My "life quandary"and FINALLY the shop reveal....

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Occasionally I go back and reread some of my posts from the last eight years. Man i have transformed some awesome pieces of furniture and spaces!!!

Now that I am “semi-retired” I have been trying to decide what I want to do “when I grow up.” After a year of binge watching “Gilmore Girls” and finishing the little projects around this house, I desperately need something to do.

I still haven’t decided what.

I love refurbishing furniture but honestly my body isn’t exactly cooperating these days. After just one day of projecting, I am usually hobbled for at least two days.

I don’t like to golf, I don’t knit, sewing is NO WAY JOSE, I raised four kids so while I will eventually help with my future local grand kiddos, I don’t think I want to take them on full time.

Volunteer…an option, but where. I love animals but if I volunteered at a shelter I would have a house full of critters. I would love to work at a zoo, but sadly we don’t have one!

Sick kids…they make me sad. I just don’t know if that is something I could do.

Old people. Hum….to close for comfort?

A real job? Nice idea but I don’t want to work nights, weekends or holidays. Brian and I like to take little vacations so I need lots of flexibility. Not exactly an ideal employee.

Besides I have NO idea what I want to do and I don’t want to spend 20 hours a week doing something I don’t enjoy.

I am blessed. I was blessed to own a business for 23 years that darn near killed me but allowed me to care for my family and “semi-retire” at a relatively young age.

So what do I do?

This blog is a wealth of information and I am sure there is a way I could turn it into a “business.” But truthfully, I like sharing my experiences with those who need the guidance. And I don’t want to make people pay for that help.

Which bring me back to my first love….building, creating, repairing, helping, sharing, instructing…my blog logo says it all….I hope I can share with you a passion and desire to easily create a home you will love!

All this whining and moaning to finally share one of my favorite things about this house…the shop. A space I have wanted for decades, finally got, and now really can’t use to it’s full potential!

For YEARS I worked out of my garage…what a mess. When I saw this house had an amazing shop I was stoked! A place to keep all my tools and work on a few small projects and I would still be able to park my car in the garage.

It is insulated, it has electricity, large doors, windows….the only downside was it was SERIOUSLY ugly!
Like baaaaad ugly.

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As with every inch of this house, I could see the potential.

I knew I had to make it pretty!

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The windows were old aluminum windows so those had to be replaced. I even moved the front one to the left to make it more “aesthetically pleasing.” New light fixtures inside and out were a must. The doors were aluminum and vinyl siding and not real attractive so I did just enough to make them look a little better. New cedar posts, some shutters…

And the biggy,,…brick. No I am not a brick layers so I was super fortunate to find someone who would take on a few small projects. Finding brick to match the brick on this 22 year old house was dang near impossible, but I was able to find one that was close enough and it made all the difference in the world.

We went from having a big ugly vinyl shed in the yard to having a super cute building.

The inside…it’s a storage shed in spite of what it looks like from the outside. Lawnmowers, tools, yard stuff…nothing fancy. I love the workshops that are all perfect and spotless….but it is a shop/storage shed, plain and simple. (Note Brian’s big fancy grill/smoker….God forbid it sit on the patio and get wet like a normal grill)

As I shared HERE when I spruced up the storage shed at our old house, I firmly believe storage sheds should enhance your space…not just be a big eye sore where you store you mower and shovel.

GET CREATIVE…make it pretty. Take a little time to doll it up and make it something that is aesthetically pleasing rather than just a huge eye sore in your back yard. Pinterest (my “go to” inspiration") is full of outdoor buildings that have been transformed into something other than just big ole’ eye sores!

No, you do not have to do something as fancy (or expensive) as mine…but a Pinterest search and a little “oops paint” can really make a difference.

Do a little “storage shed” search, then let your imagination run wild. Remember, we have lived in this house almost a year and I am just now sharing…transformations don’t happen over night!

Designing a room....

Everything seems to progressing nicely at the new house…knock on wood! Wood floors are going in, walk in shower is being built, sheetrock repair is being done.

Today I want to talk about “design features.”

As I mentioned before, I kind of “wing it” when it comes to design. Some people need a visual like a design board that shows all the elements of a room.

Me…I find one thing I absolutely love and then go from there.

In the new kitchen, it was this tile….

I can not tell you how much I LOVE this tile. (It was delivered this week…even more beautiful in person!)

I have one space in the kitchen that is about 8’ long…it is the perfect “cubby” for a cooking center…cook top, oven and microwave. My vision is walnut lowers with two painted uppers to the ceiling, walnut floating shelves, white quartz tops, stainless vent hood and this tile.

This tile has a “brushed gold” accent in it so to tie in the gold with the rest of the kitchen I have decided to go with these simple pendant lights above the island….

They kind of coordinate with the light fixture I have in my dining room…the exact same one I have ordered for the breakfast room in the new house.

What can I say, I love what I love!!!

Some really funky gold hardware.

A touch of “whimsy.” I’m not a big “cabinet hardware” person…I don’t even have them on my cabinets here…but I am going with shaker style cabinets and they will need hardware. I just thought these were fun and different.

The appliances are all stainless. I LOVE my black stainless appliances, but I fear that will be one of those “fad” things. I think in the long run I will be happy with stainless. Also, there is Carrara marble accents in the tile backsplash and greyish veining in the quartz tops…I think the stainless will blend right in.

I have a two door/two drawer refrigerator. I went with a side-by-side.

First, I will NEVER buy another Samsung product. Love the other appliances but the ice maker on the fridge hasn’t worked right since the second year… I actually have to go buy ice every week. Evidently it is a “design flaw” not covered by their warranty. Rampant problem and no real fix. Not cool Samsung.

Second, while I love the drawers, I am just getting too old to bend down and dig through a big ole’ drawer for a frozen chicken. I know side-by-sides are not nearly as energy efficient and they aren’t the “in thing” right now, but I loved the one I had years ago so I am going back with one!

I read reviews and decided to go with either Kitchen Aide or Whirlpool. Considering the price difference, I went with Whirlpool.

The bar stools…I have struggled with that one because I have had mine for 20 years and I still love them especially after this little “makeover”…truth is if I needed “bar height” vs “counter height” I would just take them with me.

Unfortunately they are not counter height and they are iron so cutting them down is not feasible… so I had to find new counter height bar stools. The minute I saw these I knew they were exactly what I want….

Super simple and I think the walnut color will tie in beautifully with the walnut base cabinets and floating shelves!

This is my “design board”….I drop pictures of what I like into a computer file…each has at least one element I like. I may not like everything in the picture, but there is one thing in each I am drawn to…

I know I am drawn to walnut cabinets…but I don’t want ALL of them walnut so I am going to have walnut lowers in the “cooking center” and painted uppers. The entire island will be painted. The tops are white quartz with greyish/taupish veining. I was able to go to the quartz place and actually pick out the slabs of quartz I wanted.

Some people HAVE to have a design or “mood” board….

…something that allows them to see every element of their design (This is not my design board, just one I plucked off Pinterest.)

I get it…and it isn’t hard to make…just find what you want on line and drop it into a file, then create a “board” on a program like Photoshop. You are able to see all your elements and determine if they coordinate.

Personally, I can see every detail in my “minds eye.” I wake up at 3 a.m. every morning and visualize every single element. Probably drives my subs nuts because if I “see” something I like, I will text or email them at 4 a.m. with my idea. (Hopefully they mute their phones at night or the “ding” of my text will wake them at this unGodly hour!)

My motto…YOU DO YOU! If you need a design or mood board, go for it. Do what works for YOU! Probably would have been a lot easier on my cabinet guy had I had a design board rather than 30 random pictures of cabinets and kitchens and having to go through each one to show him the one element in each pictures I love. I only hope and pray he has the same vision as I do!

Guess we’ll see in a few weeks. In the meantime I will continue to micro-manage the poor guys who have to work at the house every day…lol!

Today I muse about the stress of Remodels....

“Working the plan” can take A LOT of patience…especially on a massive remodel.

It always gets worse before it gets better…in this post I talked about the calm AFTER the storm. Right now I am in the middle of the storm.

The good news is most of the demo is done on the new house and now, little by little, we are putting it back together. Out with the old and in with the new.

In the next few weeks a new walk in shower will be built. New hardwood flooring will go down, new transom windows will be installed. New paint, tops, tile, front door.

It all takes time and a lot of patience. Most of all it takes “working the plan” and clinging to the vision of what will be.

That’s hard to do when the house looks like a bomb went off . Or a sub doesn’t show up when they say they will. Or materials you painstakingly selected have been discontinued. Or the new window in your laundry room is obstructed by a vent pipe smack dab in the middle of the cutout! (All snags I encountered last week!)

It doesn’t matter if you are painting a dresser or remodeling a room or even an entire house. There will be snags…the unexpected will pop up…something will not go as planned.

All part of the process but these hiccups can really stress you out…and stress causes a physiological reaction that hinders your ability to think clearly and make sound decisions.

Last week I expressed a little “impatience” with the plumber who was clearly working his tail off, even though it wasn’t at the pace I personally expected. The next morning I apologized for being so short. While I thought things should have been happening at a faster pace, he didn’t deserve my “grouchiness.”

Prime example of how stress can cause you to say and do things that are NOT COOL.

Stress is not an excuse for bad behavior. While it may explain why you behave the way you do, it is not an EXCUSE for behaving like a jerk.

Remind yourself repeatedly “this too shall pass,” take a deep breath and remember that diamonds are created as a result of tremendous pressure and time.

All that being said, I highly over estimated what I could get done this week…and the most pressing “projects” I need to tackle inside the house entail paint, which is not something I can do while they are repairing sheetrock.

I decided to tackle something I thought I might enjoy…organizing this “shop” so I can move all my tools out of my garage this weekend.

It has good bare bones so for the time being I don’t plan a major overhaul. Just going to work with what is there and make a few additions. I have no doubt I will eventually “gut” it. Just the way I roll!

I need my tools at the new house more than I will need them at this one. I have so many things I want to build for the new house in the next few weeks, I decided it would be good to have this space relatively organized and all my tools handy.

Besides, it is good to “declutter” spaces when your house is on the market. Closets and shelving may seem obvious but a cluttered garage (even though it makes sense to me) may be a tad off-putting to potential buyers as well.

I’m off to take another bite of the elephant!

Slow but steady progress...

The first week of “semi-retirement” has been brutal! I closed on two rental houses last week as well as the house we will be living in. I close on another rental house Friday!

The rental houses need my attention…blinds, a little paint, cleaning, etc. I spent one day this week cleaning carpets and painting trim.

The house we are going to live in also requires my attention. Meeting with sub-contractors, ordering tile and windows, selecting appliances, supervising the demo guys.

I’m exhausted.

But that is okay…it is a “good” exhausted and everything is moving along nicely.

My “demo guys” are on day four of demo. Little by little tubs and showers, trim, old appliances, the wall between the kitchen and living room are all making their way to the curb or into the garage for resale.

So far the bathroom and kitchen are gutted, the transom windows have been exposed for replacement, all the trim has been removed in the rooms I am adding hardwood, the crown above all the windows and doors have been removed, the new laundry room window has been framed, and all the replacement items have been ordered. HOPEFULLY, the plumber will show up today to move all the plumbing so we can start putting everything back together.

(Yesterday, this wall came down…LOVE!!!!)


I am so glad our community has “bulk trash” pickup!

The good news is I love what I love…and while I would kinda sorta like to take this opportunity to make some changes, I love the tile in my recently remodeled master bath and I love my new kitchen counter tops. I am going back with the exact same quartz top and tile backsplash in the laundry room that I used in the guest bath makeover. The wall paint color is the one I used in my laundry room here when I remodeled it recently.

That is how I know I made good decisions the first time!!!

As much as I tried to shake things up, I am basically going back with a lot of the same things I have in this house…including the black painted interior doors!

Right now, it is a MESS. But every morning when I wake up at 3 a,m, I can clearly visualize the finished design…and of course I have to map out my entire day which explains why I can not go back to sleep.

That’s okay…eventually I might get back to sleeping until 5:00 a.m. again. As much as I would love to recoup all this lost sleep, I have often said if I had the opportunity to recoup all the sleep I’ve have lost in this life time from kids, pets, and “stress” I would go to sleep and never wake up!





A new house, a new project....

As I mentioned here, Matt is buying his first home.

I, of course, have been designated the "project manager." (Okay, so I appointed myself!)

As with any project, I start with the "inspiration." Since this is HIS house, I graciously allowed him to "pick and choose" what he would like to see in his home. 

Any project, large or small, entire house, one room or just a piece of furniture, should start with "inspiration." Search Pinterest, magazines or HGTV shows, and find what YOU love!

In Matt's case, he also NEEDS a few "basics." A bed frame, a couch, table and chairs, appliances and of course the little things like waste baskets, towels, shower curtains, window coverings. 

What he really wants to do is focus on the "projects." The house just received a little "fixer upper" but there are still a lot of things he wants to change...paint the kitchen cabinets and fireplace, replace the kitchen counter tops, open up the entry (like I did mine here), garage shelving, master bath walk-in shower and the exterior.

Age old battle between "need" vs. "wants." (When my kids start looking to buy ANYTHING, I always ask....is it a need or a want!?)

Always start with the basic must-haves...the "needs." He has a mattress and box springs and a few pieces of furniture, but he needs a refrigerator and washer and dryer and a couch and a rug for the living room and a bed frame. For now we can stick to basic window coverings like blinds.

Where do we start? 

As I mentioned in this post, you start at the beginning....I've covered this process before so follow the links....

1) Inspiration

First we had to identify what Matt's "inspiration" is....what colors and styles he likes. Trust me, Pinterest is not just a "girl thing." As I mentioned earlier, Matt is like me and tends to be a bit "eclectic." In other words, he likes what he likes so that makes it easier to mix and match styles throughout the house. 

2) Draw your space

As soon as the contract was in place I went and measured every room and drew up a little floor plan! I have the measurements needed for rugs, blinds and furniture! This step is super important! Trust me, you WILL NOT remember room dimensions or window sizes...have it on paper!

3) Assign a budget for every thing you want to do!

Know the "needs" and the "wants" and start assigning costs! 

In his case he has very little so much of his "needs" can be chosen with his "inspiration" in mind. He "needs" a refrigerator...the other new appliances are stainless, so there you go.

He "needs" a washer and dryer...his laundry room is a blank canvas so he choose white.

He "needs" a couch and rug. He has an idea the style he likes so I suggested staying with a neutral color.

He "wants" to paint the brick fireplace, paint the kitchen cabinets and add glass doors and open shelving, open up the entry, scrape the popcorn ceilings...and of course the list goes ON AND ON. He has prioritized these projects and estimated the costs!

This is why finding your "inspiration" and working up a budget is super important! If you know you are eventually going to make changes, then those things, even if you can't do them right this minute, have to play a role in the decision you make now.

"What is there" and what won't change also influences decisions. The walls are freshly painted with a very neutral SW Accessible Beige and the trim is white.  The living room and kitchen floors are oak hardwood and the carpet and tile in the bedrooms and baths are neutral. Truthfully, we could go with just about any color scheme. 

Since the existing "pallet" is fairly neutral I decided to focus on the colors he wants to add....the biggest being the kitchen cabinets. They are oak and he wants to paint them...and since the kitchen is open to the rest of the living area, this is where we began to build his "color pallet." 

He decided he wants blue/gray base cabinets and off-white uppers. I did what I do when choosing a color....I brought home about 50 samples of "blue/gray" and had him pick 3 he thought he might like. Then I painted them on a piece of primed oak and he choose the one he likes...Valspar Crucible. Perfect.

The off-white is a no-brainer for me...I always use BM Swiss Coffee. In my opinion, the perfect off-white with no glaring under-tones. 

Now we have the existing wall color, blue-gray of the base cabinets, and an off-white of the uppers. Black is a great "neutral accent color" so I tossed that in there as well...great for picture frames and side chairs.

I picked up a small round table and chairs for his breakfast nook. I had leftover sample pots from my master bedroom so I used that to paint the chairs and table base. SW Repose Gray is a great color that will blend well with all the other colors.

I also had a sample pot of SW Aviatrix and I used it on the drawer fronts of these two little dressers.... (here and here)

Both may be used somewhere in his house...so Aviatrix was added to the mix.

At this point, we have a "color pallet" taking shape.

This color scheme may seem a little bland and neutral, but at some point we can begin to add in  "accent" colors with pillows, throws and curtains. Maybe a red or green or yellow...who knows. Having this simple and neutral color pallet on hand will allow us to add "pops of color" throughout the house!

He identified his "inspiration." The colors and styles he likes.

He knows the spaces he has to deal with.

He knows what his "must-haves" and "wants" will cost. 

Everything is on paper and ready to go!

I am already working on pieces I know will work in the house and I know exactly what space we have and what colors we want to incorporate! I have already painted and stained the breakfast nook table and chairs. I found a totally AWESOME mid century dresser and chest I am working on this week. Picture frames are being painted. He picked up a super sweet bed frame on Craigslist. The couch and appliances are on order and the rugs are stacked in my garage! 

How do you eat an elephant...one bite at a time. We are chompin' away!

Just another week in paradise....

Me: I lost my truck key but I have the VIN number and need a new one cut.

Dealer Dude: Okay, the key is $177.

Me: I expected it to be pretty pricey.

Dealer Dude: After we cut the key you will have to bring the truck in so we can program it.

Me: Will the key start the truck?

Dealer Dude: No

Me: Then how do I get the truck here to program the key?

Dealer Dude: You will have to have it towed in.

Me: So I have pay to have it TOWED? 

Dealer Dude: Yes, and there will be a $60 charge to program it.

Me: So I have to pay $177 for the key, the cost to tow the truck AND $60 to program it.

Dealer Dude: Yes

Me: (Not something I want to admit saying on my blog.)

Suffice it to say, I had no transportation Wednesday and sat around waiting on Waste Management to call me back to see if MAYBE I inadvertently dropped my keys in the recycle bin that was picked up first thing in the morning. I finally conceded and called a guy to come to my home and cut a new key. Fortunately, I decided to take one more walk around the yard. And there they were...on the brick ledge right where I had laid them. A day of frustration !

I would also like to add that while I have always prided myself in keeping a clean house, I pray no one ever looks under the furniture. N.A.S.T.Y!

My life.

On the upside, I made good progress on my entry. And just for the sake of healing time, I am grateful the travertine tile and new stair treads will not be in until next week! 

Sheetrock repair is done and all the paint is done. The switches may have to wait until Thanksgiving when my SIL comes...makes my brain hurt just looking at all those wires!

I am still debating whether I will just put down new trim or if I want to go all out and add wainscoting or board and batten. I can't decided and since it is the last thing to be done, I think I will wait until the new flooring is down and the stairway is reconstructed before I decide on trim and lighting.

I have finished several pieces lately, and even managed to remember to take a few before AND after pictures...so I will share those in the next few weeks. Until then, I am going to enjoy a weekend with ALL my babies....Sarah is coming in for her birthday and Mitchell is headed home for a short visit!