Guestroom Makeover Disaster/Extravaganza of 2010

I feel like I haven't been doing a whole lot of WRITING lately - pictures seem to outnumber words on most of my latest blog posts, and that worries me.  I just love and appreciate the readers of this blog SO MUCH, and I don't want to disappoint a single one of you by not giving you what you come here for (inspiration, laughter, etc... whatever it may be)!  But of course, this blog IS about the "story of my life," and there are many aspects of that story.  So expect a great deal of variety, my friends.  One minute I might be inspiring your socks off with another little life lesson/anecdote, the next I could be boring you to death with more home decorating sh*t. 

And such is the substance of this very post (the home decorating sh*t, not the inspiration - haa!!).  Because, for some reason, I've been dying to share this with you for a couple of weeks now, but it always seemed to take a back seat to other, more pressing matters. 

So a little background before we dive into pictures. 

I've been wanting to re-do our guestroom pretty much ever since we moved in and decorated it to begin with.  I was NEVER happy with our choice of paint color or how the furniture and decor Matthew brought from his prior guestroom affected the color and mood of the room.  The problem was just that, before I became confident in my own ability to create a beautiful home and make bold choices on instinct, I always played it safe.  But after ten months of scheming up ways to make over our guestroom, I finally did it (and seriously? Only because we had guests coming from out of town. Based on the severity of my procrastinitis [which is a legit disease], it may have never gotten done otherwise).

So a couple weekends ago Matthew and I headed out to Lowe's, me with my little predetermined paint chip in hand - the one I had decided on mooooonths ago, mind you.  And when we got there, Matthew questioned me.  He said my paint choice looked too dark and too gray.  He asked if I was SURE I wanted that one. 

Now those of you who know me in real life (or have been reading this blog long enough) know that I'm pretty much NEVER sure about anything.  I'm the world's worst decision maker.  So when a shadow of doubt was cast over my previous choice, I pretty much froze up and freaked out and couldn't decide between my original color and several other similar ones. 

But in the end, we ended up getting a slightly bluer paint than my first choice.  We got it home, moved the furniture, and I set in on the painting. Cause that was part of the deal since Matthew had lots of work to do that day.  He would help move the furniture, but the painting was MY project. 

And when that first roll of paint went up on the wall, I can't say that my heart didn't sink a little.  It wasn't what I hoped it would be, but I kept telling myself it would dry differently and would also look different in the evening light.  So I painted.  And I painted and painted and painted.  Until the room was almost done, and it was dinner time.  But when we got home from dinner and I headed back upstairs, there was no denying it:  the room looked purple.  There was a hint of it in the natural light of the day, but in the evening lamp light, I kid you not: the room looked BLUEBERRY.  It was God-awful. 

So off to Lowe's I went (at 7 PM), and what did I do?  I bought my original paint choice.  Which was perfect, and everything I knew it would be when I chose it to begin with. 

So the moral of the story?  Do not allow your husband to make you second guess yourself on matters of interior design.  Unless you happen to be married to Nate Berkus, which is impossible because he's gay.  Unless you're also gay, and living in a state that allows gay marriage.

Getting off track here.  Pictures, yes!!!  There are plenty. 

Here I am at the beginning of the Guestroom Makeover Disaster/Extravaganza :

Please ignore the disgusting hairdo, but do NOT ignore the "I Love Dr. Phil" t-shirt.  Cause it's awesome.

Now that you've gained a little perspective, I will reveal the before and after photos....

(And by the way, Matthew DID help me paint the second go-round. And we knocked out in TWO HOURS what I wasn't even able to complete in SIX)

Guestroom Before...(not terrible, not GREAT)



Guestroom After...



(there are seashells all around that mirror)
Hi Cooper!



Fresh hydrangeas and old antique books on the nightstand (they are even ocean-themed!)



I got this idea from a Pottery Barn magazine (of course)
Some of the frames still need pictures though! ;)

 I got these baskets at a home decor store and filled them with tattered old books from an antique store...

And I can honestly say that the room looks even better in person!  It is super cozy and chic. 

Tell me you love it!  And if you don't love it, don't tell me!!  Cause I will cry!!!  ;) (kidding)

Until next time...

A Kitchen Transformed - Show Us Where You Live Friday!

Oh goodness.  I was going to sign off of blogging for the weekend, but then I remembered it's "Show Us Where You Live Friday" over at Kelly's Korner and I just had to participate.  My husband and I went through a ridiculous renovation before we moved into our home this past February, and just about every room in the house underwent a complete transformation.  The kitchen is NO exception.  I've always dreamed of having a traditional kitchen with white cabinets, dark wood flooring, and stainless steel appliances, and our kitchen BEFORE could not be any further from my "dream" kitchen.  So what did we do?  We sanded it, painted it, tore it out, ripped it up, and replaced it. We were able to save the cabinetry (just repainted it white) and I have no complaints about the granite, but we did replace the flooring, backsplash, and appliances. 

Behold, the transformation!!! :)

Before...

After...

Yay!!!  And if you're interested in seeing the crazy transformation in our dining room, visit last week's post!

Thanks for stopping by, and have an awesome weekend!  (See my latest post for a glimpse at what I'll be up to the next few days!) :)

J



Our Dining Room - "Show Us Where You Live Friday"

I decided to jump on the bandwagon with some others around the blogosphere and participate in "Show Us Where You Live Friday"  from the popular blog Kelly's Korner.

 Today they're showcasing dining rooms, and even though I posted a before and after of our dining room on my old blog, I decided to do it again since I've gained some readers since way-back-then. Mainly, I'm just delighted to have found a way to update my blog while using the least amount of mental exertion possible, primarily because I have a nasty cold (courtesy of my New York trip), and I'm way behind on household chores.  So, ladies and gentlemen (if any gentlemen actually read this), I give you my dining room!  It simply doesn't pack the same punch without posting the "before" pictures as well, so there you have it.  :)

Before...



I'm not a huge fan of red in such large doses, so it was a MUST to tone down these walls!!!



After...



 Matthew worked sooo hard to put brick up on this wall – we LOVE the look of exposed brick walls in old New York City apartments, and wanted  one in our own home!  But, since we couldn’t have the real thing, we ordered brick veneers actually salvaged from buildings somewhere in New York (the veneers are the front layer of the brick and you lay them like tiles)!  Matthew layed and mortared the bricks himself (I helped a little!), and I worked on the rest of the room.  (See below)





The pictures on the wall were my little project – I really wanted a wall of botanical pictures, but couldn’t find a set that I liked and wasn’t insanely expensive.  So, I bought an old book of botanical drawings from an antique store (the perfect sized pages to fit an 8×10 mat), took the backing off the book, and chose the pages I liked for my picture wall.  I then bought the mats and frames, assembled them all, and Matthew hung them.  I am sooo proud!!  Below is the other side of the room – I love the bright green curtains – they help to make the room cohesive.  We were going for a sort of rustic, nature-inspired elegance with the distressed brick, the “twiggy” crystal chandelier, dark woods, and a natural braided jute rug.  Yay, us!  I think we achieved it

 




 And that, folks, is our dining room!  Hope it inspired you this fine Friday! Have a wonderful weekend!!

J