Dining Room/Homeschool Room Lightened Up

Dining Room Before - Glidden Totally Teal

Last week I mentioned that with the new school year right around the corner, I have been thinking about changing the color of our dining room. I really like everything about our dining room, but it was just starting to feel really dark for a school room.

We chose not to have a dedicated homeschool room. We "do school" at the dining room table most days, and store our school books and supplies in other areas. I am planning a post to show you how we store and keep up with everything in the near future. We finally have a system that works really well for us.

Now that you are all caught up, I thought I would show you how the paint turned out.

I am so happy with how this turned out!

I went back and forth about the color. I was really leaning towards Lime Light by Behr, but then I decided to back through my Pinterest Boards one more time just to be sure. I came across a pin that I pinned a year ago when Katie from Bower Power painted her office Palladian Blue by Benjamin Moore. It was exactly what I was looking for. I finally felt settled on the color. I already had the swatch buried in my stash, so I went to Home Depot and had the Glidden Duo paint color matched to the Palladian Blue.(This post is not sponsored in any way, I just really like the Glidden Duo paint.)

I painted Friday and liked the color so much that I decided at 10 pm on Friday night to go ahead and paint the kitchen. There was a lot of coffee, berries to snack on, and Netflix involved, but I got it done. My MIL had my children all afternoon and evening or this would not have happened so quickly.

I still have to make a decision about this big, blank wall. I'm still pretty sure that I want a large chalkboard. I am also leaning towards a chunky white frame around it. Time will tell. I'm trying not to rush it.

You may have also noticed that I changed the curtains again. These were in here originally and then swapped when I painted the dining room teal, and now back again. Y'all, I just can't leave things alone.

What do you think about the new color? It still surprises me every time I walk in there. It is so much brighter! I think we will really enjoy doing school much better in here.

I'm Linking this post to these link-up parties.


What You Wish Wednesday
It's Overflowing
Liz Marie Blog
Off The Hook Monday
Love of Home and Family

Design, Dining + Diapers
Hit Me Me With Your Best Shot
Not Just a Housewife 
House By Hoff - Get Your DIY On
Thursday S.T.Y.L.E. Linkparty - Addicted 2 DIY
Little House of Four - Your Designs This Time 

Bathroom Updates

I was cleaning our main level bathroom this morning, and it occurred to me that I have never shared any of the updates we have made in this room since the initial updates we made shortly after we moved in. I decided it was time to snap a few pics and share. When I got on my computer to look up when I posted the initial updates I realized that it had been almost exactly 3 years....What? How in the world? I guess I should not be nominated for the "Slowest Blogger Award". Anyway, when we moved in we decided not to do a complete overhaul, but more of a refresh.

Bathroom Before We Moved In

Bathroom After Initial Updates 3 Years Ago

Initial Updates 3 Years Ago
removed wallpaper
prepped and painted walls
painted cabinets
painted the original hardware
added a newish faucet (used, but new to us)
added a newish sink (used, but new to us)
tiled the counter
added new towel rings and toilet paper holder
spray painted a new light fixture and had my handy husband hang that up for me

You can read more about the initial updates and see more pictures HERE.

We have only done a few really simple things since the initial upgrades, but they have made such a difference.

More Resent Updates
We added a frame to the mirror.
We added accessories.

That's it!

I'm not really sure why it took me so long to add the frame, but it made such a difference. The room really needed something to warm it up, so I chose to stain the wood instead of painting it to match the cabinets. I'm really happy with the contrast. Oh, and I think the wood cost less then $10. We already had stain and adhesive, so this was an inexpensive upgrade.

Accessory Source List
rug - Target
teal towl - Target
gold frames with mats - thrifted
peacock prints - peacock, peacock feather - printed on my printer with images from the graphics fairy
metal sconces - Target
plant and pot - gift
teal plate - Southern Living at Home

Sharing this post at these Link-ups

What You Wish Wednesday
It's Overflowing
Liz Marie Blog
Off The Hook Monday
Love of Home and Family

Design, Dining + Diapers
Hit Me Me With Your Best Shot
Creative Ways - Posed Perfection
Creative Spark - My Paper Craze 
Not Just a Housewife 
House By Hoff - Get Your DIY On
Little House of Four - Your Designs This Time

Playroom Updates

This post is WAY overdue. I'm not even really sure how to catch you up to speed without making this a really long post, but I am going to try.

Back in November, our playroom looked like this.

I had just painted the walls and was about to add the stripes. I was also really close to having the room done. You can check out my original To Do List HERE.

This is the playroom as of yesterday.

It's still not done, but we are getting really close. I completed everything on the original list (except figuring out where to hang my boys' art work), and then added to it.

- I painted stripes on this wall.
- We built a tank stand and added a 40 gallon African Cichlid tank.
- I moved the tall bookcases to the boys' bedrooms. The room was starting to feel really heavy.
- We are in the process of adding more shelving in the closet to hold the stuff that was on the tall bookcases.
- I updated the gallery wall over the love seat and make pillow covers for ZERO money.
- I added a rug.
- I built and stained shelves for Cade's Lego Creations.
- I moved the kid kitchen to the other side of the love seat and added a reading nook. (Crib mattress and Pillows)
- The boys asked for a Mine Craft poster, so I hung one on the wall.
- We passed the train table on to another little boy, and built a new coffee table.

I think that gets you all caught up.

My biggest dilemma right now is what to put on the striped wall. Looking at this picture it looks like it really needs something, but in person it doesn't feel that way to me. I don't want to just add to it for the sake of a pretty picture. Does that make sense? I enjoy decorating, making our home pretty and functional, and sharing it with everyone. I just don't want to over due it because it reads better in a picture. This really is our home. We live and play here. It's not a magazine. HaHa.... not that any part of our home is magazine worthy, but you know what I mean. I may add something on this wall that we can use to display kid art. Any suggestions?

The rest of my to do list.

- Decide how to finish the coffee table. (paint, stain, paint/stain combo?)
- Finish stuffing the rest of the pillows I made.
- Build and Paint shelves for inside the closet.
- Possibly add a different media/shelf unit for under the television to store media components, dvds, and video games. (not pictured)

We are sooooo close!

Hopefully I can decide on a game plan for the table and get it done this week.

I am sharing this post at these Link-up parties.

The Office Nook Reveal

Waaayy back sometime last year, I started working on this office nook. I'm not fast when it comes to makeovers, but that is okay. I like to take my time, find good deals, and really think things through as far as how we use the space.

This is not the most stylish, up-to-date office nook, but it is very functional, practical, and realistic for our family. I'm good with that!

This little space is between our den and kitchen area. Do you see that counter on the right? It became a MAJOR dumping ground for anything and everything that comes into this house. Mail, papers, bags, groceries, random toys, everything! My goal has been to make  homes for these items so that things can easily be put away. They still generally land on the counter, but they don't normally stay there for too long.

This is where this space started. The desk was the same, and I had a nice gallery wall, but there wasn't much useful storage.

This was still way back in September of last year. I had added a new shelf system, but was taking my time when it came to adding containers.

I ended up painting the round hat boxes because the shape and size worked really well for what I am storing in them. The white boxes are just inexpensive photo boxes from Micheal's, and the black boxes are document boxes that I picked up on clearance at Target.

My favorite additions to the space are the things we added to the wall. The shelf above the desk was a scrap piece of plywood that I stained, and then mounted with cheap L brackets that I spray painted gold. I probably have $5 in that shelf. I re-purposed the clothespin memo board that I made and turned it into a bulletin board. I hated to take the other board apart, but I need something that faced the other direction. The wall files have been the perfect solution to keeping the paper clutter off of the kitchen counter.

I'm sure that I will continue to tweak this space some, but for the most part it is done. Sometimes I miss having a room dedicated to an office space, but really, I think having everything very handy is more practical for us right now. What about you? Do you have a dedicated office space in your home or do you have a small office nook tucked in a corner somewhere?

I will be linking this post to these blog parties:

What You Wish Wednesday
It's Overflowing
Enchanting Inspiration - House by Hoff
Liz Marie Blog
House of Rose
Blissfully Ever After
Love of Home and Family

Making Home Base
Design, Dining + Diapers
Hit Me Me With Your Best Shot
Creative Ways - Posed Perfection
Creative Spark - My Paper Craze  
I Heart Organizing - Monthly Organizing Challenge
House by Hoff - Get Your DIY On 

Color Change - I Painted The Back of My Media Cabinet Again

I can't stop painting the back of our media cabinet! It's just too easy.

If you have been reading this blog of mine for any length of time, you may be tired of seeing this; I'm sorry. The good news is that I feel like I finally picked the right color and don't won't to change it. I do like knowing that if I decide to change it, it will cost less than $10, and it will only set me back about an hours worth of time.

Before I give you all of the details, let's take a look back at where this started, and how may transformations it took to get here.

When we first got this media cabinet from a family member, it is was sporting a glazed cream crackle finish with a cranberry back. It was pretty, but not my style.

 I finally found the time to paint this thing white and then painted the back blue. The blue was great with our tan couch, but then we got a blue couch and loveseat. The blue was almost the exact color, but was way too matchy-matchy for this girl.

I decided that my new accent color would be coral. I tried several shades of coral, but could not find one that worked with the lighting in this room. There were times of the day when it look great, but other times is was way too bright, and orange. (as pictured)

I finally decided on a shade of green called Swiftly Green, by Valspar. I will be the first to admit that during most times of the day it is way more yellow than green, but I still really, really like it. I think if it had been more green it would have been too much.

Most of the accessories are the same, but some have been tweaked, and some have been moved.

There are a few more updates to this room that I haven't shown yet. We added a a leather ottoman from Target (found on clearance) to replace the too small wicker cube, moved the wicker cube to the left of the media cabinet, and added a fiddle leaf fig tree to the right side.  Oh, and I can't forget about the ceramic rhino. I found him at Ross for $6. The boys thought he was cool, and I really liked him, so we brought him home.

Do you have a spot in your home that you have painted over and over?

*Don't forget to link your posts up tomorrow for What You Wish Wednesday!


I am linking this post to these blog parties. Please go check them out.

What You Wish Wednesday
It's Overflowing
Liz Marie Blog
House of Rose
Blissfully Ever After
Love of Home and Family

Making Home Base
Design, Dining + Diapers
Hit Me Me With Your Best Shot
House by Hoff - Get Your DIY On

Color Dilemma - Help!

Breakfast Room Updates

 

I feel like we have a brand new breakfast room. Before I dive into the what, when, and hows -  let's take a look back at where this room started.

1. Shortly after we moved in. The only thing that had been done was that the new tile floors had been installed.

2. First Set of Updates
 - copper blinds were removed and replaced with curtains made from clearance table cloths from Target
- chandelier was swapped for the one in the dining room and spray painted oil rubbed bronze
- wallpaper was painted (We chose not to remove because the walls were paneling. The grooves had been filled and then wallpapered over. We weren't sure what kind of condition it would be in if we removed it. )
- new table

3. Second Set of Updates
-new bar stools
-new curtains (This time the curtains were made from $2 Ralph Lauren fabric scored at a yard sale.) 

I wasn't really looking to change this room, but then a series of events happened, and one thing led to another.

It all started back in December, when Asher started building our new dining room table. I had initially planned to sell our old dining room table, but then I decided to see how it worked in the breakfast room without the leaf. The bar height table was nice, but it was really small, and not very comfortable to sit at for very long. I thought we would live with it for a few days and then make a decision. Ha, it didn't take that long. We move it in, sat down, decided it was perfect, and sold the bar height table and bar stools on Craigslist the next day.

The old table was gone, so the next step was to purchase new chairs. I used the money that we made selling the other table and bar stools to put towards ordering these, and have been been really happy with them. I had planned to paint the table white, but the longer I have left the table black, the more I like it in this room. My kitchen cabinets are more off white, than white, and our tile floor it really light. I feel like the table would just kind of get lost if it were white. 

We swapped the breakfast room and dining room chandeliers with each other. I was over the red, and decided to paint the chandelier Ivy Leaf green before putting it back in the breakfast room. The pop of fun color was just what this really neutral kitchen needed.

I could have called it done at this point, but I really wanted to update the curtains in this room. The first 2 sets of curtains were really cheap, better than what was there, but not what I wanted forever. The curtains were also not functioning exactly like I wanted. The ones over the  kitchen window would get splattered on while washing dishes, and when I washed them the colors kind of bled together in a few places making them look splotchy. I replaced the curtains over the kitchen with a bamboo shade, and then moved the brown chevron curtains into this room to see if I liked them in here, or if I needed to find something else.

The chevron curtains were perfect in here. Ok, so they weren't perfect. They were about 4" too short.  When I purchased the fabric I did not pre-wash, I just left them really long and never actually hemmed them. I thought I left plenty of extra fabric to allow for shrinkage, but I was wrong. Really wrong. My plan was to just cut them and have short curtains in here, but then then  I decided that I really did like the long length in here. I did the next best thing. I went to Hobby Lobby and found a green fabric to extend the curtains. It was simple, and I really like the added color. Shrinking the curtains turned into a happy accident.

I still want to add bamboo shades to the window, but it is just a matter of having the extra funds to do so. It will come with time. Homes take time.

What do you think about the changes?

The room is so much prettier, but my favorite change is that we actually enjoying eating in this room now.


I am linking this post to these blog parties. Please go check them out.
It's Overflowing
The Pearl Blog - All Things Pretty Part-ay
Liz Marie Blog
House of Rose
Blissfully Ever After
Love of Home and Family
Tatertots and Jello
I Heart Nap Time
Lil' Luna
Somewhat Simple
Today's Creative Blog
Suburbs Mama
Making Home Base
Design, Dining + Diapers
Frugal Friday - The Shabby Nest 
House by Hoff - Get Your DIY On

Dining Room Updates - New Buffet

A few weeks ago when I revealed the changes to the dining room, I had no idea that we would be adding a buffet to this room.

This buffet has been one of my favorite pieces of furniture since we purchased it about seven years ago. When we moved to this house 3 years ago, I was looking forward to using it in the dining room, but it was needed elsewhere. It was used as a tv/media stand for a little while in our living room, and then it was used in our den by the back door. It held my camera, all of the boys' jackets, hats, and everything else we needed quick access to when heading out the door.

Two weeks ago I got a text from my husband with a picture of an armoire asking if I wanted it.  It looked really nice, so I told him to bring it home. I had no idea where, or how I would use it, but I was sure I could come up with something.

It didn't take me too long to figure out that the armoire would be perfect in the den by the back door to acting as a closet, and the buffet could go in the dining room. I was so excited to get my buffet back!

It was so nice to pull my glassware, crystal, and extra dishes out of the kitchen cabinets and put them in the dining room.

I like to keep it real, so just know that this basket full of fresh lemons and cloth napkins doesn't normally sit here. The basket goes in another room, the napkins go in a drawer, and the lemons stay in the fridge. This buffet is usually covered in schools papers and hot wheels.

Adding the buffet made it really easy to figure out the art on the wall situation. When I did the reveal a few weeks ago, I mentioned that I was going to change the gold mirror and replace it with something, but wasn't exactly sure what. When we moved the buffet in, having the metal art on either side of the mirror above the buffet was too much, so I took the gold mirror down and hung the white metal art on the opposite wall. I am really happy with how it turned out!

I think the room is finally done. The only thing still on my radar in this room are the knobs on the buffet. They were originally an antique brass color, and I spray painted them silver about 4-5 years ago. I will either replace them or repaint them gold. I'm sure you will hear about it when I decided.

And just in case you forgot or haven't been reading long, here is the progression of this room. It has come a long way.

Want to know about our dining room table? We built it from Oak Flooring.

I am linking this post to these blog parties. Please go check them out.
It's Overflowing
The Pearl Blog - All Things Pretty Part-ay
Liz Marie Blog
House of Rose
Blissfully Ever After
Love of Home and Family
Tatertots and Jello
I Heart Nap Time
Lil' Luna
Somewhat Simple
Today's Creative Blog
Suburbs Mama
Making Home Base
Design, Dining + Diapers
Frugal Friday - The Shabby Nest  
House By Hoff - Get Your DIY On