This post has been a long time coming! If you know me, you know that I have an infinite love for white kitchens and have been wanting to update ours practically since the day we moved in. I always love to say that our house has good bones but it was (and still is) full of lots of orange oak and birch. In the spring, Stephen and I finally made the decision to give our kitchen a makeover and it's amazing how much it has transformed the space. While we still have oak trim and floors, the kitchen update has brightened up our space in a serious way and I love spending time in the kitchen now more than ever.
I will say that I was slightly hesitant to paint even up until the day the painting started. Our cabinets - despite the color I didn't love - were high quality and once you paint them, you can't go back. That being said, the paint and hardware change has brought our kitchen into this decade and I have no regrets at all!
While I considered doing it myself (I did our bathroom vanities last year), I decided that a kitchen paint job was a) more of a project than I wanted to handle and b) I was too scared of messing it up! We hired a painter who removed the cabinet doors, took them off-site to spray, changed out our hardware, and even built a few doors for some weird spaces. We had an open area that we planned to do a built in microwave, but we could not find a microwave and trim kit that would fit (after months of searching). So we decided to have doors built to cover the awkward area and I think I like it even better!
We also had glass doors put in above our coffee nook and that has made all the difference with that space. Before, it seemed that those shelves accumulated junk and mess whereas now, we have a pretty little area that I actually enjoy looking at.
At some point, I would love to enclose the space under our coffee nook (it is one of those kitchen desks that we never use as a desk) and create a pull-out trash can area but that's another project for another day.
The Punch List:
- Paint Cabinets
- Paint
- Update Hardware
- Add doors over microwave and coffee nooks
- Change out faucet
- Change kitchen and breakfast nook light fixtures
Earlier in the spring, I also recovered our breakfast nook chairs and bar stools. I've thought about changing out our bar stools completely at some point (the paint color we chose for the bar is much more similar than I had originally planned) and but for now, I think the reupholstery works!
Our kitchen project has been a long time coming and also a labor of love but it's been so great seeing it all come together. While there are still a few things I'd love to have done (a backsplash being one of those!), our current updates have really brightened up our home and created a space I love.
Source List:
- Kitchen Flush Mount: Austen Modern Ceiling Light
- Breakfast Nook Lantern: Varnum 4-Light Lantern
- Kitchen Cabinet Color: White (we just told our painter a stark white)
- Bar Color: Benjamin Moore Coventry Gray
- Faucet: Kraus Oletto in Brushed Brass
- Cabinet Knobs: Schaub Menlo Park 1.25" Knob
- Drawer Pulls: Schaub Menlo Park 8" Pull
Before:
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It's been a long time coming but one of my stay-home projects has been updating our front porch, and most specifically, our front door. At some point, we would love to get a new front door, but in the interim, ours really needed a fresh coat of paint. After Hurricane Florence, the paint on our door started majorly chipping. Our front door isn't weathered all that much due to the depth of our covered porch but with all the blowing rain that hurricane brought, the door was really impacted. What started as a few small paint chips ended up with large chunks of black paint chipping off. Super cute.
I looked at front door paint colors for months and had narrowed it down to a few favorites. I was continuing to look on Pinterest but finally just called ahead to our local Benjamin Moore store, ordered Hale Navy for curbside pick-up and got started!
Front Door Paint Steps:
- Sand down windows and door
- Clean thoroughly with Simple Green cleaner
- Lightly sand again
- Do one more wipe down with Simple Green
- Tape windows and hardware
- Paint!
I painted our bathroom vanities back in the fall so I had some of the materials I already needed + a good idea of how long the project would take, but even still, when I first got started, I thought I had made a huge mistake. Thankfully, after the second coat of paint, everything looked nice and smooth!
Materials Used:
- Quart of Benjamin Moore paint
- Sandpaper bar
- Paintbrush
- 4" roller brush
- Painter's tape
Once our front door was updated, I wanted to freshen up our swing area as well as the planters around the front door. While I decided to keep our faux topiaries and front door rug, I knew I wanted a little bit of color around the door. I searched online for new planters but ultimately found a set from one of our local plant nursery's. I also bought a set of elephant ear plants to complete the look! We love hydrangeas so I bought two small ones to put in these little planters.
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To be completely honest, when Andrea and Kristy of Ace of Space first reached out, I was a little overwhelmed. On the one hand, I absolutely loved the idea of having a team come in and overhaul my office, but at the same time, I was worried that they would walk in and think "Oh, gosh, where do we put all of this stuff" or that I would have to overhaul the office before they even came. But that wasn't the case at all!
Kristy and Andrea stopped by for a consultation and we talked about my wants and needs in terms of keeping my space functional but also creating a pretty space I wanted to be in. While we didn't have any major plans to change the furniture setup, the ladies offered recommendations of how we could maximize on the space I have and better conceal some of the "mess" that was often so distracting. Kristy and Andrea also asked me lots of questions and showed me product ideas to get a good idea of what I wanted the aesthetic to be.
The plan was:
The organization process:
The day of install, the ladies came by and had everything we could possibly need. They literally took care of everything! We went through stacks of paper, which forced me to file and declutter. They cleaned, and dusted, and drilled - anything that needed to be done, they literally achieved it! If they had questions, they would check in with me but for the most part, I was all-in on whatever they wanted to do!
Most of the plan was already in place due to the incredible planning on their part but they had options and we moved and changed some things around based on what we felt would work vs. not.
The plan was:
- Declutter paper and find homes for papers that need to be handled
- Corral "like items", i.e. shipping supplies and excess notecards, etc.
- Create labels so that everyone on the team knows where things should be
I already had some open shelving, so Kristy and Andrea found some great baskets and containers that hid the items inside with labels. The labels have been a huge help for me as now I never have to question where something is!
The organization process:
The day of install, the ladies came by and had everything we could possibly need. They literally took care of everything! We went through stacks of paper, which forced me to file and declutter. They cleaned, and dusted, and drilled - anything that needed to be done, they literally achieved it! If they had questions, they would check in with me but for the most part, I was all-in on whatever they wanted to do!
Most of the plan was already in place due to the incredible planning on their part but they had options and we moved and changed some things around based on what we felt would work vs. not.
Another solution we added throughout the course of this was a corner desk. There was no true table area for anyone other than my computer set-up, so it's now allowed for the girls to have a designated place for working on their laptops / eating lunch.
Now that we're spending more time at home, you may notice some areas of your home that you want to revamp or reorganize. Storage solutions are a great place to start for home improvement and the amazing news is that Ace of Space Organization is offering virtual organization sessions that will allow you to get a jumpstart on those areas that may need a little improvement.
I know that my session with Kristy and Andrea really motivated me to create systems in other areas - since they organized my office, I've tackled my pantry & under-sink storage area in the kitchen and having those systems in place has made all the difference!
Now that we're spending more time at home, you may notice some areas of your home that you want to revamp or reorganize. Storage solutions are a great place to start for home improvement and the amazing news is that Ace of Space Organization is offering virtual organization sessions that will allow you to get a jumpstart on those areas that may need a little improvement.
I know that my session with Kristy and Andrea really motivated me to create systems in other areas - since they organized my office, I've tackled my pantry & under-sink storage area in the kitchen and having those systems in place has made all the difference!
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This time of year is when I'm in spring cleaning and declutter mode but I also want to add a few new and updated touches to both my home and the shop! We've also hosted Easter lunch the last two years and my guess is that we'll do it again so I'm trying to get ahead of the game this year and get all of my planning done so that I'm not running around trying to get those last minute touches the day before!
Red Wine Glasses - I have these white wine glasses from Crate & Barrel but recently saw these pretty red wine variations! Such a great price!
Floral Pillow - There's something about an easy change of pillows that can really update a space. This one would be so cute on our porch swing.
Melamine Plates - I love melamine plates especially during the spring and summer months when we may eat outside. We normally set up a few tables outside on Easter Sunday and these non-breakable options are still luncheon ready without the worry of getting damaged!
Fresh Linens - Spring is such a great time of year to freshen up your towels. I want to change up ours in the guest rooms for sure.
Faux Florals - While I love real flowers, it's nice to have a few faux arrangements around the house. I love this one for our dining room!
Dainty Frame - I'm majorly overdue for getting some photos printed of all of our 2019 adventures. A pretty frame can easily update a space.
Floral Vase - This pretty floral vase is not only a great purchase for yourself but would also make a pretty hostess or housewarming gift - just add a few hydrangea stems and you're set!
Candle - This time of year is when I start changing away from my fall scents and pulling out my pretty spring candles.
Salt & Pepper Shakers - How precious are these shakers? I snagged a set of these for one of our tables and they look adorable in my china cabinet as well.
Basket Tray - I purchased a new tray for our bar a few months ago but now I have my eye on this one! So pretty.
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We've had our bed in a box from Zinus for just over two months! I've always wondered how mattresses like these would turn out for the long term for both sound sleep as well as durability. The highlight: we've enjoyed it so far. The lowdown: we're not sure how long it will last us.
I spent a lot of time scouring the internet, polling readers, and reading reviews to find a mattress that could potentially work for us. Both Stephen and I prefer a firm bed and while there was nothing wrong with either of our mattresses (we each "brought" a queen bed into our marriage), we were ready to upgrade to a king size. I have also suffered from years of back and neck pain, so finding a good mattress was imperative for me. After a ton of research, I landed on the Zinus brand and we purchased the Pressure Relief Euro Top iCoil Hybrid Mattress.
The pros:
- Timeframe of shipment - it was at our door in under 7 days from the time we ordered.
- Easy delivery - we didn't have to worry about meeting a mattress company at home to get it inside. It just came with regular package delivery.
- Inexpensive - for a king size mattress, I was shocked at the price.
- 100-Day Trial - I liked that we had this option to give the mattress a try. I will point out that many companies do offer a trial period.
The cons:
- Mattress stability - this is our biggest concern with our mattress and I'll dive into that below!
Our mattress arrived, we set up our new bed frame and headboard, purchased box springs and voila - our mattress was ready to go! It was a fairly easy transition. For the first month, all was wonderful! While the mattress was more firm than I was used to, I transitioned pretty easily and Stephen was loving it.
Flash forward another month, however, and we've noticed that the mattress is starting to sink and sag a bit in the areas we where we sleep. At first, you you could barely notice until lying down but it's now become a more visual issue as well. It's not hindering sleep currently but our concern is that within 6 months time, we'll have a fairly new mattress that is starting to sink in and we'll be on the hunt for something new.
The conclusion:
We're really not sure. Both of us our sleeping pretty well with our mattress and surface level, we really do love it. Our issue is projecting what it will be like 6 more months down the road. While we're enjoying it for now, we're almost thinking we'd prefer to return this one and invest in something that will last us a bit longer. So stay tuned on what we decide!
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If you follow along on Instagram, you've probably seen that we've been working on a few updates to our bathroom! We have a setup that works nicely in our master bath, but some of the features are dated. While our light fixtures over the vanity mirrors were just recently replaced, I was wanting to do some other cosmetic updates to liven up the space! In a dream world, we would give the bathroom a complete overhaul, but I'm hoping some of these updates will transform our bath.
Short term goals:
- Paint vanity cabinets
- Add hardware
Long term goals:
- Paint trim
- Add flushmount fixture
- Add framing around mirrors
Over the weekend, I got started on some of our short term goals by painting the cabinets! I'm going to share more about this process once we get things more settled, but I did end up going with Light French Gray as the color. I think I could've even gone with a darker grey, but I do think this color is beautiful! We are now working on adding our new hardware but had to put the drawers on hold to get longer screws based on how our drawers are put together.
One thing I would love to do to pull the room together is to add this flush-mount fixture! I love the look of capiz and think adding in this floral fixture would tie the room together. We don't have the headspace in the bathroom to add a chandelier so a flushmount will help update without taking up too much room.
I've spent so much time on Pinterest reading about bathroom updates so I'm hoping that our vision will come to life!
Idea Sourcing:
- Paint: Sherwin Williams
- Hardware: Etsy
- Flushmount: Pottery Barn
- Frame: Pottery Barn
- Print: Etsy
- Towels: Target
I know I'm not the only one out there that loves Wayfair - and it's safe to say that half of our house has been stocked with items from the online company. I love that there are so many options to choose from & anything that has 2-day shipping is a favorite for me as well.
My house isn't the only thing I've used Wayfair for - it has become a very good resource for the shop as well. I most recently purchased these geometric bookshelves for the shop to display shoes but before that, I've ordered rugs, an ottoman, chandeliers and more. And it's all delivered right to the shop's front door.
Here are a few of my in-house and shop favorites:
- Living Room Rug - I get the most questions about this rug! It's one of my favorite things in our home and considering the size, it's such a steal!
- Media Console Table - A large media console was a must for me and though we have now mounted our TV, I still love the look of this one underneath.
- Outdoor Furniture Set - while our exact outdoor set is sold out, we did purchase it from Wayfair. This one is almost identical and it was this time last year that we got our backyard all set up.
- Outdoor Rug - a great option! Every so often we just spray it off and it is as good as new.
- Gold Drum Chandelier - We have two of these hanging in the store and I'm constantly receiving questions on them. I loved these so much that I was tempted to hang them in my house as well but decided that might be one too many.
While these are just a few favorites, I've also rounded up all the things that we have from Wayfair both at our house and in the store (plus a few things I may have my eye on).
Wayfair at Home:
Other Favorites:
In a world of gorgeous modern furniture, traditional china cabinets are often a thing of the past. But from the time we started receiving our wedding gifts, I knew I wanted a piece that showcased some of those things. I'm sure there are a million different ways to showcase your china cabinet, but for me, I had a few priorities: storage for those items not always used; display for our pretty pieces that I wanted to see without cluttering up our counters; and protection for all of those breakables!
When we registered for our wedding, we opted to do mix-and-match china vs. a full set of fine and everyday dishes. For us, it was what made the most sense as I love switching out things for the holidays and various seasons. We ended up going with a fine china (the Raynaud Argent White from The Fisherman's Wife) as our every day dinner plate, and I still love them when I heat up a piece of pizza on them as I did the first night I cooked in our home as a married couple.
We have a fun Vietri Christmas pattern that we'll be breaking out soon, but for now, our china cabinet holds a few of our dinner plates that aren't regularly used, this fun accent plate, and these adorable little bread and butter plates! I think the Anna Weatherley plates are some of our favorites despite the fact that we rarely use them.
We purchased our cabinet from Stephen's great uncle, and for us, it's a treasure as it's a traditional piece that we know has held a lot of memories. For most of the last year, it's held our items, but not quite the way I wanted. Then, in preparation of Hurricane Florence, I moved a lot of our items out as it's near a wall of windows and we weren't sure what the storm would bring. I finally decided a few weeks ago that it was time to get everything in order, and it has made such a difference in how that area feels now that it has a more styled affect.
We keep most of our dinner plates in our kitchen cabinets, but the rest are displayed here along with our Vietri chargers, champagne flutes, and other special pieces. In the cabinets below, I keep our larger serving pieces, napkins, and seasonal items. I also just snagged a gorgeous new piece of oyster art from Airlie Moon, so once I have that framed, I'll add that to my display as well.
One thing that has helped our display is these little acrylic stands. They're great for dishes (I can fit all three plates in one stand) but would be great stands for other things in your home as well. I like that the acrylic blends into the dishes instead of adding a clunky affect.
What's funny about our china cabinet is what people see when they come in our home. For most, it's just a cabinet filled with plates. And that's true - but it's also a cabinet full of memories: our first married dinner at home, a hand-calligraphy keepsake, a hand-painted ornament of our beloved Sophie, our champagne flutes that we toasted at our wedding, and gifts from those who helped us celebrate.
I've seen a million gorgeous china displays - on book shelves, in glass door cabinets, etc. Do you collect china? Do you have your pieces on display? I'd love to see how you style yours!
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