Along with the ominous task of downsizing from a 2,700 sq ft builder home to a less than 1,700 sq ft fixer-upper comes the even more challenging task of editing down our belongings {clothing, toys, furniture, decor, tools, etc.}.  That’s right.  By choosing to downsize we’re losing ~1,000 sq ft of living space – not mention a third garage stall, an outdoor shed, and more than 1,200 sq ft of unfinished basement space.

In preparation for the big move, I went through ALL of our stuff and donated/sold whatever I knew we could live without or whatever wasn’t going to fit in our future house. {That included ALL our infant/toddler necessities…before I knew we would be unexpectedly expecting a third kiddo. Whoops.  But that’s a whole ‘nother story.}  For selling power, some of our decor and furniture stayed with the sale of our home as agreed upon in the sales contract.

I thought you might be interested in seeing which larger decor items we no longer possess as a result of our decision to downsize. Here goes.  I’ve labeled ‘sold’ stuff with a magenta X and ‘stayed’ stuff with a teal X.

As you can see, that’s a lot of stuff g-o-n-e.  Most of the area rugs stayed with the sale of the home along with all secured lighting fixtures, the dining table and the desk in the guest room.  The other items we sold via Craigslist and word of mouth.  We still have two of the white slipcovered chairs from the sunroom that we’re using in the apartment for now, but we’ll be selling those as well when we move into the Underdog.  We sold our big family room sectional sofa and matching ottoman since they would have been too large for our future family room.  Right now we’re using the petite sofa from our former living room {see the first image} in the apartment.  I’d like to keep the petite sofa and use it as a type of informal banquette seating in our future mudroom/dining room.  The guest bed {see the last image} is sitting in storage waiting for Handy Hubby’s parents to come rescue it and use it in their own home.

And that’s just the big stuff.  I donated a bunch of other items to Goodwill or gave them away to friends and family.  We should get a pretty nice kickback come tax time since I saved all the Goodwill receipts!  I have a feeling that once we move into the Underdog and I start unpacking boxes from storage, I’ll find even more things to be sold or given away.

So other than thinking you may be curious to see what we left behind and sold, I also wanted you to know what we have on hand because I’ll soon be sharing our quest to find new furnishings for the Underdog.  The money we made by selling off numerous pieces of furniture will be used to purchase a few main pieces for the Underdog.  Namely, we’re on the hunt for a new family room sofa, accent chairs, a dining table {which we’ve already acquired!} and area rugs.

We’ve had many family members and friends have pity on us when we answer their question, “So what all did you have to get rid of in order to downsize?”  But we really don’t want or need their pity. We don’t feel sad or resentful about giving up any of that stuff.  After all, it’s just stuff.  While some of it was nice and we enjoyed it, it didn’t define who we are or make us truly happy.

Plus, now that I’m discovering and learning more and more about design everyday, my style is evolving and I’m looking forward to choosing items that reflect that.  Of course, the pieces we incorporate into our home must stand up to our kids too.  They can’t be simply stunning aesthetically.  They’ve gotta be comfortable, easy-to-clean and durable.  That makes the hunt a little more difficult but not impossible.  And that’s something else I’m looking forward to sharing. There’s no reason why a house with kids living in it can’t be stylish yet practical.  Gone are the days of impeccable, special occasion only, kid-free rooms.  It’s just wasted space if you ask me.  If I’m paying for it, I want to use it…frequently.

Don’t cry for me Argentina.  I’m very much looking forward to the challenges and sacrifices that come with downsizing.  Yes, we’re losing square footage.  But we’re gaining so much more.  An affordable home that is nothing more than we need.  A non-superfluous environment in which to raise our children.  The opportunity to turn a neglected, run-down, underdog house into a living and breathing fun family home.  And maybe even the financial freedom to chase life dreams.

So, don’t feel bad for us.  We feel extremely lucky and grateful for this new experience.

images:  all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Do you like practical style?  You know, stuff that not only looks great but actually works for you?  I do.  So when Scout by Bungalow contacted me I was more than willing to pass on their freakishly fab and functional goods to you.

{Doesn’t their Atlanta, GA showroom look like a fun place?}

The Scout collection features stylish tote bags, collapsible storage bins, insulated coolers, picnic and party coolers, travel bags, travel accessories and wedding favors.  The best part?  They’re totally wipeable!  That’s right.  With a durable water-resistant surface, any item will have you on your way to Easy Cleaning Street.

Here are a few of my favorites…

1 –  The Stiff One is a modestly sized insulated cooler.  Think picnics for two or BYOB.

2 – Little Draw is a drawstring backpack that keeps your {possibly smelly and dirty} tennies or cleats separate from your clothes.  I’ll admit.  It might even persuade me to workout at times when I’m really not feeling like it.

3 – The Original Deano is a generously sized carry-all perfect for trips to the pool or beach.  For you moms of school-aged children, I could see this bag making its rounds to holiday school parties and toting around all those classroom treats.

4 – This Megah Lil’ Slim fits laptops with a screen size {measured diagonally} of up to 13″.  The water resistant shell keeps your PC safe from spills and rain drops.

5 – How tough would this Junque Trunk look in a boy’s room?  Store Legos, blocks, cars, books and train tracks out of sight and in high style.

6 – If I had to pick one item, the Hilary Duffle would be it for me.  Small enough to fit in the overhead on a flight but large enough for a weekend getaway, this multifunctional travel bag fits the ‘does everything’ bill.

7 – Don’t let the name fool you, this Doggie Bag isn’t brown and boring.  It’s insulated, wipeable, reusable and available in an assortment of colors and patterns.  Eating leftovers for lunch has never looked so good!

But don’t let my picks sway you.  Click over to Scout to find your favorite product in the perfect pattern and color to keep your days feeling cool, colorful and collected.  And maybe if you’re lucky you’ll be able to put a $50 credit towards your purchase!  Here are all the details you need to enter the giveaway:

• PRIZE:  $50 worth of goods from Scout by Bungalow
• RULES:  You must be at least 18 years old and have a street mailing address {no P.O. boxes} within the U.S.  One entry per email address.
• HOW TO ENTER:  Leave a comment on this post proclaiming “SCOUT ME OUT!”
• DEADLINE:  Enter before Thursday, October 27th at 9:00 p.m. EST.  One winner will be chosen via Random.org and announced on Friday, October 28th.
• WHILE YOU’RE AT IT:  Tell me your pet’s/pets’ name/names and how they got their moniker. ‘Scout’ is actually a real mascot in the flesh for Scout by Bungalow.  See his cuteness here.

images:  Scout by Bungalow

Thanks to everyone who entered to win the Children Inspire Design giveaway!  I really enjoyed reading all the great parenting advice you guys offered up.  As a mother, I tend to overthink little things when it comes to parenting and your comments reminded me that I should see those things for exactly what they are…little things…and focus more on living in the present. And that’s great advice for anyone – not just parents!

Congrats to Katie who advises parents to go with their instincts since they’re the ones who know their children best.

Now, switching gears completely…

THE UNDERDOG PASSED GAS AND FRAMING INSPECTIONS TODAY!  And Handy Hubby gets all the credit for that. He’s been over at the Underdog every evening after work and spending all weekends there too in preparation for inspection. In fact, last night he drove over directly from work and didn’t get back to the apartment until after 11pm finishing up a few small framing projects.

Not only is this passing grade a huge relief and accomplishment for HH, but it means we’re on schedule for insulation next week!  And insulation leads to drywall and drywall leads to real walls and real walls lead to a real house!  Okay, maybe I’m getting ahead of myself but each little nugget of progress feels like Christmas morning to us. We’re very much looking forward to putting the finishing touches {flooring, tile, kitchen cabinetry, paint, etc.} on our fixer-upper.  She should start looking more like a house and less like the inside of a jail cell soon.

image:  Children Inspire Design

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED*

In celebration of last week’s baby news, here’s a family-friendly giveaway!

Children Inspire Design is an eco-conscious product line founded by mom, artist and entrepreneur, Rebecca Peragine. {Whew! I’m tired just thinking about all of that.} The company offers recycled note cards, journals, wall hangings, and art.  The pieces are simple, colorful, modern and whimsical – perfect for a child’s bedroom or play area.  With an emphasis on global responsibility and world cultures, Rebecca seeks to inspire children and change the world.

Just feast your eyes on these cutesy items.  Of note:  All products are created using New Leaf recycled paper and soy ink and are lovingly packaged using eco-friendly materials by a family-run print company in Verona, WI.

Wouldn’t these colorful butterfly cards look oh-so-sweet hanging in a lil’ girl’s nursery or bedroom? They could start out over the crib and then be easily relocated elsewhere in the room as the baby becomes more mobile.  I love the way they’re shown here strung along the wall with just cotton string and wooden clothespins.  For a more polished look, you could frame them up in simple white frames.

For the lil’ man in your life, how about this woodsy vintage alphabet poster?  All you’d need to complement this one is a little guy in a cowboy hat and leather boots.

Check out this inspiring and colorful ‘I am an artist’ print.  Frame it and hang it in a playroom or above a kids’ craft table.  It’s sure to get their creative juices flowing!

CID has also teamed up with mother cooperatives in Mexico and Haiti to support new opportunity and hope for moms globally. Handmade One Mother to Another products are sold on CID’s site as well.

Imagine that vibrant paper bird mobile floating above the changing table or crib in a nursery. Darling.

Check out the rest of the items available for purchase here.  I’m seriously considering this family owl print.

Since baby-on-the-way will make us a family of five, I think this print would be very fitting in our newest addition’s nursery.  Don’t you?

Lucky for you, Children Inspire Design is offering $50 worth of product to one lucky House*Tweaking reader this week.  Here’s how to get some inspiring art of your own:

• PRIZE:  $50 worth of goods from Children Inspire Design
• RULES:  You must be at least 18 years old and have a street mailing address {no P.O. boxes} within the U.S.  One entry per email address.
• HOW TO ENTER:  Leave a comment on this post proclaiming “I’M INSPIRED!”
• DEADLINE:  Enter before Thursday, October 20th at 9:00 p.m. EST.  The winner will be chosen via Random.org and announced Friday, October 21st.
• WHILE YOU’RE AT IT:  Share the best piece of parenting advice anyone has ever given you. I’ll go first… Our first son, Layne, was an extremely colicky baby.  My parents and Handy Hubby’s parents lived hours away and HH was working full-time, so I was going it alone.  After 3 months of up-all-nights and constant crying, I was completely exhausted and overwhelmed. In desperation, I turned to the internet for help.  I’m a reader, so I naturally started searching for a parenting self-help book.  Thank goodness for all the wonderful reviews and recommendations for The Happiest Baby on the Block.  I ordered it, read it cover-to-cover in one day {heck, I wasn’t sleeping anyway!} and started implementing the 5 S’s.  It worked like a charm!  Within just a few days, Layne was sleeping for 6-8 hour stretches at night and taking a few 2-3 hour naps during the day.  That meant I was sleeping again too!  I practiced the 5 S’s with our second baby right off the bat and he had 8 hour nighttime sleeping stretches from day one.  To this day, the book is my favorite baby shower gift to give.

FYI – I was not compensated in any way to mention Children Inspire Design or The Happiest Baby on the Block.  I just love sharing great stuff!

images:  Children Inspire Design

We’re having another baby.

I know that came from way out in left field on Monday.  Believe me.  I know.  I’m living it.  I apologize for the abrupt announcement.  We aren’t ones to go out yelling, “We’re prego!” from the mountaintops – even when our babies are planned. Not that we aren’t excited.  It’s quite the opposite actually.  We enjoy relishing in our little secret for a while before we spread the news to family, friends, co-workers and the world wide web.  Although this time our relishing included a bit of ‘let’s let this settle in a while before we spill the beans.’

So now that everyone knows, let’s get to all those questions you have.

1 - When is your due date and far along are you?  I’m due April 7th which is Everett’s birthday. {Layne will be seven by then and Everett will be turning/have just turned four.}  Hey, what can I say? At least we’re consistent!  And, no, contrary to popular belief there is no special holiday or celebration in early July {April 7 – 40 weeks = early July} that we christen annually.  I think we’re just extra fertile that time of year or something.  That puts me right at 14-15 weeks prego.  I look further along than that, don’t I?  {I’m blaming it on a big meal at my Dad’s last weekend when the pictures were taken.} So goes the third pregnancy.  Or so I’ve heard.  I guess everything has lost its elasticity and is giving way earlier than my first two pregnancies.  I swear I didn’t look this bumpy until about 5 months along with the boys!

If you’ll remember from this post, I purposefully faced my backside to the camera to hide my slight baby bump at ~9 weeks.

2 – Will you find out the baby’s gender before he/she is born?  We didn’t know our babies’ gender before birth with the boys. {Although I would have bet money they were both boys.}  So, in keeping with tradition, we won’t be finding out this baby’s sex until he/she is born.  I am a planner but a flexible one.  Handy Hubby and I enjoy the suspense and feel that there are only so many true surprises left in this advanced high tech world anymore.  You know, along with unplanned pregnancies, of course.  We have nothing against those who choose to find out their infant’s gender beforehand.  We just choose not to.

I know what you’re thinking.  ”OMG!  How in the world do you design a nursery without knowing if the baby is a boy or girl?!”  Easy.  The nursery will have a gender neutral base and I’ll add in gender specific decor after the baby arrives.

3 – Do you have names picked out?  As with our other pregnancies, HH and I will take an edited mental list of boy and girl names to the hospital.  Once the baby is born and we discover the gender, we’ll make a single selection from our list.  I’ll tell you right now that our list is pretty much nonexistent right now.  We try to talk about it but HH doesn’t like the names I suggest, and I’m not too fond of the ones he throws out either.  We’ll get there!  As you can probably tell from our sons’ names {Layne and Everett}, we typically choose names not found on the Top 100 Baby Names list.

4 – How are you feeling?  I’m feeling pretty good nowadays.  It was kind of touch and go there for the first three months.  I was nauseous on a daily basis from 4pm until bedtime although I never did toss my cookies.  Dinner time was the worst.  More than once, I slipped away from the dinner table because all the food and smells were making me cringe.  I was exhausted too.  But I don’t know whether to contribute that to the pregnancy or the fact that I had two other kiddos running circles around me OR the recent move. Probably a combination of all three.

5 – Do you have any weird cravings?  I don’t know that these are ‘weird’ but I crave salads, tomatoes and water with lemons/lemon juice in it.  The tomato craving prompted this recipe post a few weeks back.  Maybe the tomato part is strange since I’m not a tomato fan when I’m unprego. Oh, and I can’t eat them by themselves but put a tomato on anything {salad, baked potato, pasta, grilled cheese, etc.} and I’m game.  I also seem to have an aversion to red meat unless it’s a McDonald’s cheeseburger.

6 – How did you tell Handy Hubby and what was his reaction?  I found out I was prego {by peeing on three, yes, three pee sticks because one or two couldn’t be right} the week before we were to close on our previous house.  I was sooooo nervous to tell HH.  I knew he wasn’t going to be angry or anything like that but, again, this was completely unexpected. Not in our downsizing plan at all.  Not even on the radar.

In fact, a week prior I had purged and donated nearly every single thing {clothing, toys, books, toddler dishware, etc.} that our youngest had outgrown or didn’t use anymore.  The only ‘baby stuff’ that had escaped my binge was an umbrella stroller {forgotten in the garage} and the crib {which I had promised to give my Dad when we moved so that he and my stepmom, Karen, could set up a nursery in their house for the impending arrival of my stepbrother’s first baby in January. Dad and Karen wanted to have a place for the baby to sleep when they babysat.} and that’s it.  Not a bib or burp cloth in sight.

I told HH the very day I got positive readings on all three pee sticks.  I had to wait hours for him to get home from work since I’d taken the pregnancy tests in the morning.  Then I had to wait until the boys were in bed because I wasn’t prepared to tell them yet.

I was at a loss for a good way to tell HH.  I realized then and there that men are never in the precarious position to have to tell the person they love that they are surprisingly expecting an unexpected baby.  That’s a lot of pressure on us women!  I did what I do best and wrote it out. Well, technically, I typed it out.  I don’t think my handwriting would have been legible at that point.

As you can see, I’ve altered the original announcement.  My due date prediction was off.  Obviously, I hadn’t seen my OB at that point.

I found out pretty early on because I was prompted to take a test by a somewhat clairvoyant experience with Layne.  A few days prior, I had been packing for the big move when Layne walked by me, paused for a moment, put a hand on either side of my belly and kissed it.  I said, “What’s that for?”  He simply replied, “For the baby in your belly.”  The earth stopped turning for a minute. So, a few days later when I hadn’t started my you-know-what as expected, I immediately bought a triple pack of pregnancy tests.  Turns out, Layne was right.

So back to HH’s reaction.  I laid the pregnancy announcement on the kitchen island next to his lunchbox that evening so he would see it when he packed his lunch for work.  {HH packs his lunch 99% of the time.}  Then I hid on the couch under a blanket.  Literally.  I was sweating under that blanket.  Seconds seemed like hours.  The next thing I heard was, “Is this for real?” as HH walked over to the couch where I was cowering.  I peeked up out of the blanket and managed to nod.  HH had a look of total disbelief on his face.  There was lots of silence after that.  Shock, fear, WTH?!…we were both feeling all those things.

Then HH started laughing.  It was one-third real laughing, one-third nervous laughing and one-third crazy person laughing.  I started laughing too.  My giggling quickly turned to crying though.  I couldn’t stop it.  That’s when HH said the most beautiful thing he could have said at that moment, “There’s no one else I’d rather have an accidental baby with.”  Then I did that really ugly laughing-slash-crying thing, snotty and red-faced and all.  Things were going to be okay.

A few weeks later, I did ask Layne about his premonition.  ”Layne, do you remember when you kissed my belly that one day and said it was for the baby?”

“Yeah,” he answered.

“What made you say that?”  I was curious.

“I don’t know.  Your belly looked different,” was all he could come up with.  I think he’s special.  I may be biased.

7 – Did you have an IUD?  Nope.  Without getting too personal and crossing that TMI thin line, let’s just say I’m one of the lucky ‘less than 1 out of 100 women who get pregnant each year while taking birth control each day as directed.’  I’ve been a pharmacist for 9+ years and I’ve heard story after story of women getting prego on the pill.  I’ve always subconsciously judged those women thinking they were irresponsible.  Look who’s talkin’ now.  Yep, this lady whose doctor says her unplanned conception while taking birth control correctly is rare but always possible.

Now that the initial shock has worn off, I realize how lucky we really are.  We have been gifted another lil’ life without even asking while so many others out there dream of a baby and ask for one daily.  Yep, we’re lucky alright.

8 – What did the boys say when you told them?  HH and I told the boys at the Underdog one evening when I took them to visit HH while he was working.  We dumbed it down and said something like, “There’s a baby in Mama’s belly.”  To which Layne looked at me and exclaimed, “YOU’RE PREGNANT?!”  We confirmed.  ”I’ll be right back,” he quickly announced and ran off to tell our new neighbors.  All Everett had to say about the baby was, “Who is it?”  Good question.

I’m trying not to make this new baby a huge deal with the boys because I don’t want to take away from them.  If they ask questions or want to see my belly then we talk.  A few times a week, Layne comes up and kisses my belly just like he did the time before I knew I was pregnant.  It’s sweet. Everett likes to pretend he’s my doctor {he accompanies me to my monthly visits while Layne’s in school} and studies my belly with a magnifying glass.  He takes his job very seriously.

9 – Does this mean the boys will be sharing a bedroom in the Underdog?  Yes!  The room assignments now are Layne and Everett in the larger non-master bedroom and the baby in the smaller non-master bedroom.  I guess this whole sharing-a-bedroom-in-the-apartment thing is paying off.  They should be used to sharing a room by the time we move into the house.

I’ve already thrown around the idea of making the larger of the two non-master bedrooms a bunk room for the kids if this one happens to be another boy.  The smaller bedroom would become a playroom/guest room.  That would be years down the road, of course.  If this baby’s a girl, then she’ll just stay in the smaller bedroom and have her own bedroom.

10 – How does this pregnancy news affect your involvement in the Underdog undertakings?  Not much.  My primary role is to supervise the kiddos and give them as normal a life as possible right now.  So far, many of the renovation projects have been accomplished by HH alone just because we don’t have anyone to watch the boys for me to get my hands dirty.  Not that I’d be that much help.  ;) When the time comes, pregnancy won’t keep me from helping to install new flooring, building kitchen cabinets or painting…things we can do a little more easily and safely with kids in tow…unlike demo’ing, running new electric, vaulting the ceiling, etc.

11 – How does this surprise baby change your design plans for the Underdog?  Other than switching up sleeping arrangements {see #9}, none.  We won’t be adding on to the house and we still have plans to live in it for 10+ years.  I’ll just have to get clever and creative with my storage!

Many people who know we’re expecting say, “And here you just sold a 4 bedroom house to downsize!”  But, honestly, downsizing is about the best thing we could have done to prepare for such a surprise.  Well, if you could prepare for a surprise.  Our house will be smaller but so will our mortgage which we still plan to pay off in 4-5 years.

I’m not worried about living in such tight quarters with three kids.  I lived in a similarly sized barn {that’s a whole ‘nother post in itself} with ONE bathroom, THREE bedrooms, THREE siblings plus my parents.  That’s six people under one little roof.  We all shared a bedroom with someone else and we somehow scheduled our bathroom usage around each other. Looking back, I never felt like our house/barn was too small.  We loved it!

12 – Will you be living in the Underdog before the baby arrives?  I hope so!  If not, we’ve got bigger problems.

13 – How will #3 affect your work plans?  Honestly, we’re still up in the air over this one.  We’d always planned on me working my 20 hours/week as a part-time pharmacist until the Underdog’s mortgage was paid off.  But with this newest addition, HH and I are both thinking our family would benefit more from me being home full-time.  Luckily, HH was offered a promotion this past summer which came with a raise that would offset some {definitely not all} of the income lost by me not working.  We talk about me taking this blogging and designing stuff more seriously and seeing where it takes me, too.  Maybe this turn of events is just the kick in the butt I need to motivate me to make a scary career change!

14 – How do you handle it all – work, kids, blog, renovation, etc?  I don’t handle it all.  Let me make that clear.  I work 2-3 days per week so I have more time at home than most working moms. I have an awesome HH who is a huge help with the boys when I need him. I don’t cook dinner every night.  And even when I do, we’re not above scrambled eggs and toast for dinner OR leftovers.  I don’t blog or post as much as I’d like to.  I say no a lot – mostly to things that I’m not truly passionate about or things that will cause our schedule to become jam packed.  Because nothing is worse than an overtired toddler.  Some days, I make to-do lists that don’t get completed. And, especially now with my current impregnated state, there are times when I simply have to let go and tell myself, “Okay, XXXX is not getting done today.  I don’t have the time or energy for it.”

There was a time when I couldn’t say no.  Back when I was much younger.  I was a people pleaser.  I did a lot of stuff and got a lot of recognition for that stuff.  But I wasn’t happy.  I wasn’t doing any of that stuff for me.

Nowadays, I try to remind my sometimes insecure, guilty-mom self of all the things I do do.  {Not doo-doo.}  I take my kids to the library and gymnastics.  I watch funny movies with my favorite man.  I help Layne with his homework.  I make up homework for Everett when he asks where his homework is.  I write a blog that I’m passionate about.  I put random notes in Layne’s school snack bag.  I make sure my family has clean clothes to wear.  I try to make our home an inspiring place to live.  I keep the fridge stocked.  I balance my checkbook to the penny.  I get Layne on and off the bus on time.  And, by george, I’m growing a baby!

Some days just keeping the kids fed/clothed/somewhat clean, washing dirty dishes, showering and brushing my teeth, making the bed, going grocery shopping, putting away a load of folded laundry, not burning a bag of popcorn, watching an old ‘Friends’ rerun, writing up a blog post, hugging my husband and remembering to take my prenatal vitamin is all I need to make me feel successful and happy.

All I have to do is figure out how to do all that with a baby on my hip.  A baby who is very much wanted and loved even if he/she was unexpected.

images: 1-5 & 7) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking  6) Johnny Valiant and Mona Ross Berman for House Beautiful

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

Surprise!

We’ve hit a small {baby} bump on the road to renovation.

Handy Hubby and I are unexpectedly expecting baby #3!

I couldn’t put more emphasis on the ‘unexpected’ part of that news.  As in, we were actively trying not to get prego.  I guess we weren’t trying hard enough.

I think my father-in-law explained what happened best when he said, “Tell god your plans and watch him laugh.”

Obviously, there is a larger plan for us.  It includes a smaller house and a larger family.  And while we’re still warming up to the idea of another baby, we’re up for the challenge.  This baby is unexpected but not unwanted.

Things just got verrrrrry interesting over here, didn’t they?!  And because I know any baby news always comes with tons of questions, feel free to leave your curious inquiries in the comments section below and I’ll post a special Q & A write-up on Friday.

What a way to start the week, huh?

FYI – Contrary to popular belief, that is not a can of Copenhagen in my front pocket.  I gave that up when I found out I was prego ;)  It’s my camera lens cover.

images:  all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

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

Are you tired of hearing about one of the smallest rooms in the Underdog yet?  The kid/guest bathroom has been grabbing most of our attention lately.  Mainly because we need at least one fully functioning bathroom when we move into the house this fall. Unlike a family room or bedroom, the bathroom’s fixtures {toilet, sink, tub/shower, exhaust fan, lighting, etc.} can’t be left unfinished because we’ll need to use them right away.  In other rooms of the house we can get away with leaving some fixtures undone while we live there…lighting, ceiling fans, furniture, etc.  So, yes, this bathroom is stealing the show right now.

We already found our clawfoot tub and had our first major renovation hiccup which, ironically, didn’t even involve the house.

Next up, was to hunt down fixtures for the tub.  Since code regulations require us to have the tub’s faucet at least 2″ higher than the overflow drain and the vintage tub we bought didn’t meet that requirement {the original faucet is located just above the overflow…not even 1″ above}, we were looking high and low for a new faucet that would help our tub make it into this century legally.

We’d heard a lot of good things about Vintage Tub & Bath from magazines, TV shows and other sources, so when our plumber mentioned them as well we figured they were our best bet.  {We did check out craigslist and Ebay too…to no avail…the selection/prices weren’t any better.}

Basically, we were looking for a gooseneck faucet that would rise up above the overflow drain and give us that 2″ clearance we needed.  Something along the lines of this would have worked fine…{minus the sponged red wall and seashell soap}…

See how the faucet arches up over the overflow drain giving a good 6″ of clearance?  Perfect. Just what we were looking for. Until we remembered that a faucet like that would only allow our kids the ability to bathe…not shower.  While our two young boys still take baths as of right now, we know that won’t always be the case and we plan on living in this house for a long while so there’s a good chance they’ll graduate to showering while we still live in the house.  Onto option #2…

I absolutely adored the look and function of this gooseneck faucet with attached telephone handshower.  This way the kids could sit in the tub but still rinse themselves with the sprayer…sort of a shower in the bathtub position.  But I quickly realized that two boys with a handheld sprayer would mean water all. over. the. bathroom.  No big deal, I thought.  I would just add a shower curtain around the tub to contain their spraying mayhem.  That would require a clawfoot tub shower enclosure rod.

But with the cost of the telephone handshower faucet already over $450 {!!!} just adding this shower enclosure would cost us another $200.  Also at this point, Handy Hubby had convinced me that we’d really benefit from having a true shower function in the bathroom for when the boys were older.  Because, seriously, how many teenaged boys do you know of who sit in a bathtub {if they even fit} and spray themselves down with a handheld sprayer?  Zilch.  Good point, HH.  That brought on option #3.

This gooseneck faucet/shower head/enclosure rod combo met all our requirements.  It had the arched faucet we needed to gain inches above the overflow.  It had the capacity to deliver a shower function should our boys ever learn to give themselves a shower in the next 10+ years.  It included a shower enclosure from which a curtain could be hung to contain water play and stray sprays.  At $415, it wasn’t cheap.  But compared to the other setups we had looked at, it was priced well especially for all that it included.  And we actually liked its aesthetic.  The chrome faucet and showerhead were simple and classic…just what we were looking for.  FYI – the fixture does NOT include the soap dish or bath tray shown above.

After some initial huffing and puffing and “are we really going to pay $400 for a faucet and showerhead?!” we realized that spending $615 {the cost of the craigslist tub + the fixtures} on a tub/shower combo with a ton of character that would suit our kids now and in the future was totally worth it.  Yes, we still need to refinish the interior of the tub {which is actually in pretty good condition} and we haven’t decided whether that will be a DIY or professional undertaking…and that will add more $$ to the tub.  Still, we feel it’s one of those splurges that will make the room and function well.  Of course, we can’t afford to splurge on everything.  We’ll pare some splurges throughout the house with more economical, thrifty, DIY pieces…which makes for an interesting space anyhow.

Now that I’ve shared a splurge, let’s talk budget-friendly in the bathroom.

I originally happened upon this sink and vanity combo during a browsing trip to Home Depot a few months ago.  I snapped a picture of it and its shelf tag on my iPhone for future reference.  Turns out it’s the perfect petite size for our kids’ small bathroom.  I’ve been eyeing vanities with open frames and I really like the way they have a much lighter visual effect – especially in small spaces.  So the fact that this $199 version was open below the sink sold me.  I got a little nervous though when I finally got around to including it in this mood board last week.  I had some trouble locating it online, so I was sure it was on its way to being discontinued.

Sure enough, when HH went to Home Depot this past weekend to purchase the vanity he couldn’t find it on display in-store. He asked customer service about it and they hunted down THE LAST ONE in the back.  HH quickly bought it up and all is well in kiddie bathroom land. We’re very lucky we were able to purchase the last one in stock.  I think it was meant to be.  The vanity does not include a faucet, so we’ll be searching for one that complements the tub/shower fixtures to keep things cohesive.

Sorry, that’s a lot of words about a lot of money spent on a bathroom with not a lot of space.  A modern tub/shower from a big box store probably would have saved us some headaches {and maybe some $$} but it just wouldn’t have given us the feel we’re going for.  We’re trying to add character by using some vintage pieces in this house.

Have you brought a vintage splurge into your home that added a ton of character?  Was it a deviation from the easy, expected modern solutions out there? Maybe you have an antique armoire to house electronics or a reupholstered mid-century modern sofa?  Tell me what vintage piece you’ve given a second life in your home.  I’ll bet, in return, it’s given your home a whole new personality that was lacking.

images:  1 &2) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking  3-7) Vintage Tub & Bath  8) Home Depot

I shared the preliminary mood board for the kid/guest bathroom last week.  I included a clawfoot tub in the design of the bathroom and got a lot of feedback on the pros/cons of having one in your home.  I appreciate all the comments!  It definitely gave us a lot to consider.  In the end, we decided to go ahead with the clawfoot tub.

The bathroom will mainly be used by our kiddos.  Even though I semi-labeled it a ‘guest bath,’ the bathroom’s toilet and sink will be the only pieces really used by our guests.  Most of our immediate family lives in the area, so we rarely have overnight {i.e. bathing/showering} guests.  Plus, we won’t even have a designated guest bedroom at the Underdog, so I’d be surprised if we get one overnight guest visit annually.

For those rare overnight visits, we’re happy to share {what will be} a walk-in shower in the master bathroom with our guests if they should find the clawfoot tub too cumbersome.  ’Share’ as in let them use it – not as in take a shower with them.  We don’t have those kinds of guests.  That would be weird.

We will be adding shower fixtures to the clawfoot tub so our boys can shower when they get older. As of right now, they both still take baths.  I don’t mind that the tub will require more curtain around the shower.  I think I can finagle something out of multiple curtains sewn together.  I don’t use shower curtain liners now and I don’t plan on using them with the clawfoot tub either.  We just let the fabric drape inside the shower/tub and I launder it weekly.  It doesn’t get moldy or smelly and it doesn’t blow in around your body while showering like some liners can. So, even though we know that a clawfoot tub might not be the most practical choice for some families, we think it will work for ours.

With that decision made, we immediately started searching craigslist for a vintage clawfoot tub since I had already discovered that a new tub with the same look was priced anywhere from $1,000-$2,000!!!  Our plumber told us a few things to look for in a clawfoot tub: 1) The drain should be on the same side as the faucet.  2) The faucet hookup should be 2″ above the overflow.  Both of those details are required by code regulations in our area.  We ran into a problem with the size. Our small bathroom is only 60″ wide, so we were looking for a tub 54″ long or shorter.  Most of the tubs we came across were 60″ which must have been the standard size back in the clawfoot tub days.  So when a 54″ one showed up on craigslist listed at $250, we called right away to go see it.

It ended up being the perfect size and was in decent condition.  It met one of the two requirements…the drain was on the same side as the faucet but the overflow wasn’t 2″ down from the faucet.  Handy Hubby quickly looked at clawfoot tub faucets on my iPhone and discovered that we could add on a faucet that would make the tub meet code requirements.  HH asked if the sellers would take $200 for it. They said yes and in just a few minutes it was loaded up into the back of HH’s truck.

We were feeling pretty good about the find…for the moment.  In our excitement, we neglected to tie down the tub.  I guess we were thinking it was so heavy that it wouldn’t budge.  To make a long story short, a cast iron tub + plastic truck bed liner + rainy night + sudden braking = smashed rear truck windows.  Luckily, I had driven myself and the boys separately in our SUV {which, HH, I still think could have held the tub easily…just sayin’} and HH, who was driving the truck, didn’t get hurt. Well, maybe his pride was hurt.

The window repair cost us another $200, so the price of the tub just doubled.  The moral of the story??  Always secure your load.  Even if you think it’s heavy enough to stay put and you promise to drive slowly.  We learned our lesson.  The hard way. It’s one of those stories that gets funnier the more we tell it and the farther away we get from the real life version.  We’re very lucky no one was hurt.  I wish I had a picture of HH’s truck to show you but I think HH would have thrown the tub right out of the truck if I’d have taken a picture in the moment.  He wasn’t too happy about the situation.

I do have a picture of the tub sitting in the garage at the Underdog to share with you.

Isn’t it cute?  Try to look past the green exterior.  I plan on painting it a glossy charcoal gray.  You may be wondering why one corner is propped up on a piece of lumber.

HH had a little mishap with one of the feet when he was unloading it.  You can imagine how this made him feel after all the other chaos.  Let’s just say it wasn’t HH’s best night.  I was trying to stay positive, thankful that everyone was okay and that the foot itself wasn’t damaged.

All in all, $400 for a 54″ vintage clawfoot tub {$200 for the tub + $200 for the window damage} still isn’t awful.  $200 would have been better but we’ll take what we can get.  We’ve already moved on and begun to get things in order for the rest of the bathroom…the tub/shower fixtures and the vanity.  I’ll be back later to share those with you soon!

images:  1) Polyvore collage by Dana Miller linked within  2) Keith Scott Morton for Country Living  3 & 4) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking