When we were looking at vanity options for the hall bathroom, I kept going back to the idea of having a floating vanity. I liked the subtle, modern vibe it would add to the bathroom with some of the more traditional items we'd be incorporating as well. I also wanted a vanity that had a thicker top, so when I found this one, I was basically sold. It was the right size, the right color, the right style, and the right price. Today, I wanted to share how we installed our floating vanity. While it should have probably been easier than it was, we finally got it installed and anchored to the wall. It's not going anywhere, that's for sure. Right out of the box, the vanity had ...
Bathroom
One Big Hall Bathroom Update
It's been a few minutes since I've shared anything about the hall bathroom, so today I thought it was time for one, big update. Like every other room in the house, it's functional and almost finished, but not quite done. That's something I hope to change in the next few months. Demo'ing out the space was the last post I shared, and so much has changed! This room certainly hasn't been without some drama though, and it left us wanting to pull our hair out. First, let's take a trip down memory lane. Here's what the room looked like when we bought the house... We removed everything from the bathroom, and then switched up the floor plan. That was huge on our part, and it made the ...
Demo’ing the Hall Bathroom
There's something fun about completely taking a room down to the original studs and starting over. That's certainly the story of demo'ing the hall bathroom. It was interesting to say the least, and because of everything we uncovered during demo, the design/ layout plan for the room changed. With one of the weirdest layouts in the house (actually, every bathroom in this house had the oddest layout), everything about this hall bathroom had us wanting to pull out what was previously installed. We both agreed there was no way we could possibly go to all the work, or demo everything out, to put it back in the same bad layout. Especially when we discovered yet another water leak ...
The Hall Bathroom Design Plan
There are several rooms in the Willow House that are getting completely gutted down to the studs, with walls moved and rearranged for better functionality. The hall bathroom is one of them, so today I'm sharing our design plan. Since we're planning on finishing this bathroom first, and will be using that primarily until we get around to the master bathroom, we're going full steam ahead on getting it put back together in time to move-in. First, let me refresh your memory on what this bathroom originally looked like... Not only was this bathroom disgusting, but incredibly outdated with the most awkward layout. We couldn't wait to start demolishing everything in the ...
How to Make A Ladder
The powder bathroom is definitely coming along. And since we installed all those lovely white planks on the walls, I've been really excited about bringing in wood tones for contrast. I also wanted something that would give me room to display a few things, but still be out of the way since the room is a bit small. A ladder was the perfect solution. It was easy to make too! Here's how... First, I bought the cheap 1" x 2" pine boards from Home Depot. They have a rougher finish, which is what I was looking for. I didn't want the ladder to look brand new. I love the knots and holes in the wood. Then, we cut it down to size. We made it 6 foot tall and 17" wide. The steps are 11" ...
Railroad Spike Wall Hook Rack
Hey there! I'm back today with another powder bathroom update! Because we love wood grain at the WGC, we decided to make a unique wall hook rack for our powder bathroom... with railroad spikes! Woo wee, we love this thing and how it looks in there! Here's how we made it: I raided my parents farm (again) and found a lovely weathered board... It had naturally come to it's unique shape and distressing and I loved all the knots in the wood. I had Anthony cut it down to 3 foot. I also loved the color, but for the powder bathroom I was really craving something rich to pop against our white plank walls. In order for the board to absorb the stain, I had to lightly sand ...
Powder Bathroom Vanity Makeover
Remember when I showed you a sneak peak of our powder bathroom? We're still making great progress, but today I'm sharing how I transformed our vanity! Because our powder bathroom is such a small room, I really wanted it to be light and bright. Don't get me wrong, I liked the way the vanity looked with the dark finish, but lately it made the powder bathroom look like a black hole- the exact opposite of what I wanted. Once we had the vanity removed from the bathroom, I took off the drawer hardware and wiped everything down with a clean rag. Then I started painting. For this, I used the new Chalky Finish paint from DecoArt and used their new color, Everlasting. I took ...
Powder Bathroom Plank Walls & A Sneak Peak
We've made a serious amount of progress in the powder bathroom. I pretty much couldn't live with the house tore up any longer, so Anthony and I spent two nights working in there until 1:00 in the morning. We might have had a bit of a motivation... seeing that his birthday was the 5th and we had family coming over to help us celebrate on Friday night. It helps to have a working bathroom. I can't wait to show you everything- it looks fabulous- but today I'm sharing the plank walls. Anthony is always so hesitant about nailing that many boards and nails into our walls, but I'm always there to cheer him on. I can guarantee they're going to be around for a long while. I am head over heels ...
Just Keepin’ It Real
My house is a mess. And I wish I were kidding about that. Not only are we in the process of re-doing the powder bathroom, but I have peaches coming out of my ears. I spent all evening canning peach jam. Our powder bathroom currently looks like this: The vanity is in the garage getting ready for a makeover.... and everything else is now taking up residence in the dining room. And our attached garage is full of tools and planking and beadboard... all just waiting to be installed.... And then last night I started canning peach jam. My kitchen looked like this: I couldn't have found an extra space on my countertop if I wanted too... Just keepin' ...
Mason Jar Soap Pump
I've had a major crush on mason jar soap pumps since I first saw them. What a brilliant idea. I mean really, what's not to love? Even though you may have already seen 101 of them, I'm going to share my version too. So make that 102. It makes me smile big. Here's how I made it: I started with a regular mason jar... Luckily I have loads of them for canning. Then, I emptied the soap out of my soap bottle, which I picked specifically for the clear soap pump. It doesn't hurt that this soap smells amazing either. Once the bottle was rinsed out, I used a grinder and cut the top of the bottle off. You could easily use a saw. Then, I secured the lid in place ...
Powder Bathroom Inspiration: Take 2
I've been known to switch up a plan from time to time. I'm a wanderer, a drifter of sorts. I think that I'll have the perfect plan for something, totally decide on doing it, implement a few things, then change my mind. I guess that means it wasn't turning out as I had hoped.... Our powder bathroom has been stuck in a rut for a while now... You might remember my first inspiration post that I shared here. I still love everything about those rooms, but I've found a different inspiration in them then I previously shared. Funny how that works, huh? But, the thing is... I have finally created the room in my head. From top to bottom. I can see the accessories, the colors, the wood tones ...
Sunburst Stick Wreath
We have this willow tree. It likes to self shed. A lot. And I like to use the sticks. (See here, here or here for proof!) We have a good relationship this tree & I. It's super strong. As I was driving down our driveway, I noticed that Mr. Willow had been dropping all sorts of sticks. I marched right down there to collect! I had a few projects in mind, but in the end I decided to make a sunburst wreath for our powder bathroom. It's quite the easy project. Here's what you'll need: -Sticks -Cardboard (You know I love cardboard...) -Jute rope -Hot Glue Gun & Glue Sticks -Scissors ____ First, cut a circle out of the cardboard. Mine was about ...
Powder Bathroom Art & Meaningful Items Wrap Up
Happy March 1st! Today marks the end of my "Adding Meaning to Our Home" mini series, and I'm wrapping up everything I've done to make our home extra special! But before I do that, we have one last thing that makes me happy, happy. If you follow on facebook, you might have noticed that I posted a picture a while back of my gallery wall in progress. It's still not done but I can show you a few of my favorite parts- which just happen to mean a whole lot. Right after Anthony and I got married (4 years ago this May- time flies!), my mom came to visit and brought a surprise present for our home. Love her! It was my first painting- and I absolutely love the serene little cottage ...
Powder Bathroom Inspiration
Since the powder bathroom went on our 2013 project goals list, I thought that I had better start gathering a little bit of inspiration to get motivated. Our powder bathroom is right off the entry way, which makes it one of the first rooms that you see when you come inside our home. Especially if you stop to take off your coat and shoes. And, umm, obviously people use it. Quite a lot. Other than a couple of pictures and a fake plant, this room is empty. It needs some love. And a cohesive design. Here's what I'm using for inspiration: Source Source Source Source Not Found- Sorry! Source Source Source After we install a new wall treatment, I can't wait to get started on a ...
House Update: Tile, Carpet & More!
I heart flooring. And doors. And trim. It really makes all the difference in the world. I'm a firm believer that it's all in the details and that they make the biggest impact. It's amazing to see all of our decisions and choices come together. And better yet, to see our completion date get closer and closer. It's long overdo and we are beyond ready! Here's where I left you last: But, now we have our flooring installed! And we completely love it! I talked about painting before, and just happened to forget a dining room shot. Here you go! I love the color. It's completely fabulous and I can't wait to see how it looks with our furnishings and accessories. Love. Anyways, back to the wood ...
House Update: Insulation & Rock!
Who would have ever thought that we would be THIS excited to see insulation? After a week and a few days of waiting for mr. electrical inspector, we are finally making some more progress! And it feels AMAZING! The house completely changed today... it got much smaller... in a good way! The walls are covered with insulation and the rooms are definitely distinct! Take a look for yourself: The view from the front door! Living room and breakfast nook. And there's a wall! Dining Room! Dining Room/ Entry Kitchen! Another kitchen view! Laundry Room! Laundry Room Pedestals! Office! Hall Bath Guest Room! Master Bedroom! Master Bathroom & Closet. (The tub has been moved for insulation to be ...
Style Board Series: Master Bathroom
Hey there! I'm back with another Style Board Series Post! Today's focus is on the master bathroom. I can't even describe how crazily excited I am over this room. Like many aspects of our new home, I've never actually had a spacious master bath that has a shower and a tub. Which are separate. Know what I mean? They've always been combined, but not this time! We have a totally separate bathtub from the shower... It's almost too surreal! First, let me say that the master bathroom has been the hardest room to make decisions on. I have no idea what I ultimately want the final outcome to be. That's kinda the problem. There are so many different "looks" that interest me, making it hard to pick ...
The Making of Something Beautiful!
It's amazing to see something change so quickly. For some, change can be hard, but when it's as exciting as this, it's hard to not be ecstatic as the building progresses. In fact, I'd like it to change quicker. :) In just a few short weeks (ha, it's definitely felt longer) we have went from this: To this: I. Know. Right? Pretty sweet, eh? We've been knee deep in making all sort of decisions. Like stucco, rock, roof and soffit color. Hopefully, when everything is finished the front will look like this: (Colors Only) (Via Realtor.com) We're lovin' the black rock with the cream stucco. So pretty! But for now, we're still here and waiting on the roof: Because we all like them, here's a ...
