When I started this blog my family was living in a builder spec home. The finishes were cheap and I was doing my best to put my stamp on things. I turned to the internet for inspiration but was disappointed in what I found. Most looks weren’t achievable in our house. We had nondescript carpet and vinyl flooring – not hardwoods. There were no particularly alluring architectural features. We also had practical things like ceiling fans and light-filtering window shades. Tweaking that house taught us many things. Eventually, we came to value quality over quantity which prompted our downsizing adventure. But it also taught us that you don’t have to wait until bigger, future projects (i.e., installing new flooring) are completed to start making little changes that better reflect your preferred aesthetic.

“Nothing you do for your home is ever wasted.” – Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan for Apartment Therapy

We never did install new flooring in our previous home. But we did paint the walls & kitchen cabinets, install new countertops & a backsplash, experiment with furnishings and hang curtains & artwork. By the time we moved, the space definitely felt more like us than it had when we moved in.

All that to say, you don’t have to wait until you can do everything to do something.

And that’s what this makeover is all about. My clients moved into their home less than six months ago. They would love to upgrade the flooring, redo the kitchen, install statement light fixtures, fully furnish each room and improve the bathrooms but, as with most newly acquired houses, those things just aren’t in the budget right now. Instead, they’re tackling smaller projects as time and money allow, injecting their sense of style as they go. So far, they’ve painted nearly every room in the house and I recently helped them revamp the master bedroom. (You can read about my plans for the space and see a mood board here.) It’s a real room with carpet, blinds, a ceiling fan and even a TV. I hope it inspires you to do something.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

We made a lot of changes but, in my opinion, rotating the bed, painting the walls a deep charcoal and bringing in mismatched furniture were the game-changers.

Relocating the bed to a blank wall makes it a natural focal point and lets more light pour in through the windows. The tufted headboard makes a grand statement. I love how the sides turn in for an intimate effect. So cozy!

My client’s style is decidedly more luxurious than my own. When she requested sequins, I cringed a little. But this Moroccan wedding blanket was the perfect solution. It jingles ever so lightly! I wanted to take it home with me. I searched high and low for a vintage one that was large enough to fit the king bed but not a bazillion dollars. I kept the rest of the bedding simple with a linen duvet and lumbar pillow. The bordered euro shams are a nice detail and tie in to the khaki stripes on the Moroccan blanket.

Patterned sheets are a fun surprise when the duvet is pulled back.

X-based campaign-style nightstands pop against the moody walls. The geometric lines contrast with the headboard’s curves. I LOVE the lamps. They’re oversized to match the scale of the headboard. Anything smaller would have been dwarfed. The wood bases warm up the white nightstands and bedding.

I turned to one of my favorite artists, Clare Elsaesser, to fill the void between the windows. I’ve always loved her work. The rich color combinations, tangled poses and fluid brush strokes create a dream-like quality making her pieces ideal for a bedroom. I framed the large print in a poster frame spray painted gold to match the curtain rods (also spray painted gold). At the eleventh hour, I decided to add black ribbon trim to the leading edges of the curtains for a little drama. It was more work but not expensive and totally worth it.

I think a TV in the bedroom is a personal choice and my clients choose to have one in theirs. To make it less conspicuous, we mounted it on the wall above one of the vintage dressers I rehabbed. (The dark walls go a long way in hiding the TV, too.) An accordion-like bracket allows the screen to be angled toward the bed for easier viewing.

I was the teensiest bit apprehensive about the dressers. I absolutely LOVE how they turned out and knew they would look great in the space. However, when I met with my client initially, she told me she didn’t like gold and preferred “rustic” furniture pieces. The minute she saw them, she was sold – on the gold and the midcentury style. I was so glad because the clean lines and warm wood tones were very much needed in the space. I made her a believer! (Her husband loves them, too, but I knew he would.)

The feather finish tops were a hit, too.

I brought in a bench and mirror for easy dressing and quick once-overs. (A hallway leading to his and hers closets is located just to the left of the bench.) The mirror actually came with the dresser I used in my boys’ room. I had no use for it but hung on to it because it’s a solid piece. It finally found a home! At night, the Moroccan blanket can be folded up and placed on the bench.

My client had her heart set on a chaise for the adjacent sitting area. She imagined it as a quiet space for lounging with a book and / or a glass of wine.

A metal accent table picks up on other gold details in the room and provides a surface for reading material and a drink. Layered textiles create a relaxed vibe. The kilim pillow repeats the color scheme of the artwork in the sleeping area. The hanging planter fills vertical space and adds life to the vignette. We treated the two smaller windows as one large one (one curtain rod, two curtain panels) to make the space feel lighter and brighter.

I paired the other dresser with black and white abstract art to give the sitting area a modern edge.

The best part? My clients absolutely love the room. I can’t tell you how good it feels to witness people go from detesting a living space to not wanting to leave it. I’m so grateful they allowed me to put my spin on things. Not everyone is willing to go dark or try things outside of their comfort zone, but they were game. Thanks Maggie & Jeremy!

Resources of note:

wall paint – Benjamin Moore kendall charcoal, color-matched in Valspar Reserve
ceiling fan – Amazon
headboard – Mariah headboard in taft pewter, Arhaus*
Moroccan wedding blanket – etsy
linen duvet, lumbar pillow – Ikea
euro shams – Ralph Lauren in polished bronze, Macy’s
sheets – Target
nightstands – Overstock
wood lamps – Lamps Plus
ring holder – Target
curtain rods – Amazon (spray painted gold with Rustoleum Universal pure gold)
curtains – Ikea
black ribbon trim – Amazon
large print – “Unclasped” by Clare Elsaesser, etsy
poster frame – Amazon (spray painted gold with Rustoleum Universal pure gold)
dressers – vintage, DIY
pierced hurricane candleholders – Target
woven basket – Target
bench – Overstock
mirror – vintage
chaise – Audrey chaise in tumble natural, Arhaus*
black and white abstract art & wood frames – Minted*
jute plant hanger – Amazon
olive throw – Overstock
kilim pillow – etsy
metal side table – Urban Outfitters
hide & sheepskin rugs – Ikea
task lamp – Ikea
ivy planter – thrifted

*Denotes items provided specifically for this project. This is NOT a sponsored post but I would like to thank Arhaus and Minted for providing the items listed above. I am grateful to be in a unique position to pass along quality products to my clients to help stretch their budgets. You can see more pictures of this space and read my tips for creating a beautiful bedroom over on Arhaus’s blog, Greenhaus.

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Every year at this time I like to document the improvements and changes to our home’s exterior. It isn’t grand, but there’s something about the spring green grass, the fresh mulch and new blooms that make me conscious of how far we’ve come. 2015 is the first year we aren’t embarrassed by our home’s curb appeal – or lack thereof. Pssst – Can you spot the kitty peeking out the front door?

Probably the biggest difference between this year and previous years is the concrete driveway. Not only has it cleaned up the house’s curb appeal, it has tremendously decreased the amount of dirt and debris that gets tracked into the house. The old asphalt driveway was crumbling and held water, dirt, mud and rocks which inevitably made their way into our house and cars. After the driveway was installed last summer, we sealed it, planted new grass seed and added river rock around the front walk where it meets the driveway. Thanks to a wet fall and rainy spring, the grass filled in without too much assistance from the sprinkler. We considered rock walls or planters for the transition from the driveway to the walk, but the river rock was an easy solution and it ties in to the rock in the front beds.

The trash enclosure is doing its job. We haven’t sprung for a new garage door yet. Last year’s stopgap paint job is holding up so well that we’ll most likely keep it around for another year or two.

A few weeks ago I took inventory of the landscaping. We lost a lily of the valley and a fountain grass. Both were planted last year. That’s not too bad considering the harsh winter we endured. (I read Ohio was colder than Alaska this past winter!)

A few of the golden mop cypress were looking feeble last spring but I pruned the brown stuff and now they’re as vibrant as ever.

The rose bushes are thriving with little maintenance on my part. I deadhead them every week or so during the summer and cut them back in the fall. I love the creamy petals.

After not blooming last year, the hydrangeas are back in action! Last summer they were big and leafy and green without a single bloom. I spoke with a local nursery and they chalked it up to a cold and snowy winter. (2013 and 2014 have been some of the snowiest and coldest on record here in Ohio.) They suggested I wait it out and see how they do over the next few years. After another harsh winter, I wasn’t very optimistic. But they’re blooming!

Up until this year, most of the landscaping we’ve done has been super basic. For two reasons: 1) Landscaping is not our strong suit. 2) We’ve always planned to add as we go. We feel more comfortable establishing a base and adding to it when we can afford / care for it. It’s definitely a learn-as-we-go experience for us. Steve usually takes care of the larger stuff (like digging the beds) and mows the lawn. Typically, I make the plant selections and water, fertilize, deadhead, prune, etc. Basically, Steve can’t be held accountable for anything dying. That’s all me. But now that my alive : dead ratio is the highest it’s ever been (!), I though it might be okay to try some new plantings.

Layne accompanied me to the nursery a few weeks ago. He LOVES the nursery. He was really excited to pick out more colorful plants. He said, “Mom, this is the first time you aren’t buying green everything.”

I added a trail of sunsparkler dazzleberry sedum (a.k.a. razzleberry) next to the river rock near the front entry. I don’t know which I love more: the texture or the name? Just try to say “dazzleberry” without smiling. In the fall it will produce raspberry clusters and over time it will spread. I can’t wait.

Layne chose the annuals for the container near the door. I told him to pick something tall, something flowery and something trailing. He did a great job! Last year I used rosemary in the planter. I loved the way the fragrance wafted up to greet you at the door, but this colorful arrangement is pretty welcoming, too. (Plus, we have plans to grow herbs in a raised garden bed…keep reading.)

Layne also talked me in to hot pink wave petunias. I bought a half dozen or so and sprinkled them in for hits of bright color here and there. He also picked out two sonic bloom pink weigela. I forgot to grab a shot of them but you can see one in the background of the golden mop cypress shot, eight pics back.

Keeping with the pink theme, I planted dianthus in the front bed near the walk…

…along with creeping jenny.

The miss kim lilac was a splurge. On a recent visit, Everett’s chiropractor had fresh lilac blooms in the bathroom and they smelled so good I vowed to plant one at our house. It had the most gorgeous, fragrant blooms when I planted it but they were fleeting. I just missed them when I took these pictures last week. I’m anxiously waiting for next spring.

The smaller shrub in front of the lilac is a little lime hydrangea. I planted two of them last year to replace mini crape myrtle that didn’t survive the winter. I bought the little limes late in the summer and they didn’t look that great but they were discounted so I thought I would give them a try. No blooms yet but my fingers are crossed. They already look healthier than they did last year.

Moving to the back (north-facing) yard, I planted a trio of hosta at the corner.

The chardonnay pearls are filling out nicely just one year in. I missed capturing their white, pearl-like spring blooms but they might be my favorite of all the perennials. They have a great organic shape and the blooms fill our bedroom with the sweetest scent when the window is open.

I added several caladium in front of the heat pump to try to disguise it. I love the colorful, veiny, heart-shaped leaves.

Finally, we cleared out the northeast corner of the backyard to make room for a compost and raised garden beds. At the time these pictures were taken, the beds were made and in place (upside down) waiting to be sunk and filled with topsoil. Spoiler alert: they’re sunk and filled!

A little 2011 vs. 2015 comparison because that always makes me feel better…

It isn’t perfect and it didn’t happen overnight, but it’s definitely an improvement. With the front of the house looking much better, we’re turning our attention to the backyard this summer. A compost, raised garden beds and a screen for the electric meter are in the works. I’ll share more soon!

images: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking