breakfast in the...??

This is the week! Wednesday I get new countertops and Thursday/Friday I get new kitchen floors and next Tuesday the new appliances arrive!!


In the meantime.. I don't have a stove/oven and 1/2 my kitchen is in my dining/living room.... take a look..


needless to say I think I will be ordering take out for the next few days :)

Exciting news...stay tuned

I am excited to announce a MAJOR renovation in my little house. This newest (and probably the most major) redo will completely transform (or at least I hope) my kitchen! I am excited to finally get a NEW kitchen!

Over labor day weekend, I took advantage of the appliance sales at Sears. I debated whether or not to get all stainless steel appliances or go with black. I decided to meet in the middle. I also wanted a bottom freezer, french door fridge. But when I started look at the price tag and then thought of the resale of the house, etc. it just wasn't worth it. So at the end of September, I will get the following NEW appliances delivered! A new black Kenmore fridge.. this will totally beat my current fridge that freezes everything on the top level of the fridge! And my new fridge will have an ICE MAKER! Say goodbye to the ice cube trays!!

  
Along with the fridge, I got a deal on a new dishwasher and new GAS stove. The gas stove was a 2009 model so I got it for super cheap!!!

Besides new appliances, I am getting new tile floors AND granite counter tops. Stay tuned for the transformation....

Table turn

There are so many projects that I have on my "wish list" and sometimes it feels like I don't even know where to start! Today after work I decided that I wanted to continue to work on the living room. This is where I spend most of time when I'm at home (well, besides the kitchen but the kitchen needs some MAJOR updates like a new tile floor, counter tops, appliances) so in the meantime I am trying to tackle smaller projects I can complete when I get home from work. 


So after trying to find some nice end tables I realized that I don't want to spend $100+ on a table.. especially when I had another idea that would allow me to change the style and color up if I want :)


So I stopped by Wal-Mart after work and picked up these two tables for $8 each!

Then I stopped by Anna's Linens and picked up two table cloths for $9 each! I decided to go with Chocolate brown since I have so many "light" neutrals in the room and needed some contrast!

So after some ironing.. my living room was transformed just a bit more.. 

Before...

After....

I also put the ADPi creed on the wall. The blue matte matches the blue in my pillows perfectly!!

Now for the second table..

before..

After..

I actually picked up the pillow at Bed Bath Beyond last week for $5!!!

TV Time!

I still don't understand why some things are so darn expensive! I refuse to pay $400 on a rug for my family room and refuse to pay a lot of money for a TV stand (especially since I was able to find that beautiful hutch for a steal!). 

So... when I made my monthly trip to Costco, I picked myself up this fantastic rug!

it ties in the blue from my pillows and the green in the dining room! I love it and so does the pup!

The family room continues to come together and this weekend was no different. Check out the transformation. Old TV stand (my hope chest that I couldn't wait to get back as my coffee table!). Check out all the cords and bunny ears. 

And the transformation begins...

This was only 1/2 the packaging from the "assembly required" TV stand from Target...

Perfect for the room! Finally TV stand that fits the cable box, wireless router, Wii and the DVD!!

Leaning tower of organization

I am continuing to make progress on my sweet house each week. Sometimes I get discouraged when I walk around the neighborhood and see homes that are so put together and "finished." 


Tonight when I was on a walk with the pup and future Mr. we met some neighborhoods who just got their house painted and new shutters put on their house. They said the have been spending the last 6 years on the interior and year 7 is the exterior. That made me feel so much better and realized that I have really accomplished a lot in the past 3 months. Given that my new house (or my old house) didn't have a money tree growing in the front or backyard, I realize that a lot of my projects that will just take some time and some serious deposits into the piggy bank!


But in the meantime.. I have been finding some awesome deals that I couldn't pass up. I tend to have expensive taste, but the not the wallet that should go with that. So when I fell in love with Crate & Barrel's leaning desk I was on a mission.

So after a couple of days searching on Craigslist, I found the side two shelves listed and in excellent condition! I ended up getting a wonderful gift card for my birthday to Crate & Barrel to purchase the center desk piece. So the 3-piece unit that retails for $400 ended up in my office for less than $200!! Please keep in mind, I have organized the actual shelves yet.. but it allows me to put my computer, printer, magazines someplace other than in the closet!

Now I just need to figure out what color to paint this room. Here are a few colors I am thinking about a nice orange color (not too bright) but more of a terracotta color. Any suggestions?


P.S. This is a PERFECT time to stock up on office supplies and organizational tools since it is back to school time!

edamame- refreshing appetizer and relaxing color

Picking out paint colors is one of my favorite and one of the most stressful things for me to do. So when I was trying to pick the perfect color for my dining room I decided to look at the names of the colors if I was having a hard time deciding between one or the other. It sounds ridiculous, but I picked my color pretty quickly when I came across Sherwin Williams Edamame!

Take a look at the new chair rail. I found the bamboo chair rail at The Home Depot for $1.50 PER piece! That's right lady and gents-- total of $7.50 for ALL of the chair rail! I had my first power tool experience up at Kelly and Matt's house with the miter saw. After cutting the chair rail, I stained the wood and with an air gun this is the final product..

Take a look at the transition...

before I bought the house 

After closing... empty house, but a lot of work to do! Floors are in bad shape! 

Taking down wallpaper---- terrible experience!

Wallpaper down, walls primed. 

settled on edamame green!

bamboo chair rail unstained. 

a little nail gun did the trick!

the "finished" product-- for now anyway! Notice the new light fixture too! It's starting to come together!!

Two words: Moving sales!

I have quickly learned that when decorating a house from scratch it takes a lot of patience. It takes even more patience when trying to do it on a budget. It is amazing how $$ some things can be (a beautiful mirror for your dining room can run you anywhere from $50-$200 depending on where you look!). So I have quickly learned that you have to ready to pounce on a good deal when you see one! For example- take a look at my fireplace before I bought this house...

did i mention that the photo is 3-D! I know..you are jealous.

and this is after! ignore the flower paintings..still trying to figure out where exactly to put them in the family room. But the lamps I found at a moving sale and the mirror I got a a consignment shop for $10!!! I may even spice it up by spray painting the trip. Mantle is not completely done, but a huge improvement over the 'before'

I didn't really know where I was going to put the lamps and mirror when I bought them, but they were such good deals and I figured two staples that I would be able to find a spot for them no matter what!