It’s hard to believe we’ve already been living in our fixer upper for 6 months.  Sometimes it feels like we’ve been there forever and other days it feels like we just moved in.  Nonetheless, I thought it would be fun to reflect on all the DIY projects we’ve managed to accomplish since moving in.    We are finalizing our remodel plans with our architect but I want to remember this “interim” time and what we did with our own hands FOREVER.   Blog posts last forever right? 🙂

If you are interested in a tutorial on any of the below, I’ve either written a blog post about it, or you can check my highlight stories on my instagram.  Here are some of my favorite projects from the last 6 months, including before/after pictures, where applicable.

MY DAUGHTER’S RAINBOW WALL:  We used frog tape and paint samples from Home Depot.  Click here for the full blog post.

 

KITCHEN PROJECT:  Replaced the backsplash with common wood, painted the cabinets, spray painted the hardware, took off some upper cabinets and made my own DIY shelf.  Click here for the blog post.

 

DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM: I paid to reglaze the bathtub and tiles and vanity tiles, I painted the vanity and floor and mirror, replaced the hardware and light, spray painted the shower curtain rod, and added hooks.  Click here for the full blog post.

 

MASTER BATHROOM PROJECT:  I painted the walls and tiles, created a “mural” wall, added hooks, and was gifted a new vanity, mirror and lights.   Click here for the full blog post.

 

OUTDOOR STENCIL PROJECT: I painted our patio black with Behr patio paint.  I used stencils to create a “tile” look and it’s SO much more interesting than plain stained concrete.  🙂

 

DIY FAUX FIREPLACE PROJECT:  We needed a place to hang our xmas stockings so we made a DIY faux fireplace.  All of the information you need to do it yourself is in my highlight story on this project.  I used portola paint to make it look like a plaster finish.  Such a fun and easy project.

FAMILY ROOM ACCENT WALL: I came up with this board and batten’ish idea with a modern feel.  All the steps are in my blog post, just click here.

 

MY DAUGHTER’S HUGE DIY DOLLHOUSE:  My handyman helped me significantly with this one but this was my daughter’s SURPRISE xmas gift and SHE LOVES It!

 

MASTER BEDROOM STYLING:  I love this room so much.   Besides hardwood floors, and different access to the closet and a new master bathroom, the look and feel of this room will stay similar.  Click here for the blog post with links.

Thanks for reading and for your interest in my DIY projects!

xoxo,

Kristin

I transformed our Family Room with a very easy DIY modern interpretation of Board and Batten. I knew I wanted to add some dark paint and some texture to the wall but I wanted it to be my own creation.   So, per usual, I went to Home Depot with no exact plan and came up with it on the fly.   For better or worse, that’s how I roll. 🙂

A little back story — when we remodel our home, this wall is coming down.  So, I did NOT want to spend a lot of money and I did not worry about application on the walls.  Application?  If you are adding a wall accent and might want to take it down someday, it will be better to use a nail gun to attach the wood to the wall.   I used glue.   Since I don’t own a nail gun, it was cheaper, easier and I don’t have to worry about maybe taking down this wall accent someday.

WHAT I BOUGHT AND COST:

For the top piece, I brought inexpensive (and lightweight) wood.  Specifically, I bought two 1×3 BTW Whitewood at $4.00 each.  I had them cut to the exact size at the store.

For the vertical lines I bought this molding .  It costs 48 cents/foot.  If you know your exact measurements (from top of molding to bottom of top piece), then you can have it cut at the store.  I chose to cut it at home using a hand saw.  Because each of my vertical pieces were approximately 42″, I spent approximately $35.00 on this wood.

I  bought a quart of Benjamin Moore paint in “Wrought Iron” at my local paint store for $25.

Here is the glue for $10.00.

And you will need a caulk gun for $4.00.

Total Cost = $82

 

 

HOW I DID IT:

First, I planned out the design.  The bottom of the top piece is 42″ from the ground (I don’t have floor moldings in this room).  Each vertical stripe pattern is spaced 13.5″ and the stripes are 3″ apart.  Using a level is very helpful.

I hung the top piece first.  Applied the glue and held it against the wall until he stayed by itself.

Then I applied each vertical piece with glue.

I let dry (a few days because I got sick but I’m sure 12 – 24 hours is enough time).

I painted 2 coats.

And VOILA!

DECOR:

Let’s talk about this rug from Loloi Rugs and Ellen Degeneres!  I saw it and knew I needed it for this room.   It’s so cozy and soft to lay on too.   You can purchase is here.

You can click here for my accent chair.

Sofa is from Interior Define.

The coffee table is a Noguchi and you can click here.   Or here for a knock off.

And I found the stacking side tables at a thrift store for $10 total and I painted them using Edgecomb Grey by Benjamin Moore.

The art is art I’ve owned for years, except for the bottom right – I drew that yesterday.  🙂

AS ALWAYS, thanks for visiting and for your interest in my design!

xoxo,

Kristin

It’s  almost Black Friday and I am sharing my favorite home decor purchases that make perfect gifts too!  These are mostly all items I have around the house and LOVE!  They are on SALE for the next few days!

When styling your home, it is helpful to have baskets (great to hide clutter), vases, coffee table books, decorative objects, faux plants, pillows and throws.  Good looking towels, mirrors and soaps are also key for the bathrooms.   And bedding can make or break a bedroom look!  In fact, you can easily change up the look of a room for a particular season by swapping out these accessories.

First, I’m including my favorite picks from Serena & Lily – I have 90% of these items and truly love them.  It’s worth noting that Serena & Lily is offering 25% off almost EVERYTHING from today until December 3rd.  While pricier than some other brands, I am consistently impressed the quality of their items.   You get what you pay for!

1. Topanga Pillow 2. Diamond Pillow 3. My COMFY sheets 4. Plaid throw 5. Our quilt 6. Our linen duvet 7. lanterns 8. serving board 9. basket tray 10. ladder 11. Towels 12. My stool 

Next, I’m sharing my favorite accessories from a variety of other stores!  These items also make great gifts!  Especially because the price point on these accessories is more budget-friendly.

 

1. Faux Olive Branches  2. Gold Vase 3. Mirror 4. Birch Logs 5. Set of 12 Twinkle Lights
6. Set of 3 planters 7. Faux Olive Tree Plant 8.  Faux Fiddle Leaf Tree Plant 9. Family Room Chair 10. Fav Chunky Blanket 11. Family Room Ottoman 12. Striped Pillow 13. Faux leather + mudcloth pillow 14. Black striped mudcloth pillow 15. Metallic Basket set 16. Wall basket set
17. seagrass basket set

Happy shopping friends!

xoxo,

Kristin

 

When sourcing furniture for clients, I am ALWAYS open to new resources to shop!  For all you designers out there – I found another great resource – Universal Furniture.   You know when you need to find a clean-lined simple — yet gorgeous – dresser or media stand for a client but you aren’t sure if it’s well made because you haven’t seen it in person?!   Well I tested this shop on myself and I am hooked!  Both the media stand and the dresser I picked out are heavy, high quality, and VERY well made.

You can sign up for a trade account here.   Please note that you must ship to a receiver when ordering project from this store.   For big projects, this is not a problem.  But for smaller projects, I realize the inconvenience and maybe Universal will come up with a solution for this in the future.

And for all of you potential clients out there who NEED this furniture –  I’m happy to source for you!  Just shoot me an email or DM.

This post is sponsored, but just like ANY of my sponsored posts, I give an HONEST review.

xoxo,
Kristin

I put together some very reasonably priced big kid (works for girls or boys but I designed with boys in mind) bedroom inspiration and product ideas for you guys!  And each style includes a bunkbed because many of my friends have recently said their boys are requesting bunk beds!   If I were to put my son’s room in one of these categories, I’d probably say it’s scandinavian/rustic? In this “interim/pre-remodel” phase, I let my kids do whatever they wanted with their rooms using the furniture from our old home.

In my opinion, some of the key ingredients to a kid’s bedroom are:  the bed, rug, baskets for toy storage and a dresser or nightstand.  So I picked out some of these key ingredients for various different styles below.   I hope this helps you with ideas for transitioning your kids to “big kid” rooms!

Scandinavian Inspired Bedroom Idea: 

With a different rug option . . .

Here are the links for each product I found pictured above:  bunkbed, rug 1, chevron rug, baskets, sheet set,  art, side table

Rustic Inspired Bedroom Idea: 

 

Links: Bunkbed, Striped rug,  Basket, Pillow, Dresser

Coastal Inspired Bedroom Idea: 

Links: Bunkbed , Jute Rug, shibori pillow,  baskets, side table, dresser

Traditional Inspired Bedroom Idea: 

Links: bunkbed,  rug, storage,,  faux plant, basket for plant , dresser 

I hope these boards help inspire you! Let me know if you have any questions or if you need help designing a room for your bigger ones!

xoxo,

Kristin

If you have an outdated bathroom that you desperately want to remodel but cannot afford a full gut remodel, please keep reading!   For less than $5000, you can drastically update your bathroom from drab to fab!  My advice? Replace the vanity, lights and mirrors for an instant update.   Update your accessories.  And if needed (in my case it was needed) –  paint!  You can even paint tile!  Eventually, if you end up paying for a full gut remodel, you can reuse your new vanity, mirrors and lights.  Win Win!

Here is the BEFORE of our bathroom:

Here is the same view NOW:

 

SUCH a difference, right?!!!!

Here are the products I used thanks to Build.com: 

THE VANITY is the James Martin Vanities Chicago 60″ Free Standing or Wall Mounted / Floating Double Basin Vanity Set with Wood Cabinet and Carrara Marble Vanity Top from Build.com
It comes with the counter and sinks and is free standing, which I LOVE because we can use it (again) after we fully remodel our bathrooms.  

THE FAUCETS are the Delta Trinsic Widespread Bathroom Faucet with Metal Drain Assembly
in black. 

THE MIRRORS are the Ren Wil Sorella 36″ X 24″ Rectangular Framed Universal Mount Wall Mirrors

THE LIGHTS are the Progress Lighting Spatial Single Light 5-3/8″ Wide Bathroom Sconces and they are only $60 each!  And so pretty.  

THE SHOWER CURTAIN ROD screws into the wall, which is AWESOME because it never falls down.  It’s the Signature Hardware 72″ Straight Shower Curtain Rod.

I spruced up my accessories with the following products: 

Stools in bathrooms are SO cute and add character IMO . . . you can shop mine here

The black bordered towels are part of the Banded Border Bath Collection 

My basket is from Home Goods but LOVE these ones too (I have them and currently are using them for toys).

The rug is vintage.

The candle is so cute with a wood lid and available here.

I found the shower curtain, hand soap and faux fiddle plant at Home Goods.

I painted the wall and tile (better than bright yellow walls and blah tile):
Step by step:

1. First paint the wall the color you want the stripes to be — in this case, I painted the wall white.
2. Use painter’s tape to tape out your design.
3. Starting with “distant gray” but adding some of the next darker color each time . . . I created colors to create an ombre effect.
4. Here are the colors in order from lightest to darkest:  distant gray, misty gray, thundercloud gray, deep silver, trout gray, wrought iron.
5. I painted the tiles “trout gray” (please see my modern coastal bathroom blog post for a tutorial on painting tile).
6. I painted the cabinet over the toilet “wrought iron.”

I hope you guys like it!  Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

Kristin

 

Welcome to my dream master bedroom!  Thanks for visiting and here are all the details!

Bedding

I’m going to start with the bedding because it’s arguably one of the most important aspects of any bedroom!  I like my bedding to feel like a luxury hotel – crisp, clean and super comfy.   I went with Serena & Lily to achieve this goal and WOW I LOVE our bedding!  For me, the success to a beautifully made bed is layers. AND GUESS WHAT? Bedding and beds are up to 30% off until October 28th during Serena & Lily’s Sleep Well Event! Here are the layers I chose:

1. Sheets – I chose the Beach Club Sheet Set in Fog for a slight pop of color on a clean and crisp white sheet.  
2. Quilt – I went with the Foxwood Quilt with matching shams also in Fog (white with a border of Fog)
3. Shams – I chose the matching Foxwood Shams 
4. Duvet Cover – I chose the Cavallo Linen Duvet Cover in Smoke Chambray – it is so beautiful and adds the perfect texture and casual, yet elegant, look I was going for.
5. Throw Pillows – It is always a good idea to layer with throw pillows to finish off the look.  I used 2 of the Topanga pillows (24in) and one of the Camille Diamond Medallion Pillow Covers in 20in.

Rug

We have wall to wall carpet in our bedroom.  When we remodel, I plan on installing hardwood flooring.  BUT wall-to-wall carpet is NOT stopping me from adding an accent rug!  I went with the Dugginsville Area Rug from Boutique Rugs.  This 9×12 rug is on sale for only $508!  Such a deal!

Lighting

The previous owners, hung sconces in this bedroom.   Since we plan on remodeling, I did not want to spend money on labor in here.  So I searched for the perfect pendant lights that I could hang from the same electrical spot.   These Meadowlark 11″ Luxe Cord pendants from Cedar & Moss are typically used in kitchens but I think they look super perfect in our bedroom.  What do you guys think?!  

Bedside Tables

I bought these bedside tables – the Castagnier 3 Drawer Nightstand –  several years ago for our bedroom in our old house.   But they totally work in here too!   I switched out the hardware to these pulls for a more modern look.

Bed 

I searched and searched for the perfect canopy bed.   I finally found our bed from Room & Board.  I loved it SO much I purchased it the day I found it.  I just knew it would be perfect.   Our is a California King in the “tall” version.

Side Chair 

Our bedroom chair is the Emmaline Armchair.  You’ve also seen it styled in our family room in our old house and our family room in our new house.  We love it!  So comfy and stylish.

For those of you interested — here are the links for my jeans and top

Thanks for visiting!  Feel free to ask me ANY questions!

xoxo,

Kristin

Did you know you can elevate an uninspiring window with curtains?  I did just that in our fixer upper.  We are planning on a full remodel, where we will likely change out all the windows but until then, I wanted our windows to look taller and wider.  Here are my tips:

Tip 1:

Hang the curtain rod up to 15 inches taller than the top of the window — it will give the effect of a taller window.  If you hang it right at the top of the window, it will dwarf it.   In our living room, we hung the rod 15in taller than the window and just 2 inches below the ceiling height.

Tip 2: 

Mount the rod approximately 8-10in wider than the window, to allow you to push the curtains open past the window, which makes the window appear wider.

Here is a before/after of our family room window, using these tips:

Again, because we are remodeling in the near future, I did not invest in expensive drapery.  I found these stylish yet INEXPENSIVE curtain rods from Amazon.  The rod is just $29 and comes in two different sizes.   In the living room and family room, I hung linen flax sheer curtains from Amazon.  In our Master bedroom, I hung the longer rods and used four panels of  faux linen sheer curtains – similar soft and textured look at a fraction of the price – also from Amazon.

If you want to really step up your window game but can’t afford custom drapery, check out

West Elm’s linen curtains
Pottery Barn has a nice selection of linen curtains
And click here for Wayfair’s selection of linen curtains

Why linen?  I love the soft textured look to it.  It looks organic and still modern, which is totally my jam. It isn’t as heavy as traditional drapery.

I hope this helps!  Tag me so I can see your elevated windows!

xoxo,

Kristin

The first part of the kitchen remodel helped make our kitchen align more with our style, and now it’s time for the best part of the process: styling it! Here are my favorite stylish (but budget-friendly) products I’ve included in my kitchen and some tips on how to style your kitchen to fit your desired look.

KITCHEN FURNITURE

Kitchen Table and Chairs completely make the room. MAJOR shout out to The Hängar for these stunning pieces in my kitchen! The Hängar is a BEAUTIFUL furniture store located in Santa Monica, CA (address: 2408 Lincoln Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405). Corinne, the owner, is truly a gem. She is kind, helpful, patient and has an excellent eye for design. If you go into the store and mention you heard about it from my Instagram, she will give you a 15% discount! Valid for your first purchase only. 

Kitchen Counter Stools are from a trade-only store called from Essentials for Living, but as a designer and a member of the trade, I can source some for you if you want – just shoot me a DM!

Kitchen Island is from All Modern, and I love how this light wash wooden tone brightens up the entire area and gives us additional seating beyond the traditional dining table.

KITCHEN ACCESSORIES 

The little details are EVERYTHING when it comes to creating a cozy, welcoming kitchen. These are some unique and affordable kitchen accessories that are not only practical but so cute that they become pieces of art.

Cutting Boards might not be something you would typically think to add dimension to your kitchen, but a quality wooden cutting board will hold up use after use, and let’s be honest: you can never get enough natural elements inside your home. These may all be acacia wood, but there’s a different wood tone for everyone in these options!

Target Threshold Acacia Wood Board
Target Magnolia Acacia Wood Board
World Market Acacia Wood Board

Kitchen Utensils are essential, but that doesn’t mean they need to be boring! This beechwood utensil collection from Target would work in any kitchen. Plus, each piece is crazy affordable, so if you need multiples or a replacement, it won’t break the bank.

Cookbooks are a MUST! They’re great for stacking, decor and of course – delicious recipes! The more the merrier. Indulge in your favorites, as it gives you more reason to test out fun new meals with your family and put your cooking skills to the ultimate test!

The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
Nourish Cookbook
The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook
Magnolia Table

MY OTHER RECENT STYLING FAVORITES

Target Coffee Mugs
Target Marble Cake Stand
World Market Dish Towels

KITCHEN DECOR

Ceiling Fans are a MUST. I would normally suggest a pendant light over a breakfast nook table, but if you live near the beach and you don’t have AC, you have to get a ceiling fan. We are so happy with our new stylish one from Hunter Fan Co.!

Light Fixtures are a game-changer and totally help you see your kitchen in a whole new light – literally! Don’t underestimate the impact that new lighting will have, especially when the style of it fits your aesthetic. It’s absolutely worth it! We got the Milo light from Mitzi and we love it!

Hanging Wall Baskets work great on open shelves – just prop them up behind some other decorative items and voila: instant texture and warmth. I love this one patterned basket from Anthropologie, and this 3-pack of two-toned baskets from West Elm is so unique. 

Rugs under the dining table or a counter table (or both!) will elevate the kitchen and create defined areas within the space – not to mention, rugs bring actual coziness anywhere they are. I raved about this Chilewich rug on part 1 blog post of my kitchen remodel and my Instagram, and I can’t get enough of how simple and understated it is. These are budget-friendly rugs and exceptional quality! 

Vases are useful and beautiful, with more and more options available. Whether it’s store-bought or vintage, there are so many great uses for a vase: flowers, utensils, fruits, knick-knacks – the list is endless. What’s better is that you can have multiple different kinds of vases in your kitchen and it WORKS, because they can all serve a different purpose and be reused in any way you can imagine. All of my favorite vases at the moment are from Target – I’m obsessed with this glass vase I currently have on my kitchen table, this cream stoneware vase is perfect for kitchen utensils, and this amber vase adds immediate warmth, especially for the autumn season.

What are YOUR favorite kitchen styling tips? Let me know in the comments below! You can keep up with my ongoing home remodel projects on my Instagram and my Pinterest. Stay tuned for more blogs coming soon!

I am absolutely in LOVE with this DIY accent rainbow wall that Kristin and her daughter designed and painted in her daughter’s room! This fun DIY project transformed this room from a room in the house to HER room. The colors are soft but still vibrant, giving it the perfect pop of personality, and best of all, this rainbow wall DIY project was quick – it only took a couple of hours!

Here are the simple steps for this fun, kid-friendly DIY project you and your kids will enjoy!

How To Paint a Rainbow Wall

Total Time: 1-2 hours

1. Pick out your colors! Paint color samples from Home Depot ($4 each) provide more than enough paint for the stripes.
2. Mark out your stripes using Frog Tape (seriously the best for this) and have fun varying the size of the stripes! Not only is it visually interesting, but this will also save you the frustration of trying to get each rainbow stripe perfectly uniform – and a measuring tape can help to make them straight.
3. Paint those stripes!
4. Remove the tape and let dry for a day or two.

Here are the paint colors Kristin used for the rainbow wall. All paint colors are from Behr:

• Pink – Pink Elephant
• Orange – Dainty Apricot
• Yellow – Papaya Sorbet
• Green – Marjoram
• Blue – Sunken Pool
• Purple – Courteous

The final result of this DIY kids room rainbow wall made me so happy that I wanted to incorporate something similar somewhere in my daughter’s room. My eldest daughter recently moved into her big girl room, and we had JUST painted the walls a pretty shade of gray. Her room has exactly one window that looked at a rather drab, average fence where I planned to plant a shade garden eventually to brighten it up, but Kristin’s rainbow wall inspired me to give the fence outside my daughter’s window a very colorful makeover.

Rainbow Fence DIY

Total Time: 1-2 hours

1. Prepping: I cleaned the fence with water from the hose and let it dry.
2. Colors: I used leftover paint samples from other projects, which is always so nice! I tinted the colors myself with some acrylic paints that we had in our art supplies. I used Paper Lantern by Sherwin Williams as the base and added primary colors to it until they had the creamy rainbow hues I wanted.
3. Painting: Painting a fence means there is no taping off necessary, and being outside meant I could drip – so drip I did!
4. Sealing: I bought a couple of cans of spray sealant to help the paint weather and applied it all over the fence once the paint was dry. 
5. Personal Touch: I added a wicker heart that I got on clearance years ago and never used. I love seeing it out on the fence instead of in a closet! 

My absolute favorite part of this update? My daughter ADORES it. The second best part is that this was a very affordable DIY project – it only cost about $5 for the sealant since we mostly used materials we already had. Oh – and guts. It took some guts, but I’m so happy I went for it! 

If you need some more rainbow inspiration, here are a couple of other DIY rainbow wall ideas that Kristin and I love!

Tanya of @houseofsixinteriors made a gorgeous rainbow wall for her daughter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Cynthia of @cynthia_harper_ and her daughter recently added this beautiful hand- painted rainbow wall.  

– Kaitlyn & Kristin