I’m back with another easy maternity look to try: flirty shirts. Flirty as in a little girly. Not as in midriff baring or bra strap showing. Those would be bad maternity wardrobe choices. Bad, bad. Very bad.

Instead, I prefer flowing tops with high waists {much like these comfy dresses} and/or ribbon ties above the belly. The key here is to make sure that the top hits you at crotch level – for lack of a better description – or lower. {Yes, I realize everyone is looking at my crotch now. Oy.} Anything shorter will result in what I like to call the ‘umbrella’ effect where the shirt will poof out from the most prominent part of your belly…like all the old maternity shirts did back in the day when there weren’t as many options.

Of note: The red door in the background is our apartment door. I like the color. I’m thinking it wouldn’t look half bad on the Underdog’s front door with the red brick exterior and gray metal roof. What do you think?

To keep things balanced and to avoid looking frumpy, I pair these types of shirts with fitted bottoms.  Leggings, jeggings, fitted jeans…you get the idea. I’ll be honest. I’m going to have to invest in a pair of maternity leggings or skinny jeans soon. There is some squirming and deep lunges involved in getting these babies on at this time. Once they’re on they’re fine but I don’t think that’s going to last much longer.

THE OUTFIT:

• button-up cotton shirt: FREE {a Wet Seal gift from my sister a few years ago}
• jeans: $30 {Mossimo at Target}
• leather boots: $50 {Macy’s}

All pieces from this outfit I’ve had on hand for years. That’s why I’m going to need some maternity skinny jeans soon!

This is my favorite non-maternity maternity outfit to date. It’s comfy, easy to wear and I can’t get enough of the deep navy silk. The kimono-esque top has a ribbon tie just above the belly. It was meant to be tied in the back but I thought the bow looked cute tied off to one side of my bump. This was another happy accident I found at a local shopping mall on Black Friday while Handy Hubby was spending some gift cards.

I like the contrast of the deep navy against the bright white jeans. The cognac leather boots {which aren’t shown very well here} pick up on the caramel tones of the floral print. I love this color scheme for an interior as well. Hmmm…maybe in the Underdog?

THE OUTFIT:

• navy silk blouse: $7!!!! {Rue 21 – I couldn’t say no to $7}
• white jeans: $15 {Walmart}
• leather boots: $50 {Macy’s}

I wore this outfit to HH’s 15-year high school reunion a few weeks ago. I was the only prego there. Good times.

Try hunting down flowing flirty non-maternity tops to dress your bump. They’ll transition easily into your post-pregnancy wardrobe and beyond!

FYI – I was not compensated in any way to mention the items above. I just love sharing good stuff!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

First, let me say that you all sure know how to make a regular girl feel special about her prego-ness and inability to duplicate model hands. You guys are awesome. Thank you.

I already showed you how I use high-waisted dresses to my advantage when dressing the baby bump. Today I’m moving onto jackets and cardigans. These pieces can be left wide open in the front {with a shirt underneath of course} to let my belly breathe and, once again, they are totally adaptable post-baby. I’m into the hot flash stage of pregnancy now that I’m well into my second trimester, so I’ll layer a jacket or cardigan over a light cotton shirt or sleeveless blouse to keep from overheating.

Of note: I ventured out onto our apartment’s balcony to capture this set of photos. The lighting is better but I apologize for the parking lot in the background. It was barely above freezing and had just stopped flurrying so I couldn’t talk myself into dragging my ear-infected three-year-old out to a local park just for better scenery.

Who says pregos can’t wear horizontal stripes? Not me. It helps when you sport narrower stripes and let them play peekaboo under a sweater or jacket.

With my first two pregnancies, I thought I had to buy maternity jeans just because I was pregnant. This time around I’m happily discovering that many of the stretchy skinny jeans I already have are lasting further into my pregnancy because the waistlines are so low and sit well below my bump. Skinny jeans weren’t as prevalent during my past pregnancies or I would have tried ‘em then too.

I do have one of those elastic belly bands on loan from a formerly pregnant friend for when I’m not able to button my pants anymore. I’ve also purchased one pair of below-the-belly elastic waist jeans that I wear when I know I’ll be sitting for a long period of time {i.e. watching my kids’ gymnastics classes} because the buttoned skinny jeans can start to dig in after a while. Otherwise, the skinny jeans are fine as-is for running errands, working around the house and chasing the kids.

Normally I don’t wear open toes in snowy weather. Brrrr. But I really wanted to show them to you. They’re flexible and comfy and I love the little pop of color they add. I’ve had them for at least 5 years and they still look like new.

THE OUTFIT:

• jacket: FREE on loan from a friend {Motherhood Maternity but you could easily substitute a regular jacket}
• black and white striped long sleeve tee: $8 {on clearance at Target}
• jeans: $30 {Mossimo at Target}
• red flats: $60 {MIA Bridget from Zappos.com}
• patterned canvas tote: $15 {local shop in Daytona, FL}

The only item I’ve purchased for this outfit during my pregnancy is the striped tee. All other items I already had minus the black jacket which a girlfriend has kindly loaned to me while I’m pregnant.

Another easy maternity option is a cardigan or button-up sweater. They can be purchased in the regular women’s section of nearly any clothing store.

I layered mine over a sleeveless champagne silk blouse I already had in my closet. Either piece will be wearable after baby is born.

I added a wooden bead necklace, taupe flats and a teal leather purse to the ensemble.

Now these flats…I would absolutely wear them in wintry weather…well, flurries…maybe not a foot of snow. I bought them a few months ago while on the hunt for dressy yet comfortable work shoes. An average work day requires me to stand in the same 2′x2′ square area for 10-12 hours at a time. I have crazy high arches that make cheap, flat flats unbearable at work. My work shoes must be supportive and comfortable. These shoes fit the bill with no ‘wear in’ period necessary. They’re Naturalizers and I felt old buying them just because up until now I’ve always associated Naturalizer with orthopedic shoes and nylon stockings. But the brand has younger, hipper styles available and they’re the most comfortable flats I’ve ever owned. I might be a convert. I highly recommend them.

THE OUTFIT:

• white sweater cardigan: $17 {Target}
• silk blouse: $14 {Target}
• jeans: $30 {Mossimo at Target}
• taupe flats: $40 {Naturalizer at DSW}
• teal purse: FREE {gift from my mom years ago}
• wood bead necklace: $2 {estate sale}

The sweater is the one item I’ve purchased since finding out I was pregnant.

There you have it. More ideas for making non-maternity items work during and after pregnancy: jackets and cardigans.

How did I do with my hands this time? I contemplated spirit fingers and/or jazz hands. ;) I was a little less sweaty this time. The snow and freezing temps helped.

FYI – I was not compensated in any way for mentioning the above items. I just love sharing good stuff!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

I gave away all of my maternity clothing. ALL of it. I had thought we were finished having babies. Not so. I had lots of good stuff too. My maternity wardrobe had been purchased nearly 8 years ago on a D.I.N.K. budget which means I probably had more than I needed and spent more than I should have.

I’m starting from scratch this time around and working on a much tighter budget. In general, I find that maternity clothing is overpriced. Maybe it’s the extra belly fabric? Maybe it’s the fact that pregnant women don’t really have time on their side when shopping for clothing? I mean, it’s not like we can wait a few months until stuff goes on sale. Typically, we’re at the store looking for something because our pre-pregnancy wardrobe is starting to cut off circulation to essential body parts. Whatever the reason, buying for the sole purpose of dressing a growing bump can get pricey. If you let it. But it doesn’t have to be that way. This week I’m sharing how I’ve created a practical, versatile and comfy maternity wardrobe without breaking the bank…and without sacrificing style.

Of note: I had hoped to take higher quality photos outdoors but the midwest December weather isn’t cooperating this week. Oh. And my iron is in storage…we’re living with only the necessities you know. Not that I would have ironed anything anyway.

I’ve found a few great ‘maternity’ pieces in the regular ol’ women’s section. One of them being casual dresses with a high or empire waistline. Since the baby bump tends to lift the front of non-maternity dresses a tad, I like to pair them with cotton tights for more coverage. Here I’ll show you three different women’s dresses that I’ve been able to fit into my maternity wardrobe.

This olive dress with charcoal tights is super comfy.

I layered a striped non-maternity tank underneath and accessorized with a colorful necklace and leather boots.

I wore this outfit to Thanksgiving dinner just a few weeks ago. I’m pleased to say it passed the eat-as-much-food-as-you-can-with-a-baby-bump test. Hopefully, that means I’ll get a few more months out of it.

THE OUTFIT:

• olive dress – $14 {on clearance at Target}
• charcoal cotton tights – $6 {Macy’s last winter}
• gray and white striped tank – $4 {on clearance at Target}
• wood bead necklace – $3 {on clearance at Kohl’s years ago}
• leather boots – $50 {on sale at Macy’s a few years back}

This next high-waisted dress was a recent non-maternity purchase too.

The dress is showing much darker in the image than in real life. In reality, it’s a medium navy color.

The studded belt detail is attached and the dress ties in the back.

I chose patterned tights along with the same boots from the first outfit. I accidentally came across this dress on Black Friday when Handy Hubby and I stopped at a local shopping mall on our way out to Pennsylvania for his 15-year high school reunion. It was a steal!

THE OUTFIT:

• navy belted dress: $9 {Rue 21}
• patterned tights: FREE {a past Christmas gift from my mom}
• leather boots: $50 {on sale at Macy’s a few years back}

Finally, I have another dress that was a purchase over the summer when I had no plans of wearing it with a baby bump in tow. In fact, I wore it to a friend’s wedding reception just a couple of weeks before I found out I was expecting. It was never meant to be a maternity dress but I’ve found its elastic chest band, high waist and layers of ruffles to be very forgiving.

It’s a strapless dress, so on colder days I add a plum button-up sweater. The sweater also hides the shoulder straps of a much needed supportive bra. My boobs are a little ridiculous {HH would say awesome} right now. One of the true ‘perks’ of pregnancy!

I didn’t get a shot of my shoes but I wore lavender flats. My center of gravity is off-kilter nowadays and I have a history of losing my balance during pregnancy, so I steer clear of heels.

THE OUTFIT:

• strapless dress: $25 {Old Navy}
• sweater: $15 {Target a while back}
• leather flats: $20 {Target}

The best part about all of these outfits is that I can see myself wearing each piece post-pregnancy. Like all things home decor, I’m a sucker for clothing that does double duty. And while I showed the price of each item, the only pieces I’ve purchased since becoming pregnant are the olive dress {$14}, the stripe tank {$4} and the navy belted dress {$9}. That’s $27 spent on three maternity outfits. Not too shabby. {Btw, have you entered to win the Shabby Apple giveaway yet?}

Have I mentioned that taking pictures of myself to put on the internet is weird? And strange? And it makes me nervous sweaty? And I can’t figure out what to do with my hands? If I didn’t know any better, I would say that the last image looks like my water just broke and I’m holding myself staring into the puddle. I guess I’ll keep trying though…I still have more everyday maternity ideas to share.

FYI – I was not compensated in any way to mention any item shown above. I just love sharing good stuff!

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Last night as Handy Hubby and I were getting ready for bed we realized that today was our anniversary.

HH said, “Let’s see. We got married in 2002.  It’s 2011.  That means we’ve been married for nine years.”  Pause.  ”HOLY S@&*!”

I reminded HH that we actually started dating when I was 19 which means we’ve been together for 14 years total. {You do the math.} The serious adultness of our relationship set in.

Honestly, though, I don’t feel like it’s been that long.  I’m having more fun with HH now than I did in our early years.  I told him that.  He agreed.

Fact is, 9 wedding anniversaries, 3 houses, 2.5 kids and lots of laughs later, we’re happier than we were a mere 14 years ago. I think the best advice I can give married people is to not act like married people.  Well, other than the monogamous part. Don’t fall into the trap of playing roles day-in and day-out…mom, dad, wife, husband, employee, blogger…whatever various parts you take on in life.  Always bring a piece of your original self to the relationship.  That’s how it began after all. You can still be responsible and respectful without taking yourselves too seriously.

Happy One-Year-Away-From-a-Decade Anniversary, HH!  So grateful for where we are…

…and where we’re going…

Love you.

images:  Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

A fellow blogger has just published her first book. Liz Owen, author of the blog Mabel’s House, fulfilled her {and one of her best friend’s} lifelong dream of writing a book. Her book is titled My (not so) Storybook Life: A Tale of Friendship and Faith and I read it. And it’s good.

Before Liz’s close friend, Angela, is diagnosed with cancer at the young age of 33, Liz perceives her older home and its shortcomings as a force to be reckoned with. But with Angela’s help and journey, Liz comes to realize that even sewage-filled bathtubs are blessings in disguise. Yes, I said blessings.

This story is real.  Not only as in the non-fiction, true story way but as in real. Real emotions, real humor, real people, real houses, real pets, real friends, real jobs, real illness, real spirituality. Liz copes with all this reality in her life by seeking revenge on her fictional, too-good-to-be-true literary heros. Oh, and she’s funny too.

I’m not sure if my pregnancy hormones were kicking in or what, but I frequently found myself first giggling out loud and then tearing up mere seconds later during certain parts of the book.  Giggling because the situation itself was comical. Tearing up because I could totally relate to the raw emotion that Liz was speaking of.

Take this excerpt, for example, in which Liz describes her visit to a county fair…

“…I realized that there is no such thing as womanly perfection.  In the end, it doesn’t matter if my baseboards are clean, laundry folded, bills paid, or my career climbing. The universe really doesn’t care.

“What matters is the warm feeling I get when I chill out, forget the stress, and spend an evening with my mother appreciating the absurdity of teenagers in drag-queen makeup parading next to prize-winning udders at a cattle show.”

I was surprised to discover that Liz and I have a lot in common too. We clean to deal with stress. Even as adults, we sometimes refer to fictional literary women when measuring up our own modern lives. We’re novices in the kitchen…and that makes us a bit insecure in our wivelyhood. Our favorite decorating tool is paint – brushed or sprayed. We tend to blurt out what-we-think-are-funny-but-later-discover-are-inappropriate comments during uncomfortable situations, making those situations even more uncomfortable. We’re not what you would call ladylike. We both have a younger sister who slept standing up as a child. Our husbands have strange sleeping issues.

Throughout the book, Liz openly reveals her twisted mind to readers all the while remaining loyal and steadfast to an ill friend.

If you’re in the market for a quick but meaningful and heartfelt read OR if you’re searching for a gift for that special female friend, My (not so) Storybook Life is one to consider. It will bring laughter, tears, and maybe even a newfound perception of your perfectly imperfect life and house.

What good reads have you come across recently?

FYI – I was sent Liz’s book to review. All thoughts and opinions given above are my own. I love sharing good reads!

images: My (not so) Storybook Life: A Tale of Friendship and Faith

*WARNING: Crazy good before-and-afters ahead!*

A few weeks ago, Julia contacted me wanting a little advice concerning her dining room.

{Julia’s dining room BEFORE}

 {Julia’s dining room BEFORE}

She wanted to introduce some contrast with a navy and white color scheme.  Julia mentioned painting the ceiling. She asked that the dining table, bench seating, curtains and mirror stay. She was ‘iffy’ on the pendant light and dining chairs.  Julia felt the hand-me-down rug was too small for the space as well.

I suggested that Julia first declutter the room by removing the bookshelf, wall art and kid’s table. You know I like some high contrast, so I suggested Julia paint the walls above the chair rail navy and the walls below the chair rail white.  If she really wanted to paint the ceiling, I thought a nice light gray would look nice.  While the dark velvet curtains were of high quality, I asked Julia if she would be able to relocate them to another room in her home.  The visual weight of the dark curtains would have felt heavy against navy walls.  Instead, I suggested Julia hang lighter, subtly patterned panels to pop against the navy walls and give the room a touch of pattern.  I am fond of natural seagrass or sisal in dining spaces – especially when kids are involved – as they hold up nicely against crumbs and spills. I relayed this to Julia as well.  Julia was wanting new dining chairs to contrast with her warm wood table but I told her I didn’t think new chairs were necessary since the current ones had a nice simple shape to them. If anything, she could paint them white for more contrast if she so desired.  I recommended painting the wall mirror gloss white to pop against the navy walls.  Finally, I asked Julia to DIY a nature-inspired table centerpiece by gathering a bunch of leafy branches from outside and plopping them into a vase.

Julia did exactly what I love to see people do when I offer them advice.  She took all my suggestions, interpreted them to fit her time frame and budget, and RAN with them!

Check out Julia’s warm and inviting dining room now…

The navy walls are Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy which Julia chose herself and had color-matched in Olympic’s no VOC paint.  She painted the chair rail and walls below white to match the existing trim.  The white chair rail keeps the navy from feeling oppressive.  Julia decided against painting the ceiling gray once she saw the result of the navy walls and white chair rail together.  Julia also chose to remove the heavy velvet curtains to reveal white sheers beneath.

The chunky table and bench stayed and, to save time and money, Julia borrowed a larger 8′x10′ cream and gray rug from her living room. For now, Julia has chosen to keep her dining chairs as is. Personally, I hope they continue to grow on her.  I love ‘em just the way they are, contrasting warmly with the white and navy.

Julia did a great job of decluttering and emptying the room of unnecessary furniture pieces.  She opted to keep a petite console beneath the wall mirror to ground the mirror.

The newly painted white mirror really pops against and brightens the moody navy walls.

And check out those amazing, blazing branches on display in the center of the table!  Julia clipped them from outside and brought them indoors, adding just the right amount of accent color to the room.  Gorgeous.

Even though the adjoining kitchen and sunroom are lighter in color, the new navy walls tie in nicely with Julia’s tiled kitchen backsplash and patterned throw on the back of the sofa in the sunroom. Making an effort to repeat colors – even in small doses – in each room of a home is a great way to keep things feeling cohesive.

And now for a side-by-side, before-and-after comparison because…well, because everyone likes a good before-and-after.

That’s one amazing transformation, isn’t it?!  The navy walls work well in Julia’s dining room because there are a lot of ‘breaks’ in the walls: doorways to adjoining rooms, a large window, a light-bouncing mirror and the white chair rail.

Who would have guessed that this jaw-dropping makeover only cost Julia the small price of paint and painting supplies for the navy walls?  {She used leftover white paint in her basement for the chair rail.} Yet another great example of how decluttering + a little paint can transform a ho-hum room.  Ah, the power of paint.  Not every great ‘after’ has to happen with demolition and renovation!

Thanks, Julia, for sharing your new dining room.  You did an awesome job!  I’m inspired.  And I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one.

What’s your favorite part of Julia’s dining room makeover?  I’m totally diggin’ the deep navy walls and that Mother Nature-inspired centerpiece.

FYI – To read and see more about Julia’s dining room makeover, including a few in-progress shots, click over to her Happy Happy Home blog.

images:  all courtesy of Julia from Happy Happy Home

Our new town has the best home consignment shops.  That makes me giddy.  I’ve been checking in weekly or so with my favorite one, Home2Home.  They have a great selection of modern and antique pieces and their inventory changes weekly. Nothing stays there for long!

That’s why when I spotted this older Eddie Bauer cabinet, I snapped Handy Hubby a pic and emailed him right away.

You see, we’re planning to install our flatscreen TV above the mantel in the family room.  I’ve mentioned this before…in an ideal world I wouldn’t choose to hang a TV above a fireplace but in the Underdog, it’s about the only place it can go.  Don’t worry though.  I think we’ve devised a plan to make it less in your face when it’s not in use.  More on that later…

Anyhoo, since we won’t be using the media console setup that we had in our previous home {we gave the console to my Dad when we sold by owner}, we’ll need somewhere to store our cable box, DVD player, Wii, and audio receiver.  I don’t have the family room’s entire layout set in stone yet, but HH and I did decide where the future media cabinet would go {in the corner between the picture window and mantel}, so I knew relatively how large {really, how small} the cabinet needed to be.  I’ve been on the hunt for one for weeks now.  The hardest part was finding a petite cabinet that was still deep enough to store all the techy components.

At 30″ x 18″ x 30″ this solid maple cabinet was the perfect size.  {I measured the depth of all our TV components to make sure.} Even though it was in excellent condition and priced right {$80}, I wasn’t thrilled with its aesthetic.  But when I opened the two doors, I was surprised to find that the 70′s screen-like material was actually just stapled to removable frames set into the back of the doors.  It’s much like what you would find on the back of a picture frame.  That ugly, heavy screen could easily be removed.  I was sold!

If there aren’t any problems with our remotes working through fabric, I could transform the media cabinet into something like this…

Isn’t that Amy Butler fabric too sweet?

The only money spent would be on the fabric and maybe two new door knobs.  If the fabric poses a problem {which I don’t see it doing…I’ve been experimenting by covering our receiver and cable box with lightweight t-shirts and they’re working perfectly, no problems!}, we can always open the doors when we need to or replace the screen material with glass.  The jury is still out on whether or not the wood cabinet will end up painted…but I’m leaning towards leaving the finish as-is.  I’d like to use a few more wood tone pieces in the Underdog than I did in our previous home.

The other secondhand piece of furniture that I recently acquired is this wing chair…

It’s a little bluer in real life and not as steely as my phone pic is portraying.  I found it at our local Salvation Army store for, get this, $25.

Yep, $25!!  It was clean with no tears in the velvety fabric and verrrrrry comfortable.  All it needs is a little sanding and stain on the scratched up feet – or some spray paint if I’m feeling lazy.  Everett even liked it.

I quickly emailed HH a pic while I sat on the chair, staking my claim until he gave me the okay to buy it.  {We try to only buy things that we both like.}  I was a little nervous that he wouldn’t like it because he tends to lean towards more modern furniture.  But he really liked it!  So, $25 later it was mine.

It’s very Emily Henderson-esque.  I love her.

I don’t have a particular place in mind for the blue wing chair.  It’s so versatile.  It could work just about anywhere:  family room, dining room, one of the bedrooms or even at the built-in desk that will be in the kitchen.  And that, my folks, is how you know you should go ahead and buy a certain piece of furniture – when it will work anywhere in your home.  You have the freedom to move it around on a whim as you please.  Who knows where it will end up?

I’m excited about incorporating secondhand furniture pieces into the Underdog’s design.  Typically, they add more character than store bought furniture and do so at a fraction of the cost.  These two pieces together put me out only $105.

What’s a favorite thrift find or secondhand piece of furniture you’ve brought into your home?

images:  1-3) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking  4) Better Homes & Gardens  5-7) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking  8 ) Emily Henderson

Since I’m on a flooring kick…

…here’s the tile I’ve chosen for the mudroom/dining room/laundry nook.  This is the space I’m talking about if you need your memory jogged…

How could you forget the green carpet remnant, window A/C unit, hideous ceiling fan and dryer that vented directly into the attic?  Ick.

As I’ve mentioned already, this room has direct access to the backyard {through the sliders seen above} and to the garage {through the man door seen above} and thus will see a lot of traffic from dirty, muddy, wet shoes.  Even though keeping flooring consistent throughout a small space is essential to achieving a cohesive look, I felt that a durable tile floor {versus engineered hardwood} would better suit our family and our daily activities in this area.

In essence, this space will serve as a mudroom, extra dining space, laundry room, storage room and craft room all in one.  Whew.

So back to that tile I chose…

It’s a natural stone.  Travertine to be exact.  Also called limestone sometimes.  When considering tile for the mudroom, I was immediately drawn to natural stone tile versus ceramic/porcelain tile.  The subtle pattern and color variation of the natural stone felt and looked organic and, well, natural. Unlike all the other flooring I’ve had to choose {bathroom tile, engineered hardwood}, it took me about 20 seconds to find this tile and name it ‘the one.’  Quick, easy, painless.  All I had to do was get Handy Hubby on board.

Guess what?  He LOVED the travertine!  Yippee.  One easy, agreeable Underdog decision under our belts!

Travertine comes in several different finishes:  tumbled {like what you may see as a kitchen backsplash with lots of grooves and pits}, chiseled & brushed {which has a natural but high end look}, and honed & filled {where the naturally occurring holes and pits are filled in and the tile is given a satin finish}.  The tile I chose is honed and filled.  Why?

Because it has more of a natural matte finish and looks a lot like concrete.  Here’s an image I snapped with my phone in-store at The Tile Shop that shows a better real life perspective…

I love how each tile has its own individual color variations and patterns running throughout.  Not one stone is the same as the next.  The gray, mocha and tan tones go along with the rich Texas Brown birch {seen at bottom right in the image above} I chose for most of the rest of the house.  Rocks, mud and dirt should hide on this tile nicely!  I also like the large size of the tile.

The non-polished, satin finish gives it a rustic look.  Much like concrete.  HH and I really like this effect as we plan on DIYing concrete countertops in most of the kitchen.  Having this concrete-esque finish in the adjoining mudroom will keep things flowing nicely and feeling cohesive even with the floor changing over to wood in the kitchen.  At least, that’s how we see it.

{kitchen of Jenna Lyons – complete with concrete countertops, black lower cabinets, light walls and hardwood floors – sound familiar?}

To warm things up in the mudroom/dining room {since tile alone can lend a sterile look}, I’d like to add a small area rug and a round/oval wood table.  {I’ve secretly been hunting for a table and just found one yesterday in a surprising place!  More on that next week…}  Yes, you heard me right, a wood table.  As in a wood tone table.  No painting it white.  I told you I was feeling a little more masculine this time around.

{sadly, that’s not the table I found but it’s great, isn’t it?!}

Although we’ll most likely eat regular family meals at the future island in the future kitchen, I’d like a small table in the mudroom to serve as a craft area, sewing table, family game night table, homework surface, laundry folding surface and extra dining space.  I think a round one {that possibly extends to an oval} would be perfect for the modest room.  It can’t be too big because we’ll need to fill one wall with tons of storage.  Because a dining room that doubles as a mudroom needs storage, right?

Anyhow, it feels great to have flooring decisions made.  As overwhelmed as I felt in the beginning, it was fun to consider all the options out there.  There are soooo many!!  Getting the floors nailed down {figuratively speaking} has helped me pin an aesthetic for the Underdog.  Floors can have such an impact on a home’s style.  Have you recently made a decision on new flooring?  Do you have a favorite floor in your house already?  Are you contemplating new floors?  What’s your dream floor?  Just keep talking floors since I’m already on the subject.

Happy weekend!

images:  1) The Tile Shop  2 & 3) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking  4) The Tile Shop  5) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking  6) Ken Levenson  7) Style Homes

I would have jumped at the chance to change any and all flooring in our previous house.  I always did detest the odd Y intersection of hardwood, vinyl and carpet in the great room.  So weird.  So builder.

But we didn’t have the funds to replace 2,700 sq ft of carpet and vinyl.  Plus, even though it wasn’t aesthetically appealing, there wasn’t anything wrong with it and we couldn’t justify spending thousands of dollars to replace brand new flooring.

We’re basically starting from scratch in the Underdog and we get to choose all new flooring.  The original matted 1950′s carpet just wasn’t cutting it.  Initially, I was super, SUPER excited about getting to pick out new flooring.  {Handy Hubby is leaving most design options up to me.  I come to him with an edited list and he says ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ then we choose together from there.} But after considering all the different options – concrete, wood, laminate, tile, cork, bamboo, etc. – I started to feel a tad overwhelmed.  How in the world was I going to choose?!

I decided to take it one step at a time, rationally.  First, I was limited in my options because the Underdog has no subfloor just a concrete slab.  Solid hardwood was crossed off the list from the get-go due to problems that arise when solid hardwood is laid over moisture-retaining concrete.  I was kind of bummed.  I’d always liked the look of hardwood floors and they popped up frequently in my inspirational images.

I moved on.  The obvious solution was to polish and maybe even stain the already existing concrete slab.  But after talking with HH about this option, he mentioned that the slab had a few substantial cracks in it and would have to be totally re-leveled if we were to use it as our main flooring.  He also said that after spending a lot of time at the Underdog working, he could feel how day-to-day walking on the concrete was impacting his body.  His legs and back were sore…although I’m not sure this was entirely due to the floor.  I mean, he was demo’ing and renovating after all.  Still, I didn’t want pretty polished floors at the expense of painful bodies all the time.  Not to mention the fact that concrete isn’t very forgiving to two kids who tend to run, jump and fall on a regular basis.  I was a little concerned about the noise and echos with concrete as well.  And once I started looking at prices {since the slab would need some repairing and leveling}, it didn’t seem like refinishing the concrete was going to save us any more money than having to install new flooring.

That left me with laminate/vinyl, tile, cork, bamboo or various engineered hardwoods.  HH completely ruled out laminate and vinyl.  He said to him they seemed like placeholder flooring and that he didn’t want to spend money on something we didn’t really like to begin with and then want to replace it a few years down the road.

Tile was a viable option.  It’s pretty much a given in bathrooms and I thought it would be great for the mudroom/dining room/laundry nook area since the space gets direct traffic from the garage and backyard.  But I definitely didn’t want tile throughout the entire house due to many of the reasons we decided against the concrete.  Using it in hardworking areas {i.e. mudroom/dining room/laundry nook and bathrooms} seemed like the way to go and HH totally agreed.  {More on tile options later…today is about the majority of the house.}

I knew I wanted all the other spaces {kitchen, family room, hall and bedrooms} to have the same flooring to keep things flowing nicely and feeling cohesive.  With cork, bamboo and engineered hardwood left on the list, I kept hunting.  Right away, I scratched the bamboo idea.  I didn’t hate it but it just wasn’t the look I was going for.  Too much striation.  That left cork and engineered hardwood.  To be honest, I didn’t like most of the cork I came across.  It was a little too swirly and busy for our small house.  I did find one cork option in planks at Home Depot and thought it would be doable.

It wasn’t as busy or as orange-y as some of the other cork I had seen elsewhere.  HH liked it too. But that was our problem.  We just liked it.  We weren’t in love.  And it was ~$4/sq.ft.  We left it on the ‘maybe list.’

Then I started looking at engineered hardwood.  Unlike solid hardwood, engineered hardwood can be installed on top of a concrete slab {along with a vapor barrier} so it’s great for basements or, in our case, homes with no subfloor.  After doing some window shopping, I was shocked to discover that the engineered wood cost just as much {or even more!} than solid hardwood.  I had been wrong to think that it would be a cheaper alternative to hardwood.  Until…a reader turned me on to BuildDirect, suggesting them as an affordable vendor for engineered wood flooring.  {Thanks, Ginger!!!}

{customer submitted image from Build Direct}

Immediately I fell in love with a handscraped hickory engineered wood.  I thought the lighter color would be great for our small space but I was worried that it might contrast too much with our lower black kitchen cabinetry.  And at almost $4/sq.ft. it would have cost us over $4,500…and that wasn’t even including any underlayment or shipping.  I was determined to find another cheaper alternative to show HH along with the hickory option.

{customer submitted image from Build Direct}

That’s when I found a rich Texas Brown birch.  It was a lot different from the hickory I had originally fallen in love with but much cheaper as well.  Nearly $2/sq.ft.!!  It would save us well over $1,500.  I ordered a FREE sample of each engineered hardwood and showed them to HH.  He liked them both.  But when I told him the price difference, he was sold on the birch.

We know that birch is a softer wood but many of the reviews we’ve read say that has more to do with dings and dents than scratches.  I’m fine with dings and dents.  Heck, if I wasn’t then I wouldn’t even consider any wood surface in our home with two rowdy boys in tow! We’re pretty adamant about not wearing shoes indoors so that should help to keep the birch looking as good as possible.  And we have no pets which means no claws or paws to damage the floor.  Plus, since the birch is already handscraped and has a ‘bumpy’ texture to it to begin with, I think some dings will probably blend right in and the ones that don’t will just show signs of life.

I also know that some people don’t like darker floors because they show dirt and dust more easily. With a ‘no shoes on inside’ rule at our house and weekly cleanings {I’m sorry, I like to clean}, I think I’ll be able to keep them looking pretty good.  I heard the same thing about keeping white kitchen cabinets clean, but it didn’t stop us from painting our builder cabinets white in our previous home and they ended up looking great and were no harder to keep clean than before.  Sometimes you just have to go with what you like.

To keep things feeling light and airy, I plan to add lots of area rugs.  They’ll also help define seating areas in the open great room and cozy up the bedrooms.

The darker wood goes along with the more masculine aesthetic I’m liking nowadays too.  Many of my inspirational images include dark floors with lighter wall colors.  I think that’s where we’re headed.

So I did it.  I bit the bullet and placed an order for our Texas Brown birch.  It’s costing us less than $3,500 for flooring and underlayment {which includes a vapor barrier} for the kitchen, family room, hall and all three bedrooms.  That price includes shipping.

With a few finishes chosen {bathroom tile, main flooring, etc.}, I’m starting to get a good feel for the overall look of our future Underdog.  Are you?

images:  1 & 2) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking  3) Amy Butler via Apartment Therapy  4) Art & Decoration  5) Amy Butler’s entryway via Apartment Therapy  6) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking  7 & 8 ) Build Direct  9 & 10) Jessica Helgerson Interior Design

I’ve been unplugged for a few days.  I surprised our kiddos with a trip to DC to visit my sister this past weekend.  I purposefully didn’t pack my laptop.  I really needed some one-on-one time with my boys and we had a great time!  Handy Hubby stayed behind to work…at work and on the Underdog.  Upon our return home, Everett came down with an awful stomach bug. {Probably from the germ-infested Metro!} So, not only have I been thinking nonstop about bathrooms…I’ve been spending a lot of time in them with Everett as well.  I’m about bathroom-ed out!  But not enough to keep me from coming up with a quick preliminary plan for our future master bath.

Take a look…

1 – To keep things cohesive, I’d like to use the same galvanized sconce that I mentioned in the kid/guest bathroom mood board {seen here if you missed it or forget}.  Plus, I just can’t get enough of the industrial feel it provides.

2 – In searching for tile options for the shower surround, I came across this uniquely textured ceramic wall tile.  The shiny textured surface reflects light like glitter.  With natural light pouring in from the window right inside our shower, this wall tile would really keep the small room light and airy while providing a little glitz too.  It’s light reflecting power is difficult to see from the online image, so I made sure to snap a picture of it in our local store.

Isn’t it purty?  I think I’d install it horizontally in a brick pattern.  At 10″ x 19.75″, this tile is large so there wouldn’t be a ton of grout lines.

3 – For the floor, HH and I both fell for these moss penny round tiles.  I like smaller tiles for the floor in petite bathrooms. They add texture and pattern not to mention an anti-slip safety feature.  Again, the online image isn’t exactly true to reality. Here’s my phone pic for better reference…

The round tiles have a subtle gray-blue-green color going on and I love it.  Notice how the dark brown edges provide definition and contrast.  Oh, and that wood floor sample next to the tile sample is what we think will be going in as flooring for most of the rest of the house…if that makes any sense.  {More on that later!} I brought the floor sample along with me to The Tile Shop to make sure whatever tile I chose would look okay alongside the wood floor since they’ll meet at the entrance to the master bathroom.

4 – Even though HH and I love the idea of a large walk-in shower with dual shower heads, we decided against it.  Subtracting a tub from the bathroom would technically make it a ¾ bathroom instead of a full bathroom.  While we intend to stay in the house for 10+ years, we’d really hate to lose the freedom to market our house as ’2 full baths’ whenever/if ever we decide to sell.  Plus, HH wasn’t keen on a lower shower threshold thinking it might splatter water everywhere outside the shower. {I told him NO to glass shower doors.  I’m the one that would clean them and I detest cleaning glass shower doors.  So, our walk-in shower would have simply had a shower curtain.}

We’ve actually already purchased this Kohler bathtub.  We liked the simple lines, it had good reviews, it would fit in our teeny bathroom, the price wasn’t awful {$440} and it was in stock at our local Home Depot.  It’s joined the chaos of other ‘waiting to be installed’ stuff in the Underdog’s garage.

5 – I really like white textured shower curtains.  What else can I say?

6 – To tone down all the straight lines that are inevitable in a small rectangular bathroom, I’d love to incorporate a round mirror above the sink.  The bathroom sink/vanity will be visible from the master bedroom, so using a mirror that doesn’t scream ‘bathroom!’ would be nice.  The antique zebrano finish on this one makes it feel less utilitarian.

7 – If it can be done, I want {Handy Hubby} to DIY a chunky floating wood vanity/shelf to house this simple IKEA sink.  Of course, the wood would need to be sealed to avoid moisture penetration. Don’t worry!  We don’t plan on using plywood/OSB as a finishing material in the bathroom or anywhere else in the house.  The vanity I shared last week was simply an inspiration to me.  Before I decide on a major design element, I gather a bunch of inspiration images and then think about how I can tweak them to fit my style and aesthetic.  I do think that DIY OSB vanity was clever and could look great in the right setting. But it’s not going in our home.

8 – Since under sink storage {open or closed} will be minimal due to the floating vanity, we’ll need other storage options in the bathroom.  I found this stainless steel medicine cabinet just today and think 2 or 3 of them would work and look great. Must show to HH tonight!

9 – West Elm has the best hand towels.  This honeycomb one in slate is my pick for the master bath.

10 – If I can squeeze it in somewhere {under the sink?  next to the shower?}, this woven ottoman {or a cheaper, similar alternative} would provide a landing spot for {taking off or putting on} clothes, a book or magazine, or maybe even a glass of water or wine.  I like to add at least one natural, woven element to each room – even bathrooms.

So, there it is.  What may be our future master bathroom.  Do you like?  Not like?  By far, my favorite element is that glittery white shower wall tile.  I couldn’t stop running my hand across the sample at the store.  Thankfully, HH liked it too.  I can’t wait to see what it looks like installed.

Now, it’s back to the ugly apartment bathroom with Everett.  Poor guy.  I hope he feels better soon.

images:  1) Polyvore collage by Dana Miller linked within  2 & 3) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking