BOHO BEDROOM REVAMP-The College House

Prior to the purchase of this Lubbock home—and after viewing the online pics,—we knew there would be a number of issues we would have to address upon closing escrow. After all, it’s an older home (1960’s), and has seen a slew of owners in its day.

We knew a fresh coat of paint was needed both inside and out, new appliances were in store, just as some of the quirkiness/oddities would have to be dealt with, and improvements made.

A number of these projects have happened simultaneously. From the media room (not completed yet), to the kitchen, family room, guest bathroom, and my daughter’s bedroom, each and every inch of this home is getting an upgrade—-one trip to Texas at a time. Haha.

And this last visit, my daughter’s room finally got checked off the punch list.

Here is where we started:

Okay, so this room wasn't that bad to begin with. Sure, it wasn’t cute but it wasn't crazy ugly either. However, our goals for this space included repainting the entire room, adding a feature wall detail, bringing in new draperies, and infusing this area with a Boho vibe along with some feminine flair.

And we started with the vision board.

Beautiful warm colors, rich textures and a Boho style that is all sorts of fun. But before any of the decor could be added, the painting needed to take place.

Using Sherwin Williams Creamy, the entire room got painted (thank you, Kari Lynn), which helped to lighten and brighten this room. Next, came the arch. In lieu of a headboard, my daughter, Annie wanted this arch, painted the same width as her double-sized bed.

Once this baby was painted and the old ceiling fans and blinds were changed out, it was time to decorate. This is always my favorite part…always!

But rather than ramble on and on, here’s the finished product along with all the details below.

A mixture of colors, textures, and patterns work together to bring a fun Boho vibe to this space.

What’s a girl’s room without throw pillows. A mix of these babies from Target and Dandy Home & Ranch tie every element (and color) of this room together.

One of my favorite parts of Annie’s dorm room last year was the collection of artwork and photos we collected and curated prior to moving her in. We literally brought every piece over to this home and incorporated them all here.

We also added in an inexpensive live edge side table from HomeGoods, and that really cool lamp from Target to finish it off.

Next came the draperies.We scored these babies off of Amazon for super cheap and they worked perfectly! A crushed pink velvet with ties at the top to add a bit more femme to this space.

A really great live edge desk from World Market (on sale) fit the room perfectly as did the mustard yellow velvet desk chair I grabbed from Overstock to go with it.

Those items combined with a finishing touch—a Dalmatian print area rug and bam (!), this baby was done!

I love being able to do these projects for and with my girl…and I love her style.

Leaving Lubbock is never easy but the trips are never devoid of productivity, some serious shopping, and loads of fun.

THE DETAILS

Paint: Sherwin Williams Creamy

Paint Labor: A Fresh Coat-Yuma and Kari Bhana

Bedding: Target, Amazon

Throw Pillows: Target, Dandy Home & Ranch

Shelving: Dandy Home & Ranch

Lamp: Target

Wall Decor: Etsy, Target, Hobby Lobby, Rebel & Rove, Fearfully Made Creations

Desk: Cost Plus World Market

Side Tables: HomeGoods

Draperies: Amazon

Area Rug: Overstock

Desk Chair: Overstock

Ceiling Fan: Home Depot

Love, J

Boho Bathroom Remodel--The College House

This bathroom renovation at my daughter’s Texas home took a little while to complete…seven months to be exact. The reason? Even though the bathroom was in decent condition, the shower was not. A makeshift shower head had been rigged from the spout of the tub and with plumbing that was exposed on the exterior of the wall.

It was bad! And strange. And it wreaked havoc on the drywall in there. So much so, that we had to repair it…and renovate.

Here is where we started:

Photo courtesy of Zillow.com

With only one sink, dated countertops/cabinetry, and that weird shower issue, this space needed some help.

So, we located an awesome contractor and got on the waiting list back in January. Come May, it was “go time” and demolition got under way.

First things first—removing all the damaged drywall, framing up the wall, adding in the new tub, and getting the shower all plumbed up…oh, and covering up that window (gosh—maybe that’s my thing, I dunno).

Next came the tile. I opted for Subway tile because even though its been done ( a lot), it’s classic and timeless. Also, by going with a tile that has slight dimension or even a texture to it—a variation, if you will on the standard Subway tile—it adds a hint of a custom look and vibe.

Also, see the flooring? As with most remodels, deviations/changes from the original plans tend to happen…and since they were already in there renovating, we decided to change out the existing floor tile for something newer…fresher…and more fun.

Disclaimer: I usually don’t opt for trends when it comes to tiling BUT this space actually warranted it.

I gave my daughter five floor tile options and these babies from Wayfair are what she chose. Again, super inexpensive and the biggest bang for one’s buck!

Ready for the reveal?

After adding in the new vanity, new shelving, a custom shower curtain, cutting and then framing out the old mirror, some fun decor, and fresh paint, here is the outcome:

Keep in mind, that every element was sourced on the cheap, meaning, that the main elements of this bathroom came primarily from big box stores.

The finishing touches are always my favorite part and these pieces usually come from a number of different sources. In this case, I grabbed some clearance items from Hobby Lobby, scoured my daughter and her roommates decor stash, and topped it off with some greenery.

HomeGoods is also another favorite of mine when it comes to finding cute decor on the cheap. But not your run-of-the-mill decor.

Case in Point?

Not your standard decor, but who wants normal?! LOL. This is a college house after all!

In all seriousness though, this one piece just adds some flair and even thought the general population wouldn’t go for this, I would…and did!

One more before and after of this baby:

Photo courtesy of Zillow.com

Ahhhhhh, much better!!

THE DETAILS

General Contractor: John Hamilton

Paint: Creamy by Sherwin Williams

Paint Labor: A Fresh Coat-Yuma

Floor Tile: Wayfair

Shower Tile: Home Depot

Shower Hardware/Faucets: Home Depot

Formica Countertop: Home Depot

Sinks: Build.com

Knobs: Amazon

Shower Curtain: Target/Hobby Lobby

Shelving: Etsy

Love, J

THE RAINBOW ROOM

Does your church have a “Cry Room”? You know—a place where moms can take their babies and toddlers when things go (seriously) South during church services?

Cry Rooms are always pretty fun to design and decorate, but also vary in overall vibe and style.

Some are minimalistic—to the point—only providing basic “cry room necessities.” Still, other churches go a bit more in detail, requesting a space that feels welcoming, relaxing, and helps to promote a stress-reducing environment. Afterall, the sole purpose of these rooms is to let those sweet babes “cry it out”…or give precious mamas a calming spot to nurse (in private)…or quiet the most rambunctious of toddlers.

Cry Rooms are a multi-purpose room, must be super functional, and in my opinion—crazy cute.

But enough of that, here is where we started:

Okay, so by Cry Room standards, this room was totally functional. However, aesthetically speaking, it needed a little help. The green and yellow paint—while gender neutral—wasn’t calming. And even though the furniture served a purpose, it lacked in style.

But all that was about to change.

Cue the vision boards.

For this specific space, I created two vision boards simply because there were two different directions we could go: Rainbows or Sunshine.

When I posted these options on the ‘Gram, the overwhelming majority were in favor of some sunshine, but knowing that the stairwell directly diagonal from this space sported rainbows and kites, I along with the church Kids Director agreed—rainbows it would be.

So I got to work.

The base coat of the mural wall became Sherwin Williams Silver Peony while the remainder of the walls got decked out two shades darker in Sherwin Williams Grape Mist. The goal was to provide a greyish-lavendar base prior to all that color coming in…

Once the base coat was painted and dried, it was time to start the mural.

Using my Sherwin Williams paint chips, I opted for more muted colors as opposed to the bright, traditional colors the rainbow usually boasts. This was to keep the space more calming…warmer, even.

Look at those colors! Swoon-worthy for sure.

You know, creating somewhat symmetrical arches is no easy feat but it does become slightly less daunting by using the pencil technique. Have you heard about it? It went a little something like this:

First, I found the center of the wall.

Next, I used a piece of string and eyeballed how high and thick I wanted each arch to be.

I then tied the string to a pencil on one end and fastened it to the wall (via thumb tack) on the other. By pulling the string taut, and applying pressure to the pencil, the arch was formed.

By cinching the string and movie the tack, each arch was created.

Then it was time to fill each arch in with color.

The goal with this rainbow was to create an imperfect, watercolor look. I started filling these areas in thin and then expanded using a dry brush technique and the ole eyeballs for good measure.

I worked and reworked each section over and over again until I was happy with the end result.

Done!

And it’s perfectly imperfect!

Now it was time to pull the whole room together by bringing in the furniture, and adding all the little details that truly make a space special.

Seriously—my job is so much fun! But it gets even better…

We outfitted the North-facing wall with a new loveseat and rocker, along with some sweet throw pillows and reading material. The South-facing area went a little something like this…

The Cry Room underwent a major transformation and all it took was some paint and a few furniture pieces for it to happen. simple and easy but yet so fun and colorful.

I dig it…do you?

THE DETAILS

Paint: Sherwin Williams Silver Peony & Grape Mist

Paint Labor: A Fresh Coat

Rainbow Wall Mural: A Fresh Coat

Pillows: Target, Etsy, Hobby Lobby, Amazon

Love seat: Wayfair

Rocker: Wayfair

Changing Pad Cover: Target

Lamp: Target

Shelving: Hobby Lobby

Wall Art: Target

Mirror: Amazon

Decor: Hobby Lobby

Toy Crates: Target, HomeGoods

Book Case: Amazon

Poufs: Amazon

Love, J

GUEST BEDROOM BLUES

Guest bedrooms are the opportunity to create a space solely for the purpose of entertaining others. Whether it’s out of town guests, family members, friends, or anyone in between.

These rooms can range in style and formality, depending on the overall vibe you’re wanting to showcase.

Either way, said spaces should be comfortable…cozy…and a place your visitors will want to revisit time and time again.

So, when my client called me up to revamp her guest bedroom, I couldn’t wait to get to work on it.

Here is where we started…

This room was in need of some new bedding, nightstands, and the overall cozy factor that guest quarters need to emote.

The first step? Paint!

Already a light blue, I wanted to mellow it out just a bit but also lighten and brighten the area. Sherwin Williams Misty did the trick!

After adding in a few pieces of furniture (while taking away others), and bringing in fresh decor, this beautiful blue guest bedroom is ready for visitors:

Beautiful draperies and linens from Pottery Barn make this space for sure—the perfect blend of patterns, solids, and stripes.

Two nightstands were brought in, a bench at the base of this full bed, a new ceiling fan, bamboo window shades, and the list goes on and on.

A simple piece of artwork, old books via The Goodwill, some foliage, and a nice, chunky, bedside lamp were all on tap to take this space from kinda bland to the next level.

And it appears this kitty agrees…

THE DETAILS

Paint: Sherwin Williams Misty

Paint Labor: A Fresh Coat-Yuma

Bedding: Pottery Barn, Amazon

Draperies: Pottery Barn

Decor: Hobby Lobby, The Goodwill of AZ, Marshall’s

Lamps: Kirkland’s

Mirror: Hobby Lobby

Decorative Throw Pillows: Kirkland’s, Hobby Lobby

Bench: Wayfair

Bamboo Shades: Lowe’s

Love, J

Entryway Redo

Entryways come in all shapes and sizes. From short and sweet to long and narrow, and everything in between.

After initially visiting my daughter’s house in Texas, plans quickly got underway to overhaul a number of spaces this past week. With one of my college roomies (and bestie) in tow, we got busy.

Now, college homes (and living in general) tend to have a ton of character and more personality (most of the time), then designing/decorating for traditional family homes. Typically you can have more fun with it, and implement items and pieces you normally wouldn’t.

I’ll be honest—when it came to this hallway, we had no formal plans…no vision board—nada. We definitely winged it but I think it worked out in the end.

But enough talk, let’s check out the "before” pics.

Photo courtesy of www.realtor.,com

It’s hard to tell from this picture, but the walls were painted in baby blue, along with white chair rail height paneling that wrapped the entire entryway.

The tile floor (which is definitely different) takes on this aged, speckled vibe that just ends up looking dirty next to those walls. So even though we couldn’t replace it, the goal/challenge was to work with it instead.

We also had this former closet-turned-mudroom area to completely transform in addition to.

Now, here’s where the transformation takes place.

Originally, we were thinking yellow for the walls as shown below. However, after painting the first coat, it was apparent that yellow (or at least this shade of it) would not be the best choice. Instead, we opted for a deeper, more neutral color that you typically don’t see in an entryway, but also a color that would work well with the rest of the vibe of the home and the sweet-looking contact paper we picked up at Target.

Yah, definitely not it.

So I did what I never do—I went to Lowe’s and selected a color right from the display chips. Super risky but I went with my gut on this one, narrowed it down to two options, and had my girl make the final decision.

Here’s what we picked:

Again, super risky because lighting can and does affect every color—but I was hoping Valspar’s Grizzly would work out.

I went ahead and painted one side of the entryway/hallway only. By painting both sides with a darker color, it would feel closed in and even smaller (and narrower) than it actually was. Not ideal.

I also decided to paint the paneling all one color to make it less “choppy” and less dated.

R-I-S-K-Y!

To be honest, at this point, I was a little nervous but I regrouped (LOL), got the stockpile of decor items I had previously shipped, out…and got to work.

I wanted this space to be cool, different, unique, and fun. Here’s how she ended up:

With one side decked out in Grizzly, and the other painted in Sherwin Williams Creamy, this hallway took on a whole new look and personality.

With decor featuring antlers, Goodwill frames, Hobby Lobby wall art, and a mirror that was left by the previous homeowners, this space came together in a funky fun way.

But I still haven’t gotten to the best part: the mudroom closet. Remember how it used to look? Here’s a reminder:

And this is where having an engineer as a bestie, comes in super handy. She got to work, cutting the contact paper to perfection, and then placing it as the backdrop for the mudroom closet.

My daughter and her roommate selected this cute print at Target and Kari lined it up perfectly (skills, y’all). Look at this:

Unique and fun, different yet tasteful…I really love how this space came together. The only thing left to do is invest in a runner rug and I’m thinking this option from Amazon may just be perfect.

www.amazon.com

You know, sometimes risks pay off. Phew!

Oh, and who else could use some more cowbell?

THE DETAILS

Paint: Valspar’s Grizzly/Sherwin Williams Creamy, Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black

Paint Labor: A Fresh Coat-Yuma

Contact Paper: Target

Contact Paper Application: Kari Bhana

Decor: Target, Goodwill, Rebel n’ Rove, Hobby Lobby, Dandy Home & Ranch, HomeGoods

Striped Baskets: Target

Lighting: Lowe’s

Love, J