Some of you noticed the black and white horizontal wall stripes in the boys’ bedroom. Good eye! Would you believe the striped accent wall is the result of peel-and-stick wallpaper? Well, it is.

The boys’ room it set up to keep the middle of the room open for floor play – a big necessity when the room doubles as the playroom. Originally, we were thinking of DIYing a desk along the wall opposite the bunk beds. But over the last several months, I’ve discovered that it’s much easier to help the kids with homework and crafts out in the main living areas. {Typically, we use the kitchen island or dining table for homework and crafting.} So we nixed the desk idea and opted for bookcases along the wall to hold toys, costumes, books and more. More on those later…

With the bunk and small dresser on one wall and two tall bookcases on the opposite wall, the room was starting to feel a bit galley-ish. I’m sure you’ve heard of a galley kitchen. Is there such a thing as a galley bedroom? I started thinking about adding something to the far window wall to make the room feel wider. That’s when I discovered the peel and stick wallpaper by Chasing Paper. At the time, the company hadn’t rolled out the new product and was looking for DIYers to try it and give them feedback. You know how I like DIY and feedback. One thing led to another. I chose a simple stripe in black and white hoping a horizontal application would give the optical illusion of a wider room. Here’s how it all went down.

To prep, we removed furniture, outlet covers and one of the boys’ book ledges – all of which were on the wall to be wallpapered.

I wiped the wall down with a damp microfiber cloth and let it dry completely. This step ensures good wall-to-wallpaper contact.

The wallpaper comes in 2′ x 4′ precut sections. Essentially, it’s one huge sticker. You just remove the backing and press the wallpaper onto the wall. I’ve worked with traditional wallpaper before and this peel-and-stick stuff is SO MUCH EASIER. No long and winding rolls of paper to get tangled up in, no dripping adhesive. Still, I found it helpful to have a second set of hands. HH – and the three kiddos! – was/were at my disposal.

We started in the upper left-hand corner of the wall. I used a tape measure, level and pencil to draw a horizontal pencil line to line up the bottom of the first section. HH mentioned something about leveling each and every section but that sounded too engineer-ish to my impatient self. I figured if the first section was level and we based all of the other sections off of it, then everything would be fine. Maybe not perfect but good enough. {Yes, Everett is wearing a Batman t-shirt tucked into underwear. He has the personality to pull off the look.}

One row of wallpaper in and we were on a roll!

Three sections got us ~6″ short of the entire width of the wall. We used a sharp utility knife {a razor blade would work too} to cut a small piece to get us just past the corner. We decided to leave a bit of overhang at the end of each row in this corner and trim them all together at the end for a nice, straight edge.

At the window, I wallpapered up to the window then HH carefully cut the wallpaper while I held the wallpaper taut.

Three rows in and we had a good technique down.

I would peel one side of the wallpaper away from the backing, get it all lined up then HH would slowly pull the backing away from the rest of the section while I smoothed out the wallpaper. We took it maybe 8″ at a time. If we got too ahead ourselves, we found that resulted in lots of air bubbles under the wallpaper. If we did get a bubble, all we had to do was peel back the paper to the bubble, release the air, and re-smooth. Super easy but even more so if you avoid getting too many bubbles in the first place.

One thing I noticed while we were working…too little overlap of neighboring sections caused a small line of the painted wall to show through and too much overlap resulted in a slightly visible seam. I’m guessing the wallpaper works best on white walls. {Ours was a taupe-y gray.} Now you know.

Once the wall was covered, there was trimming to do – at the baseboard and at the right-hand corner.

HH simply cut along the baseboard edge and corner with the utility knife then pulled the trimmed wallpaper away.

Super clean edges and super easy!

When we were done, only a small section of wallpaper remained. Thank goodness for measuring twice! Oh, and for fun HH checked the rest of the stripes with his level when we completed the wall. Such an engineer! Guess what? They were spot on.

Somehow in the chaos that is DIY + three kids, I managed to not take a picture of the finished product right after. I think we were all hungry. I’ll get you an after but until then here’s a little sneak peek of the aforementioned bookcases. {There’s still a lot of little things to do in the room.} We – the boys included – are crazy over the results. The horizontal stripes really do make their room feel wider and larger. I’ve yet to meet a stripe I didn’t like.

HH asked what was the benefit of wallpapering the stripes versus painting them. Obviously, removable wallpaper {did I mention you can remove this stuff without damaging the wall underneath?!} is geared towards renters, dorm residents or even those of you in military housing. When you move, pull it up and take it with you if you want. Just save the backing papers! But I have to say, the quality of the wallpaper gives a depth and crispness to the stripes that wouldn’t be exactly the same with paint. The company also offers plenty of other patterns that would be much harder to duplicate with paint.

If you’re thinking of trying this new peel-and-stick wallpaper, here are my thoughts:

*Make it a two person job.

*Start with a clean, smooth, white wall. I don’t think this wallpaper would be a good option for bumpy or rough walls.

*Level your first section of wallpaper and go from there.

*Work in small sections, removing the backing paper and smoothing slowly.

*Don’t overstretch the wallpaper. The paper does have some stretch to it.

*For the cleanest cuts, use a sharp utility knife or razor blade.

*Wallpaper is not only for walls! Try framing it, covering an unsightly outdated appliance, lining a basic tray or adding life to vinyl rollup shades.

Hop on over to Chasing Paper to view the entire product line. UPDATE: Initially, I thought the wallpaper was constructed of vinyl but after clarifying with Chasing Paper, the wallpaper is actually constructed of PVC free fabric {!} NOT vinyl and printed with latex ink. So sorry for the confusion! Still, I did allow the paper to off gas in the garage for several weeks before installation and aired out the room after installation by cracking the windows for a day or so. When we recently returned home from vacation, there was no odor in the boys’ room even after being closed up for 10+ days. Hope that clears up any concerns!

Would you ever try removable, peel-and-stick wallpaper?

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

My boys’ spring break began at 2:27 p.m. today. At which point, they promptly put on shorts and t-shirts. BECAUSE IT’S SPRING BREAK, MOM! I reminded them that it was 45 degrees outside but it didn’t make any difference to them.

We are leaving early Friday morning to visit family in Florida for a week. I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to this trip. I’m so over Ohio weather right now. My grandparents live in Florida and we haven’t visited their house since Everett {my middle lil’} was a baby. We are driving with three kids so wish us luck!

I’ll be taking a leave of absence from the blog world. I hope you understand. HH has been working 12-hour days for months without hardly any time off – even weekends. He just arrived home this evening from a business trip. We both need some time to unwind, regroup, play with our kids and just be. We’ll be celebrating two birthdays while we are away too. Mabrey turns one {!} this Saturday and Everett turns five next weekend. You guys, my kids are growing up way too fast. Mama no likey.

If you want, you can keep up with our vacation adventures on instagram @housetweaking.

My absolute favorite thing about road trips is READING. {Thank goodness I usually don’t get car sick while reading in the car.} I love to read but haven’t been able to set aside time for it much lately. I spent a small fortune on reading material for me and the kids {HH isn’t much of a reader} just for this trip. We are saving money by driving and staying with family so it’s justified, right?

For Everett – much to my delight, he’s finally starting to show an interest in reading…

For Layne – he’s my bookworm and will probably have all three of these books finished by the time we cross the Florida line – not joking!…

For Mama – that would be me…

I was trying to pick some fun, happy reads – nothing too heavy or that would require a ton of thought. And I couldn’t help but pick up a few glossies as well…

I’ll be back after our vacation with a bunch of new posts about the stripes in the boys’ room, the wall planter in the kitchen, plans for an outdoor dining area, a detailed look at the laundry nook, perhaps a vacation recap and Mabrey‘s birth story – among other things.

What do you have planned for spring break? Discovered any good books lately?

Florida or bust.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

I bought a new coffee table. Technically, it’s a bench but the proportions were right. Our previous coffee table was almost five years old. It was West Elm and I found it at a Pottery Barn outlet for $40. It was originally red but, for the price, I primed and painted it white. It worked really well in our previous living room but it was too high, too round and too chunky for our current living room. I envisioned something longer, lower and narrower. I bought the bench/coffee table from Overstock although it looks like it’s currently out of stock and they’ve raised the price. I used a coupon and paid $171.58 total for it two weeks ago. The dimensions are working out perfectly and I’ve been having fun styling it.

With the help of Target and their new Threshold collection, I’ve put together three different coffee table looks for you. I took Mabrey shopping while the boys were in school one morning in search of tabletop accessories and, boy, did I find them. Candles, vases, figurines, bowls, hurricanes…you name it. You guys, Target is killing it right now. And that’s why I agreed to work with them. Everything I’m about to show you are things that would be on my personal wish list even if I wasn’t partnering with them.

Without further ado, look #1. POPPY & GRAPHIC

This is probably the “springiest” look. It’s a combination of graphic patterns, red-orange pops of color, gold and wood.

At one end of the table is a stack of colorful books, a pair of single stem vases, a gold dipped bowl and a small matte white bowl painted chartreuse on the inside.

At the other end of the table I put down the marble pastry board I introduced to you here. I topped it with a third single stem vase, a brass hurricane, a black and white canister and a chevron wood box.

I tossed a white pillow with gold embossed edges on the chair and added a punchy patterned pillow with sequins and now they are planning their wedding.

I stole a graphic black and white pillow from the boys’ room for the leather couch.

Cheerful?

A bright red-orange candle brings color to the marble slab vignette. And it smells uh-maaaaaazing. Melon-y.

I can’t get enough of the brass hurricane/lantern and wood box.

Shop the look: dipped bowl / lattice canister / chevron box / brass hurricane / embossed pillow / dot stripe pillow

For look #2 I kept a few of my favorites {the lantern and wood box} on the table and brought in other items. WORLDLY & ECLECTIC {a.k.a. PUT ME IN THE ZOO}

This look is more masculine with ethnic-inspired patterns, animal figurines, brass, wood tones and a little quirk.

I grouped a yarn wrapped gazelle figurine, the same brass lantern {this time with a neutral, less aromatic candle} and a pierced tin hurricane.

Near the middle of the table is a hand painted wood bowl and a thrifted wood sculpture. To achieve a “lived in” look I threw in an open magazine, fresh greenery, a small bowl of cashews and cloth napkins.

The other end of the table holds books, gold animal figurines and another snack bowl filled with cashews.

There is a diamond patterned pillow and sheepskin on the chair.

I threw down a chevron runner under the table. The same embroidered pillow from look #1 is on the sofa along with a Nate Berkus gold mesh & tweed pillow. Of all the pillows shown today, the gold + tweed is my favorite. I love you Nate.

Can you see how the seat of the leather sofa is starting to patina and wrinkle? I love it. Good leather only gets better with age.

The painted detailing on the wood bowl is an art form. Of all the non-pillow pieces I selected, this bowl is my absolute favorite.

The gold rhino and elephant are pure fun. Everett asked me if rhinos and elephants eat cashews. It does look like I’m feeding them cashews out of a fancy trough, no?

Shop the look: yarn wrapped gazelle / brass hurricane / silver lattice hurricane / wood bowl / snack bowls / brass animals / diamond pillow / gold & tweed pillow

Finally, for look #3, I decided to go au naturel. NEUTRAL & LOVELY

This look is casual and effortless. It’s all about matte whites, warm wood tones, piles of books & magazines and glowing candles.

On one end of the table I brought in a white serving platter and topped it with a natural wood vase, two curvy white vases and a silver tea light holder. I cut a few crape myrtle branches {from the store…still no sign of spring!} and stuck them in the vases.

In the middle of the table is a stack of my favorite home design books. The gold & wood box makes another appearance in this look alongside a ceramic tea light holder.

I brought back the marble board and used it as a casual serving tray. I filled a chip and dip server with salsa and tortilla chips. A squatty candle and stemless wine glasses round out the tray. Chips and salsa go with wine, right? I consume them together all the time. YUM.

Our new coffee table has a large open space under it. Here, I slid in a woven basket and a stack of glossies for my reading pleasure. I could get used to having stuff under the table.

On the couch is a simple striped pillow and sheepskin.

When I was trimming the crape myrtle, I thought the fallen leaves looked pretty on the white tray. So I left them.

The tea light holder has a super functional design. The silver top and suspended candle holder are all one piece that lifts up and out of the glass surround. It’s easy to set a tea light in, light it and then drop it into the glass surround. So cool. I think it looks like the tea light is sitting on a swing.

The cutouts on the ceramic vase make for a spectacular light show.

I have to fuss over the squatty candle for a minute. I’ve been around the candle block a few times over the years, ifyaknowwhatImean. I’m a bit of a candle whore. If it smells good, I’ll give it a go. But this candle? It has three wood wicks. Say what? Wood wicks. And, get this, they CRACKLE when they burn. It’s like a mini wood burning fireplace right on top of the coffee table. A mini-crackling-wood-burning-fireplace-that-smells-like-vanilla-dolce heaven. You guys. I could live off of this salsa/chips/server/wine/crackling candle vignette for the rest of my life and be very happy.

HH is out of town on business. I do some of my best work when he’s away. HH is half joking when he tells people that he’s afraid of what he’ll find when he returns home from a work trip. He’ll be happy to discover that I’ve only made little tweaks this trip. I blame the kids.

For this month’s Wayfair in the House post, I jumped at the chance to add some stylish and practical accessories to the kitchen. The kitchen is finished from a reno standpoint but I’m just now getting to the good part – tweaking ’til my heart’s content. Which, realistically, could take years.

I’ve been dying to add something to the left of the kitchen window. I was holding out for the perfect piece. A living art frame ended up being that piece. It probably has something to do with the fact that I’m aching for spring. We got another 6″ of snow yesterday. Spring? A friend described it best, “Ohio is drunk.”

My original thought was to fill the planter with herbs. But I wasn’t willing to drag three kids around town in search of them. So I went to Home Depot and bought a bunch of small houseplants: succulents, African violets, fern.

I love the mix but am a little worried about how the fern will do alongside drought-loving succulents. There is a watering chamber at the top of the unit. I have a tutorial coming on how I filled and hung the planter. It’s unique and deserves a post all its own.

HH better watch out. If spring doesn’t get here soon, our kitchen may become overrun with plants! All joking aside, I’m loving all the greenery in the kitchen. It makes dishwashing tolerable.

Speaking of dishwashing…the dish towel is new too.

It has a subtle geometric pattern and contrasting ribbon trim. Again, dishwashing is becoming slightly more tolerable.

I get emails all the time asking how our walnut-topped island is holding up. {Read more about how we finished and installed the wood countertop.} My best answer is to tell those who are curious to check out the bar top at a restaurant the next time they’re in one. It’s pretty much spot on for how our island top looks. There are some scratches in the Waterlox topcoat but nothing deep enough that penetrates into the wood. In essence, the scratches could be sanded out if they were bothersome but they don’t bother me at all. You can only see them at certain angles and they’re just signs of life. We don’t cut directly on the walnut but we don’t baby it either. Homework and drawing is done at island. Dishes are slid around on the island. Casual meals are eaten at the island daily. Lunch boxes are packed at the island. It’s the busiest surface in our house and we love it. It still looks rich and is a cinch to clean. I use a wet washcloth to wipe it down and a towel to dry. That’s it.

One thing I’ve been looking to invest in is a marble pastry board. But not for pastries. {I don’t do pastries.} I thought it would be nice for meal prep or to use as a serving tray when knives are involved. And, let’s be honest, I like the layered marble-over-walnut look.

This marble board is substantial. It’s 20″x16″ and weighs a good 25-30 lbs! It’s not an accessory that is easily moved around the kitchen but, due to its size and weight, it stays in place when in use. I like it so much I think I may just leave it out all the time.

Can you spy the new accessory on this side of the kitchen? You may recognize it from my Joss & Main event.

Yep, it’s the pizza peel. I was in dire need of one. Currently, I count 4 scars on my forearms from reaching into the oven for a baking pizza. I’m a bit of klutz in the kitchen. Last week, I singed my arm hairs.

I put it on display instead of shoving it into a cabinet. I wish I could turn it so the handle was up but then it would be too large to fit under the shelf.  It ties in to the wood shelves and walnut island top well.

What do you think of the new kitchen accessories? Layne and Everett especially like the living art frame.

I planted and hung the wall planter at night while the kids were asleep. In the morning, the boys noticed it right away and made a point to tell me how much they loved it. If hanging plants on walls makes you a cool mom, I’m in.

Thanks to Wayfair for supporting my habit.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Last summer I mentioned that I would like to start creating mood boards for clients – for a fee. I asked you guys to help me out with pricing. After that post, I worked behind the scenes to nail down a tiered pricing sheet for design services. Then I emailed all the people who had asked for my help over the years {I have a special folder devoted to ‘Help me!’ emails} letting them know I was open for business with my pricing sheet attached. I’ve been booked ever since.

I didn’t announce my design services publicly here on the blog because I didn’t want to schedule myself too far out {that feels really overwhelming to me, knowing that “x” number of people are awaiting a mood board} and I wanted to see how things went since it was my first paying go-around with mood boards. Since then, I’ve learned a lot about my approach to seeing and decorating other people’s spaces.

I prefer quality over quantity. I’d rather give my attention to a few clients at a time than be pulled in different directions with a bunch of clients. On that same note, I like to take my time getting to know the client and their space. Which means I’ll look at pictures of their room and go over their wants/needs then let it all sit with me a while until I get a good feel for their style and how to inject that into their space. I like to carefully curate items for mood boards. I refuse to churn out a mood board within a week’s time if I can’t find just the right lamp or pillow or rug or whatever it may be. It’s really a thoughtful process to me and I like to pretend I’m “in” the space.

As you may have guessed, I’m not a one-weeker start-to-finish mood board creator. From beginning {which requires the client to provide room pictures, dimensions, inspiration images and answers to a brief questionnaire} to end, it usually takes me 2-4 weeks depending on the scope of the project. And sometimes longer if I’m not happy with a particular item or concept. This also has to do with the fact that I don’t have childcare {not that I couldn’t use some!} and I have three children. Mood boards are created late at night after everyone else is in bed. I can only survive so many 4-hour nights of sleep per week.

Another thing I’ve noticed is that even though a client may ask for only the most basic of services {i.e., overhead lighting, fixtures, color scheme, flooring, etc.}, I end up providing more. Either the client directly asks for it because they need help visualizing the rest of the room or I throw it in because I think the client needs to see the bigger picture to understand the basics I’ve suggested.

Finally, as much as I hate to admit it, I think I’m undervaluing my services. I have been charging $175 for the most detailed tier. Over the past eight months, I’ve had two clients come to me by word of mouth – not via House*Tweaking. I provided them with design services then asked them to pay me what they thought my help was worth. Both paid me more than what I would have charged according to my pricing sheet.

So to answer the most frequently asked question that pops up in my inbox: Yes, I do provide design services. However, I’m currently booked until late summer. You can always email me and I will keep your email on file and contact you when my schedule opens up. Also, I’m no longer going to provide tiered services for the reasons mentioned above. I will provide a comprehensive mood board that encompasses everything from furniture arrangement to finishes to accessories. Most likely, pricing will increase although clients already on the schedule won’t be affected.

To keep you in the know, I like sharing the mood boards I create – with the client’s permission, of course. Here’s one of my recent projects.

Ali wanted help with her living room and dining room. In the living room, Ali was hoping for a more functional furniture arrangement conducive to adult conversation, a little telly action and guitar playing {her husband plays} but also kid-friendly enough for her six-year-old twins. {Ali’s house has a separate family room for primarily watching TV and relaxing as a family.} When Ali contacted me, the room was being used only as a quick dropzone upon entering the house.

In the dining room, Ali asked to keep the existing dining table and chairs. She hosts meals for family and friends often. She wanted both of the rooms to be comfortable for entertaining. Ali admitted she was confused by her style. She loves simple open spaces, industrial elements, natural wood and exposed brick but is also drawn to the colors and textures found in Indian textiles. And, of course, she was on a budget.

For the living room, I suggested a new furniture arrangement {see the very rough sketch above}. Here’s the mood board:

1 – I suggested painting the walls a warm creamy white {i.e., Benjamin Moore’s swiss coffee} and hanging simple white curtains floor to ceiling at both windows.

2 – To accomodate guitar playing, I chose an armless sofa {in the brushed heather cotton gray haze option} for the main seating. HH plays a little himself and I know how he likes to sit forward with his guitar resting on his thigh when he plays. A sofa sans arms also helps to make the smallish room feel more roomy. I suggested placing the sofa on the window wall. I chose a few non-matching throw pillows found here, here and here. A leggy floor lamp placed next to the sofa provides light for evening gatherings. Instead of hanging a mirror or artwork above the sofa {so predictable}, I suggested that Ali display her husband’s guitar. He can easily remove it to play. Hanging the guitar on the wall also frees up precious real estate.

3 – To round out the seating area, I found a masculine leather chair with a small footprint. Like the sofa, the chair is armless to accommodate guitar playing. I decided to forgo a coffee table and chose a drum stool instead. The stool can be moved around the room and used as extra seating when necessary. A patterned dhurrie rug grounds the seating area and adds interest to the space.

4 – I suggested placing the TV on the same wall as the front door. This way, the screen isn’t the first thing you see when you walk in the door. A rustic media console supports the TV and its components. The console can also handle mail, a few toys and sheet music. I recommended creating a gallery wall around the TV screen and incorporating the frames in the dining room. To light this side of the room, I found a glass table lamp. A vintage brass bowl catches keys and sunglasses.

For Ali’s dining room, I suggested pulling the dining table out from the window a bit {see another very rough sketch above}. As is, it was looking a little cramped. Here’s the mood board:

1 – I suggested painting the walls the same warm, creamy white as the living room and hanging the same white curtains high and wide around the dining window. To bring in more natural light and fool the eye into thinking the room was larger, I suggested hanging/leaning a large floor mirror on the wall furthest from the living room. After the dining table is in its new, less crowded position, I’d love to see this wire globe light centered above it – possibly swagged from the lightbox. It would reflect into the mirror when lit, doubling the ambiance.

2 – Ali needs to keep the current dining set so I suggested breaking up all the dark wood by removing the two chairs closest to the staircase wall and replacing them with an upholstered bench. The backless bench keeps the flow of traffic to the kitchen/living room open. I would top the dining table with a simple greenery arrangement to keep the focus on the pendant light.

3 – For interest, I suggested laying down a kilim runner in the pathway from the living room to the kitchen. In place of the open bookshelf in the original pictures, I’d use a sleeker closed cabinet and flank it with the two dining chairs that were replaced by the bench. A pair of gourd table lamps tops the cabinet for added lighting. I recommended relocating the large framed art piece in the living room to the wall above the cabinet so that the lamps overlap the artwork a bit for a layered look.

And that’s it! What do you think of Ali’s mood boards? Any favorite pieces? Personally, I adore the gourd lamps {only $35 each!}, the armless sofa and the rustic media console.

FYI – Learn to create mood boards for free here, here, here and here.

Click here to see who won last week’s giveaway!

images: 1 & 2} Ali  3 & 4} polyvore collages created by Dana Miller, linked within

After I wrote this post about using 3M adhesive strips to hang frames in the mudroom/dining room, I received these instagram pics from a reader.

That, my friends, is a dorm room. Let me repeat myself…a dorm room…as in dormitory. Can you even believe it?! Denise hung an eclectic gallery of frames using 3M adhesive strips on the block walls of her daughter’s dorm room to create a homey atmosphere. By far, it is the most adorable dorm room I have ever laid eyes on. Do you spy the stickygram door?

I’m coining a new word. Adormable. And this room is the epitome of it.

So there is something to look forward to when my babygirl goes off to college. She’ll be there before I know it. You guys, she turns 1 in a week. HOW CAN THIS BE?!

P.S. – Five things I’m doing in anticipation of spring.

images: Denise via instagram

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.*

Congrats to Nicole who is approaching the one year anniversary of owning her first home! She has some projects in the hopper which she may hire out for so an Angie’s List membership would be helpful in finding a reputable company.

So not everyone has an HH {HH stands for Handy Hubby here on House*Tweaking} and mine is not for hire. Sorry ladies and gents. Although, I have a feeling HH could make a killing if that’s what he really wanted to do. He’s mentioned it. Maybe someday.

Today’s giveaway is for the HH-less. Or maybe even the HH-ful who need a pro to help with a large scale project or a project beyond their know-how or a project they just don’t want to do. Been there, done that. Angie’s List is an online resource for service-based company reviews. Only paying subscribers have access to the reviews and can “grade” companies. Basically, it’s the modern day word-of-mouth.

HH and I have personally subscribed to Angie’s List in the past. It was reassuring to hire a company that others had had a pleasant experience with. We felt like if we were going to shell out the money for someone else to do the work then we wanted to know the work would be done right. We’ve had a few run-ins with companies doing sub-par work and it’s extremely frustrating. We’re usually left with less money, a poor result and either 1) having to hire out another company to fix/finish the job or 2) having to DIY the job ourselves after we previously decided against it. Not fun.

But you lucky ducks have the chance to avoid all that frustration with a free one year subscription to Angie’s List! See entry details below.

PRIZE: a one year membership to Angie’s List

RULES: You must be at least 18 years old and have a U.S. phone number. Yep, phone number. One entry per email address.

TO ENTER: Leave a comment on this post proclaiming “NO WHAMMIES!”

DEADLINE: Enter before Sunday, March 24th at midnight EST. One random winner will be announced Monday, March 25th.

WHILE YOU’RE AT IT: Since we’re talking projects gone awry…tell me a time when you hired out for a project and received less than desirable results. I’ll go first. HH wanted to build a Man Shed in the backyard of our previous home. He could have easily built the entire thing himself but due to time constraints he decided to hire out for the concrete foundation of the outbuilding. He got three estimates, went with the cheapest one and we got burnt. In the end, HH rallied my dad and a few friends to help him fix and finish the job properly. He paid them in beer. After all, they were laying the foundation to a Man Shed.

I didn’t realize what a pain it is to make bunk beds until we got them for the boys’ shared bedroom. It makes me sweat. No joke. After struggling with the beds for a while, I thought “there’s got to be a better way!” When I googled “how to make bunk beds” all I came up with were a bunch of tutorials on how to build bunk beds. Not what I was looking for.

I thought maybe something was wrong with me and possibly bunk beds were to be dressed just like a regular bed. When I read about how to properly dress a single level bed, I was in shock. WTF?! I’m supposed to iron bed sheets? You’ve got to be kidding me. Me, the girl who doesn’t even break out the iron unless there’s a wedding or a photo shoot. And all those layers of bedding – sheets, blankets, duvets, coverlets, throw blankets, pillows?? Um, that’s so not happening in my kids’ room. So, I set out to find little tricks for making bunk beds easy – or at least easier – on my own and I’m happy to share those with you today. Let’s do this.

Tip #1 Use a stool. Unless you’re 7′ tall or have go-go gadget arms, you’re gonna need a step stool. At the beginning of my bunk bed-making journey, I would get up on the top bunk and try to make it. Do you know how hard it is to make a bed that you are in? It doesn’t work. Now I keep a small stool in the boys’ bedroom just for making the bed. It’s a lifesaver.

Tip #2 Use sheet clips. From what I can tell, plastic surgery is glorified bed-making. You’re not going to get good topical results unless everything underneath is smooth. Some kids are the busiest sleepers, aren’t they? When my oldest wakes up in the morning, it looks like he’s been practicing swimming from sharks all night.

I use these bed bands to hold his fitted sheet in place. He’s on the top bunk so I can fasten them from the bottom bunk. Basically, you put one clip in each corner, grip the perpendicular sides, clip shut then adjust the tension to hold the sheet snugly. Even if you don’t have a busy sleeper on the top bunk, I’d still suggest using sheet clips to keep the sheet in place.

Tip #3. Skip flat sheets. Kids + flat sheets = balled up flat sheets at the foot of the bed. It never fails.

After trying unsuccessfully to teach my kids the “right” way to sleep – with the flat sheet OVER their bodies – I gave up the fight. We parents must pick our battles.

I did away with flat sheets on the kids’ beds all together and instead use a thicker, heavier cotton blanket right on top of the fitted sheet. Go ahead. Say it. Domestic rebel! I’m a happier mom because of it. Sometimes the boys sleep on top of the blanket {who am I to judge?} but when they do use it as a cover they don’t kick it off.

Tip #4. Choose a fluffy down comforter + duvet cover. It’s nearly impossible to get the outermost bedding on bunk beds perfectly smooth because you don’t have direct access to both sides of the beds. I’ve found it’s easiest to go with bedding that looks good kind of rumpled and that’s thick enough to disguise wrinkly imperfections. A down comforter inside a duvet cover fits the bill. In the winter I use a down comforter with a higher warmth rating and in the summer I use one with a lower warmth rating.

On the top bunk, I tuck the foot of the duvet first. Then I pull the duvet all the way up to the head of the bed. I tuck the wall side then the wall-free side.

On the bottom bunk, I do the same but fold the duvet back a bit just for something different.

Tip #5. Use comforter clips. A duvet cover is essentially a really big pillowcase. There’s a lot of room for the comforter to shift. I use these padded clips to hold the comforter to the duvet cover. It makes for less duvet adjustments in the morning.

Tip #6. Go easy on the pillows. One standard pillow for sleeping and one or two throw pillows are plenty.

Kids don’t care about pillows. Moms do. Keep it simple for your sanity.

More than likely they’re going to end up on the floor anyhow.

And that’s it! Six tips for making bunk beds. None of which require an iron. Of course, you can apply these tips to regular beds as well.

I’ll be honest. I don’t make the boys’ beds everyday. Some days I ask them to make their beds themselves because it’s a chore I think they should be responsible for. But seeing as how I have a hard time making the bunk beds, you can only imagine what the beds look like after an eight-year-old and four-year-old work their magic on them. When company’s coming, I make the beds.

Or I just close the hideout curtains.

The step stool {nearly five years old}, bedding and curtains are all from IKEA. I didn’t plan it that way. It just happened. IKEA has really great inexpensive bedding which is perfect for children. 

I know what you’re thinking. THOSE WALL STRIPES! Sorry, that’s another post.

Do you have any tips or tricks for making kids’ beds? Do your kids make their own beds? Do you make your kids’ beds? A little of both? A little of neither? Yeah, we have those days too.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Still no sign of spring. But that’s not stopping us from turning our attention outdoors. Last fall we had two plain Jane concrete patios poured just outside the two sets of french doors {one in the mudroom & one in the kitchen} at the back of the house. We have plans to build a platform deck spanning the gap between the two patios.

These are HH’s hand drawn plans. We’ll be implementing Trex materials to build the deck. Looking for inspiration online, we came across some pretty elaborate deck designs that were amazing but a little over the top for us. Our house is a single level ranch on a modest flat lot and we don’t want our deck to look like we pulled it off the back of a large home with sweeping lake views. So, we’re going with a simple 15′ x 17′ design.

If you can’t read HH’s notes, here are the details:

*The deck will adjoin two concrete patios that are flush with the ground.

*The deck itself will sit ~6″ higher than the patios.

*The deck floor will be split into two equal sections.

*Each section will have a picture frame detail at the borders and the deck boards will run parallel to the house.

HH put together a more detailed 3D design using Trex’s deck designer tool. You can view the pdf here - Platform Deck Plans - if you’re a visual person. It’s a better representation of what the deck will actually look like although the decking material will be more of a gray color. As you can see, the deck is low enough that no railing is required. Our backyard isn’t that large so we like the idea of a low deck sans railing to avoid obstructing views and chopping up the yard. The window looking out onto the deck is the window above our kitchen sink. We’re hoping to use the deck as a casual outdoor seating space and the patios as dining and grilling areas.

With the way the weather has NOT been cooperating, it’s likely we won’t start on the deck until mid April after a little spring break action. To give you a better feel for what we’re working with {not much!}, I’ll be sharing some real time photos of our backyard soon. I’m also working on converting one of the patios into a dining space. Stay tuned. Have I mentioned I am so ready for spring? You?

We have partnered with Trex to build our deck. They will provide us with some of the materials for the build but all other materials, designs, labor, injuries, flubs, four-letter exclamations, opinions and reaping of the benefits {i.e. chillaxing with a beverage on our new deck} will be our responsibility. If you’re considering an outdoor space, see what a few pros have to say about designing, entertaining and living outside.

image: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Two of the three munchkins are sick. Snot and phlegm are everywhere. There are not enough tissues in the house. The everyday responsibilities that come with being a parent {piles of laundry, piles of dishes, piles of other stuff, putting something edible on the table, dentist appointments, school parties, wiping noses, changing diapers, helping with homework…why am I telling you this? You know the drill.} suddenly feel very monotonous and tedious. I blame cabin fever and there is no sign of spring in sight.

I’m craving a project. One that does not involve carving a bar of soap. Yes, I’m talking to you second grade art teacher. Thank you. Thank you for sending home a bar of soap to shave and prod and poke and toothpick and sculpt and cut into a work of art. Layne made the most beautiful pile of soap crumbs which Mabrey promptly ate. I understand why you made this a home project. Thankyouverymuch.

I’m fulfilling my parenting duties today then as soon as HH gets home from work this evening, I’m headed to IKEA. Alone. I warned HH last night. Please tell me someone else out there considers kidless outings to IKEA and/or Target mini vacations. And, mark my words, I won’t feel guilty. Listen up mommy conscience. I WILL NOT FEEL GUILTY.

Of course, I need a shopping list. Of course. If I don’t write stuff down, it doesn’t happen. Hell, sometimes even the stuff I do write down doesn’t happen. And that’s the kind of week it has been. A week of writing stuff down then nothing happening. Because of snot and soap. Both of which, I’ve discovered, Mabrey has an appetite for. Sugar and spice and everything nice, my a$$.

FYI – To fully experience my moodiness, please replace “stuff” with “sh*t” in the previous paragraph.

Here’s my shopping list.

IVAR shelving or RIBBA picture ledge? I can’t decide but I’m finally doing something about the surround sound speakers behind the couch.

BRANÄS basket I’m finally doing something about the clutter in the boys’ shared room.

LAPPLJUNG RUTA I’m finally buying this pillow after talking about how great it/the price tag is. But what a horrendous name!

NUMERÄR countertop + LERGBERG trestle leg We’re finally DIYing a table to put behind the sofa.

Seven o’clock can’t come soon enough.

Click here to see who won this week’s Jack & Ella Paper Press giveaway!

images: polyvore collage by Dana Miller, linked within