If you follow me on instagram @housetweaking you may have been witness to some behind-the-scenes footage of the photo shoot. Like the image above where HH is kindly staying up waaaaay past his regular bedtime to help me with a gallery wall. {More on the wall in another post.} You may also be wondering where in the world that floating credenza came from. As much as I would have liked it to, it didn’t just appear over night. HH built it after I sweetly suggested the idea whilst batting my eyelashes and ever so slightly bending over.

Hehe. Not really. He was on board the minute I showed him my inspiration. So, yeah, I canNOT take credit for this idea. I stole it. Technically, I guess I tweaked it a little by using different stain and hardware. Thanks Chris & Julia! And thank you worldwide interwebs. My house wouldn’t know what to do without you.

For a brief and satirical DIY overview, see below. For a more thorough and less cray-cray tutorial, see Chris & Julia.

DIY Fauxdenza

So…we had a blizzard yesterday. And thunder. And lightning. Weird winter storm. Anyhow, I promised some updates. Here they are.

Current pics of the painted french doors in the kitchen…

We love the drama of the high gloss finish.

Do you see the snow covering the skylights? It’s much darker in the great room without all that natural light. I can’t imagine not having those skylights. So happy we decided to go for them.

The gloss finish still looks wet to me. It should be easy to wipe down. I wanted to show you a close-up so you can see how the gel paint’s claim of ‘no brush strokes’ held up. The finish is smooth enough but not totally perfect.

Onto the mudroom…

The tulip chairs are here. They are a nice modern contrast to the traditional pedestal table that was a family hand-me-down. They are super comfy too. I’m thinking of recovering the seat cushions with something textural {faux fur?} but HH suggested dying the removable covers to have a second set on hand. What a great idea! I’ve never dyed fabric before. Any suggestions or tips?

We added woven blinds and curtains to the window. The curtains were a great price – $20! – but the tabs at the top looked cheap to me. I cut them off and sewed a rod pocket instead. That did shorten the length of the panels a bit but they fall behind the sofa so it doesn’t matter.

You may have noticed that I changed my mind and slipcovered the small sofa in white cotton instead of navy linen like I had originally planned. I actually got halfway through the navy linen slipcover when I realized it wasn’t going to jive. It’s not a total loss though. I’ll be using the navy linen for pillow covers throughout the house. I DIY’d the slipcover. It’s not perfect but it’s done. And it cost me less than $50. I have pics and details for a how-I-did-it post. I wouldn’t call it a tutorial because, like I said, it’s not without flaws.

The mirror and pillow covers on the table are accessories in waiting. As far as the dining part of the mudroom goes, we have a surprise planned for the wall opposite the french doors. We’re really excited about it especially because we didn’t think we’d have time to tackle it before the photo shoot in January but we have been working our tails off to stay on schedule. Hint: The mudroom might be one of the rooms featured in the photo shoot.

The laundry nook in the mudroom is taking shape.

I painted over the stencil. Womp-womp. Sorry stencil lovers. I loved the stencil but it didn’t feel right. I guess the lesson here is to not try incorporating something just because it’s given to you. The good news is it was an easy fix. I used paint leftover from Mabrey’s room. It’s Benjamin Moore’s dark pewter. HH saw my repainting as a home improvement mistake. I saw it as a learning experience. We see things differently sometimes. If I end up with a result I love and learn something along the way {i.e., stenciled walls aren’t my thing in this house} then I see it as a success – even if it involves extra work. I’m one step closer to the look I’m going for.

During renovation, HH found some old boards in the attic. He salvaged them and used them to construct a reclaimed wood countertop above the washer and dryer. He used wood biscuits to connect the boards to each other for a seamless look then sanded, conditioned, stained them with Minwax’s special walnut and finished them in a semi-gloss poly. Because our dryer controls are at the back of the unit, HH designed a tiered countertop. That way we still have access to the water shut-off and dryer knobs. I have plans for hiding the shut-off and knobs. To be continued…

I sewed curtains from the same type of panels used on the mudroom window to disguise the washer and dryer. We hung them from curtain wire and clips. There is an eyelet ceiling hook underneath the center of the countertop to support the wire. The curtain isn’t as full as I’d like so I’ll probably add more panels. We still need to paint the cleats and vertical support white to blend in better.

Wondering how I access the washer control panel?

Ta-dah! HH cut an access door and added hinges and latching hardware to give me full access to the washer controls and soap dispenser.

The dryer. Not much else to say about that. The laundry nook isn’t quite done but we’re close.

We moved the location of our bathroom hand towel and switched out the towel ring for this one. Confession: I’ve been removing HH’s electric razor from the sink every time I take pictures of the bathroom. We tweaked the bathroom a little to get HH’s razor off the sink once and for all.

We added a shallow cabinet to the wall left of the vanity. We bought it in a birch finish and primed and painted it white.

It’s deep enough to house HH’s razor and toothbrush {What can I say? The man likes his electric toiletries.} but shallow enough not to crowd the sink and vanity.

HH cut a hole in the side of the cabinet to run cords to a nearby outlet. You don’t notice it unless you’re looking at the cabinet from the shower or toilet. I’m just happy not to have HH’s razor staring at me from the sink all. the. time.

And in the midst of preparing for a photo shoot, this is happening…

…undertaking the boys’ shared bedroom? Why not.

As if the holidays aren’t busy enough. Ha! Oh well. HH and I were talking last night and we agree that it feels great to see our house looking and feeling more and more like home with each project we tackle. You have to start somewhere.

Hope you are enjoying time with friends and family this week!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

You already saw our kitchen go from this…

…to this…

Yeah. That was a complete gut job. Since then, we’ve been doing what we do best. Tweaking.

We originally installed four open shelves near the range. They were totally functional and got me on the open-shelving-in-the-kitchen bandwagon but left a lot to be desired. The white MDF boards got lost against the light-colored wall and looked a little meh. A reader with a keen eye also noted that the shelves seemed too low and would look better if they were in line with the hood.

We lived with them that way for a few months. I really liked having our everyday serving ware {plates, bowls, glasses, etc.} out in the open for quick access but felt that something was off. I went back through my kitchen inspiration photos and noted that many incorporated wood shelving. And after I looked further, I noticed that {as the wise reader above had suggested} the open shelving was in line with either: 1) a range hood 2) wall cabinets or 3) both. Aha!

I mentioned to HH that I thought the shelves would look better if they were raised so that the top shelves were in line with the hood and the bottom shelves were in line with the bottom of our wall cabinets {on the perpendicular walls}. He just looked at me.

He didn’t say a word but I’m pretty sure he was thinking, “What?! I just hung those shelves. They’re not going anywhere.”

Then I added, “And wouldn’t it be nice if we could find some reclaimed wood to replace the MDF?”

Still, the look and no words. This is what HH has to put up with on a daily basis. Have pity on him.

But I had planted a seed. And eventually it sprouted some roots because a few weeks later HH told me we had a few fence boards leftover from our DIY ‘love’ headboard. On top of that, they were 1″ thick – exactly what we needed. He thought we had enough to replace the MDF shelf boards. He also said something about installing a backsplash while he was at it.

I love that man.

I’ll have full-on ‘how we did it’ posts next week but feast your eyes on this…

How you like dem apples?

First, let’s discuss the most obvious tweak. The backsplash.

We chose 2″x12″ white subway tile and a contrasting warm gray grout.

We decided to tile up to the hood but not to the ceiling because we really didn’t want the hood to be an ‘in your face’ focal point from the adjoining family room.

Likewise, we chose to only go three tiles high with the rest of the backsplash. Don’t get me wrong. I do enjoy an entire wall of tile now and again but when it’s visible from a not-so-utilitarian space {like our wide open adjoining family room} then it feels a little cold to me. Not to mention, keeping our backsplash minimal saved us time and money. Unless your kids are doing the cooking in your house {in which case TELL ME YOUR SECRET}, you really don’t need a backsplash that extends to the ceiling.

It’s hard to tell from this shot but the low backsplash wraps around under the microwave.

No backsplash along the desk area. I’m reserving the under-cabinet space for an inspiration board, memos, reminders, etc.

Now for the less obvious tweak. The reclaimed wood shelves…

Seriously. They might be my favorite thing in the entire kitchen. Besides the skylights. The wood is old fence boards from HH’s family farm back in Pennsylvania. Like I mentioned, it was from the same lot that we used to DIY our previous headboard. {Don’t worry. HH sealed it so there’s no risk of contaminating our dishes with nasty chemicals or harmful dust.}

This shot shows how the raised shelves follow the lines of the kitchen better. I liken their new, higher position to a good {not Joan Rivers} facelift. It’s like that’s where they were supposed to be all along. Oh, and I have no problem reaching stuff on the shelves at their current height. At 5’4″, that was a slight concern for me but, turns out, it’s just like reaching up into a wall cabinet for something on the bottom or middle shelves.

The wood isn’t perfect. It’s bowed and warped which did pose somewhat of a challenge to hang. It has an aged patina that can’t be bought and only comes with time. We purposefully left some of the old paint on the boards.

Each shelf is actually made up of two boards placed side by side. Since we reused the IKEA brackets, HH had to cut the boards length and width wise to fit. Even though there are two boards and they aren’t perfectly smooth, it’s not enough to make our dishes wobble precariously above us.

I love the function of the open shelving so much that I bought two more brackets and we added a low shelf over near the fridge for easy water drinking. {See how the backsplash continues along this wall?} The height of the shelf is in line with the backsplash and still allows us to utilize the electrical outlets properly. This corner needs work. I want to hang the paper towel roll and I’ll probably remove the coffee maker since we rarely use it.

HH was worried the area under the shelf would be wasted but it’s perfect for storing cutting boards.

Some more shots because I can’t enough of the reclaimed wood and it’s Friday!

The mix of the shiny white tile, glass globe pendants, stainless steel brackets & appliances, weathered wood shelves, warm walnut island top, dark lower cabinetry and aluminum stools are so us. We love the contrast of light + dark, old + modern, shiny + matte.

I still have a short list of things to add to the kitchen, mostly final touches and accessories: window treatment, rug, maybe some hooks under the lower shelves near the range for towels/kitchen tools, wall art to the left of the window, etc.

Last week, one reader guessed another addition to the kitchen…

Cabinet lighting. {I’ve yet to paint those damn french doors. Why?! It’s not that hard!}

HH installed it himself. I have no idea how. I’m clueless when it comes to electrical work. I do know our electrician-in-law {who did the rest of the electrical work on the house} ran supply wire and hooked it up to switches so the cabinet lighting turns on/off with the flip of a switch. Presto! If you have any questions about it, feel free to ask in the comments section and maybe HH can answer them. I’m sorry. I have no desire to be an electrician.

But I do love what lighting can do for a space. I wish I could capture the ambience of the cabinet lighting at night. It’s the only lighting we use in the great room in the evenings after the kids are tucked in bed, lunches are packed for the next day and the kitchen is cleaned up. Cabinet lighting – that’s about as romantic as we get, people.

One last thing before I go…THANK YOU for voting for Mabrey’s room in the Room for Color contest over on Apartment Therapy. We won the dark division! I couldn’t have done it without you.

Have a happy weekend! I’ll be attempting a weekend warrior project that involves paint. Fingers crossed the kids cooperate.

Click here to see who won this week’s Bona giveaway.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Back in September D. Lawless Hardware sponsored a giveaway here on H*T. Leslie was the lucky winner of a $50 gift certificate to the online hardware store. She had just acquired an entertainment armoire and said she could use the prize to customize her new find.

Leslie was true to her word. Not only did she put the $50 towards sprucing up her armoire, she sent me pictures of her mini-makeover. Three cheers for a reader following up and sharing their project with us! Hip hip hooray. Hip hip hooray. Hip hip hooray!

Leslie had been searching for a piece of furniture to corral the flatscreen TV, electrical components and kid miscellaneous in her living room. She found the perfect entertainment armoire at an estate sale. The cabinet had been custom made by a local woodworker and was valued at $2,000. Leslie scored it for just $350!

There was just one tiny problem. The hardware that came with the cabinet was a tad ho-hum for Leslie’s taste. She knew it was something that could be switched out easily and for little money and was able to see past the boring nickel knobs. So when fate stepped in and Leslie won a gift certificate to D. Lawless Hardware, she knew exactly what she would spend it on.

Leslie traded in her plain Jane hardware for matte black pulls. She chose a straight pull to contrast with the traditional lines of the armoire and black to contrast with the lighter color of the cabinet.

How gorgeous is that cabinet?!

The fact that it works just as good as it looks has me panting over here. No more black rectangle on the wall. No more minuscule console. No more kid clutter.

And how adorable are Leslie’s fall decorations? The ‘happy fall’ sign on the front door and the pumpkins in hurricane vases on the coffee table are great subtle touches. Thanks Leslie for sharing your hardware makeover with us!

To read more about Leslie’s armoire transformation check out her blog.

images: Leslie Newcomb

I’m finally getting little snippets of time to tackle a few smaller projects around the house. Everything is taking me about ten times longer than it should with two kids and a baby around.

This is how the kitchen desk looked after we moved in. It remained that way for nearly four months. There was no thought in the placement of anything; I just threw everything in the cabinets and on the countertop to get it out of boxes. The stacks of papers in the far left upper cabinet are mine and HH’s mail. It’s all mail that we’ve gone through and need to either file away or act on. What a mess!

My goal in organizing the desk area was just that – to organize it. I wasn’t looking to style anything. That will come. We just need it to work first. Basically, I took an entire day to remove everything from the cabinets and drawers, clean the drawers and shelves, then put it all back in a better working order.

Here’s the desk area now…

Like I said, no styling. There are still plenty of empty shelves, baskets, bins and jars for growing. I tried to place things in a way that caters to our daily living.

The left side of the desk area holds items that we use in the kitchen and at the desk. The baskets in the upper cabinet hold our vitamins, batteries, flashlights and a bunch of inspiration images I’ve gathered over the years. And there’s an empty shelf! Yay! That’s gotta be good feng shui or something.

One drawer holds grilling utensils for when our grill lives on the future patio right outside the set of french doors in the kitchen. The other drawer just has my laptop bag in it for now. Eventually, I’ll hang it somewhere and have an empty drawer.

One of my favorite things about the desk area are the outlets that we wired into the backs of the lower cabinets. On the left side of the desk, we plugged in the printer/scanner. No ugly wires to wrangle! The accompanying baskets hold printer paper and computer/printer miscellaneous.

I designated the center desk area for less used kitchen serving ware. I was nervous about storing the heavy china plates on the glass shelves so they stayed on the wood bottom of the cabinet. I mixed in a warm wood utensil caddy to contrast against all the white and glass. The caddy is actually our ‘rainy day caddy.’ It holds pencils, a pencil sharpener, card games for the kids, *washable* markers, etc. I pull it down when the kids are bored and we end up drawing or playing for an hour.

Still no desk stool. I’ve been searching. I think I’m being too picky. I want something comfortable because I’ll use the desk for blogging, designing mood boards, making grocery lists and looking up recipes online. But, so far, all the stools I’ve found that are comfy and in my price range don’t look that great. It’s gotta look good too!

The right side of the desk houses more everyday items such as: my camera, mail, favorite magazine issues, drawing pads, file folders, coupons, note cards, etc. They’re not necessarily kitchen things.

I repurposed a few fabric covered bins as mailboxes for me and HH. My camera bag lives here where it’s easy to reach. My old recipe box {I can’t seem to let it go} and a stack of coasters camp out too. The wooden boxes on the top shelf hold kid puzzle pieces. I like storing toys and kid stuff in decor boxes, bins and baskets instead of the gaudy packaging they come in. They’re easier to live with that way.

Junk drawer no more! I used some plastic drawer organizers I already had to divvy up the junk drawer into more manageable compartments. There are pens, a stapler, scissors, 3M adhesive hooks, packing tape {I hope I never use it again!}, fishing line {for invisibly hanging things}, furniture pads and other common junk drawer oddities. I saved the right drawer for HH’s smaller tools that are hanging out in the house resting from a recent project and waiting to be taken back out to the garage. There’s always something going on around here so tools deserve a kitchen drawer.

The lower cabinet has drawing pads and crayons for the kids {i.e. things I don’t mind them getting out themselves}, a 3-hole punch, note cards, envelopes, our filing system, a coupon folder and a tray of HH’s portable tool batteries and chargers. Again, LOVE the outlet in the cabinet!

With everything in its place, I can breathe a little easier. Now if I could only muster up the energy to tackle the rest of the kitchen. Ha!

Some things I still want to do with the desk area are:

*find a stool already!

*DIY one or more cork/fabric boards to pin notes, inspirational images, fabrics, etc. onto

*set up a charging station for our phones, iPad and laptop

*use a rug to make it feel homier…hopefully not homelier

*style things a bit once it’s all functional

I’ll probably shuffle items around for a while before they find their final resting spot. That’s okay. Tweaking is fun. What corners of your home have you been tweaking lately?

Check here to see who won this week’s Scribbles & Stripes giveaway! If you weren’t the winner, there’s no need to pout. You can still score a 10% discount until October 24th by entering the code ‘HOUSETWEAKING’ at checkout. Need a custom case for your new iPhone? Scribbles & Stripes is now taking pre-orders for iPhone 5 cases!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

After designing and purchasing our IKEA kitchen, the mound of boxes and appliances sat in the garage for about 6 months.

Of course, storing the unassembled cabinetry in an environment where the climate isn’t controlled {for example, a garage} is not recommended as the wood and MDF pieces could absorb moisture. That being said, once we got around to installation, we had no problem with any of the pieces being warped, bent or buckled. Whew.

Why did it take us so long to get around to installation? Well, we first had to remove interior walls, vault the ceiling, install skylights and French doors, upgrade the electrical {which included running electricity to the island for two outlets required by code}, run a new gas line {since we were changing the location of the range}, run a water line for the new fridge, improve insulation, hang drywall and paint. Handy Hubby started installing the kitchen cabinets in the midst of our DIY flooring install.

Typically, upper cabinetry is hung first then base cabinets are installed. This makes it easier to hold upper cabinets in place while they’re being installed. However, we chose to assemble and install the base cabinets first because we wanted to finish the flooring install around the base cabinets and under the appliances {i.e. refrigerator, dishwasher, range}. Plus, HH predicted the upper cabinets wouldn’t be that difficult to install over set base cabinets because IKEA uses a rail system to hang upper cabinetry.

HH started with the island. He built a wood base from treated 2×4′s for the three base cabinets that make up the island. The base is secured to the concrete slab. We decided to run the flooring right up to  - but not underneath – the island and base cabinets since the floating engineered hardwoods could shift over time due to temperature and moisture changes. Shifting of the floor under cabinets could cause the cabinets to shift as well and we didn’t want that.

Once the three base cabinets of the island were assembled and installed, HH set to work on the rest of the base cabinets. He set up shop in the adjacent living room assembling cabinet-by-cabinet. Here would be a good place to note that HH said the frames were simple enough for one person to assemble alone. Once he made a few, the process was quite self-explanatory although he would flip through the IKEA instructions for each cabinet to check for any different steps. HH glued the joints and used clamps to hold them which he later admitted was probably overkill. But, he’s an engineer, so overkill is a normal part of any project.

To make the task of leveling the perimeter base cabinets as easy as possible, HH secured level 1×3′s near the bottom of the kitchen walls for the backs of the cabinets to rest on. That way, once a cabinet was in place, all HH had to do was tweak the front two legs of the cabinet to get it level since the back would already be level. {IKEA base cabinets come standard with legs that twist up and down.}

With the base cabinets in place, HH finished the flooring install then turned his attention to the upper cabinetry. Using the coordinating suspension rail, he was able to assemble {in the same way as the base cabinets} and hang the wall cabinets single-handedly.

HH LOVED the rail system. Usually, the task of installing wall cabinetry requires two people but, with the rails, HH alone could hang an assembled wall cabinet, slide it into place, then attach it to the wall and/or neighboring cabinet. The rails were also why he had no problem hanging the upper cabinetry above already installed base cabinets. There was no need for someone to stand directly below the wall cabinet.

After all of the cabinets were installed, HH built the drawers and added them along with the door fronts. Of note: We were shorted one drawer in our order but since we had signed off on the delivery and it had been nearly six months since we bought our kitchen, we just spent the $40 to buy another drawer instead of messing with customer service. He was especially happy with the hinge hardware for the upper cabinets. They have a snap-on function that allows you to add/remove the doors without screws. Again, this was a great feature that allowed HH to hang the cabinets single-handedly. The snap-on hinges also allow you to easily remove the doors for cleaning – or for showing off your fancy hinges which is the only thing we’ve used them for so far.

The only thing left to do was add black-brown plinth to the naked sides of some base cabinets {the cabinet frames are white even if installing the black-brown fronts} and around the base legs. Installing plinth around the legs isn’t essential. In fact, forgoing this step would lend a freestanding look. The only ‘legs’ showing in our kitchen are the range legs and bottom of the refrigerator. The plinth around the legs pops on and off for easy access under the base cabinets.

Several readers have asked about reinforcing the base cabinets for granite countertop installation. {HH installed the island’s walnut countertop and we had a professional stone company install the granite.} The only additional support we added were: 1) custom cut plinth between the dishwasher and range {above} since neither of these appliances actually support countertop material 2) 1×3 support along the wall where the open desk is 3) corbels for the island countertop overhang.

Your IKEA kitchen specialist can help you determine if/what additional support is necessary for heavier countertop materials. After all, many of the display kitchens use solid surface countertops including granite. So, it is possible.

If you’ll be installing an IKEA kitchen yourself, here are a few things to keep in mind:

*Double, heck, triple check your order before you take it home/upon delivery.

*A level wood support near the bottom of the walls makes leveling base cabinets a cinch.

*The suspension rail system and snap-on hinges make one-person wall cabinet installation possible.

*Check with an IKEA kitchen specialist to see if additional countertop support is needed.

IKEA also offers professional installation services if DIY isn’t your thing.

We’ve been living with our IKEA kitchen for about two months now and even with all the unforeseen issues {IKEA server being down during the design phase, items on backorder, missing drawer, etc.}, we would do it over again. I’ll be writing up a review of our kitchen cabinets next week that will hit on the pros and cons of living with them. All in all, we love them.

Click here to see who won the Jilly Bean Craft giveaway! Even if you didn’t win, Jill is offering an exclusive 25% off discount to H*T readers now through Sunday, July 22nd. Use the code HTB25 at checkout.

images: 1-5 & 8-9) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking 6 & 7) IKEA

Ever since I came across this crazy good kitchen remodel a few years ago, I’ve been thinking about horizontal pulls on upper cabinetry. They definitely make for a streamlined look as opposed to a bunch of knobs. There’s something about the vertical lines of the cabinetry mixed with the horizontal lines of the hardware that provide an aesthetically appealing contrast. They seem pretty practical, too. But maybe that’s because I’m on the shorter side {5’4″ on a good day}, so reaching up and opening a cabinet via a horizontal pull feels more natural than the same action via a vertical pull.

Whatever the reason for my obsession over the placement of cabinet hardware, I saved the two images above in my kitchen inspiration folder noting ‘horizontal hardware?’ It should come as no surprise that when it came time to install hardware onto our own kitchen cabinets I suggested to Handy Hubby the idea of placing pulls horizontally on the upper cabinets. After seeing the simplicity of them {HH has a more modern aesthetic than me}, he was game.

We went with the VÄRDE handles from IKEA and chose not to use the rosettes.

Using a drill template that we had leftover from hardware installation in our previous home, HH added the handles to the cabinets. {Never mind the photo styling. It’s what I like to call ‘we just moved in 5 days ago and are still emptying box contents wherever.’ And the bar stool goes to the island. I haven’t found one for the desk area yet.}

Like my inspiration pics, we installed them horizontally on the upper cabinetry centered at the bottom of each door.

They have a good weight to them and feel nice in your hand when you open and close the doors.

Leaving the rosettes off gives a cleaner look.

More of the same on the other side of the kitchen. Unlike my inspiration pics, we didn’t do only horizontal placement on the lower cabinets. We kind of just went one-by-one pretend opening the drawers and cabinets and placing the handles the way that felt most natural to us. Basically, all the lower cabinet doors {except for the dishwasher panel and trash pull-out} got vertical handles and the drawers got horizontal ones.

It’s nice opening the drawers and doors via actual hardware instead of strips of masking tape…which is what we were doing. Little by little, it’s coming together.

images: 1) Cottage Living  2) flickr  3) IKEA  4-8 ) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

I mentioned in my latest recent purchases post that we bought a few cabinets – freestanding and wall versions – to use in the mudroom for closed storage. Well, Handy Hubby was busy, busy, busy this weekend assembling and installing them…among other things.

The PAX wardrobes were a two-person job. HH tried assembling them alone but they’re just too big to lift upright during assembly without some help. Luckily, HH’s dad came out to lend a hand the following day so HH could get ‘em done.

The wardrobes will act as much needed closet space for us. And let me tell you, these babies are deep! I have plans to fill them with everything from a steam mop to winter coats to shoe bins.

For now, they’re empty. Once we move in and I get a better feel for what organization we’ll require, I’m heading to IKEA for complementary inserts. I love that we can customize them to suit our needs.

The only problem I see so far is that the doors closest to the walls hit the baseboard and wainscoting trim. I think I can easily remedy this with a few strategically placed rubber bumper pads. You know, the kind you typically use on the inside of cabinet doors to keep them from banging against the frame.

I love how the paneled doors mix well with but don’t perfectly match the horizontal plank wainscoting.

We still need to add handles {in matte black?} to the doors. Down the road we may add some molding around the tops of the wardrobes for a built-in look. We’ll just have to wait and see how the room takes shape. Speaking of which, I finally found a pic of a dining space that better illustrates what kind of setup I’m wanting.

The casual dining area in this house tour features a petite settee, round table and dining chairs. The exact combo I had in mind for our dining room/mudroom!

But, wait a second, we’re talking storage. Oh. Right.

The wall cabinets in the laundry nook are up now, too. But not without a little snafu. HH first hung them about 5″ lower than what you see in the image above. I stopped by with a load of moving boxes afterwards and kindly hinted that I thought they’d look better hung at ceiling height. HH wasn’t happy about rehanging them {love you, HH!} but, once it was said and done, he agreed that they looked better hugging the ceiling. I would have loved open shelving here but, realistically, some closed storage is a necessity. I can still add a shelf or two between the cabinets later if I want.

The wardrobes and wall cabinets are our solution for a house lacking closet space, a separate mudroom and a real laundry room. Continuously editing our belongings will be key in avoiding clutter. But I’m pretty good at setting aside time about twice a year to purge items we no longer use, need or want.

What about you? How do you tackle storage shortcomings in your home?

images: 1-6 & 8) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking 7) Janis Nicolay via The Marion House Book

Moving day is quickly approaching so most of our recent purchases have to do with function. We need a few rooms to work for us right away. Decor and styling can wait.

1 – PAX BERGSBO This wardrobe is typically found in bedrooms acting as a freestanding closet. The Underdog is seriously lacking closet space so we purchased two of these to use in the mudroom for extra storage.

2 – Kashmir white granite We’re having the same company that installed the {Absolute Black} granite in our previous house install this granite along the perimeter of the Underdog’s kitchen. We considered butcher block, concrete and other solid surfaces for the perimeter but kept coming back to granite as we liked it so much in our last house. It’s a light gray granite with bits of black, garnet and gold mixed in.

3 – Walnut butcher block The kitchen island is getting topped with a walnut slab. We want the island to feel more like a table and gathering place than a food prep area so we like the idea of a wood top. To save money, we bought an unfinished slab that we’ll finish and install ourselves.

4 – Vigo stainless steel faucet We never regret spending a little extra money on a high quality kitchen faucet since it’s something we use many, many times on a daily basis. It makes the mundane feel less so.

5 – Kraus undermount single bowl sink Ditto – what I just said about the kitchen faucet. In addition, I like an extra deep, single bowl for washing up large pots, pans and the crockpot…things we use frequently.

6 – Liberty hook with porcelain knobs The master bathroom will be the only functioning bathroom we’ll have when we move into the Underdog so it needs a few finishing touches to make it work. We don’t have the wall space for a traditional towel bar so I picked up two of these hooks to hang our bath towels on.

7 – AKURUM LIDINGÖ Two of these cabinets in the 18″ x 39″ size are going in the laundry nook above the washer and dryer. I love the look of open shelving in a laundry area but we need some closed storage. I plan on pairing the cabinets with an open shelf or two as a compromise.

8 – Alexandria towel ring This towel ring is for the master bathroom. It has a touch of porcelain and should tie in nicely with the hooks in #6.

A few other items we’ve purchased in anticipation of moving that are worth mentioning {but not worth showing a picture of} are:

*Levolor room darkening shades for all the bedroom windows. I had them cut in-store to fit within the window frames. I’ll be adding other treatments to the windows in the future and these will remain to block out light.

*Shower caddy for the master bathroom…self-explanatory.

*Over-the-tank toilet paper holder for the master bathroom. It holds four rolls and, after I tried it out, I discovered it’s too big for our teeny bathroom. It won’t fit between the toilet and tub. I’m exchanging it for something else.

I think that’s it. I still haven’t nailed down lighting fixtures for the master or boys’ bedrooms. We might have lone lightbulbs in place until I make up my mind. Not the end of the world. I’d rather wait than hastily buy something that I don’t like later.

Alright gotta run, baby’s crying.

images: Polyvore collage by Dana Miller, linked within

With all of the kitchen base cabinets installed, Handy Hubby was able to knock out the rest of the hardwood flooring! If you’ll remember, a few short weeks ago this is what the kitchen looked like…

HH researched the installation of a floating engineered hardwood floor and found that it was recommended to install any kitchen base cabinets prior to installing flooring. From what I understand, since the base cabinets are attached to the wall laying a floating wood floor beneath them could cause problems down the road when the floor expands and contracts. It could result in shifting of the cabinets and damage to the walls. {This isn’t the case with a nailed down wood floor since in essence it’s not a floating floor.}

As much as we were aching for the hardwoods to be done already, we weren’t willing to chance screwing up the kitchen cabinets and walls due to expansion/contraction in the future. So, the flooring install was put on hold while HH assembled and installed the base cabinetry in the kitchen. We chose not to worry about the few upper cabinets since their installation wasn’t necessary for the completion of the flooring. {For more details on our kitchen layout, click here.} Normally, it’s much easier to install upper cabinets first then move on to lower cabinets but IKEA has a nifty rail system on which the upper cabinets are installed so we figured installing the lower cabinets first wouldn’t pose a problem. I’ll let you know how that pans out.

We also opted to forgo the drawers and doors until the flooring was complete.

HH assembled and installed all the base cabinets himself…in between numerous business trips. {That’s why it’s taken me so long to get you some after shots.} In talking to him, he found the process to be relatively easy. But you have to remember he’s comparing this project to tearing down walls, vaulting the ceiling, upgrading the HVAC system, etc. AND he’s an engineer so his evaluation of the situation might be a little skewed. I’m sorry I don’t have detailed in progress shots of the cabinet install…HH doesn’t think of that stuff when he’s DIYing and my bed rest has necessitated my absence from the Underdog. But once HH is back from his most recent work trip {tomorrow!}, I plan on sitting down with him and getting all the details to share with you and maybe even trying to capture a few close-ups so you can see how he attached the cabinets to the walls and installed the kitchen island.

For now though, here are the latest pics I snapped a few days ago when I was feeling pretty good. They should give you a better idea of the kitchen layout.

The view from the front door…

I love that you can see all the way through the house to the backyard upon entrance into the Underdog. A window used to live where those French doors are. HH and I debated back and forth between replacing the original window with a set of doors or not. We knew we’d love the doors but hadn’t planned on putting them in right away. We’re both so happy we bit the bullet and went ahead with the French doors. No regrets one bit. At some point, I’ll paint the doors. I haven’t decided what color…black?…gray?…red? Who knows what hue they’ll end up!

Just to the right of the French doors you’ll see two base cabinets. With a continuous length of countertop connecting the two cabinets, this area will eventually become a desk area. There will be a few shallower upper cabinets for added storage. I see this space being used for making grocery lists, sorting mail, paying bills, filing paperwork, blogging, etc. Organization will be key. I can’t wait for everything to have a place!

If you do a 180° and look the other way across the kitchen, this is what you’ll see…

Our kitchen is pretty wide {~25′} but not very deep. It has a galley feel to it but instead of two parallel walls closing it in, we removed one of the walls and added an island in its place to open things up. There’s a nice, wide walkway between the island and cabinets along the wall to make for easy maneuvering.

Moving across the kitchen right to left {sorry, I’m left-handed so I tend to do things bass-ackwards} from the French doors…

The hood will be centered between the sink window and French doors. We thought it’d make a better focal point than the fridge. This did require us to have a gas line installed at the new stove placement. {The fridge will live where the stove used to.} To the left of the stove is the dishwasher then the sink. Have I mentioned that I’ve been hand washing our dishes for the past six months? The apartment’s dishwasher works as if someone is spitting water onto your dishes…dirty water. I used it once and vowed not to touch it ever again. I look forward to the day I can throw our dishes into a fully functioning dishwasher!

The far left side of the kitchen will house the fridge. This was the original placement of the stove but, like I said, we chose to move it, move it. Not only does this keep our fridge from being the center of attention, but it moves it closer to the garage entrance which should make putting away groceries a cinch. A few shallower upper cabinets will go along this wall as well. One will hold our microwave {which we haven’t purchased yet} and a deeper storage cabinet will top off the fridge.

The hole in the wall in the upper corner is wiring for above cabinet lighting. The uppers on the other {right} side of the kitchen will get above cabinet illumination too. That was another one of our electrician’s ideas that we hadn’t given much thought to until he mentioned it, but I think it will be a great investment and make for some lovely ambiance at night.

Looking back towards the desk area from the fridge…

That concludes a little walk through our preliminary kitchen. Let’s get back to that flooring.

After all the measuring, bending, cutting, squatting, and gluing and gluing and gluing, we LOVE this floor! Sure, it could use a good scrub but we’ve deemed it worthy of all the hard work it took to DIY the install. With that one set of black drawers installed on the island, you can get a good feel for how the black base cabinets will look next to the floor. I like the way the black in the cabinets draws out the darker grain in the floor. But I also like that there’s enough contrast between the brown floor and black cabinets that they feel separate. A darker floor would have been too dark. {With the white cabinet frames, you can see how the hardwood could work nicely in a white kitchen too – in case you were wondering.}

With the island and base cabinets in, HH finished up the rest of the flooring just last weekend {on one of the two days he was home in between work trips}. He floored right up to the island…

…and base cabinets…

The island and base cabinets will get a toe kick treatment with black plinth that matches the cabinetry. It will hide the island’s framed base and the lower cabinets’ undercarriage. There was no need to floor all the way under the cabinets. HH cut notches in the flooring for the legs of the cabinets.

By contrast, HH installed the wood floor underneath all appliances.

This is due to the fact that the appliances – while hooked up at the walls – are not ATTACHED to the walls. Their freestanding properties, unlike the screwed in cabinets, give them more wiggle room for any expansion and contraction that may occur with the flooring later on. Again, this is the case for us because we installed a floating engineered hardwood floor onto a concrete slab. If you are nailing down your wood floor onto a subfloor {lucky dog you!}, then there shouldn’t be a problem installing the flooring underneath base cabinets if you choose to do so.

Luckily, our major appliances {fridge, dishwasher, stove} have adjustable feet so that we can keep them level with the cabinets when it comes time to install countertops. HH did take the heights of the appliances into consideration when installing the cabinets, so everything should be flush. Unlike custom cabinetry, IKEA cabinets have adjustable feet on them so you can finagle their height to your requirements as needed. Or you can always build a base using 2×4′s…similar to what HH did for the island.

For fun, let’s take one last look at the flooring done-zo. Well, minus trim, baseboards, thresholds and a good cleaning.

Not too bad considering she once looked like this…

Ack!

Next up? The master bathroom. We’re sort of jumping trains and moving away from the kitchen for a little while. We’d like to get one bathroom completed before finishing up the kitchen, so that’s where we’re headed next. Tiling here we come! Although it doesn’t look like I’ll be doing much tiling. I have strict orders to take it easy for two more weeks at least. I haven’t quite figured out how to ‘take it easy’ with two busy-body kids, a traveling hubby and a house under renovation but I’m doing my best. So far, so good. Baby is still cookin’.

I mentioned above that HH was home for 2 days in between work trips this past weekend. You saw what he did one of those days and the other day he was home we were doing this…

…celebrating our older son’s 7th birthday! My dad graciously let us take over his house for a low key, laid-back family party. We couldn’t fit everyone into our teeny apartment. For some reason, this birthday was a real stinger to me. I can’t believe Layne is 7. He’s so grown up! He wouldn’t let me decorate – not that I could have gone all out anyways with the whole bed rest thing. He even turned down balloons saying, ‘uh, Mom, balloons are kinda babyish.’ Everyone kept commenting on how mellow and quiet he was, too. But that’s just Layne. He’s not one to want to be the center of attention.

His brother and my sister have that covered.

Two peas in a pod, I tell ya.

Happy weekend!

**Congrats to Katie whose lil’ guy replies, “I wuv you awww da way to da dirt!” every time his Dad says, “I love you all the way to the moon!” Also congrats to Becky who, ironically, loves her sweetie more than sweets. Katie and Becky are the winners of the Signs by Andrea giveaway.**

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking