Category: - WHERE MY MIND WONDERS

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7/23/2020

office

demo and
progress

With all the projects we have lined up for the house there was one I wanted to start rather quickly. My closet! While we have decent storage in the house there is not much room for clothes. So we decided to take the second bedroom on the first level and turn it into a small walk in closet/ office for me :-)

Above and below: Before images

CONCEPT

The main goal of this space was additional closet storage, since IKEA had just opened when we moved into the house we thought it would be the least expensive way to add storage.

LET THE DEMO BEGIN!

We already knew the existing hardwood floors were under the carpet so bye bye maroon carpet! And within the first 24 hours of being in the house, bye bye to this little closet. Which exposed a lot more. Welcome to the wall that will stay exposed for the next 6 years :-)

The walls got a fresh coat of paint and Jeff started the
wonderful task of sanding the floors

We went through a number of wood stains... wanted grey but came to find out because we have red oak as the base the grey would always have a red undertone. So we ended up selecting a brown stain.

CABINETS

We purchased the PAX wardrobe system from IKEA.

Cabinets put together!

To give the cabinets a more built in look we lifted the boxes so the baseboards could wrap around the cabinets.

Here is the wall that stayed exposed for all those years :-)
Once we replaced the main cast iron vent stack the wall could be closed up.

WHAT'S NEXT

Baseboards are in, another round of fresh paint, existing doors were sanded and stained, clearly a few new Iphone cameras later, and we are back to a blank canvas! This room has been under construction since we moved in... which was 2013. So happy to have this room in a good spot!

To complete the built in look Jeff built and painted boxes to make it look like the cabinets went to the ceiling.

Next up, completed cabinets, lighting and furniture!

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7/7/2020

BASEMENT
BATHROOM

Complete...
Almost

Long gone are the laminate tiles and pink flowers!
Welcome to our remodeled basement bathroom!

Below: A reminder of the before

All of our final selections are listed below with
links to where we purchased from!

For this bathroom we wanted something clean and modern, but we also didn't want to ignore that the home was built in the early 1940's. So we went with a modern look and some traditional touches.

The carpet just outside this bathroom is grey, but when placed next to cooler grays it looks beige. To help tie the two rooms together, we chose the above tile from Floor and Decor because we liked the larger pattern and it had the perfect combo of both warm and cool tones.

We didn't want to make things any more difficult then they already were so we decided on this vanity from Home Depot. We like the traditional detailing and the counter top and sink were included, eliminating the need for us to
hire a slab fabricator!

A simple faucet was picked for the sink and we reused our existing toilet. We chose a wood mirror to help bring some warmth in the room and because we had limited height a narrow wall sconce was selected for over the mirror.

Above: We had some additional wall space so Jeff built in some open shelves. Besides the floor tile, this is one of my favorite parts of this room. Helps give a little added character and color to the space!

Below: this is what I mean by almost complete! I mentioned in an earlier blog post that we decided to take over a portion of the laundry room for the new shower. There are a lot of things my husband is comfortable doing but moving gas lines are not one of them! So till we get someone hired to move it,
the new shower shall wait.

1. Wall Sconce: Branches 2 Light from Kichler Lighting.
Purchased through FUSION light and design
2. Wood mirror: We purchased this from Target on clearance for $40 (score!) so I couldn't find an original link :-(
3 . Vanity: Aberdeen Vanity from Home Depot
4. Faucet: Miseno Faucet from Lowe's
5. Floor Stone Tile: Bianco Orion stone floor mosaic was
purchased from Floor and Decor.
6. Denver Skyline Watercolor: If you don't know Kelsey yet, you should! Local to Denver, Kelsey does some beautiful watercolors.
Check out her Etsy page HERE.
7. Denver Art Museum: Ok I had to stick one of my own in there :-)
8. Clock: Was my Grandma's, got in a white elephant gift exchange
9. Low Vase: A gift from some good friends and
the flowers are from Dollar Tree!
10. Apothecary Jars - this set of 3 glass apothecary jars were purchased from Amazon as additional storage and decor for our open shelves.
11. Baskets - the four pack of black and grey baskets were purchased from Amazon to carry the black of the vanity to the open shelving and provide some additional hidden storage.
12. Bath Bombs - For decor and to add a nice scent to the room these inexpensive bath bombs were purchased from Target.
13. Weather Photos (over the toilet): Because we have to sneak in tornadoes whenever we get a chance :-)

So, how did we get here! Lets catch up a bit!

Last we left we were ready to start our final finishes.

Our stone flooring was purchased from Floor and Decor

Because there were a few pieces with too much yellow in them we went through each piece individually to remove any pieces we didn't like. And we did a test run with a portion of the bathroom to make sure we liked it!

Pieces were cut and laid out with Jeff's own little coding system to make sure they went back in the right spot.

Tile is in and we are ready for trim!

Above Right: Unloading the new vanity, don't worry I helped, but of
course had to get a picture first :-)

And we back to the completed bathroom!

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6/30/2020

Our basement bathroom remodel is done! (well for the most part)
Steal our look by checking out the links below to all the items we purchased!!

1. Wall Sconce: Branches 2 Light from Kichler Lighting. Purchased through FUSION light and design
2. Wood mirror: We purchased this from Target on clearance for $40 (score!) so I couldn't find the original purchase :-( BUT any wood frame to contrast and warm up the black and white would work!
3 . Vanity: Aberdeen Vanity from Home Depot - We didn't want to make things more difficult then they needed to be so we selected this vanity because the counter top and sink were included. I also liked that the cabinet and counter top had a little profile to add some traditional elements to the room.
4. Faucet: Miseno Faucet from Lowe's
5. Floor Stone Tile: Bianco Orion stone floor mosaic was purchased from Floor and Decor. The carpet just outside our bathroom was grey, but next to grey it looked more beige or taupe so this tile was a perfect combo of both warm and cool tones.
6. Apothecary Jars - this set of 3 glass apothecary jars were purchased from Amazon as additional storage and decor
for our open shelves.
7. Baskets - the four pack of black and grey baskets were purchased from Amazon to carry the black of the vanity to the open shelving and provide some additional hidden storage.
8. Bath Bombs - For decor and to add a nice scent to the room these inexpensive bath bombs were purchased from Target.

To see the final bathroom remodel click HERE!

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6/17/2020

basement
bathroom

Home Reno
Framing and Rough In

Work continues on the basement bathroom!
After taking the existing framing down, new framing was put back up. O hey there pretty new door to the basement bedroom.

Below:
The concrete was saw cut (so dusty) so we could move the
toilet and shower drain.

And new pipes were put in

Below:
This is looking back at the laundry room. You can see the existing cast iron vent stack, which we replaced. Was without a bathroom for only a few days thanks to the handy work of my husband and his coworker!

Above Left: More concrete was removed and a drain was added in the existing laundry room to make way for a future shower. Above Right: Piping from the main floor bathroom needed additional height to connect to the vent stack so we added a bump out to hide the pipe and also give the entrance to the shower a little more privacy.

Above: Plumbing, lighting rough in and drywall! Hole in the wall if for a medicine cabinet that will go over the vanity.

Jeff's lays the coils for the in floor heating with a Schluter Ditra kit that we purchased from Floor and Decor and just like that
we are ready for final finishes!!

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5/7/2020

backyard
complete!

home reno

Ok there is actually a lot more want to do with the backyard, like where is the hammock? BUT for today our backyard is more then usable, its my favorite space to hang out!!

We started with a neutral base for the majority of our large pieces adding our pops of color with items that can easily be changed out.

We wanted to create a number of different areas to hang out. The above sofa paired with these pink side chairs creates a more casual seating arrangement.

Click HERE for a list of all our purchases!

For privacy and softness we added curtains to the pergola. And believe me when I tell you we tried every color possible for our curtains! White was to bright, grey didn't go well with our brick color, beige blended in with the surrounds, and all the options in yellow were to bright. Ultimately we landed on this pale pink, for I think the perfect balance!

The final location is still being decided, but this bistro table is placed under our pergola for shade and for a more intimate seating space. Our picnic table provides seating for larger gatherings as well as a focal point
or the end of the yard.

1. Outdoor sofa - We wanted a sofa that was clean, simple and made of wood. This sofa from Hayneedle fit our space perfectly.
2. Seat cushions - the cushion color that came with the sofa didn't work with our overall color pallet so we purchased separate cushions from Target.
3. Lanterns - are added for additional soft lighting, IKEA
4. Planters - These IKEA planters are hung with planter hooks from Crate and Barrel, giving us the availability to change out the color of the annuals we plant in them ever year. NOTE: We had to drill holes in the bottom of these for the water to drain. And because of our weather climate you have to remove the soil and store them in the winter or the paint will chip.
5. Side table - There are a lot of outdoor white tables but this one from Target was clean, simple, and had the best price for our budget,
6. Bistro Table - we wanted different types of areas to sit. This table is great for a more intimate seating arrangement. - Hayneedle
7. Outdoor Throw Pillows - now for some color! - Target
8. Lanterns - Pink lanterns were purchased to carry the color through the space. The pink lanterns I purchased unfortunately aren't available anymore but Pier 1 as some great modern options.
9. Side Chairs - My favorite purchase for our backyard are these pink chairs from Anthropologie.
10. Outdoor curtains - outdoor curtains are added to soft the space and create additional privacy from the neighbors. - Target
11. Mosaic Tile - this will be used for a future project to carry some of the orange color through the space. - Amazon.
12. Side Table - Another of my favorite purchases! Mostly because of the color. Unfortunately also not available anymore but Anthropologie has other great options for side tables.
13. Outdoor Throw Pillows - the easiest way to add more color! - Target
14. Vase - Target
15. Outdoor plates - Pier 1

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4/24/2020

Backyard
ambience

Home Reno

Time for some beautification with the finer details to our backyard!

Landscape Lighting
Landscape lighting can not only help you safely walk through your yard, but it is visually pleasing. Who wouldn't want to look at this out their window while you are cooking dinner!? We have chosen to, of course, light paths for safety but we are also highlighting the plants. This extends our living space from inside to outside, creating a warm and comfortable exterior room. A little ambience can go a long way! Lighting purchased from The Home Depot

Plants
With a pick up full of plants it was time to bring a little more color to the yard. The main reason for selecting the plants was for structure and color. When in bloom the majority of the plants are pink or white.

Think if Jeff would have known that the pink would end being the inspiration for all the furniture "we" ended up selecting, he might have chosen differently :-)

All the plants were purchased from Echter's Garden in Arvada and The Tree Farm in Longmont.

You can see why I mentioned above that the colors in our roses are what inspired the outdoor furniture. Great pop of color to our neutral backdrop.

Plant Selections
Maiden Grass
Spirea, Little Princess Pink
Spirea, Goldmound Pink
Rose,Livin' Easy
Dogwood, Ivory Halo

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4/6/2020

backyard progress

Home
Reno

PROGRESS UPDATE #1
I posted about the backyard waaaaay back in 2017 and with the Spring tease in full swing here is a quick backyard recap! This is the area I have been the most excited about updating. We started working on the backyard in 2017 but last two summers we made some great progress!

BEFORE
The backyard was one of the main features that attracted us to the house. Sadly one of the first steps we had to take was to remove a few trees. Fast growing roots headed towards the house wasn't worth the risk!

DEMO
Awnings were only held up by two nails, which made removal easy! The trees were another story. To save some money my husband spent a full weekend tediously sawing the roots so they could be removed and ground quickly by a professional crew.

PREP
Once the trees were removed and scraps of the awning were recycled, prep for sod and mulch began. The ground was leveled and the tree roots were ground and placed through the yard as fertilizer. Again to save, my husband rented a rototiller from a local shop to do the work himself. (think his arms are still tired!)

We sectioned off the areas we wanted sod and laid weed barrier where we wanted plantings. Sod was laid Memorial Day weekend 2017 and besides the spots from the new additional of a dog to the family, sod is doing great!

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11/2/2018

MAKERS
MART

Lets Go Shopping!

This Thursday Nov. 8th, 2018! Come shop all my talented artist friends from the Colorado design industry. Watercolor, photography, sculpture, jewelry, and more!

Tarkett Showroom
1520 Market Street

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11/9/2017

Makers
Mart

Event

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6/5/2017

bACKYARD PROGRESS!

Home Reno

Been a while since we posted a home renovation update and the nicer weather has pushed us outside! Below are some before and progress shots of our backyard work. Next up, shed, trees and trellis!

Above: Current updates!

Above: Before
Sadly we had to remove the trees. While they were beautiful & gave us great shade, they were fast growing & we couldn't take the risk of roots growing into our sewer lines