunately, fell through.}
So, that’s a very small snippet of what Building Value has to offer. Of course, this is just an edited selection of my finds. They also sell tile, lighting, toilets, vanities, kitchen sinks, some antique furniture and probably a lot more that I missed. Oh, and if you agree to put a Building Value bumper sticker on your bumper, you get 10% off your purchase. We declined this time…just so we can accept that offer some day when we come back to purchase bigger ticket items. Because we do plan on going back. If you’re in the Cincy area and like to reuse or upcycle stuff for your house, you should definitely check this place out. It’s not in the nicest of neighborhoods {although we found the people we encountered there to be very friendly}, so it’s a true diamond in the rough. And just to keep things balanced, we hit up IKEA on the way home which we left empty-handed. Nothing like mixing old with new – even if it’s just window shopping!
This family outing got Handy Hubby and I really inspired to bring more upcycled pieces into our next house. This outing is pretty indicative of our design philosophy, too. We like budget-friendly materials and decor found from all sorts of places. Old and new is a mix that never goes out of style.
What about you? Do you have a local diamond in the rough store to share? Know of any other housing material outlets near Cincy/Dayton that would get my wheels turning?
images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking
I am so happy to share a design e-book that Lauren and Courtney over at Kelly + Olive included me in today!
The e-book, Ideas You Should Steal, features “17 fun projects submitted by top home, craft, and lifestyle bloggers from all over the web.” {Those are their words, not mine.} Not only does it benefit anyone looking for a quick and easy design project, but it also benefits the non-profit organization Dwell with Dignity. Dwell with Dignity is a group of interior designers and volunteers who work to create soothing, inspiring homes for those struggling with homelessness and poverty. Their goal is to expose less fortunate families to nurturing home environments with the hope of helping them maintain a standard of living they can be proud of and thrive in. So when K+O contacted me a while back about participating in this project, I didn’t have to think twice about contributing. Who doesn’t want to see everyone live in a home that is inspirational and conducive family life?
Without giving too much away, the e-book features several well-known design bloggers along with step-by-step guidelines for the project they contributed. I was completely shocked to see my headshot included alongside such savvy bloggers and designers! It’s an honor to be included in the mix. If you wanna see it all for yourself, then follow this link on over to K+O and make a small donation {$1 is the suggested amount} to receive your own download of the e-book. It just might make a difference in two lives – yours and a Dwell with Dignity beneficiary!
Oh, and if you’ve never heard of K+O, now’s your chance. Kelly + Olive is the name of the design biz/blog that two Chicago gals run. Ironically enough, their names aren’t Kelly and Olive at all but Lauren and Courtney. And they’re pretty rad. They offer professional advice on choosing a color scheme, furniture, accessories and styling techniques for interiors…online or in real life if you’re lucky enough to live near the windy city.
With all the chaos going on internationally over the past several weeks, I’ve been reminded of my gratefulness for our safe and healthy home. Many people, including children, aren’t so lucky. I’ll admit to getting caught up in decorating, painting, DIYing and just plain homemaking…but there are moments in time like this that make me appreciate all that I have and have done…it’s very humbling. Maybe design won’t save the world, but caring people like Lauren and Courtney can make it a better place to live. 100% of the proceeds of this e-book go directly to Dwell with Dignity. Thank you Lauren and Courtney for such a great opportunity!
Here’s to an inspiring, humbling, healthy and safe weekend. Give your significant other, kid, baby, pet, parent or friend an extra hug.
images: all linked within
Do any of you remember the Sesame Street skits with Grover painstakingly demonstrating the difference between ‘near’ and ‘far’? I kind of feel like that’s what I might be doing here today. So, if you wanna laugh, feel free.
If you haven’t heard by now {How couldn’t you? I mention it daily. Are you tired of it yet?}, we’re downsizing and trying our hand at selling our current home by owner. As in, we’re not listing it with a realtor at this time, although we’re open to paying a buyer’s realtor commission. A few things we’ve done to market our home is to pay for an MLS#, list on fsbo.com, and DIY a listing brochure. Each of these marketing strategies pack more punch when pictures are included. So, I devoted an entire day a few weeks ago to taking pictures of our home to be included with all the listing info.
Some of you have asked for advice and info on selling your home…whether by owner or with a realtor. And while I feel that offering up go-to advice would be premature at this point {our home hasn’t sold yet but we did sell our very first home by owner}, I would like to mention that taking pictures of interiors for selling purposes isn’t exactly the same as taking pictures for designing purposes. Let me give you an example.
Here are a few vignette images of our bedroom that would be suitable for H*T.
And here are the ‘home for sale’ bedroom images.
In the listing images, I was more concerned with showing the size and layout of the room as opposed to the things in the room. You can see that the room offers two large windows that let in lots of natural light, plenty of space for a sleeping area along with a sitting area, a vaulted ceiling and an on suite bathroom. Those are the things I’m trying to sell, so that’s what I capitalized on in the images.
Now do you get the title of this post?
Is it overly apparent that I took that ‘Grover’ picture of myself after being outside *makeup-less* on a verrrry windy day and used a stack of cookbooks as my makeshift tripod? {Notice how I’m explaining with my hands.} Ok, good. Because that’s soooo what I wasn’t going for.
Somebody buy my house before I make a fool out of myself.
Oh, wait.
images: 1) slightly altered image from MGTOW {which I do not read…just used their image} 2-6) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking
We have a sliver of wall next to our refrigerator that I painted with chalkboard paint. It’s a great place to jot down needed grocery items, daily reminders, inspirational quotes and fun little notes to each other.
Normally on grocery day, I’ll just copy the grocery list from the chalkboard wall onto a scrap piece of paper and stash it in my purse. But since things have been crazier than ever {with trying to sell our home and downsize} and because a list that includes items like “toilet paper, deodorant, tampons, boys’ undies, birth control” isn’t exactly appealing to potential buyers who may be viewing our home, I’ve discovered a way to save my list quickly…without transferring anything to paper or losing my list all together during a hasty wipe down right before an impromptu house showing.
Have you figured it out yet from the not-so-high-quality image above?
That’s right. I take a picture of my grocery list with our old point-and-shoot camera. {You could also use a cell phone camera but mine isn’t that great.} This newfound idea has been wonderful. You see, most grocery days fall on one of the days that I work…because I happen to work as a part-time pharmacist in a retail grocery store. I work my 10-hour shift and get groceries afterward. Lately, though, mornings are hectic and I honestly don’t have an extra minute or two to copy my chalkboard list onto paper. One said morning when I was retrieving my cell phone from its charger {see how I DIY’d a charging station here}, I happened to notice our old point-and-shoot camera at the back of the charging drawer. The lightbulb in my head went off. Why not take a picture of the grocery list on the wall and throw the camera in my purse for grocery shopping later? Fast and easy! Great for crazy work mornings when I’m trying to get two kids dressed, fed and transported to the bus stop/sitter before I have to be at the pharmacy. So that’s what I did. It works so well, I’ve been doing it for a few weeks now. We’re pretty diligent about adding items to our weekly list. That’s key.
This method of documenting our list has come in quite handy when showing the house too. Before I rub down the chalkboard wall with a damp cloth, I’ll take a quick pic to save for later. No more trying to remember what the heck was on the list after the showing. This method also makes me the weird lady at the grocery store, glancing from my camera to the shelf then back to my camera. Oh, I’ve gotten some looks. But I’m saving time and paper so let the eyebrows raise!
How do you guys make your weekly grocery lists? Anybody do the corkboard inside a kitchen cabinet trick? Any other ideas? Maybe you’re not a listmaker at all.
I, for one, adore lists. I usually make a small, doable to-do list every day. Just to keep me on track. Even if I don’t cross off all of the to-do’s, I feel more focused when I have a list. I was recommended this listmaking book by a fellow blogger several months ago and have yet to buy it.
Anyone out there ever read it? I think I may just bite the bullet and order a copy.
Happy listmaking!
BTW – I used to write up little weekly posts that included an image of my chalkboard wall and pertinent wordage. That’s where the first image hails from.
images: 1 & 2) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking 3) Amazon.com
Here are a few things I’d like to try this spring. {As to whether or not any of them will actually pan out, we’ll see.}
1 – Amy Butler’s Soul Blossoms Laminated Passion Lily Fern This patterned laminated fabric would make a fun shower curtain, raincoat or set of wipeable placemats for the kiddos.
2 – Steel Circles Boot Tray Spring means rain {at least in the Midwest} and rain means wet, muddy shoes. I could keep my floors clean and dry with this store bought boot tray or a DIY one.
3 – Potted Wheat Grass Not only would it look great adorning a table or windowsill, wheat grass could improve my health! {Or so I hear.}
4 – Fabric Rosettes Since we’re maybe moving, I don’t plan on planting any flowers this spring. I’d like to try my hand at these DIY fabric blossoms instead. I’ve got a blah lampshade that could go ‘dressy’ with a few of ‘em glued on.
5 – Lemons These faux ones are pretty convincing but I prefer the real thing…for freshening up my glass of ice water to deodorizing the garbage disposal to livening up a vase display. Nothing sour about any of those ideas!
6 – DIY Easter Baskets I’m bored of plastic baskets and shiny Easter grass. I should totally make these for my boys and help save the earth while I’m at it.
What projects do you have in mind for spring?
images: as linked within
I think I’ve portrayed somewhat of a dishonest image of my home. After all this talk about prepping, staging and cleaning in preparation for the sale of our home, I think you might get the {false!} idea that our house always looks the way it does in photos on H*T. Well, it doesn’t. Sure, we probably go over the top for open houses and showings in the hopes of attracting a buyer, but on any ol’ regular day our house is dusty, toys are strewn about and there are water rings in the toilets. Take yesterday, for example. {We’ve shown the house 4 times in the past 6 days, so as much as I want to sell this house, it was kind of nice not to keep it in showcase form and romp around with my boys.}
Layne gathered every last cushion and throw pillow on the first floor of our home in an effort to construct the biggest Pillow Cave known to a kindergartener. Now, if you know anything about me you know that that’s a LOT of pillows. Here’s the completed cave…
Yes, a few accessories made it into the cave as well: a ceramic pot, fabric storage boxes and a West Elm faux book {we hide playing cards inside}. Layne was pretty happy with it. Until lil’ bro came along…
…and popped up through the middle of it all like he was surprising someone by jumping out of a birthday cake. I talked Layne into playing nicely with Everett…
…which lasted all of about 40 seconds. That’s how long it took for Layne to get frustrated with his little brother messing everything up…
…and to attack him with a cave pillow. {At least he didn’t grab the pot, right?!} Poor Everett. He never saw it coming. And so ended the 40-second Pillow Cave that took about 15 minutes to build. I really don’t mind the boys playing with the pillows at all. {I keep their pillow-playing adventures in mind whenever contemplating a pillow purchase. It’s got to hold up to 2 rough and tough boys.} I do have a rule about putting them back when they’re finished playing though. Here’s what ‘putting back’ looks like to two boys 6 years old and younger…
Um, not exactly what I had in mind. But, in the end, no pillow or child was harmed so all is good.
See, things aren’t always picture perfect over here. In fact, most days are far from it. We’re normal parents with kiddos who like to make messes and noise. And usually they fight while doing it. Ah, sibling rivalry. I have a feeling this isn’t a phase.
images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking
Last week I shared a few inspiring blogs, designers and books. I meant to include magazines that consistently spark DIY decorating ideas in my head but, somehow, the week ended abruptly. In the words of my two-year-old, “Sorry ’bout dat.” I simply cannot leave out glossies. I get so excited when new issues arrive in the mail and can’t wait until the kiddos are in bed at night, so I can devour them {the mags not the kiddos}. Here are a few glossies that we refer to time and time again when making our house a home.
Better Homes & Gardens – No surprise here. This magazine has and will be around for ages. It appeals to designers and everyday homebodies alike including articles on decor, food, family life and gardening. I especially like the “I Did It!” page at the end of every issue featuring a homeowner who took the renovation or redecoration of their space into their own hands to save money and create something unique. BHG is a great source for DIYers, homemakers and people with careers that don’t necessarily relate to design. Total motivation.
{Happy Saint Patty’s Day! You like my censored address label?}
House Beautiful – Oh, House Beautiful, how you get me dreaming. Unless I win the lottery {which isn’t likely to happen since I don’t play}, I’ll probably never own anything ever shown in the pages of this high-end glossy. And that’s just fine with me. So what does HB do for me? Instead of getting pouty about all the stuff I’ll never have, I study this glossy page for page taking cues from the pros, dumbing it down and putting my own spin on things. It’s a great source for color schemes, room moods and furniture placement. I especially enjoy the house tours which include an interview with the interior designer. They always talk about the shortcomings of the space and how they ‘fixed’ it. There are usually a few tricks I learn and take away from reading the designer interviews.
Flor – I guess technically this is a catalog. But it’s one that I’m always surprised by. Who knew a carpet tile product catalog could be so inspiring?! The styling, vignettes and colors are creative and part of the not-so-overexposed side of design. I love finding inspiration from unexpected sources!
The Family Handyman – This is for all you{r} Handy Hubby’s out there! Mine included. I can’t lie. I don’t read this magazine but Handy Hubby does and loves it. He’s found countless little DIY tips along with ideas for making large scale projects easier and more doable in this glossy. {Can I call a handyman magazine ‘glossy?’} And since Handy Hubby is half of the team over here, the information given in this magazine ends up in the designing aspects of our home at some point. What usually happens is I get a crazy idea for a decor project and Handy Hubby says something like, “Oh, I could use the {insert applicable product, tool or method here} like I saw in Family Handyman!” Then he refers to the mag for advice and resources. It’s a great way to get my better half involved in and excited about home decor and home improvement.
Lonny Magazine – This FREE online glossy {that can be printed for a price if you’d like} is simply scrumptious. It’s pretty evident that it was founded by a designer and photographer duo. The images offer inspiration galore and focus on independent thinking and individual style. I like different. Lonny is a great way to expose yourself to new design ideas that are a spin-off of the traditional.
Those are the glossies that get my wheels turning when I’m contemplating design in my own home. I try not to copy what I see but, rather, change it up into something I can afford and/or DIY. If these subscriptions are too pricey for you add ‘em to your birthday or Christmas wish list…that’s what I do. You can always check out each mag’s website {as linked above} at no cost for just as much inspiration. Again, as with inspirational books, I would encourage you to read the material offered in these mags – not just peruse the images. There’s so much info in the text. Check out the back of magazines for paint, furniture and accessory resources…very helpful if you find something you really like.
You may have noticed that all of the images I showed above aren’t from current issues. There’s a reason. They’re some of my favorite issues. Once I finish an issue, I make a cut-throat decision to keep it {or a page or two from it} or get rid of it. I just don’t have the space to keep every single issue I read. If it’s a particularly inspiring issue, I’ll find a place for it on my bookshelf. If not, I’ll usually tear out a page that I want keep for future reference then pass the rest of the magazine on to a friend/family member or toss it in the recycling bin. It keeps me and my inspiration folder focused.
Here are a few other glossies that I regularly receive or sometimes buy and find helpful:
What are some of your favorite go-to magazines or catalogs?
images: 1-4) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking 5) Lonny Magazine
DIY, inspiration