If you have been around with me from the beginning, you know that my style has changed dramatically since the start of this blog – and I mean dramatically. It evolved from something more rustic and a touch Pottery Barn-ish to not-a-distressed-piece-in-sight, bold and unapologetic. And I really love the latter. It took a while,…
Home Tour
In an unexpected twist…we bought a house. Meet the 70’s Landing Pad.
You read that right. And no, its not April Fools Day or anywhere close to it.
We bought a house.
And it was completely unexpected.
If you’ve been around here for more than a minute, you know our love for our current home, The Beloved Foreclosure runs deep. We never really expected to leave it. We even put in a pool and new patio this summer, had plans to completely re-do the Circus’ room and were even considering adding on an addition – we love our house.
Now, let’s switch gears for a minute. We’ve known for the past couple of years that my in-laws wanted to move down to Chattanooga after my father-in-law retired to be closer to the Circus – well closer to us too, but let’s face it, mostly they wanted to be closer to the Circus. When we found this out, we looked at lots to build a house on that would be big enough for both our families and we also looked at existing homes that would hold us all as well. I am one of the few who loves her in-laws and would happily have them in the same house as us. We actually found one, but couldn’t work a deal out with the sellers. Finally, we all decided that our best shot would be to find them a house in our neighborhood – we love our neighborhood and if we couldn’t find a great house for all of us, then we wanted to stay in the neighborhood. The problem with that is that there are few smaller, one story homes in our neighborhood that would work for them. We found one that we thought would work, but they couldn’t even get an offer in before the house was already under contract – good houses tend to move fast in our neighborhood. We also kept our eyes open for a house for us and if we found one, then my in-laws would take our house.
We never really thought the latter would happen. We always expected to find a house for them – not us.
We were wrong.
Click the link below to read more…
$50 Bathroom Makeover
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.
Sometimes the best room makeovers are the ones that are unplanned.
Totally random, flying by the seat of your pants, out of the blue unplanned.
It happened in my living room.
It started with a black and white gallery wall, which led to a new rug, which led to new curtains.
And suddenly, I finally had a living room I loved.
And now its happened with the bathroom.
But the best part is that this random, little out of the blue makeover cost me just $50.
All that was needed was a little paint, a shower curtain, and some rearranging.
So. As my former students would say, “What had happened was….”
Kitchen Makeover: Take Two
Hi. My name is Jenna.
I’m a recovering neutral decorator.
Yes friends, there was a time when I turned solely to whites and beiges for decorating.
I knew no better. I thought I liked it. I thought it was my style.
I was so damn wrong.
As soon as I spray painted my first piece kelly green, there was no going back.
And then I discovered the no-fail combo of kelly green and navy and it was as if the design gods smiled down upon me and showered me with their wisdom.
Ok, maybe that was a little much, but you get the idea.
I am a color girl.
And when we renovated the beloved foreclosure I opted for beiges, whites, and light blues.
And they were pretty. I’m not bashing on beige.
But they weren’t me.
So slowly but surely, every room in this house has gotten re-made over.
The kitchen was especially in need of color. This is what it looked like before we added in some glorious color (besides the barstools.)
Click the link below to read the rest of the post…
Summer Home Tour: The Details Make The Space
It doesn’t matter how many times I paint a piece of furniture or upholster a chair – if the accessories around it don’t look good, the furniture or chair won’t shine and the space will fall short.
The details make the space.
It took me a really long time to realize that.
And a lot of backaches and wasted paint.
I get it now though – and even if we are just talking about decorating – the pain was worth the reward.
As dramatic as that sounds.
So this summer home tour is about the details.
The quirky little objects that I love.
That some may find ugly.
Or even tacky.
But for me, they make my space a reflection of my family.
And that’s all that matters.
So if you love it or hate it, either way, I don’t care.
Because we love it.
And its how we fly our freak flag.
Welcome to our freak show.
Collected Modern Living Room
After four years of living in the beloved foreclosure, the living room is finally done.
For now anyways.
It may have taken four years, but I can finally say that I know my style and I love my living room.
Of course, its all subject to change on a whim.
For now, I’m calling it the Collected Modern Living Room.
I’m sure that isn’t the correct design technical term for this living room, but I don’t care.
Its a mix of vintage and thrifted pieces that have received a facelift with some modern elements.
Spring Home Tour: Design Ideas for Small Budgets
You guys.
You guys.
No really, you guys.
So much has changed since the last time I did a full home tour.
Especially my living room. And my kitchen.
I’m almost pee-my-pants excited to show you.
And now that I think about the things that have changed in the past two months, I realize I have no clue how it all got done and that I must be insane.
Oh wait, we already knew that.
Even though, I know you’ve already seen the entryway, let’s start there since its still new-ish.
The funnest entryway you ever did see, even if it is mine
I’m not sure that funnest is actually a word. I googled it after saying it over and over in my head a hundred times and still couldn’t get a clear answer as to whether or not it is a word.
I finally just went with my redneck instincts and left it in the title.
Keep in mind, I used to teach middle school Language Arts.
Those poor children.
So I know I didn’t tell you I was doing an entryway makeover.
Here’s the thing.
I hadn’t really planned on doing an entryway makeover.
And then it all just kind of happened.
Story of my life.
Vintage Modern Rustic Dining Room Tour
There is always that one room that I don’t get along with.
It never likes anything I do. It never feels quite right.
I will rearrange furniture, add this accessory, take away this, paint that – and it always ends with me throwing my hands in the air, saying screw it, and having a drink.
The dining room was that room.
Emphasis on the was.
Once I finally decided to stop worrying so much about it, it evolved into a space that I love.
It now has that same Vintage-Modern-Rustic vibe that the rest of the house has.
Preppy meets Hollywood Regency Bathroom Makeover
I never intended to makeover my entire bathroom.
I just wanted a bit more color.
It started with the ceiling.
I thought to myself, “Self, you should scrape off the popcorn and paint the ceiling pink.”
Self responded with a very enthusiastic, “YES.”
So I did.
But then the gray paint on the walls didn’t go with the pink very well like I thought it would.
So I painted the walls.
And then I realized the vanity had these weird yellowy patches on it.
So I painted the vanity.
And then I looked at the old shower curtain – it could be a bit more stylish.
So I made a new shower curtain and cornice.
And then I thought to myself, “Self, what about some new artwork?”
You can guess what Self said.
That non-makeover escalated quickly.
Friends, welcome to my new Preppy meets Hollywood Regency Bathroom that wasn’t supposed to be.
Colorful Screened-In Porch Makeover
As I write this post, I am sitting in the most colorful space in my home.
I dare you to step into the screened-in porch and not be happy.
Double Triple Dog Dare You.
And if you do step out here, and you aren’t happy, I’ve got a cheap beer for ya and a kid is bound to turn the corner at any moment riding a plastic pink flamingo.
Heck, you just smiled as you read that last sentence, didn’t you?
Sweet friends, who put up with way too much craziness from me, welcome to my back porch.
Ranch Style House Tour
There have been a lot of changes around here lately.
Like a lot.
A guest bedroom and office makeover, a mini-master bedroom makeover, and lots of little projects in between all that.
Needless to say, this gal is exhausted and a vacation can’t come soon enough.
I was asked to be a part of the Spring Parade of Homes and thought that this would be the perfect time to update my full home tour, seeing as how so many things have changed. The last full home tour I did was last summer. You can see it here.
If you are popping over from May Richer Fuller Be, or another blog in the parade, welcome! And if its your first time here, prepare yourself for snarky comments, witty jokes that may not seem so witty to you, and many references to cheap beer and possibly 80’s hair bands.
Just wanted to give you the full disclosure before you begin the tour.
Our home is a 1969 Ranch Style House and we love it.
Chic Guest Bedroom and Office Reveal
Sometimes, I must think I’m Wonder Woman.
At the beginning of every week, I create a list of what I need / want to get accomplished.
The list is usually one full page of my large planner long and somehow I think I will be able to do all this stuff within the week.
The only time I get to work on my projects and the blog is a few hours each day before the kid wakes up and after she goes to sleep, and for 4 1/2 hours two days a week while she is at preschool.
I must be crazy.
Not every item on that list ever gets checked off.
Needless to say, I had planned on showing this completed guest bedroom and office space to you months ago.
Yea, right.
Whatever voice in my head telling me that was insane.
You have seen some projects from it already, but you haven’t seen the whole enchilada.
Master Bedroom Mini-Makeover
So, remember a few weeks back when I created this whole master bedroom inspiration board?
Remember how we were looking at building on a new master suite?
Exactly one day after that post published, we met with a contractor. We walked him around the house, showed him what we wanted to do, and then he gave us a heartfelt smile and said, “It won’t work. I’ve never seen a house more stuck than yours.”
Seriously?
Yes. I kid you not.
Now, we really don’t need a new master suite. We really don’t need anymore space at all, though it would be nice. And honestly, we could live in less than we have and we are are truly blessed to have what we do have.
And that was a lot of “haves” in the last sentence.
But, I figured if I’m not going to get a new master suite, I’m at least going to give the current one a mini-makeover. And what better time to show you that master bedroom makeover and share with you my master bedroom ideas than on the last round of What’s Your Style.
Accent Wall: Rich Navy Entryway
Hi, my name is Jenna and I’m an over-analyzer.
The last time I over-analyzed something was just yesterday this morning.
I am easy going on many things. Most of the time, I’m just a “It is what it is” kind of girl.
But then, I start thinking about fabric and paint swatches and should I place this brass golf ball here or maybe here or maybe it needs to be on top of a vintage book…
Sheesh…. it never ends.
Case in point: The new rich navy accent wall in my entryway.
Vintage Modern Rustic Kitchen Tour
Are you tired of my kitchen yet?
If I were you, I may be tired of my kitchen.
But, here’s hoping you aren’t tired of my kitchen.
Because, its the second round of the What’s Your Style series, which means we are talking kitchens.
So today, I’m sharing a little bit more about my Vintage Modern Rustic Kitchen.
There are a few changes since the last time you saw it.
Vintage Modern Rustic Living Room
Our current home, the beloved rancher, has been the house that has taught me what my style truly is – not to say it won’t change a little over time.
It always does.
My style is a mix of Vintage, Modern, and Rustic that somehow all work well together and allow me to keep those family heirlooms that tell a story.
Here’s my Vintage Modern Rustic Living Room where we spend most of our time. Quite a few things have changed since the last home tour.
Kitchen Tour {All About the Details}
To get more decorating ideas and posts like this delivered to your inbox click here. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy. **Update: There have been a couple questions about my faucet. It is Pegasus Lyndhurst Series by Glacier Bay. We’ve had it from the beginning of our re-model…
House Tour: Vintage Modern Rustic DIY Renovated Rancher
To get more decorating and DIY tips delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe for free here. Update: See the updated home tour here! Welcome to my Renovated Rancher House Tour! A renovated brick rancher! Two years ago, Grunt Labor and I purchased a 1960s brick rancher. Was it our dream home? Negative. Was it in our…
A Vintage Inspired Nursery Makeover
Baby girl’s nursery has changed, and had a few little improvements since I last posted about it. So, I thought it might be fun to share some new photos with you! I didn’t want a nursery for her that would be full of brightly color characters. I wanted something more authentic, I guess you could say….
Simple Screened-In Porch Makeover
I have teamed up with three other bloggers to bring you the Summer Spruce-Up Series. The series is all about sprucing-up our outdoor areas to get them ready for summer! What all of that means is that I had to get off my butt and get to work. Enter my screened-in porch makeover. My screened-in porch…
Master Bedroom Makeover (Neutral, Yet Beautiful)
This was the room that got put off for a very long time. When we purchased the foreclosure, the last thing on our minds was the bedroom. I am thrilled to announce that our Master Bedroom Makeover is finally complete. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy….
Kitchen Reveal – The Kitchen Renovation is complete!
Don’t miss more posts like this! Sign up to get my posts delivered to your inbox here. It is finally done. We have conquered the kitchen renovation. I’m thrilled to show you our kitchen reveal. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy. **Update: There have been a…
Bathroom Renovation on a Budget
When we moved into the foreclosure, we knew a bathroom remodel was in order for the hall bath. Of course, we didn’t have much money, so it all had to be done on a budget. I’m happy to say we were successful with our bathroom renovation on a budget. Bathroom Renovation on a Budget As most of…