There it is…’Old Yeller’…the new sliding barn door between our bedroom and bathroom!

It’s bold, modern, industrial and ever-so-functional.  Way better than the cheap double doors that were there previously.  And I can take no credit for it.  This was all Handy Hubby.  I think I made a few pencil marks on the wall during the hanging process, but that’s it.  It’s made from the same fence boards as our headboard.  I went back and forth about leaving in au naturel or painting it.  But after revisiting one of my logged inspiration photos from Southern Living and seeing Handy Hubby get so excited about a colored something in our house, I had to do it.  Plus, I knew it’d be upstairs in the bedroom…not in the main living area of our home where we spend most of our time…so it wouldn’t be staring me straight in the face all day long.  I took the ruffled, mustard-colored pillow from our bed to Sherwin Williams for color inspiration when I chose the paint color.  It’s SW’s Auric in the glossiest finish they would give me.  We still need to add hardware {a handle on the bedroom side and a recessed pull on the bathroom side}, but I couldn’t wait to share some pics.  I’ve got a full on DIY tutorial in line for next week, but until then here’s some eye candy.  Here’s the door wide open…

…I’ve really got to do something about that oak vanity in the bathroom.  Soon enough.  And here’s the door shut…  {I don’t have to put a pillow over my head in the morning anymore while Handy Hubby is getting ready for work!}

Handy Hubby did a superb job hanging it.  It rolls as smooth as bud-dah.  {That’s ‘butter.’} Since the door itself was free {it’s reclaimed wood from Handy Hubby’s family farm}, we decided to splurge a little on the hanging hardware.  It’s nice and sturdy.  Solid.

Here’s the view from the bathroom…

Now, if that doesn’t wake you up during your morning shower, I don’t know what will!  I have to say, I probably would have never painted the sliding barn door this bold of a color all on my own. But it’s starting to grow on me.  And Handy Hubby absolutely loves it.  Maybe it’s because the entire door’s color scheme is a little reminiscent of a certain NFL team’s black and gold.

Handy Hubby is from just outside Pittsburgh, so it should come as no surprise that he’s a devoted Steelers fan.  As am I.  By marriage, of course.  And, apparently, in Pittsburgh they don’t know about the saying, ‘your barn door’s open.’  When I told Handy Hubby what I was going to title this post, he just stared at me.  I had to google it for him to prove that it referred to someone’s zippered fly being undone.  Have you heard of it before?  Do you know any other special undercover phrases that refer to one’s open fly?

Happy Super Bowling this weekend!  If you’re into that.  If not, just happy weekend then!

images:  1-7) Dana Miller for House*Tweaking  8) National Sports Beat

We painted our builder oak cabinets white nearly a year ago, but I still get so many questions about them.  Aside from how we did it, I usually get asked about the results.  Specifically if the wood grain is noticeable.  The short answer is ‘yes‘.  The texture of the original wood grain does show.  The long answer, though, is ‘yes but only under artificial light when looking just the right way.‘  I took some pictures to demonstrate.

When looking straight on in natural light, the cabinets look like this…

Pretty much like they were white all along, right?  When looking straight on under some artificial lighting, they still look smooth and white with a touch of warmth from the recessed lighting.  See…

Here’s a close-up in natural light, looking up at an upper cabinet…

Still nothing very noticeable.  The only time the grain is noticeable is when you look up at the cabinets under artificial lighting…

Basically, the only time we see the wood grain is when we stand at the oven preparing dinner, get bored, lean forward and inspect the upper cabinets.  {Which we did a lot at first after we painted them because we were newly enamored.}  But, honestly, we don’t do that anymore.  We don’t pay much attention to the grain.  When we were still researching the process of painting the cabinets, we read about using some sort of roll-on filler {Brushing Putty maybe?} to fill in the grain.  However, we weren’t turned off enough by the idea of the grain showing through to include that step.  It looked pretty labor intensive for something that wasn’t going to bother us that much. I can say for a fact that I wouldn’t change anything about ‘em.  So, if you’re considering painting your wood cabinets, I hope this helps clear up all the hype about going against the grain.  Literally.

FYI – It’s probably worthy to mention that we used Sherwin Williams oil-based primer tinted to Greek Villa along with Sherwin Williams latex enamel paint tinted to Greek Villa in a semi-gloss finish.  We applied both with small foam rollers, using a 2″ trim brush only in tight spots, to keep brush strokes at bay.  For more info, check out this post and its comments section.

images:  all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

I’ve been wanting to start a monthly post that focuses on great paint colors for the home.  I get so many questions about the paint colors used in my home and what colors to use in other homes.  I thought featuring a different paint color every month would be a good way to introduce you to no-fail paint colors.  Along with detailing the brand and name of each color, I’ll include images of the paint color in real life settings and discuss how to use it in your own home.  Sound good?  Ok, let’s get started!

This month’s featured paint color is Sherwin Williams Sea Salt.  It’s a cool neutral with blue-green undertones.  Drenched in natural light, it takes on a slightly bluer, grayer hue.  In artificial light, it’s more of a blue-green.  Sea Salt sets the stage for a light, airy and fresh room.  Honestly, I can’t think of a room that this color wouldn’t work in…bedroom, living room, nursery, bathroom, laundry room…I could see it in any of those settings.  And depending on what it’s paired with, Sea Salt could fit into traditional, contemporary and/or playful moods alike.

Pair it with warm wood tones to lighten the heaviness wood can sometimes bring to a space.

In a bathroom with a pretty standard oak vanity, Sea Salt adds just enough color to make the room feel a little more spa-like.

When used in combination with whites and turquoise, Sea Salt can lend a shabby chic vibe.

Sea Salt has versatile color scheme options.  Go modern and playful in a nursery or child’s room by adding in white, charcoal and orange accents…in furniture pieces, art work and fabrics.

Go sophisticated and cozy in a bedroom by adding golds, tans and creams.

Finally, get springy and punchy with touches of olive and citron in accessories.

So, what do you think?  Would Sea Salt work well somewhere in your home?  Have any other ideas for possible Sea Salt color combos?  Are you liking this monthly paint color feature?  Do you have any requests for future You Hues?  {Get it?  You Hue.  Like ‘yoohoo!’  Yep, I came up with that all by myself.}

Happy painting!

images:  1) Sherwin Williams  2-4) Sarah Rainwater for Apartment Therapy 5) Decor Pad 6) Deb at Cappuccino Cottage 7-9) Sherwin Williams collage by Dana Miller

Victoria emailed me needing help with the long, skinny room above her garage.  She wanted it to function as a retreat for guests using a color scheme of blue, chocolate and tan.

Here’s what I came up with…

1 – Instead of being too literal with the desired color scheme, I switched up the combination to blue-green, gold, white and espresso…to keep things a little more airy in a room lacking tons of natural light.  For the wall/ceiling color, something along the lines of Olympic’s Carolina Inn Club Aqua {as seen over on Young House Love} would give guests the feeling of sleeping in the sky.  To complement the blue-green walls, I chose a textured gold duvet cover to fold up and lay across the bottom third of the proposed all white bed. The subtle chrysanthemum pattern adds interest and ties into the wall art nicely.

A kind House*Tweaking reader, Lisa, emailed me a few weeks ago about her sunroom.  Here are some pictures she attached in her email…

Lisa’s sunroom is located right off her kitchen and opens up into the backyard.  It serves as a dining room, craft area and somewhat of a mudroom.  {The hutch holds art and office supplies.}  Lisa had already decided to paint over the bright yellow walls with Valspar’s {Lowe’s} Bonsai.  She also knew the honey stain of the dining table wasn’t working and that it would look more polished in a darker, richer stain. To provide more seating and allow for better traffic flow, Lisa plans to build a corner bench seat in the left-hand corner of the first picture above.  Lisa asked for advice on how to incorporate her favorite color, turquoise, into the room along with her kids’ artwork and a bird or branch or two…she loves birds and branches.  Like anyone, she was on a budget and looking to tweak her bold sunroom into something a little more clean, simple, and fresh.  Here’s the mood board I came up with for her…

1 – To go along with the Bonsai paint color for the walls, I suggested that Lisa sand, prime and then paint her dining chairs in Sherwin William’s Meander Blue.  This grayed-down turquoise hue will add a pop of color and contrast with the darker stained table {more on that in #8}.

2 – Lisa didn’t specifically mention anything about a light fixture, but pendant lights are a great way to define a dining space.  I chose this IKEA one because of the texture, lighter wood tone and simplicity…and price.  (My sister owns the table lamp version of this light and says it casts pretty designs on her walls/ceiling in evening light.)  This IKEA Böja pendant could be hardwired into the current ceiling light box and then swagged over to the center of the dining table once the table is moved closer to the corner.  Just use a ceiling hook to secure and swag the wire.

3 – I suggested grabbing up a trio of IKEA’s square RIBBA frames in white to showcase Lisa’s kids’ art in style.  (Displays look better when done in 3′s.)  Hung along the wall in the first image above the chair rail and spaced closely, these frames would house artwork that could be changed up quickly and easily whenever Lisa’s heart desires.  Keeping the spacing between the frames tight – no more than 4 inches apart – gives them the feeling of one display versus 3 disconnected frames.

4 – This inexpensive geometric door mat would be a good spot for wiping shoes when placed in front of the doors.

5 – I found this bubble glass bottle/vase and thought it would look darling on the dining table paired with some branches…either real or faux.

6 – The capiz metal branch wall art just might be my favorite thing in this mood board.  I have shown it turned on its side for a more natural effect.  I would hang this on the wall opposite the french doors.  As far as placement, I’d hang it so that when standing by the french doors directly across from where the dining table will be {once bench seating is installed}, the pendant light doesn’t hang directly in front of it…some overlap is good.  That means moving the branch art a little further down the wall towards the kitchen.  Being across from all those doors, this wall art will reflect the light and sparkle.  To save money, Lisa could totally DIY something similar out of real branches and glue little mirrors or crystals to them for the same effect!

7 – I threw in a couple of decorative pillows for the future bench seating.  Guess what?  They’re from Etsy.  See the Moroccan inspired one here and the coffee sack one here.

8 – I agree that sanding down and staining the  yellow-ish table a darker tone would fit better into Lisa’s desired color scheme of gray, white and turquoise.  It would be a lot of work/mess but very much worth it. A walnut stain would go with the hutch but they wouldn’t have to match perfectly. This is just a picture of a table in a color of stain that I think would look nice in Lisa’s sunroom. No need to buy a new table.  The corner bench seating would look nice in white to blend in with the wainscoting and take up less space visually.  For added storage, the bench seating could be open underneath for shoe baskets or the top could be hinged to open up and hide seasonal apparel – coats, hats, gloves, scarves, beach towels, etc.

9 – Finally…the hutch vignette.  Moving the hutch over to the short wall near the kitchen, would balance out the room.  {Remember, the dining table and new bench seating will be in the corner diagonally opposite this wall.}  Say it isn’t so, but the hutch is great the way it is!  {I know.  Who’da thought I’d say don’t paint it?}  The wood tone will lend warmth to the light room.  I would just declutter the top and add some decorative storage boxes in white to disguise messes.  I found these at Target.  I think Lisa could scout out a bird figurine from a thrift store and spray paint it turquoise.  She said she likes birds, so I wanted to incorporate one.  {Even though I’m deathly afraid of them.  Weird?  Yes.}  Lastly, a nice white oval mirror hung horizontally above the hutch would really lighten up that little corner. I told Lisa to look for a mirror in the right size, shape and price range that could be painted white if need be.

So, that’s how I virtually tweaked Lisa’s sunroom.  I’m happy to say that Lisa has painted her room Bonsai and it looks 100% better already!  Not that it was that bad to begin with.  Did you notice those light-drenching doors OR the wood floors OR the wainscoting OR the bead board ceiling? So much potential!  It’s amazing what a little paint, some decluttering and a few accessories can do.  Really.  I can’t wait to see what it looks like when it’s finished.  Thanks, Lisa, for letting me play with your room!

images: 1 & 2) Lisa’s befores  3) Polyvore collage created by Dana Miller using images linked within

This is what our kitchen looked like last December…

1 – We emptied out the builder oak cabinets in preparation for sanding, priming and painting.  We removed the cabinet doors and drawers also.

2 – We piled the contents of our cabinets onto and under our dining table and covered it all with a plastic drop cloth.  This made it difficult for us to find what utensils we needed and easier for the kids to find what utensils they wanted to play with.

3 – After a light sanding to scuff up the surface, we taped off the cabinet frames and set to work priming while the kiddos snoozed away.

4 – Several coats of primer and paint later, we placed everything back in the cabinets.  It was another month before the cabinet doors and drawers were finished.

Looking back, I don’t remember the mess or the work much.  What I do remember are those orange-y oak cabinets that I was determined to paint white the day I saw them.  It took us 2 years to get around to doing it.  It’s definitely one of those things we look at and think, “Why didn’t we do this sooner?!”  Eventually, we added new hardware, DIY’d a glass-front cabinet, switched out the laminate countertops for granite, updated our sink and faucet, tiled the backsplash and customized the existing island.  For the full tour as-is, click here.  We’ve yet to find a suitable window treatment, hang industrial pendant lights above the island and install new flooring.

I wanted to share this with you to show you things don’t happen overnight here.  My kitchen has not always looked the way it does now.  Kids, real jobs, time and money constraints, and just plain energy levels usually dictate our project timelines.  And that’s fine.  We don’t have any big deadlines to meet.  So, if you’re thinking of taking on a similar DIY home improvement project, don’t be discouraged.  You may have to live with chaos, clutter and dust for a while but that’s what makes the end result that much sweeter.

Happy home improving!

images:  all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Sometimes it only takes a few shiny decor items to make a space sparkle for the holidays.  The effect is subtle and easy.

Metallic handprints on velvet stockings, a crystal snowflake reflecting into a mirror, sparkling berry branches in a pot and some glitter garland draped along the stair rail dress up our living room. {There are those elusive stockings!}

I always like to throw in a few shiny bells and balls.  The vintage silver bells in the kitchen window are from Handy Hubby’s childhood collection.  {See more on our mantle here.}  A rippled mercury globe bedazzles the living room coffee table.  These quick and easy additions are great ways to take a room from ho-hum to ho-ho-ho-holiday.  {Sorry.  Couldn’t help myself.}  And they look even better at night under soft, ambient lighting.  How do you make your home glow for the season? White string lights?  Mesmerizing snow globes?  Sugar cookie scented candles?  I’ve been burning my favorite buttercream scented candle every evening for the last week.  Yummy.  Handy Hubby is always disappointed to learn that I’m not actually baking anything.

images:  all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Why, hello there lil’ 99¢ Goodwill mini tree.

I’d like you to meet my bff, white spray paint.

Now, hold still.  This will only take a second.

Ah, much better.

‘Tis the fate of so many Goodwill purchases here at my house.  Happy weekend!

Hopefully, this week’s series about creating a stylish open space has inspired you to get crackin’ on your own place.  If not, well, at least you got to look at some pretty amazing rooms.  Let’s review the tips for decorating an open floor plan one last time {in case you missed ‘em earlier, you can click on each for details}:

• COHESIVE COLOR SCHEME
• SENSIBLE FURNITURE PLACEMENT
• MULTITASKING AREA RUGS
• LOTS OF LIGHT

To reiterate everything you’ve read here this week, I’d like to dissect one last open floor plan. {Anatomy lab always was my favorite course in college.}  This comfortable and colorful living space is part of Coastal Living’s 2009 Idea House.  You’ll quickly find that is has all the right moves in all the right places.  {Name that song.}  Here’s the big picture…

It includes a kitchen, living room and dining area.  Notice the color scheme of tan, coral, eggplant and white.  Each zone is arranged around its own focal point: the kitchen’s hood/tiled wall, the living room’s fireplace and the dining area’s artwork.  Furniture is set out into the space but allows for adequate traffic flow.  Also, notice the low profile of all the furniture.  It doesn’t obstruct the view from one end of the space to the other and allows conversation to drift easily across the different zones.

Pendants above the kitchen island?  Check.  Backless stools give sitters the option to face the cook or the living room.

The living room benefits from the texture and grounding effects of a shag rug.  To help traffic flow and to break up all the rectangular shapes in the space, round coffee and side tables are used. Color and pattern is brought in on the throw pillows.  The coral stairwell/entry at the far end of the room serves as a warm backdrop.  A ceiling fan {as seen in the first image} and a buffet table lamp {not shown} are the only artificial light sources.

In the dining area, a simple table is highlighted by 2 large pendants.  Large scale artwork {made from bottlecaps!} is the undeniable focal point of this zone.  To further define this area, a patterned rug in eggplant is placed beneath the table and chairs.  2 tall, skinny buffet lamps round out the lighting.  It may be worthy to note that the gold finishes {dining buffet lamps, dining pendants, kitchen pendants, kitchen faucet, etc} scattered throughout this entire open floor plan bring even more cohesion to the overall scheme.

To me, it’s fun to pick apart rooms like this and figure out why they work.  While you’re building up your inspiration folder, you can do the same thing.  Decorating an open concept can be overwhelming because you must focus on the space as a whole and as zones.  But don’t get discouraged.  Just keep those key points in mind as you make your space a happy place.

Have a wonderful weekend!

images: all Angie Hranowsky design, Lindsey Ellis Beatty styling and Tria Giovan photography for Coastal Living

It’s Feature Friday! On Fridays, I’ll be featuring one room in my house in its current condition even if there are some things I’d like to change about it. If I do happen to improve something later, I can always revisit it when the time comes. Plus, I’d kinda feel dishonest if I only focused on “finished” rooms in my house. And if what they (the professionals) say is true, a room is never really finished anyways…you’re always tweaking it. Concentrating on just one room weekly should give me some time to tidy it up a bit, too.

Well, here we are.  The last Feature Friday…the final room in my house tour.  I feel like it should be some wondrous room with a tremendous WOW! factor but, sadly, it isn’t.  Like my master bedroom, the adjoining master bathroom hasn’t been tweaked yet.  It’s next on the list.  It’s your typical builder bath {pretty much like the original condition of every other room in this house} but it’s a great size and gets lots of natural light.  Take a peek…

Straight ahead is the ‘water closet’, i.e. the tiny room with just a toilet in it.  The door to the toilet room is so coming off the hinges when I get my hands on it!

Oh, yes, I’m an over toilet paper hanger.  But back to the main part of the bathroom.  To the left is our large yet orange double vanity.

Not only is the stain hideous, it’s not consistent!  The doors don’t match the frame and some of the doors/drawers don’t even match each other.  It’s just crying out for some paint and hardware.

And the frameless mirror needs a DIY frame.  The marble countertops aren’t bad.

I like to keep my makeup out on a tray next to my sink.  I’m more apt to put it on when it’s staring me in the face first thing in the morning.  No pics of Handy Hubby’s sink.  I love that man but he keeps a pretty nasty sink.  I’ve learned to ignore it…or just clean it out of disgust.  {Good thing I have my own sink.}  Across from our double vanity is the shower and tub.

Again, nothing special but nothing wrong with them either.  I’m a shower girl.  {Personal hygiene is a tad overrated anyway if you ask me, but that’s a topic for a different blog.}  I think the last time I took a bath was when I was pregnant with Everett {3 years ago}.  The most action that tub sees is when Handy Hubby gives the boys haircuts.  He plops a chair right in the middle of the tub and trims ‘em up.

Handy Hubby and I would prefer to get rid of the tub and have one large, double-headed shower but who knows if/when that will ever happen.  We should probably add some type of window treatment to the window above the tub but, really, I don’t think anyone can see in due to the angle.  And if they can see in {neighbors!…why haven’t you told me?!}, well, the damage is already done so why change now?  Maybe just a decorative versus functional window treatment is in order.  I’d also like to DIY a shower curtain of sorts between the shower and tub, find a new rug{s} and add artwork and accessories…all on a budget, of course.  Sounds like a good winter project, doesn’t it?

And so ends my house tour.  For now.  My home is forever changing and I still have loads of ideas whirling around in this overactive brain of mine.  I hope you’ll hang around and see what else happens around here.