Friday Tip: Shop Around!

Today I want to share one simple tip when designing a space.

SHOP AROUND!

It seems obvious right?  But sometimes we get so hung up on one specific piece or item that we neglect to see something better!

I have the perfect example.  Remember the green diy dresser?  I found some knobs for it that I ADORED from Anthropologie.

They were $8.00 each:

SO pretty, but I needed 10 knobs totaling $80.00 - which was almost the price of the dresser I was putting them on - not cool.

So then I started looking around but I knew what look I had in mind.  I found these from Pier 1:

Pretty right?  Nearly the same as the other knobs and HALF the price.  $4.00 each.  SO much more doable when it is totaling $40.00 instead of $80.00.

I think they turned out SO pretty on too...

Shopping around can save you so much money and regret!  The more I look around the happier I am with the end product ALWAYS!  Even if I do end up going back to the first item I liked to begin with.  Shopping around always ensures I LOVE the piece I've chosen the most.  So trust me when I say patience truly is a virtue!

DIY Console Table

So here is the honest truth.  I'm not a huge DIY-er.  Although, I try.

Another truth, my hubs, REALLY not a DIY-er or handy man in any way.  Don't get me wrong. He has other strengths, literally and figuratively.  For example, throw some football pads on that guy and he will knock other big guys over ALL DAY LONG, no one will be getting anywhere near that quarterback. Handy man, not so much.  I knew this when I married him, truth be told I was a sucker for those football pants ;)  Moving on...

When we were living in our first apartment I searched high and low for the perfect console table - inexpensive and good looking.  Nothing.  I then scoured KSL. Nothing. The next obvious answer...DIY.  So, I enlisted the help of my dad, or my mom did.  Anyhow, he did a great job (although he tells us he is not a handy man either, we think its a ploy to avoid requests such as this).  So, here is the oh so simple and dashingly beautiful console table that now graces our front room.

Honestly, SO SIMPLE.  My dad made the top.  I chose the paint color of my dreams - anyone who knows me knows how much I adore chartreuse - although I think I'm starting to move on...maybe.  We bought ourselves the perfectly sleek legs from Ikea (they have several options, see below) and shazam. Console table.

Super easy to attach.

Just some bonus info:

Dog book ends were on sale at Target (HOLLA!!).  

Framed our wedding announcement (moms idea, best idea ever)!

Amanda Nisbet's book...my FAV!

Small side table is a West Elm piece but I got it from a design friend for $40 (HOLLA!!)

 So go try it!  You won't be sorry!

DIY : Inexpensive Abstract Art

Lets be honest, everyone wants some great artwork to hang on the wall.  Something unique and, lets face it, something that didn't come from Hobby Lobby or Target.  

The problem is, either its from Target or you pay a pretty penny for it.

Sooo...I have been working on getting our guest room together and I really wanted some pretty artwork on the wall.  So I went to Hobby Lobby.  And no, I wasn't looking in the wall decor section, I went to the art supply aisle.  This is what I got:

I wanted the artwork to look legitimate, I thought the key to this was the canvas.  Thus the medium texture art canvas.

Acrylic paint that I thought would go well with the other colors in the room.  

Some gold paint because lets face it, everything is better with metallics...especially gold! The mod podge was to give some extra texture and let me really layer it all up.

Here is what I did:

1. Taped the canvas down on my work surface 

2. Watered down my brush and applied paint to canvas

3. Dried the paint with a blowdryer and added mod podge, dry after mod podge as well

4. Keep applying layers and drying and mod podging.  This will give it lots of texture and will help you achieve the look you want.

5. I wanted an ombre effect so watering the paint down was key.

6. Get some great, inexpensive frames from IKEA (several different sizes and finishes).  The reason why these are great:  they come WITH the matte.  Looks great and is such a great price!

7. Hang and enjoy!

We still need some bedside tables, lamps, and accessories to finish off the guest room, but this artwork really added a good punch of color.  Seriously, so easy, inexpensive, and fun!

And we're back!

We're back! It's been quite the break and here is the reason why:

Introducing Mason David Whimpey to the Whimpey clan.

Born July 23rd 

Weighing in at 7 lbs 13 oz & 19 inches long

Our family is officially now a family of four.  The handsome Mr Whimpey and I better be careful...we are verging on being outnumbered!

This is what the last 4 weeks have looked like for me.

(Actually it has looked more like massive temper tantrums, lots of wacks to the head, and lots of crying.)  But every now and then we get a moment like the one above and it makes the rest of it seem few and far between.

And now life can commence again (sigh), but does it have to???

A Black and White Room

So here's the deal...

You can never go wrong with black and white. Classic.

However, I can't do anything without a little bit of color, color just makes things a little more rich and a little more interesting.

Lately I am OBSESSED with green, emerald green.  So when I was designing this front room/entry and I was working with an existing console table that was chartreuse (also another obsession I have).  I thought why not pair the two together?  Best. Decision. Ever.

Check out the design idea and stay tuned for the finished product!

Obsessed with the Birch Tree REUSABLE Wallcovering from Simple Shapes.  When you are dealing with a rental removable/reusable is ALWAYS  a plus and lets face it, this pattern is dreamy.

**Side note: who says you can't mix metals?!  Just imagine the layering and richness mixing metals can bring to a space.  Lets face it, it looks good.**

Getting Inspired

The best part of being a designer is that you can spend hours looking at beautiful pictures of homes and call it work.  Thats right.  Everyone needs to be inspired, and every new project needs a fresh dose of inspiration.  Currently I am working on some inspiration for a new client.  I'm thinking this project will be on the contemporary-mountain side.  Here is what I've got so far.  What do you think?

Eye candy, right?!

And the best part is the client loves black windows just as much as I do!

Getting Personal: The Man of the Hour

I have to take a quick minute and get a little bit personal.

It's Mr. Whimpey's birthday today and I have to take a minute and tell him how much he means to us.

It's been a long time that we have been together and a lot of birthdays celebrated.

I'm lucky I married a guy that is so hard working, selfless, kind, funny, and good looking!

We love you Kyle!!

Happy 24th!!

Shiloh's Nursery: Part 1

So, the truth is, I'm about to have baby #2.  

My babycenter app just told me I have 31 days to go.

31 DAYS.

No, I am not prepared one bit...and the nursery? Lets not even go there.

Baby #2 is a boy, so it will be fun to do a boy nursery since the last one was a girl.

Speaking of the last one, I never posted about baby #1 AKA Shiloh's nursery.

I feel like it is only right to highlight nursery #1 before we undertake nursery #2.

This is just part 1 of Shiloh's nursery.  

Back in the far corner you can see the inspiration behind the whole room.  Those curtains.
Thanks IKEA it was swoon at first sight!

I'm going to be honest, I searched EVERYWHERE for a dresser that was tall enough to double as the changing table, and it was hard.  Finally, I found this baby on KSL with a 36" height.  Not only was this necessary for my comfort but also for my 6'6" hubs.

So here's the thing, I'm a SUPER sentimental person. When I was trying to decide what do on the wall above the dresser I came up with this idea (I'm sure I'm not the first one).  Baby pictures of me, the hubs, our parents, grandparents, etc.  along with baby pics of Shiloh.  I'm not going to lie, I LOVE IT.  Some of my favorites are the picture of me and my dad on my blessing day (LDS term: when you are an infant in the LDS church your dad or any priesthood holder gives you a blessing), and then of course a picture of Shiloh with her dad on her blessing day.  See, sentimental.

Literally, this is not staged. I think it's so sweet having her little shoes on there.  And what better pair than our freshly picked moccs in platinum.  If you haven't already noticed...I'm obsessed with anything gold.

That cute little picture in the front is my grandma with her grandpa.  I mean, really?  So sweet.  I love celebrating where we came from, if it weren't for these great people we wouldn't have the lives we have.

And the whole enchilada!  I have been searching high and low for the before picture of that dresser.  Lets just say that its crazy what a coat of paint and some new knobs can do.  

So there you have it, just in time for nursery #2 to be in full effect.  Did I mention these kids are going to be 16.5 months apart. I mean. I'm scared.  All tips welcome!  And while we are talking tips, if you have any boy name suggestions send them my way. We can't seem to agree on ANYTHING!!  

Stay tuned and I'll tell you the secrets for mastering your own gallery wall!

the "R" word

What is it about the "R" word that really freaks people out?

I'll admit, remodels can be hard.  It's hard to live in a torn apart house, difficult to see the vision of what it could be, etc.  However, sometimes remodels and renovations can be the best option.

I just finished up a fun remodel of a kitchen.  KITCHEN. Talk about hard living through a remodel, try living without a kitchen.  From what I hear it isn't all that fun, but man was it worth it.

If it were up to the clients, they probably would have moved to Idaho on a huge piece of land and built their dream house to die in.  However, several factors in their life wouldn't allow that, so remodel it was.  I could go on and on about every detail of this kitchen, but I'll just let it speak for itself.

To see all the before and after images go here