Oh, hey. It’s Friday and I’m just hanging out in my laundry nook posing all The Price is Right beauty-like. I am so weird. My idea of a good time is staging amateur photo shoots in my house. Not necessarily with me in the picture but I like seeing other bloggers in their homes, so I thought I’d give it a go. I should have put on shoes.

The last time I showed you the laundry nook it looked like this…

Not too much has changed but I would like to point out my recents tweaks and then give you the full monty. Of the laundry nook’s innards, that is.

First up, I took all y’alls advice and rehung the homemade curtains {I cut up and hemmed IKEA linen panels} under the DIY countertop. Instead of clipping the curtains across the top, I gathered the fabric and clipped it about 2″ from the top hem. I guess you could call it the poor man’s pinch pleat. And it rocks. You guys are awesome with a capitol AWE! The gathered top looks more polished and pulls the curtains up off the floor a bit which makes sweeping easier. I haven’t heard other bloggers say this but I, for one, think a great advantage of having a blog is receiving ideas from the peanut gallery. Sometimes, even as a blogger, it’s really helpful to see my house through others’ eyes. Thank you!

The other obvious change is the mirror. The original mirror wasn’t the best shape for the vertical space between the two upper cabinets. The round mirror hung above the mantel in our previous home and there was no harm in trying it out but, once I hung it, I knew I’d eventually replace it with something taller and leaner.

I spotted Feiss’s Cleo mirror on Wayfair and the measurements were perfect. Its shape is curvier and a bit more feminine than I’m usually drawn to but I thought the curves would help break up the straight lines of the cabinets and countertop. Plus, hello, I am a girl {I don’t think I’ll ever be able to call myself a “woman” and feel comfortable saying it} and I am the only person in our household who uses this nook so I’m entitled to a little girlification when I’m handling dirty underwear, no? I clipped some forsythia, redbud and other green stuff from the backyard and threw them in a vase. Along with the leaning mirror, they give the nook a relaxed feel.

Please note the reflection of the dining pendant light in the mirror. Money shot.

I also enjoy seeing pictures of all the people whose dirty underwear I’m tending to while I tackle mounds of laundry. The second tier countertop was the best idea I could come up with to hide the dryer’s control panel. The magnetic photo strip is angle iron that you can find at any home improvement store. Ideally, I would prefer a dryer with controls on the front but there’s nothing wrong with ours so I made do. I strategically placed a few horizontal photos near the start button for easy access.

The photos can be removed to change the dryer’s settings but I rarely change them from load to load.

HH made the wood countertops using boards he found in the attic during renovations. He secured them together lengthwise with joiner biscuits and wood glue to get the depth we needed. The lower counter rests on wall cleats at the sides and a 2×4 in the middle. I painted all the supports white to blend in. The upper counter rests on the wainscoting.

There’s a secret trap door that gives me access to the washer’s control panel.

HH installed sliding latches to lock the door in the closed position. The door itself can’t support much weight when closed {a full laundry basket is fine} but the rest of the countertop is really sturdy. I can stand on it, no problem, and I have. Both countertops – the lower, deeper one & the higher, shallower one – are removable in case we ever need to get to the water/electric hook ups for the washer or dryer. They just slide out.

And now for the full monty…

BAM. The cabinets and woven baskets hold laundry supplies, lightbulbs, a water pitcher and our owner’s manuals. We have empty shelves!

The washer and dryer take up most of the floor space under the countertop.

There’s room next to the dryer for a rolling cart, drying rack, petite ironing board and small trash can. I hung the ironing board from a hook that’s screwed into one of the wall cleats.

My little laundry nook isn’t perfect but it makes me happy and I’ve come to love it. Since it is part of our mudroom/dining room, I keep it tidy and it keeps me honest. I try not to let laundry pile up in here. And whenever we get around to having a party {we are so due for a party}, I think it could moonlight as a bar.

Everett really, really, REALLY wanted me to take his picture. He says he’s going to be a principal when he grows up {lord help us all} and this is his attempt to dress like one. A clip-on tie on top of an argyle sweater vest on top of a striped polo and everything tucked in to show off the *reversible* belt. So smooth.

Thanks to Wayfair for supporting my habit.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Here’s the deal. A photo shoot will be taking place at our house right after the new year. I know. What?! Who in the world would want to come take pictures of our house in the state that it’s in?

Our front door doesn’t work properly. The garage is completely dysfunctional and in disarray so we have resorted to entering/exiting through the mudroom’s french doors at the back of the house. There are some baseboards still missing in the hallway from our water leak scare. One full bathroom is gutted and awaiting finishes. The TV area above the mantel is open to the cinder block walls. All of the interior doors are installed but need paint and a few still need hardware. The laundry nook looks like we stuck the washer and dryer in a corner. And I haven’t done any real decorating other than Mabrey’s room which I wouldn’t consider finished. Don’t even get me started on the outside of the house.

Luckily, the photo shoot will only focus on three rooms of the house. But even those rooms need a ton of work before they’re camera worthy. With the holiday season in full swing, we’re in a rush to check off a bunch of projects on our to-do list. Nothing like a photo shoot to light a fire under your tush!

The good news is I’ll have a bunch of decor-related posts to share in 2013 but the bad news is you have to wait until 2013. And since I can’t postpone Christmas or the photo shoot, the blog is pretty much taking a back seat to everything else in my life. Which sucks. Because I really enjoy blogging. I write mental posts in my head all day long. I have 4,188 unpublished posts just sitting in my brain taking up space. In fact, that’s why I started this blog. To empty my brain. Oh, my brain is so heavy right now. My neck can barely support it. THE AGONY.

We’ve been fortunate to have a little financial help in the way of a photo shoot budget. The money is going towards projects and decor that we had planned on funding already. We’re not doing or buying anything that we wouldn’t have done or bought otherwise…just getting to it sooner than we had anticipated. This ‘recent purchases’ installment includes some of those photo shoot items AND some other random stuff. I won’t tell you which is which. Because I like surprises. Especially when I’m the one doing the surprising.

1 – Endless Topography 4 I found this amazing original artwork via the Aldas Project on etsy. The plan is to hang it in the kitchen. HH and I are stoked about incorporating some real art into this house. We were drawn to the colors and movement of this abstract piece.

2 – Seagrass runner This rug is for the hallway that leads back to the bathrooms and bedrooms. I wanted something durable and simple. Seagrass was the way to go.

3 – Navy linen I bought 7 yards of navy linen to DIY a slipcover for the petite sofa in the mudroom/dining room. I had an interesting conversation with the employee at the cutting table. Of course, they always ask what you’re planning on making with your purchase. I told her a slipcover. She said I was braver than she was then said she never sewed anything without a pattern. I told her I was the complete opposite. I have never sewn anything according to any pattern. Not because I’m a particularly expert sewer. It’s just that if I have a pattern then I see all the things I’m doing incorrectly. If I make it up as I go, there’s nothing to tell me I’m doing it wrong.

4 – Tulip side chair We actually bought four of these for the dining room. They’re modern, comfy, kid-friendly and easy to clean…everything we were looking for in a dining chair. They came with plain white seat cushions. I’ll recover them at some point.

5 – Moravian star mirror I found this gorge mirror on a whim while perusing a Joss & Main event last week. As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted a pair to hang on either side of the TV above the mantel. They are just the right size and shape to work around HH’s boob speakers. I’ve decided the best way to deal with the orbs is to just decorate around them. We’ll see.

6 – Stainless steel containers I bought four 3-packs of these containers to organize our herbs and spices. When we moved in, I threw all of my cooking spices into the cabinet above the microwave. What was I thinking?! Obviously, I wasn’t. I have to get up on a stool every time I need my oregano. Which happens quite often. Because I love tomatoes. And nothing goes better with tomatoes than oregano. I’ll be editing my spices and what makes the cut will live in these round containers on the side of the fridge.

7 – Chevron runner Nate Berkus. Chevron. Dhurrie. ‘Nuf said. This handsome man lives in my kitchen now.

8 – Batik pillow cover Have you been over on etsy lately? Seriously. Is it just me or is etsy just getting better and better? I couldn’t get enough of this vintage Hmong textile cover. I added it to my favorites and visited it several times a day for a week or so until I decided to go for it. It’s one of those decor items that I would totally wear if it were in clothing form.

9 – Velvet pillow cover I have been wanting a velvet-covered something for a while now. I love the texture velvet brings to a room. The bright pop of chartreuse is unexpected and fun. I’m going to try pairing this velvet cover with the batik one on the leather couch in our family room. No matchy-matchy pillows here!

There it is. My bounty. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some weekend warrioring to do. Yes. The weekend officially starts NOW. Go!

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

images: polyvore collage by Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Last Thursday was Thanksgiving. It was also my birthday. It was also the day HH hung a bunch of stuff in our house. He knows me all too well. I’ll take home decor projects over traditional birthday gifts anytime.

We finally added curtains to the picture window in the family room. It’s an improvement. What hasn’t improved is my ability to shoot directly into a window.

The curtain panels are from West Elm and you can find them here. I bought them over a year ago when they were on sale with free shipping and I had a stash of gift cards. The rod that West Elm suggests using with the panels doesn’t come long enough to work with our large window. Ideally, I was wanting a plain matte black curtain rod with enough thickness to it to hold its own above the big window. I finally found this less expensive simple rod that fits our window but the diameter doesn’t allow for the curtain rings to slide over.

I resorted to buying two $7 packs of metal shower curtains rings from Meijer to hang the curtains. I actually don’t mind the ring on ring action. It feels casual and undone. If I ever tire of the look, there’s enough length to the panels for me to remove the tabs & rings and sew a rod pocket into the top. By then, maybe our kid/guest bathroom will be complete and I can use the shower curtain rings in there??

One day we’ll add some textured woven blinds to fill the gap between the top of the window and the curtain rod. I’m thinking I’ll probably have to buy two or three narrower blinds to extend the full width of the window as a single blind that size would be crazy expensive and might sag. I’m also going to woo HH into building a window seat bench with open cubbies in it for toy and book storage. Or I might go all Ana White and bust it out myself. I keep asking HH to show me where all his tools are and how to use them but he keeps doing everything for me. I think he’s afraid I’ll mess it up. Which is highly possible. But it wouldn’t be the end of the world, would it? I should totally start wielding some power tools.

The curtain panel on the right is doing one of my favorite curtain tricks: hiding the big a$$ subwoofer on the floor. My feelings towards this piece of home entertainment equipment are similar to my feelings towards the surround sound speakers in/on the wall. As long as HH keeps hanging stuff for me, I’ll keep covering up his ugly speakers. Hehe.

Love the narrow ivory frame around the panels. You could DIY something like this with inexpensive gray curtains from IKEA by hot gluing narrow ribbon along the edges or even painting the narrow frame around the panels. In fact, you should do this. Don’t be lazy like me.

HH assembled and installed this shoe cabinet next to the front door months ago. I don’t speak of it because we don’t use it yet. Our original front door is, well, original and still out of order. Once we start accessing the house through the front door, this slim cabinet is going to be all the rage. Last week, I was feeling brave and ventured up into the attic to rescue the capiz mirror. It’s from a Ballard Designs outlet near Cincy and it used to live in the master bedroom of our previous house. It’s found a new home in our new old home. I love seeing the reflection of the kitchen in it.

Eventually, we’ll hang something on the other side of the window to balance out the mirror on the left. Not necessarily a round mirror though. That would be too matchy.

HH also hung a light over the dining table. Surprise! It’s the Hoyne pendant and it’s pretty much the most amazing light ever. We had purchased a really inexpensive FOTO pendant from IKEA and spray painted it matte black. HH had been trying to install it for months with no success due to a missing bracket part that IKEA was refusing to send us and HH was fuming over the idea of having to go buy one. After the snafu, I realized the solid pendant probably wasn’t a great choice for the room. The dining table needs direct light and the FOTO would have provided that but the rest of the room also needs lit. The ceiling light is the main artificial light source in the mudroom. There is a small can light in the laundry nook but it doesn’t provide enough lighting for the rest of the room.

This pricier pendant is the result of a new collaboration in the works {I can’t divulge all the details yet!} and it was my inspiration light. It’s the light I was dreaming would live in our dining room/mudroom and if I’d have had $350 burning a hole in my pocket I would have snatched it up before now. With the open weave of the Hoyne, the rest of the room recevies light – not just the dining table. The shadows that the light casts onto the ceiling at night are beautiful! And I like how the pendant lets natural light from the window and the french doors pass through.

Did you notice a change in the location of the dining table? When we moved, we thought we’d like to have the table over by the sofa for a casual place to eat. But after living with our mudroom/dining room for a while now, we’ve found that placing the table in the center of the room works better. We toss mail on it when we come in. I fold laundry on it sometimes. It’s multipurpose. Of course, we still need chairs around the table but having the table in the middle of the room makes the room flow so much better and keeps all the big furniture from tilting the visual weight of the room to one side. It reminds me of those fancy entries you see in magazines where there’s a big pedestal table gracing the middle of the foyer.

The sofa is staying put but I’m going to make a slipcover for it. And add pillows. Ahhhhh. Pillows.

So stuff is happening here. Slowly but surely. It’s starting to look and feel more like home with each tweak.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

It was this time last year that we learned we were unexpectedly expecting. Wouldn’t you say it’s about time Mabrey had a proper nursery?

Mabrey’s room is teeny – not even 10′x10′. Normally, I wouldn’t think of painting a small room a dark color but it felt right and the room faces south so it gets a fair amount of natural light. I absolutely love the dark walls. It feels like a cozy cocoon in there. The enveloping mood is fitting. I like the idea of this being her little cocoon. A place for her to rest, prepare and grow her wings before she turns into a busy butterfly.

There’s something not quite right about sharing a nursery minus the baby, so I made sure to include Mabrey. Don’t worry. The pillow comes out of the crib when Mabrey is sleeping.

The paint color is a chameleon. It changes throughout the day and even from wall to wall depending on where you look. Sometimes it’s charcoal, sometimes navy, sometimes black, sometimes a tint of green. I adore colors with this trait. There’s less risk of me becoming bored with the wall color if it’s always changing. It’s a great defense mechanism for paint in our house!

To brighten the room and add contrast, I kept most of the furnishings white.

Floor space is limited so I enlisted the help of popular wall shelves for open storage and display.

Opposite the crib is the changing table and closet. The placement of the changing table near the closet is convenient.

Now that you’ve had a brief tour around the room, let me divulge more details.

The crib is new. Our old crib – one of the only baby things we didn’t get rid of in the midst of downsizing – had a totally different aesthetic. It was curvy and large and screamed country. It was obvious it would hog a lot of room in the nursery, so I bit the bullet and bought a white replacement with cleaner lines and a slimmer profile. It converts into a toddler bed {the old crib didn’t} so we’ll use it longer, too.

I DIY’d the art above the crib. It’s actually an old frame that I had in the guest/playroom of our previous home. {I bought it as a mirror but when it arrived, the mirror was shattered. The company sent me a replacement right away and told me to keep the mirror-less frame because return shipping would have cost them more than what they would get out of the repaired mirror. Seven years of bad luck? Myth debunked.}

I had HH put together six small scraps of tongue and groove leftover from our mudroom and screw them to the back of the frame. Then I painted them ombre ranging from white to light pink to coral to raspberry. I used two bottles of craft paint {a coral and a berry} and simply mixed them with the white trim paint leftover from painting our baseboards to get the various shades. I brushed the paint on with small foam brushes and left the tongue and groove seams exposed – partly for an imperfect look but mostly because I was in a rush. I love the raw pine seams. They make the art look rustic and handmade.

Before I brainstormed the ombre idea, I tried painting ‘I hope you dance’ on the pine boards but it didn’t turn out so well. I painted over it. You can see the faint cursive writing in the pink and coral boards. Thank goodness for Plan B’s. The ombre turned out way better than I had envisioned. I think it looks like an abstract sunset.

The cradle rocking chair is new. It arrived missing the assembly instructions but after contacting the seller I had directions emailed to me within minutes. Assembly was quick and easy. No tools {other than the included wrenches} required and I had it together in 10 minutes.

Until recently, I used a thrift wing chair for night feedings and while it was super comfy it took up too much space. The cradle rocker is perfect for the small room and surprisingly cozy with a pillow for back support. It probably wouldn’t be a good choice for long newborn feeding sessions – say, longer than 25-30 minutes – but it’s great for quick feedings and bedtime stories with older babies and kids.

Even after the baby phase, I see this chair growing with our family. It could easily become Mabrey’s go-to chair when she’s a toddler climbing up and rocking herself. Maybe it will follow her to college since it’s so light. Maybe it will make its way to the family room. The possibilities are endless.

The open shelves hold baskets that store extra blankets and clothes that Mabrey doesn’t fit into yet. They’re a little sparse but I’m sure I’ll fill them up with more pictures and plants as time goes on.

And baby makes 5. The little basket behind the frame is original to the house. I bought it at the estate sale. I put Mabrey’s hair clips and bows in it.

The wire baskets hold board books and burp cloths within arm’s reach from the rocking chair.

I know owls in nurseries are totally cliché but I couldn’t resist this guy. I put a mini pot of aloe in him. His spiky succulent hair reminds me of Mabrey’s crazy ‘do.

For a feminine touch, I added a pair of gold vintage-looking flower hooks. The lightweight blankets are perfect for warmer weather.

The changing table used to live in our previous home’s playroom {as toy storage} and in our previous apartment’s family room {as a media console}. It gets around. I’m working on a handmade mobile to hang above the changing table. Hopefully, it will add some much needed color to this side of the room. As soon as it’s done, I’ll share it.

Baskets and bins corral baby clothes that currently fit, diapers {cloth and disposable} and swaddling blankets. Three of the bottom baskets are empty. Plenty of room to grow!

The basket on top of the changer holds wipes, lotion, cornstarch powder and diaper rash ointment. I’m not much of a scrapper {and by scrapper, I mean scrapbooker} so pinning Mabrey’s hospital bassinet tag to the basket is a fun way to show it off.

I hung a large mirror above the changing pad to bounce light around the room. Mabrey loves smiling at and talking to her reflection after a diaper change. {Not to worry. Big brother Everett was spotting Mabrey.} This is another piece – like the cradle rocker – that I can see following Mabrey around into her teen years and beyond. At some point, we’ll probably rehang it vertically so she can primp.

I love looking back into the room. The mirror gives the nursery another dimension and makes it feel bigger than it really is.

In the bottom corner of the mirror I used stickers to spell out ‘I hope you dance.’ Like I said, I had originally tried painting this phrase on the frame above the crib but it looked awful. Still wanting to incorporate it into the room somehow, I thought adding it to the mirror would be a subtle personal touch. The phrase holds a lot of meaning for me:

*It was the song I danced to with my dad at mine and HH’s wedding reception. I love my dad. We’re really close.

*Literally, I hope Mabrey dances and appreciates her body.

*I studied ballet for 10 years and was really good. Then one year, under peer pressure, I suddenly quit to take on cheerleading. My parents could only afford one activity so I had to choose. I wish I would have stuck with ballet. Cheerleading wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. I hope Mabrey doesn’t crumble under peer pressure and sticks to what she wants and enjoys – whether it’s dancing or conducting science experiments.

*In a broader sense, I hope Mabrey is active in living her life. I hope she tries new things, scary things. I hope she takes chances and risks failing in order to find her passion. I hope she chooses to dance through life instead of sitting it out.

I’m not sure how well the stickers will hold up to regular cleanings but I think the meanings behind them are worth giving it a go.

On the floor next to the changing table is a dirty clothes basket. I hang the wet bag for dirty cloth diapers in it too.

I was going to write ‘wash me’ in chalk but I couldn’t find any in the house. {I know it’s here somewhere.} Instead, I used more stickers to spell it out.

The door to Mabrey’s room opens up right onto the closet. We removed the closet door and I hung a curtain to make things less cumbersome. I still need to hem it. The only things in the closet right now are a box of disposable diapers, a babywearing wrap and sleep sacks for winter. Again, room to grow!

The trunk under the window was a wedding gift from my parents. It’s empty but I think it will make a nice toy chest in the future.

For the life of me, I can’t take good pictures of windows so forgive me for reusing the first photo to talk about the window treatments.

One of the first things we did when we moved in was add room darkening roll-up shades to all the bedroom windows. This was purely for function. In Mabrey’s room, I added long white curtain panels with a subtle chain pattern and textured wood blinds. The roll-up shade is still there, mounted within the window frame, for function but you can’t see it unless it’s down. By contrast, the bamboo shade and curtains are purely for aesthetic – although you could close the curtains or lower the shade if you wanted. Hung high and wide, they make the window appear much larger and the ceiling appear much higher.

To soften the wood floor, I bought a jute chenille rug in a chevron pattern. It has color variations throughout – from ivory to beige to tan to brown – and it makes a world of difference against the dark floors and walls. It’s soft, too. I layered a small sheepskin right in front of the crib for added texture. It’s also a good landmark in the dark when I go in to get Mabrey for her night feeding {or feedings, depending on the night}. I don’t have to turn on the light.

I think that just about covers everything. Many items we already had on hand but here’s a source list if you’re interested:

paint – Benjamin Moore dark pewter

ceiling light – IKEA {discontinued}

floor lamp – gift

curtain rod – Target

curtains – West Elm {discontinued}

bamboo shade – Overstock

trunk – gift

jute rug – West Elm

sheepskin rug – IKEA

crib – IKEA

ombre art – DIY’d from a broken mirror

cradle rocking chair – Amazon

wall shelves – IKEA

ceramic owl, wall hooks – Kirkland’s

hanging blankets – gift, Amazon

changing table – IKEA

mirror – IKEA

changing table bins & baskets – IKEA

laundry basket – gift, Target

red stripe pillow – West Elm {discontinued}

other pillows – etsy {discontinued from here, here and here}

stickers – JoAnn Fabric

all other accessories – from our attic!

What do you think? I have to admit…HH isn’t a fan of the wall color. He keeps asking me when I’m going to repaint. He can have his surround sound; I’ll keep the dark nursery thankyouverymuch. ;)

Lauren Liess wrote something that spoke to me when I was decorating Mabrey’s room. I don’t recall her exact words but it was something to the effect of a nursery really being a room for the parents, especially mom, since babies spend most of their time in there sleeping and eating – not paying much attention to the decor. When I’m in Mabrey’s room, it feels right to me. Like a room I would have if I had a house all to myself. I don’t know if Mabrey likes it as much as I do.

But she sure seems happy. Love you babygirl.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Rachael contacted me asking for help with her young daughter’s room. Here are her photos and email:

Congratulations on your little girl!! It must be very exciting to have one after having two boys. Decorating for a little girl will be very different than for a little boy! And that brings me to my question. I have a daughter, she will be two in July, and right now she is still in the nursery, but we are planning on changing the room to accommodate her ever-changing needs. She will be going into a twin sized bed, and I have already purchased the bedding, it is from IKEA, the ALVINE LJUV.  Her room is small, about 10×10, we have a white dresser we plan to keep in there but I wanted advice on paint color, on art work, bookshelves maybe, lighting, and window treatments. I thought this might be fun for you, making up a little inspiration board for a little girl, now that you have your own! I am very grateful that you have taken the time to read my email, even though you are probably very busy with a little one! xo, Rachael

Putting together a mood board for a little girl was enticing indeed. In a later email, Rachael attached several inspiration pics and specified…

Our budget would probably be around the $400-$500 range. We already have a very simple, plain, twin head and foot board for her. It’s a honey oak tone that I’m not loving, so we will probably paint it. I’d like to keep the chandelier. I’m not opposed to changing it with paint, shades, or etc. I’d like a new rug for the space, window treatments, wall art, paint colors FOR SURE. I’m not loving the green. But anything else can go or be moved, or changed. We don’t really use the glider, and we have lots of little storage pieces that were hand-me-downs. The windows are weirdly placed, b/c they pretty much touch the corner. I can barely get a paintbrush in that space between the frame and the adjoining wall. I think the windows are what make it hard to decorate around. I’m unsure how to hang curtains. When I stand in the doorway, I see two windows shoved in the corners with lots of empty wall space between them.

Another thing I should mention is that we live Canada. Cue the sad sound effects….So we can’t get a lot of the same items that I always see on the internet! Or even if I can, the shipping is out of this world. Etsy’s pretty good for shipping, but things like Pottery Barn and West Elm, that can be like $55.00 shipping on top of a $25.00 item. We are getting two Targets in the fall of this year, and your Home Goods is the almost the same as our Home Sense. And there is an IKEA about an hour and a half away, so not too bad. And we have Home Depot and Lowe’s and such. So it doesn’t bother me if your mood board is only American items. I can draw inspiration from it either way.  We’re also really big DIY’ers. We’re not scared of a little elbow grease (or ALOT!), and we don’t mind shopping at thrift stores, Craigslist or garage sales either. Thanks, Rachael

Here’s what I came up with for Rachael’s daughter, Violet.

First, I addressed furniture placement.

Violet’s room poses a few challenges…corner windows, odd bump-out/entrance, two doors. I suggest placing the twin bed {painted white!} in the same corner where the crib is now but along the longer wall. So, the head board will be on the crib wall and the foot board will be about in the middle of the longest wall. Since Violet is still young, it is best safety-wise to keep her bed away from windows. Place the little white night stand {the one next to the dresser in the before pics} next to the head board on the left – if you’re looking from the foot board. I suggest placing the dresser on the wall space to the right of the closet door. I find it helpful for dressers/changing tables to be close to closets.

Now onto the deets of the actual mood board. Rachael said she and her husband weren’t afraid of some DIY so to stay within budget there are a few DIY projects!

1 – Rachael already has the bedding – which I love! I’d pair it with plain white sheets for a clean look. For the walls, I chose an airy gray that has warm undertones that should go nicely with those amazing wood floors! Try Behr {Home Depot} Dolphin Fin. I think a white ceiling would keep things clean – try Behr Hushed White. OR a soft pink ceiling could be fresh and a tad girly – try Behr Frolic. {Rachael may not find these paint cards in store, but they should have the formulas in their computer to mix. Getting a few samples made wouldn’t be a bad idea to test them out in the room before painting! Check them in all lighting…natural, artificial, daylight, evening, etc. It’s sometimes difficult for me to choose exact paint colors based only on photos.}

2 – I saw Rachael already had a fabric banner and there were a few in the inspiration rooms she sent me as well. I’d place one – either the one she has or another - draped a few inches above the head board to create a focal point and a whimsical touch.

3 – For a modern take on the traditional bookcase, hang this IKEA LACK book shelf in white vertically a few inches from the window across from the room’s entrance. I’d place it so that the top of the book shelf comes just to the top of the window trim or a few inches below it.

4 – Hang a large coral colored mirror above the dresser. I couldn’t find an exact one to show Rachael but I bet she could find a round mirror at a garage/yard sale or even at a big box store in a different color and prime/paint it coral. The coral will be a nice contrast against the gray walls and above the white dresser. A happy pop of color!

5 – I like the idea of using this wall lamp above the night stand next to the bed. A great alternative to a table lamp in a child’s room! No toppling over.

6 – Two or three of these book ledges placed on the wall that the entry door opens onto will help create a cozy reading spot like many of Rachael’s inspiration rooms had. Place them centered above the bench. {see #7} Oh, and those children books aren’t a necessity but if you haven’t read any of the Pigeon books, you should. They’re hilarious! The great thing about these ledges is that Rachael doesn’t have to use them just for books. Display framed art or photos. I could even see a paper mache ‘V’ leaning on one for a personal touch ;) Rachael can rotate items as she or Violet become bored of them.

7 – A pair of these side tables in white placed side by side on the same wall as the book ledges {#6} would provide storage and seating. Top them with a bench cushion in navy for some contrast against all the light gray, white and pinks. If Rachael is worried about the rolling casters with a young one, this kid’s storage bench in pink and topped with a navy cushion is another option but I think the others would carry her longer, past her toddler years. Either one would work great for seating and storage! Update: I have a feeling Rachael and her handy husband may just DIY their own bench!

8 – To fill up that long empty wall, I suggest buying a trio of fairly large canvases – 24″ x 24″?? – from a craft supply store and DIYing artwork. Paint them with a larger scale floral motif that picks up on the floral pattern in the bedding. I love the motif and coloring of this Amy Butler wallpaper that Rachael could use as her inspiration. Hang the canvases centered between the corner with no window {where the head board would be} and the vertical book shelf hanging next to the corner window near the room’s entrance. Hang at eye level – not too high!

9 – So this exact rug would probably put Rachael over budget, but I think she could easily DIY one by painting gray stripes – in the same color as the walls, Dolphin Fin – onto this affordable rug. No or low VOC paints have a higher acrylic content that makes them slightly more flexible when dry and a good option for painting fabrics. I think 6″ stripes would be good but she can make the stripes as thin or think as she likes. Thicker stripes would lend a more modern feel while thinner stripes would give a cottage-y feel. Use one coat of paint for a worn, imperfect look or two coats for a more polished look. I think either way would work well!

10 – I know curtains can make or break a room but with these tricky corner windows, I think Rachael is better off going with a simple shade. Add detailing by hot glueing thick ribbon to it for a custom look. If she’s wanting room darkening window treatments to keep Violet asleep longer, then try mounting room darkening shades {Lowe’s sells Levolor ones that can be custom cut in store} within the window frames and hang the decorative shades outside of the frame.

And last but not least, I love the chandy that’s already in Violet’s room. I think it could be left as-is {white}, painted a soft pink or painted a bright coral color. So many options! Just depends on the look Rachael wants. I suggest living with it white for a while first and see if she likes it with all the other changes. She can always paint it later.

Paint + all the IKEA purchases brings Rachael to ~$300 which leaves money leftover for some of the DIY stuff: canvas wall art, thrift round mirror, bench cushion, added ribbon to shades, etc. I really tried to stay within Rachael’s budget and give her options that were readily available in Canada. I hated the idea of emailing her a bunch of American stuff only to send her on a wild goose chase. Rachael was really happy with the mood board and I can’t wait to see her take on it after she and her husband tackle some of items from a DIY approach. She promised to send after pics to share!

images: 1-3) Rachael 4) mood board by Dana Miller, linked within

The Underdog’s original 1950′s master bathroom had an elephant color scheme going on – flesh pink and gray. Some of the shower tiles were fractured allowing water to seep into the wall. To keep costs down, we kept the layout of the room the same, kept the shower window placement and reused the toilet which may have been the only thing ever upgraded by the previous owner.

We gutted the room to the studs, had the electric upgraded {as well as throughout the rest of the home} to today’s standards and replaced all finishes and fixtures {minus the toilet as mentioned above} which included a new vinyl window.

From a renovation standpoint, we’re saying this room is D-O-N-E.

I spent all day Saturday scrubbing the bathroom clean. It was a 38-week-pregnant lady’s nesting dream! I used my favorite Mrs. Meyer’s all purpose cleaner mixed with water in a spray bottle to remove chunks of stray grout and drywall mud throughout the bathroom. It worked like a charm. Plus, it smells delightful and isn’t harmful to me or baby. It may have taken me longer than usual considering my condition but it felt so good to get at least one – albeit small – room in order at the Underdog.

We now have a proper place to use the bathroom and wash our hands. Before, my guys would ‘go’ in the backyard and we had to wash our hands with a dirty bar of soap at the outdoor spigot. We’re movin’ up!

Let’s take a tour, shall we? Starting with the shower…

We replaced the window, tub, shower fixtures and tile surround. We took the shower tile all the way to the ceiling to make it feel taller and airier. If you look back to the ‘before’ pics, you’ll see that the original shower tile only went about two-thirds of the way up the walls.

The new vinyl window has texture on the inside of the pane {you can’t feel it from the shower side of the glass…it’s in between the double panes} for privacy.

Here’s the view to the backyard from the window when it’s open. Yeah, the backyard could use some love. We’ll get there.

Back inside, we replaced the shower and tub fixtures.

We replaced the old gray tub with a deeper, sleeker white one.

My favorite feature of the tub is the one-click drain stopper. You can easily open and close the drain with a tap of your toes. This is high society stuff for us, people!

The shower tile sparkles like glitter and reflects the natural light pouring in from the window.

Contrary to popular belief, it wasn’t difficult to clean at all. The textured surface doesn’t have grooves and crevices deep enough to hold tons of grime. I just used a microfiber cloth to wipe it down.

Moving right along from the shower/tub to the toilet…

There’s nothing special about this toilet. It’s the one that came with the house. All it needed was a good scrub-down.

HH removed it for the floor install and carried it out to the front yard so I could hose it down. Now, wasn’t that a sight?! An obviously very pregnant gal bent over a dirty toilet in the front yard! I’m pretty sure I scared some neighbors and passerby. I did have to resort to some Comet with bleach to get this bad boy looking like new. But I was outside and wore cleaning gloves to avoid harmful chemicals.

She shined up pretty nice if I do say so myself.

Enough of the commode. Let’s have a peek at the vanity area.

I like a little contrast in every room, so here I chose a glossy medium gray vanity. This portion of the bathroom is highly visible from the master bedroom, so I tried to keep the distinctive bathroom features {vanity, sink, faucet, mirror and light} from feeling too bathroom-y…if that makes any sense.

The vanity isn’t huge by any means but it’s simple and practical. The floating design keeps the room feeling light and makes cleaning underneath a breeze.

There are two deep drawers for hiding toiletries.

The faucet is simple too.

It doesn’t look like much but it puts out a steady flow of water without splashing outside the sink.

Above the vanity, I chose a round teak mirror to add some warmth and curves to the shiny, rectangular bathroom.

Just above the mirror is a galvanized wall sconce. I like the touch of industrialism it brings to the room.

I should probably switch out the lightbulb for a clear one but we’re just happy to have a light at this point!

I like the light just as much on. It really warms up the wood mirror and wall color.

At night and in the early morning hours, this is what the bathroom may look like under artificial light…

Onto the penny tile floor…

While the shower got standard white grout, I chose a sandy gray grout for the floor in the hopes of it hiding dirt a little better. The penny tiles give such a great texture to the bathroom. They’re almost like scales on a lizard.

It feels good under bare feet. If you have a keen eye, you may have noticed the new baseboards in all these after pics.

HH and I decided to go with a thick, high trim throughout the house. The higher trim has more presence and actually makes the walls feel taller somehow – which we weren’t expecting. It’s more noticeable in larger rooms. Hopefully, I’ll post some pics of those rooms this week!

As soon as the bathroom was clean, I took a break to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

I could live in this bathroom and be very happy. Okay, maybe I’d need a little more than a bathroom. But still. I love this bathroom.

Like I said, from a renovation standpoint, this room is done-zo. From a design standpoint, it still needs some work. Here’s what’s left to do:

• touch up the walls and trim
• hang shower curtain
• add towel hooks
• find a spot for toilet paper roll
• add hanging storage to the back of the door
• uh, hang the door!
• organize the vanity drawers
• accessorize

So, I have my tweaking cut out for me. Should be fun! Since I know I’ll get questions, here’s a source list:

• tub – Kohler Archer
• tub drain – Kohler Archer
• tub & shower fixtures – Kohler Archer
• shower tile – Capua Blanco*
• toilet – reused, Kohler
• vanity – GODMORGAN
• sink – ODENSVIK
• faucet – DALSKÄR
• mirror – Home Emporium
• wall sconce – Barn Light Austin Sconce*
• floor tile – Penny Round Moss*
• wall paint – Benjamin Moore Tapestry Beige
• trim paint – Benjamin Moore White Dove

*Denotes items that were kindly donated to us by the companies linked to above. We were not forced to include certain products. While we were permitted to choose items in exchange for photos and links, we only used items that we would have chosen to purchase with our own money. That means the items you see are ones that meet our aesthetic, budget and level of quality.

And because I know there are a few of you who could care less about the bathroom and just wanna know “Is that baby here yet?!”…

Nope. Even after a very physical weekend full of intense cleaning, baby hasn’t made his/her appearance yet. I know he/she will come when they’re ready but I’m this close to crying ‘uncle!’

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Remember this mood board for our master bathroom?

To keep the bathroom from feeling too sterile with all the hard, shiny surfaces {tile, gloss vanity, galvanized wall sconce, etc.} I wanted to incorporate a few natural elements in the form of warm wood tones. I thought that bringing in a small woven ottoman and/or a mirror with a wooden frame would help balance out the harshness of the other very bathroom-y elements. And if the ottoman and mirror were round, they’d also break up the strong rectangular lines {vanity, tub, overall shape of the room, shower tile, etc.} of the bathroom.

The bathroom is openly visible from the master bedroom. In fact, I plan on placing the bed so that when lying in it the bathroom is directly across the room. So, I’m going for more of a dressing room effect in the small bathroom vignette {sconce, mirror, vanity, sink} that will be seen from the bed. It helps that the toilet placement is off center from the bathroom doorway! Otherwise, I’d just close the door and call it a day.

I featured the Jules Mirror from Home Decorators in the original bathroom mood board. But with a price tag of $300, it was more than I was willing to spend. So, like I typically do, I used my mood board as a jumping off point to search for another mirror that was cheaper but still retained the two elements I was wanting – warm wood tones and round shape.

I create mood boards for my own home not to pick exact items but rather to create an overall look for a room. So, if an item that I use in a mood board is not at my price point {or if I simply think I can do better}, I have no problem straying away from the mood board and finding something different. I would say normally I end up buying maybe 60% of the mood board items and finding practical replacements for the other 40%. That’s just a rough estimate and every room is a different experience, of course. Still, it’s a process that has worked well for me so I continue to use it.

Now, back to my mirror search…

Somewhere along the way, it crossed my mind that hanging a wood-framed mirror might not be the best option for a bathroom. What about all the moisture? But I really wanted to make it work if I could. I searched everywhere for a round, wooden mirror – online and offline – to no avail. I decided to take a break from my mirror hunt. After all, it wasn’t pressing. We don’t even live in the Underdog yet. I thought I’d give it some time and eventually ‘the mirror’ would come to me.

And that’s exactly what happened. Weeks ago, on a trip to a local salvage/closeout store while looking for rugs, ‘the mirror’ found me.

Round? Check. Warm wood tones? Check. Budget-friendly price? At $79, check. I called Handy Hubby back at the homestead {Surprise! HH was at the Underdog working.} to make sure the mirror’s diameter wasn’t too big/too small for what we needed in our master bath. Wouldn’t you know? The size was just right. Another big check for the salvaged mirror. Then the “do I put a wooden mirror in a wet bathroom?” question popped into my mind again. That’s when I saw it. The mirror’s description tag. It read ’round teak mirror.’

I was sold. Why? Because teak has natural oils that make it ideal for wet conditions. It’s commonly used to make outdoor furniture, boat decks, exterior architectural elements and cutting boards. It doesn’t matter if the wood is treated or not. This round teak mirror was the perfect solution for our master bathroom! It came home with me. FYI – I didn’t find any buy-worthy rugs. You win some; you lose some.

Yeah, I know it’s just sitting on the floor leaning against the wall up there but can you picture it hanging? It’s gonna be fab. I don’t think I’m going to mind staring at it from my bed across the room. Not at all.

I especially like the wedged design of the frame. It gives the mirror interest, pattern and variation.

The wide frame does take away from the surface area of the mirror but HH and I only use the bathroom mirror to wash our faces, brush our teeth, put on a little makeup {me not HH} and fix our hair. So the size of the actual mirrored surface is plenty for us. A leaning floor mirror in the master bedroom has always been a part of the design in my head and we’ll use that larger mirror for full-length once overs.

And that’s the story of how a round teak mirror found me when I wasn’t even looking. That’s usually how true love starts, right? It is how HH and I met. And here we are 14 years later happily living in an apartment, renovating a house, raising two healthy kiddos and expecting another! I expect just as many fulfilling experiences from this mirror. ;)

In other bathroom news {ew, that sounds gross, sorry}, HH has started work on prepping the master bath for tile!!

He picked up supplies from The Tile Shop this past holiday Monday for all of our tiling projects to come {master bathroom, kids’ bathroom, mudroom/dining room} and there was some concern that his Danger Ranger was going to lose an axel. Luckily, the Danger Ranger held in there and pulled through.

Even with it in the box, I couldn’t stop googling over the shower surround tile. It’s so sparkly! HH has been busy throughout the week {after his long day job hours} prepping the master bath for tile. That’s the first room we’re going to tackle with tile. Should be fun!

So how about you? Ever found love for someone/something when you were least expecting it? Ever put off searching for that perfect piece only to have it find you later? I have a feeling when baby #3 arrives, it will be a similar experience as we definitely weren’t expecting to have more children. Sometimes you just have to let things come to you, huh?

images: 1&2, 4-9) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking 3) Home Decorators Collection

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

Take a look…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Handy Hubby was busy laboring over the Labor Day weekend.  Busy gutting this bathroom over at the Underdog…

The black mold we discovered behind the original 50′s shower tile surround prompted the tear out.

{kitchen side of the bathroom wall}

While we got rid of the mold’s appearance by treating it with chlorine, we soon discovered {thanks to some very smart readers and good ol’ research} that the mold wasn’t really gone.

Even though we couldn’t see any mold with our naked eyes anymore, the spores were still there. Since we’ve already found a knowledgable and reliable plumber who has been working to update our Underdog’s plumbing AND since one wall of the bathroom was already opened up from behind because of the kitchen renovation, we bit the bullet and decided to go ahead and tackle the bathroom renovation before moving in.

HH talked to our plumber and he said he could work on the bathroom’s plumbing but we really need to choose fixtures soon to get the process going.  Picture me wide-eyed.  I’d been holding off on dreaming up a bathroom makeover since I figured it wouldn’t happen for a while.  Plus, I tend to get a little scatter-brained if I’m thinking about too much at once.  You know…kitchen, living room, mudroom/dining room, etc.  Well, bring on the scatter-braininess.

To focus, I set to work coming up with a general feel for the bathroom.  This particular bathroom {one of two full baths in the Underdog…no, we haven’t even investigated the other one yet} will function as our kids’ and guests’ bathroom.  It’s located right off the hallway to the bedrooms, near the great room.

As I revealed last week, I’m leaning towards a more masculine feel for this house.  That’s not to say I want it to look like a bachelor pad, but I’m really drawn to light-dark contrast, neutrals, and textural accents versus colorful ones.  Taking that into consideration, I put together a very elementary mood board.  Elementary as in I’m not sure that each item I’ve shown is available or within our budget but I like the overall feel.  Creating a mood board always helps me nail down a mood and feel that I can tweak as I go.

Primarily, this bathroom will function as our kids’ bathroom.  When we have guests, they will use this bathroom too.  I absolutely don’t want a kid theme going on.  I want it to be relevant now and in 10 years when our boys are teenagers.

1 – I’d love to add an industrial, rustic touch with a barn light like this one.

2 – Ever since Victoria painted her bedroom in Benjamin Moore’s gravel gray, I’ve been itching to try it somewhere.  Maybe on the outside of a claw foot tub or above white subway tile for contrast in the bathroom?

3 – I’d love to DIY a white subway tile floor-to-ceiling shower/tub surround and then continue the subway tile halfway up the walls in the rest of the bathroom.  It’d really keep the small bathroom feeling light and airy.

4 – For the floor, I want to keep it light but add some texture and pattern with smaller tiles…possibly marble hexagons?

5 – A long, textured shower curtain encloses the tub.  Nothing too frilly for the kids.

6 – A hand towel decked in broad gray and white stripes goes along well with the masculine feel.

7 – A simple round mirror above the vanity softens all the hard lines and surfaces of the utilitarian room.

8 – I’ve got a thing for vanities that are open below the sink.  I think it gives them more of a furniture {versus cabinet} feel and takes up less visual space.  I like the fact that this one has a drawer at the bottom for storage.  I found this vanity in stock at our local Home Depot a few weeks ago.

9 – Back in the spring I visited a reclaimed housewares outlet in Cincy and so began my claw foot tub obsession.  If at all possible, I want to squeeze a claw foot tub into the bathroom.  I had one as a little kid and remember it fondly.  It felt like I was in a big boat.  For practicality, I’d add a shower fixture/sprayer attachment so guests and our grown kiddos {later…not now} could take showers if they wanted.  And as I suggested above, the tub could provide a strong contrast to all that white if I painted the exterior in BM gravel gray.  HINT: We’re off to check out a craigslisted claw foot tub tonight!

10 – Obviously, this bullrush basket is way outta my league.  $375!!!  I think I should be able to find something similar {and cheaper!} in texture to act as a catchall for kids’ dirty clothes and towels.

I’m diggin’ the overall look and feel of the mood board.  Here’s hoping we can tweak it a bit and bring it to life!

images:  1-3) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking  4) Polyvore collage by Dana Miller…images linked to above

Erin’s dining area and media room are adjacent to her long, narrow living room.  The living room is visually separated from the rest of the open space by small half walls accented with columns.

BEFORE

On the living room side of the half walls, there are built-ins.  At the opposite {far} end of the living room is a small bump out encased in windows.  And in case you missed it, the focal point of the room is a large fireplace with a high mantel flanked on either side by built-ins.  The living room is already painted Benjamin Moore’s Puritan Gray and Erin likes it as-is.  Here is the mid-modern mood board I created for Erin’s living room…

3 – Erin mentioned she’d like a place to read, so I chose this chaise in medium gray to place in front of the window to the right of the mantel/built-ins.  I’d suggest angling it slightly out towards the coffee table.  It shouldn’t be parallel to the mantel wall, but it shouldn’t stick so far out into the room that it impedes traffic either.  Pair it with a simple floor light to invite reading.  Once again, to keep things cohesive, I’d add the same curtains to the window in this reading corner.  Erin already owns a light gray area rug that I think would work well to define the sofa seating area.

A few words on the mantel and built-ins:  Erin mentioned her fiance’s aunt is an artist, so I purposefully left the space above the fireplace blank where said aunt’s artwork will go.  I can also picture a wood or metal monogram letter hanging on the tiled surround of the fireplace just above the firebox.  To avoid damage to the tile, the monogram could be hung with an adhesive 3M hook. As for all the built-in shelves, I recommend that Erin edit, edit, edit.  Less is more.  Incorporating objects that tie into the gray, white, yellow, and teal color scheme will keep it feeling cohesive.  I’d encourage Erin to find images of inspiring, arranged shelves and to mimic them.  Layering {for instance, overlapping a stack of books with a propped picture frame}, repetition, varying object height/texture, and empty space are all good characteristics of a well arranged bookcase.

So, that concludes the mood boards for Erin’s vintage condo.  Are you able to see how the open space could work as separate zones and/or one larger multifunctional space?  A cohesive color scheme, sensible layout, area rugs, and lots of light help to make an open space feel inviting. Many people are drawn to open floor plans nowadays but find them challenging to decorate.  For more tips on how to approach wide open spaces click here.  Thanks to Erin for allowing me to virtually tweak her place!  And for allowing me to share her before images which, she would like everyone to know, were taken shortly after she and her fiance moved in.  Can’t wait to see the afters!

Just in case you missed the rest of Erin’s mood boards, here are all three…