remodeling :: new light fixtures

So we finally got the electrician out here a couple of weeks ago to finish the electrical in the kitchen and breakfast/sunroom.  Then {E} installed our new fixtures that we ordered!

I love how they turned out! Simple, clean and elegant!

dining room sconces

kitchen island pendant

breakfast/sunroom fixture

remodeling :: keep truckin'

"keep truckin'"

So I stole that quote from my older brother . . . it's his favorite!

But I've had it in my head for the past couple of weeks. We thought we'd already have our furniture moved in downstairs and we're anxiously scurring around trying to complete some of the small details so we can make that move a reality.

Senior "Saggy Pants" Hector taking his time drying paint samples for me.

The painters took a little longer than we thought and I had a bit of a meltdown when we realized that the paint we saved from upstiars had been tampered with which meant the paint codes didn't work. (with one room left to paint) Our paint didn't even remotely resemble the rest of the house (the whole house is the same gray color except for our white kitchen) but after a few days of tears and frustration, an angel at Home Depot was able to match our color exactly! So, the painters said their goodbyes and in came the floor guy ready to stain all of the floors.

BUT HE DIDN'T TAPE OFF THE BASEBOARDS!!!!!!!

Are you kidding me? He knew we just paid thousands of dollars for all of the interior and exterior paint and then he nonchalantly screws it up! But don't worry, he quickly realized who his mamma was when I put my foot down on any payments being made to him until he helped with the painting. Well, why in the world did I think that a guy that does floors for a living would have a clue about painting. He showed up with a sponge paintbrush from a craft store and a teenage boy that doesn't speak english. Ha Ha Ha

Needless to say, we are still working on touch up paint which ultimately turned into me and Eric re-painting all of the baseboards. We should have moved in a week ago but of course after a year of this, you'd think that I would have learned, nothing goes according to plan around here.

"keep truckin'"

remodeling :: inspiration

I'm obsessed with all things decor right now and am anxiously awaiting to decorate our humble abode! Although we won't decorate until the remodeling is completely finished, my inspiration boards keep me going and continue to work their temporary magic . . .

One look is as good as a cup of coffee for me. . .

it makes me OH SO HAPPY!

remodeling :: kitchen inspiration

We are getting closer to seeing our small budget, dream kitchen come together so I'm finally getting filled with excitement again! After a year of extreme patience, I started to lose my focus and had no inspiration. This week while digging through our 'book of inspiration' I started to regain some of my design spunk back and thought I would share some. . .

Coastal Living,  www.myhomeideas.com

I'm loving this island! Although it's mostly enclosed and used as functional storage, the large curvacious legs and small open shelving gives it a totally carefree look. It's the perfect mix between Eric's traditional and my eclectic styles.

Cottage Living, www.myhomeideas.com

Can't you just picture yourself in this warm kitchen with the 'oh so cool' cottage meets modern-traditional style? The dark wood floors (which we're looking forward to in our own kitchen) help the green cabinets pop while still feeling cool and airy with the white paint and open shelving on the walls. My secret lust in this room is the bar stool bench! I am definitely going to incorporate this style in our kitchen. It gives it a living space feel without actually having to add square footage. And don't even get me started on the zinc island counter top . . . Yes, that's right. Zinc. Isn't it gorgeous?

Elle Decor, www.pointclickhome.com

This kitchen screams Eric while echoing classic. The white classic look is where

we started with our dream kitchen  but we've continued to cut and paste our 

own styles into the mix. . .

www.pointclickhome.com

Again with the traditional and classic look . . . Very clean, crisp and inspiring!

Metropolitan Home, www.pointclickhome.com

This kitchen inspiration is my "if i were a bachelorette" look but I had to throw it in there. The grey cabinetry is so glamorous when it's mixed with the glass tiles. 

remodeling :: 'humble abode'

Being that we were planning a major remodel on our house, my husband and I were forced to remodel our garage apartment first. (knowing that we'd have to live in it for a few months while our house was construction) With a keen eye for style we both had our own ideas of what the space should look like and were quickly distracted from our main goal. Ready to decorate something and anything we quickly began scouring pages of design magazines for the perfect layout and decor for our small space we like to refer to as our 'humble abode'. We were like two kids in a candy store as we were constantly throwing ideas and pages of inspiration in front of each other.

Our excitement and eagerness was quickly set aside when we realized that when you try to decorate a 700 sq. ft. space for not just a couple, but a couple with an 11 year old and a 2 year old, that your freedom of decor quickly switches from high style to high function. 

We were at a stance. 

How were we going to decorate such a small space around function? Is it realistic to have stylish function without absorbing too much cost? 

Our inspirations that we both brought to the table were definitely feasible within the space but had to be brought down to a realistic level of design. Sure, if we had an extreme budget we could have brought in a designer with all new digs and functional furniture to make it what we had imagined, but we quickly realized we'd rather put that money and energy into the main house. . .which obviously should be our main goal, right? I mean, that's the whole reason we're in this 'humble abode.' 

That being said, the most economic store we could think of was Ikea. We could get "of the moment" style on a small budget while maintaining our immediate need. . .FUNCTION!

Well, we loaded up the family and spent a whole day at the Houston Ikea. We found everything we needed (and then some) and thought we may have a chance of reaching our design. 

By combining some of our old functional treasures with our new Ikea furnishings, we were able to create a temporary oasis that a toddler could possibly withstand for about 6 months. It's now been 5 months and our time is beginning to run out. While the sectional sofa bed has been a big hit, (it's got GREAT storage underneath the chaise) our inner design star is ready to accessorize. Right now the old Pier 1 storage cubes are being used as a coffee table, ottoman, blanket storage, and DVD/media storage. Of course, now that Lucas (the toddler) has watched us for 5 months open and close the storage cubes, they have become not so child proof anymore. Now it's just one more thing that this stay at home mom has to distract him from. 

Did we meet the goal of stylish function? Well, to be bitterly honest, we stopped as soon as our pocketbooks ran over into our remodeling budget. These two kids that were once in a candy store quickly walked back into the streets of reality. Now we're content with bookshelves flanked with only things of necessity while also helping to keep things out of reach from those eager little toddler fingers. After trying to accessorize the bookshelves with design essentials in mind, I later came back to find 'his and her' fedoras laying on top as art pieces. Obviously the whole family has different ideas of how to use our functional space but some how it has seemed to work. 

While we both know that a mirror would look perfect underneath the left shelf, we also know that it would be an accident waiting to happen. Those anticipated accidents also account for the bare storage cubes. Luckily they have some intricate painted designs on them that help enhance the area. A professional designer could quickly look at the space and immediately realize that there needs to be a texture of glass or metal in the area. There's not a day that goes by that I don't dream of that perfect little mirror on the wall or some fresh flowers gracing our 'functional' storage cubes. . .but let's be honest. This is our space of living. Although designers at heart, my husband and I have found a new candy store for the moment. . .

living in our 'humble abode' while the kids surround us with laughter and joy.