Courtly Check Fantasy Brunch with MacKenzie-Childs

I’m calling this a Checkered Fantasy Brunch because it truly is a fantasy of mine. Not only am I completely enamored with a checkered pattern on anything and everything, but I also feel a personal connection to the Mac-Kenzie Childs brand.

When I was 22 and a recent college graduate, I moved from the West Coast to Manhattan. I had a decent job and a tiny apartment, but for all intents and purposes, was young and broke. I have great memories of the MacKenzie-Childs store in NYC. My best friend and I would wander through the perfectly styled shop as an escape from the harsh realities of living in the city. Everything in the store was whimsical, hand-painted, and made you feel like you had just gone down an Alice In Wonderland rabbit hole. It was my first time experiencing a brand that created an alternate reality in its stores. I loved it.

Now, many years later, MacKenzie-Childs sent me a delightful collection of their classic Courtly Check serveware. I was inspired to create a beautiful brunch to show off this collection.

As always, I started with fresh flowers. Using the Courtly Check Enamel Pedestal Vase, I taped off a grid on the top of the vase using floral tape, filled it with water, and then added an assortment of grocery store flowers plus a few branches cut from shrubs in the yard.

Served buffet style on the kitchen island, was an assortment of serve-yourself goodies. A tiered tray always makes a buffet seem more luxurious and eye-catching. I made my own tiered tray using a Courtly Check Abundant Bowl as the base. Next, I added a glass pedestal cake plate. On top of that is the Small Courtly Check Enamel Pedestal Platter. Layered next is a Courtly Check Enamel Ice Cream Bowl, and inside of that I placed a 10 oz Enamel Tumbler to hold ornamental kale and flowers. One of my favorite pieces that adds an organic touch to the spread is the Check Chop Board. I used it for serving cheese and nuts, but it will also be displayed daily in my kitchen.

My vision for this black and white checkered bonanza was to add an accent color that warmed up the color palette. The amber glassware and matching napkins tied everything together with the surroundings of my home.

The spread on the dining table includes a quiche baked in the Courtly Check Enamel Pie Plate. I used this recipe with spinach, hearts of palm, cheddar cheese, and sliced shallots as my fillings. We had a salad of field greens in the Courtly Check Abundant Bowl and offered baguette, brie, and strawberry jam with ancho chilies on the Courtly Check Serving Platter. The ruffled edge on the platter adds a nice variation to all the checkered pieces.

On to beverages. No brunch is complete without an offering of coffee and tea. We used the Courtly Check Teacups for coffee, the adorable Courtly Check Enamel Little Sugar Bowl (it might be one of my favorite pieces!), and the Courtly Check Enamel Little Creamer. I used a set of Courtly Check Enamel Appetizer Plates as saucers for all the above pieces.

No mention of MacKenzie-Childs would be complete without featuring the iconic Courtly Check Enamel Tea Kettle. Sitting on the stove, it is the perfect decor piece, but it’s also so handy when you need a cup of tea. I have the 2-quart version. This beautiful handmade Courtly Check Mug brings a slightly different spin on the checkered pattern which I love.

Fall 2022 One Room Challenge Primary Bathroom Reveal

A lot can happen in 8 weeks. When we moved into this home, we knew that our ensuite bathroom would eventually change. We had two years to think about what we wanted to do. The goal was to ground the space by getting rid of the glass shower enclosure and infinity vanity mirrors. 

We kept the same layout because after two years we knew it worked. We talked about using the smaller vanity nook for a freestanding tub, but in the end, realized that having two vanities is a luxury and probably best for resale.

Let’s take a look at where we started.

And here is the after.

In every renovation for my own home, I try to do one practical thing that saves money, then splurge on something that makes a big impact. Here, I decided to save the existing vanities. They are in good shape and function well (even though I don’t really love them). I installed knobs and pulls for a little added interest. The splurge was replacing the existing quartz vanity tops with marble. I bought a unique Calacatta Viola marble slab and had new vanity tops fabricated.

The other splurge was to rework the plumbing to accommodate wall-mounted sink faucets. They look great together! The faucets are Speakman Lura Cross Handle in brushed bronze. I love the warmth these fixtures bring to the space. They are substantial, beautiful quality pieces that will last forever.

We used matching Speakman fixtures in the shower. Again, they make the shower feel so luxurious. That huge rain showerhead is a dream. The hand shower is something we added not just for us, but it doubles as a dog shampoo station. No more Maltipoo in the kitchen sink, life-changing!

The shower glass is not installed yet, so I’ll have to update once we have shower doors.

Because we ripped out that big tub, we knew we’d have to replace the floor. I wanted natural stone rather than porcelain, and ultimately decided on Athens Silver Cream marble laid in a herringbone pattern. It has just enough variation to keep things interesting.

I went with a tone-on-tone palette of whites, grays, and creams, so adding textiles for texture was so important for the space. The linen curtains and vintage rug bring an old-world vibe to the space. Since both of these are not permanent, we can change them at any time if we decide to make this bathroom feel more contemporary.

One more fun detail, we wrapped the beam that runs all the way across the room in walnut-stained wood. I love how it makes the room feel so much more thought-out and finished. That's a wrap, except for those few details that we’re still waiting for (missing curtains on the left window!).

December 2022 update

Shower glass is in and curtains arrived. So glad to call it done!

Sources

wall paint- SW Shoji White

trim and door paint- SW Alabaster 

vanity mirrors

sconces

faucets

shower valve trim

shower head

shower bar

hand shower

knobs

pulls

wall tile

rug- one-of-a-kind vintage

stool (I cut the legs down and stained it)

art- vintage original

turkish towel

curtains

Take a look at the rest of the One Room Challenge projects here. There is always a ton of inspiration to be found in these rooms.

Fall One Room Challenge 2022 Primary Bathroom Week 6

I ghosted on last week’s update because there is a lot going on, and to be honest I was really second-guessing my tile choices. Ugh. But I got over it. I revisited why I made the decisions I did, including all of the constraints I was working with.

All the tile is in as of this week, but we have some problems that need to be fixed. The tub faucet valve is not centered on the wall and needs to be moved over almost two inches.  I’m also having them rework the tile on the top of the shower wall for aesthetic reasons. Here is a mini sneak peek! I don’t feel like showing it all at his point.

What’s left to do?

• wrap the ceiling beam with wood

• patch and paint drywall

• install new vanity tops 

• install all plumbing fixtures

• grout floor and shower

• install shower glass doors

Here’s the hard part. We’re so close, but since I’m not doing the work myself, I can’t control how much gets done in one day. It’s moving sloooow this week. 

The big question is will this bathroom be ready to reveal in two weeks? It’s going to be close.

Fall 2022 One Room Challenge Primary Bathroom Renovation Week 4

I’m happy to report there is a lot going on now. Progress every day. We got through demo of the old bathroom and the construction of the new shower wall. This week has been focused on getting the new plumbing in. Progress shots below.

It’s thrilling to see the vision start to come to life and reassuring to see that the concept works!

I haven’t shared much about the materials I’ve chosen and I’m glad I didn’t because this week I CHANGED MY MIND on all of the tile I’d selected (and paid for, and already received). The materials I chose weren’t sitting well with me. I can’t put my finger on why, but I was waking up in the middle of the night thinking about it. I’ve learned to trust my gut on these things so I started fresh and now I’m so much happier with the direction I’m going in.

You might notice that I am going with a very similar color scheme to my kitchen. It works and I love it, so I wanted to keep the flow going through the house.

Below is the actual slab for the vanity tops- Antique Calacatta Viola. Next week I’ll work with the fabricator to template it and get it installed SOON!

Fall 2022 One Room Challenge Week 3

We are entering week three AND demo is scheduled to start this week. It’s about to get exciting. I’ve been coy about sharing my mood boards, but more info about the materials I’ve selected is coming. Below is the plan for rebuilding the shower with a solid tiled wall.

Goals for this project are:

• more privacy in the shower

• add shower storage niche for shampoo, etc.

• reduce the amount of glass and reflective surfaces for a more grounded feel

• add hand shower for washing the dog

• and many more that I’ll touch on later!

Next week you’ll get to see the bare bones of my demolished bathroom.

Painted Office Reveal

Want to completely transform a room in one weekend? That was my goal for my husband’s home office and I did it using Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines® paint, crafted by KILZ®. This room has been completely neglected during the two years that we’ve lived here and it didn’t harmonize with the rest of the house at all. The goal was a sophisticated, cozy space with a somewhat masculine vibe. I didn’t want to spend much money on this project and knew that paint in a deep dramatic color would really pull the space together. I chose the shade Duke Gray.

Painting the walls, ceiling and trim was straightforward and fast. The paint is extremely high quality and covered in one coat. I used matte finish paint on the walls and satin finish on the trim and bookcases. By using Duke Gray on four walls, the trim and ceiling, the room looks so much bigger than it did before. The darker paint shade makes the walls and ceiling recede while creating a homey, comfortable atmosphere.

Painting the bookcases was the part I was nervous about. I did a little research and found that if you lightly sand the surface and use a good primer, the paint will go on beautifully. I used a sponge brush and KILZ® 2 All Purpose Primer for this part. Once the primer was dry, I used a small foam paint roller for the shelves and doors. The whole process was quick and easy. 

Once the painting was done, I added molding between the shelving units and brass knobs to the doors of the bookcase. All of a sudden It looked like we had a custom piece instead of inexpensive shelving units.

Here are some before and after shots. I think it’s incredible that with simple paint and a little styling, this room is now a place that draws you in. I always avoided it before!

The entire Magnolia Home by Joanna Gaines® paint collection is gorgeous. I’m really drawn to the refined color palette and hope to use this paint again in my upcoming bathroom remodel. See the whole collection here.

Fall 2022 One Room Challenge Week One -BEFORE

It’s One Room Challenge time again! You might remember that I renovated our kitchen for the spring challenge. That project was a handful, but the end results were so impactful on our lives. I think we underestimate how much a well-designed space, a new color scheme, and better organization can make us happier living in our homes.

The kitchen spurred us on to create a primary bathroom that is more to our liking. After moving into this house almost two years ago, we knew right away that we wanted to change things, mainly the shower and tub area.

The tub takes up too much room, especially since we never use it. I’d consider removing the tub altogether if this was my forever home.  Since we do have to consider resale, we’ll be putting in a smaller freestanding tub. 

The shower is all glass on three sides. We call it the “display case” because it makes us feel like animals in a zoo when we’re using the shower. I guess I’m just not an exhibitionist! This is very much a personal preference, many people like the openness and the flow of light with a glass shower surround. After two years of using it as is, we still think we’d much prefer to close the shower in with a solid wall. Storage for shower products is also an issue. The only place to put them is right on the bench, on display. No matter what we do, it looks messy. A solid, tiled shower wall will solve that problem. We’ll add a large niche or two to house the products.

Next week I’ll be sharing mood boards and all the fun cosmetic upgrades I have in mind.

One Room Challenge Spring 2022 Kitchen and Utility Room REVEAL

We did it! Both rooms are finished and I am absolutely thrilled with the results. Months of careful planning paid off. We had very few hiccups once all of our materials finally made it to us.

The Kitchen

Lets’s take a look back at what we started with.

The goals of this project were to:

• create a focal point

• add symmetry

• upgrade large appliances

• hide small appliances

• improve storage

• lighten and brighten the space

• add some curves to this very rectilinear house

I believe we achieved those goals, plus the open plan of our home is much more cohesive. AND, this kitchen just makes me so happy now!

We made a lot of changes, but first, let’s talk about what we didn’t change. The tile floor stayed. It was the one thing that kept me up at night— I would have loved to change the flooring but at this point, it just wasn’t possible. We also kept the island fully intact and only changed the sink, faucets, and garbage disposal push button.

What we did change:

All perimeter cabinetry-I chose an inset style and went all the way to the ceiling. The cabinet paint color is Sherwin Williams Anew Gray. While I’m absolutely thrilled with the end result, I’ve chosen not to discuss the company that the cabinets came from at this time. We had a lot of damage upon arrival and some issues still need to be rectified.

Island lights These were an impulse buy and they’re perfect. The house in general needs some curves, so these bell-shaped pendants fit the bill.

Built-in paneled refrigerator. This was the budget buster! We decided to go for it and do a fully integrated refrigerator with custom panels. The hidden refrigerator makes such a huge difference in the feel of the kitchen. My husband joked that we can never ever have a freestanding refrigerator again.

Backsplash I feel so lucky to have found this piece of honed Calacatta Viola marble. It’s just so beautiful and has more color variation than the other pieces I’d looked at.

Hood I went with a classic style painted wood hood. As mentioned before, this house is all rectangles and sharp angles, so I knew I didn’t want a boxy range hood. The paint color is Benjamin Moore White Dove.

Sconces The Gem Belvedere Sconces we added to the range wall beautifully elevate the space. They were gifted by Hammerton Studio; I didn’t use any other sponsored products in this kitchen, so I’m so thankful for this partnership. I chose the matte black finish with bronze glass. I love a handmade element in every room I design, and these sconces are just perfect. Each glass shade is handmade in the USA. They have integrated LEDs in the base so that there is no visible lightbulb seen through the glass. It’s such a great feature!

Range We went from a 36-inch cooktop to a 48-inch dual fuel range. The larger cooking surface has been wonderful, and this range is so much more stylish than a wall oven.

Walnut ledge. My husband sourced this beautiful piece of walnut and created the ledge over the range using a Hovr bracket. We left the wood its natural color and sealed it with matte Polycrylic.

Skylight. The ability to add a skylight over the sink was our saving grace. You can have the most beautiful materials, but it all gets lost without natural light to see them.

What’s Left

While I’m calling this project done, a few touch-ups are needed. We also have additional work to do on the hood ventilation system ( you can see it’s not fully installed where it meets the ceiling). I will continue to work with the cabinet company to get some replacement pieces.

All sources are at the end of the post.

Utility Room

This part of the renovation is almost as exciting as the kitchen. If you remember, we decided to move our kitchen cabinets into the utility room. The room started out with no built-in storage.

I promised I was going to have fun with this room! It’s tiny, just six feet by ten feet. It was the perfect opportunity to use some bold wallpaper. I honestly can’t believe it’s the same space.

I don’t know how these custom (odd sized) cabinets fit perfectly in this room, especially around our existing 19 inch wide beverage cooler, but they did. What a gift. The storage we have in here now is life-changing.

I want to thank Belarte Studio for gifting their wonderful wallpaper for this space. I chose Vintage Palm Tree in Burgundy. Their wallpaper is super high quality and custom printed for the room, so there is no waste. It’s one of the easiest installs I’ve ever done, even with that wonky angle on the back wall.

These large palm trees in a small room under our staircase give a magical feel that’s completely unexpected. It gives me an Art Deco/Alice in Wonderland vibe mixed with an ode to my Southern California in the 80’s heritage- hello palm trees and checkered patterns. I just love walking in to this space. I literally hated it eight weeks ago!

We can no longer call this a laundry room; it’s definitely a multi-hyphenate room now. Please note the celebration station with prosecco waiting for us. Lots to celebrate!

Sources

Kitchen

sconces

barstools

pendant lights

hood

hovr bracket

cabinet latches

cup pulls

cabinet pulls

appliance pulls

knobs

sink faucet in polished brass

filtered water faucet

refrigerator

range

sink

garbage disposal push button

gold sink flange

rug vintage one of a kind from Etsy

salt and pepper similar

marble tiger similar

Utility Room

light

can light conversion kit

bench

wallpaper

rug

pulls

tile

Click here to see all of the other One Room Challenge reveals!

One Room Challenge Spring 2022 Week 6

We have appliances! I didn’t do an update last week. Everything stopped progressing because we were just waiting for countertops and everything else really hinged on the countertops going in. 

Below is a before and after with the new paneled refrigerator installed. It already feels so much lighter and cleaner. As I mentioned on Instagram, the real hero is the skylight and how it lights up the whole sink area. Best decision we ever made.

The countertops were installed on Friday, and we spent the weekend DIYing. 

As of this morning, the utility room is done! I’m waiting for a rug to come in, but otherwise, we’re just enjoying the new space. Sorry, no pics until the reveal.

We’ve made less progress on the kitchen. The range is in. The original countertops have been cut down and reinstalled.

We spent the weekend without a kitchen sink. but that’s been rectified. We also added some blingy new gold faucets that I’m SO happy with. Motion sensor faucets are not my thing so I’m thrilled to go back to an old school faucet that only goes on when I want it to!

Next up, the cabinets that rest on the countertop go in. The electrician needs to come back and finish the outlets in the cabinets. Then we can focus on the backsplash- I’m really excited about this part! 

Click here to take a look at all of the other projects going on for the One Room Challenge. So much good stuff going on!

One Room Challenge Spring 2022 Week 4

Lots of progress made this week. Almost all of the work we contracted out got started. Electrical outlets were moved, lighting roughed in, switches added, and gas line moved. Yes, it’s all the boring stuff that goes on behind the walls.  Everyone showed up as planned which is such a gift these days, especially since I hired out the work in January and then had to reschedule everyone for late April because of our cabinet delays.

The drywall was repaired just in time for cabinet installation to start on Monday.  Since the original builder tiled around the kitchen cabinets instead of all the way underneath (eyeroll) we had to fill in with badly matched tile under the where the freestanding range will be. None of it will actually show, but we want to be able to clean under there instead of having it become a dust pit.

Cabinet installation is in full swing. Here’s a peek:

I’m loving the mushroom-colored cabinets. When considering cabinet paint colors, I felt pretty constrained by the color of the existing floors. I don’t like the floors (at all) but we had to keep them for a number of reasons, mostly budget and the fact that they run throughout our whole first floor. Replacing the floors before we moved in is something we should have done, but it’s too late now. Hindsight is always 20/20!

Next up:

Countertops will be templated and reinstalled. Since our cabinet configuration includes wall cabinets that come down to the counters, some of the cabinets can’t be installed until the countertops are back in place. It draws out the process but it’s worth it.

Here is the link to all of the other One Room Challenge participants. Time to go check out the halfway point progress!

One Room Challenge Spring 2022 Week 3

Things are finally starting to get moving on this kitchen renovation. Today our quartz countertops were removed. We’re having them cut down to fit the new cabinet configuration and reinstalled. Tomorrow, all of the perimeter cabinets will be removed. I’ve tagged all of the kitchen cabinets that will be saved and reinstalled in the utility room. Let’s GOOOOO.

Speaking of the utility room, I haven’t introduced you to this space yet. It couldn’t be more simple, basically, it’s a 10’ x 6’ windowless box positioned under a stairway. The plan is to add cabinetry along the whole wall to add storage. We’ll build in the beverage cooler so that some of the space can function more like a butler’s pantry.

Utility room before

Because the room is small, dark, and not connected to the open-plan, I have the freedom to add more color and pattern, which will be the perfect juxtaposition with the kitchen which is more subdued. The main feature will be wallpaper and I can’t wait to get started! Yes, the image at the top of the post is a janky mock-up of the utility room!!

Next week kitchen cabinets go in. We’ve hired professional installers for this part, so I’m not too worried about them getting done on time.

Now go check all of the week 3 progress on the other One Room Challenge projects going on. Linked here.

One Room Challenge Spring 2022 Week 2

Week Two

It’s week two of the One Room Challenge. Demo of the existing perimeter cabinets doesn’t happen until next week, so I don’t have much to report. Let’s talk about a few things we have completed.

One of the big problems I am trying to solve is that our kitchen is very dark. It has adjoining windows in the breakfast area that face north, so what little light the area does get is cool and blue-toned. When I brought in cabinet color samples, there were areas of the kitchen where I couldn’t even read the difference between dark green, dark blue, off black.

After living in this home for nine months, I finally realized that even though this is a two-story house, the second floor only extends partway over the kitchen. Once this lightbulb went on in my brain, I immediately called a skylight company and had them come to verify that we could, in fact, install a skylight to light the space. The answer was YES.

As with everything these days, we had to wait three months to get our installation appointment. It was completely worth the wait! We went with a smallish skylight, 24”x 48 inches. It brings in just enough warm sunlight throughout the day and I’m thrilled with the results. The before and after photos below are unedited and you can really see the difference. Mornings are glorious with the sunlight coming in.

before skylight

after skylight

after skylight

One casualty of the skylight install was that the installer dropped a tool from up high on his ladder and it broke one of these original green glass island pendant lights. I was not upset at all, because it was an excuse to go ahead in update the lights. I gave a sneak peek of what I chose in my Instagram stories last week (watch the ORC kitchen highlight).

You can see the two-tone paint on the ceiling after the skylight was installed. The original kitchen was painted Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray so once the skylight went in, I repainted the entire kitchen Sherwin Williams Alabaster. I always look at the LRV (light reflectance value) which measures the amount of visible light that is reflected off a paint color.  On a scale of 0-100, Agreeable Gray has an LRV of 60 and Alabaster has an LRV of 82. Going lighter with the paint color definitely helps to bounce more light around this kitchen.

So speaking of colors, is it time to reveal the new scheme for the space? See below!

Other notes (aka things that are making me nervous):

The range is not here yet.

The cabinet knobs I ordered had a projected arrival of mid-April and now they’re telling me July. So I need to completely revisit the cabinet hardware plan.

Next Week

Week three is when things get exciting. Kitchen cabinets will be removed. Electrical work happens. Laundry room cabinets will be installed. Meet me back here for all the details.

Now go check out all of the other One Room Challenge participants here.

One Room Challenge Spring 2022 Kitchen Remodel- Week One

Today begins the One Room Challenge Spring 2022. I’m both nervous and excited! I’ve been planning this kitchen remodel for about 10 months now. We were originally supposed to begin in February, but our custom cabinets were delayed, and we had to push everything back to late April. Since I’m doing this project with the same timeline as the ORC, I figured I’d jump in and join the fun. I’m not a dedicated blogger, but the One Room Challenge is something I always look forward to twice a year. Read more about the event here.

For some background, we moved into this house a year and a half ago. At the time, the house was only three years old and while I didn’t love the kitchen, I said I’d only do a minor facelift rather than tearing all of the builder-grade stuff out. After several months of living here, we changed our minds and I started designing a new cabinet configuration. We’re not moving any walls, just replacing perimeter cabinetry, appliances, lighting, and the backsplash.

Without further ado, here are some before shots.

We always planned on adding cabinets in our laundry room, which is currently an empty room with a washer and dryer in it. It just makes sense to remove the kitchen cabinets we don’t love and move them to the laundry room. We’ll install upgraded and updated cabinetry in the kitchen. 

My goal for this project is not only to take this kitchen from builder basic to high-end, but also to add much-needed personality and warmth. We have an open-plan home where the kitchen is always visible, so this space should be at least as interesting as the rest of the house.

Here’s a quick overview of the plan. We will:

• upgrade all appliances, replace wall oven and cooktop with a larger range

• hide countertop appliances

• lighten/warm up the space

• replace all perimeter cabinetry and balance the configuration to provide more symmetry

• create a focal point

I’m not revealing any of the material selections yet, but I will reveal what I’m NOT using this time around:

• white cabinets

• a boxy rectangular hood

• subway tile

• open shelving

Any guesses on what direction I’ll go in? Follow along to see what happens. Can we do this in eight weeks? I’m GC’ing this project myself, so I’m relying on everyone to show up when they’ve promised to. Plus, there are a few things that we’ll be DIY’ing. Lots more on my Instagram stories!

There are so many great projects going on during the tenth anniversary of the One Room Challenge, here’s the link to view everyone else who is participating.

House Tour Before and After Plus Source List

This post was eight years in the making and I’m so excited to share it! If you follow me on Instagram, you know that we sold our house and moved this fall. I recently came across the MLS photos I saved from when we bought the house in 2012, so I decided to put together a before and after tour of the entire home. I get a lot of questions about paint colors and other sources so I added a comprehensive list of links for each room. Scroll down to see 2012 vs. 2020. All “after” photos by Austin photographer Brian Cole.

entryway before

entryway after

Entryway Sources:

Marble top chest similar here

Vintage Turkish rug shop similar here

Stairway stain

Closet door knob

Hallway wallpaper

Lucite obelisk

Vintage burl obelisk similar here

Coffee table books- Heirloom Modern and Haute Bohemians

Marble foo dog bookends

Front door paint color- Farrow and Ball Inchyra Blue

Wall paint color- Benjamin Moore Linen White

Round Mirror

living room before

Living room after

Living Room Sources

Fireplace and bookcase paint color: Behr Sailcloth
Wall paint color: Benjamin Moore Albescent 
Bookcase accent paint color Farrow and Ball Green Smoke
Trim color: White Dove

White sofa

Custom legs for sofa

Loveseat

Cheetah rug

Vintage coffee table

Ceiling light

sitting room before

sitting room after

Sitting Room Sources

Sofa

Coffee table

Swivel chair similar here

Rug

Tree pot

Gold planter

Crane throw pillow

Round velvet pillow

Black and white throw pillow

Ceiling light

Wall paint color: Benjamin Moore Albescent
Trim color: Benjamin Moore White Dove

kitchen before

kitchen after

Kitchen Sources:

Cabinets
Cabinet pulls
Cabinet knobs
Backsplash tile
Backsplash tile grout Mapei Cobblestone
Countertops Caesarstone Blizzard
Wood-look floor tile discontinued
Roman shades custom
Banquette cushion custom
Chairs
Table
Chandelier
Light over sink
Sink
Faucet

Wall paint color: Behr Night Blooming Jasmine

powder room before

powder room after

Powder Room Sources

Floating vanity
Faucet
Mirror (spray painted black)
Towel holder
Towel
Wallpaper
Floor tile
Brass vase vintage
Paint color: Benjamin Moore Caribbean Teal

primary bedroom before

primary bedroom after

Master Bedroom Sources:

Bedspread

Platform bed discontinued similar here

Drapes

Bamboo shades

Nightstand sold out but similar here

Rug

Lamp discontinued

Ceiling light custom similar here, here, here

Throw

Chair

Dresser discontinued similar here

Fur pillow

Wallpaper

Wall paint color Benjamin Moore Albescent

Trim paint color Benjamin Moore White Dove

primary bathroom before

primary bathroom after

Primary Bathroom Sources:

Bathtub
Bathtub faucet
Floor tile
Subway tile
Grout Poly blend Platinum
Turkish towel similar
Stool similar here
Wall mirrors
Vanity mirrors
Ceiling light
Vanity sconces
Sink faucets
Cabinet pulls
Vintage Turkish rug one of a kind, similar here
Vintage rice basket similar here

Wall paint color Behr Frost
Ceiling paint color Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron

media room before

media room after

Media Room Sources:

Rug

Sofa

Green velvet chair

Marble coffee table similar here

Wall sconce

Curtains

Ceiling light similar here

Wall paint color: Benjamin Moore White Dove
Accent Wall: Farrow and Ball Off Black

Upstairs bathroom before

upstairs bathroom after

Upstairs Bathroom Sources

Vanity
Floor Tile
Wall tile
Mirrors
Pendant lights
Wall Shelf
Towel hooks
Towel ring
Shower door
Shower and tub fixtures
Wallpaper sold out on Anthropologie but available here
Marbleized planter
Closet door handles
Vintage lucite vanity tray

Fiona’s bedroom before

Fiona’s bedroom after

Fiona’s Bedroom Sources

Bed
Sconces
Beaded curtain over bed
Black and white Euro pillows
Tiger pillow handmade
Yellow ceramic balloon by Sivan Sternbach
Green velvet curtains
Curtain rods
Throw blanket
Bamboo shades
Ceiling light
Nightstands similar here
Dresser custom similar here
Bench custom similar here
Paint color Benjamin Moore White Dove

Office before

office after

Office Sources

Velvet sofa

Ceiling light

Drawer pulls

Floating shelves

Curtains sold out

Zebra area rug

Ikea Billy Bookcase

Ikea Malm built-in desk made from these and these

Coffee table antique, similar here

Desk chairs

Sun Tunnel skylight

Paint color Behr Night Blooming Jasmine

Guest room before

Guest room after

Guest Room Sources

Velvet comforter
Bamboo shades

Vintage dresser painted Benjamin Moore Salamander

Honeycomb vase

Brass lamps vintage

Chandelier vintage

Girl's Bathroom Reveal One Room Challenge Spring 2019

Done! I’m so excited to reveal this bathroom; it checks all the boxes and brightens my spirits every time I walk in. I don’t have a lot of surprises since I pretty much stuck to the plan I put out in week one.

The vanity was the biggest decision and this one won out because of the carrara marble top and porcelain sinks. It comes with the option to include the faucets (which I did) to keep things simple, and I love the look. The drawer hardware was included as well, so one less decision to make.

I chose marble flooring that adds a luxe feeling to the floor. It was not hard to say goodbye to the 12x12 brown porcelain! I went with inexpensive porcelain herringbone mosaic for the wall, and opted to wrap it around the whole room at wainscotting height. This gave us a backsplash for the sink, and achieved a cleaner look than drywall and wood baseboards.

I used pendant lighting rather than wall sconces for a modern look. The three globe pendants provide a bright sunny light that this room needs, but due to a miscommunication with my contractor, they were installed slightly shorter than I would have liked. I’m looking in to whether or not we can lower them a few inches more.

Proof that the little things can make a big impact. New shaker style closet doors and door trim painted glossy Benjamin Moore White Dove reflect the updated look of our kitchen pantry. The brass cobra door handles are just for fun.

I can’t forget about the new glass tub door which has freed us from ever buying a shower curtain or liner again. It opens up the space and, since it’s a kid’s bathroom, I never have to worry about the curtain being used correctly (ahem). Hoping we’ve seen the last mini bathroom flood!

Now for some of the decorative details. Thank you to Pepe and Carols for sponsoring me with their gorgeous solid brass towel rods and matching modern shelf. The two together are the perfect mix of form and function. I originally ordered five towel hooks, but my husband insisted on hanging three, because why in the world would we ever need five??? With our first wave of guests this weekend we confirmed that we do indeed need five hooks, so two more are going up pronto.

I went with a new rug for the bathroom (rather than my beloved vintage) because its a really soft viscose and feels delightful on bare feet. To be honest, I like the room better without the rug. I’ll let the main user of the bathroom decide if she wants to keep the rug or not. We may transition to a regular old bathmat.

Lastly I should mention the wallpaper. I posted my top contenders in week 3. In the end, I decided this bathroom was not the place for anything dark or even mid toned. We wanted an airy feel and not too much contrast with the tile. Plus, this wallpaper was the most budget friendly (source linked below).

Let’s wrap up with a before and after and a deep sigh of relief. Sources are linked below.

Sources

Vanity
Floor Tile
Wall tile
Mirrors
Pendant lights
Wall Shelf
Towel hooks
Shower door
Shower and tub fixtures
Wallpaper
Marbleized planter
Closet door handles

Thank you to the One Room Challenge and media partner Better Homes and Gardens for hosting this event! I loved having the motivation and distinct deadline to pull this thing together. Now go check out all of the other challenge reveals on the ORC blog.

One Room Challenge Spring 2019 Week 5

Week five! We are close to the big reveal, so I’ll try not to give away too much. Last week the tile was just getting started. The wall and floor tile both now done and I love the look.

The blue vanity has been installed. It’s a really beautiful piece, especially the marble top. We are happy with the install now, but boy there was a rough 24 hours trying to get it level. As we know, the floor had been leveled earlier in the project, but there is only so much that can be done in such a small room. We still have a small gradual slope from the tub to the door; a floating vanity or one with adjustable legs and a toe kick would have made things so much easier. In the end our contractor had to trim the legs to allow it to rest on the floor without wobbling.

The new shower niches and window casings are lined with marble. Love the luxe detail.

What’s left to do? Lots! The linen closet shown will be demolished and replaced with a better organization system. Note that original paint color compared to bright white. I’m loving the change.

Other to dos:

• wallpaper

• hang towel and TP holder

• install towel rods

• install decorative shelf

• lower the pendant lights

See you back here in a week for final photos of this bathroom remodel!

Check out all the other projects going on over on the One Room Challenge blog

ONE ROOM CHALLENGE SPRING 2019 WEEK 4

We’ve made it to week 4! This update is going to be short and sweet because progress has been made but let’s face it, this is not the most interesting phase of the project.

The marble floor tile is in and I’m really happy with the choice. It feels luxurious and reflects a lot of light which already changes the feeling of the place.

Next, and this is a big one for me, THE WALLS! All of the texture and old wallpaper was removed.

We now have perfectly smooth walls prepped for wallpaper. I love, love, love this change. Even without the wallpaper, things are looking much less ragged.

The electrical work has been completed as well. We added a recessed light over the tub which should make a huge difference for nighttime showering. As for vanity lighting, we are using pendant lights hung from the ceiling; something I’m slightly nervous about, but more on that later.

The red sealer on the shower cement board is jarring, but maybe it got your attention. Sealed cement board means wall tile is ready to go up. We’re entering the home stretch!

Come back next week for a bathroom that will look more like a bathroom, and might even have a toilet in it.

Check out the One Room Challenge Blog to see what the other participants are up to.

One Room Challenge Spring 2019 Week 3

Here we are at week three of our girl’s bathroom renovation and I’m happy to say things are moving right along.

Build Out

After demo, the bathroom has been built back up starting with new backer board. Two niches have been created in the shower.

Next came the biggest challenge of this project; leveling the floor. As I mentioned in my first post, it’s possible that the house was built this way ( somebody’s measuring mistake?) None of our other upstairs rooms have this problem.

I was curious to see how the leveling would be done, because we were dealing with about 3/4 inch difference between the left side of the room and the right side. Our contractor put a sheet of cement board down on the sub floor, then smoothed self leveling floor compound and careful leveled everything.

So now the floor is ready for tile! I splurged on oblong marble hexagon tile that mimics the picket tile in our kitchen backsplash. We drew out the tile pattern and are ready to go.

Choices to be Made

These are my top four wallpaper choices. Each paper picks up the deep blue of the vanity I chose, and each brings in a shade of peach/salmon/coral that my daughter requested.

Top left: Flowering Desert

Top right: Magisk Oasis

Bottom left : Artemis by House of Hackney

Bottom right: Crane Fonda by Divine Savages

Do you have a favorite? This is a tough one but I’m leaning toward Flowering Desert. In the end I think the white background will bring the airy feeling that we are looking for.

Next Steps

Next up the old original wallpaper is being removed and the walls are being patched and prepped for the new wallpaper. Then tile the shower tile goes up. Stay tuned for the progress next week!

Check week 3 updates for the other One Room Challenge participants here.

ONE ROOM CHALLENGE SPRING 2019 WEEK 2

We are well in to week two of the One Room Challenge and things are rolling right along. This will be my fourth bathroom remodel as a homeowner. The first two were in our previous house and were DIY the entire way. For anyone DIYing a bathroom (or a kitchen for that matter) I feel your pain! Since buying our current home, my husband has “retired” from taking on remodeling projects. I don’t blame him.

We’ve hired a contractor to handle this remodel and it feels so luxurious. That’s not to say I’m not stressing, but at least I’m not swinging a sledgehammer this time.

The bathroom has gone from this

To this

To this. I’m loving the color of the pink insulation by the way.

We even got to get a peek of the original wallpaper. Nothing like a pink and blue 80’s houndstooth!

Now to build this place back up.

Inspiration

My Inspiration for the new bathroom was Candis Cayne’s kitchen featured on Design*Sponge. I love the cabinet color and fell head over heels for the black and white pattern created with the herringbone tile. I loved it so much a was ready to rip the design off wholesale. But in the end I decided against it for several reasons:

1. Really? Come up with your own ideas.

2. I couldn’t source black and white herringbone that would arrive on time and/or not blow my budget.

3. I did come up with my own tile pattern design, but I didn’t have faith in the tile installers to execute it well. I’m working with a new contractor and would really have to trust someone and know their skill level to do it right. Maybe next time!

4. In the end it just seemed over-designed for a small kids bathroom.

So I’m going with white porcelain herringbone from the tub to the ceiling. It will feel fresh and add just enough interest. And, even better, it’s really budget friendly.

In general, the design plan veered off in a less sophisticated, more tween girl friendly direction. See last week’s post for the other elements I’ve chosen for the room.

The vanity above has been ordered. I knew I wanted colored cabinetry for this room; I’ve put in white cabinets throughout the house and it’s time to step out of my comfort zone. This vanity not a true deep peacock blue like the inspiration pic, more of a navy in person. I’m slightly disappointed in the color, but it will look great with the final design. I love the clean lines and the carrara marble top. It weighs 350 pounds and needs to go up a flight of stairs, so wish us luck on that one!

Well demo was fun, tune in next week to see some progress with putting this thing back together.

Now take a look at the other ORC participants and their projects.

One Room Challenge Spring 2019 Week 1

I am beyond excited to be taking part in the One Room Challenge for the first time. I am a long time lurker but have never participated because the timing never worked. And I didn’t have a blog! But now I have a “sort of” blog so here we go….

The Before

I’m renovating my daughter’s bathroom. This project is way overdue! Behold the bathroom in its current state. Ugh. But before photos are supposed to be heinous right?

ORC bathroom before

That’s a lot of brown! Ok, so it’s not generally very interesting or appealing. But beyond aesthetics, we have a real problem that makes me dizzy. The floor is not level and slopes down toward the vanity side of the room. We’re told that this is not a structural problem. It may be house settling or possibly the house was just built this way. Sigh. Luckily this is something that can and will be fixed in the remodel.

Above is a visual map of all of my grievances with this bathroom. Nothing surprising, we’re ripping it all out and starting from scratch.

ORC Bathroom Before

Another view of the before. You can see where I committed to this project by starting to peel off the textured- over wallpaper. We also tried a few paint swatches and decided against them. The medicine cabinet is going. Flooring, vanity, frameless mirror, tile, all going. The only things staying are the tub and the toilet. Note to self, I need to plan more towel hanging space because that over the door hanger must go as well.

The wall opposite the vanity has a large linen closet. It happens to be the ONLY LINEN CLOSET IN THE HOUSE. I realized this on the day we moved in, as I went around searching for additional linen storage that didn’t exist.

The plan is to update the doors and trim. I’d also love to add an organization system to the inside of the closet because it is always crazy. I blame it on kids, but in reality it’s all of us. I mean, who put an empty fish tank in there?

I know that an organized closet is probably pie in the sky for this house, but we can at least try. We’ll have to see what time and budget allow, since closet innards are not considered critical path as we start out.

The Client

As I mentioned before, this is a kid’s bathroom. One of the reasons I could put this project off for seven years is because I don’t use it much! It also functions as a guest bathroom so I’d like a design that appeals to adults as well as a 10 year-old girl.

My daughter/client likes:

• nothing vintage! (ouch)

• black white and gold

• pastels, but not pink. She did recommend pale peachy pink walls for this bathroom, though. Yes, the cognitive dissonance is already starting.

• white marble

• cactus motifs

• wants a brighter bathroom

So I think I’m ready to reveal...

The Plan

Blue vanity, pendant lighting, marble floors, herringbone shower walls, wallpaper, GOLD. I’ll leave it at that for now. My client is happy and there’s a little something (ok, a lot) to make me happy too. I hope you follow along next week when all the fun really begins.

I’ll be updating my Instagram stories @k.laingdesign with extra project details.

Now take some time to check out the other participants on the One Room Challenge blog.