tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2001387377071811642024-03-19T00:34:44.396-04:00HOUSEographyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger648125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-85729414936449944962017-09-27T18:32:00.002-04:002017-11-25T22:53:30.516-05:00Our Florida Beach Condo - Floors, Ceilings, Walls, and More!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Last spring we started thinking about getting <a href="http://www.wsv706.com/" target="_blank">our condo</a> painted. That led to a discussion about how much I hate popcorn ceilings, which led to the floor issues we had -- worn-out and dirty-looking carpet, and Pergo in the kitchen and hall bathroom (not ideal). Jim agreed we should get a price for all of the work, plus 2 new vanities in the bathroom. A local contractor gave us a good price for all of the work. He has done a lot of work in our complex so we figured he knows the buildings well. </div>
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Our place was in good condition when we bought it but I felt like these issues - especially the old carpets - might discourage return renters. Those with vacation rental properties know how valuable return renters are! </div>
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So, we got a move on. First up, we selected flooring. We had good luck with the peel and stick luxury vinyl tile in our master bathroom so I was inclined to go that route, but our contractor suggested the floating type that locks. I did a ton of research and saw that it had some advantages and was potentially quieter than peel-and-stick if you use an underlayment (not required though). I had been considering a rustic pine floor, but when I saw <a href="https://www.lowes.com/pd/Shaw-14-Piece-5-9-in-x-48-in-Commack-Pine-Locking-Luxury-Vinyl-Plank/1000009720" target="_blank">this option</a> at Lowe's, I knew that was the winner.<br />
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<a href="https://mobileimages.lowes.com/product/converted/765894/765894989564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://mobileimages.lowes.com/product/converted/765894/765894989564.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
In person, it looks a bit darker than this but it's the perfect beach house floor - the color of sand!<br />
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For the walls, I went with an off the shelf bright white from Sherwin Williams. We had white before and I always liked it.<br />
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Finally, we chose a 3.5" plain stock baseboard. My dad had already installed this in the master bathroom after <a href="http://www.houseography.net/2017/01/our-florida-beach-condo-master-bathroom.html" target="_blank">we did the floor last year</a>. I want a clean cottage feeling in here.<br />
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All of the work took place over the course of a month or so. It was a little nerve-racking to use a contractor we had never met in person and pay him for work we could only see in pictures! Fortunately he came with great reviews from other owners in our complex so we took a shot. It worked out beautifully!<br />
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Last week I went down by myself and spent 3 days putting things back together and updating a few of the decor pieces. Our contractor had rehung all of our art but we needed a few more things like a mirror in one bathroom, a new shower curtain rod, and a couple of new lamps.<br />
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And here's how it looks now:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVKAlik-_z5ipqeEJOUZ2dSdl9xbPHo5pE8KDuk65rS2KmLMeWMUxuQGW7LcFCyygJhILx3Ygz4H43AzQ19S28FnlpbTXKINh64a_lyEOn6eOE3m_RyUOe_nG33QhbT8-8N0HeGAZQAc/s1600/Hallway3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVKAlik-_z5ipqeEJOUZ2dSdl9xbPHo5pE8KDuk65rS2KmLMeWMUxuQGW7LcFCyygJhILx3Ygz4H43AzQ19S28FnlpbTXKINh64a_lyEOn6eOE3m_RyUOe_nG33QhbT8-8N0HeGAZQAc/s400/Hallway3.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGiO8tHI9cdOgZ-xMlyGVGbQraFFMXtoSyALIYNJdUtRfhK2WDtz8xJbGKK09RO-VnndxBDYo18jdhsxT5ali7q9vzy476CETi8I-xxfUbLxRvZC3thwTQIYf96DA_15ZuDxEv_KJ6O8A/s1600/Kitchen1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGiO8tHI9cdOgZ-xMlyGVGbQraFFMXtoSyALIYNJdUtRfhK2WDtz8xJbGKK09RO-VnndxBDYo18jdhsxT5ali7q9vzy476CETi8I-xxfUbLxRvZC3thwTQIYf96DA_15ZuDxEv_KJ6O8A/s400/Kitchen1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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You can see the baseboards in this photo...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_uLjFTULCHmUPKdLHUkFT-vNlBZ3DEsNyv2cWamu8qSjgH8xhlxR6WtFr0VprsRxTnU6eEevnZSqf_bH3RcwV1HyetlL4oNooAd-tRUEZNKX2zJJU32UiZW7NAgG9V4Wl4SZ4H63DzI/s1600/LR+TV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_uLjFTULCHmUPKdLHUkFT-vNlBZ3DEsNyv2cWamu8qSjgH8xhlxR6WtFr0VprsRxTnU6eEevnZSqf_bH3RcwV1HyetlL4oNooAd-tRUEZNKX2zJJU32UiZW7NAgG9V4Wl4SZ4H63DzI/s400/LR+TV.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I had ordered 2 rugs from Overstock during a big summer sale (isn't there always a sale on Overstock?!). <a href="https://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Safavieh-Monaco-Vintage-Bohemian-Multicolored-Distressed-Rug-67-x-92/10465264/product.html?cid=228583&ehid=B6C9DC863957836AE040010A239C3C88&fp=f&token=239682-23968215024703717997423365676293179581-20170811-1-9ea9a3&utm_medium=email" target="_blank">This</a> for the living room (LOVE!):</div>
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<a href="https://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/10465264/Safavieh-Monaco-Vintage-Bohemian-Multicolored-Distressed-Rug-67-x-92-f1f37c41-4289-4a60-8a26-1c9276297126_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/10465264/Safavieh-Monaco-Vintage-Bohemian-Multicolored-Distressed-Rug-67-x-92-f1f37c41-4289-4a60-8a26-1c9276297126_600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-PPnb8GOydaBf8XgVlxL1yjDRNZLsO0OMoqFo6YUXtIEYTP16aRlV63uz6N_ru5U-P9454HW2Tbv6idXpdoDUC_TZhkX20gB2wBD9nP8JRbnMi6Zh5kJy_-bpSFfjGviJ3939wcUM0E/s1600/Living+Room+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-PPnb8GOydaBf8XgVlxL1yjDRNZLsO0OMoqFo6YUXtIEYTP16aRlV63uz6N_ru5U-P9454HW2Tbv6idXpdoDUC_TZhkX20gB2wBD9nP8JRbnMi6Zh5kJy_-bpSFfjGviJ3939wcUM0E/s400/Living+Room+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And <a href="https://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/nuLOOM-Traditional-Distressed-Oriental-Blue-Grey-Area-Rug-8-x-11/10352509/product.html?cid=228583&ehid=B6C9DC863957836AE040010A239C3C88&fp=f&token=239682-23968215024703717997423365676293179581-20170811-1-9ea9a3&utm_medium=email" target="_blank">this</a> for the master bedroom: </div>
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<a href="https://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/10352509/nuLOOM-Traditional-Vintage-Fancy-Blue-Rug-8-x-11-fae605bd-9ddd-4b7e-a897-8dd3c5152c55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/10352509/nuLOOM-Traditional-Vintage-Fancy-Blue-Rug-8-x-11-fae605bd-9ddd-4b7e-a897-8dd3c5152c55.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I love the living room rug, but I'm still getting used to the navy rug in the master. It's darker than I'm used to but I don't think it's a bad thing. It will certainly hold up to renters since it looks distressed and it's dark - no stains will ever show! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkilgUQP2eWBWNkVQ8HAH0KLwba4d_cXB2wmxZWwid1XaBZNdxcqA7ifo_YWd8aUOa7A8W3M5g5httrxFd1hnLw8MRiBDQE0dDmxuue2nh43HNPYvk21t2DvA0Byt4lRhwo9PnDBeyk0k/s1600/MBR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkilgUQP2eWBWNkVQ8HAH0KLwba4d_cXB2wmxZWwid1XaBZNdxcqA7ifo_YWd8aUOa7A8W3M5g5httrxFd1hnLw8MRiBDQE0dDmxuue2nh43HNPYvk21t2DvA0Byt4lRhwo9PnDBeyk0k/s400/MBR.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Neither rug was an investment piece so if something does happen to them (or I decide I hate them in a year or two), they can either be hosed off or thrown out! You may also notice that we updated all of the ceiling fans last year. </div>
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We also had new vanities installed in both bathrooms. Although they are a big improvement over the old ones - higher, drawers, clean (!) - they still feel a little small and cheap. The cultured marble counters are not likely to last for the long haul but they will certainly get us through a few years.</div>
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Hall bath:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhtdWssciUD56-Jjzz35Rj_9Su9Rye57gQ3oyIwcP6-8MobikrVKEEz-YqZz7mrXjAL7K1LS7q3d92xJXjdHLb2BLWpmizkgVbpxHcnLrQMD-UXPSfAKTG70UhFB8lTr5xZRqE0wCbOA/s1600/Hall+Bath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJhtdWssciUD56-Jjzz35Rj_9Su9Rye57gQ3oyIwcP6-8MobikrVKEEz-YqZz7mrXjAL7K1LS7q3d92xJXjdHLb2BLWpmizkgVbpxHcnLrQMD-UXPSfAKTG70UhFB8lTr5xZRqE0wCbOA/s400/Hall+Bath.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Master bath:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8LX3K7qJROqZKfjHDJVoHES2EAbMdp9mA9JsoUxz45wLYj_rbD8a0sWuoFUpAcy6lwe7U1-0icqGkpKRufWtxvvm88p2A-uUf0X4j5HbISH8muOh5jrS7ZYIlkF2vEYyQIiB3-4mbXs/s1600/MBA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8LX3K7qJROqZKfjHDJVoHES2EAbMdp9mA9JsoUxz45wLYj_rbD8a0sWuoFUpAcy6lwe7U1-0icqGkpKRufWtxvvm88p2A-uUf0X4j5HbISH8muOh5jrS7ZYIlkF2vEYyQIiB3-4mbXs/s400/MBA.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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I will never understand why the original designers put a tub in the master and a step-in shower in the hall bath!! This is not a luxurious tub - I would much prefer a shower in the master bath. Some day maybe. </div>
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The color in both bathrooms is blogger bathroom favorite - Sherwin Williams Sea Salt. When you read a lot of blogs like I do, you start to see patterns with paint. There are countless blogger bathrooms painted in Sea Salt and now I can see why! It's a gorgeous, classic color that goes with pretty much everything. </div>
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All of the art you see in the pictures came from HomeGoods in Venice, Florida. That place is the gold standard of HomeGoods stores and I have been to a lot!!! For those in the Sarasota area, don't mess around anywhere else. The art pieces there were unbelievable and so perfect for what I was looking for. The mirror in the master bath came from Ross - only $24. Can't beat that. The one in the hall bath came from HomeGoods YEARS ago - it has a big scratch on one side but it was only $12. </div>
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I also bought this new piece of art for over the sofa also at HomeGoods. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6GBMoDaB2VDZGs7hP0_xS6mKF5owkyuHkSl3GUlFPQvCLUt5G1pfWKkpfz4klNpvs9D8BnG4AWtE6MdxsWfpfh7d51FUdJTCkiJ0R6ZFkEURMDWMRaepxuo9_6lbbVRh87J2-yskSX6U/s1600/IMG_1720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6GBMoDaB2VDZGs7hP0_xS6mKF5owkyuHkSl3GUlFPQvCLUt5G1pfWKkpfz4klNpvs9D8BnG4AWtE6MdxsWfpfh7d51FUdJTCkiJ0R6ZFkEURMDWMRaepxuo9_6lbbVRh87J2-yskSX6U/s400/IMG_1720.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I stared at this piece for at least 20 minutes in the store. Walked away to the register and then went back to buy it after sending Jim a picture. He came back very quickly that he liked it. When I told him it was $40 he said to get it! He loves old cars, I love the beach, and my kids love to surf so this seems like the perfect piece for our beach condo.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-6olLti1zjhJ3J-Jyr_9Xnz858D7A6BQg5iBHUSUT3TKFX1jwxi3YGaLY6rWbm_fwwCqt5ec4TcRR4eVmOXZdibjiucqAMiURsB3keDT7goSZRF3MOp-CD7RYB7617XkcJhJhpqMSPk/s1600/IMG_0111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-6olLti1zjhJ3J-Jyr_9Xnz858D7A6BQg5iBHUSUT3TKFX1jwxi3YGaLY6rWbm_fwwCqt5ec4TcRR4eVmOXZdibjiucqAMiURsB3keDT7goSZRF3MOp-CD7RYB7617XkcJhJhpqMSPk/s400/IMG_0111.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I should also mention that coffee table which everyone should get! I saw it on another blog (<a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Emerald-Home-T100-0-Chandler-Cocktail/dp/B00ETN50B8/ref=sr_1_4?s=furniture&ie=UTF8&qid=1506550799&sr=1-4&keywords=coffee+table" target="_blank">Mix and Match Mama</a> maybe?). Then I broke the glass on our old coffee table. I could have replace the glass but the wicker on that table was not in good shape (and I am really trying to de-wicker this place as much as possible). Seriously, for <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Emerald-Home-T100-0-Chandler-Cocktail/dp/B00ETN50B8/ref=sr_1_4?s=furniture&ie=UTF8&qid=1506550799&sr=1-4&keywords=coffee+table" target="_blank">$149 and free shipping</a>, what's not to love!?!</div>
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/415lCujOT0L._SX425_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="285" data-original-width="425" height="214" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/415lCujOT0L._SX425_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Final update was to change out the bedding in the guest room. I never really liked the striped comforters but they served the purpose for 2 years. I really wanted quilts since they are easier to wash than a comforter and they stay neater. I also like sleeping under a cotton quilt instead of a duvet. I found one of these on clearance at Marshalls and then stalked several Marshalls/TJ Maxx/HomeGoods stores without any luck. Finally found a second on eBay for only a little more than the first. Sold! I love them. the gray-blue pillows are also from the Venice HomeGoods. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2yu0RzeKmrPBdHStXlCMTgXUi-T8xvcMKjqT1r36XxErhenrw1kQ7q8WfgM1HL2z-Opdjz0QQYnVEviFyY3ZxhDQEDT9nOYcYdVe5lDMZlRtqTvjm_XCMcnxF49OM483O_aZvKS-P7k/s1600/GBR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2yu0RzeKmrPBdHStXlCMTgXUi-T8xvcMKjqT1r36XxErhenrw1kQ7q8WfgM1HL2z-Opdjz0QQYnVEviFyY3ZxhDQEDT9nOYcYdVe5lDMZlRtqTvjm_XCMcnxF49OM483O_aZvKS-P7k/s400/GBR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWkMzMfZJz8ilDrnwA-4JemkyOYz0EXuIYEvE579kVVc4MohyG_yWwy4yOUL-FC6icRjOLE_4EFcNbKlfiKhyphenhyphenGMjyaSJejRfSevp5chld7cHTankQEpT_Jxh0PyAWK10q-ggBP9oylZQ/s1600/GBR%2540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWkMzMfZJz8ilDrnwA-4JemkyOYz0EXuIYEvE579kVVc4MohyG_yWwy4yOUL-FC6icRjOLE_4EFcNbKlfiKhyphenhyphenGMjyaSJejRfSevp5chld7cHTankQEpT_Jxh0PyAWK10q-ggBP9oylZQ/s400/GBR%2540.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We also put this sweet little desk in there last year. It was from Target (no longer there that I can find), and it's the perfect small size for a lap top set-up. The drawer holds some random desk supplies like a stapler, pens and notepads. Most of our renters are there for a month or more so a desk area is a nice plus for them. That cute lamp was from Ross. The cord is braided and blue. So adorable. </div>
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The chair is a spare dining chair that can be pulled into the kitchen as necessary for guests. I haven't found a rug for this room yet. I am thinking about getting something pretty neutral because the comforters are borderline obnoxious! I saw a shaggy rug at Ross that I might send down with my parents in a few weeks. Another option is a fake sisal rug. The closet in this room holds a lot of beach chairs and gear so the sand gets everywhere eventually. </div>
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If you are interested in renting the condo, we have availability for October 2017 and late June 2018 through October 2018. It's a 2-week minimum rental but the affordable price makes even a 9 or 10 day stay worth that price. A lot more info can be found on our <a href="http://www.wsv706.com/" target="_blank">condo web page</a>.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-30753749619683335542017-02-13T09:23:00.003-05:002017-02-13T09:23:44.984-05:00Last Minute Valentines for KidsMy kids finished up their Valentines yesterday (2 days early!!) so I thought it would be great to share in case you are looking for ideas! Both of these were very easy!!<br />
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My 10-year old daughter has discovered Pinterest and found <a href="http://www.gingersnapcrafts.com/2013/02/last-minute-valentine-crazy-for-you.html" target="_blank">these</a> pretty quickly. There's a fine line between cool and not cool in 5th grade, but I know she wanted to have something creative for her friends. Also, our school does not allow food or candy Valentines (which I love actually!). I found the straws in 6-packs at the dollar store.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYbcsOboXe2YrclrveHrIeYvepNkmB_BKOqZugz5TAS9tC4kn_52DWLVcJ9BblzkJiOAYD53hhy51ARZds_SsoTX7ueovTS22S2exjTe5E4lZlcNTogxcL67f2keWForSK6Mqe-sMBTs/s1600/IMG_7766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisYbcsOboXe2YrclrveHrIeYvepNkmB_BKOqZugz5TAS9tC4kn_52DWLVcJ9BblzkJiOAYD53hhy51ARZds_SsoTX7ueovTS22S2exjTe5E4lZlcNTogxcL67f2keWForSK6Mqe-sMBTs/s400/IMG_7766.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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My son is obsessed with Star Wars so it was only natural that we find a Star Wars option for him. I had remembered that we made <a href="http://www.houseography.net/2012/02/homemade-valentines.html" target="_blank">lollipop Valentines</a> for my daughter years ago so we tried to recreate that for him but without candy! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiCP8S8Avwx1Pug11ygkGQHrgNz0XbJa3MaHlZ0AMXxwyLLVesUdMcYUqMD3lNRZl9TbsrXq6O_CWR_4xX6abrzcX5XCudo30Sm2SLUkbxgGacSaebuI2mh4LVV4SSHf1QRJYFXS6nNBc/s1600/IMG_7762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiCP8S8Avwx1Pug11ygkGQHrgNz0XbJa3MaHlZ0AMXxwyLLVesUdMcYUqMD3lNRZl9TbsrXq6O_CWR_4xX6abrzcX5XCudo30Sm2SLUkbxgGacSaebuI2mh4LVV4SSHf1QRJYFXS6nNBc/s400/IMG_7762.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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These were totally created on my phone! I took the picture and then added the text using <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/font-candy-photo-editor-free/id661971496?mt=8" target="_blank">Font Candy</a> then printed them at my local CVS. Then we punched a hole in his "hand" with a standard hole punch. Pushed the glow bracelet through - be careful not to "snap" them so they start glowing too soon! We also put the connector on the back which helped to stop it from going all the way through. Finally, I taped each on the back, which caused the photo to ripple but still the effect is great! Probably one of my favorite Valentines ever! </div>
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<span style="color: red;">Happy Valentine's Day!</span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-55995226125704189002017-01-11T19:36:00.000-05:002017-01-11T19:36:29.066-05:00Our Florida Beach Condo - Master BathroomLast October, the kids and I headed down to Florida for Columbus Day weekend. The plan was to actually stay in our condo (the kids had never spent the night!), visit my parents (they live in the same community) and relax a little. Unfortunately Hurricane Matthew was also visiting Florida the same weekend. I had major doubts that our late Thursday night flight to Sarasota would leave on time but we only left about 10 minutes late. Who knew?<br />
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Now, I do think it's important to stay in your rental property at least once per year so you can get an idea of what is good and not so good. Otherwise, it's hard to know if the showered is lame (ours was!) or the pillows need replacing (ditto). We rent a lot of houses for vacations and we are always happy to give owners feedback on what they should consider updating, getting or replacing. I am happy when our tenants do the same!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpty9h37k0oocn_ILswbFZcja3sqQARZsWPFbWVuK8k3ooUK2O94ljFWyAzclK4RZLMMUBnthhzUYDGw1XkVo7a9dH9HusqRYduyvHRJ2VrMKj_qLANrNNpqUVji185B06OzUPKpsP9M/s1600/Master+Bath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpty9h37k0oocn_ILswbFZcja3sqQARZsWPFbWVuK8k3ooUK2O94ljFWyAzclK4RZLMMUBnthhzUYDGw1XkVo7a9dH9HusqRYduyvHRJ2VrMKj_qLANrNNpqUVji185B06OzUPKpsP9M/s640/Master+Bath.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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Of course, besides relaxing, I had high hopes for replacing the master bathroom floor which my mother had <br />
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told me was pealing and generally looking pretty gross. It was 20 year old linoleum and it was permanently yellowed so it certainly had seen its day. I had originally thought we would just tear out the old bathroom but reality set in and other priorities came first so we decided to just replace the floor and keep everything else until a bigger reno down the road.<br />
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At our local Home Depot, I had checked out the new peal and stick vinyl floors everyone is excited about. The wood-look was nice but I really wanted tile in the bathroom. I was really attracted to the Travertine look because it's beachy and won't show sand or hair. Bonus. I sent the <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/p/TrafficMASTER-12-in-x-24-in-Light-Grey-Travertine-Peel-and-Stick-Vinyl-Tile-Flooring-20-sq-ft-case-221924U/206367656" target="_blank">specs</a> to my dad and he picked some up at the Sarasota store along with some grout.<br />
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Friday morning brought cooler temps and light winds so the kids were happy to lounge around. My dad and I got to work on the bathroom floor!!<br />
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Here's the up close "before" picture. We pulled out the toilet and baseboard. The toilet was in good condition and fairly new so it stayed but the baseboard was total junk so my dad replaced it.<br />
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Here's the master handyman figuring out how we're going to handle the tile near the toilet. Right after this I told my dad that I think we should just try to pull out the whole floor. It came out in a couple of big sheets - it wasn't even really glued down. Amazing. Unfortunately I didn't take a picture of the bare floor.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2pbu6no_LUM3qB9b5WYzcFHVuYoh9PBCC7iD-Mm_Sn9f6iZ2I-cKppre-S5yu9OvwgL1oiRsCVAoBEPlUH2ffgX7Xgb1DcFn7Rco0hvGnkSlS8IzWXcg_WO3Vw7cXP8cDZ7ndedJkyc/s1600/IMG_6071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD2pbu6no_LUM3qB9b5WYzcFHVuYoh9PBCC7iD-Mm_Sn9f6iZ2I-cKppre-S5yu9OvwgL1oiRsCVAoBEPlUH2ffgX7Xgb1DcFn7Rco0hvGnkSlS8IzWXcg_WO3Vw7cXP8cDZ7ndedJkyc/s400/IMG_6071.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Nice '80s wallpaper behind the toilet.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTZfYUpWVzQPdjRcK0K2lfE1erlnKrI31j0SNt2Z0NdVsNgTREboQJO0wf-EhtXrVHDt-OMzvvdwv_SLzzSnIt1WI862XhTJ6Z1qaRHvLSpdQ1Y4sAyqMCNBMJdIP9jS6Avn2ztcSiI4/s1600/IMG_6069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTZfYUpWVzQPdjRcK0K2lfE1erlnKrI31j0SNt2Z0NdVsNgTREboQJO0wf-EhtXrVHDt-OMzvvdwv_SLzzSnIt1WI862XhTJ6Z1qaRHvLSpdQ1Y4sAyqMCNBMJdIP9jS6Avn2ztcSiI4/s400/IMG_6069.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The process from there was very fast. We scraped the minor glue residue and then cleaned the floor with some cleaner my dad had on hand. There were some hairline cracks that we probably would have filled if we were using ceramic or porcelain tile but we decided the floor would flex enough to withstand cracking. Then we laid the tiles down for a dry fit up to the point that you see below. Then we pealed and stuck them down. </div>
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We used some books with paint cans on top to hold them down in spots where we thought they might lift a little or just on some of the corners that would see a lot of traffic. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP4dqBHqvj0-lZ-2SVZIdYYKSrwOecHygXGxSLZURYtt5S7Mw6gY5FC6WBNbkLvEwOXC0ePYnZkt_cSk7xylgWc9Beqv606_ya9ZWgkO8CAmTMOfoRrMj5KoO7xa74KbTAPS-R5NrUNwM/s1600/IMG_6080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP4dqBHqvj0-lZ-2SVZIdYYKSrwOecHygXGxSLZURYtt5S7Mw6gY5FC6WBNbkLvEwOXC0ePYnZkt_cSk7xylgWc9Beqv606_ya9ZWgkO8CAmTMOfoRrMj5KoO7xa74KbTAPS-R5NrUNwM/s400/IMG_6080.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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We went for an afternoon swim and then I grouted it before dinner. We used a bag of grout although I don't have the color (it's at the condo!). It looked really great when it was done. It goes on just like tile but it's even easier to clean it off the vinyl.</div>
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My dad subsequently installed the baseboards behind the toilet and on the other two short walls. (no joke - it's probably 6 feet of baseboard total!!). We actually bought enough vinyl tile to cover the area under the vanity too when the time comes. I'd love to rip that vanity and medicine cabinet out next October. Not sure that will happen or not but it would really finish this bathroom for the next 15 years. The tub tile is actually in great condition.<br />
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We have a lot of weeks available this summer in case you are interested! It's <a href="http://www.whitesandsvillage.com/706.htm" target="_blank">Unit 706 in White Sands Village, Sarasota, Florida</a>. Send me an email (houseography / at / gmail.ccom) if you are interested.<br />
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So, that's the story of the quick bathroom reno!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-13001460691459075912016-11-15T09:00:00.000-05:002016-11-15T09:00:09.462-05:00A New MudroomYou may remember that one of the things our house never had was a true mudroom. There are several spaces that sort of <a href="http://www.houseography.net/2011/01/find-your-mud-room-or-area.html" target="_blank">act like a mudroom</a>, but none of them were really achieving what we needed with two kids in school and multiple sports each. The lacrosse gear alone may kill me.<br />
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This space was the closest we had to a mudroom. Our side entry is directly off our driveway and our main family/friends entrance and exit. If you know us, you use the side door. Generally you walk in without knocking or a quick knock and a "HELLO?!". That's the way we are. This area was an obvious spot for a row of hook and a boot tray.<br />
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Thanks to my blog I know that this has been working for us for nearly 6 years. But the backpacks, shoes and coats are bigger and more plentiful so now we had to make a new choice.<br />
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We decided that our basement was the best choice. The stairs you see on the left in the picture above lead to our basement. It's only a half-flight down (about 8 stairs) so it's not a long trek, but it was enough that gave me pause to think about it. I also wasn't sure I wanted the mess in my basement especially since it's mostly carpeted (there's a small tire area at the bottom of the stairs). So, we went with this space which previously held a rarely used desk.<br />
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I started <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/HOUSEography/mudroom-ideas/" target="_blank">pinning</a> ideas I liked and it was pretty clear that I liked white divided built-ins with a wood seat. I thought about doing a column of bins on the side for easy access but ultimately decided that wider cubbies would be a better option. I'm so glad we did that - swim backpacks are huge!<br />
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We went with a bead board back to match the <a href="http://www.houseography.net/2011/03/built-in-bookshelves-reveal.html" target="_blank">built-ins</a> across the room (only about 8' feet away!).<br />
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As you can see we pulled the carpet back so the built-ins would sit on the floor. We know that we will someday rip this carpet out so we are preparing for that day. I'm in love with the new wood-look linoleum! If you are worried about reattaching the carpet, it's not hard. You have to rent a "kicker" at a tool rental shop and knee it back in place. It took Jim about an hour to finish that up including the 2 minute drive to and from the rental place! </div>
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We called in the painter to paint everything out. Jim stained the bench top before installing the top but the painter did a couple of coats of polyurethane for us. </div>
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One hurdle was the intake vent on the lower left hand side. We solved that by removing the cover and cutting out the grooves of the wood. We have several intakes for the HVAC so it's not an issue if this one is getting slightly less air than previously. </div>
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And here's the final! </div>
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It took a little while but I found <a href="http://www.target.com/p/wicker-large-milk-crate---dark-global-brown---threshold%E2%84%A2/-/A-15130055" target="_blank">baskets</a> that fit the upper space perfectly. The plastic bins at the tippy top hold extra hats, scarves and gloves that we don't use often or are for a special purpose like skiing! </div>
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The area on the left has tile so we added a few hooks for especially wet things like snow pants and rain coats. Wet boots can stay in this area. We also added a not-so-beautiful plastic <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/ES-Robbins-Ribbed-27-Inch-10-Feet/dp/B00H222E8A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479167316&sr=8-1&keywords=plastic+runner" target="_blank">runner</a>. It serves the purpose of keeping the carpet dry and relatively clean. We can pull it up and hose it off if we need to but it has nubs on the back that keep it from moving. More functional than pretty but it's working! </div>
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And here's the distance from the old "mudroom" to the new one in case you were curious. Oh, and we finally painted the basement the same gray (Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter) as the rest of the house. Although I love yellow in basements, the cohesiveness is so much better. </div>
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Overall, this was a great project and worthwhile investment in our house. I think we're ready for winter! (not really)</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-88136268374789058802016-05-24T08:00:00.000-04:002016-07-11T14:08:59.853-04:00New Wallpaper {Dining Room}I'm super excited to share the changes in our dining room. It's really only one major change - the walls! Oh my goodness... I love it.<br />
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Yes, it's very subtle. The pictures don't do it justice - it's gorgeous. It has a slight sheen, is the perfect gray and a classic, just like our 1940 colonial. Although pictures make it seem a bit pink, it definitely is not. Let's blame those pink undertones on the rotten rainy weather we have had in the DC area for the entire month of May. The ENTIRE MONTH OF MAY. Ugh.<br />
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We hired a professional wallpaper hanger for this job. He was great. If you living in the DC metro area and need an old school wallpaper hanger, this is your guy (contact me for details). He did the job in one long day and it's absolutely perfect. He does VERY high end jobs as well as small jobs like accent walls. This wallpaper is real paper (not vinyl) so it is harder to hang and I am so glad we hired it out. There is no way we could have done this ourselves (and I have wallpapered before). Yeah for professionals!</div>
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Here are a few before pics to refresh your memory.</div>
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You may have also noticed the new end chairs and rug. I added both in the last 2 years but probably never blogged about them. Neither is very high end but they are getting the job done. The rug is a little small I think. I'm considering moving the family rug in here if I can find the right replacement for in there. I think that rug would be gorgeous in here and would work even better with the adjoining living room rug. #musicalrugs</div>
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Now a word about this mirror. It was my grandparents and my mother consigned it at a store near my house. When I went to pick up the stuff that hadn't sold from the store, I was walking around and noticed this beautiful mirror on the wall. Then I realized it was my mom's!! Thank goodness it didn't sell. I knew it would be perfect in here and provide the right balance for the vintage crystal chandelier.<br />
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Although I could have gone for a bolder wallpaper (and almost did), I wanted something I could live with for 10+ years and not something I was going to hate in 5. I have stripped wallpaper before - it's to fun. This was the perfect compromise.<br />
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Sources: <a href="http://www.wallpaperdirect.com/us/products/baker-lifestyle/lullford/108918" target="_blank">Wallpaper</a>, <a href="http://www.rugsusa.com/rugsusa/rugs/rugs-usa-moroccan-trellis/blue/200MTVS27D-508.html" target="_blank">Rug</a>, <a href="http://www.target.com/p/threshold-camelot-nailhead-dining-chair-milford-dove-1-pack/-/A-15102619#prodSlot=medium_1_9&term=threshold+dining+chairs" target="_blank">Dining Chairs</a>, <a href="http://www.worldmarket.com/product/pakshi-bird-of-paradise-curtain.do?&from=Search" target="_blank">Curtains</a><br />
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<i>**Thank you to Wallpaper Direct for providing me with a store credit towards the purchase of my wallpaper. All opinions are my own. **</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-73318204322969749482016-01-24T09:33:00.000-05:002016-07-11T14:11:25.450-04:00Snowzilla 2016I apologize if this is the 40th blizzard post you have read today. Feel free to skip this one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqyjXQJJK7gInMdHYKiNyGdPBfBzri9lXyu58tIyTXklYgV2HzP9WkeOQWRTYTt9sAMR5LQL18eTvlAryWXwxAhMTLFVpemp_2gWBqCyFQajl-OhcsvmIcHQpZc8eSOdy-YmkH1Nt3EcI/s1600/IMG_1270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqyjXQJJK7gInMdHYKiNyGdPBfBzri9lXyu58tIyTXklYgV2HzP9WkeOQWRTYTt9sAMR5LQL18eTvlAryWXwxAhMTLFVpemp_2gWBqCyFQajl-OhcsvmIcHQpZc8eSOdy-YmkH1Nt3EcI/s320/IMG_1270.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We survived. At least so far. Washington is not known for its snow tolerance and this was no exception. The shelves were bare in the grocery stores by Thursday. No D batteries anywhere. Handy Hubby witnessed anarchy at our local hardware when a truck filled with ice melter and shovels showed up. People were running to the truck and waving cash at the driver. Seriously. If you have 24" of snow, ice melter is not your priority. Maybe later this week, but not in the first instance. Shovels, people!!!<br />
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Fortunately we never lost power so the D batteries weren't necessary - lots of AA batteries for Wii remotes were needed though!<br />
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Here's our 2 day time-lapse photos of our backyard. Nothing too exciting. Just a lot of flipping snow!!<br />
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The best part of any storm is how our neighbors come together. Handy Hubby borrows a neighbor's snowblower and plows everyone's sidewalks out and then they all work on driveways once the sidewalks are passable. Today we are headed out to clean off cars and try to make our way to the road. Back in 2010, it took 4 days for a snowplow to come down our street. We're much more fortunate this time since we have already had several plows come down the street - we just have to get to the street now!!<br />
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So, how did we pass the inside time?<br />
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First, I took the kids to see <a href="http://renwick.americanart.si.edu/wonder/gallery" target="_blank">"Wonder"</a> at the Renwick Gallery before the storm started and the museum closed at noon. If you are local, you MUST go. If you are coming to DC in the coming months, add this to your short list on your itinerary. I posted several pictures on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/houseography/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>.We were SUPER lucky to go on this day because there were NO crowds. We saw the whole exhibit in an hour. Other friends who have gone said it took 3 hours to see everything with the crowds. We had a great experience.<br />
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We then made a stop at Bake Shop in Clarendon. I found a gift card that I used in full and then some. YUM, macaroons!!<br />
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Of course, the kids played outside a fair bit. They "shoveled" but mostly built snow forts and rolled down the mountains.<br />
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And after shoveling for 3 hours we decided we were owed some mimosas. Yum.<br />
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And I made this <a href="http://thedeenbros.com/index.php/recipes/recipe_detail/bobbys_lighter_tastes_like_lasagna_soup/" target="_blank">Lasagna Soup</a>. OMG. So good. We didn't even put the cheese on it because it was so tasty.<br />
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And we did a puzzle. Still not finished. Oh well.<br />
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And we just hung around and enjoyed our gas fireplace, chatting with friends and watching the snow. Of course, now we are taking bets on what day the kids will go back to school. I'm betting on Wednesday but that may be my upstate NY wishful thinking.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-34378191437822543042016-01-21T09:00:00.000-05:002016-07-11T14:09:42.859-04:00Dining Room UpgradesA long, long time ago... our dining room had wallpaper. Then in the flurry of the mid 2000s when wallpaper was considered ghastly, we ripped it down and painted everything so it was nice and matching with the rest of the house. Now it's 2016 and wallpaper is all. the. rage. So we are putting up NEW wallpaper. Handy Hubby is not the most thrilled about this prospect because he knows first hand how awesome it is to take wallpaper down but I promised to keep the wallpaper for a bit. He's still not thrilled. Sorry. We're getting wallpaper.<br />
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I found several papers that I loved on <a href="http://www.wallpaperdirect.com/us" target="_blank">Wallpaper Direct</a>. I ordered approximately a million samples. I quickly narrowed it down to these. The one on the top right was my favorite pattern but it was super shiny in person. I'm just not a shiny person. Sorry to disappoint.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I love the other two. Same <a href="http://www.wallpaperdirect.com/us/products/baker-lifestyle/lullford/108918" target="_blank">pattern but two color ways</a>.<br />
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In the end I decided to be a chicken and go with the gray. I didn't want to be beholden to the blue. It's one of my favorite colors and probably always will be but I don't want to have to strip the wallpaper in 6 years when I decide that I can't live with it anymore. And I might find myself single again. Just saying. Handy Hubby would NOT be happy. So the top it is. I realize it looks pink in the picture here but it is most definitely not. It's actually very close to BM Revere Pewter which I have <a href="http://www.houseography.net/2015/07/we-can-either-paint-or-move-you-pick.html" target="_blank">everywhere else in my house</a>. </div>
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Before Tom the wallpaper guy arrives some time in the next few days (after Snowmaggeddon 2, I presume), I wanted to sort out the art placement. I do NOT want to be putting unnecessary nails in my wallpaper. But, it's only wallpaper so if I have to move things I'm just not going to sweat it. </div>
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Fortunately I had this beautiful mirror that was my grandmothers. My mom tried to sell it at a local consignment shop. When it didn't sell, I knew it was meant to be for my dining room. I was a bit tired of the old look. The plates may be headed to said consignment shop, and the mirror is for sale if you are local!</div>
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This room has been mostly neglected for the past 3 years. I want to actually use it so I'm contemplating whether a new table or chairs or both might change my mind about it. The kids LOVE eating dinner in here so we need to start doing that. I also need to stop using this as a dumping ground and coat closet (JIM!!!).<br />
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Lots to work on and think about.<br />
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<i>Thank you to Wallpaper Direct for providing me a credit towards purchasing the wallpaper. All opinions are my own.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-3146653341984495632015-10-08T08:30:00.000-04:002016-11-14T19:42:35.631-05:00Stairwell Upgrade - Molding DetailsOur stairwell received an upgrade just after the painting was finished. Of course, that timing was completely wacked because I should have done the molding before the painting. Whoops. As a result, I did a lot of painting of the new trim in the evenings but it went pretty quickly so it was worth it.<br />
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Here's our stairwell before.</div>
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This all started because my brother added beautiful molding to his stairways earlier this year. It looks amazing and after visiting them (and our new niece!) I decided that we HAD to it too. Handy Hubby was ready to break out the miter saw so we dug into it the following weekend.</div>
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And here's the finished stairway. I LOVE it. It was really worth Handy Hubby's hard work. I really only painted it so all of the credit goes to him.</div>
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That mirror was a great clearance find from Target last summer.<br />
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<i>Paint: Walls - Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter; Trim - Sherwin Williams Toque White</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-33035601263254368852015-10-05T08:00:00.000-04:002015-10-05T08:00:02.201-04:00New Paint Reveal - FinallyWe had the house painted over the summer and I have spent a lot of time rethinking a lot of things in my house since then. Everything is painted Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter, perhaps the most overused color in the blogosphere but it's a fabulously versatile color. Here's the long overdue reveal. Apologies for the sometimes not so great pictures - these were taken on a gloomy, rainy Sunday. Also, I cleaned up the major clutter but the toys and kitchen stuff is the stuff that is always on my counters and I chose to leave thing as they are so you can see how we really live (sort of - it's usually way messier!!).<br />
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Pot of chili bubbling on the stove on a rainy, cool fall Sunday afternoon - nothing better.</div>
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And our family room which is the hardest room to photograph in the house. So many windows and views into other spaces. I never put the curtains back up and I still love the open feeling, especially on the back doors.<br />
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Here's the living room. The color really works well with the wheat colored furniture and brass accents. I would love to replace the coffee table but haven't found the right thing. I may change out the art over the fireplace with another piece that I already have.<br />
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Perhaps my favorite shot of this reveal is this one of our front door. The new paint color really sets off the painted front door. I loved it before but now I love it even more. This is also a very accurate depiction of how the color looks in person, in case you are considering it for your own space.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-87208831901619697202015-08-21T08:00:00.000-04:002015-08-21T08:00:15.476-04:00Our Florida Beach Condo: TV Stand Picture WallI just realized I never wrapped up our Florida beach condo makeover posts from May. Whoops.<br />
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The last thing we worked on after I <a href="http://www.houseography.net/2015/06/florida-beach-condo-kitchen-updates.html">stripped the wallpaper border</a> in the kitchen and <a href="http://www.houseography.net/2015/07/our-florida-beach-condo-balcony-updates.html">spiffed up the balcony</a> was the picture wall in the living room. I have always loved Mrs. Limestone's TV wall at her <a href="http://www.brooklynlimestone.com/2011/03/shore-files-gallery-wall-unveiled.html">shore house</a> and have wanted to create something similar in my own home. I don't have a spot for it at our house but this wall in our condo in Florida was definitely calling out for some love!<br />
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See? Not cute - and so boring compared to everything else we have done there. I found some clipart online that I modified and play with to recreate an image I had in my head of what this wall should look like. I printed them on regular paper and slapped them in these frames (from Target). I would really like to get some chairs to use here in lieu of the extra dining room chairs. They are really not very attractive in here. </div>
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On the opposite wall, I further refined my photo wall to include this awesome wood fish Ipurhcaserd at HomeGoods or Marshalls for about $10. Now if only I could convince Handy Hubby that the leather couch needs to exit.</div>
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So those are the updates for now!! Enjoy your last few weeks of summer (if you have a any left!)</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-345941148656595942015-07-24T11:00:00.000-04:002015-07-24T11:00:02.114-04:00"We can either paint or move. You pick."I uttered those words to Handy Hubby a few months ago. He quickly said that painting was a good idea. Of course he hates moving and I know that so it was a slam dunk (and, no, I really don't have any desire to move). I love yellow but I was just tired of being hemmed in by a somewhat specific color (although if you like warm colors then it's a great, versatile option). I felt it wasn't working with the direction my decor was going, and I was feeling bored.<br />
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I sampled a ton of paint thanks to the generosity of friends and clients with lots of gray and taupe paint samples. I finally decided on Revere Pewter. Actually, it was an easy choice. As soon as I put the sample on the wall I liked it so it quickly became a contender. I also liked Sherwin Williams Alpaca and a few others but Revere Pewter had the right mix of gray and tan, and it also worked really well with blue.<br />
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I also felt like it was a color and not just a variation on white which was my goal. Although I do like white... maybe my next paint job.<br />
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And here's how it looks today.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">It has been 2 weeks since it was finished and I love how it came out. I am so glad we made this change. It has also been a great opportunity to rethink my art choices and various accessories. Any time you take everything out of a space, it's an opportunity to think again about how you want your rooms to feel. This time my dad put the blinds back up but I decided to leave the curtains off for a while and see how I feel about it. The curtains were weighing the room down and who needs a heavy-feeling room in the summer? </span></div>
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Of course, this has led to several more projects. More to come!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-71157319199133867092015-07-09T09:30:00.000-04:002015-07-09T09:30:00.955-04:00Our Florida Beach Condo: Balcony UpdatesOne of the best features of our <a href="http://www.houseography.net/search/label/Siesta%20Key%20Condo" target="_blank">Siesta Key condo</a> is the balcony (or lanai as most people there call it). It's fully screened but small - about 5'6" x 11'. That's not a ton of space. Our first priority was to have a table for eating which I purchased in March when we bought the condo. The table that was there was a plastic table like you would buy at a drugstore and not something that was sturdy enough for daily eating. Most of our renters are going to want to take advantage of the warm days and evenings and eat outside. Fortunately the chairs were fine but just need a little cleaning.<br />
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Here's where we started on the lanai back in March. </div>
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And a few hours later during the cleanup, I had barely touched the balcony except for removing the table cloth and directors' chairs. At the point, I was going to leave the table but by the end of the day, I realized that the table had to be replaced with a glass top table.<br />
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By the time I left the unit on April 1st, this is what the lanai looked like:<br />
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It's certainly a nice place to eat but it's nothing memorable.</div>
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When Handy Hubby and I had our Memorial Day escape to Florida, I really wanted to add a light fixture so people can eat out at night. It gets dark early especially in November and December. I also lugged down a little "Life is better when you are at the beach" sign I found at Marshall's for $9 a while back. I picked up some cute new throw pillows at HomeGoods for $18 per pair. The light fixture is from World Market and we were able to wire it in using a plug light (also from World Market) with a switch on the end. Now it looks completely refreshed! It really needs a rug of some sort, and some chairs for relaxing (scored last night at World Market - 75% off all outdoor furniture!). </div>
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I wanted to note the adorable dishware. I was not originally planning to get new dishes but wanted to live with what we had. But, the dishes were not very beach-ish and I didn't really have to do very many kitchen investments other than some glassware, knives and toaster. I decided to go with a cute <a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Corelle-Livingware-piece-Dinnerware-Service/dp/B00KKH61FG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436405551&sr=8-1&keywords=corelle+dot" target="_blank">Corelle pattern</a> that I found at Walmart. I was originally resistant to Corelle but then I saw how cute this pattern was and you really cannot beat its durability when you have renters. The silverware was in the unit - there's tons of it and it's in good condition so we kept it. My mom scored the plastic wine glasses at a yard sale for a buck. Love my mom and her bargain hunting.</div>
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Here's the view for your breakfast...</div>
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I think we achieved the goal of sprucing things up on a budget. Total investment here was about $200. I still need to get a rug but I am hoping to find one in the end-of-summer sales which seem to be in full swing even though summer is just beginning. Uh... Target... why is all of the back-to-school stuff out?!!!! I nearly flipped out. Our kids don't get back to school until after Labor Day in Virginia!! I'm surprised they weren't putting Christmas lights out on the back wall. </div>
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Enjoy your summer no matter what the big box retailers are trying to tell you!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comSiesta Key, FL, USA27.2669722 -82.54634399999997627.210519700000003 -82.627024999999975 27.3234247 -82.465662999999978tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-29457620546283378952015-06-02T10:00:00.000-04:002015-07-08T20:28:28.084-04:00Our Florida Beach Condo - Kitchen UpdatesOver Memorial Day weekend, Jim and I snuck down to our <a href="http://www.houseography.net/#uds-search-results" target="_blank">new condo in Siesta Key, Florida</a> to do a little work on the condo, get some rest, and eat some amazing meals. I had a "few" work priorities for the condo. Handy Hubby thought it was going to be "rest" weekend - he was wrong (although not entirely). Some were mundane like rename the WiFi network and change the password, make sure the television remotes were all properly programmed, and organize the linen closet. And of course, I wanted to do a little more decorating. I shipped down one fairly large box and then carried several items in my suitcase and carried on one giant driftwood seahorse (insert limitless jokes here).<br />
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When I was there in March for the closing and quick redecorating, I really wanted to get rid of the wallpaper border in the kitchen. I'm sure it was cute in 2000 but it had definitely lost all appeal. Here's the "reveal" shot from April. After we left in April, my parents scored a new microwave at a yard sale for $25. If you look closely below you can see the broken grate. You can't see the permanently grease stained yellowness of the entire thing - yuck. That baby hit the dumpster in late April.<br />
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Here's what the wallpaper looked like up close. Purrrrrty. Not only ugly but also falling down.</div>
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I woke up at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday morning and went to work while Handy Hubby got some beauty sleep. Fortunately there were several things working in my favor - 1) most of the top layer of the paper peeled off without issue, 2) the paper was only re-glued in a few small areas, 3) the walls had not been repainted around the paper, 4) I had a plastic scraper that did not damage the existing paint.</div>
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And two hours later it looked like this. I used the most basic method. Peeled as much dry paper as possible with my hands. Most of the top layer and bout half the bottom layer came off like that. Then started soaking the bottom later with water using a wet rag. I then scraped the rest off. It mostly peeled off with no issue. The rest had to be scraped a bit more, and a few tiny spots were super stubborn so I just sanded them down and touched those up with white paint. I think those were glued with stronger glue that really didn't want to let go. It wasn't worth ruining the drywall.</div>
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You can't tell in the picture but Handy Hubby also switched out a few nasty painted over almond outlets and switches for clean white. That's 3 down and about 20 left in the rest of the condo!<br />
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The last minor kitchen update was swapping out some hideous almond track lighting for some only slightly less hideous white track lighting. Although we want to get rid of this fixture altogether, I found a brand new fixture in the master bedroom closet during the big clean out in March. I almost chucked in into the yard sale pile but in the end I kept it for some unknown reason (temporary insanity or maybe sanity?). Anyway, I pulled them out again to throw them in the yard sale pile and realized they were 10x better than what we had already up so Handy Hubby did a quick switch out just before we left for the airport on Memorial Day.<br />
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We didn't bother replacing the track rail, just the fixtures. It's hard to tell in this cruddy iphone pic but it was a nice, unexpected and free change.<br />
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The kitchen looks so much cleaner and more modern than it did when we bought it. I'm so pleased with the results. Of course, spending time there we started to think about longer term plans. Handy Hubby would like to shrink the kitchen back by perhaps making the cabinet between the stove and fridge half as big, thus gaining a bit more space in the living room. We may also eventually lose the table and install a long island with stools instead - thus gaining seating area and also some storage below perhaps. Of course replacing the cabinets and counters would also be a nice change but that's several years down the road because there are some more urgent projects in line first!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-40059332371729321082015-04-14T10:00:00.000-04:002015-04-14T14:27:28.388-04:00Our Florida Beach Condo - Mini-Makeover Reveal!Last week I detailed how we <a href="http://www.houseography.net/2015/04/our-florida-beach-condo.html" target="_blank">bought</a> and <a href="http://www.houseography.net/2015/04/our-florida-beach-condo-clean-out.html" target="_blank">cleaned out</a> our beach condo. Now I'll tell you how we put it back together in 30 hours with not a minute to spare! Literally - I was dragging boxes to the dumpster at 3:05 having just locked the door behind me! Fortunately my parents were there every step of the way and I am so thankful for them because this would NOT have happened without them.<br />
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So, here's where things were when we left off at the end of "Day 1" - BLEAK!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbynZzdIVBMeRBsxTEt0EwGVCN2JlNbP9DxWNFcyfqb3y2tKZgtNe11dtI5hNBFYUpxljuaKzEcszjxfo4qKQZXx3Mb0rxObATPNQM0RdXjB3EIEKY5KdjQKtj3-6uWK_HCd3PGYM2B0/s1600/Photo+Mar+31,+6+58+48+PM+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbynZzdIVBMeRBsxTEt0EwGVCN2JlNbP9DxWNFcyfqb3y2tKZgtNe11dtI5hNBFYUpxljuaKzEcszjxfo4qKQZXx3Mb0rxObATPNQM0RdXjB3EIEKY5KdjQKtj3-6uWK_HCd3PGYM2B0/s1600/Photo+Mar+31,+6+58+48+PM+(1).jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Throughout the 30 hours I kept thinking about all of the HGTV and DIY network design shows and how they always seem to do so much in a 2-day makeover. Of course, having an extra 10 hands and a decent budget really helps out. I had 5 pairs of hands (my parents', my kids and me) but 2 sets were pint-sized and only one of those was remotely helpful. To add to the fun HGTV was filming an episode of Beachfront Bargain Hunt - NO JOKE!!! I definitely lost 10 minutes of work time staring at them filming by the pool (our unit has a nice pool view fortunately!!). Of course I forgot to take a picture of them filming. </div>
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My mom and I did an early morning trip to Comcast (argh!) and Lowes. When we got back, my dad swung into action very early with setting up the TV and changing out 2 light fixtures (the entry and dining room - both HORRIBLE as you can see in the photos above) and some other odd jobs around the house. I spent 45 minutes dealing with Comcast hook-ups (argh!) and then putting things away that we had bought on our shopping spree the night before (cookie sheets, frying pans, utensil organizers, etc.). My mom and Elizabeth started making beds and unloading the dishwasher with all of the dishes, glasses and bakeware we were keeping (but which definitely needed a trip through the dishwasher!). As I was finishing a bunch of little things including a final clean-out of the kitchen drawers and cabinets, my mom scrubbed the bathrooms and vacuumed everything. Ideally we would have scrubbed down all of the baseboards behind all of the furniture but we did what we could in the time we had. I'll do some more cleaning when Handy Hubby and I go down in May. He will finally get to see what we bought! Then we started hauling all of the trash out. A. LOT. OF. TRASH.</div>
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The very last thing I did was take pictures for our <a href="http://www.whitesandsvillage.com/706.htm" target="_blank">rental website</a>. Here are the "after" pictures after 30 hours of hard labor! I should note that we did not even lift a paintbrush during that time so everything here was done with accessories and cleaning out! I wish I had taken before and after pictures of the cleaned out closets but I'll try to do those in a future post. </div>
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<b>Living Room</b></div>
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Here's where we started.</div>
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I flipped the room layout so the couches are on the left and the TV on the right side. You may recognize some of these pillows from our own family room. I recently scaled back on green so these pillows weren't working here but they are perfectly tropical for Florida! The pictures over the sofa are my own. They were taken of some birds at the famous New Pass Grill & Bait Shop (a really fun place if you are ever on your way to or from Mote Marine!).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQInAYLeoAKlu0WHpYb5ZiqobkIk40ZovXZ6pVxndqzE4svtpYwI4b5xOUdpN8R_1uo61eCQorxZkIIJxEqSZLtEISMsPYSs3tJc7ZEmE1NuwgxUsC0krFk1OaE0_a0d0Y7GlbPnAJAeE/s1600/Living+Room+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQInAYLeoAKlu0WHpYb5ZiqobkIk40ZovXZ6pVxndqzE4svtpYwI4b5xOUdpN8R_1uo61eCQorxZkIIJxEqSZLtEISMsPYSs3tJc7ZEmE1NuwgxUsC0krFk1OaE0_a0d0Y7GlbPnAJAeE/s1600/Living+Room+1.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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The lamps were an AWESOME score at Ross Dress for Less. If you hit that store on the right day, you can get amazing lamps for even less than Marshalls and HomeGoods. Normally this happens when I'm not looking for lamps but this time it worked out perfectly! The floor lamp behind the sofa was a curbside find painted with chalk paint with a shade that I had from another lamp. Totally free -love that!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_XP-sz1n5e6aXswirCvw8fnQ_gYszZTIvtA8lEy-9SmXKo4yUWkDIB1WcOHrh8Oy2rckeIZl27pCXxRox5Acpm6VuhNJW_EpEV94SiT1NCvlYXYUyACvYKrCo8WyNhp2tL_UVs4M1qw/s1600/Kitchen+Long+View.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_XP-sz1n5e6aXswirCvw8fnQ_gYszZTIvtA8lEy-9SmXKo4yUWkDIB1WcOHrh8Oy2rckeIZl27pCXxRox5Acpm6VuhNJW_EpEV94SiT1NCvlYXYUyACvYKrCo8WyNhp2tL_UVs4M1qw/s1600/Kitchen+Long+View.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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My parents did some heavy negotiating for the TV stand in a yard sale (one of their favorite pastimes). I might make some changes to it at some point to make it even more functional, such as removing the VCR tape holders in the side cabinets. It is incredibly heavy so we were fortunate to have some help from my parents' neighbors. I also have some ideas for decorating the wall behind the TV which is almost completely bare right now.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlklneM0Ql1G9UDnllLkBn4YftTXyoFthJpXWkJ7B13EYLTTZ96w__DDl-M33B-cGzLm2BqaNcXMtEB78TVjl-i2AoBS7-QCLxw1NsgQ_kJqlPhVYIE8dqlyU1NP6bR0hYJCXsVTmApUU/s1600/Living+Room2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlklneM0Ql1G9UDnllLkBn4YftTXyoFthJpXWkJ7B13EYLTTZ96w__DDl-M33B-cGzLm2BqaNcXMtEB78TVjl-i2AoBS7-QCLxw1NsgQ_kJqlPhVYIE8dqlyU1NP6bR0hYJCXsVTmApUU/s1600/Living+Room2.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Short term I'll get rid of one of the sofas and we'll try to move two club chairs we already own from Arlington to Florida (like in my dad's boat this fall!). I also need two smaller chairs next to the TV - perhaps slipper chairs or some other chairs. I'm not sure yet. I definitely want to get rid of those dining chairs in there for sure. </div>
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<b>Kitchen and Dining Area</b></div>
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Here's the before.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLHx0bcJerktc9nLCJuQqQ9tzpwxfLPALDNvnECOB5DHXH5t_brNC5F9ReyVYaBQ-BN4vr7qntbuMqjeKmVaYXyIjZfs5gIIEECQ_Qr9eNfMOeJDilD7AVp5oP6P9bdAurowcvUIPtcE/s1600/Photo+Mar+31,+11+27+36+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLHx0bcJerktc9nLCJuQqQ9tzpwxfLPALDNvnECOB5DHXH5t_brNC5F9ReyVYaBQ-BN4vr7qntbuMqjeKmVaYXyIjZfs5gIIEECQ_Qr9eNfMOeJDilD7AVp5oP6P9bdAurowcvUIPtcE/s1600/Photo+Mar+31,+11+27+36+AM.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Not many obvious changes to the kitchen. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xqLa2u-1wKcSoV11wW9UMf89C-QqugNag0gjTp6EOvNHzmeCvutKyxGIOzKnssjRvOW9d1tAF85c4t0TEFRoYjV-Sv-w4HGmkYpxrxHeLMAzFG6yTuXE_i4vfLWOPn0wJ5Qg2pCeS9U/s1600/Kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xqLa2u-1wKcSoV11wW9UMf89C-QqugNag0gjTp6EOvNHzmeCvutKyxGIOzKnssjRvOW9d1tAF85c4t0TEFRoYjV-Sv-w4HGmkYpxrxHeLMAzFG6yTuXE_i4vfLWOPn0wJ5Qg2pCeS9U/s1600/Kitchen.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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The wallpaper border/backsplash is coming down ASAP. I hate it and it dates the already dated kitchen twofold. I was hoping to have time last week but that was not in the stars. I'll get rid of it in May and take new pictures. I added the big yellow bowl in the corner that guests can use for serving pasta or just keeping fruit, snacks, or baked goods on the counter. I also bought a stainless steel utensil holder, a knife block (there were almost no knives at all!), and a new toaster.</div>
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Before last week I probably would have told you that we are going to rip out the kitchen in 5 years but after spending some time there, I really liked it and the cabinets were all in good shape except for the doors. If we could get new doors, that might be the best solution. I might also add some crown molding to dress-up or hide the soffit. All of the appliances are decent and the fridge is quite new. We might be able to get away with a less-expensive makeover with new doors, counter and backsplash.</div>
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Here's the dining area before.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAiS5VuMcvRmbciC0F42ptJk3xBQrL3jf6mG3KlqD-FeYcpeKkgFV6baCuuuDUahfT47FablCALl47mcTcZCF2GrlYdy0KRE90QpAkuQrSkIctGCe0wum7WQ5snbIW6Oo6Q54mS2YRic/s1600/WS706Dining.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAiS5VuMcvRmbciC0F42ptJk3xBQrL3jf6mG3KlqD-FeYcpeKkgFV6baCuuuDUahfT47FablCALl47mcTcZCF2GrlYdy0KRE90QpAkuQrSkIctGCe0wum7WQ5snbIW6Oo6Q54mS2YRic/s1600/WS706Dining.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
The main change here was a new<a href="http://www.lowes.com/pd_394660-77383-18253-000_4294570299__?productId=3745481&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1&facetInfo=" target="_blank"> drum light</a> that we bought at Lowes for $90. It is the perfect natural color to compliment the flooring and shades on the living room lights. That old fixture was a rusty 1980s relic that was hanging right in your main view when you walked through the front door. I wish I took a picture with the new light off so you can see the color, but I was in a bit of a rush at this point! I also put up the new art on the walls. These are notecards purchased from a gallery in Nevis on vacation in 2003. I picked up the frames on clearance at Walmart that morning!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDhQPh8invj02z_yrkz7ls6Xl4UCqHekvBzW5tYOIk40rEmWc3SDgpCKRN2AYyPNqU5tcNBfAS28_1HeygryJADtRv_PwiS2SXR1tkkb26Ju08xp-4vkVmEF5wThWOOyDVdsuI5u8nb8/s1600/Living+Room+Long+View.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDhQPh8invj02z_yrkz7ls6Xl4UCqHekvBzW5tYOIk40rEmWc3SDgpCKRN2AYyPNqU5tcNBfAS28_1HeygryJADtRv_PwiS2SXR1tkkb26Ju08xp-4vkVmEF5wThWOOyDVdsuI5u8nb8/s1600/Living+Room+Long+View.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQulKrUHm1QEnuBUmcT8i7FLPb7Liz4p-BskqRYb-ol8USm8lQfyHH29uRAnTuoqQGcoyWwqyuldLdFeSmk2eXc9z7PIDuBLGXkwHsFy7YXUnEw-ut9BLlPD1G7E2PtsiqY28SghE51Ms/s1600/Dining+Room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQulKrUHm1QEnuBUmcT8i7FLPb7Liz4p-BskqRYb-ol8USm8lQfyHH29uRAnTuoqQGcoyWwqyuldLdFeSmk2eXc9z7PIDuBLGXkwHsFy7YXUnEw-ut9BLlPD1G7E2PtsiqY28SghE51Ms/s1600/Dining+Room.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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I'm going to think some more about what to do with the table and chairs. They are not horrible and will be fine in the short term. I took the leaf out and stored it in the closet so there is more room to move around in the kitchen. When we redo the floor, I'll decide whether to replace them with a high top table or an island with stools. That would make this kitchen a really great cooking and entertaining space, especially given the size of the condo.</div>
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<b>Master Bedroom and Bathroom</b></div>
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The main theme in these rooms was cleaning! There was dust on every service, old shelf paper in the drawers, and the closets were a mess. I replaced the bed linens with a Tommy Bahama quilt and shams (found at Ross of course!). I bought all new sheets and my mom got the bedskirt from another Florida friend who was redecorating. The lamps on the bedside tables used to reside in our basement family room. The pictures on the wall over the bed were purchased on our honeymoon in Bermuda and used to be in our own master bedroom. Everything else was in the condo already. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmJszdgvQfb2zHQrAtOTMv8N1SEK24uzheG2fjkyaOw-QnlGIgiegeSwNkflesWXD46a2AhVmdzXgnTZC1eKY5aO0lrr6khuvaGKka71jl7kmkg3QKnDJgcQ7MR9_dQFAyQXMUjkKAq4/s1600/Master+Bedroom+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmJszdgvQfb2zHQrAtOTMv8N1SEK24uzheG2fjkyaOw-QnlGIgiegeSwNkflesWXD46a2AhVmdzXgnTZC1eKY5aO0lrr6khuvaGKka71jl7kmkg3QKnDJgcQ7MR9_dQFAyQXMUjkKAq4/s1600/Master+Bedroom+1.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
I love how this room turned out considering the changes were not monumental. It needs a new ceiling fan and maybe a different dresser on the right wall (not shown in these pictures) or perhaps a desk or console instead. The furniture is good quality though so I'm not going to be quick to get rid of it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZL_EKZbMMsTz51Ig6QD2vTgX8u3EReNiRvkaB3j8e0prgKUsw4Vj2qZPavaxmF8ADY4cWXnVeJblOrqmtVbOoYDc3Yvhfb-osYSyRB_l10YcBqSmljGxk1cUbPVgxwBUClVBN5ya4VPM/s1600/Master+Bedroom+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZL_EKZbMMsTz51Ig6QD2vTgX8u3EReNiRvkaB3j8e0prgKUsw4Vj2qZPavaxmF8ADY4cWXnVeJblOrqmtVbOoYDc3Yvhfb-osYSyRB_l10YcBqSmljGxk1cUbPVgxwBUClVBN5ya4VPM/s1600/Master+Bedroom+2.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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The master bathroom was already painted a pretty blue that perfectly matched the shower curtain that I had brought with me! The art on the wall was another mom yard sale find. It might need a new frame but it's getting the job done for now. This room is probably most in need of a makeover in the next few years. The vanity and medicine cabinet are a little rough and the floor is not at all salvageable. The tub could also be replaced with a step in shower making it easier to get in and out safely.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JaDKKJIYwKOy5KDIy0-yvXgT_vuLvpsyAU2E834p8Z7vwSnAsE0JfmrlCuh237iKyo8I2gN25g4q14BYllA1hn5Cn4JKRxnQ6q_P38e57Sh34l9mGY13b-MhgevxOsDuEadhB8QW_Ag/s1600/Master+Bath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JaDKKJIYwKOy5KDIy0-yvXgT_vuLvpsyAU2E834p8Z7vwSnAsE0JfmrlCuh237iKyo8I2gN25g4q14BYllA1hn5Cn4JKRxnQ6q_P38e57Sh34l9mGY13b-MhgevxOsDuEadhB8QW_Ag/s1600/Master+Bath.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></div>
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<b>Guest Bedroom </b></div>
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The guest bedroom was one of the more dramatic makeovers in the condo. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJFB8NudN_3c-E20Lir59_bMVYXTCyxsaH5d7OZrvji1DMZ-B4s0fwa2GsVAqFRkTlCvvWarZ85zwLGjWWzksRVU5f8OZiM6Dqgy9HozEk8f_D9_x7m3uACIl7nDy1oBowPJD_UG28M8/s1600/WS706GBR.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJFB8NudN_3c-E20Lir59_bMVYXTCyxsaH5d7OZrvji1DMZ-B4s0fwa2GsVAqFRkTlCvvWarZ85zwLGjWWzksRVU5f8OZiM6Dqgy9HozEk8f_D9_x7m3uACIl7nDy1oBowPJD_UG28M8/s1600/WS706GBR.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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It was functional before but had no character. Now it looks really cheerful and nautical. My kids cannot wait to sleep here - no idea when they will! I purchased the Tommy Hilfiger comforters at Ross (of course!) and the ocean art was also a Ross find. My dad (!) salvaged those yellow lamps on the curb from a condo neighbor on the day we were moving in. He came in at one point on Tuesday and said, "Hey Meliss, there are some yellow lamps on the sidewalk that are being donated to the yard sale unless you want them." I bolted outside in a flash and did a little jig because they were so perfect. New crisp white drum shades from Lowes for $12 each were the finishing touch. I think they <i>make</i> the room.</div>
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One of the reasons we jumped on this unit so quickly was that it has a washer and dryer. It's small but fully functional. We also replaced the horrible little globe fixture that was here before. It was completely dated and only had one lightbulb. This one provides great additional light in the entry and it was on clearance at Lowes at 7:30 a.m. that morning. It was not at all in the original plan and Handy Hubby would have disagreed but he wasn't there. But, since we replaced the pendant right next to it, the originally ugly globe looked much worse!<br />
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Finally our little screened lanai is a great place for morning coffee and dinner at home. There was an old plastic table here so we bought a new basic glass table. The chairs were already here. </div>
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That's the end of the tour! We are looking for renters. If you or someone you know is looking for a place to vacation this summer or fall, please call 1-800-944-5629 and request unit 706. There's a two-week minimum but prices are very affordable in the summer and fall!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-12104757502755288942015-04-09T16:58:00.000-04:002015-04-09T16:58:00.048-04:00Our Florida Beach Condo - Clean-out!As you read on Tuesday, we bought a beach condo last week. Woohoo!!!! Before I give you the reveal pictures, I wanted to share a little about the clean-out. My parents are experienced vacation and long-term landlords so I have learned a lot from them. I am also a very experienced vacation home renter so I know what I like when I go to a condo. The number one thing I look for is CLEANLINESS. I cannot emphasize this enough. If your property does not feel clean, renters will notice right away and many will think twice about coming back or recommending your unit to someone else. We even still have to get our carpets cleaned which I think will make a huge difference in the cleanliness.<br />
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I should have taken more pictures of the before and during pictures but here's the gist of it. There was a LOT of stuff in this condo and we had no idea how much work it would take to get it out. A 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo does not seem that big. It's barely 1000 square feet so how much stuff could there really be?! Let me tell you - A LOT.<br />
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Here are a few pictures of how the place looked when we arrived on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. I ran around and snapped some pictures with my phone so don't mind the grainy quality.<br />
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Definitely not horrible on the surface, but just really dated. But, a few hours later, things looked like this. Definitely got a LOT worse before it got better.<br />
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I had my dad (and several of my parents' friends who would drop by to say hi!) hauling stuff back and forth from our condo and to the rummage sale room all day long. The poor man!<br />
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This picture below as at a low point when things were really torn apart. I may have shed a few tears or snapped at my parents.<br />
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I really wish I had taken some pictures of the kitchen cupboards that were filled. My mom took everything out and washed the shelves. She did an initial round of clean-out and then I did a secondary round of clean-out. If I didn't know what a tool was, I tossed it. If it was rusty, chipped, broken, etc. - I tossed it. If I had 3 of the same thing, I tossed 2. We made a list of everything that needed to be replaced - most of it obvious things that get worn out quickly - cookie sheets (rental houses NEVER have good cookie sheets - no idea why!), non-stick frying pans, and knives. I decided to upgrade a few of the small appliances such as the toaster and blender. Both were old and marginally functional. Handy Hubby and I are going to use the condo in May for a long weekend so we'll get a better idea of what else might need to be replaced although I don't really plan on cooking more than a bagel!<br />
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We also cleaned out under the cabinets in the bathrooms. Wow - that was gross. I did it quickly while holding my breath. I threw out everything except the hairdryer and a few plastic organizing bins (after washing the thoroughly). We did almost no work in these rooms except clean them top to bottom which my mom did - she's awesome like that.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Master Bath</td></tr>
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These will get ripped out in a few years but all in good time. At a minimum in the short term, new mirrors and more efficient light fixtures and ceiling fans. </div>
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I also threw out almost everything in the closets - old shoes, walking sticks, Christmas decorations, golf clubs, vases, etc. It was really out of control. This was the "owner's closet" - doesn't seem that bad but I filled several boxes with stuff. I left the bike helmets for anyone who rents bikes or us when we use our own bikes there. </div>
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I also cleaned out the paperback books. I left some newer ones and some old classics (and favorites of my own!). I plan to bring a few more newer ones down when we go in May. The condo clubhouse has a library for guests so we donated some of the books there, and the rest will go to the condo association yard sale.</div>
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By the end of the first 7 hours, I had pulled out most of the furniture we weren't using (mostly end table and night stands). I rearranged the guest bedroom and the living room. Everything was more or less in place but I was nearly falling asleep on my feet and I still needed to do some shopping that evening for additional items we needed. In the morning, my mom and I were out of their condo by 7:30 a.m. and at Lowes by 7:50. We went to Comcast and then hit Walmart before heading back by 10:30. At that point we had 4 hours to finish everything and I was in a mild panic. But my parents came to my rescue and we got it all done. Final pictures to come!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-91512939076789662182015-04-07T10:00:00.000-04:002015-04-07T10:00:04.966-04:00Our Florida Beach CondoIf you follow me on <a href="http://www.instagram.com/houseography" target="_blank">Instagram</a> you may have seen that we bought a beach condo last week! Holy cow. I cannot believe we did this. We signed the contract in December and finally closed on March 31st. EXCITING! And a little scary. How is it that we own a vacation home?? But, this is something we have thought about for several years but finally pulled the trigger now since it seemed like the housing slump was lifting a bit in coastal Florida (some may disagree!) and we didn't want to miss our chance at a decent bargain. This is an investment property so we will rent it as much as possible and use it when it's not rented, or when it makes sense to forego a rental for own vacation. We found it through word of mouth thanks to my parents who also <a href="http://www.houseography.net/2011/04/meet-parents-beach-condo.html" target="_blank">own a unit</a> in the same complex. We think this saved us thousands of dollars and possibly a bidding war.<br />
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It's in a small condo association called <a href="http://www.whitesandsvillage.com/" target="_blank">White Sands Village</a> on Siesta Key which is a barrier island in Sarasota, Florida. The condo association has a tropical feel that reminds me of our honeymoon in Bermuda (minus the expansive ocean views - {sniff}). It's across the street from Siesta Beach - an amazing beach often voted as one of the world's top beaches (more on that <a href="http://www.drbeach.org/top10beaches.htm" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/travel/ss/10-beaches-that-should-be-on-your-bucket-list-1389659035-slideshow/photo-10-beaches-that-should-be-on-your-bucket-list-photo-1389658926512.html" target="_blank">here</a>)!<br />
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So, now that the painful paperwork and closing stuff is done, the fun begins. Handy Hubby swears that the only reason why I wanted to buy a condo was to redecorate it. #hemightberight I'm not going to lie - it was really fun. This was definitely a use-what-we-have type of decorating and I love that (really!). I never even took out a paintbrush this time!<br />
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Here are the before pictures.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUNEP-SqbcORzix2ZHN8-7zi5mWTDryaxfsCGfMYPjXzq0UuIDilq3zD247Bmx_9Qa3cZpPQi0VPQNIpEDCxlD8dZ2qEVFRaIlIqhxUUw508Q8gRRJqwmFeEeFaiYYdQ7I3iRzFjPUBo/s1600/WS706LivingView1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuUNEP-SqbcORzix2ZHN8-7zi5mWTDryaxfsCGfMYPjXzq0UuIDilq3zD247Bmx_9Qa3cZpPQi0VPQNIpEDCxlD8dZ2qEVFRaIlIqhxUUw508Q8gRRJqwmFeEeFaiYYdQ7I3iRzFjPUBo/s1600/WS706LivingView1.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Living Room</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4EYv0eUAscRQZqD8yjWUs7JJhsaZaqU4tTMGM4ztx0349q_rP9hKEQXiv3goiaGQmypTzqBbflIhMculQoPY_8pMnpRrqfPIbMsj1w_x70aNbS0k-eJy2Q5DoTSsR3rVTdzYGGrwYIU/s1600/WS706LivingView2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq4EYv0eUAscRQZqD8yjWUs7JJhsaZaqU4tTMGM4ztx0349q_rP9hKEQXiv3goiaGQmypTzqBbflIhMculQoPY_8pMnpRrqfPIbMsj1w_x70aNbS0k-eJy2Q5DoTSsR3rVTdzYGGrwYIU/s1600/WS706LivingView2.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main Living Area</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2P2J2LdClRMXEfMoYJBCsevF5jjJsuEl4u8xwGxEae4IihXePJOYKGVHCi2q0VL6Priw2JXb7kpDe-NNKGyuUJsj2u7ZS48UsDh5DvxM8NkeO6q6sF-yYwhI4aerylCQtIs82_WhWlGY/s1600/WS706KitchenView1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2P2J2LdClRMXEfMoYJBCsevF5jjJsuEl4u8xwGxEae4IihXePJOYKGVHCi2q0VL6Priw2JXb7kpDe-NNKGyuUJsj2u7ZS48UsDh5DvxM8NkeO6q6sF-yYwhI4aerylCQtIs82_WhWlGY/s1600/WS706KitchenView1.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOW6_2h1XRFf7URxKmCPxNCHsxuIvAOTDRxFnKWChrqPdex9AFaTwC9welAuT8TZtFROgn6cVTDPWu2tKxyUAfszaEDHKtKXLAgwKjGYrn_mAm24YK2SnwTHxC8GtPugTbD-uib0nzXZM/s1600/WS706KitchenView2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOW6_2h1XRFf7URxKmCPxNCHsxuIvAOTDRxFnKWChrqPdex9AFaTwC9welAuT8TZtFROgn6cVTDPWu2tKxyUAfszaEDHKtKXLAgwKjGYrn_mAm24YK2SnwTHxC8GtPugTbD-uib0nzXZM/s1600/WS706KitchenView2.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qj5ahzXBKU0_RKhsaTJZL8QMwR5mGat14PILkGWd4NyMNPdtmf9yqsJfiekgZwcXEzI_j-49ABY1bqKR_GNfzzvZtXY-RM4BtY00LCgHbTkZANAdwlwa7Sg8ahXqHLFF7zarbpvpTlk/s1600/WS706Dining.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qj5ahzXBKU0_RKhsaTJZL8QMwR5mGat14PILkGWd4NyMNPdtmf9yqsJfiekgZwcXEzI_j-49ABY1bqKR_GNfzzvZtXY-RM4BtY00LCgHbTkZANAdwlwa7Sg8ahXqHLFF7zarbpvpTlk/s1600/WS706Dining.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dining Area</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7WVBcNRUtpILaeXAjh2KUxG9hiVHUt1uWCrlbkJc5NeocI5dsYwvp5ecv8aiTkf3Zv-iM42d-rsgn25SzFLQVN0EUrtVUnvzzjrLNF0k_NqWOzet8Cwa8c-sTqtjXHhijeFdzAEFG11I/s1600/WS706MBRView1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7WVBcNRUtpILaeXAjh2KUxG9hiVHUt1uWCrlbkJc5NeocI5dsYwvp5ecv8aiTkf3Zv-iM42d-rsgn25SzFLQVN0EUrtVUnvzzjrLNF0k_NqWOzet8Cwa8c-sTqtjXHhijeFdzAEFG11I/s1600/WS706MBRView1.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Master Bedroom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50F_GKpFPtlEK5yQBvhKgIsU0_34wOG6UMw3yMxM5xXCTg-qaK3mcBQEHqRo1kEeIWLdbtbelC8jAtC3BqA6p57r8fX-P415nnhas-ue-bU9awLpekxS1N4Cz821vNuax_cdWaLQqUbU/s1600/WS706MBRView2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50F_GKpFPtlEK5yQBvhKgIsU0_34wOG6UMw3yMxM5xXCTg-qaK3mcBQEHqRo1kEeIWLdbtbelC8jAtC3BqA6p57r8fX-P415nnhas-ue-bU9awLpekxS1N4Cz821vNuax_cdWaLQqUbU/s1600/WS706MBRView2.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Master Bedroom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaUjy4kPOUI6USo8g0GWJq_yHN40e5H36c5oYtqofXOb1qr7PLbmRD3YqqKCWvwSw_2ERsonlIcUmBl0i5AZEsk4nAHFcMce2T4NvdFNTaE-zcmWfEizezF6j4GNE2cQIGgc9fdwj94A/s1600/WS706GBR.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaUjy4kPOUI6USo8g0GWJq_yHN40e5H36c5oYtqofXOb1qr7PLbmRD3YqqKCWvwSw_2ERsonlIcUmBl0i5AZEsk4nAHFcMce2T4NvdFNTaE-zcmWfEizezF6j4GNE2cQIGgc9fdwj94A/s1600/WS706GBR.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guest Room</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7y-iAZ3oxiFExU2zM7JZdcFxEY1BK6Q9nkEng7nevr7xHOEfnCg9Tq1oEdXs1imguj-q6bf37GWmqFnAuCVI4xk7Ah0Y_MdYU4ZyZDTfoF05oj_BNu6ZlOhWf06tFDJ-YMZsJTJMfWg/s1600/WS706Porch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7y-iAZ3oxiFExU2zM7JZdcFxEY1BK6Q9nkEng7nevr7xHOEfnCg9Tq1oEdXs1imguj-q6bf37GWmqFnAuCVI4xk7Ah0Y_MdYU4ZyZDTfoF05oj_BNu6ZlOhWf06tFDJ-YMZsJTJMfWg/s1600/WS706Porch.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balcony with Pool View</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPjTRnBNQ_ZmQgc8pLjLIjqBAsoQD8_bgBCZ0E0K1bRDtknMnZHImYB56O1xUrfKh-KwN2pEo62Vfr86wWdBsK5a_r259vyqL7LJHzummnOtyGc8l6EEzOQZWErDbPQnKnDadzqJOVLg/s1600/WS706Washerdryer.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPjTRnBNQ_ZmQgc8pLjLIjqBAsoQD8_bgBCZ0E0K1bRDtknMnZHImYB56O1xUrfKh-KwN2pEo62Vfr86wWdBsK5a_r259vyqL7LJHzummnOtyGc8l6EEzOQZWErDbPQnKnDadzqJOVLg/s1600/WS706Washerdryer.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laundry</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It definitely was not horrible and much of the furniture was reused and will be for some time to come. We'll have to live with a lot of the furniture for a while so we can save up some money. We will probably only buy a few small pieces in the short term (more on that later). We donated PILES of stuff to the condo association yard sale that happens next week!<br />
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The condo had tenants until 10 a.m. on Tuesday morning, and tenants arriving at 3 p.m. the following day! I went into the unit at about 10:30 and started surveying what needed to be done in the next 30 hours. Of course I also had to make a trip to the dreaded Comcast office in that same time period - never a fun experience and an hour round-trip. At around 11 a.m., we got word that we had closed (we did not have to be there in person), so I started digging into closets. The next 30 hours were a blur.<br />
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Oh, and Handy Hubby had to stay home and work (boo!!!!!). Fortunately my parents are avid DIY-ers and were ready to take on the challenge. They had already scouted and purchased a TV stand at a yard sale for $60 and some other small items. They transported new bed linens and other things down from our house in February. We could not have done this without them!<br />
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More to come!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comSiesta Key, FL, USA27.2669722 -82.54634399999997627.210519700000003 -82.627024999999975 27.3234247 -82.465662999999978tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-143659321364083072015-03-10T10:00:00.000-04:002015-03-10T10:00:02.156-04:00Repainting - What the what?!So... I'm seriously considering repainting the main areas of our house. I have had the same color in our house for literally 12 years and I'm ready to make a switch. I convinced Handy Hubby by saying that I was feeling a bit bored and maybe we should buy a new house. He nearly filed divorce papers so I suggested repainting and magically he was on board! #aimhigh This also solves the nail pops which have appeared out of nowhere in the last 3 months - likely because it has been so $%^&-ing cold. <div>
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Now the major question - what color. We currently have 90% of our home painted Sherwin Williams Ivoire. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So now it's down to what direction do I want to take it. The obviously choice is a gray neutral or "greige" color. I'm sure that's where I'll end up but I'm considering all sorts of things. Fortunately the furniture is generally neutral so I don't need to make any radical changes there. I may paint the dining room furniture. (Don't tell Handy Hubby). I also may add some wallpaper in the dining room to freshen it up further. </div>
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Here are some of my favorite colors currently in the running - </div>
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Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">J. Hirsch Interiors</td></tr>
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<a href="http://ilovedecoration.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/75a505df8b4e108e94c7278174bddd4d-225x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ilovedecoration.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/75a505df8b4e108e94c7278174bddd4d-225x300.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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But I'm a little worried about the slight green undertone. I am banishing green from my house purely out of boredom and no other reason.</div>
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<b>Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Young House Love<br /></td></tr>
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But maybe a little too tan still and a little bit "not a color" - know what I mean?</div>
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<b>Benjamin Moore Valley Forge Tan</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martha O'Hara Interiors</td></tr>
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But maybe a little dark and possibly green. I think it would be amazing in my kitchen and family room but might be a little dark in our living room. Could be amazing in the family room with all the white trim. Hmmm...</div>
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<b>Benjamin Moore Gray Owl</b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EaB7_JTSfjs/UnpfeSbG_NI/AAAAAAAAEM8/E7dWFPlfEX4/s1600/foyer_painted1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EaB7_JTSfjs/UnpfeSbG_NI/AAAAAAAAEM8/E7dWFPlfEX4/s1600/foyer_painted1.png" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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I also love this color. It looks really different in different lights and works well with white molding. It has so much going for it. Definitely a front runner. </div>
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I guess I need to pick up some paint samples soon!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-10252987480009723182015-02-19T09:30:00.000-05:002015-02-19T09:30:00.901-05:00A New Doorways ApartmentYou may remember my previous work with <a href="http://www.doorwaysva.org/" target="_blank">Doorways</a> organizing local interior designers to redecorate their <a href="http://www.houseography.net/search/label/Doorways%20Safehouse" target="_blank">safe house</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-w_FeF9Aln9GSKtYxc0zTBx7kSAyGqmiVZnoFWRxpBYAP8N0YEm46div2hpYB_vZPCEeFV86gzDbIY54pqELfyxlblL7UsYpqppTzZZD0mfxKKqKjvFkIdMF_uS9VOR-IiVAO18pwh2A/s1600/IMG_3851-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-w_FeF9Aln9GSKtYxc0zTBx7kSAyGqmiVZnoFWRxpBYAP8N0YEm46div2hpYB_vZPCEeFV86gzDbIY54pqELfyxlblL7UsYpqppTzZZD0mfxKKqKjvFkIdMF_uS9VOR-IiVAO18pwh2A/s1600/IMG_3851-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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When my friends Yuri from <a href="http://sagatovhomes.com/" target="_blank">Sagatov Designs</a> and <a href="http://www.michellesagatov.com/" target="_blank">Michelle Sagatov</a> asked me to help again, I said... "no". That's right, I SAID NO. I said it nicely but I was too busy, feeling overwhelmed by so many things, and just didn't think I could help. I am super cold-hearted like that. Not. Handy Hubby says I never say no to anything so I was super proud of myself for admitting that I don't have time between 2 jobs, 2 kids, a husband, a household, and I might be the PTA president of our new elementary school (how did that happen!?!). Nope, no time.<br />
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But... of course, I couldn't help myself so I did end up helping a little. I can't help myself (or I'm an idiot or flat out crazy). Doorways is an amazing organization and I love to help them whenever I can and this was sooooo much less work and stress than the last project. There was no construction to contend with, just a shiny recently remodeled 2 bedroom apartment that could house 6-8 people in need of a home, if necessary. We asked for donations through various local listservs and facebook pages, and we received sooooo many great pieces of donated furniture. We found a couple of designers to help out with the bedrooms, and Yuri's design crew handled the main living area. The only pressure point? We had less than 2 weeks to collect everything and 1 day to get it ready for occupancy.<br />
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It was a total blank slate which made it really fun. It was sunny and spacious so that was a huge bonus. So, here are the before and after pictures…<br />
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Living and Dining Room Combo<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRs7DxlRu3-7DXuSOhXJG_KsC1rnTao2MrxBb2f6gzr3Hr58SFbIG-pSg4-gUUE4grQyKoHQ0cNQ3eYI1cpiYdSZIsqMnhFDp-DVvQfd366npzkVyR2nvEq7RQu95hjrobDSuTQ4jK2k/s1600/LR1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRs7DxlRu3-7DXuSOhXJG_KsC1rnTao2MrxBb2f6gzr3Hr58SFbIG-pSg4-gUUE4grQyKoHQ0cNQ3eYI1cpiYdSZIsqMnhFDp-DVvQfd366npzkVyR2nvEq7RQu95hjrobDSuTQ4jK2k/s1600/LR1.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAKMwIpXxdfqBuzB6Ps61VWq2CQikMCilFKWlIiRQQFZD7P79A0jVJ0pE_F-F8nsEVTWsIVewAjEkutxDa_f6sF3rLkQr9r3TmGFMJW0lUuOGs0ADBp-8fzBEQhDH5PfKBL1CyvCERTQk/s1600/IMG_6775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAKMwIpXxdfqBuzB6Ps61VWq2CQikMCilFKWlIiRQQFZD7P79A0jVJ0pE_F-F8nsEVTWsIVewAjEkutxDa_f6sF3rLkQr9r3TmGFMJW0lUuOGs0ADBp-8fzBEQhDH5PfKBL1CyvCERTQk/s1600/IMG_6775.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKmDKyoqHCelJmYieDl3tNWPVyF4TZ7MHxC-0N2sUjkynAMsdvSoPYQhWxdP422D5pqWQ671DJW7484O30VQfwHOa30jT3b54VdoVTdpDDo8IFZyOJZWD0GhPSXVb95_9dMjlQAV846b0/s1600/IMG_6721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKmDKyoqHCelJmYieDl3tNWPVyF4TZ7MHxC-0N2sUjkynAMsdvSoPYQhWxdP422D5pqWQ671DJW7484O30VQfwHOa30jT3b54VdoVTdpDDo8IFZyOJZWD0GhPSXVb95_9dMjlQAV846b0/s1600/IMG_6721.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ91MOxUEv3-Ogv5JYvMoVBdG67XvaoUiSsZjnBQAYlRKwQRVSnTNKng6XqthxRhFsnP9VeDD2tf6UaZWaep9ETrAHesgnOKQHErenGBk22e8NvxS3-w03psangPCYrOYZcfkCxUZ5gPM/s1600/LR_DR+Pano2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ91MOxUEv3-Ogv5JYvMoVBdG67XvaoUiSsZjnBQAYlRKwQRVSnTNKng6XqthxRhFsnP9VeDD2tf6UaZWaep9ETrAHesgnOKQHErenGBk22e8NvxS3-w03psangPCYrOYZcfkCxUZ5gPM/s1600/LR_DR+Pano2.JPG" height="165" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3k0eVFEDroMMzSvC0KguKvPpPlgq_3Rx_JzR0lT7KmC1hbM65Ts-_pCdT77tEVzsDXi3H9tka13EssGd-znaeD6ncJGFlsNe-wKMjkYRoeE8YVoe48ujVm9t3rXCK4S1UtbHUHsB3bA/s1600/IMG_6772.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3k0eVFEDroMMzSvC0KguKvPpPlgq_3Rx_JzR0lT7KmC1hbM65Ts-_pCdT77tEVzsDXi3H9tka13EssGd-znaeD6ncJGFlsNe-wKMjkYRoeE8YVoe48ujVm9t3rXCK4S1UtbHUHsB3bA/s1600/IMG_6772.jpg" height="155" width="400" /></a></div>
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Kitchen<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eiEG7c94puky6hbI2dyj7-4Ylf_PcRW88UwDo69CNa1yRmmXojW-590NDdXNR-MtZLcj2i00wdrf_M03qyUX4lN-ZF-SAPmG8NZUQz418dbjPsYMMO6jvMvhwm-vA0srtynxEG1ee4o/s1600/Kit2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eiEG7c94puky6hbI2dyj7-4Ylf_PcRW88UwDo69CNa1yRmmXojW-590NDdXNR-MtZLcj2i00wdrf_M03qyUX4lN-ZF-SAPmG8NZUQz418dbjPsYMMO6jvMvhwm-vA0srtynxEG1ee4o/s1600/Kit2.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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Bedroom 1<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYO8aaLoF_uJ92Ef4txSJd6UgkjB4Sss7bfqAHMEVw9QaMP_8uBDMHBHBlGEDgz-w0lHTChgxGfycfAznD0u44p1VZ26KPMi8_QMv-m_Bbt1KahJylwUUM-6AnD3O1RLRE_cHiLJD_XY/s1600/BR1_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYO8aaLoF_uJ92Ef4txSJd6UgkjB4Sss7bfqAHMEVw9QaMP_8uBDMHBHBlGEDgz-w0lHTChgxGfycfAznD0u44p1VZ26KPMi8_QMv-m_Bbt1KahJylwUUM-6AnD3O1RLRE_cHiLJD_XY/s1600/BR1_1.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Bedroom 2<br />
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This was such a fun project and we can't wait to do it again this summer! We learned a lot and now have a really complete list of items that an apartment needs to be complete - down to silverware drawer organizers. </div>
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D200138737707181164%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D1025298748000972318%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dallposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dallposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F3.bp.blogspot.com%252F-di7W1XzkYCg%252FVOU9jUDvDwI%252FAAAAAAAAQBE%252FA9I5LoWDAZk%252Fs1600%252FIMG_6771.JPG%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 20px; left: 439px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 2229px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D200138737707181164%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D1025298748000972318%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dallposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dallposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F3.bp.blogspot.com%252F-di7W1XzkYCg%252FVOU9jUDvDwI%252FAAAAAAAAQBE%252FA9I5LoWDAZk%252Fs1600%252FIMG_6771.JPG%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 20px; left: 439px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 2229px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D200138737707181164%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D1025298748000972318%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dallposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dallposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F1.bp.blogspot.com%252F-c2EjXpmWXvM%252FVOU7NqkYjuI%252FAAAAAAAAQAo%252F26LBwFKIGZ8%252Fs1600%252FIMG_6784.JPG%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 153px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 4061px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D200138737707181164%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D1025298748000972318%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dallposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dallposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F1.bp.blogspot.com%252F-c2EjXpmWXvM%252FVOU7NqkYjuI%252FAAAAAAAAQAo%252F26LBwFKIGZ8%252Fs1600%252FIMG_6784.JPG%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 153px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 4061px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-69652767880195097802015-01-06T09:30:00.000-05:002015-01-06T09:30:01.013-05:00Drawer OrganizersHappy New Year!! In the spirit of the new year, I have some quick organizational and decorating projects to share in the next few weeks. Hope you had a great holiday!<br />
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We have one drawer in our island where we store nearly all of our kitchen prep and cooking utensils. We have a few more spoons and spatulas in a handy container near the stove as well but we use the drawer stuff all the time. So it looked like this 95% of the time.<br />
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This is WITH drawer organizers - but they are buried underneath. I was starting to worry about my fingers when I reached in without concentrating!! So, drawer organizers were definitely necessary. The knife block was still great and I wanted to keep that but everything else had to go. I also cleaned out some duplicate, broken and rarely used utensils. Then Handy Hubby started using some thin strips of scrap wood to create new dividers. I started by laying the tools in categories so I would know where they should be housed together and by how often I used them - measuring cups near the front, rolling pin in the back, and kitchen scissors from and center. He also cut down the knife block so it fit the depth better. Then we started to mess with the layout a bit.<br />
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And then a few hours later we had this! Only a few pieces are actually attached to anything so we can change it easily if we want to but I really love it.<br />
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We did this back in September and it still looks pretty much the same as the day we installed it. <br />
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Woohoo!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-31528977137731789202014-12-18T11:54:00.000-05:002014-12-18T11:54:22.934-05:00Oh Pretty Christmas TreeI have seen lots of pretty Christmas trees posted on Pinterest and on <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2014/12/christmas-tree-party-2014.html" target="_blank">blogs</a> since Thanksgiving (and even before!). I am pretty sure I have posted pictures of our tree on this blog and on <a href="http://www.instagram.com/houseography" target="_blank">Instagram</a> in the past but it looks the same every year.<br />
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You know what? That's perfectly great - in fact - it is awesome. Our tree is a memory keeper. It includes ornaments we have purchased on trips or for momentous events (our wedding, the year 2000, etc.). We hang little crafts the kids have made and pictures of them as well. Some of the ornaments were gifts from others. When we hang them, we think and talk about all of these things. The kids love to ask questions about where things came from. Since my brain is filled with useless junk then I can often drag out the answer without much thought. I love that my kids also like to buy ornaments when we are on trips. I try to write their names on them if I remember so that down the road, I can pass them along to them when they have dingy apartments that need some Christmas cheer. My mom did this for many years and that's how my brother and I got our collection started. <br />
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In other Christmas news, we have been able to pack in a lot of fun this season. I took the kids to the Meadowlark Gardens <a href="http://winterwalkoflights.com/" target="_blank">Winter Walk of Lights</a> while a friend was visiting with her daughter a few weeks ago. It is a lot of fun even in the pouring rain (almost no one was there!) - definitely recommend it if you live in the DC area.<br />
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We also made our first ever trip to the American Girl store in Tysons Corner which I LOVED. OMG - If I was 7 years old today, I would have to have everything in that store. My daughter, however, is not at all interested in dolls (never has been) although she was fascinated by the store (it's hard not to be!). And they have a doll hair salon and ear piercing station!<br />
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Jim and I also took the kids to the Nutcracker at Warner Theater. This is a special production by the Washington Ballet with a DC theme - cherry blossoms, George Washington nutcracker, etc. It is a lot of fun but long for 5 year old boys (and 43 year old husbands), but we rewarded everyone with a nice downtown dinner afterwards.<br />
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This weekend or next week while my family is visiting, we plan to visit the National Christmas Tree at the White House and maybe go to Mount Vernon which is always beautiful during the holidays. We are definitely making the most of the season!<br />
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Here's our holiday card this year. We send out about 160 now which seems insane but I love getting them in return! Photos this year are by Wendy of <a href="http://www.bluelilyphotography.com/" target="_blank">Blue Lily Photography</a>. I cannot say enough good things about her - creative, fun, and relatively affordable. <br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Merry Christmas!</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Happy Holidays!</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Happy New Year! </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-10537389398921624082014-11-21T09:00:00.000-05:002015-06-11T14:24:21.920-04:00New Front Door! And New Colors!I absolutely loved our original wood front door. It was pretty and let light in without giving up too much privacy. But our beloved Angus destroyed it due to his absolute hatred for our mailman. Sadly, Angus died about a year ago, but that meant that we could get our new door that we needed desperately. We had it installed by a contractor who worked on our addition - we loved his finish work so we knew he was the right one for the job.<br />
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Handy Hubby then did a bunch of coats of paint on the front - we ended up with Sherwin Williams Loyal Blue (after a brief stint with SW Bosphorous which I did not like at all). And here she is looking all pretty for fall. I love how the orange and gold pop against the blue. So pretty!<br />
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But on the inside, I decided to jump on the painted door train. Wow. I'm glad I did!<br />
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It's the perfect way to introduce a bit more gray into our living room. The color is Sherwin Williams Serious Gray (which we also used in my <a href="http://www.houseography.net/2013/08/diy-curtains-in-boys-room-alexs-room.html" target="_blank">son's room</a>). Also, that entry rug is from HomeGoods! </div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-77123593876010246862014-10-21T09:00:00.000-04:002014-10-21T09:00:11.046-04:00Cabinet Air Returns Revised {Kitchen}At some point these air returns under our cabinets were really bothering me. They looked like little black holes under the cabinets and I hated them. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi617iiI18zUX9lhcqL6ajyXdEHXcg3QZAuEd_tGpbOFaaQ9KRwNR-AqafB3LAT5I5x1PcNhXT_WGP41jVKkmuoQv2LbOk9nDsknkcjlMVjtzXOqKo0_NR5ODgqFvsFkd8fWFE3xMQvUFk/s1600/IMG_3023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi617iiI18zUX9lhcqL6ajyXdEHXcg3QZAuEd_tGpbOFaaQ9KRwNR-AqafB3LAT5I5x1PcNhXT_WGP41jVKkmuoQv2LbOk9nDsknkcjlMVjtzXOqKo0_NR5ODgqFvsFkd8fWFE3xMQvUFk/s1600/IMG_3023.JPG" height="640" width="425" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrp-ix7m1vJdu1XFUs4zmU_vq4oKIpKJhfWoQaOBaPkbnTDKEIvOt9t8z9d4RdVY8veJrcutkmD5KJolZrM0JZJIrRNkIbKqjy1BfbquFBq-cf5ImVKgiE6SV0PvJ5ThUcr79w0JYWuM/s1600/IMG_3025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrp-ix7m1vJdu1XFUs4zmU_vq4oKIpKJhfWoQaOBaPkbnTDKEIvOt9t8z9d4RdVY8veJrcutkmD5KJolZrM0JZJIrRNkIbKqjy1BfbquFBq-cf5ImVKgiE6SV0PvJ5ThUcr79w0JYWuM/s1600/IMG_3025.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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I have no idea why these were brown but they were definitely not a top priority punch list item when we moved into our house post-renovation with a 3 year old and 2 month old! Although replacing them with white was probably the best option, I decided to go with the quick option and use up a can of white spray paint I had hanging around in the basement.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhftl7HNEx2LwB0YPWuKrvWmsCbMRg3NSOhDOdQKCFxJxEsTMYk-W_ejgfaAj7FfQk2uM6b2o6bCmwYdYQHyUxBSnYYnzXAYt8iB7g3OEWPBAt0IKkvddkCM8fmz9iuInPhIUnEQ3Hw8x8/s1600/IMG_3039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhftl7HNEx2LwB0YPWuKrvWmsCbMRg3NSOhDOdQKCFxJxEsTMYk-W_ejgfaAj7FfQk2uM6b2o6bCmwYdYQHyUxBSnYYnzXAYt8iB7g3OEWPBAt0IKkvddkCM8fmz9iuInPhIUnEQ3Hw8x8/s1600/IMG_3039.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiNbeUOJ-Tp9qFcskjKiMEDwfLRQ2PboPB4Sd8rXfrUNc_fzLrE-bqxQiUN-ZSFPs940efYgchivdlTCD7pZ5iQwdevjp6VsXtD3jrjazPGWwBwxBoFxOJdgn0Zl6sVWFk3m_GQ6ez-U/s1600/IMG_3031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiNbeUOJ-Tp9qFcskjKiMEDwfLRQ2PboPB4Sd8rXfrUNc_fzLrE-bqxQiUN-ZSFPs940efYgchivdlTCD7pZ5iQwdevjp6VsXtD3jrjazPGWwBwxBoFxOJdgn0Zl6sVWFk3m_GQ6ez-U/s1600/IMG_3031.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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So much better and blendy. [I know that's not a word but I think it should be.]<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhftl7HNEx2LwB0YPWuKrvWmsCbMRg3NSOhDOdQKCFxJxEsTMYk-W_ejgfaAj7FfQk2uM6b2o6bCmwYdYQHyUxBSnYYnzXAYt8iB7g3OEWPBAt0IKkvddkCM8fmz9iuInPhIUnEQ3Hw8x8/s1600/IMG_3039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi617iiI18zUX9lhcqL6ajyXdEHXcg3QZAuEd_tGpbOFaaQ9KRwNR-AqafB3LAT5I5x1PcNhXT_WGP41jVKkmuoQv2LbOk9nDsknkcjlMVjtzXOqKo0_NR5ODgqFvsFkd8fWFE3xMQvUFk/s1600/IMG_3023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi617iiI18zUX9lhcqL6ajyXdEHXcg3QZAuEd_tGpbOFaaQ9KRwNR-AqafB3LAT5I5x1PcNhXT_WGP41jVKkmuoQv2LbOk9nDsknkcjlMVjtzXOqKo0_NR5ODgqFvsFkd8fWFE3xMQvUFk/s1600/IMG_3023.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhftl7HNEx2LwB0YPWuKrvWmsCbMRg3NSOhDOdQKCFxJxEsTMYk-W_ejgfaAj7FfQk2uM6b2o6bCmwYdYQHyUxBSnYYnzXAYt8iB7g3OEWPBAt0IKkvddkCM8fmz9iuInPhIUnEQ3Hw8x8/s1600/IMG_3039.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></div>
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Happy, happy.<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-42861426825849088202014-10-16T09:00:00.000-04:002015-06-11T14:20:32.496-04:00Chandelier Takes One for the Team {Kitchen}At one point I loved our kitchen chandelier. It was one of my favorite deals that I found for our "new" house. As my style has evolved a bit over the last few years I started finding a lot of replacement contenders. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLyXe558xOH17YLdF-U89TEgX078GUo97F3t_iqyo9niCYmu0taKTlacRxLSowAygjOn_TbQujns8sT05LPVdG5ewPvMuVuUt0BVt5YlohX2DvJxKxij4xCXTduxtxyOAcOu9tkd8V1RQ/s1600/chandelier+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLyXe558xOH17YLdF-U89TEgX078GUo97F3t_iqyo9niCYmu0taKTlacRxLSowAygjOn_TbQujns8sT05LPVdG5ewPvMuVuUt0BVt5YlohX2DvJxKxij4xCXTduxtxyOAcOu9tkd8V1RQ/s1600/chandelier+before.jpg" height="308" width="400" /></a></div>
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I was coveting a wood and iron chandelier (similar to <a href="http://www.houzz.com/photos/5751097/Fredrick-Ramond-Middlefield-4-Light-Sphere-Chandelier-farmhouse-chandeliers" target="_blank">this</a>) from the <a href="http://luckettstore.com/design-house/" target="_blank">Lucketts Design House</a> for months. Then ultimately decided that I did not really want to spend $500 for something that I might want to change again in 5 years. #Iknowmyself</div>
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So I decided to remove the shades from my chandelier and see if that helped. The bell shaped shades are being evicted from all over my house.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBT4h8GrWNta80poD8yCRfguxQS6IJ6IJAj_ThZh0C7qk_EDJQInrA7STdoylGNwkTPBo1v2i0Yioo_3XVB1zXuQlKv0Am3k2S_ZkBIDapBLxH6mRQXAjVvhnWRj1RRK70KmwudZJVpY/s1600/IMG_5401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmBT4h8GrWNta80poD8yCRfguxQS6IJ6IJAj_ThZh0C7qk_EDJQInrA7STdoylGNwkTPBo1v2i0Yioo_3XVB1zXuQlKv0Am3k2S_ZkBIDapBLxH6mRQXAjVvhnWRj1RRK70KmwudZJVpY/s1600/IMG_5401.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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I lived with it like that for a few weeks. Still...no. I ultimately decided that it was just too busy with the ornate painting. This is a problem I am finding throughout my house. Trying to de-clutter and de-decorate in a lot of areas. So hard. #Ilikestuff</div>
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So out came the chalk paint. Again, no sanding or prep. Just started laying it on there with 2 coats. The kids were a bit surprised because although they had seen me attack furniture, never a light fixture. I let it dry for a day and then experimented with a light coat of dark wax I had picked up on my second trip to Lucketts. It gave it the right amount of <strike>dirt</strike> age. Here's the final result. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmHLgiPHO8-gw2cZR2Ej7QDBCxvP5qLmoNA3Ih7tZ0tJacydPYEk4_PoceEos0FGu03fiY-MSe2gXh1mHS3LYiXn_N_dy-I4MYQ_8sBYiMkk3Kt5_00AxoRtDCJnFrc2KCEtt36wK7ws/s1600/IMG_4737-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmHLgiPHO8-gw2cZR2Ej7QDBCxvP5qLmoNA3Ih7tZ0tJacydPYEk4_PoceEos0FGu03fiY-MSe2gXh1mHS3LYiXn_N_dy-I4MYQ_8sBYiMkk3Kt5_00AxoRtDCJnFrc2KCEtt36wK7ws/s1600/IMG_4737-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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Happy to say that I love it and it really didn't cost me anything since I already had the paint as evidenced <a href="http://www.houseography.net/2014/10/dresser-make-over-living-room.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I like that the color is carrying through to multiple rooms. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLyXe558xOH17YLdF-U89TEgX078GUo97F3t_iqyo9niCYmu0taKTlacRxLSowAygjOn_TbQujns8sT05LPVdG5ewPvMuVuUt0BVt5YlohX2DvJxKxij4xCXTduxtxyOAcOu9tkd8V1RQ/s1600/chandelier+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLyXe558xOH17YLdF-U89TEgX078GUo97F3t_iqyo9niCYmu0taKTlacRxLSowAygjOn_TbQujns8sT05LPVdG5ewPvMuVuUt0BVt5YlohX2DvJxKxij4xCXTduxtxyOAcOu9tkd8V1RQ/s1600/chandelier+before.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmHLgiPHO8-gw2cZR2Ej7QDBCxvP5qLmoNA3Ih7tZ0tJacydPYEk4_PoceEos0FGu03fiY-MSe2gXh1mHS3LYiXn_N_dy-I4MYQ_8sBYiMkk3Kt5_00AxoRtDCJnFrc2KCEtt36wK7ws/s1600/IMG_4737-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmHLgiPHO8-gw2cZR2Ej7QDBCxvP5qLmoNA3Ih7tZ0tJacydPYEk4_PoceEos0FGu03fiY-MSe2gXh1mHS3LYiXn_N_dy-I4MYQ_8sBYiMkk3Kt5_00AxoRtDCJnFrc2KCEtt36wK7ws/s1600/IMG_4737-1.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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The dining room could really use a dose of this… Handy Hubby is going to be so mad. Do you spy any other changes in my family room?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2y5dF0E60pV2OMtyr4R5N5-Gf0mN8LJ6ExZ_25fj9XDkh_pVbS6FUFwW4gP_rCowMGNXE1uh1xgVgGZjYNz4fxXqy7ly3-KIO4qLGZFDrRo6UnaP2ZMqazl0EkeUoUGtTA5n9e3yhGJq2/s1600/IMG_4139-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2y5dF0E60pV2OMtyr4R5N5-Gf0mN8LJ6ExZ_25fj9XDkh_pVbS6FUFwW4gP_rCowMGNXE1uh1xgVgGZjYNz4fxXqy7ly3-KIO4qLGZFDrRo6UnaP2ZMqazl0EkeUoUGtTA5n9e3yhGJq2/s1600/IMG_4139-1.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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The floor needed to balance that ceiling. We had a sisal rug in there that survived potty training two kids. Now that the spillage years are behind us (I hope!), it was time to upgrade the rug. I had been looking for the perfect rug for over a year. For me "looking" means searching for a great deal on the best possible option. </div>
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Then one day I'm in HomeGoods (shocking, I know) and I find this little baby! Yeah! Tribal rugs are really hot right now but I was not shelling out hundreds for anything authentic or even a good reproduction. After all, I have a son who uses this bathroom daily. $29.99 later, this guy (and his blue cousin) came home with me.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJX7jOSq5wI4NniTQJyDff_I8cHwOhic34LTAg2wSMlRuWkZLh5-IsA6ZpJLy2cYw6YmYOsl5JeipEsS_DzVxkY4sV7buDlZvcpiMu1lIX1IT93kNGG6Yvq7I0xwOGvXoXuBGufP2lCj0/s1600/IMG_4731-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJX7jOSq5wI4NniTQJyDff_I8cHwOhic34LTAg2wSMlRuWkZLh5-IsA6ZpJLy2cYw6YmYOsl5JeipEsS_DzVxkY4sV7buDlZvcpiMu1lIX1IT93kNGG6Yvq7I0xwOGvXoXuBGufP2lCj0/s1600/IMG_4731-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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It looks so awesome with the navy walls (Sherwin Williams Naval) and dark vanity.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDt1ecki1wpzem743I7hqfMV39-RDHRXYKjZuAA2iI4elLnvfAMijPKyeLqpjJGXG_rRxSgyzZywRsUN6lltJSJppOQ8cUVRbdB-0uzCV0wyMUCT7ZByBDZktoK4U-8h4EeXLoT5Yad-M/s1600/IMG_4729-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDt1ecki1wpzem743I7hqfMV39-RDHRXYKjZuAA2iI4elLnvfAMijPKyeLqpjJGXG_rRxSgyzZywRsUN6lltJSJppOQ8cUVRbdB-0uzCV0wyMUCT7ZByBDZktoK4U-8h4EeXLoT5Yad-M/s1600/IMG_4729-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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And here's my attempt to take a picture of the rug and ceiling in a 8x3 room. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgSArLlukuvMmlUD2GgukvaG8TateBLmhyxfSaCT-OEmvKmJuUuSEks0Kd_n3-3LicC-GDdHnDCtiiyoizI-ghKqYg1096DeB4P5tq7h4U6aNUf-NiWc5nzzwQYp3hZyZutPmRnD-M8Y/s1600/IMG_4735-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgSArLlukuvMmlUD2GgukvaG8TateBLmhyxfSaCT-OEmvKmJuUuSEks0Kd_n3-3LicC-GDdHnDCtiiyoizI-ghKqYg1096DeB4P5tq7h4U6aNUf-NiWc5nzzwQYp3hZyZutPmRnD-M8Y/s1600/IMG_4735-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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I'm still looking for some art for next to the sink. Maybe next year!</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200138737707181164.post-87829605909083448292014-10-09T15:49:00.000-04:002015-06-11T14:24:22.059-04:00Dresser Make-over {Living Room}So clearly I'm on a chalk paint bender. I might need rehab. We bought this little buffet through a family friend's estate for not much money - probably less than $50. I had already done my initial chalk paint experience on a <a href="http://www.houseography.net/2014/09/chalk-paint-trial-silver-storage-chest.html" target="_blank">silver chest</a> and I loved the results.<br />
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Next up on the chopping block… this little sideboard…<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylEUBh9gn7k_kZESGx16gCFRj52zbwl213FM3aJOHLOU1HkKlvFJzIQLdAZENCzMNOEZHGoeBz6_Z-B9HiNqx16MaOWO7S_MN5tyNBkHijuucFBFiI_XSoldPq2ZKhwRTNplMWKpYVp0/s1600/IMG_2488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylEUBh9gn7k_kZESGx16gCFRj52zbwl213FM3aJOHLOU1HkKlvFJzIQLdAZENCzMNOEZHGoeBz6_Z-B9HiNqx16MaOWO7S_MN5tyNBkHijuucFBFiI_XSoldPq2ZKhwRTNplMWKpYVp0/s1600/IMG_2488.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2lGYgBNtwR-O_kmU_u-fsfdO0jMR59w8jXh8QmBV9fRfsEpYm7aCr4sh2DSMcKYhO-OkALxWquE285HOGhoXkSFV2v7_jG20ZiIFwTDsWwC2s8RS2sZdbGB5UQm-sq8r4tsWUIlxe94/s1600/IMG_2490.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2lGYgBNtwR-O_kmU_u-fsfdO0jMR59w8jXh8QmBV9fRfsEpYm7aCr4sh2DSMcKYhO-OkALxWquE285HOGhoXkSFV2v7_jG20ZiIFwTDsWwC2s8RS2sZdbGB5UQm-sq8r4tsWUIlxe94/s1600/IMG_2490.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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This piece sits in the back corner of our living room and holds all of the kids' craft supplies. I'm not sure it's a piece we'll keep forever but for now, it does the job well. I'm just not in love with its '60s country-ish style. And let's just ignore the missing screw on the handle.</div>
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I broke out the chalk paint that I bought last spring at the Old Luckett's Store near Leesburg, Va. If you have never been, you SHOULD GO. It's so much fun!! I want to go back again when I have furniture I need instead of being in furniture unloading mode. Anyway, they sell Amy Howard One Step Paint which is a type of chalk paint. I didn't really notice any difference between Annie Sloan's and this but this is a much bigger piece. The coverage was very good and I did not sand before I painted. I originally left the top stained but I decided it only emphasized its country look so I went back and painted the rest (months later!). I distressed the whole thing just a little bit with a piece of sandpaper, and then waxed it with basic furniture wax (nothing fancy). </div>
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Now it looks like this…</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFoIW5dexBb9PMduA02jf35HkTRQUKdQzz4gx91nuZ_RF46M3ferGBOp06fnjQ1yelv3QxqdWmGfCIRXLYIowptqlzW2vP37KSX2BVrmxC-72U0yPEbWbxX021Z2-gp3EH9qETAcZyPY/s1600/IMG_4725-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXFoIW5dexBb9PMduA02jf35HkTRQUKdQzz4gx91nuZ_RF46M3ferGBOp06fnjQ1yelv3QxqdWmGfCIRXLYIowptqlzW2vP37KSX2BVrmxC-72U0yPEbWbxX021Z2-gp3EH9qETAcZyPY/s1600/IMG_4725-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUkNqIfpaV53GqvNzBL1BI7epKAnVd-aNr8dT28AcBwZOPO0vhn1opEVjFODRjtYG7mDWX2G618TH3MPLkBemr62HzVLb3uAaqTZJt61lWBEnRPB4T-f8oN4WSTDnSRfGsGgSUt3BxLQQ/s1600/IMG_4728-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUkNqIfpaV53GqvNzBL1BI7epKAnVd-aNr8dT28AcBwZOPO0vhn1opEVjFODRjtYG7mDWX2G618TH3MPLkBemr62HzVLb3uAaqTZJt61lWBEnRPB4T-f8oN4WSTDnSRfGsGgSUt3BxLQQ/s1600/IMG_4728-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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I replaced the handles with <a href="http://www.lowes.com/pd_247222-29780-RL060889_0__?Ntt=247222&UserSearch=247222&productId=4564700&rpp=32" target="_blank">these</a> because they are simple and easy to grab. The kids are still using this cabinet for paper and crafts. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHmY-HR1BOGlDJl4n2fDSiS7jlA7a0lD1clerhhubjyzsdRYsnTd-baEQ3VxkN2ookU_ktyJwJZR0iRfrAHyk9rtvZuOfiMPaP02_JLYpDv6taZLFDtkx9XlejSO8-EKNWDdBtCq0koo/s1600/IMG_4720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHmY-HR1BOGlDJl4n2fDSiS7jlA7a0lD1clerhhubjyzsdRYsnTd-baEQ3VxkN2ookU_ktyJwJZR0iRfrAHyk9rtvZuOfiMPaP02_JLYpDv6taZLFDtkx9XlejSO8-EKNWDdBtCq0koo/s1600/IMG_4720.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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So that's how chalk paint is continuing to rule my house. I am still debating painting the dining room furniture. I have some interim pieces to remake before I tackle the dining room! </div>
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