Mark and I love dreaming up design plans for our home and renovating together. But the truth is we have always been laser-beam focused on improving the resale value of our home. In this post I'll share real numbers of our home's value before-and-after our budget DIY renovations, answering the most important question: did it pay off? Selling our home has offered us a "moment of truth" providing us … [Read more...]
We bought a new house!!!
Never, ever in a million years did I think I'd be writing this post. Not right now anyway. The original plan was to wait until all of our kids flew the nest before we'd contemplate another move. But here we go! We bought our next house! And...we are moving in just a few short weeks. Tour "The Picket Fence House" listing photos In many ways our new "Picket Fence House" feels like … [Read more...]
Upstairs Full Bath
Mark and I have hit a major milestone. Every single room in our home has now been upgraded in one small way or another. It's taken us 6 years of blogging to be able to say this. So finally, the room makeover that I have procrastinated the longest has finally hit our radar: the upstairs kids' bathroom. This simple flooring project is high-impact, extremely inexpensive, and only took 4-5 … [Read more...]
Powder Room in Foyer
This week I updated three bathrooms. Yes, you read that right...3 bathrooms all in one week! So today I'll share what's been lurking behind the mystery door in our foyer and give you the details of our $90 powder room upgrade. My goal was simple: I wanted a nice and clean finished space (and to finally remove some realllly outdated wallpaper). $90 Powder Room Upgrade affiliate links included … [Read more...]
A much needed garage upgrade…
My husband is an "I only enter the house through the garage" guy. This means that our garage door is the most over-used door in our entire house. It might be a guy thing. Or just a Mark thing. I do sometimes catch Mark in the garage admiring his collection of power tools, so this might be why. :) The garage door was also the loudest door in the house. I've heard this from my daughter more than … [Read more...]
5 Ways to a More Spiritual You
When it comes to the many aspects of health, spiritual health is often overlooked or compartmentalized. This year I'm making some major changes in my life. I've neglected my own health for far too long in favor of home projects, school projects and outside priorities. If this sounds like you...please read on. There are a few daily rituals that I adhere to that I feel are important to my … [Read more...]
5 Surprising Benefits of Keeping Your House Clean
What if somebody told you that you could get a better night's sleep because you tidied up the living room? You might already be reaching for the vacuum. A clean house not only results in a more enjoyable environment but offers benefits some might find surprising. Your Stress Levels Will Decrease It's 7:30 in the morning and you're running a little late. You're about to head out of the door, … [Read more...]
Two rooms you should NEVER neglect
Owning a home is such a rewarding experience, but it requires constant maintenance and repair. As a homeowner, you may not have time to get to every repair or upgrade all at once. Today I'd like to help you prioritize your efforts and funnel your budget dollars towards the rooms that need it most. When I wrote my article "6 Tips: How to Prioritize Your Home Improvement Projects" there are a … [Read more...]
Tour of our store + new furniture projects
It's been awhile since I posted a glimpse of our store, mainly because (of course) it's taken more time than I expected to move into our space. Ah well. That's how things roll around here. But first, I need to share some fun projects coming from our "workshop" (a.k.a. our garage). Now that school is out for the kids, Mark and I finally have the time to refocus on the store. But first, I'd like … [Read more...]
DIY Chalk Lettering Tutorial + the story behind our “snazzy” name
I found this gorgeous antique slate chalkboard recently and I picked it up with the intentions of selling it in our shop. But the more we looked at it, the more we thought it would serve as a great signage in our antique booth. I tried free-handing a few fonts but it didn't look quite as professional as I'd hoped. So here is a simple DIY chalk lettering tutorial to help you design like a … [Read more...]
Prom Decorating Ideas + a Tour
My son's senior prom was last weekend, and he looked so happy and handsome that day so I thought I'd capture everything I could here on the blog. I had so much fun volunteering to help with decorations this year. I'm lucky to be surrounded by a group of crazy talented moms and I gladly followed their lead as they showed me the ropes and how they execute all of their prom decorating ideas. Prom … [Read more...]
DIY Street Light for Parties (under $11.75 each!)
We are entering an exciting new phase of parenthood: school dances, graduations and weddings! We are in full party planning mode for several upcoming events: my daughter's 8th grade masquerade ball, my son's senior prom and high school graduation...plus a November family wedding! Between writing articles about furniture paint projects and room makeovers, I'll be sharing lots of DIY party … [Read more...]
A pretty new rug in the sunroom
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, nothing updates a room like a rug. Today I'm joining four talented bloggers in the Mohawk Home Spring Blog Hop, each will show you exactly how they've transformed their rooms by adding a fluffy, new rug this spring. I'm hosting a giveaway to win a brand new Mohawk Rug! Hop over to this link to enter! Spring Sunroom Tour 2018 Also visit --> Erin … [Read more...]
Home Staging Tips & Tricks
Recently I partnered with a local real estate investor who flips houses here in Ohio. She found me online and asked if I ever staged a home. Technically, yes - if you count the six or more years that it took to "stage" my own ;-). Staging an empty house under a time crunch is a bit daunting for someone new to the business. But then I toured the house...and wow! She flips homes in modern … [Read more...]
Antique Crocks: 36 Ways to Display Them In Your Home
A few years ago I picked up this pretty, vintage marmalade jar. I loved the delicate crackle patina and of course, the old vintage fonts. Those of you that have followed me for a long time know that I'm a font-o-phile (yes, I just made that up). If I could write my entire blog using those fonts, I'd be happy. I exercise tremendous willpower when I shop for my own home, and while I don't … [Read more...]
8 Ways To Make Small Spaces Feel Bigger Instantly
While small homes and tiny rooms are trendy and a great choice for many, some of us live very big lives. It takes a bit of creativity to find new ways to live in smaller spaces. So today we'll talk about 8 ways to make small spaces feel bigger instantly. Photo by Alys Design - Look for entryway design inspiration My husband and I talk about downsizing, and our desire to do so is one reason … [Read more...]
Shelf Styling Ideas (a client project)
Today I'll share a real-world example of an eDesign / mood board project that I created for a client. She was seeking shelf styling ideas for her newly remodeled living area and kitchen. No matter where you live, I can help you style your home. Yes! Even virtually! Creating mood boards is my go-to solution for restyling my own spaces and is an easy way to visualize a space before you redecorate. … [Read more...]
The Big News!!!
There is this quaint little town near me. It has a perfect downtown square with a white gazebo surrounded by huge oak trees, cute buildings, gorgeous little boutiques and coffee shops. And now...it's getting a brand new tenant! We signed our lease today and we MOVE IN to our new retail space in Hudson, Ohio on April 1st! About Our New Location Hudson, Ohio is a short drive from the turnpike, … [Read more...]
Easy Wicker Basket Makeover
It's rare that I find good baskets at a thrift shop. But when I came across this particular basket, it was in great shape (and huge) and I knew a little paint could fix it. So into my cart it fell, and I was on my way to a quick and easy wicker basket makeover project. Wicker Basket Makeover This week I was looking for items that bring more texture in our booth display. Any decor that brings … [Read more...]
Photography Tips (from a non-photographer)
I'll be the first to admit that my photography skills are truly a work in progress. Even though I blog, I don't really consider myself a photographer. For about the first five years of blogging, all of my photography was created only using my iPhone -- but not just any iPhone...a broken iPhone 5. Fancy, huh? And I admit that I (still) absolutely love using iPhones for photography. I just love … [Read more...]
Giving Old Planters New Life
A quick and easy way to update your exterior this spring is to update old planters with chalk paint. This do-it-yourself project is fast and rewarding and an instant facelift to your exterior. It's amazing how many people want to throw away or sell old planters online once they look a little worn. So today I thought I'd share this beautiful, ornate metal urn makeover that I found … [Read more...]
Rustic Farmhouse Table Makeover with Danish Oil
I'm always on the lookout for statement pieces for our retail booth. Warm wood antique tables with great legs, some character and wear are always welcome. Think "old world" European rustic natural wood finishes. That's not easy to find here in Ohio. When I spotted this orange tone 90's-era dining room table online, I did some research and learned that danish oil would give me that old-world finish … [Read more...]
Chalk Painted Mason Jars
Follow my blog with Bloglovin A simple and easy way to add small pops of subtle color is to display chalk painted Mason Jars. I've finally jumped on board even though I noticed chalk painted Mason jars were "en vogue" several years ago. In fact, you should visit Linda who blogs at It All Started With Paint. She may have pioneered this idea several years ago. Her chalk painted Mason jar tutorial … [Read more...]
My 8 Biggest Decorating Mistakes
I've had a few cringe-worthy moments in my DIY and decorating "portfolio". Today I'm highlighting only eight of them. The rest I've deleted :) But without these momentary lapses in judgement, I wouldn't have figured out my decorating style. I wouldn't know how to put together a pretty vignette. I wouldn't have a home that makes me happy! It's not uncommon to experience a trial and error … [Read more...]
How to choose stone kitchen countertops
The kitchen naturally evolves into the central hub of your home. Here, your family and friends gather for meals, of course, but also for conversations, board games, laughs and memories. And if you love farmhouse style, I've rounded up a few stone kitchen countertop ideas and things to consider when looking to upgrade hub central. How to choose Stone Kitchen CountertopsPhoto by Hyrum McKay Bates … [Read more...]
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