A Simply Gorgeous Kitchen--A Quick BEFORE & AFTER

I have always said that there is nothing like the feeling you get when you HAVE NO COUNTER SPACE next to the stove.... :)

It just makes you want to cook! 

(okay, maybe not...)

My client had been bumping elbows with her fridge for a while, and was ready for things in her 1980's kitchen to change in a big way!

It was exciting to talk about the things that she and her husband wanted in the space--things that would make it function better, look beautiful, and just update it overall--all without changing the footprint of the original kitchen. 

I think that the room as it is now shows that a kitchen renovation does not have to include ripping out walls or reorienting everything to get a fabulous result. Nor does a kitchen have to be HUGE to be gorgeous...

Incorporating a few very simple changes to the layout, the range now stands alone as the focal point of the kitchen, showing off my client's favorite pieces of Portuguese pottery and an abundance of elbow room.

The eating area gained a new lease on life with new lighting, paint, and a mirror to compliment the existing corner cabinets. Not much has changed here, but I think you'll agree that everything has changed in a way...

The bright & crisp space just sings with some of my client's favorite heirlooms (like the Majolica candlesticks above) paired with new accessories that make everything feel fresh. 

There really is nothing like the feeling of making old and new work so well together! Here's to wanting to cook again! :)

A video from my house....

So, my husband and I noticed recently that a certain room in our house was TIRED, and needing some attention...

That room is our master bedroom--a room that is often overlooked and not given the love and care it needs because we are the only ones who see it. 

We have been spending the past few weeks freshening things up and making our room the cozy, restful retreat we need for our busy, hectic lives-- and it is wonderful to see it coming together. 

SO, is your master bedroom a peaceful retreat, or a place you'd rather not spend time in other than when you are asleep?

I totally get it. I filmed this week's video from my master bedroom to go over a few important things to remember--easy steps you can take that can help YOUR room to add more peace and nurturing to your everyday life...

A Video Diary of My Travels This Week!

What a cool few days it has been! This week I have been on the road, traveling to one of my favorite, long-time client's homes--her family has just moved this summer, and WHAT a NEAT-O new house they are living in!

Here I am loading the car and getting ready to leave the other morning...

And here I am with Melissa, after our long but oh-so-fun day of putting her furniture in place:

Just so you have a sense of the space as it was, here is a quick shot of the room before the new paint went in and with the previous occupants' furniture:

and when I first arrived on Tuesday:

Finally, just before I left yesterday, we did a quick video to show all that we did over the previous day and a half at this neat-o converted church, now her home.❤️

And make sure you wait for when the whole room shifts 90 degrees--it's amazing!! 😜

These kinds of projects are such a joy to work on! Hope you enjoy these little slices of the experience--and that they inspire YOU to think of your home differently!!

{VIDEO} We all make mistakes, right?? (part 2)

I know you can picture it...

You are so excited because today is THE DAY! The day that your new furniture is to arrive!

What could possibly go wrong? It looked so beautiful in the store after all, and you felt confident that it would be gorgeous in your home...but after the delivery men leave and the box truck pulls away, something doesn't feel quite right.

This week we talk about another common mistake that costs us comfort and balance in our homes. Watch the video and see if you can recognize this problem in your own house!

{VIDEO} We all make mistakes, right?

Back in the first days that I owned my old farmhouse, I loved nothing more than to go to our local auction for their Wednesday night gatherings, and bring home a car-full of wild and unique vintage pieces. I would proudly show them off with animated gestures to my weary husband as he kindly helped me unload my little station wagon in the dark of night.

And then, still so excited from my successful shopping trip, I would get busy squeezing them here and there, into rooms that already contained far too much furniture from each of our families, and our college years, as well as all those other wonderful Wednesday night follies. :) 

Through my mistakes in those early days, I learned a lot-- both about my personal style as well as what things make a house feel good to those who spend time in it...

I'll give you a clue--cramped quarters isn't one of them. 

Hope you enjoy this week's video, and that you will take on the assignment I give you at the end! Your house will thank you for it. 

(P.S. watch to the end and see who has been sitting with me the whole time, lending moral support as I recorded the video <3)