Designed With Grace & Joy

Yesterday was officially the first day of Spring, 🌸 and I don't know about you, but I am so ready to spend some time outside and in the sunshine! ☀️  Here's some inspiration to get your back yard or patio ready for some serious quality time! 🌱🏊‍♂️ 🍗 

This kitchen nook was the PERFECT space for this cute little banquette we consulted on, and it's crazy the difference that it made! 🥰 Topped with the perfect custom cushion, this busy family not only has way more seating, but it actually looks much larger and brighter than before!

Another exterior facelift for today's #transformationtuesday! 😎 An all-inclusive exterior paint consultation took this already beautiful house, albeit with a lot shades of warmth, to a whole new level. 🥰 The homeowner wanted to brighten up A LOT, but we also needed to consider the pavers and that beautiful brick.  So rather than going all white, we actually played with a few different shades of it.  If you look closely, the trim totally pops against the main body color. Also, by going with a slightly more muted and neutral white for the body, it embraces the red of the brick! ❤️ And can we talk about that door...and how navy is the perfect modern pop? 😍

So, so grateful to have another project featured on the National Association of Realtors blog!  ✨ Be sure to check it out for details on how we totally transformed this kitchen here:  Kitchen Transformations

When a client and I are choosing new dining room furniture, I often recommend NOT getting a matching table and chairs set. 👯‍♀️🤯 Why?  Because although they definitely can be beautiful and work well together, it can also look a little one-note.  By doing chairs that are a little different, the space looks more curated and designed, rather than like you went to a furniture store and said "I'll take the whole set!"  Again, there's nothing wrong with that, but swapping out the chairs gives it more of a unique feel. ✨ Also, remember that you can go even a step further by introducing more substantial and different end chairs or a bench (but if you do decide to use a bench, best to have all the other chairs match, FYI)!  

You may have gotten a sneak peek of this #transformationtuesday when we posted the amazing @happytreeslodge kitchen remodel a few weeks ago, but check out this dining room remodel! 😍 Everything in this space, LITERALLY from the ceiling to the floors was replaced, painted or completely overhauled.  And then of course each decorative piece, including the table and chairs, light fixture, etc. was carefully considered to maintain that cozy cabin feel! 🤗

  We wanted to change it up for today's Moodboard Monday, and although it's not something everyone has the space for, we can all use a little Movie Time in our lives!

This is just your reminder that: 1) There is no such thing as too much attention to detail in a space, and...  2) You ARE capable of trying something new yourself! 🙌🏻 For this cute closet door makeover, I used: ✨ A simple stencil with some small sponges and black creme paint, all from Amazon (head to the link in our profile and click on SHOP THE LOOK to snag them all for yourself). ✨ I painted just the bottom panel in the same color as the ceiling, and topped off with a satin poly to set it (both with a foam roller). What I learned: ✔️ Buy a LOT of sponges, because you go through them quickly and rinsing between is not ideal. ✔️ Switch off between the areas if possible so the paint can dry before continuing the design. Tap, don't rub the stencil paint, and less is more when it comes to paint. ✔️ For the bottom panel, invest in a good painter's tape to make sure the lines are perfect. I need to work out my arms a lot more because they got so T-I-R-E-D doing the stencil! 💪🏻

 

Contrary to popular belief, neutral colors are some of the most difficult to work with when it comes to paint.  Why?  Because even THEY have undertones that always need to be considered, and they can show very differently dependent on a ton of factors! 🤯 For this house, we wanted a deep neutral brown for all the trim.  Normally, Sherwin Williams Deep Forest Brown would be a great contender. But because of the direction this house faces, it just looked way too purple! 😅 We tried a few more colors, but in the end decided on a warm black, because it had the exact bold pop we were wanting! 🖤 Remember, it is SO important to always try a swatch (or better yet, get a Samplize peel and stick sample that you can move around), because what may look good on one home may look totally different on another! 🏠