Baby Makeover.

I'm obsessed with home interiors. There. I said it. So when my cousin Erica, who is expecting her first child (a girl), asked for a little input with her nursery I squealed in delight (ok, maybe not. but i was squealing on the inside).

I should've taken pics of the already-adorable room. Butttttt I didn't. It is painted in a warm gray tone, there is terrific natural light, neutral carpet (hardwoods underneath), nice big closet, and a pretty view of the backyard! What's not to love?

She was thinking of keeping the walls their current color - which I whole heartedly support. Painting = thumbs down. Walls that are pretty and already painted = thumbs up. She also has some vintage green suitcases that she wanted to incorporate....hmm.

So here is a little rendering I did to get her wheels-a-spinning. Now, when I do room "plans" - I use that word loosely. They aren't really meant to represent every little thing to the very last detail...it is just to create a feeling and to sorta visualize how certain things look together. Faux bear rug not your thing? That's completely fine, a nice tone on tone ivory stripe would also work just lovely. Hate that yellow lamp? Substitute it with a cute garage sale find. No worries.

So there you have it. My Mini-virtual baby nursey makeover! I'd love to stay and chat some more, but I've got a serious date with my dvr.

Have a great night!
Casey

 

Let me see your grill...

The day warm weather arrived...so did my desire to grill. Vince and I recently purchased this beauty to replace our George Foreman standup grill we bought about 4 years ago. Due to the fire codes in our building, we are not allowed to have grills with open flames - thus resulting in our need to go electric. Eh. Electric, schmelectric.

Sure, it isn't the grill of our dreams, but we are really enjoying putting it to good use...and making some PRETTY PRETTY delicious and healthy meals.

Here is one of our favs....GRILLED VEGGIES!

1. Take a piece of foil and fold in all four sides about 1/2 inch - making a flimsy tray. The folding of the sides will help keep all of your goodies safe.
2. Cut up LOTS of delicious veggies of your choice! We like, peppers, zucchini, onion, mushrooms, garlic, tomatoes, asparagus...yum!  I can smell it now!
3. Add all of your veggies to your tray...I like to put the veggies that need to cook the longest on the bottom - I usually start with peppers & onions, top with mushrooms & tomatoes....all the others somewhere in between.
4. Lightly drizzle with some EVOO, (extra virgin olive oil for all you non-Rachael Ray fans) and some fresh cracked black pepper.
5. Throw that baby on your preheated grill (medium heat)...and you are cooking!
6. Let veggies cook until desired tenderness is achieved...I like mine to retain a bit of texture - don't want a bowl of mush.

**DISASTER PREVENTION** When transporting your foil tray to your grill...it is probably a good idea to keep something solid underneath. I usually use a cutting board.

What do you like cooking in the warm summer months?

So fresh, so pretty!

Happy Grilling.
Casey

Bathroom Update, part II

Here she is! The afters. So here is what we did.

We painted. Out with the goldenrod an in with soft gray. The color is Ash from Restoration Hardware in semi-gloss. The color is a lot more neutral and more fitting with the current fixed elements as I discussed here. Because the color is so light I decided to paint both the walls and ceiling. Our ceiling was previously painted with cheap paint not meant for high-moisture areas = peeling, chipping paint...not pretty. I also painted inside the molding on the back of the white door for a little tone-on-tone action. No one will probably notice but me, but iLove. In summary, I love the color and vie learned bright, bold color doesn't necessarily mean BIGGER impact. I don't think a room should scream at you when you enter...and definitely not a bathroom.

We added storage. We removed our chrome bathroom rack and added a pair of floating shelves. The rack was beginning to rust due to the high moisture and I couldn't find another bathroom shelf that would suit my needs. The shelves I chose are the same wood tone as the vanity cabinet so they blend seamlessly into the space. I use the shelves to store a few extra towels and wash clothes, our Sony Air unit, and a basket for closed storage - toothbrushes, toothpaste, tweezers, etc. I purchased a coordinating basket for the top of the toilet for extra TP. Even though I "lost" a lot of storage by removing the medicine cabinet and metal rack, I actually feel I gained much more usable storage. All within an arm's reach.

We got a bigger mirror. If you read my previous bathroom post, you are already familiar with my strong distaste for our previous medicine cabinet. We got rid of it! We opted for a larger mirror to fill the space that was wasted. We chose a rectangle mirror with a travertine surround. The color of the stone ties in beautifully with the counter top & floors. We found this beauty at Lowe's on a total whim. I spent weeks searching for the perfect mirror to fit in the somewhat odd shaped void...I was hoping I wouldn't need a custom mirror made, luckily this one worked out - straight from the box!

The whole process took several weeks of planning, purchasing, and researching what I wanted to do. We were able to complete the labor in a weekend, and I created the artwork a few days later. We are very happy with the update and love that our tiny bathroom is now much BIGGER in style.


Casey

Bathroom Update

"Fun Sized" Bathroom

 The past several months, Vince and I have diligently been tackling several projects around the house. Perhaps that is why my blog has been neglected all these months.  :) Our bathroom has been an area that I have wanted to improve for quite some time. Let's talk about the issues.

1. Size.  Yes, size does matter.  Especially in a bathroom...our only bathroom. Vince and I have the same work schedule, so we must plan our mornings so that both of us have ample showering, teeth brushing, & grooming time. It is not uncommon for us to double up in the bathroom in order to make this arrangement work - Vince showers while I brush my teeth; I shower while Vince stares into the mirror at his cute face...etc.

2. Storage. In my opinion, storage is the most important "element" in the bathroom...of course after all of the basics are covered - toilet, shower, sink, lighting, mirror - CHECK!  We've got those!  Storage, not so much. There unfortunately isn't a linen closet in our bathroom...so no place for extra towels, tp, toiletries, etc. There is not enough floor space for a free-standing piece of furniture to house anything we wish to hide. And we are also lacking counter space as well...so not a lot of wiggle room to place toothbrushes, hand soap, & decorative items without overcrowding.

U-G-L-Y medicine cabinet.

 3. Color. I have no one to blame but myself on this one.  It was my decision to paint our tiny, tiny bathroom bold, bright, loud goldenrod. I don't have a problem with the color itself...actually I love the color.  The problem is the space + the color. What I didn't consider when picking this color (almost 4 years ago) were the fixed elements...floor, vanity, counter, toilet, shower. Our dark ceramic floors are made to look like slate...so lots of natural tones. Our solid surface countertops have a similar color story as the floor....speckles of beige & tans are grounded by a dark gray background. And obviously our toilet is bright, porcelain white....which goes right along with our shower/tub which is also white porcelain.  Our vanity is a dark, rich mahogany color....all of these elements just do not mesh well with the yellow. Lesson learned: consider the color & tone of fixed elements, or furniture before choosing a paint color. Start your palette with the colors & tones of the pieces that will not change...ie: flooring, a sofa, custom drapes, etc.

The Positives.

The fixed elements in our bathroom are actually pretty nice...we don't have a seafoam tile shower or a pink sink or a flat mirror with the bulbs across the top...Because if we did, this would be a much larger project.  I'm pretty set on my white towels & shower curtain...no need to purchase new items for a new scheme. The space is small, but it is efficient...everything works...everything is clean...and the fixed elements aren't offensive to look at. 

Stay-tuned for the updated photos...I'm thrilled with the results!  

Casey

New Year's Resolution: New Bedroom

Back on December 31, 2009 I decided to make a goal for the year - one that I could achieve, maintain, and be excited about. I thought we desperately needed a bedroom makeover, and this would be the PERFECT way to get myself (and vince) motivated to take on the task. So from January until April - I planned, shopped, measured, and prepared for the weekend of April 24th when this magical transformation would take place.

First let's discuss the problems/challenges of our existing bedroom - complete with visuals, that I'm ALMOST too embarrassed to show....we have an obnoxiously large tv (which is another story) in our bedroom, it was the first thing you saw when you walked in, which sat on a piece of furniture that belongs in a garage - bleh.

Secondly...my ghetto-rific "vanity" - which essentially was an IKEA computer desk with a mirror mounted above it. vince and i both hated how my stuff was all out on diplay, I had little storage, and it just looked awful. super sophisticated, i know. as a side note - halas the dog is so pretty!

Thirdly....although I loved the color on the walls, I struggled finding bedding that coordinated with the wall color & the white furniture....it is a tricky combination for sure...i think the wall color would have looked better furniture that was made of actual wood...

Easter weekend vince and I went to IKEA, purchased a few key pieces of furniture to go along with the new items that I previously gathered for the room....so we were all set! For the walls we decided to go with Restoration Hardware's "Cappuccino" in subtle velvet...the paint is simply phenomenal...low VOC and the coverage is amazing!

so now for the fun stuff....here is a shot of the after....we did a little rearranging so now when you walk in our bedroom, the focus is on our bed, with our beautiful bedding from Restoration Hard (Italian Cypress Paisley in Azure) We love it! Various shades of blue all swirled together into a medley of ahhhh! We put up some white plantation blinds...which I absolutely love! We bought a new mirror chest, which acts as my vanity...it is great because I now have storage for all of the stuff that would sit on top of the old "vanity"...

the obnoxious tv now sits atop of a new dresser for vince's stuff...it is not such an eyesore, as it sits against the wall where the door is located. paddington approves of this new dress, it is the perfect place for him to perch. we are thrilled with the transformation....the white, tan, blue combo is so soothing. we love how comfortable and easy it feels....i think it looks like a room at a beach cottage.

The makeover has definitely inspired us to "rethink" the other rooms in our little space...the whole process was so fun and challenging! Wonder what we will do next?

casey