New House Update/Plan for new spaces

Okay so I know I said I hoped to have before pics on Monday or Wednesday but as usual my over-achieving self over estimated how much work this would be. It urns out downsizing is a never ending story of rearranging, purging and thinking of ways to utilize not yet there storage. So I am really really going to try to a before and current post this weekend. No promises. We are also having a garage sale to get rid of all that extra “Stuff” and furniture I have. Then of course with any house (and especially a rental) there have been little and BIG hiccups. Those stories later though. For now I just wanted to pop in and say hello plus talk a little bit about what is going on in my new kitchen.

Kitchen: It is getting a huge dose of decorative color! The kitchen theme is going to be green. YUP green! Don’t worry-this is going to be a neutral with pops of color kitchen. I can’t wait to share all my bargains I have hunted so far for the new space (remember still on a budget and moving is EXPENSIVE with all that going out to eat and feeding the help..aka my mom and dad who have been invaluable this move!) So it includes a bench for a banquette scored for $10 (which is getting made over) and oilcloth fabric to make the chairs and upholstery wipeable, a new oak table scored for $20 (also getting a makeover), DIY roman shades made from a curtain panel scored for $4.99 (wow, I use score a lot!!)

Kitchen Storage:

This kitchen is tiny, I mean probably a 10×10 foot print so it has limited storage-so I have come up with some great organizing ideas on the cheap, baskets, repurposed metal closets, shelving, command hooks and lots of trial and error. Well back to it…

 

Hope to show the first stage of our home after move in on Monday!

Over 10,000 Views to date!

I want to thank all my readers! That is right I have reached over 10,000 views to date (and still growing) from all over the world-Russia, China, Africa, Canada and many many other countries including our own USA. I am so thankful for all of your support, kind comments and love. I will be popping back as soon as I can (hopefully Monday or Wednesday) with “before” pics of the new home.

I can’t wait to get started on it and share some of the awesome ideas/deals scored already. We start the move tomorrow but are making a few repairs indoors and getting our fridge delivered today so the madness starts. Haha. No matter how many times I move-I think it is so exciting and nerve-wracking each time (this is the fifth time in 3.5 years remember).

I also know this won’t be our last move so no worries just roll with it right. Remember we are still renting this house so we would either have to buy it (not for sale) or move again. And there is the small detail of where my hubby will work when he finishes grad school in Dec 2013-same place as now or out-of-state? Only God knows but we shall enjoy the ride and our family in the meantime

Have a great Memorial Weekend everyone and thanks again for all the love!

A Color Peek into My New Living Room Scheme

I know I said I may or may not post as we are packing and moving (which ended up being not in two weeks but one week as in this Saturday-yikes!) but I could not resist sharing my latest color inspiration and jumping off point for my new living room scheme. I have mentioned time and again that Sarah Richardson is my favorite designer and for good reason! She always starts with a piece of fabric for a color scheme and designs around that fabric scheme. It makes it so much easier. Inspiring fabric-check. Then you simply build around that fabric’s style, colors, and texture.

I love our current house-nice fixtures, cabinets, some color on the walls and nice finishes. But the problem is that it already had someone else’s design stamp on it. I mean I would never have done the kids room bubble gum pink and lime green nor would I have dark wood cabinets and grey counters. Don’t even get me started on the blue-grey library/dining wall or the various textures all over the house (popcorn ceiling? really?!!).

Our next house is the opposite. It is a typical rental in that it is a blank colorless rental. No color on the walls. Beige neutral carpet and tile in the kitchen. Plain blinds for window treatments and no wall texture (which I love). Essentially I have a BLANK SLATE. Let me tell you it is SOOOO much easier putting together a home from scratch then trying to make someone else’s vision yours. I knew since this house does have VERY basic finishes (all builders grade) and no wow factors-no gorgeous windows, no hardwood flooring, and no sprawling rooms- that I was going to have to make up for it in design. Sarah Richardson’s assistant Tommy Smythe always says “it is a box, we are going to have to decorate the heck out of this box,” and I could not agree more Tommy!!

So back to my jumping off point….

It is a rather striking departure from my always neutral schemes but you may have noticed a color trend gradually growing from the kids play kitchen here,  or my spring inspired mood board here, and of course my kids’ room new color scheme here and I have already told you about my color-pihany here. So it is a love affair that keeps building and growing ever more passionate! 

I am in LOVE with this fabric. It is perfect. I still love to switch things up in a room and this is the fabric that will let me do just that. It has so many colors that I could easily go many directions. First off, let me tell you what this fabric is-CURTAINS! and the best part is that I didn’t even have to make them. I found them at Lowes for $15 a panel. Umm, unheard and I could not have even made them for that much. Such a good find!

I love that it has two distinct blues and two greens, it has the perfect spring or fallish yellow and that coral is lovely. Then just to amp it up they throw in that aubergine-perfection!

This fabric has inspired me so much that I have already started building my room around it. I found some amazing lamps at Goodwill that I can’t wait to show you (unfortunately our new house has a few rooms with no lighting-yup no lighting. So lamps are the go-to solution) and with a little spray paint they fit right into my new color scheme.

I have also been working on the new playroom scheme as that is going to be a priority because I never arrived at the task of decorating their play room in our current house. Once again, can I say COLOR! I found the most amazing fabric and for once my husband and I agreed on it. Let’s just say that we are going to do a travel theme.

Okay back to packin I go….the count down is on-three more days till the move!