Master Bathroom Progress...

hello all! I am currently working on renovating the master bathroom. The biggest project yet! Hence the lapse in blog postings. So far, the old broken vanity has been ripped out, popcorn ceiling removed, and the old peeling vinyl flooring ripped up. Demo was fun until I had to clean it up all up. After cleaning the room, the ceiling received a fresh coat of white paint and the walls the same Adriatic Mist paint from the bedroom. Last weekend, my mom and I installed new laminate floor tiles that look almost real but cost nothing near. Currently I am in the process of painting vertical stripes on the walls to add to the luxurious feel. No pictures to post as of yet, since my camera was lost somehow at the NC State game. I hope to borrow a camera in the next few weeks to take pictures and show off the fab work! So I will continue to spend all my free time in the bathroom in hopes of posting results soon!

p.s. I also would like to give dap to Craig for all his hard work & great disposition while helping me with this project! :)

Half Bath... Fully Done!

I am happy to write that the downstairs half bathroom is finally finished! After one coat of primer, two coats of an awful traffic cone orange color, two more coats of a deeper red paint, then another coat of primer, and finally two coats of chocolate brown, I am ecstatic to say that I will not be painting this bathroom ever again!! :) A lot has changed in this small space so I am posting the before and after pictures for comparisons. Below is the vanity with a fresh coat of white paint, new hardware, and a new fixture. I also switched out the towel bar with a small towel ring, replaced the dated light fixture, and installed a new mirror with a white border.

On the opposite wall a casual picture frame featuring red coral and tan graphic designs was hung above the toilet. I also updated the toilet paper holder to match the new towel ring and the satin nickel of the sink faucet. Of course, one could not forget the beautiful and rich laminate hardware flooring that makes a huge difference in the small room. The door and trim received a fresh coat of paint and an updated satin nickel doorknob.

Last but certainly not least... I took the time to scrape off the old popcorn ceiling, putty and sand the surface smooth before applying a fresh coat of paint. I don't have a before picture of this but I am sure everyone knows a popcorn ceiling when they see one and they won't see it in the half bathroom. Now for the rest of my house... that's a different story and likely to not change because removing popcorn is hard and dirty work! I am really excited about the transformation in this small bathroom and I think it feels really cozy yet contemporary. Many where afraid the dark color on the wall would make the space feel like a cave and fortunately it does not! Many visitors will also be happy to know that the door is back in place for their privacy. Overall this project took much longer and much more paint that originally expected but the end result is always worth the work. At least that is my perspective. ;)

The Dining Room Rug is Here to Stay!

Just wanted to post another picture of the dining room:

I have framed two pictures with custom dark brown picture mats (handmade by yours truly, of course... wasn't about to pay $35 for just one mat!) the pictures are of Craig & I and of my fab girlies Betsy, Carrie, and I. I will hang two additional pictures above the desk to make the long wall symmetrical. Still deciding on the particular pictures but I know I want great pics of my family and other loves!

Oh and "Papa don't preach... but, I've made up my mind... I'm keeeeping the ruuugg!" ;) wow, so corny. But I do love the rug - it's so soft and works just perfectly in the space. yay! Props to my beautiful Mom on that one.

Dining Room Rug with Green?

So, I have decided that the dining room needs an area rug to define the space from the rest of the living room and the desk area. On a Lowe's Hardware trip with my mom, we found a great rug on sale for half off! I love the rug and it's the perfect size; I am just not sure the green in the rug or the modern curves match with the rest of the living room. A picture is posted below, comments appreciated! :)

Breakfast Nook with a Side of Blinds

This post is dedicated to my girlie Betsy. Many thanks to her for getting me a sweet employee discount on the Levolor (a Rubbermaid company) ;) blinds pictured to the left. Before, the kitchen was like a 24 hour human exhibit tank with me as the main attraction whenever I was in it. However, the custom blinds came today and with my Mom's help we installed them to my delight! Paired with the cute bar table and chairs from IKEA the breakfast nook is ready for it's first Saturday morning pancakes. I also must give shout outs to Craig for helping assemble the table... they don't make constructing these things easy!! It all looks great though and I can't wait to enjoy the view of the trees over the top of the blinds and a cup of coffee at the table with no outside spectators. :) happiness.

Loving my Living Room

I know it has been a while since I have posted on my blog. I have just been busy busy cleaning, painting, and putting away things at my new place. Now after a full month of living at my first place, I am happy to post some progress! I have made my first mortgage and HOA payments...yay.... sorta. ;) Many payments to go, but yet the place already feels all my own. I have worked almost solely on my living room this month to get it looking how I want it. That way, even if the rest of the house is a hazard zone, I can still relax in my living room. Let me know what you think and any design suggestions or tips are welcomed!

A Latte New Latte Hardwood Floors

The new laminate hardwood floors have been installed and they look gorgeous! :) The guys that installed them came early Wednesday morning and finished up just before 6pm that same day. They were very friendly and their detailed-oriented work effort really shows. Anyone looking for new flooring and wanting a recommendation, let me know and I will gladly pass on the name. Here are a few more pictures of the rest of the first floor with the all new flooring:

The kitchen looks dramatically different with the hardwood extended into the whole area and replacing the previous laminate tiles.